Preparing a business plan.
 

Hey.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and i know i'm taking risk of being heavily flamed right now, but i'ma ask anyway.

For those of you that have done this before, or just know a lot : here's my question.

How do you go about preparing a business plan for an adult entertainment-like business venture?

I'm interested in taking such a document to the bank eventually, and hopefully getting some dough to start up with.

The problem is, I don't know how I'm sposed to predict profit and the like, the internet being the unpredictable entity that it is.

Anyway, get back to me if you can.

Thanks a lot, x

yer fucked

unfortunatly i'm quite the opposite.

That all depends on what one wants to get into on the net as to the degree of how fucked they are when looking for a bank loan.

when you say porn at a bank most tend to shy away

especially when looking for credit or a loan, on the other hand when you've been there a while and they see the deposits rolling in, they'll bend over backwards trying to lend you money.

you may want to look at other lenders for start up cap.

Don't waste your time going to a bank to apply for a loan for an adult entertainment project. It will never happen. You won't even get in the front door with it.

Your best shot is to prepare it and send it to guys who are already in the biz who will finance your idea or who have access to private investors who like funding high risk deals.

I'll take a look at it when you have the first draft done and give you some pointers. Send it when its ready to the address below.

Unfortunately I would have to agree with the others in regards to the bank situation, however having a business plan is still a good idea. No matter if you will be approaching investors with this business plan or you just do it for yourself. Having set goals on paper is a good start, and its ok if you don?t reach them, just make sure to analyse why you didn?t and learn from the process.

I personally went out and bought myself about 8 or 9 books on amazon.com about business plans but found most of them of no real use. I suggest an online search, there are some free guides online. It will get you started then just modify it the way you see fit.

Good luck,

Kevin

wow that sounds fantastic.

so that I don't look completely incompetent, i'd like to ask you what kind of information you'd like me to include in the document? I'll get typing asap.

Thanks, x

x ?

Do some research, don't be lazy...

http://www.sba.gov/starting/indexbusplans.html
http://bus.colorado.edu/faculty/lawr.../templates.htm
http://www.acenorthgeorgia.org/businessplan.html


and so on...

sorry man, i didn't think about that. i was just on google searching " preparing a business plan " when i refreshed GFY.

and yeah, x.

Thanks.

What kind of skills or background do you have? What exactly did u have in mind? You are just being very vague, I would like to help you out... Just get into some specifics.


Chuck

Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

That's what I learned I college. :thumbsup

Hey chuck, I have a plan for you to look at. Hit me on icq or aim.

icq: 20762139
aim: solidmak

Basic Business Scruture:

Title page

This page should include basic information on the plan, including the name of the business and the name or names of the individuals who are submitting the plan.

Table of Contents

A table of contents must be included. This both conveys the organization of your thoughts and provides a map for the reader to help them access information quickly and easily.

Executive Summary

Description:

An Executive Summary should be clear, concise and convincing. It should be to the point and make you want to read more. The summary should prove credibility and contain at least the following information.

Specific criteria:

Briefly describe the following:

- Business strategy of the enterprise
- Products/services offered
- Identify the management team. Include description and qualifications, including past experience in the industry, and past successes that illustrate the abilities of the team members. (Fill this out in greater detail in the organization and management section)

Describe market size and characteristics

- Support the business' capability to reach the market
- Identify money or resources necessary to implement the plan
- Business sales and profits for at least three years or until positive cash flow, if longer than three years

Mission, Goals & Objectives Statement

Description:

A mission statement sums up the values, purpose and vision of a business in a focused statement(s). In addition, this section can address future goals and strategies for attaining them.

Specific criteria:

- Provide the mission statement for the organization and philosophy of how it will do business
- State what the business does to attain its internal measure of success and serve the customer
- Identify the long term goals and direction for the business
- Lay out a realistic and thorough timeline for attaining its goals

Background Information

Description: This section primarily presents the industry in which the business operates. It could also include information about its stage of development and general growth strategy. It should address all of the following items that apply.

Specific criteria:

- Past and present industry trends that affect the business
- Insight into where the industry is heading
- Economic, social or political trends that affect the business' industry
- Indicate the current stage of development for the business development
- Financial backing already received by the business
- Outline a growth strategy
- Organization and Management


Description:
This section should contain the business' legal form of ownership. This section should also contain information on the people and structures that will make the business run smoothly and successfully. It should address all of the following items that apply.

Specific criteria:

- Legal form of ownership (i.e. corporation, Limited Liability Company, sole proprietorship, etc.)
- The responsibilities and qualifications of its management team
- Highlight the strengths and weaknesses of its team
- Estimate a timeframe for hiring additional personnel
- Discuss the availability of workers needed for growth
- Include an organizational chart
- Explain the management hierarchy including the breakdown of responsibilities and job descriptions
- Outline compensation for management team and employees
- Discuss how records are kept, budgets and management controls
- Discuss an outside board of directors or advisors, if applicable, and the expertise they bring to the business

Product/Service Line

Description: This section should clearly identify what products or services the business will offer. It does not, however, need to give away proprietary information or trade secrets. It should address all of the following items that apply.

Specific criteria:

- Include an operations plan
- Identify intellectual property owned by the business (this will be key for most technology category entrants, though other businesses may need to address this, as well).
- If inventory is required for the business model, address inventory management and policies
- Clearly define what products or services the business offers/will offer
- Clearly define what benefit(s) the products or services provides to its customers
- Include information about seasonality of products/services
- Address patent or licensure issues, if applicable
- Indicate where the product or service is in its life cycle
- Where or when does the business anticipate future growth?
- Discuss any new or additional products or services
- Address suppliers and inventory management issues and challenges, if applicable
- Identify a unique niche or role that the products or services will fill

Market and Marketing Plan

Description:
The marketing plan usually identifies the markets a business intends to serve, its position within the market, and lays out a plan for how the business will reach its target market. The marketing section also analyses competitors and makes a case for the need and the competitive advantage of the enterprise.

Specific criteria:

- Market Analysis
- Clearly state the business' target market or customer profile
- Describe the size of the target market
- Target market information and assumptions should be backed up with research such as demographic information, statistics, etc. including sources for information. This can be research that the plan author does directly, in which case, the scope of the research should be described. It could also be research done by a third party, or a research firm that helps to prove the points in the plan, in which case, the source of the research should be cited.
- Address future trends in the business' target market
- Clearly define opportunities for growth within the industry
- Competitive Analysis
- Clearly identify the business' competitors
- State the business' strengths and weaknesses compared to its competitors
- Identify and discuss barriers to entry in the market
- Describe any opportunities to collaborate with competitors or complementary businesses for mutual benefit

Marketing Strategy

Include a marketing plan, including the following:

- A marketing timeline
- Marketing strategies and media choices
- Costs associated with promotional tactics discussed
- Outline of a marketing budget
- If increased volume is projected, address how the business will maintain production/quality levels to meet customer orders/demand
- Address a customer service plan
- Explain and substantiate the assumptions the business makes about its marketing strategies
- Describe how the business tracks or plans to track the results of its marketing
- Address and substantiate pricing of products or services
- Discuss position of business within the market
- Describe how the product or service is or will be delivered to the market
- Identify any opportunities for free advertising (public relations) of which the business may take advantage
- If business is not a start up (older than two years), is there a person in the organization designated to handle the marketing for the business?

Operational Plan

Description:
The operational plan describes the overall process that runs the business model. This is also where the business addresses succession plans or exit strategies for the current management or for the business as a whole.

Specific criteria:

- Describe the process by which the business operates. It isn't necessary to provide deep details of the operation, but to provide enough insight to the reader to understand the process and provide credibility for the plan and the projections made in it.
- If applicable, address the processing of orders and fulfillment
- Include milestones and an estimated timeframe for meeting them
- Identify exit strategies, such as taking the business public, buying out investors, or selling to another business

Financial Statements & Projections

Description:
The financial section gives the quickest summary of where the business is and where it wants to go. In this section, the business lists the financial requirements for launching or growing the business. The financial section is comprised of cash flow projections, financial statements and supporting financial information.

Specific criteria:

- Include a break-even analysis
- List assumptions made in the financials
- Ensure that most normal business expenses are listed and taken into account
- Include at least the following statements to illustrate the financial feasibility of the business:
- Income statements, by month in year 1, by quarter in years 2 & 3 and yearly for any following years, until the business shows a profit
- Balance sheet
- Statement of cash flows, by month in year 1, by quarter in years 2 & 3 and yearly for any following years, until the business shows a profit
- Make sure that assumptions from other aspects of the plan are incorporated into the financial assumptions
- Address the assets required to operate the business and how those assets will be acquired
- If the business model creates accounts receivables, describe the process for handling these
- Address the salary of the business owner, making reasonable estimates for both ranges and timeline for when he/she will start to receive compensation
- Financial backing already received by the business
- Describe the business' strategy to cover shortfalls in cash

IntenseCash : Honesty Time.

A few years ago I made galleries for going on a year. Light programming, HTML and I can get things done in PHP and most anything provided with time. VB isn't really gon help me now. I'm also fine with graphic design and illustration type work.

When I stopped making galleries and had to get a 'real' job ( arg ) I just followed the industry, lurking on boards like these and gathering knowledge, waiting for a time to jump back in.

I also used to run a site that interviewed amateurs and reviewed their sites, this is how I got contacts in the amateur world ( also around where I live, strangely ) and that's what's gonna help me now, hopefully.

There's also a couple good software programs out there that will layout everything for you. Business Plan Pro is the best I've seen.

http://www.bplans.com/common/gifs/2003_small.gif

Business Plan Pro web site: http://www.paloalto.com/ps/bp/

Also lots of helpful info here: http://www.bplans.com

Typically if you are looking for $10K to $1 Million stay away from VC firms and just deal with finders who will place it for you with private individuals directly. Expect to pay the finder from 1% to 10% fees depending on the deal and structure. Many finders will take stock in lieu of a cash fee.

I'd only be looking for maybe 10k. Just enough to get me set up with equipment, pay my costs, hire a few models.

in fact scratch that. i'll get the models for free. x

KRL gives by far the most helpful answers, we need to vote him for poster of the month :)

If you are located in US, don't know about other places, but you don't need a business plan for a small amount like that. You might try getting yourself a loan, home equiity, etc

...Nick

I'm in the UK, and i'm not sure how successful i'd be getting a loan.. I live in a rented appartment and the girl here before me got my place blacklisted cuz she never paid her bills and got evicted.

I want to help you guys out with your ideas.

ICQ me at 34826082 if you have an idea and need a banker.

Let me know if you need help with that, or any other buisness aspect like marketing, positioning etc.

ICQ 34763846

Hmmm..lots of good help offered here. Might I take a couple of those invitations as well?:)

I have some writing samples available if anybody's interested.

I'm interested, what type of marketing work do you mean?

Hit me up on ICQ.

Private investors is the only way you will get money and unless you got something real good you wont get shit but run arounds.

The fact that you only need 10K means nothing, money is money.

I've had to prepare a few business plans both adult and non-adult for venture capitol and I can offer you a complete plan as an example to copy from if you wish. Hit me up via email or ICQ info below.

Here's a link to an article i wrote on ARS Resources earlier this week on making a business plan, real simple to understand you may find it helpful:

http://www.arsresources.com/articles...ess-plan.shtml

Regards,

Lee

Awsome thread.

If anyone can work with me from 10k to 100k. Let me know.

We have a business plan, projections, and the company is already in full swing (profitable).

It's hard to get a loan for a new business at ALL. My mother started a children's consignment store 2 years ago and it took her 6 months to find someone who would give her a $20,000 loan. And she's a 48 yr. old married woman with impecable credit, owned her own home and had been banking with that same bank for about 15 years.

:)