Assignments involve readings, textbook assignments, business plan assignments, and a final business plan. All assignments are focused on the goal: to help you write a good business plan for your enterprise. Typing (word processing) assignments is encouraged for easy assimilation into your business plan, but it is not required. Your final business plan must be typed, properly formatted, and bound. The attached “Class Schedule and Assignment” sheet details assignments.

Course objectives:

• Assess your abilities as a small business owner;
• Understand the multiple purposes of a business plan;
• Learn the structure of a business plan;
• Research your industry and specific business;
• Write good organizational, marketing, and financial sections for your plan;
• Assemble supporting attachments for your plan;
• Create a sound plan for your business that you can confidently articulate.

Text:  The Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies by Rhonda Abrams, 4th edition, 2003.  Cost is $30 and is available for purchase in class.

Purchase it also from the author. Abrams also offers the book in deluxe binder format with several nice enhancements. In addition, Abrams has a CD of electronic spreadsheets that are excellent and highly recommended. You may purchase them from her website. The spreadsheets work with Microsoft Excel 2000 and can be imported too. Much easier than creating spreadsheets by hand! If you enter "Joanne Simons" in the box that asks where you heard about the materials, you'll get an additional 5% off.

Class & Dates	1-on-1 dates	Topic	Assignments
1 -- March 31		Intro: You and Business -- Ownership, Dreaming, Planning	-Complete worksheet "Basic Business Concept" -Find article about your industry in library or online. Bring to 1-on-1 -Buy 3-ring notebook, dividers
	1 -- April 7	Time: _____________ Place: _____________	-Chapters 1-3
2 -- April 14		Business Description:  Products, operations, management, technology	-Chapters 4-6 -Write draft of your Company Description (see pg 71 sample). Bring to BIC.
3 -- April 21 BIC -- 5:45		Business Concept: Data & Research Business Information Center       2324 University Avenue, #112        St. Paul -- 651/2090-1884	-At BIC, download sample plan, find trade association info, find industry size & direct competitors -Chapters 11-13 -Complete worksheets
	2 -- April 28	Time: _____________ Place: _____________	-Write draft of your Ind Analysis, Operations, Technology, Mgt & Org sections. Bring to May 5 class.
4 -- May 5		Marketing Fundamentals: Marketing defined, target marketing	-Chapters 7-8 -Worksheets pp 90-3, 98, 106-7, 114
	3 -- May 12	Time: _____________ Place: _____________	-Chapter 9-10 -Worksheets pp 147-151
5 -- May 19		Marketing Techniques: media, guerrilla marketing, budget, plan	-Write draft of four marketing sections
	4-- May 26	Time: _____________ Place: _____________	-Chapters 15-16; review ch 11
6 -- June 2		Financials: Intro, cash flow	-Revise Start-up Costs, p 176, & Sales Projections, p 150. Bring to class
	5 -- June 9	Time: _____________ Place: _____________	-Complete all worksheet elements on pp 240-241; Bring to class
7 -- June 16		Financial Statements & Record Keeping	-Complete worksheets pp 248-251 -Bring to one-on-one
	6 -- June 23	Time: _____________ Place: _____________	-Complete 1-yr income statement projections
8 -- June 30		Wrap-up: financing sources, bank selection, plan completion, continuing programs	-Complete 3-yr income statement projections, 1 yr cash flow projections, projected balance sheet, sources & uses of funds, assumptions
	7 -- July 7	Time: _____________ Place: _____________	-Rough draft plan
	8 -- July 14	Time: _____________ Place: _____________	-Revised plan
July 21 (tentative)		Graduation! Come! Enjoy! Potluck! 6:30 - 8 pm	PLAN DUE!