ABSTRACT
It may appear simplistic to ask a range of questions at the onset of any business plan, but a careful analysis of ‘who?’, ‘what?’, ‘when?’, ‘why?’, ‘where?’, with, in addition, ‘how?’ and ‘how much?’, goes a long way to producing general background notes before starting to compile and flesh out the template of a business plan. This chapter explores these key questions from the perspective of the entrepreneur/producer trying to consider strategic fundraising, and addresses the key financial information that is required in order to pitch and punt to potential investors. The chapter explores the key elements required in a written business plan: effectively an intersection of: a) everything inside the business (costs, product, services, people,); and b) everything outside the business (competition, market trends, political/regulation changes and forces, technology development etc.). The ability to describe your product or service in relation to the wider market and the industry or kind of business it exists within is nearly always underestimated. The chapter outlines what a well-organized business plan will look like, including the key sections (business strategy, marketing strategy and financials), and the commercial assumptions that drive the numbers and financial information.
