Paul Holzschuher ⋅ Lebanon, OH Ohmart/Vega ⋅ 40 years experience

SCORE has an excellent BP outline at
http://scoreworks.org/briefs/SCORE%203.02.43.pdf
The market section is the most important to forecast your sales first 3 years.
If no market, then don't waste your money.
If there is a definable market, your market share could be less than 1%.
Feel free to contact me at anytime,
Paul Holzschuher

KATHRYN FISH ⋅ Chesterfield, MO U.S. Army, Sergeant ⋅ 4 years served

I found bplans from LivePlan.com to be so user-friendly and when doing your financials, it will self populate in other areas of your financial forms, saving time.

Barbara Stern ⋅ Boulder, CO Affordable Closets,llc ⋅ 35 years experience

There are many business plan templates to use. In addition, knowing your market is essential. Where do you want the school to be located? What else can draw people/clients to my location? How many other businesses are doing what you're doing and how do you stand out from them? Can you become affiliated with other education programs, school district or private schools?
What chamber should you become a member of? And use your membership. Or are there other business associations you should get involved with like Rotary?
Good Luck!

Charles Krause ⋅ Glendale, AZ CJK, Inc ⋅ 40 years experience

Todd:
I have prepared many business plans over the years. I presume you will be looking for financial assistance and therefore suggest the following:

-Tell the reader what the company will be doing.
-Tell the reader why the company's product or service is needed. Insure the you work in a SWAT analysis so the reader will know the you understand what is involved.
-Tell the reader who will be doing the work. Include work histories or short resumes on everyone who will be connected with the business, including yourself. If you are seeking funding a mega amount of interest will be focused on the company's leader.
-Prepare realistic sales forecasts. Three years at a minimum with five years being better. Be prepared to back up your numbers with facts that support your projections. Keep in mind that it is better to beat your expected revenue and profit projections, and be a hero, than to come in under your projections and leave the impression that you did not really understand the business risks. I can't emphasize this issue enough.
-Last, but not least important. If you are seeking funding, be clear on how much you will need and how it will be used. Be very clear on this item. If you poison the well with your financier, you can't go back and get another drink.

If you want to go further, send me an email, I'll be glad to give you an assist.

Chuck Krause
ckrause333@cox.net

Michael Del Vecchio ⋅ Killingworth, CT U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 3 years served

Hi

Try this to gather your thoughts https://www.score.org/resources/how-really-start-your-own-business-ebook and this as a template https://www.score.org/resources/business-plan-template-startup-business. I would find a local SCORE mentor to help with the start up - look here https://www.score.org/ and enter your ZIP code. Also, take a look at the EBV program here http://ebv.vets.syr.edu/. Be happy to assist, I am a SCORE advisor and an instructor at EBV.

Duane Martin ⋅ Winfield, IL IBM ⋅ 35 years experience

Todd, I like to simplify things when thinking through a business plan or other plan. The fundamental question that should drive your plan is, "How will this business be unique?". When someone asks you how you are different from all the other self defense studios, how will you answer? If you build a solid answer to that question, a lot of the business plan will fall into place and be built on that uniqueness. You won't have a problem differentiating yourself and that will build your competitive positioning.

Gerald Thomas ⋅ Tulsa, OK MSC Industrial ⋅ 25 years experience

Visit the small business administration in your area or go to the website they have good information as to what needs to be included in a business plan

barbara hawes ⋅ Brielle, NJ Aflac ⋅ 28 years experience

Hi Todd
All excellent answers-- my first resource would be SCORE as well. Another resource we discovered in my state was the state department that oversees small businesses --- here, called the Dept for Community Development. They may have something similar in Ga by a different name. Small Business loans, grants, mentoring, and other services. Good Luck!

Leo P Flood ⋅ Kountze, TX SCORE ⋅ 30 years experience

Go to sba.gov. SCORE also has templates that you can utilize, some include samples that you can draw from. As a Business Counselor, I do not believe in reinventing the wheel, take from and add to what has already been proven. Keep in mind that your Business Plan is never complete, you will add to and take away from it as long as you are in business. My original plan stands well over a foot tall when the binders are stacked up. Good luck. If you need advice contact me at FloodJrlBmnt@aol.com

Chris Malburg ⋅ Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA Writers Resource Group, Inc. ⋅ 40 years experience

12-5
Hi Todd,
I've read the excellent answers given to you so far. Among the best was the posting from Pvt. Dan Burello. The web resource Dan provided were perfect. Here are my thoughts as a professional corporate tactical and strategic planner who wrote the book, Business Plans To Manage Day to Day Operations.

First, figure out what you want your biz plan to accomplish. Most people use it as a pitch piece to raise money from lenders and investors. However, the business plan is actually used to guide and control the company's operations over the first few years of its life. In that sense, it's an internal document.

Your plan should include these sections:
Overview: Should tell immediately how much money is required for startup and when it's needed, when the company becomes cash flow positive, and the owner's exit strategy.
Business model
Revenue model
Business strategy
Sales and marketing
Executives and management background that qualifies them for this assignment
Finance: This section should provide a balance sheet, income statement and statement of cashflows for the first year by month, then annually for years 2 and 3.
Competition
Entry barriers
Risks

Writing such a comprehensive biz plan forces the principals to honestly assess the project, their qualifications and the worthiness of embarking on this venture. Please let me know if I can be of any help as you consider this venture.

All the best,
Chris Malburg

JOSE ZUNIGA JR ⋅ Lubbock, TX U.S. Marine Corps, Corporal ⋅ 4 years served

There are many resources to aid you in putting together a business plan such as SCORE, SBA, and local small business workshops. However, I suggest purchasing latest Business Plan Pro software at Amazon.com. I have used this software for over 7 years now and it is great. Within the software, it also has a library of completed business plans used by real businesses; the business plans are listed by category. I hope all goes well for you.

David Carter ⋅ Saratoga, CA Tesla Motors ⋅ 34 years experience

I recently competed in a business plan competition, during which I created a generic template that contains questions a thorough plan should answer. You can download a free Word version of my template here: www.harebrained.com/Generic-Business-Plan.docx

Hope it helps!

-Dave

Daniel Burrello ⋅ Asheville, NC U.S. Army, Private First Class ⋅ 3 years served

Hi Todd,

I was one of the very early black belts in the old ATA back in 1974, and I have had many martial arts schools over the years. Although I moved on to other organizatuons over the years, I do know that the ATA is really set up to help with these kinds of needs, as it's expansion over the years has been amazing. If you don't find what you need by contacting the ATA headquarters, you may want to join NAPMA at http://napma.com/

You can get an idea of some of their benefits for school owners here: http://napmamembers.com/go/

I'm no longer a member as I've moved on to teaching Psych at the college level, but I still follow the trends. There are marvelous tools for retention, start-ups and all manner of details for independent dojo, studio, kwoon, and dojang owners and operators.

Good luck to you!

Dan Burrello

Jeremy Serwer ⋅ Woodstock, CT The Serwer Company, LLC ⋅ 30 years experience

If/when you get to the point of leasing space for your business, I'd be pleased (and honored) to help you with any questions/clarifications regarding commercial real estate leasing. I'm assuming you'll need either retail or office space for your business.

I've been involved with commercial retail real estate for 32 years. I assume you'll see my e-mail address, so feel free to contact me directly if you wish.

Good luck!

Emanuel Carpenter ⋅ Alpharetta, GA SDR Master Class ⋅ 20 years experience

Todd:

My SCORE advisor suggested using the templates from Entrepreneur Magazine here:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/formnet/businessplantemplates.html

If you ever get the chance, talk to SCORE advisor for free.

Also, the Small Business Administration has special loans for veterans.

Best of luck with your venture.