Try it Yourself

This workshop will teach you to create a compelling business plan through a series of exercises that will test your ability to create some of the plan’s most important elements. By partaking in these exercises, you will hone the business plan writing skills you possess and learn about the areas in which you need some improvement.

Each step of the way you will be working on a business plan for a company called Bella’s Biscotti. Bella’s Biscotti is a start up – founder Bella Lettini – that will sell wholesale biscotti to gourmet shops in Metro City and its suburbs. Its five-year plan is to extend its distribution to gourmet shops across the country and eventually to upscale national home furnishings chains. Bella’s Biscotti will set its Italian cookies apart from its competition with unique flavors such as Macadamia Nut and Black Currant. Its unusual flavors and attractive packaging will justify a price slightly higher than the competition’s.

In each step of this exercise you will be presented with three choices for how an element of the business plan should read. After reading the three choices, pick the one that sounds best to you. You will then be able to read why the answer you picked is right or wrong. When you are done learning on Bella’s plan, you will be ready to create one of your own. Select one of the elements below to see the relevant exercise.

• Business Description
• Customers
• Development Status
• Sales and Marketing Strategy
• Management Description
• Risks

To Creating an Effective Business Plan