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

We are investors located in Michigan. We have developed more than 100MM in real estate and have the skillset and experience to find properties, evaluate, engineer, develop and build. We are looking to buy, partner or JV. We are also looking at existing businesses that need the capital or partner to invest for expansion or just looking to sell their company.

$100,000 to $250,000

United States > Michigan

My wife and I are young professionals with a wide range of experience in Health Care, Technology, and Business Services living in Grand Rapids, MI. We want to make long-term investments in new or existing companies looking to grow. I am a health care consultant and entrepreneur with a JD, MBA, and BA in Economics. My wife is a regional territory sales manager at a large technology company with a JD and BA in Political Science. We have succeeded in environments ranging from small businesses, start-ups, and mid-market firms, to Fortune 100 international corporations. Our level of involvement depends on the deal. We can be silent, advisory, or hands-on. This depends on our level of interest in the project, the time we have available, and whether both parties agree that our involvement is beneficial to the goals of the company.

$10,000 to $100,000

United States > Michigan

Married. Battle Creek, MI. Bachelors - Consumer Goods. Experience: Kellog, Kraft Foods, Stryker Medical. Status: Individual Investor Involvement: Any. Have access to top producers in all areas. Marketing top 100 marketing executive. Analysts from major corporations.

$10,000 to $150,000

United States > Michigan

I am a 46 year old married man and I reside in Michigan. I have been in the finance business for 22 years and have funded everything from someone buying a Island to small inventions. I have many contacts all over the world and if my group does not have the taste for a project then I most likely can get it done with my contacts. I have a full staff that assists me and we will not waste your time. If we like your deal we will move forward.

$500,000 to $65,000,000

United States > Michigan

I am the founder and Chairman of a venture group. I am a former professional hockey player, venture capitalist and renowned entrepreneur. An early entrant to the cleantech market, our efforts have garnered global recognition his companies awards include Time Magazine's "Best Inventions 2005," and was awarded the Wall Street Journal's "Technology Innovator" and the World Economic Forum's "Technology Pioneer" awards that same year. In early 2007, he was named a "Young Global Leader" by the Forum. Repeated successes has been acknowledged by the global business community. His insight has been sought by such publications as the New York Times, Time Magazine, Inc., Red Herring and the Wall Street Journal. In addition, he is a regular attendee of the World Economic Forum. He holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from Brandon University, in Brandon, Manitoba.

$50,000 to $10,000,000

United States > Michigan

I am 52, married and live in Oxford, Mi. I am a business consultant and invest in small startup company’s. I am currently involved in an environmental service-based startup (hands-on & advisory role) based in Holland, Mi which will service the surrounding county’s. I can offer business advice, business set up and business financial needs. My experience and expertise is in service type related businesses. I recently sold my mobile maintenance company to a National Maintenance Provider. The company provides mobile maintenance and inspection services to the transportation industry. I started the company and grew it to nearly 50 service trucks and serviced multiple states. I am an Individual investor and available for a hands-on, advisory role. I am motivated, high-energy, easy to work with and eager to invest and assist in service-based startups.

$5,000 to $300,000

United States > Michigan

I have over 25 years of experience in investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, capital formation, venture capital and emerging company development. I began my investment- banking career in New York with the firm of Hornblower and Weeks. In 1974, I moved to Bache Stuart Halsey Inc. as vice-president of mergers and acquisitions. In 1979, I joined Asset Management Investments, a private venture capital firm, with $22 million under management. Since 1985, I have been involved with start-up companies, developing coherent and innovative financing strategies. He is an author and a frequent speaker for entrepreneurship forums and venture capital seminars. His experience as an entrepreneur/business owner, investment banker, and venture capitalist provides a unique and comprehensive perspective for VIP’s Portfolio investments and Investing Partners.

$500,000 to $5,000,000

United States > Michigan

Young aggressive physician looking to invest and build further. Plenty of medical experience, but would like to link with developers in real estate and home flipping projects.

$10,000 to $100,000