Ohio Investment Network

Business Plan Tips

What Investors Are Looking For In A Plan

Investors, whether angels or VC's, are looking for the same things when reading a business plan. They want to know how big the opportunity is, whether this is the right team to exploit the opportunity, who the competition is, what the risks are, and why they can expect this team to implement successfully. Your job in writing the business plan is to address these questions convincingly and clearly.

Emphasize Your Real Strengths

Highlight what your team brings to the table. If your business hinges on a particular competency (for example, understanding the procurement process), your plan will be more persuasive if one of your team members knows something about it and that is brought out in your plan. Rather than including generic resumes of team members, tailor the resumes to draw out the experience each member has that will make him or her a valuable contributor.

Get To The Point And Make It Clear And Comprehensive

Investors see many business plans. A 20-page plan which clearly lays out your business is far more likely to be read than a 100 page plan. Today, some entrepreneurs are using a 15 slide Powerpoint presentation. If your text is short and punchy, you won't need to repeat yourself, because the reader won't be bogged down keeping ten chapters in their head. Reading the same thing over and over, even if it's in different words, can get really tiring. The more you use brevity and give each concept a single home in your document, the more people will want to read it.

Write In Plain English

If you can't explain your idea in English, either you don't understand what you're talking about (What is a transaction enabled atomic journaling database server, anyway?) or you haven't simplified the idea enough. Think, revise, and try again.

Get Rid Of The Hype

Yes, we know you will be the "premier insert product category here of the Internet, achieving 99% market penetration with 60% customer retention in 3 months". Your product will reach "new heights in customer experience through the use of personalization and one-to-one profiling and customization". It will be "user friendly" because you will be creating a truly "ecstatic customer experience". It is a "quantum leap forward" in the marketplace for product category here. Um, yeah. Believe me, we've read it before. About a dozen times today, in fact. (And by the way, the phrase "quantum leap" really doesn't mean anything.) Stick to a tight, simple explanation of your idea. Convince your reader you'll be the best because your idea is the best, not because you can string a dozen buzzwords together.

Use Quantifiable Information

In each section, back up your assertions with solid facts. Even if you are a new venture and cannot give specific figures on the performance of your business, quote figures for the industry or your competitors. These real figures carry more weight than your assumed projections and give more reality to your plan.

Choose A Huge Market

Especially in the internet world, investors are looking more at the market than at the detailed specifics of your financials. Choose a market that is big enough to be an obvious good opportunity. A business which targets teenage girls who listen to music and has a reasonable chance of capturing 90% of the girls that are online is a huge opportunity. A business which targets net-savvy SAAB mechanics who need prosthetic limbs is not.

Ohio Investors

United States > Ohio

Experienced and successful businessman in a highly regulated industry is ready to chase passion of plant medicine. Over the past 4 years my education in the cannabis space has included national conventions, west coast working trips, and hundreds of on-line hours of learning. My partner and I are looking to invest capital and sweat into growing the right company with the right people.

$10,000 to $500,000

United States > Ohio

Army veteran. Degree in marketing and masters in public relations. Entrepreneur who has started several businesses. Individual investor.

$1,000 to $100,000

United States > Ohio

I reside in NW Ohio. I have been an active entrepreneur for the last 15 years. I current own/invest in businesses within construction/real estate and the financial categories but I am always looking for exciting new opportunities. I received a masters in degree and have a deep passion for making positive experiences within this world. I am looking to invest in people that have an idea/product/service that can help shape the world around them in a positive way. I will always be a source of information and help for my investments and I am open to any role they would like me to play.

$1,000 to $100,000

United States > Ohio

Military Veteran and Professional Aviator.

$1,000 to $20,000

United States > Ohio

I work with an investment firm, where we have a fund focused on supporting operating businesses in Ohio counties with less than 200,000 residents. Our non-bank capital can be used as gap financing to support working capital, equipment purchases, or acquisition financing. We focus on existing cash flows to ensure the business can support our investment, which is primarily debt investments, either senior or subordinated debt. Our investment size is customarily between $500k - $5MM. We also have a Pennsylvania fund focused on rural opportunities, as well as a national fund for larger opportunities.

$500,000 to $5,000,000

United States > Ohio

I am a 67 year old retired man, married 47 years. Worked in positions of increasing responsibility in manufacturing for my entire career. Extensive domestic and international experience in all aspects of setting up and running both high volume, repetitive and large capital equipment manufacturing operations. Recently retired from full time work, but looking to stay active and help build manufacturing operations. Located in NE Ohio.

$10,000 to $100,000

United States > Ohio

Technology professional with extensive experience in mergers & acquisitions, as well as in evaluating the value and potential benefit of business investment. I'm looking for a select few businesses in which to invest, and to assist the owners of these businesses to grow profitably.

$100 to $20,000

United States > Ohio

* 31-year-old male currently residing in Columbus, OH * Individual investor looking to invest in both start-ups and small businesses seeking growth capital (open to most industries) * Willing to leverage 10-years of Business Development / Corporate Strategy / M&A experience to entrepreneur via advisory-level involvement (open to silent involvement as well) * M.B.A Graduate of The Ohio State Fisher College of Business with concentrations in Finance and Strategy

$10,000 to $250,000