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Starting
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Small Business Checklist
Information printed with permission of CHECK-LIST FOR GOING INTO BUSINESS
The material in this publication may not be
All of SBA's programs and services are
PLANNING YOUR STARTUP - 6, 7, 8
A. Income Projection Statement
Owning a business is the dream of many
As a new owner, you will need to master
As a first and often overlooked step, Being your own boss. Doing what you want when you want to do it.Improving your standard of living. Boredom with your present job.Having a product or service for which you feel there is a demand. Some reasons are better than others, none are wrong; however, be aware that there are tradeoffs. For example, you can escape the 9‑5 daily routine, but you may replace it with a 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. routine. A SELF‑ANALYSISGoing into business requires certain personal characteristics. This portion of the checklist deals with you, the individual. These questions require serious thought. Try to be objective. Remember, it is your future that is at stake! YES/NOAre you a leader? Do you like to make your own decisions?Do others turn to you for help in making decisions? Do you enjoy competition?Do you have will power and self-discipline? Do you plan ahead?Do you like people? Do you get along well with others?Personal Conditions This next group of questions though brief is vitally important to the success of your plan. It covers the physical emotional and financial strains you will encounter in starting a new business. YES NO
1. Are you aware that running your own business may require working
12
to 16 hours a day six days a week and maybe
even Sundays and
holidays?
2. Do you have the physical stamina to handle
the workload and
schedule?
3. Do you have the emotional strength to
withstand the strain?
4. Are you prepared if needed to temporarily
lower your standard
of living until your business is firmly
established?
5. Is your family prepared to go along with the
strains they too
must bear?
6. Are you prepared to lose your
savings? PERSONAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Certain skills and experience are critical to the success of a business. Since it is unlikely that you possess all the skills and experience needed, you will have to hire personnel to supply those you lack. There are some basic and special skills you will need for your particular business. By answering the following questions you can identify the skills you possess and those you lack (your strengths and weaknesses). YES NO
1. Do you know what basic skills you will need in order to have a
successful
business?
2. Do you possess those
skills?
3. When hiring personnel will you be able to
determine if the applicants'
skills meet the requirements for the
positions you are filling?
4. Have you ever worked in a managerial or
supervisory capacity? 5. Have you ever worked in a business similar to the one you want to start? ____ _____
6. Have you had any business training in
school?
7. If you discover you don't have the basic
skills needed for your business will you be willing to delay your
plans until you've acquired the necessary skills?
Small businesses range in size from a manufacturer with many employees and millions of dollars in equipment to the lone window washer with a bucket and a sponge. Obviously the knowledge and skills required for these two extremes are far apart but for success they have one thing in common: each has found a business niche and is filling it. The most critical problems you will face in your early planning will be to find your niche and determine the feasibility of your idea. Get into the right business at the right time is very good advice but following that advice may be difficult. Many entrepreneurs plunge into a business venture so blinded by the dream that they fail to thoroughly evaluate its potential. Before you invest time effort and money the following exercise will help you separate sound ideas from those bearing a high potential for failure.
1. Identify and briefly describe the business
you plan to start.
2. Identify the product or service you plan to sell. ______________________________________
3. Does your product or service satisfy an
unfilled need?
4. Will your product or service serve an
existing market in which demand exceeds supply?
5. Will your product or service be competitive
based on its quality, selection, price or location? Answering yes to any of these questions means you are on the right track; a negative answer means the road ahead could be rough. Notes:
For a small business to be successful the owner must know the market. To learn the market you must analyze it a process that takes time and effort. You don't have to be a trained statistician to analyze the marketplace nor does the analysis have to be costly. Analyzing the market is a way to gather facts about potential customers and to determine the demand for your product or service. The more information you gather the greater your chances of capturing a segment of the market. Know the market before investing your time and money in any business venture. These questions will help you collect the information necessary to analyze your market and determine if your product or service will sell. YES NO
1. Do you know who your customers will be?
2. Do you understand their needs and
desires?
3. Do you know where they
live?
4. Will you be offering the kind of products
or services that they will buy?
5. Will your prices be competitive in quality
and value?
6. Will your promotional program be effective?
7. Do you understand how your business compares
with your competitors?
8. Will your business be conveniently located
for the people you plan to
serve?
9. Will there be adequate parking facilities
for the people you plan to serve? This brief exercise will give you a good idea of the kind of market planning you need to do. An answer of no indicates a weakness in your plan so do your research until you can answer each question with a yes. So far this checklist has helped you identify questions and problems you will face converting your idea into reality and determining if your idea is feasible. Through self‑analysis you have learned of your personal qualifications and deficiencies and through market analysis you have learned if there is a demand for your product or service. The following questions are grouped according to function. They are designed to help you prepare for "Opening Day." YES NO
1. Have you chosen a name for your business?
2. Have you chosen to operate as sole
proprietorship, partnership or
corporation? A person in business is not expected to be a lawyer but each business owner should have a basic knowledge of laws affecting the business. Here are some of the legal matters you should be acquainted with: YES NO
1. Do you know which licenses and permits you
may need to operate your
business?
2. Do you know the business laws you will have
to obey?
3. Do you have a lawyer who can advise you and
help you with legal
papers?
4. Are you aware of
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements?
Regulations covering hazardous material?
Local ordinances covering signs snow removal etc.?
Federal Tax Code provisions pertaining to small business?
Federal regulations on withholding taxes and Social Security?
State Workmen's Compensation laws? Protecting Your Business It is becoming increasingly important that attention be given to security and insurance protection for your business. There are several areas that should be covered. Have you examined the following categories of risk protection? YES NO Fire ____ _____ Theft _____ _____ Robbery _____ _____ Vandalism _____ _____ Accident liability _____ _____ Discuss the types of coverage you will need and make a careful comparison of the rates and coverage with several insurance agents before making a final decision. Business Premises and Location YES NO
1. Have you found a suitable building in a
location convenient for
your
customers?
2. Can the building be modified for your needs
at a reasonable cost?
3. Have you considered renting or leasing with
an option to buy?
4. Will you have a lawyer check the zoning
regulations and lease? YES NO
1. Have you decided what items you will sell or
produce or what service(s) you will provide?
2. Have you made a merchandise plan based upon
estimated sales to determine the amount of inventory you will
need to control purchases?
3. Have you found reliable suppliers who will
assist you in the start up?
4. Have you compared the prices quality and
credit terms of suppliers? YES NO
1. Are you prepared to maintain complete
records of sales income and expenses accounts payable and
receivables?
2. Have you determined how to handle payroll
records tax reports and payments?
3. Do you know what financial reports should be
prepared and how to prepare
them? Notes:
A large number of small businesses fail each year. There are a number of reasons for these failures but one of the main reasons is insufficient funds. Too many entrepreneurs try to start and operate a business without sufficient capital (money). To avoid this dilemma you can review your situation by analyzing these three questions: 1. How much money do you have? 2. How much money will you need to start your business? 3. How much money will you need to stay in business? Use the following chart to answer the first question: CHART 1 PERSONAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT ____________, 19 ___ ASSETS Cash on hand __________ Savings account __________ Stocks, bonds, securities __________ Accounts/notes receivable __________ Real estate __________ Life insurance (cash value) __________ Automobile/other vehicles __________ Other liquid assets __________ TOTAL ASSETS __________ LIABILITIES Accounts payable __________ Notes payable __________ Contracts payable __________ Taxes __________ Real estate loans __________ Other liabilities __________ TOTAL LIABILITIES __________ NET WORTH (Assets minus Liabilities __________ Chart 2 will help you answer the second question: How much money will you need to start your business? The chart is for a retail business; items will vary for service construction and manufacturing firms. The answer to the third question (How much money will you need to stay in business?) must be divided into two parts: immediate costs and future costs. CHART 2 - START-UP COST ESTIMATES Decorating, remodeling __________ Fixtures, equipment __________ Installing fixtures, equipment __________ Services, supplies __________ Beginning inventory cost __________ Legal, professional fees __________ Licenses, permits __________ Telephone utility deposits __________ Insurance __________ Signs __________ Advertising for opening __________ Unanticipated expenses __________ TOTAL START-UP COSTS __________ From the moment the door to your new business opens a certain amount of income will undoubtedly come in. However this income should not be projected in your operating expenses. You will need enough money available to cover costs for at least the first three months of operation. Chart 3 will help you project your operating expenses on a monthly basis. CHART 3 - EXPENSES FOR ONE MONTH Your living costs __________ Employee wages __________ Rent __________ Advertising __________ Supplies __________ Utilities __________ Insurance __________ Taxes __________ Maintenance __________ Delivery/transportation __________ Miscellaneous __________ TOTAL EXPENSES __________ Now multiply the total of Chart 3 by three. This is the amount of cash you will need to cover operating expenses for three months. Deposit this amount in a savings account before opening your business. Use it only for those purposes listed in the above chart because this money will ensure that you will be able to continue in business during the crucial early stages. By adding the total start‑up costs (Chart 2) to the total expenses for three months (three times the total cost on Chart 3) you can learn what the estimated costs will be to start and operate your business for three months. By subtracting the totals of Charts 2 and 3 from the cash available (Chart 1) you can determine the amount of additional financing you may need if any. Now you will need to estimate your operating expenses for the first year after start‑up. Use the Income Projection Statement (Appendix A) for this estimate. The first step in determining your annual expenses is to estimate your sales volume month by month. Be sure to consider seasonal trends that may affect your business. Information on seasonal sales patterns and typical operating ratios can be secured from your trade associations. NOTE: The relationships among amounts of capital that you invest levels of sales each of the cost categories the number of times that you will sell your inventory (turnover) and many other items form financial ratios. These ratios provide you with extremely valuable checkpoints before it's too late to make adjustments. In the reference section of your local library are publications such as The Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios to compare your performance with that of other similar businesses. For thorough explanations of these ratios and how to use them follow up on the sources of help and information mentioned at the end of this publication.) Next determine the cost of sales. The cost of sales is expressed in dollars. Fill out each month's column in dollars total them in the annual total column and then divide each item into the total net sales to produce the annual percentages. Examples of operating ratios include cost of sales to sales and rent to sales. Notes:
The primary source of revenue in your business will be from sales but your sales will vary from month to month because of seasonal patterns and other factors. It is important to determine if your monthly sales will produce enough income to pay each month's bills. An estimated cash flow projection (Chart 4) will show if the monthly cash balance is going to be subject to such factors as
Use the following chart to build a worksheet to help you with this problem. In this example all sales are made for cash. CHART 4 - ESTIMATED CASH FLOW FORECAST Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun etc
Cash in
bank (1st of
month)
Petty cash
(1st of
month)
Anticipated
cash
sales
Total
receipts
Total cash
& receipts Disbursements for month (rent, loan payments,
utilities,
wages,
etc.
Cash
balance (end of
month Beyond a doubt preparing an adequate business plan is the most important step in starting a new business. A comprehensive business plan will be your guide to managing a successful business. The business plan is paramount to your success. It must contain all the pertinent information about your business; it must be well written factual and organized in a logical sequence. Moreover it should not contain any statements that cannot be supported. If you have carefully answered all the questions on this checklist and completed all the worksheets you have seriously thought about your goal. But . . . there may be some things you may feel you need to know more about. Owning and running a business is a continuous learning process. Research your idea and do as much as you can yourself but don't hesitate to seek help from people who can tell you what you need to know. APPENDIX A: INCOME PROJECTION STATEMENT Industry J F M A M J J A S O N D Annual Annual % total %
Total net sales
(revenues)
Cost of
sales
Gross
profit
Gross profit
margin Controllable expenses
Salaries/wages
Payroll
expenses
Legal/accounting
Advertising
Automobile
Office
supplies Dues/subscriptions
Utilities
Miscellaneous
Total
controllable
expenses Fixed expenses
Rent
Depreciation
Utilities
Insurance
Licenses/permits
Loan
payments
Miscellaneous
Total fixed
expenses
Total
expenses
Net profit
(loss)
before
taxes Taxes
Net profit
(loss)
after
taxes The income projection (profit and loss) statement is valuable as both a planning tool and a key management tool to help control business operations. It enables the owner-manager to develop a preview of the amount of income generated each month and for the business year, based on reasonable predictions of monthly levels of sales, costs and expenses. As monthly projects are developed and entered into the income projection statement, they can serve as definite goals for controlling the business operation. As actual operating results become known each month, they should be recorded for comparison with the monthly projections. A completed income statement allows the owner-manager to compare actual figures with monthly projections and to take steps to correct any problems. Industry Percentage In the industry percentage column, enter the percentages of total sales (revenues) that are standard for your industry which are derived by dividing cost/expense items by total net sales x 100% These percentages can be obtained from various sources, such as trade associations, accountants or banks. The reference librarian in your nearest public library can refer you to documents that contain the percentage figures, for example, Robert Morris Associates' Industry figures serve as a useful benchmark against which to compare cost and expense estimates that you develop for your firm. Compare the figures in the industry column to those in the annual percentage column Total Net Sales (Revenues) Determine the total number of units or products or services you realistically expect to sell each month in each department at the prices you expect to get. Use this step to create the projection to review your pricing practices. What returns, allowances and markdowns can be expected? Exclude any revenue that is not strictly related to the business. Cost of Sales The key to calculating your cost of sales is that you do not overlook any costs that you have incurred. Calculate cost of sales for all products and services used to determine total net sales. Where inventory is involved, do not overlook transportation costs. Also include any direct labor. Gross Profit Subtract the total cost of sales from the total net sales to obtain gross profit. Gross Profit Margin. The gross profit margin is expressed as a percentage of total sales (revenues) it is calculated by dividing gross profits by total net sales Controllable Expenses Salary expenses -- Base pay plus overtime. Payroll expenses -- Include paid vacations, sick leave, and health insurance unemployment insurance and social security taxes. Outside services -- Include costs of subcontracts, overflow work and special or one-time services. Supplies -- Services and items purchase for use in the business. Repairs and maintenance -- Regular maintenance and repair, including periodic large expenditures such as painting. Advertising -- Include desired sales volume and classified directory advertising expenses. Car, delivery and travel -- Include charges if personal car is used in business, including parking, tolls, buying trips, etc. Accounting and legal -- Outside professional services. Fixed Expenses Rent -- List only real estate used in the business Depreciation -- Amortization of capital assets. Utilities -- Water, heat, light, etc. Insurance -- Fire or liability on property or products. Include workers' compensation. Loan repayments -- Interest on outstanding loans. Miscellaneous -- Unspecified; small expenditures without separate accounts. Net Profit (loss) Subtract total expenses from gross profit. (before taxes) Taxes Include inventory and sales taxes, excise tax, real estate tax, etc. Net Profit (loss) Subtract taxes from net profit (before taxes) (after taxes) Annual Total For each of the sales and expense items in your income projection statement, add all the monthly figures across the table and put the results in the annual total column. Annual Percentage Calculate the percentage by dividing annual total by total net sales x 100% Compare this figure to the industry percentage in the first column APPENDIX B: INFORMATION RESOURCES U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) - www.sba.gov The SBA offers an extensive selection of information on most business management topics, from how to start a business to exporting your products to getting government contracts. SBA has offices throughout the country. Consult the U.S. Government section in your telephone directory for the office nearest you. SBA offers a number of programs and services, including training and educational programs, counseling services, financial programs and contract assistance. Ask about Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), www.sba.gov/wi/wiscore.html A national organization sponsored by SBA of over 13,000 volunteer business executives who provide free counseling, workshops and seminars to prospective and existing small business people. Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), www.sba.gov/wi/wisbdc.html Sponsored by the SBA in partnership with state and local governments, the educational community and the private sector. They provide assistance, counseling and training to prospective and existing business people.
Wisconsin U.S. Small Business Administration,
310 West Wisconsin Avenue, For more information about SBA business development programs and services call the SBA Small Business Answer Desk at 1‑800‑U‑ASK‑SBA (827‑5722). Libraries A librarian can help you locate the specific information you need in reference books. Most libraries have a variety of directories, indexes and encyclopedias that cover many business topics. They also have other resources, such as Trade Association information Ask the librarian to show you a directory of trade associations. Associations provide valuable network of resources to their members through publications and services such as newsletters, conferences and seminars. Books Many guidebooks, textbooks and manuals on small business are published annually. To find the names of books not in your local library check Books In Print, a directory of books currently available from publishers. Magazine and newspaper articles Business and professional magazines provide information that is more current than that found in books and textbooks. There are a number of indexes to help you find specific articles in periodicals. In addition to books and magazines, many libraries offer free workshops, lend skill‑building tapes and have catalogues and brochures describing continuing education opportunities. |
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