Reference no: EM132869221

1. Start-Up Expenses

In this section, detail the expenses involved in opening for business and how much capital you'll need. (Do not include ongoing expenses after your business opens; those are listed in the Financial Plan.) Estimating startup expenses as accurately as possible helps you gather enough startup capital.

In the body of this section, be sure to explain all of the assumptions behind the figures. How did you come up with these expenses? If you've secured or expect to secure loans, explain the source/s, amount/s and terms. If you've secured or expect to secure investors, explain how much each investor will contribute and what percentage of ownership each receives in return.

Be sure to include extra capital for unexpected expenses. Opening a new business almost always ends up costing more than expected, and you need to be prepared. List this figure in the Start-Up Expenses template under "Reserve for Contingencies." How much should you set aside for contingencies? You can talk to other business owners in your industry to get a ballpark figure. If you can't come up with a figure this way, a good rule of thumb is to set aside 20% to 25% of your total startup costs for contingencies.

2. Opening Day Balance Sheet

Use it to detail the expected state of your business finances on opening day. As with the Start-Up Expenses sheet, be sure to explain the assumptions behind the figures.  

3. Personal Financial Statement

If you are using the business plan to seek financing, include personal financial statements for each owner and each major stockholder. The personal financial statements should detail each person's assets and liabilities outside of the business and their personal net worth. Investors and/or lenders typically expect business owners to use personal assets to finance a startup, and they'll want to see how much capital you have available from your personal finances.