Establishing your own business can be one avenue to increasing wealth, as it gives you the opportunity to control and expand your earning capacity. So why is it that some business owners end up in less advantageous financial positions, sometimes losing everything they own?

One factor that can help to determine the success of your venture is the planning that you do before starting, and during the lifetime of your business. A business plan is basically a document that provides a thorough description of your venture; giving information about the type of operation, the products or services offered, the industry in which it exists and the target market, its objectives and the strategies to be used to accomplish its goals, and financial details about the business.

In theory, since you conceived the business idea, it should be relatively simple for you to put down these various details on paper. However, writing a business plan is a project that may require expert guidance, as it takes careful thought and analysis to develop a comprehensive blueprint for your business.

Recently, the Private Sector Development Programme (PSDP), an agency that provides technical assistance to small businesses in Jamaica, hosted a workshop that looked at the importance of business planning for organisational growth and sustainability.

Deanna McFarlane, consulting officer in the PSDP’s Corporate Finance Broker Unit, explained that a business plan would assist entrepreneurs to plot a course for their businesses and increase their chances for success. By completing a plan, owners would be better able to identify customers, improve operational efficiencies, focus on strategic goals, obtain financing for start-up and expansion, and attract investors for further growth.

McFarlane outlined the following steps to completing an effective business plan:

1.   Executive Summary

This section provides the key highlights of the business plan, summarising the profile of the business, objectives, strategies and all the other areas that are detailed in the rest of the document. Although the summary appears at the beginning, you should only prepare it after completing the other segments. It must be well written and attention-grabbing to influence readers to continue to examine your plan.

2.   History & Background

You should provide a description and location of the business in this section, as well as the reason why it was started and its basic objectives. List accomplishments such as major contracts or awards won, along with details on memberships in business and trade associations. If your business is a start-up you can talk about your personal successes that are relevant.

3.   Strategic Direction

In this segment, you need to outline your vision – a short statement that highlights the soul of your business and its reason for being; and your mission – a statement expressing the overall purpose of the organisation. Then outline your goals, listing short-term objectives and your long-term plans over five years. Finally, describe the strategies that must be implemented in production, marketing, sales, distribution, internal operations, management and financing, to attain your objectives.

4.   Environmental Analysis

Describe the general environment within which your business is operating, and state the relevance of your business to the sector in this section. You should also analyse your strengths and weaknesses, those internal factors that can influence your development; as well as the external opportunities and threats that can make or break your business. McFarlane advised entrepreneurs to admit the truth about their businesses, as this would help them to solve potential problems.

5.   Market Analysis

A description of industry factors should be provided in this segment, looking at the size of the market, existing products/services and market segments, and trends that may affect your business. It is crucial to research details about your main competitors and identify their strengths and weaknesses, in order to plan ways to capture market share from them or maintain your dominance.

6.   Marketing Strategy

McFarlane explained that business success depended on the ability to attract customers and keep them satisfied. This section will help you to understand your market, by examining key demographic details such age, gender, income level, geography, buying habits and personal tastes. Give details about your expected sales performance, distribution channels and your competitive strengths.

7.   Organisational Structure

In this segment, provide information on the management and human resources of the organisation by giving profiles on key team members and important external advisors. You should also describe recruitment plans that may be essential to the business, and any relevant regulatory issues.

8.  Financial Analysis

This final section is the most crucial, as it details how the money will be earned and spent. You will probably need assistance from an accountant to create a balance sheet, profit and loss statement, cash flow projections and other revenue assumptions. Looking at the figures will help you to determine if your wonderful business idea is actually feasible.

So, if you haven’t already written your business plan, put aside some time to get it done. As McFarlane confirmed, proper planning will help to build people’s confidence in your venture, and greatly assist you in achieving your business goals.

Copyright © 2009 Cherryl Hanson Simpson

I am a financial consultant and coach living in Jamaica, West Indies. I have a passion for empowering people to become financially successful. My company, Financially S.M.A.R.T Services, produces and markets resources to help persons to manage, multiply and maintain their money.

See more of her work at www.financiallyfreenetwork.com and www.financiallysmartonline.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/wealth-building-articles/the-basics-of-a-business-plan-1608603.html

The society is in itself a trading town where selling is a major source of livelihood. And to make the trade keep up with its cyclic behavior, fiscally able people invest a great deal of capital to get the property licensed under their name and possession. But hold it right there! If you’re so certain and the figures conspire that the property is really intended to be in your rights, then there’ll be no questions ask. But even if a single qualm is perturbing your assessment, its better that you try to assess the potentials first to verify the property’s feasibility. If you think it isn’t a worthwhile deal, follow your instincts and have the following evaluation steps come in handy:

Exercise prudence when dealing with different parties

And this primarily involves real estate brokers, agents, and another investor. It’s not easy to trust people these days, for the next thing you know, you’ve been hoodwinked with a property that only has rights sans the land. Meaning to say, without you knowing it, what you just paid for is only the rights of the property and not the asset in its entirety. Therefore, exercise caution, know whom you’re dealing with and determine what real estate company they’re specifically affiliated. If you can do the aforementioned precautionary measures, it would be easier for you to know an entity or a company’s trustworthiness and credibility.

Practice “back of the envelope” reckoning

If you’re the type of person who values security more than anything else, then make it a habit to generate a ballpark figure of every deal’s worth. Calculating your net income subtracted by the total expenses you’re about to tackle once property purchase is made will help you come up with reasonable and realistic approximation of the overall sums you’re about to face. At this point in time, it’s not enough that you have to money to purchase a realestate investment property deemed appealing. What matters is the property won’t be much of a burden on your part financially.

Scrutinize and carry out due diligence

Primarily check if the property has a license to sell. Also, verify if the real estate acreage does not have pending cases in court, and as much as possible, confirm all the legalities of the property from documentations to ownership and other real estate essentials. Review all pertinent citations and credentials and don’t be afraid to ask questions. These agents or brokers may be focused on making a sale, but still, you shouldn’t let any distractions or sweet tongues fool you. Do not go for verbal promises. Instead, put every little detail in black and white.

Check the numbers and time frame

A responsible investor makes realistic plans and actions. Doing your own research matters before purchasing a property. This is to ensure that everything will do well and that that the property will account for a profit should you decide to have it renovated and fixed up at once. Construction overheads must be less and should not in any way cost a notch higher than the amount you paid to purchase the property. Remember, it pays to be financially wise and responsible so as not to incur any losses in the end. Leave enough room to easily make returns even under down and difficult circumstances.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/wealth-building-articles/realestate-investment-property-smart-moves-for-a-smart-investment-plan-1473352.html

The Problem

O.k. Guys so you can’t figure out how to get a girl to like you in the way you had intended. Unfortunately your feminine side came screaming out and instead of being romantically involved, you are there with her watching lifetime doing your nails and letting her test her new “Hair-be-gone” on your legs. Hey don’t shoot the messanger you got yourself into this mess not me. So lets do a little house cleaning shall we? We’ll get you back on track no worries.

When a girl says she wants a nice, sensitive guy, don’t run out and get a “build-a-Bear” and sniffle during the chick flick you took her to. Technically speaking that may be what they want, it’s human nature and it sounds right, but when reality bares it’s head female instinct says she likes a guy who will take control and act like a man. Let’s look at what happens when….

What happens when.. you take a girl to an expensive dinner, buy her something on instinct and spoiling her at no expense? She thanks you for the lovely time and goes out with another guy. Dang!

What happens when.. you just can’t wait to call that beauty right after a great date cause you had such a great time (so you thought) and she’s coming off as awkward and rushing through the call just to get you off the phone. Am I right?

The Solution

Now Let’s change it up a bit for the sake of variety…

What Happens when.. you don’t call a girl and you’re habitually busy, and really could care less if you see her again or not? She’s calling you every few hours right?

What Happens when.. you go out for a quick brew and act like she’s your happy hour pal? She starts to feel an attraction because you are’nt being the “jump” “How High”? kinda guy. Do you get a feel for where I’m coming from?

Now Don’t go misunderstanding confidance to being a total jerk. To get a girl to like you and show some interest Don’t come off as shy or awkward it will turn her off. You will gain more ground if you lead the way without talking about it. Keep away from dull and lifeless and step up to fun and spontaneous.

Make her laugh, don’t give her too much info about yourself keep some mystery about you and let her wonder. Be interesting and please leave your game night talk at home. Show some direction with your goals and show you have a solid plan for your life, other than a 52″ Plasma and the “Boys” coming over on monday night to knock some down.

This is just some starting points for you to head in the right direction so let’s do a brief review and wrap up. Be a man, Keep Busy not too readily available, be obscure, have a plan, be calm, fun and confident (not arrogant) start off simple but purposeful and never, I repeat, never let her put some warm goop on your legs and tell you it isn’t going to hurt. Until the next time cowboy, peace and be well.

Manny F.Lives in Los Angeles is President of MyInfo4Profit an internet based company catering to a vass amount of valuable information from relationships to Internet Marketing. If you would like to continue your course and advance to a higher level of getting a girl to want you, visit A Man’s Guide To Success With Woman

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/men’s-issues-articles/are-you-one-of-those-guys-who-always-ends-up-being-a-girls-new-bff-1317313.html

With the right diabetic diet recipes , even if you have diabetes, it does not mean you cannot enjoy good food, it just means that there are a few limits. Being in control of your diet is imperative in reducing the effects of diabetes and can also help lower the chances of you contracting it. Sorting out a diabetic diet plan is one of the most important things you need to do if you suffer from diabetes.

Weight is generally a problem when you are a diabetic and the goal is to get that weight off and keep it off. Another important thing to remember is to eat a healthily from all four food groups and keeping to you diabetic diet.

Heart disease and strokes are two complications often associated with diabetes but the risk of these can be reduced if the sufferer sticks to a healthy diabetic diet. A diabetic diet is essentially a healthy, low-fat, balanced eating plan that helps the patient feel better and more energetic, and achieve some control over the symptoms like fatigue, thirst, blurred vision.

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There is a diabetic food pyramid that shows how to eat healthily by consuming vegetables, non-fat dairy products, whole grains, fruit, low fat meat, beans, fish and poultry. If you are also subject to a low-carb diet then your diet may consist of certain vegetables like kidney beans, carrots and avocados in addition to meat, fish poultry, eggs and cheese. Saturated fats and cholesterol are a problem if you are a diabetic so you would need to cut down on foods like this and eat skinless poultry as well as fresh fruit and vegetables.

A diabetic diet consists of certain food groups but it also imperative that you weigh the foods so you intake the correct amount of calories. Also check the food labels when you shop because they contain useful information and daily intake amounts which are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/diabetic-health-recipes-1310441.html

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For many of us, casino gambling and cigar smoking go together like Frank and Bing. Generations of first-time Vegas visitors have enhanced their experience via frequent applications of cigar smoke, just like those iconic Rat Packers of yesteryear with their impeccable suits, suave manner, and constantly-replenished supplies of alcohol and tobacco.


Which made it all the more surprising, for many cigar lovers, when the Nevada legislature imposed a public-smoking ban in 2006. That ban doesn’t yet apply to Las Vegas gaming floors – there is such a thing as tradition, after all. But Atlantic City recently took Nevada’s ball and ran with it: the New Jersey state legislature has instituted a smoking ban, effective October 2008, which includes the area’s famed casinos.


All of which raises the question: where can a gambling smoker still enjoy a cigar?


Well, part of the answer depends on timing. Ontario, Canada, long a major vacation destination for gamblers, also banned smoking in casinos in 2006. This decision was particularly lamented by American visitors to the area, who took advantage of the Canadian casinos’ proximity to cigar stores that sell banned-in-America Cuban cigars (though it’s technically illegal for Americans abroad to buy Cuban cigars). Ontario’s casinos acknowledged these smokers’ concerns, successfully petitioning the province’s legislature for permission to build special “smoking shelters.” So you can smoke cigars during your visit to an Ontario casino – just wait till you’re off the gaming floor and in the outdoor shelter.


Elsewhere in Canada, consider Edmonton, Alberta – or, actually, just west of it. Though public smoking is banned in Alberta, due to a 2006 ban, the Enoch Cree First Nation has voted to exempt its own casino from this ban. So visitors to the River Cree casino can light up.


Pennsylvania remains another possibility. Casinos fought successfully to be exempted from the statewide smoking ban passed by Governor Ed Rendell in June 2008. As of summer 2008, you can no longer smoke cigars in most Pennsylvania bars and restaurants, but you can smoke in casinos located outside Philadelphia. That leaves such places as Pittsburgh (with the Majestic Star casino slated to open in late 2008), Bethlehem (the Sands Bethworks Casino, also under construction), and a handful of other locations.


The Michigan legislature recently adjourned for the summer without deciding whether not to pass a statewide smoking ban. In the meantime, Wayne County recently passed a ban that exempts casinos. This means that the non-Native owned casinos of Detroit will continue to be able to compete with the state’s several large Native American-owned casinos, which will not be subject to any statewide ban.


Biloxi, Mississippi, remains a favorite for Southern gamblers who like to smoke, owing to its lack of a statewide smoking ban. Though some larger Mississippi cities have banned public smoking, Biloxi remains a smoke-positive place, rendering its nine casinos attractive destinations for a smoker-gambler.


South Dakota casino owners, meanwhile, are relishing the prospects created by a statewide smoking ban recently passed in neighboring Iowa. According to reports in local newspapers, casino owners in North Sioux City are hoping Iowa’s ban will drive smoking gamblers to the state’s many casinos – while they worry that South Dakota might pass a similar law in the near future. After all, half the population of the United States currently lives in an area (state, city or town) where public smoking is proscribed to at least some extent – and the popularity of such bans seems on the increase. Even Mississippi’s state legislature is considering one. So light ‘em while you’ve got ‘em – and no matter where you are, whenever you gamble, check before you light up. It’s not fun to be ejected from a casino!

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