Georgia Investment Network

Business Plan Tips

What Investors Are Looking For In A Plan

Investors, whether angels or VC's, are looking for the same things when reading a business plan. They want to know how big the opportunity is, whether this is the right team to exploit the opportunity, who the competition is, what the risks are, and why they can expect this team to implement successfully. Your job in writing the business plan is to address these questions convincingly and clearly.

Emphasize Your Real Strengths

Highlight what your team brings to the table. If your business hinges on a particular competency (for example, understanding the procurement process), your plan will be more persuasive if one of your team members knows something about it and that is brought out in your plan. Rather than including generic resumes of team members, tailor the resumes to draw out the experience each member has that will make him or her a valuable contributor.

Get To The Point And Make It Clear And Comprehensive

Investors see many business plans. A 20-page plan which clearly lays out your business is far more likely to be read than a 100 page plan. Today, some entrepreneurs are using a 15 slide Powerpoint presentation. If your text is short and punchy, you won't need to repeat yourself, because the reader won't be bogged down keeping ten chapters in their head. Reading the same thing over and over, even if it's in different words, can get really tiring. The more you use brevity and give each concept a single home in your document, the more people will want to read it.

Write In Plain English

If you can't explain your idea in English, either you don't understand what you're talking about (What is a transaction enabled atomic journaling database server, anyway?) or you haven't simplified the idea enough. Think, revise, and try again.

Get Rid Of The Hype

Yes, we know you will be the "premier insert product category here of the Internet, achieving 99% market penetration with 60% customer retention in 3 months". Your product will reach "new heights in customer experience through the use of personalization and one-to-one profiling and customization". It will be "user friendly" because you will be creating a truly "ecstatic customer experience". It is a "quantum leap forward" in the marketplace for product category here. Um, yeah. Believe me, we've read it before. About a dozen times today, in fact. (And by the way, the phrase "quantum leap" really doesn't mean anything.) Stick to a tight, simple explanation of your idea. Convince your reader you'll be the best because your idea is the best, not because you can string a dozen buzzwords together.

Use Quantifiable Information

In each section, back up your assertions with solid facts. Even if you are a new venture and cannot give specific figures on the performance of your business, quote figures for the industry or your competitors. These real figures carry more weight than your assumed projections and give more reality to your plan.

Choose A Huge Market

Especially in the internet world, investors are looking more at the market than at the detailed specifics of your financials. Choose a market that is big enough to be an obvious good opportunity. A business which targets teenage girls who listen to music and has a reasonable chance of capturing 90% of the girls that are online is a huge opportunity. A business which targets net-savvy SAAB mechanics who need prosthetic limbs is not.

Georgia Investors

United States > Georgia

We are a 20+ year old company that assists large and small businesses with all types of financing whether it be accounts receivables, traditional or non-traditional financing. We realize that funding for businesses can be difficult to secure and we are positioned to provide assistance via our investor and lending services. Business funded usually within 1 to 5 days. Business Financing: • Small Business Loans • Business Line of Credit • Equipment Financing • SBA Loans • AR Financing • Merchant Cash Advance • Franchise Financing • Asset Based Loans • Fix N Flip Loans • Credit Card Processing • Startup Funding

$5,000 to $25,000,000

United States > Georgia

30yr IT professional looking to invest in the hopes and dreams of new entrepreneurs.

$5,000 to $100,000

United States > Georgia

Nationwide Funding company specializing in assisting potential and existing business owners get the capital they need for business-start-up and/or expansion. Attorney by trade, my company has over 7 years of experience lending across all major industries. Funding criteria is extremely low, and funding process is extremely fast. We do not fund with credit cards that you have to liquidate, but rather wire money directly into your account. If you meet basic criteria (650 credit, no derogatory marks over last 2 years, earn at least $27,000/year, have 3 open trade lines and utilization is under 60%) you can be funded within 1 week! If you meet some of the criteria but not all, we can still fund you within 30-45 days!!! We do not seek any equity in your project and are 100% hands off.

$20,000 to $400,000

United States > Georgia

I'm a single individual looking to invest on innovative, and cool ideas. I would like to invest on start-ups that have the motivation. I've created a couple of successful businesses which have allow me to have additional income available to invest. My involvement with any business would be from the marketing and maybe financial perspective. Trust and communication between partners is essential to me.

$0 to $20,000

United States > Georgia

Work in the real estate industry. I'm an individual investor looking to be a silent partner.

$2,500 to $250,000

United States > Georgia

Looking for commercial investment opportunities.

$10,000,000 to $10,000,000

United States > Georgia

I am an engineer with 35+ years of work experience (academia, corporate and startup) looking for investment opportunities. I am the CEO of a profitable professional services company I started 10 years ago. I can be either a hands off and hands on investor.

$25,000 to $250,000

United States > Georgia

I'm an active to passive investor looking for businesses that are are in a change and improve cycle either during growth, or preparing for growth. I've started and ran multiple businesses. I'm a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (process efficiency and design) with a Bachelors in Entrepreneurship and professional certificates in a number of industries including finance, real estate, insurance, automation, etc. and experience in many industries and am also fluent in Spanish. My ideal investment is a company that is seeking an investor/board member that brings more than capital to bear in helping bring a business across the next milestone.

$1,000 to $150,000