Help with A business plan

[ThinkinTink]

Hi everyone! I was checking out this website a couple days ago and decided to join today! I am hoping to start a pizza business with my mom. I am in the process of writing a business plan. I think thats a good place to start. Any advice or examples that could help me would be greatly appreciated. Also if there anyone from the pa or tri-state area?

Thank you in advance!

Tink

 

[CaptSammy]

ThinkinTink:

Hi everyone! I was checking out this website a couple days ago and decided to join today! I am hoping to start a pizza business with my mom. I am in the process of writing a business plan. I think thats a good place to start. Any advice or examples that could help me would be greatly appreciated. Also if there anyone from the pa or tri-state area?

Thank you in advance!

Tink

Congratulations. You have the 1st two things right so far in planning on starting a pizza business. 1. Joining this site & 2 preparing your business plan before you open up or spend any money. If you are experience in writing a business plan you can search "Free or Sample Business plans on the net. Once you start looking at the sites you will find sample pizzeria business plan. You will most likely find many to choose from. Save it to your computer, then go to SBA or there are also free plans on Microsoft office. Use the one you saved as an outline and fill in your own plan. Once you have that done you can take it to your bank accountant or someone on hear will take a look at it and tell if you missed anything or need to change anything. If you don’t want to do it this way most of those sites you will go to will have BP software. You just answer the questions or each section.

Good luck

 

[ThinkinTink]

Thank you for the help! I found a template and I am going to go from there… There is a A LOT of details for this! (which is good because the detailed the better) Its just woahhhh over load! Anyone know how long it took them to create theirs? My hours have been cut at work so now I can put time towards this =P The up side of having your hours cut!! lol

 

[Deacon_V]

Tink, check out your local SCORE chapter as well. I hadn’t heard of them prior to starting my pizza journey but after attending only one of their free seminars I left with an arm load ( and head load! ) of useful information.

 

[ThinkinTink]

when should I try and meet with them? before or after I have a business plan done? Or can they help with that?

 

[Tom_Lehmann]

In addition to working with your local SBA, pay a visit to your local codes department to find out what your regulations are regarding signage is. We found out that we have a permit fee of $750.00 if the sign is free standing (like on a post) rather than attached to the building. There will also be regulations on how you light the signage for night viewing. Most places will not allow internal sigh lighting, but instead, allow for externally lighted signs (where the lights are positioned so they shine on the sign). Also, look into your requirement for oven hoods, or hoods for any other cooking equipment that you might have in your plans. When you get ready to make your final move, prior to committing to anything, run your plans/ideas across the local codes department as well as the Health Department to get their take on it. I’ve seen too many new operators get stuck between a contract for the building and the codes department. It is better to know what you’re facing before committing to anything. The more you know up front, the easier your build out, or opening will go. Even if you buy an existing store, do this first. You want to limit your “surprises” on inspection day.
Welcome to the fraternity.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

 

[ThinkinTink]

Thank you again for the help!! I will need to meet up with a local score member. I am currently stuck on the marketing part. It mentions secondary marketing information but I’m not sure what it wants me to include?

Secondary research means using published information such as industry profiles, trade journals, newspapers, magazines, census data, and demographic profiles. This type of information is available in public libraries, industry associations, chambers of commerce, from vendors who sell to your industry, and from government agencies.
Start with your local library. Most librarians are pleased to guide you through their business data collection. You will be amazed at what is there. There are more online sources than you could possibly use. Your chamber of commerce has good information on the local area. Trade associations and trade publications often have excellent industry-specific data.

That is what the template says but im not sure what it wants me to include?? If anyone can help I would surely appreciate it! Thank you!!

 

[Daddio]

ThinkinTink:

Thank you again for the help!! I will need to meet up with a local score member.

bodegahwy (a TT member who is a score councilor) has said in the past to make sure the person you are talking to in you score chapter is familiar with the food industry. They will have more insight as to what your particular needs are.

When I made my business plan I went to every pizza establishment in my city to determine what type of pizza they made and to see what class of customers they served. I also looked into the demographics of the area I wanted to open in to determine what type of establishment would be the most likely to be successful.

If you read the post Need advice on a possible name change and new style of pizza you can gather there is a need to know what the local population desires. These types of things are a very important part of your secondary research.

There is a saying in business that I have heard many times but do not know who said it first: Marketing is everything and everything is marketing. I try to be different in my approach to marketing. Try to look for things that none of the other pizzerias in you city are doing. Drive the most unique vehicle you can find, send out magnets with every order, go to the schools so all the students and teachers know who you are. In short make sure that your store attracts attention.

Find out what things are successful and do them as well as something to make you unique.

 

[CaptSammy]

ThinkinTink:

when should I try and meet with them? before or after I have a business plan done? Or can they help with that?

Do your business plan 1st. Every plan is different depending on what you are trying to do with your business. So it’s hard to give you a time frame. My advice to you is spend your time now making a complete plan and you will save your self money and heart-ache in the long run. A complete plan allows the people you want to talk to have all the: Facts, Options and evils at their finger tips making it easier to give you advice and make decisions.