Michigan 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.

Michigan Investors

United States > Michigan

Former CFO of Real Estate Development company, entered into Private Equity and VC 3 years ago. Searching for high upside potential investments with room for growth.

$25,000 to $500,000

United States > Michigan

We are a specialized trade, consulting and private equity investment firm with a background in private international banking. We have assembled a team of expert lending facilities, private investors, financial instrument facilities, equity groups, corporate bond structure and risk management specialists with extensive experience in assisting domestic and international companies secure pre and post trade finance, commodities of all types, obtain mezzanine debt, private equity, and asset based business loans of almost any size. We use a range of financial and risk mitigation solutions to help meet your exact requirements including: Procurement Finance Order Finance Receivables discounting, as part of an overall solution Letters of Credit confirmations Commodity Finance Import finance facilities Guarantees and Standby Letters of Credit Capital Goods Finance and Leasing Credit Insurance Finance for import duties, VAT & Logistics

$10,000 to $1,000,000,000

United States > Michigan

30 Years in manufacturing, 28 in automotive, with extensive experience in Product Development, New Product Launch, Manufacturing Operations Management Quality and Supply Chain Management as well as being a manufacturing turn-around specialist is looking for an owner that is looking to retire and needs someone to takeover or partner with to run the day to day operations.

$0 to $100,000

United States > Michigan

I have grown several companies into success. Run a 82 million real estate sales company and have done and managed developments.

$50,000 to $5,000,000

United States > Michigan

Former community bank president, 10 yrs experience as private investor/consultant. Now leads group of investors.

$10,000 to $200,000

United States > Michigan

Offering more than twenty years’ of leadership and business development experience, my expertise lies in creating start-up companies and consistently steering them to achieve year-on-year growth. Success in this regard has relied on an ability to define strategic vision and set the organizational tone, prioritizing a culture of excellence. Underpinning my skills as a strategist is exhaustive experience of “getting the show on the road”: creating structures, managing all aspects of organizational activity and enhancing efficiency and effectiveness. My consultancy firm and its subsidiaries specialized in robotics simulation, process development, integration services, and staffing solutions, and I currently hold six patents relating to the calibration of offline programs with industrial robots.

$5,000 to $100,000

United States > Michigan

Metro Detroit investor looking to grow portfolio with successful entrepreneurs. Business owner in food and beverage industry and operations experience. Willing to consider both silent or advisory roles.

$1 to $100,000

United States > Michigan

We are a professional investment firm with over $10M of capital, looking to invest in strong founders/management teams.

$1,000,000 to $7,000,000