Biz Info: Business Planning

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Do You Have a Business Plan?

By completing a business plan, you will better understand your market, cost of production, and the competitive factors that will influence the success of your new business. A solid business plan will boost your confidence and your ability to obtain the necessary financing and resources required to start a new venture.

Your business plan is a roadmap for your new venture. It shows you where your business is positioned, where it is going and how it will get there.

By putting your vision, aims, objectives and long-term business goals on paper, your new venture will become more realistic and you will quickly learn the strengths of your business and other areas that need improvement.

Remember, no one plans to fail they fail to plan.

Purpose of a Business Plan
Why Do You Need a Business Plan?

Business Basics for Alberta Food Processors - Business Planning - Although this factsheet focuses on food processors, this information is helpful for anyone requiring a business plan
Business Plans - Frequently Asked Questions - These frequently asked questions focus on the need for a business plan and the key elements of a business plan
Why Do You Need a Business Plan - The Canadian Business Network outline on writing a business plan
Launch Your Business - Time for Action - This factsheet will analyze key business and lifestyle goals; develop an implementation plan and build your business plan.
Why Business Plans Don't Get Funded - This article shows you how to avoid the most common errors found in business plans

Preparation
How Do You Write a Business Plan?

Elements of a Business Plan - This factsheet from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development breaks down the elements of a business plan step by step
Planning Your Business - The Royal Bank provides guidelines for developing a business plan.
Writing Your Business Plan - The Canadian Business Network provides information on what to include in a business plan.

Templates & Examples
What Should a Business Plan Look Like?

Business Planning Template - User Guide - 13 KB - Before opening the Business Planning Template below please review this user guide. It contains important information that will help you fill in each section of your business plan.
Business Planning Template - This interactive business planning template from Alberta Agriculture and Forestry is a comprehensive planning tool that will help you assess where your business is going. The business planning template is available as a fillable PDF document - 1187 KB. This template may be completed on-line, saved to your hard drive and then printed off or emailed as required

Note: To use this form you must be using Adobe 8.1 or higher. The latest version of the software is available for free from Adobe).

Preparing Financial Projections and Monitoring Results - This factsheet provides tips to help you complete financial forecasts which will be useful when dealing with lenders, investors, and others. These pages give high levels of understanding on topics such as financial planning, start-up and expansion costs, key assumptions, balance sheets, income statements and performance ratios
Sample Business Plans & Templates - The Canada Business Network link provides a varieties of Business Plan Templates.

Phone the Ag-Info Centre, toll-free in Alberta at 310-FARM (3276), for assistance.

For more information about the content of this document, contact Kathy Bosse.
This document is maintained by Ordella Knopf.
This information published to the web on November 9, 2016.
Last Reviewed/Revised on October 9, 2018.