GLIDE Resource Library

Business Plan
The business plan is the roadmap for any enterprise whether for-profit or not-for-profit. It describes the purpose for the enterprise, the vision for the enterprise, and the steps needed to achieve success. This model is a must for Entrepreneurial Business start-ups; and is also good for non-profits.

It clearly defines how the vision for the enterprise will be accomplished. Although a business plan is generally considered essential for success, many enterprises are started without a plan. However, the creation of a business plan brings discipline to your thinking and helps to bring the business concept into focus.

Executive Summary, Profile of the Enterprise, Competitive Landscape and Market Opportunity, Operations Plan and Development Strategies, Management Structure.

Capital & Funding
There are three basic types of business capital, or financing, for an enterprise: non-repayment, debt, and equity.

Non-repayment financing can come from several sources; however, it typically comes from one of three main places: (1) personal wealth; (2) grants or gifts (a.k.a. “free” money); or (3) an organization’s revenue. Free money is the most desirable of non-repayment capital because there are “no strings attached.”

Debt capital is provided to an organization in exchange for a promise to pay back the loan amount.

Equity capital is money that is provided to an individual or an organization in exchange for ownership in an entity. Venture capital and angel financing is also discussed in several links. Other economic assistance programs are discussed on governmental sites.

Finance & Accounting
The purpose of finance and accounting is to provide owners and managers of a business with an understanding of the movement, uses, and impact of money within the business.

Every organization needs to have positive cash flow. Simply put, it needs more money coming in than going out. Understanding finance and accounting can be further enhanced by understanding three basic, yet related steps: (1) money in (receipts) and money out (payments); (2) recording; and (3) reporting.

Once it has identified its transactions, an organization must create a system to formally record the transactions.

Financial projects and cash flow analysis are vital for start-ups companies and running small businesses.

Human Resources
One of the underlying tenants of any organization is that the entity is only as good as the people in the organization. An organization must be financially stable to successfully operate, but equally important it needs outstanding people. It is the management of all the issues that affect people in an entity that is known as the practice of Human Resources. When starting a new company or enterprise it is important that every facet of human resources align with vision for the company. The most efficient organizations will implement policies and procedures to ensure the best and quickest development of the company.

Compensation & Benefits, Employee Relations/Labor Relations, Legal, Organization Design, Staffing, Training, Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)

Information Technology
The term Information Technology, or IT, is commonly used to reference the collection of tools that facilitate the use, creation, management and exchange of electronic information. These tools cut across an organization or enterprise and form the basis of the system for turning data into knowledge that can be exchanged and disseminated. There are four key elements to information technology: (1) hardware or information devices; (2) software; (3) communication technologies; and (4) services

Legal
For most business entities to thrive, it is important to provide a formal legal structure for the entity. A formal legal structure provides a measure of protection for the owners and establishes some basic rules of conduct for the business. There are three legal elements that any organization should pay attention to: (1) structure, (2) protection, and (3) organizational law.

Sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, or not-for-profits. Patent & Trade Secrets and Copyrights & Trademarks

The final element of law that an entity must evaluate is organization law. Organization law is a broad category that includes many of the legal guidelines and laws that an enterprise must abide by to ensure orderly operation of the entity. More specifically, this area includes human resources and employee law, international law, contracts, financial reporting laws, etc.

Operations & Administration
As any organization develops, it institutes work practices to accomplish the short term needs of the business. However, as organizations grow, they must transition from using these informal practices to more formal processes and procedures.

Purchasing, Shipping & Receiving, Accounting, Customer Service, Payables/Receivables, Sourcing, Personal excellence to one that depends on system excellence.

Sales & Marketing
The lifeblood of any organization is the customer. Whether you are trying to sell a product or provide a service, an enterprise must understand who it caters to, what its customers want and why they want it, and what those customers are willing to pay for the things they want. Understanding these factors and providing what the customer desires is what the sales & marketing function in an organization is built upon.

The field of Marketing consists of all the activities that are required to present a product or service to its intended user. An essential part of the company, marketing plays a key role in the success of the company.

Marketing must define the customer; Align the features and benefits of the company’s offer with the target customer’s needs; and Define the competition

Marketing includes Influencing product or service design; Establishing pricing strategies; Developing communication strategies; and Identifying channels of distribution

Regardless of whether it is the marketing or the selling process, each process has two distinct components: the research and planning component; and the execution and implementation component. In marketing, the research and planning component is what many people refer to as market research. Data and information are collected, analyses are performed and a marketing plan is generated. In sales, the research and planning component identifies how the enterprise will approach the targeted market and engage the customer. In contrast, the execution and implementation component reflects the more alluring activities of both marketing and sales: advertising, promotion, public relations, selling, business development, and service.

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		The Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise
About GLIDE GLIDE Staff Client Companies Directions to GLIDE Resource Library Balance Sheet Breakeven Analysis Business Plan Capital and Funding Cash Flow Finance and Accounting Government and Other Research Sites Human Resources Income Statement Information Technology Legal Operations and Administration Sales and Marketing Women and Minorities The Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise	GLIDE Resource Library Business Plan The business plan is the roadmap for any enterprise whether for-profit or not-for-profit. It describes the purpose for the enterprise, the vision for the enterprise, and the steps needed to achieve success. This model is a must for Entrepreneurial Business start-ups; and is also good for non-profits. It clearly defines how the vision for the enterprise will be accomplished. Although a business plan is generally considered essential for success, many enterprises are started without a plan. However, the creation of a business plan brings discipline to your thinking and helps to bring the business concept into focus. Executive Summary, Profile of the Enterprise, Competitive Landscape and Market Opportunity, Operations Plan and Development Strategies, Management Structure. Capital & Funding There are three basic types of business capital, or financing, for an enterprise: non-repayment, debt, and equity. Non-repayment financing can come from several sources; however, it typically comes from one of three main places: (1) personal wealth; (2) grants or gifts (a.k.a. “free” money); or (3) an organization’s revenue. Free money is the most desirable of non-repayment capital because there are “no strings attached.” Debt capital is provided to an organization in exchange for a promise to pay back the loan amount. Equity capital is money that is provided to an individual or an organization in exchange for ownership in an entity. Venture capital and angel financing is also discussed in several links. Other economic assistance programs are discussed on governmental sites. Finance & Accounting The purpose of finance and accounting is to provide owners and managers of a business with an understanding of the movement, uses, and impact of money within the business. Every organization needs to have positive cash flow. Simply put, it needs more money coming in than going out. Understanding finance and accounting can be further enhanced by understanding three basic, yet related steps: (1) money in (receipts) and money out (payments); (2) recording; and (3) reporting. Once it has identified its transactions, an organization must create a system to formally record the transactions. Financial projects and cash flow analysis are vital for start-ups companies and running small businesses. Human Resources One of the underlying tenants of any organization is that the entity is only as good as the people in the organization. An organization must be financially stable to successfully operate, but equally important it needs outstanding people. It is the management of all the issues that affect people in an entity that is known as the practice of Human Resources. When starting a new company or enterprise it is important that every facet of human resources align with vision for the company. The most efficient organizations will implement policies and procedures to ensure the best and quickest development of the company. Compensation & Benefits, Employee Relations/Labor Relations, Legal, Organization Design, Staffing, Training, Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) Information Technology The term Information Technology, or IT, is commonly used to reference the collection of tools that facilitate the use, creation, management and exchange of electronic information. These tools cut across an organization or enterprise and form the basis of the system for turning data into knowledge that can be exchanged and disseminated. There are four key elements to information technology: (1) hardware or information devices; (2) software; (3) communication technologies; and (4) services Legal For most business entities to thrive, it is important to provide a formal legal structure for the entity. A formal legal structure provides a measure of protection for the owners and establishes some basic rules of conduct for the business. There are three legal elements that any organization should pay attention to: (1) structure, (2) protection, and (3) organizational law. Sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, or not-for-profits. Patent & Trade Secrets and Copyrights & Trademarks The final element of law that an entity must evaluate is organization law. Organization law is a broad category that includes many of the legal guidelines and laws that an enterprise must abide by to ensure orderly operation of the entity. More specifically, this area includes human resources and employee law, international law, contracts, financial reporting laws, etc. Operations & Administration As any organization develops, it institutes work practices to accomplish the short term needs of the business. However, as organizations grow, they must transition from using these informal practices to more formal processes and procedures. Purchasing, Shipping & Receiving, Accounting, Customer Service, Payables/Receivables, Sourcing, Personal excellence to one that depends on system excellence. Sales & Marketing The lifeblood of any organization is the customer. Whether you are trying to sell a product or provide a service, an enterprise must understand who it caters to, what its customers want and why they want it, and what those customers are willing to pay for the things they want. Understanding these factors and providing what the customer desires is what the sales & marketing function in an organization is built upon. The field of Marketing consists of all the activities that are required to present a product or service to its intended user. An essential part of the company, marketing plays a key role in the success of the company. Marketing must define the customer; Align the features and benefits of the company’s offer with the target customer’s needs; and Define the competition Marketing includes Influencing product or service design; Establishing pricing strategies; Developing communication strategies; and Identifying channels of distribution Regardless of whether it is the marketing or the selling process, each process has two distinct components: the research and planning component; and the execution and implementation component. In marketing, the research and planning component is what many people refer to as market research. Data and information are collected, analyses are performed and a marketing plan is generated. In sales, the research and planning component identifies how the enterprise will approach the targeted market and engage the customer. In contrast, the execution and implementation component reflects the more alluring activities of both marketing and sales: advertising, promotion, public relations, selling, business development, and service. Print this page.
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