Richard Stutely has handled business plans on every scale - as a manager with HM Treasury (the UK finance ministry); a stockbroker and member of the London Stock Exchange; and subsequently as general manager of an international bank, where he saw business planning from a financial and funding perspective. Richard runs training courses, workshops, seminars and lectures for MBA students and corporate audiences. His books include The Definitive Guide to Business Finance, Brilliant Business The Economist Guide to Economic Indicators and The Economist Numbers Guide.

About the author

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Introduction to the First Edition

Introduction to the Revised Second Edition

Introduction to the Third Edition

Symbols used

1 What's it all about?

Have you heard the one about ...

Who should read this book

A quick fix or a longer-term tool?

What is a plan anyway?

Why bother?

Key objectives for your plan

Your target audience

Ten steps to a successful business plan

Don't trust consultants

Who writes the business plan?

How to use this book

2 A winning presentation

A concise communication

Computer software

Make it feel good

First thoughts on layout

Creating an outline document

3 Getting down to it

Why?

When you don't want to be a big fish

What to do if you have several businesses

Your list of contents

The executive summary

The conclusion

Responsibilities - and the timetable

Be a SWOT

Where now?

4 Know yourself

Taking stock

Start with the basics

The central objective

Are you visionary?

How did you arrive here?

Some numbers to please the bankers

Building up value

The all-important management team

Business organisation

Business infrastructure

Products and services

Core competencies

The next step

5 Know the world

For or against you?

The next steps

Collecting information

Understanding the world at large

Business partners

The market - what you are fighting for

The industry - what you are up against

Competitive advantages

Now write about it

Moving on

6 The core of your plan

A strategy and an operating plan

Portfolio strategy - what businesses should you have?

Business strategies to satisfy your desires

Strategies for department managers

Resource requirements

Strategic objectives

Documenting the strategy

Creating an operating plan

Documenting the operating plan

Onwards

7 About these numbers

'The time has come', the walrus said, 'to speak of other things'

Varying views of t