Writing a Small Business Plan - 7 Great Tips for Mature Business Entrepreneurs

Mature business owners - entrepreneurs in the 40+, 50+ and 60s age group – are in a prime position to start up on their own after retirement from their mainstream career. Great ideas from experienced minds may be flowing, but without a good business plan format any new venture is much more likely to fail. Transforming your vision into reality begins with writing a small business plan, outlining your structure, costs and staffing, and making sure that your new business has the best chance of success from the outset!

Writing a small business plan – tip #1. Outline your structure.

Begin with the simplest ideas, using your existing knowledge and strengths, and start to build up your business plan format with the basics first. Think about how you want your new venture to run, how much time you’ll be able to commit, and what you ultimately want to achieve. Using a business start up kit is an excellent solution for new mature entrepreneurs.

Writing a small business plan – tip #2. Investment and capital.

Consider the financial side of your new business, how much money you personally have to start up with, and if you’ll require investment from elsewhere – banks or other lenders, venture capital, small business loans or even family and friends. When you’re looking at how to format a business plan, the financial side of your new enterprise is all too important, so making sure that you have the capital and investments in place from the beginning is an essential part of writing a small business plan.

Writing a small business plan – tip #3. Running costs.

Now that you’ve sorted out the initial capital, think about the day-to-day costs of running your new business. As well as the obvious overheads – materials, staffing costs and transport - remember to include the smaller items such as paper and envelopes, ink for your printer, telephone calls, internet and website charges in your business plan format.

Writing a small business plan – tip #4. Staffing.

No matter how large or small your new venture will be, you’re likely to need help with setting up or running your business, and this should be reflected in your business plan format. Consider the possibility that you’ll need to employ a few people, or if you’re working on your own, whether you’ll require to outsource some of your tasks, for example web design or copywriting.

Writing a small business plan – tip #5. Operations, sales and marketing.

A business start up kit for the home office could be a good choice when you’re moving into a new business after retiring. Planning the day to day running of your business, marketing and selling your product are all necessary components when writing a small business plan, so you’ll need good software to help you keep on track.

Writing a small business plan – tip #6. Time.

As a mature entrepreneur, you will no doubt have built up various skills over the years, which you will find invaluable when starting your own business. Keep in mind though; you want your business to work for you, not the other way round. Your business plan format should include the ability to automate and delegate tasks to streamline your business, giving you free time to enjoy the benefits of having your own company.

Writing a small business plan – tip #7. Organization and vision.

A key element when writing a small business plan is to ensure that the components of your business are neat and tidy. This includes files, documents, spreadsheets and software applications. Your business plan format must be adaptable, allowing you to change and grow your business in the future.

After retirement from a regular job, forming your own business can be an extremely rewarding experience. Starting out in the right way when writing a small business plan will not only save you time and money, but will give your new business the best opportunity for success in the future!