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 > Boca Raton

Over 20 years experience in investing in small companies

$100,000 to $100,000,000

Florida > Saint Petersburg

Newer Florida resident looking to expand portfolio. Currently serve as president of a high 8 figure media operation. Prefer silent investing but would consider mentorship if skills were a strong match.

$10,000 to $120,000

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

Florida > Boynton Beach

We are a licensed Florida mortgage company that specializes Hard money private lender mortgages. We provide Florida real estate investors with private mortgage loans or self-employed bank statement no income mortgages. We have been closing Florida hard money Self employed borrowers mortgages for over 15 years. We close tough deals!

$50,000 to $5,000,000

Florida > Miami

South Florida, Direct Lender/Funding Coordinator. Guaranteed best rates and terms without the run around. Series 6, 63, 66 Licensed. University of Florida grad B.S. '14. Works with Direct Lender. Have strong business relationships with multiple lenders. Hands off approach, but always here when you need me the most. Always a call away and have a strong team behind me to support what ever funding requirements.

$5,000 to $1,000,000

Florida > Marathon Shores

Realtor Broker and entrepreneur/investor since 1988.

$100,000 to $2,500,000

Florida > Punta Gorda

Investment Group located in Punta Gorda, FL. We invest in Florida's people and businesses.

$10,000 to $300,000

Florida > Lake Worth

I am a working professional, an IT person. I am interested in investing into a well established business for some extra income.

$30,000 to $50,000