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 > Miami

We are a financial investment firm that provides capital resources and strategies to functioning small and medium sized businesses. We are here to help and empower those businesses.

$10,000 to $1,000,000

Florida > Cooper City

Bought google for investment club at IPO Price, Sold at $80,000 in profit for each investor. Bought a waste consulting firm, that is now in the mid 6-figure cash flow margin. Highly involved in Entertainment & real estate.

$250 to $600,000

Florida > Hollywood

I am looking to invest in Amazon 3rd Party Sellers, Real Estate (Commercial & Residential), hard money lending, interior design and home products.

$50,000 to $3,000,000

Florida > Palm Beach Gardens

I am a 38yr old individual currently living in Palm Beach County, FL. I have experience in corporate trust services, and helped managed several power plants in the energy industry. I'm now involved in a work from home business and looking to invest in other businesses as a silent investor or hands-on Invested if I'm trained.

$50,000 to $150,000

Florida > Orlando

Looking to invest in businesses that are already profitable and need capital in order to scale. Digital marketing, Finance and Commercial Real Estate background. Can bring a lot of experience and value-add to the table.

$25,000 to $1,000,000

Florida > Tampa

Vice President of Strategy and Development at a private equity firm where he oversees deal flow origination and works directly with executive leadership of acquired companies to drive the professionalization and profitability of their organizations. Education includes Master of Science in Business Analytics, Master of Science in Finance, Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University.

$5,000 to $50,000

Florida > Oviedo

Married couple with over 20 years experience in the HR, food services and technology industry. Looking for the right investment opportunity to invest and be a part of. We are hands on individuals that want to be part of making your vision come true.

$1 to $50,000

Florida > Singer Island

I'm a 41 single attorney in south Florida. In addition to being an attorney, I have an undergrad degree in finance from Indiana university. My partner and I have an investment company and we are looking for a sound business investment where we can remain silent partners or have a peripherally advisory role. We both invest daily in the market and are now looking to expand our horizons into businesses.

$1 to $30,000