BUSINESS PLANNING 101: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (LAST)

We are on to the LAST next component of the business plan: The Executive Summary.

THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SHOULD BE THE LAST THING YOU ADD TO YOUR BUSINESS PLAN! The reason for this is because the executive summary is a SUMMARY of all the components of your BP.

What is an EXECUTIVE SUMMARY?

An executive summary is the overview of your entire business plan and should succinctly highlight the most important parts of the plan.

The executive summary should be only a page or two!

Let’s breakdown what you should include in your executive summary:

Description of Business

You will find the information on the Description of Venture page.

Growth Potential

You will find this information on the Industry Analysis page in the Industry section.

Business Strategy

You will find this information on the Marketing Plan page (section: Target Market and Promotion)

Competition

You will find this information on the Marketing Plan page (section: Demand & Competition)

Management and Experience

You will find this information on the Organizational Plan (section: Management Background)

Principals

You will find this information on the Organizational Plan (section: Corporate & Legal Structure)

Funds Sought and Uses

You will find this information on the Introduction and Financial Plan page

What Investors Get in Return (ROI)

Return on investment (ROI) is a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency or profitability of an investment.

Companies usually give investors a percentage of ownership of their company or investors receive an annual dividend!

Every business is different and you should do what is best for your company!

Exit Strategy

An exit strategy is a conscious plan to dispose of an investment in a business venture or financial asset.

Business exit strategies include:

IPOs

Acquisitions

Buy-outs

Filing for bankruptcy

If you’re interested in learning more about exit strategies for your company or other companies let me know in the comments!

Financial Summary

You will find this information on the Financial Plan page (section: Income Statement)