The Beauty of a Business Plan

"You need to really sell yourself," explains Moses, who worked as a certified public accountant before becoming a Score volunteer.

Be specific in terms of your experiences and the capabilities that you have. What makes you stand out from the sea of entrepreneurs? From the financial viewpoint, how are you going to generate enough income to be a success?

Keep in mind, business plans have two particular purposes: They are used to obtain funding as well as serve as a roadmap for operating the business, explains Moses.

"Good business plans are extremely focused," says Moses. Plans that ramble make the reader lose interest; remember, every single word counts. You want your reader to be entranced enough to keep turning page after page. You don't want your reader to put it down.

More than anything, the reader wants to know how your business will be a success. "It's sort of that intangible of why you're going to be successful and why other people have not been," Moses explains.

So make sure you can address all the issues before you start writing. If you can't answer these questions yourself, how are you going to convince an investor?

Finally, Moses cautions entrepreneurs to be realistic. "If you're looking for $3 million and you have no assets or experience, you're probably not going to get it."

And patience will be required: It typically takes at least several weeks to get a business plan right. "One guy was working on one for a year and half," says Moses. (This entrepreneur, however, was working a full-time job simultaneously.)

Remember, the business plan will be your compass. Take the time and the energy to make it as comprehensive and articulate as you can, and your small business will reap the rewards.

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