There's lots of free business plan software/shareware out there my bank even gave out CD ROMs with free plan ware -- but I ended up just using it as guide, as long as your business plan shows your numbers, your intentions and what it is that will make your business better than your competitors, it will do its job.
What I read in D's last post, though, makes me ask the question, WHY do you want into this industry? I'm not doing this to sound inflammatory -- but that last post seemed to dwell on all the negatives in this industry. If you're already doing maintenances and find them to be a PITA -- well no matter what branch of the biz you're in, if it involves livestock you're going to have the same PITAs... Shipper/carrier loses box, animals die, customer/reseller freaks. Buyer (customer or reseller) doesn't care for the animal, blames you for its demise, more grief. In dealing with people, you are always going to have easy customers and challenging ones...... BTW -- for maintenance clients who don't feed: invest in an automatic feeder -- flakes or pellets every day is better than starvation -- there are ways to work with/around even the most challenging customer. For me, therein lies the satisfaction: satisfying the client and helping him/her have a beautiful and thriving system. If people aren't your thing, then retail ain't for you.
The bottom line is you need deep pockets (or the trust of somebody who has deep pockets!), you need business savvy and sense, and you need to get up every day ready to do it all again - and LOVE it. No matter what business you go into, there will be challenging customers or individuals you have to deal with. A good businessperson will be resourceful and find ways to succeed in spite of the customer!
D, the first thing you need to decide is just what it is that you want to do in this industry (or, if nothing grabs you, do you really want to be in the industry??), and then research the bejeepers out of that thing specifically. If it speaks to you and you can see yourself getting up each day for the next umpteen years and doing the same thing, then by all means, write that business plan and DO IT. However if you have any doubts about whether you'll still love what you're doing in 6 months, a year, 5 years down the road, then my advice would be to seriously consider what you're about to take on, before you do take it on. I love what I do and I look forward to it every day. Sure there are days when I'm not motivated to do X or put off doing Y til tomorrow, but that's human nature -- in the end I get it done when it needs doing, and a satisfying day is hearing that wonder in somebody's voice when they ask about a creature they have never seen before, or telling a success story about their tank. Had a guy tell me last week that he kept a Regal tang for 22 years...WOW! But I digress...
It's about planning and numbers and projections and all that good stuff that bean counters want to see, but it's MAINLY about doing what you love. If you don't love what you're doing, then the best business plan in the world won't make you want to go to work each day.
Respectfully,
Jenn
