Mike P. McKeever 
How to Write a Business Plan 

Step-by-step advice on preparing a business plan



You need a sound business plan to start a business or raise money to expand an existing one. For over 30 years, How to Write a Business Plan has helped fledgling entrepreneurs—from small service businesses and retailers to large manufacturing firms—write winning plans and get needed financing.



This bestselling book contains clear step-by-step instructions and forms to put together a convincing business plan with realistic financial projections, effective marketing strategies, and overall business goals. You’ll learn how to:



figure out if your business idea will make money

determine and forecast cash flow

create profit and loss forecasts

prepare marketing and personnel plans

find potential sources of financing, and

present your well-organized plan to lenders and other backers.



This edition is updated to reflect best practices for raising money (from SBA loans to equity crowdfunding).

Table of Content

1. Benefits of Writing a Business Plan

2. Do You Really Want to Own a Business?

3. Choosing the Right Business

4. Potential Sources of Money to Start or Expand Your Small Business

5. Your Resume and Financial Statement

6. Your Profit and Loss Forecast

7. Your Cash Flow Forecast and Capital Spending Plan

8. Write Your Marketing and Personnel Plans

9. Editing and Finalizing Your Business Plan

10. Selling Your Business Plan

11. After You Open—Keeping on the Path to Success

12. Good Resources for Small Businesses

13. Business Plans for Nonprofits

Appendixes

A. Business Plan for a Small Service Business

B. Business Plan for a Manufacturing Business

C. Business Plan for Project Development

D. How to Use the Downloadable Forms on the Nolo Website

Index

About the author

Mike P. Mc Keever has a B.A. in Economics from Whittier College, a Master’s in Economics from the London (England) School of Economics and has done post-graduate work in financial analysis at the USC Business School. Mike has taught classes at numerous community colleges in entrepreneurship and small business management. He has published articles on entrepreneurship for Dow Jones publications, the Sloan Publications Business Journal and numerous newspapers and periodicals.