Make Room for Your Team in Your Business Plan

August 15, 2014

Make Room for Your Team in Your Business Plan

Investors evaluating a business plan often start by reading the who-is-involved section. So making an effort to introduce your management team is just as important as describing the venture, the competition, and the financials. Include everyone’s resumes in the attachments portion, and use the bio section to highlight where your team members have worked before and how previous projects relate to the new business. Share any special skills they bring to the table. Show that they’re capable of recognizing risks, responding to problems, and making hard decisions. Investors will want to know how committed they are, so communicate what motivates each team member. Then you can present the team as a unit — affirm its strengths, acknowledge its weaknesses, and explain its management philosophy.

Adapted from Creating Business Plans (20-Minute Manager Series).