Florida 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.

Florida Investors

Florida > Kissimmee

I am based in Orlando, Florida. I am married with a one-year-old daughter. I have experience in luxury retail and operations specialty. I also have my Master's Degree in Data Analytics & Applied Social Research with a concentration in Media & Marketing. I help those in financial need start their businesses in order to grow an abundance amount of opportunities, all while creating a passive income. I can pour into your business if it pours back into me. I am willing to talk with any/everyone who chooses to utilize my expertise and skills in order to grow their business and legacy. I'm happy to help!

$10,000 to $20,000

Florida > Clearwater

Always looking to invest in the future via driven & hardworking people with great ideas and/or products. One of my latest investments, where I also serve as an advisor, has 20x just in the past few years. Love working with a like-minded individual or team to crush goals and take business to new heights.

$1,000 to $20,000

Florida > Boca Raton

For more than 25 years, our Investment Association has provided the highest quality of investment advice and practical financial equity solutions to the emerging firm. Our interests lie in not only investments in high-tech firms but low-tech developing firms as well. To be an attractive investment vehicle to our Association the investment targets must be able to promise and deliver a rate of return that is more attractive than those available in markets for publicly traded stocks and other securities.

$50,000 to $2,500,000

Florida > Lakeland

I am a corporate lawyer in Lakeland, FL. We are a hybrid law firm, in that we provide legal services as well as business advice. I worked as a supply-chain management consultant, financial analyst, and senior acquisition analyst prior to entering law school. In my time as an attorney, I have aided hundreds of businesses throughout the business cycle, including the successful purchase and sale of businesses totaling more than $300MM in enterprise value.

$3,000 to $200,000

Florida > Bonita Springs

Real estate investor. Hotel owner & operator.

$100,000 to $3,000,000

Florida > Miami

CTO of a Fortune 500 company

$10 to $100,000

Florida > Tampa

I represent a financial group focused on securing private investment funding for organizations within the oil and gas industry.Our principal backers maintain a billion dollar transaction portfolio with extensive experience in providing capital funding for development projects throughout the energy sector. Brief Summary of Our Capabilities: Robust and motivated capital backing network, Uncapped investment potential allowing us to match and surpass any state funded grants, Accessible funds primed for quick turnaround and Years of extensive Business Development experience.

$1,000,000 to $500,000,000

Florida > Miami Beach

My husband and I are entrepreneurs and are looking to invest in sports facilities within the US and Europe.

$100,000 to $200,000