Your upcoming move to Elizabeth, New Jersey offers you the chance to change your whole life. If you're working in a London, Ontario vet clinic but you dream of striking out on your own, why not make these dreams a reality after you relocate? Starting a small business is something that many people are capable of if they're willing to work hard and learn how to do things right. However, most people will need help with the financing, and to get it they'll have to present lenders and investors with a business plan. Here are some of the things that should go in your business plan.

Goals

First and foremost your investors will need to know what your goals for your business are. What need will you meet? What's the purpose of your business? What will your motto or mission statement be? It might simply be to provide heatshrink sleeving to a local meat packing factory or it might be to invent the latest greatest gadget. When you outline your goals you make it easy to see if your business is something investors will want to align themselves with.

Justification

It's one thing to have goals, and it's another thing entirely to actually achieve them. When you lay out your goals you will also have to convince your potential investors that they're not just empty words. You need to outline why you think you'll be able to achieve these goals. This is a good place to show how much research you've done into manure management or demand for cupcakes or whatever service your business will provide, and also what you've learned from studying the competition (i.e. what you will have that they do not).

Background

Investors tend to trust people with a solid background in business, so you'll have to give them an overview of your relevant experience and do the same for any partners you have. It's often adequate to have a track record either in business or in the specialty field you plan to sell to (such as woodworking auctions) but if you have both, investors will sit up and take notice. If you have no experience, consider attending some workshops or classes to instill their confidence in you.

Plans

Now you've got to get into the nitty gritty of how exactly you're going to achieve your goals. Will you take out a private commercial mortgage to buy your stock? Where will you rent your office space? Will you expand into children's clothing within three years? Investors want to know you'll have your business under control and growing within a reasonable amount of time. The only way you can show them that you're on top of things is to tell them your plans.