"Gumpert successfully captures a significant shift in the way leading entrepreneurs are launching companies and attracting investors."
John R. Thorne, Morgenthaler Professor of Entrepreneurship, Carnegie Mellon University
What's New at Lauson?

Table of Contents

NOTE: The business plans are excerpted from real companies and are presented as close to their original forms as possible. In some cases, minor modifications have been made to language and appearance.

Acknowledgments
Introduction

Part I.
Playing the Business Plan Game
1.What Is a Business Plan and Why Should I Write One?9
2.Previewing the Business Plan: The Best Type for You26
  • Exhibit 2-1: Software Publishing Corp.: Financing Proposal
    		• 36
  • Exhibit 2-2: People Express: Contents and Introduction
    		• 39
  • Exhibit 2-3: Celestial Seasonings: Overarching Values
    		• 43
    3.Preparation Rules: Behind the Scenes with the Experts44
  • Exhibit 3-1: Pizza Hut: Mission and Philosophy
    		• 52
  • Exhibit 3-2: Celestial Seasonings: 1984 Gap Analysis
    		• 53
    4.Using the Executive Summary as a Guiding Light54
  • Exhibit 4-1: Executive Summary: Electronic Components Inc.
    		• 67
  • Exhibit 4-2: Executive Summary: People Express
    		• 68

    Part II.
    Answering the Key Business Questions
    5.Company Strategy: What's Your Identity?73
  • Exhibit 5-1: Pizza Hut: Company History
    		• 87
  • Exhibit 5-2: Pizza Hut: The Current Status of the Company
    		• 90
  • Exhibit 5-3: Pizza Hut: Corporate Strategy
    		• 94
    6.Marketing Issues: Who Are the Buyers?95
  • Exhibit 6-1: Ben & Jerry's: Assessing the Competition
    		• 107
  • Exhibit 6-2: Pizza Hut: Assessing the Competition
    		• 109
    7.Product/Service Issues: What Are You Selling?112
  • Exhibit 7-1: People Express: Assessing Service Issues
    		• 122
  • Exhibit 7-2: Ben & Jerry's: Assessing Product Issues
    		• 124
    8.Sales and Promotion Issues: How Do You Sell?126
  • Exhibit 8-1: Software Publishing Corp.: Formulating a Sales Program
    		• 137
  • Exhibit 8-2: Celestial Seasonings: Strategy for a Mass-Market Promotion     
    		• 138
    9.Financial Issues: How Are You Doing?144
  • Exhibit 9-1: Standard Cash Flow Statement
    		• 158
  • Exhibit 9-2: ABC Architectural Services: Monthly Cash Flow Statement
    		• 159
  • Exhibit 9-3: ABC Architectural Services: Monthly Cash Flow Projections
    		• 160
  • Exhibit 9-4: Standard Quarterly Income Statement
    		• 161
  • Exhibit 9-5: Standard Balance Sheet
    		• 162
  • Exhibit 9-6: People Express: Forecast Assumptions
    		• 163
  • Exhibit 9-6a: People Express: Preliminary Operating Plan
    		• 165
  • Exhibit 9-6b: People Express: Preliminary Statement of Results
    		• 167

    Part III.
    Completing the Plan
    10.Tailoring the Plan171
    11.Writing and Packaging the Plan: Coming Full Circle180
  • Exhibit 11-1: Confidentiality Statement
    		• 191

    Part IV.
    Conclusion
    12.Making the Plan Work for You195
    Exercises205
    Index229