Writing a Small Business Plan - The Company

When you are writing a small business plan, you will include a section that provides an overview of the company. Information included in this section usually includes:

The company name

• Note the legal corporate or company name.
  
• If you have brand names or subsidiary company names, you may also note those in this section.

The form of the business

• Indicate whether the business is a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or incorporated.

The mission statement

• The mission statement incorporates the values, overall purpose, principles and philosophies that guide all aspects of the business.
  
• The mission statement is typically no more than a few sentences long.

Location

• Note the main place of business as well as any branch locations.

Legal issues

• Indicate and any licensing agreements, trademarks, patents or copyright issues that impact your business.

Products and/or services

• Clearly identify and explain the nature of your products and or services.
  
• Note any future products or services you plan to introduce and when you plan to introduce them.
  
• Be careful about including proprietary details in your business plan. If your product is innovative, you'll need to find a line between creating interest in the product and protecting proprietary information.

Top management

• You may include key members of the management team that will be guiding the business in this section.
  
• If it is a better fit for your goals of the business plan and your company needs, you may include a full section outlining the details of your management team.

Financial status

• Indicate how the business has been funded and whether you have any major financial obligations.
  
• If applicable, indicate funding you are seeking and for what purpose.

Company development and milestones achieved

• Note the date the company was founded and the current stage of development.
  
• Outline your record of accomplishments such as funding you have acquired or key partnerships you have established.
  
• This information may also be detailed in a separate section if appropriate.

Additional Resources for Writing a Small Business Plan
Business plan outline with links to further information about each section
The Successful Business Plan by Rhonda Abrams book review