seda business plan template

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Gender and Women Empowerment Unit

Small enterprise development agency (seda).

Seda   supports the growth of small business. People can go to Seda for help to start a business or, if they already have a business, to make it stronger and more profitable. There is a Seda branch in each district municipality. These branches offer:

• information, advice and referrals
• tender information and advice
• import and export training
• trade information
• business assessments and business mentoring
• technical support
• market access
• business linkages

In addition to helping individuals in business, Seda has a special focus on co-operative enterprises , where a group of entrepreneurs share the profits and responsibility of a business.

Contact Seda :  012 441 1000 Business Information Centre :  0860 103 703 Website : www.seda.org.za

How to write a business plan

The first thing you need to do is state clearly and specifically what your business idea is. Very simply, you need to say what you intend doing, how you plan on doing it, when you plan to do it and why you believe you will succeed. In the process of doing that, you need to do some research into whether your idea and your plan will really work.  Your business plan should cover four main areas:

• Your strategic focus (your “niche”, or “core business”):  What exactly is it that your business will do? What makes it special? What won’t your business do?
• The marketing plan: How are you going to promote your product?  How are you going to price your product?  How do you plan on getting your product to your market?
• The operations plan: What staff will you have and what will they do?  Who will supply you with what you need?  How will you manage your business?
• The financial plan: What profits and losses will you make?  How much sales do you need to make to break even?  How much cash do you need to cover costs each month?  What is the source of your funds?  How will you use your funds?  If you need a loan, then what can you offer as security for that loan?

Important advice:

• Work out how big your market is (the total number of people who will buy your product).
• Is the market growing or not?  (Is there increasing demand for your product or is there an over-supply?)
• List all the factors about your business that will bring you success (e.g.  is it in a good place, is it cheap, is it very high quality?).

Look carefully at your situation and make a list of the following:

• your strengths and weaknesses in comparison with your competitors
• all the obvious market opportunities and threats
• the advantages you have over your competitors
• advantages that your competitors have over you
• ways of using your advantages to your benefit
• how you will deal with the disadvantages you face
• what must be done, when it must be done and how it be done.

Co-operatives Incentive Scheme (CIS)

Successful applicants are given cash grants so that their cooperative can obtain good quality services that will help them to grow their business. The Cooperative Incentive Scheme helps cooperatives from all industries: textiles, services, energy, agriculture, print, film, and video production, consumer and housing. For a cooperative to qualify for a grant, it needs to:

• be mainly black-owned
• be actively helping to create employment and overcome poverty
• be registered according to the Cooperatives Act, 14 of 2005
• have a simple Business Plan, which must be attached to applications forms
• provide quotations for the services for which it requires funding.

How to register a co-operative

To register your cooperative, you will need to fill in Form CR1 – Application for registration of primary/secondary/tertiary cooperative. You will then be notified of the other forms you will need to fill in, in the course of registering your cooperative.

Contact the Department of Trade and Industry: 012 394-1425/394-1608 Website: www.thedti.gov.za

This programme offers grants in a cost-sharing scheme to black-owned business for the purpose of business skills training. It offers support to black-owned enterprises by helping to improve their core competencies and management abilities, and enabling them to become more competitive. The scheme helps people with promotional marketing materials, software development and other activities such as quality improvement, processes and product improvement.

Companies that are majority black-owned (15% or more) and which have a significant representation of black managers on their management team quality for the grant. Companies should not earn more than R12 million per annum and must have been trading for at least a year. They need to be registered with CIPRO and with SARS. The maximum grant for which a single company can qualify is R100 000.

Application procedure : Obtain application guidelines and an application form.  Complete the application form. Obtain and attach a tax clearance certificate, and submit the application.

Contact the Department of Trade and Industry Customer Care Centre :  0861 843 384 Website : www.thedti.gov.za

Finance for Small Businesses

Khula enterprise finance ltd.

Khula helps SMMEs to get loans from banks. It does not lend money itself. Khula also provides mentorship to entrepreneurs, helping them to manage their businesses successfully. The mentorship programme includes the transfer of skills on a face-to-face basis, the development of viable business plans, and pre- and post-loan services.

Contact Khula :  012 394-5560/5900 or 0800 11 88 15 Website :  www.khula.org.za

South African Micro Finance Apex Fund (Samaf)

Samaf gives financial services to small-scale entrepreneurs living in rural and outer urban areas. Samaf does not lend money directly to the public. It uses existing institutions within communities to handle the funds and lend to qualifying entrepreneurs. Samaf has three products:  the Micro-Credit Fund (gives loans to entrepreneurs), the Capacity Building Fund (gives funds to be used for equipping the institutions with skills, system and equipment) and the Savings Mobilisation Fund (encourages savings).

Contact Samaf :  012 394-1805 Websites : www.samaf.org.za ; www.thedti.gov.za

This is a programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). It aims to create jobs for communities by helping to establish SMMEs. In particular, it makes use of technologies which can add value to SMMEs and makes them accessible to communities. At the same time, the programme helps to make these SMMEs successful by offering skills development and training.

The DST offers technological assistance in the following areas:

• Aquaculture : Communities are trained to farm indigenous fish as a business. They receive technology in terms of infrastructure (production cages) and training to manage a fish farm, including diseases and harvesting.
• Essential oils: These are valuable oils that are extracted from the leaves and flowers of plants. Communities benefit from skills development and training, and their businesses are linked to the local essential oils market.
• Indigenous medicinal plants :  Communities are taught to grow indigenous herbs commercially. These plants have special medicinal properties which have been scientifically proven. Communities receive training in farming methods and in how to start a commercial enterprise and their businesses are linked to local markets.

The DST does not support individuals, only communities and community groups. These communities are then helped to form a viable community business, in the form of a Section 21 Company or cooperative. In order to use these technologies and produce valuable crops in essential oils and indigenous medicinal plants, communities need to have access to suitable agricultural land.  Similarly, communities that want to benefit from fish farming must have access to irrigation dams.

Contact the DST Technology for Sustainable Livelihoods :   012 843-6421/18

Registering your business

When you start a business, it needs to be registered. To do so, fill in the relevant forms and submit them to the Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (CIPRO).

Contact CIPRO :  0861 843 384

Support For Youth

The Umsobomvu Youth Fund helps youth set up, expand and develop their businesses by teaching them essential business skills. Umsobomvu has the following programmes:

• The Franchise Fund helps youth to start and maintain their businesses. Through loans and a voucher system, it helps young people to access business support.
• Entrepreneurship Education Training: This training is aimed at helping young people understand the concepts and principles of entrepreneurship and business.
• Cooperative Training: This is basic training for young people on setting up and running a youth cooperative business.
• Graduate Development Training: This is a training programme for unemployed graduates to enhance their life and professional skills.
• Business Consulting Services Voucher: These are services designed to help youth set up, expand or develop their businesses.

Umsobomvu youth Advisory Centres (YACs) are walk-in centres around the country where youth can receive information, training and referrals services – in fact, everything they need to find employment or start their own businesses. YACs provide outreach services to communities that are unable to get to the centres, by taking career information, skills development and entrepreneurial advice to local schools in Mobile YACs.

Contact Umsobomvu :  08600 YOUTH (96884) Contact Umsobomvu Business Partnership :  011 470-3111 Websites :  www.youthportal.org.za

National Youth Service (NYS)

The National Youth Services is about involving young people in the development of our country. It is an opportunity for young people to actively serve their communities. The National Youth Service Programme aims to create a culture of service. It develops the skills, knowledge and abilities of young people. It also improves youth employability by giving opportunities for work experience and skills development, and by providing further learning opportunities.

For more information on the NYS, turn to the Expanded Public Works Programme.

Support For Women

South african women in construction (sawic).

Sawic is a national association of women enterprises or professionals and technical staff in all areas of construction, from the skilled trades to business ownership, with international affiliation to the National association of Women in Construction (Nawic). Sawic administers, facilitates, advocates and lobbies all the Departments of Public Works for the empowerment of its members.

Contact Sawic :  012 337-2400/2174

Technology for Women in Business (TWIB)

This programme aims to make science and technology more accessible to women in business, especially those in SMMEs.

Contact TWIB :  012 394-1644 Website :  www.twib.co.za

The Gender and Women Empowerment Unit of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) manages the South African Women Entrepreneurs Network (SAWEN). SAWEN helps women overcome the obstacles that they still experience in business.

It compiles a database of women-owned enterprises, in order to help women help one another. It organises networking forums, facilitates capacity-building programmes, and lobbies and advocates for policies that support women entrepreneurs.

Contact the Department of Trade and Industry:  012 394-1606

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What is SEDA Business Funding? 

Updated on 23 June 2024

If you are a South African small business owner or aspiring entrepreneur, SEDA business funding could be an incredibly useful resource. SEDA aims to help micro and small businesses to grow, become more profitable, and operate more sustainably. South Africa needs more successful entrepreneurs, and SEDA is helping to support and achieve this.

If you need extra business support and funding to help you start or grow, then SEDA could be an excellent place to go. In this guide, we’ll explain what SEDA business funding is, how it works, and how you can use SEDA to grow your business.

What is SEDA Business Funding?

The Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) is an agency of the Department of Small Business Development that offers support to small businesses. SEDA business funding is a type of government small business funding that helps small businesses start up and grow more effectively.

SEDA provides all kinds of support for small businesses . They help aspiring entrepreneurs find ideas to start and grow their businesses. They also help existing businesses to improve their operations and become more profitable.

Every district municipality has its own SEDA branch to help support, develop, and promote small enterprises.

How Do You Get Funded By SEDA?

SEDA offers loans and grants to South African Small Businesses. Qualifying businesses can access SEDA financial assistance by applying for the relevant funding option here .

SEDA offers loans, grants, and relief options for various types of qualifying businesses. These SEDA business funding options are available to businesses within all sectors.

The overall process for applying for and acquiring SEDA funds takes up to six weeks. All kinds of small to medium-sized South African businesses can apply for SEDA business funding . This includes cooperatives and potential entrepreneurs with a business idea.

See Also: How to Access Funding For Your Business

What Kind Of Business Does SEDA Fund?

SEDA provides funding and business support services for micro and small enterprises of all sectors throughout South Africa. The agency also includes a special cooperative incentive scheme (textiles, services, energy, agriculture, print, film and video production, consumer and housing, etc.), and a black business supplier development programme .

Any kind of business can go to SEDA for support, as long as it is a micro or small business and the support request is justifiable.

SEDA businesses also need to be owned and operated by South Africans, registered with CIPS, and SARS-compliant. SEDA generally only funds businesses with an annual turnover of less than R 50 million.

Another alternative to SEDA funding that applies to small businesses in all sectors is DTI funding .

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Does SEDA Help With Business Plans?

Yes, SEDA does not only offer business funding, but the agency also works with entrepreneurs and small businesses to help them develop and become more profitable.

If you are an aspiring entrepreneur with an idea, then you can go to your local SEDA office where they will help you develop your idea and business plan. SEDA will help you determine the operational and financial objectives of your business and help you create a detailed plan on how your business will operate and what your budgets will look like.

Once your business plan is established, SEDA might also be able to help fund your business. If you are starting a new business, then it’s essential to have a clear and solid business plan before you start looking for any kind of funding.

Can I Register My Business at SEDA?

SEDA provides small business development and support services. This includes things like how to write a business plan, how to grow your business, and how to connect you with SEDA business funding opportunities. However, the agency is not able to register businesses.

You will need to register our business with the Companies and Intellectual Properties Commission (CIPC), which you can do on their website. You can also register your business on the Bizportal.gov.za website. It’s also possible to register your business via a bank or to outsource the task to a company that offers business registration services.

There are many excellent resources and programs available to help small businesses grow and become more profitable. SEDA is one of these.

SEDA makes it easy for entrepreneurs to access business growth advice and insights. Whether you need SEDA business funding or help to put together your business or growth plans, SEDA can help you achieve this. SEDA is an incredibly useful option for all kinds of businesses that need help.

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Simple Business Plan Template (2024)

Updated: May 4, 2024, 4:37pm

Table of Contents

Why business plans are vital, get your free simple business plan template, how to write an effective business plan in 6 steps, frequently asked questions.

While taking many forms and serving many purposes, they all have one thing in common: business plans help you establish your goals and define the means for achieving them. Our simple business plan template covers everything you need to consider when launching a side gig, solo operation or small business. By following this step-by-step process, you might even uncover a few alternate routes to success.

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Whether you’re a first-time solopreneur or a seasoned business owner, the planning process challenges you to examine the costs and tasks involved in bringing a product or service to market. The process can also help you spot new income opportunities and hone in on the most profitable business models.

Though vital, business planning doesn’t have to be a chore. Business plans for lean startups and solopreneurs can simply outline the business concept, sales proposition, target customers and sketch out a plan of action to bring the product or service to market. However, if you’re seeking startup funding or partnership opportunities, you’ll need a write a business plan that details market research, operating costs and revenue forecasting. Whichever startup category you fall into, if you’re at square one, our simple business plan template will point you down the right path.

Copy our free simple business plan template so you can fill in the blanks as we explore each element of your business plan. Need help getting your ideas flowing? You’ll also find several startup scenario examples below.

Download free template as .docx

Whether you need a quick-launch overview or an in-depth plan for investors, any business plan should cover the six key elements outlined in our free template and explained below. The main difference in starting a small business versus an investor-funded business is the market research and operational and financial details needed to support the concept.

1. Your Mission or Vision

Start by declaring a “dream statement” for your business. You can call this your executive summary, vision statement or mission. Whatever the name, the first part of your business plan summarizes your idea by answering five questions. Keep it brief, such as an elevator pitch. You’ll expand these answers in the following sections of the simple business plan template.

• What does your business do? Are you selling products, services, information or a combination?
• Where does this happen? Will you conduct business online, in-store, via mobile means or in a specific location or environment?
• Who does your business benefit? Who is your target market and ideal customer for your concept?
• Why would potential customers care? What would make your ideal customers take notice of your business?
• How do your products and/or services outshine the competition? What would make your ideal customers choose you over a competitor?

These answers come easily if you have a solid concept for your business, but don’t worry if you get stuck. Use the rest of your plan template to brainstorm ideas and tactics. You’ll quickly find these answers and possibly new directions as you explore your ideas and options.

2. Offer and Value Proposition

This is where you detail your offer, such as selling products, providing services or both, and why anyone would care. That’s the value proposition. Specifically, you’ll expand on your answers to the first and fourth bullets from your mission/vision.

As you complete this section, you might find that exploring value propositions uncovers marketable business opportunities that you hadn’t yet considered. So spend some time brainstorming the possibilities in this section.

For example, a cottage baker startup specializing in gluten-free or keto-friendly products might be a value proposition that certain audiences care deeply about. Plus, you could expand on that value proposition by offering wedding and other special-occasion cakes that incorporate gluten-free, keto-friendly and traditional cake elements that all guests can enjoy.

3. Audience and Ideal Customer

Here is where you explore bullet point number three, who your business will benefit. Identifying your ideal customer and exploring a broader audience for your goods or services is essential in defining your sales and marketing strategies, plus it helps fine-tune what you offer.

There are many ways to research potential audiences, but a shortcut is to simply identify a problem that people have that your product or service can solve. If you start from the position of being a problem solver, it’s easy to define your audience and describe the wants and needs of your ideal customer for marketing efforts.

Using the cottage baker startup example, a problem people might have is finding fresh-baked gluten-free or keto-friendly sweets. Examining the wants and needs of these people might reveal a target audience that is health-conscious or possibly dealing with health issues and willing to spend more for hard-to-find items.

However, it’s essential to have a customer base that can support your business. You can be too specialized. For example, our baker startup can attract a broader audience and boost revenue by offering a wider selection of traditional baked goods alongside its gluten-free and keto-focused specialties.

4. Revenue Streams, Sales Channels and Marketing

Thanks to our internet-driven economy, startups have many revenue opportunities and can connect with target audiences through various channels. Revenue streams and sales channels also serve as marketing vehicles, so you can cover all three in this section.

Revenue Streams

Revenue streams are the many ways you can make money in your business. In your plan template, list how you’ll make money upon launch, plus include ideas for future expansion. The income possibilities just might surprise you.

For example, our cottage baker startup might consider these revenue streams:

• Product sales : Online, pop-up shops , wholesale and (future) in-store sales
• Affiliate income : Monetize blog and social media posts with affiliate links
• Advertising income : Reserve website space for advertising
• E-book sales : (future) Publish recipe e-books targeting gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
• Video income : (future) Monetize a YouTube channel featuring how-to videos for the gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
• Webinars and online classes : (future) Monetize coaching-style webinars and online classes covering specialty baking tips and techniques
• Members-only content : (future) Monetize a members-only section of the website for specialty content to complement webinars and online classes
• Franchise : (future) Monetize a specialty cottage bakery concept and sell to franchise entrepreneurs

Sales Channels

Sales channels put your revenue streams into action. This section also answers the “where will this happen” question in the second bullet of your vision.

The product sales channels for our cottage bakery example can include:

• Mobile point-of-sale (POS) : A mobile platform such as Shopify or Square POS for managing in-person sales at local farmers’ markets, fairs and festivals
• E-commerce platform : An online store such as Shopify, Square or WooCommerce for online retail sales and wholesale sales orders
• Social media channels : Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest shoppable posts and pins for online sales via social media channels
• Brick-and-mortar location : For in-store sales , once the business has grown to a point that it can support a physical location

Channels that support other income streams might include:

• Affiliate income : Blog section on the e-commerce website and affiliate partner accounts
• Advertising income : Reserved advertising spaces on the e-commerce website
• E-book sales : Amazon e-book sales via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
• Video income : YouTube channel with ad monetization
• Webinars and online classes : Online class and webinar platforms that support member accounts, recordings and playback
• Members-only content : Password-protected website content using membership apps such as MemberPress

Nowadays, the line between marketing and sales channels is blurred. Social media outlets, e-books, websites, blogs and videos serve as both marketing tools and income opportunities. Since most are free and those with advertising options are extremely economical, these are ideal marketing outlets for lean startups.

However, many businesses still find value in traditional advertising such as local radio, television, direct mail, newspapers and magazines. You can include these advertising costs in your simple business plan template to help build a marketing plan and budget.

5. Structure, Suppliers and Operations

This section of your simple business plan template explores how to structure and operate your business. Details include the type of business organization your startup will take, roles and responsibilities, supplier logistics and day-to-day operations. Also, include any certifications or permits needed to launch your enterprise in this section.

Our cottage baker example might use a structure and startup plan such as this:

• Business structure : Sole proprietorship with a “doing business as” (DBA) .
• Permits and certifications : County-issued food handling permit and state cottage food certification for home-based food production. Option, check into certified commercial kitchen rentals.
• Roles and responsibilities : Solopreneur, all roles and responsibilities with the owner.
• Supply chain : Bulk ingredients and food packaging via Sam’s Club, Costco, Amazon Prime with annual membership costs. Uline for shipping supplies; no membership needed.
• Day-to-day operations : Source ingredients and bake three days per week to fulfill local and online orders. Reserve time for specialty sales, wholesale partner orders and market events as needed. Ship online orders on alternating days. Update website and create marketing and affiliate blog posts on non-shipping days.

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6. Financial Forecasts

Your final task is to list forecasted business startup and ongoing costs and profit projections in your simple business plan template. Thanks to free business tools such as Square and free marketing on social media, lean startups can launch with few upfront costs. In many cases, cost of goods, shipping and packaging, business permits and printing for business cards are your only out-of-pocket expenses.

Cost Forecast

Our cottage baker’s forecasted lean startup costs might include:

Gross Profit Projections

This helps you determine the retail prices and sales volume required to keep your business running and, hopefully, earn income for yourself. Use product research to spot target retail prices for your goods, then subtract your cost of goods, such as hourly rate, raw goods and supplier costs. The total amount is your gross profit per item or service.

Here are some examples of projected gross profits for our cottage baker:

Bottom Line

Putting careful thought and detail in a business plan is always beneficial, but don’t get so bogged down in planning that you never hit the start button to launch your business . Also, remember that business plans aren’t set in stone. Markets, audiences and technologies change, and so will your goals and means of achieving them. Think of your business plan as a living document and regularly revisit, expand and restructure it as market opportunities and business growth demand.

Is there a template for a business plan?

You can copy our free business plan template and fill in the blanks or customize it in Google Docs, Microsoft Word or another word processing app. This free business plan template includes the six key elements that any entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a new business.

What does a simple business plan include?

A simple business plan is a one- to two-page overview covering six key elements that any budding entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a startup. These include your vision or mission, product or service offering, target audience, revenue streams and sales channels, structure and operations, and financial forecasts.

How can I create a free business plan template?

Start with our free business plan template that covers the six essential elements of a startup. Once downloaded, you can edit this document in Google Docs or another word processing app and add new sections or subsections to your plan template to meet your specific business plan needs.

What basic items should be included in a business plan?

When writing out a business plan, you want to make sure that you cover everything related to your concept for the business,  an analysis of the industry―including potential customers and an overview of the market for your goods or services―how you plan to execute your vision for the business, how you plan to grow the business if it becomes successful and all financial data around the business, including current cash on hand, potential investors and budget plans for the next few years.

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Krista Fabregas is a seasoned eCommerce and online content pro sharing more than 20 years of hands-on know-how with those looking to launch and grow tech-forward businesses. Her expertise includes eCommerce startups and growth, SMB operations and logistics, website platforms, payment systems, side-gig and affiliate income, and multichannel marketing. Krista holds a bachelor's degree in English from The University of Texas at Austin and held senior positions at NASA, a Fortune 100 company, and several online startups.

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CompileBusinessPlan CompileBusinessPlan //

How do I compile a business plan?

Are you asking the right question.

• You should have a clear business idea and area of business
• You should have done some basic viability studies
• You should have read "What is a business plan?"

Introduction:

• It highlights the main areas of your business plan, the questions you should answer and suggestions for research methods in each area.
• It briefly describes the structure of the written business plan.
• It warns against the danger of 'over-planning'

The five main areas of a business plan

• Your strategic focus (your niche, or core business)
• The marketing plan
• The operations plan
• The staffing plan.
• The financial plan

The planning cycle

• Clarify your objectives - what do you want to achieve in your business and each area of your business?
• Be concrete, using figures and targets, workflow diagrams, financial statements with rand values, etc.
• Use more than one type of research method. Speak to a wide variety of people, read, research your industry, and use your eyes and ears.
• Do not try to only find facts that confirm your optimism. Find out which parts will not work and which parts will need extra investment. As you get feedback, you 'subtract' from your initial idea until only a kernel of possibility remains. If that kernel is viable, you can proceed with your business.
• When speaking to people, stay neutral and do not ask leading questions. People might tell you what they think you want to hear. On the other hand, you build valuable contacts and potential custom through research, so portray a professional image.
• Be sensitive when doing research. Ask permission from heads of institutions, and owners of shops. Do not pressure people into giving confidential information about others
• Always err on the side of caution. For example, if someone in a similar industry has a turnover of R100 000 a month, assume that this is the maximum you can expect, not the minimum.
• The planning cycle is a continuous process. As you do more research you will change your thinking and strategy, which will in turn inform further research. The cycle continues after you've started a business. Your research then consists of your sales figures, your expenses, feedback from your customers, feedback from your staff, and information about what your competitors are doing. A business plan is a dynamic, ever-changing constantly updated tool that all successful business owners use.

The four main areas of the business plan

• What exactly is it that my business will do?
• Will it optimise quality, speed, affordability, flexibility (the ability to custom-make as opposed to mass-produce, or provide variety as opposed to a single, affordable product) or dependability? No business can optimise all five. Small businesses are seldom good at mass production.
• What will my business NOT do?
• A sales forecast - How much will I sell?
• A client profile - Who will buy my product?
• A competitor profile-Who are my direct competitors, what substitutes are there in the market?
• A product profile - What is the core product and what are the extra features?
• A distribution strategy - Is location important, will I deliver?
• A pricing strategy - what will people be prepared to pay? How much can I expect to sell at that price? Will this cover my direct costs plus overheads?
• A promotional strategy - how will I create awareness of and demand for my product?
• Buying information from market research companies is very expensive.
• Doing your own market research it is much cheaper, you will learn more, make new contacts and even promote your business.
• Collect demographic statistics (from municipalities, Statistics South Africa, academic research institutes).
• Other businesses might pass on their research findings to you, especially if your business will benefit theirs.
• Speak to people in similar business in a different area, who are not direct competition.
• Do door-to-door surveys or distribute questionnaires
• Count how many people and cars go past the location you have in mind for your business if you are going to rely on passing trade
• Investigate direct competitors - their produce, their turnover, and their customers.
• Speak to the suppliers of your competitors.
• Test your ideas when speaking to people you meet.
• If you already have a business and want to expand or change in any way, speak to your customers, as well as to people who are not yet your customers, but who you want to attract.
• What are the important features of the product? How is each product made?
• What equipment, accessories, material and labour do I need?
• What is total number of factory hours needed to meet sales forecasts? How many delays can I expect and what might cause them?
• Will there be any variation in demand and how will this affect production?
• Who are my suppliers?
• What kind of facility do I need and where should it be located?
• What should my factory floor layout look like?
• How can I ensure quality and cost control?
• What will my workflow processes and schedules look like?
• What will my stock control system look like?
• How is the manufacturing process administered, from receiving an order to sending out an invoice?
• How will I keep records of my stock, in other words, how will my stock control system work?
• Use the sales forecast from your marketing plan as starting point to plan your operations.
• Become familiar with the technical aspects of your business. Even if you have a technical expert as partner, make sure you understand the answers to the above questions.
• Speak to suppliers, other business owners.
• Read up on workflow processes in your industry.
• Get the help of industry specialists.
• How many people do I need? How many should be full-time, part-time or contractors?
• What should their skills, experience and personal qualities be?
• Who should report to whom?
• How will responsibilities and tasks be divided into job descriptions?
• How much will salaries amount to?
• What other costs are involved (e.g. pension, UIF, sick funds)
• Are there minimum wages or a collective bargaining council agreement that govern my industry?
• What kind of training will I carry out and how much will this cost?
• Can I outsource certain functions rather than employ staff of my own - how much will this cost?
• How do I hand over more and more of the tasks in my business to staff members so that it frees me up to do what a business owner is supposed to do: strategic planning.
• Look at your operations plan and work out how many people you need.
• Think very carefully about how much of the work you will be able to take on yourself and plan to delegate as much as possible as soon as possible. Many business owners take on too much for too long and have problems delegating.
• Study similar businesses for job descriptions and management structures (who reports to whom).
• Approach personnel agents and industry experts.
• Sales for the first year (or for the next year if you are already in business)
• Cost of sales
• Gross profit
• Start-up costs
• Debtor and creditor period
• How much you will need to borrow
• Whether you will make enough to pay it back

Research methods

• If you don't know basic financial management concepts and functions, learn them. Read, study, or ask. It is the basis of business. If you need to, you can use your accountant as a financial teacher, as long as you don't lean on him as business strategist
• If at all possible, learn how to use spreadsheets for your financial planning. Your competition is, and it gives them an edge over anyone who doesn't.
• Your marketing, operations and staffing plans should give you the answers to the first six forecasts above (sales, cost of sales, etc).
• Look at the industry standard for average debtor and creditor periods
• Speak to other business owners.
• Approach support organisations and business consultants.
• A forecasted income statement
• A cash flow forecast
• A forecasted balance sheet

The structure of a written plan 

• Your written document can follow the same structure as the process described above.
• Turn the questions into logical headings, for example, 'Client profile'; 'Job descriptions'; 'Training plan.
• Change the level of detail and the order, depending on who has to read it.
• Add appendices with graphs, organograms and charts if necessary.
• Start your business plan with a description of your strategic focus, and a summary of the main points in your business plan

A final word of caution 

• Planning is important, but don't become stuck in planning mode.
• Thinking and research attempts to minimise nasty surprises, but you can never be absolutely certain that everything will go according to plan.
• Going over to action will always involve some risk.
• Most people spend between 1 and 6 months on their initial planning
• A written business plan seldom needs to be more than 20 pages, financial statements included.
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