{"product_id":"2000003502905","title":"Business Planning: 25 Keys to a Sound Business Plan","description":"Learn the 25 keys to a great business plan, including writing the company's mission, identifying market opportunities, calculating appropriate financial ratios and projecting growth rates, that will help guide your company's expansion and attract necessary financing:\u003cp\u003eKey 1. Every business should have a mission.\u003cbr\u003e Key 2. Every business needs to define what the business does and identify a market opportunity.\u003cbr\u003e Key 3. The entrepreneur must identify the external factors that may have an impact on the business.\u003cbr\u003e Key 4. Business success depends on analyzing the nature and contemplating the future of the business.\u003cbr\u003e Key 5. The business idea determines the key factors that result in business success.\u003cbr\u003e Key 6. The major strengths of the business should be identified in detail.\u003cbr\u003e Key 7. The major weaknesses of the business should be identified in detail.\u003cbr\u003e Key 8. A complete business plan should be prepared.\u003cbr\u003e Key 9. The business plan should be specific and well written.\u003cbr\u003e Key 10. Financial statements are the heart of the business plan.\u003cbr\u003e Key 11. A strategic plan should be developed to determine what products or services the business is going to offer.\u003cbr\u003e Key 12. An operating plan should be prepared to determine how to run the business effectively.\u003cbr\u003e Key 13. The first year of operations is an important time for a new enterprise.\u003cbr\u003e Key 14. Growth strategies may be affected by the goals and objectives of the business.\u003cbr\u003e Key 15. There is no law that requires a business to grow.\u003cbr\u003e Key 16. Simple growth calculations are easy to make and should be a focal point for the entrepreneur.\u003cbr\u003e Key 17. Growth calculations may be expanded to include return on investment (ROI) analysis.\u003cbr\u003e Key 18. Long-term growth may depend on the ability to get long-term financing.\u003cbr\u003e Key 19. Operating leverage is a key element in determining the riskiness of a business.\u003cbr\u003e Key 20. Deciding when and how the business reaches the break-even point is critical to its success.\u003cbr\u003e Key 21. Trade credit is often overlooked as a key source of short-term financing.\u003cbr\u003e Key 22. Bank financing may be available to certain businesses.\u003cbr\u003e Key 23. Factoring may be an important source of funds available to a new business.\u003cbr\u003e Key 24. Selling common stock to outsiders may be a big mistake.\u003cbr\u003e Key 25. Venture capital is not available for most entrepreneurs, but it can be attractive for the few that qualify.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusiness Planning is part of The New York Times Pocket MBA Series, a reference series easily accessible to all businesspersons, from first-level managers to the executive suite. The 12-volume series is written by Ph.D.s who teach in the finest graduate business programs in the country, and edited by business editors from The New York Times. The structure of each volume presents an unparalleled synopsis of crucial principles of specific areas of business expertise.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Listen \u0026 Live Audio, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47089929879792,"sku":"2000003502905","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2000003502905_p0.jpg?v=1763537587","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2000003502905","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}