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Business Plan Review

A business plan – critical for businesses at any stage

A business plan may be the most important document needed to start, finance and manage a business. It is the roadmap or blueprint for the way ahead. Often thought of only as a document needed for financing, its most meaningful use is as a tool to help owners and managers to plan, monitor and manage business operations to optimize business performance every day.

The process of creating a business plan is invaluable for every type and size of business and it is at least as important as the plan itself. It provides an opportunity for owners and managers to assess alternative strategies and action plans and to identify those that will contribute most effectively to the success of the business. It affords a deeper understanding of the factors that affect the business, enabling better decisions and more productive communications with key stakeholders such as lenders, investors, customers and suppliers. It equips owners and managers to better assess and respond to business challenges and opportunities. An active business plan process helps to minimize business risk.

To be effective, a business plan must clearly communicate business purpose, strategic and operating plans and priorities and financial feasibility. It must be complete yet concise and meet the needs of business plan users. And it must be compelling.

The value of a Business Plan Review

Whether a business plan is for a new business or an existing one, for financing or management purposes, an independent business plan review provides constructive feedback to enhance its effectiveness. A review addresses such questions as:

• Is the business plan realistic?
   
• Does it demonstrate the market and financial feasibility of the business?
   
• Is the plan internally consistent – do the financial projections reflect the content of the marketing, operations, technology and other sections of the plan?
   
• Does the plan adequately assess potential challenges, risks and opportunities and how the business will address them?
   
• Is the plan complete and clearly-written and will the plan format and supporting documents efficiently meet user needs?
   
• Is there any missing, unclear or inconsistent information?

Our comprehensive business plan reviews thoroughly address these and other questions related to presentation and content. Business plans are assessed overall and section-by-section. The resulting detailed report highlights the plan's strong points and provides practical recommendations to improve weaker areas so the business plan can be used to best advantage for its intended purpose – financing or management.

Business Plan Review is a strictly confidential service. Click here to read our privacy policy.

Who should consider a Business Plan Review

An independent business plan review can assist business owners or managers as they prepare and finalize a business plan. It can assist business plan users such as lenders, investors and boards of directors in their assessment of business plans.

• Business owners – A business plan review provides feedback that can help your business plan get the attention of lenders and investors. A review can help to ensure that your business plan is complete and well-organized so it can be easily used and updated to manage and monitor business performance.
   
• Corporate managers & executives – An independent business plan review can help to ensure that your division or corporate business plan is aligned with the organization's mission and strategic objectives and will support the achievement of them.
   
• Lenders & Investors – Customized business plan review services can provide a preliminary assessment of the business plans of loan clients or prospective investee companies based on agreed-upon criteria.
   
• Boards of Directors – Board members may require an independent review of a corporate or not-for-profit business plan to help ensure that it is realistic, clear and complete prior to board approval of the plan.

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