We now come to probably the most feared, most avoided but the most important task in beginning a business. Many believe that a business plan is only for those seeking outside financial help like from a bank or investors. Others believe that this is just unnecessary paperwork and that the best business plan is in their heads. Some who believe in it do so only half-heartedly and come up with a one or two page plan of how they see their business progressing. All these approaches are misguided and without proper direction, the business is more likely to sink than grow.

The most important point to remember about a business plan is that it is first and foremost for you! It is to layout a concrete plan to successfully start, manage and then grow your company. It will force you to think and invest in strategy planning, market research, financial planning, operational details and marketing plans.

However, we will concede that it is not easy to immediately start out working on a business plan and every business plan will need working and reworking. We will try to provide you first with some general guidelines on what a good business plan should include and once we have you thinking in that direction, we will start helping you fill out all the details in the business plan.

Let us first outline what a well written business plan will contain:

- An attractive statement of purpose – when people ask you what your business does, this is the first statement you will be using.

- Complete description of who you believe your customers will be, any special niche you are aiming for as well as a general strategy for winning over that niche.

- Complete description of your product or service. Mention what are the highlights and what could be its challenges, production or selling wise.

- A well compiled list of people who will be working with your or advising you in various aspects. Mention clearly what their skills and areas of expertise are.

- Details of financial plans that will show how you plan to finance the first few years and expected revenues and expenses

- Major risks that you may face before your business settles down and major advantages that may help it grow well.

As you can see, your business plan is more like a map to guide you through, at any point in time. If you have given sufficient thought to planning and written down the steps in sufficient detail in your business plan, no matter how many ups or downs there are, you should be able to stay on course. In fact, one expert likes to compare a business plan to the centerboard of a sailboat. Irrespective of how the wind is blowing, your business plan will always help you stay on course, headed in the right direction.

If you would like to look at some samples before you begin on one, you can speak to banks or business websites, which can help you by showing samples of a few business plans. You could also look up one of the thousands of books in your local library, which should contain a sample. However, treat the sample as just that. It is meant to give you an idea of what are the essentials that should go in a business plan. Do not worry if your plan is too long or short, simple or complicated. What should matter to you is that it is written in a manner that you can follow easily, contains information that is helpful to your business, identified possible challenges that could arise and outlined plans for overcoming them.

When starting a small business venture, it pays off to be objective. You will need to capture your projections in a written format. These objectives are best captured in what is known as a business plan. This functions as your road map and furthermore, it helps you gauge, in the course of the venture, if you are still in the right track.

Making a business plan may be simple or difficult, depending on the nature and scope of operation of the enterprise. As you write it down, you get to capture your short term, medium term and long term goals. These goals are what help you determine whether the enterprise is realizing its dreams or not as it progresses. You also get to gauge the risks at hand and determine how to deal with them effectively.

On a larger scale, the plan helps you do a SWOT analysis. SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This means that you can be able to identify where the venture is doing well, where it is failing or facing challenges, whether it has room for growth and improvement as well as whether it is likely to be at risk by operating in a given way. By so doing you will be able to determine the best course of action.

Writing a plan for your venture should be guided by a number of principles. The first one is that, it must adhere to a given outline, bearing in mind that there are many other enterprises out there coming up with such plans as well. You must also have the audience in mind. Is the plan for funding purposes or for partnership? The depth will be determined by the audience.

Many people open their own business without proper planning and then wonder why it ends in failure. The most important thing you can do to prevent from joining them is the one thing that many new businesses fail to do; write a business plan. This is not the formal document you read about in books that you write and then throw in a drawer and never look at again. It is a plan that will allow you to determine the potential of any business you are considering and show you exactly what you need to do to achieve success.

Make sure your plan is a living document that is constantly updated and based in reality. Many people make the mistake of being too optimistic when it comes to projected sales and almost blind when determining expenses. The best way to keep your numbers closer to what you will actually see is to get advice from professionals. Have your lawyer and your accountant review your plan and give you feedback. The money you will spend for this advice will almost certainly be the best you ever spend. They can tell you if any of your thinking is out of line and they will probably offer suggestions you had not thought of.

Finally, you will want to consult with other business owners. Try to find owners from a wide variety of businesses, not just the kind of business you are considering. Ask them what kind of challenges they had to face when they started and how they survived them. Ask them what they would have done different.

You can put yourself in a safe and secure financial position by owning your own business, but to do so you need to make sure you go about it in the right way. If you write and update a business plan based in reality and seek out and follow the advice of professionals and other owners, you stand a very good chance of finding the business success that will give you the financial independence and security you seek.

Whatever type of business you intend to start, whether for profit or non-profit, you have to have a business plan. You need a detailed description and clear objective of how you intend to operate your intended business. This is an essential step for every business that intends to succeed. Furthermore if you have one, you may have an easier time especially if you will require funding.

You will need to appear professional and capable when looking for money for your non-business. A solid business plan will help you cover various areas if you are trying to access funds through a grant application. Since it already has all the necessary information required, it will be easier and faster to process your application. This type of business mostly gets its money from donors.

When you decide to write a non-profit business plan, you have to include a mission statement plus the experience of the staff. In addition an in depth description of what the business is all about the services that you will be offering to the public will be required. A description of the challenges and prospect that the business may face in the first years is also a necessary aspect that has to be included.

As the business continues to grow, the business plan continues to change. This is vital because the needs of the business keep altering and may need more financing along the way. Perhaps you are shifting to a different location or the need to expand. The not-for-profit business plan can be used as an effective management tool. It benefits the business as the team members will be compelled to think in the long term. This will help the business progress in the right direction.

Running a bar may seem like a lot of fun, like a full time party, but it is important to understand that the bar business is first and foremost a real business, and it is important to give it the due diligence and seriousness that it deserves.

==Marketing Your Business Effectively==

This means that even the most casual bar owner will need a good bar business plan in order to get off to a good start.

Getting a bar business up and running is never an easy process, and creating a professional and detailed business plan will help you plan for the future, market your new bar business effectively, and increase your chances for success.

==Detailing Both The Challenges And The Opportunities==

Getting a new fledgling business off the ground is one of the most difficult things anyone can do, and it is important that your bar business plan detail both the challenges and opportunities the new business is likely to face.

Being honest about things like the level of local competition, the potential legal issues the bar is likely to face, and other issues, is the best way to reassure potential investors and nervous lenders.

==Make Sure You Do Not Cut Corners On Your Bar Business Plan==

The business plan you create will be one of the most important documents in your new businesses.

When starting a new business, whether it is a nightclub, a bar or a disco, it can tempting to want to get the business up and running quickly, and to cut corners on creating the business plan.

==Your Bar Business Plan Should Be As Complete And As Detailed As Possible==

It would be a mistake to do so, however, since the bar business plan will be the cornerstone of your new enterprise.

Your business plan will come into play not only at the beginning, when you are seeking that all important startup capital, but down the road as well.

Every time you need to take a loan or attract investors in order to expand the business or overcome temporary difficulties, the business plan is the first document any potential lender will want to see. It is important, therefore, for the business plan to be as complete and as detailed as possible.

==Your Business Plan Can Help With Minimizing Your Tax Burden And Planning For Legal Liability Issues==

A bar business plan will also be important when it comes time to minimize your tax burden and plan for legal liability issues.

Planning for, and minimizing, legal liability issues is particularly important for the bar owner, and a good solid bar business plan will help you plan this important issue in the most effective manner possible.