Chris Roberts is a qualified franchise professional and has helped thousands of franchisees to create successful businesses. In this insightful and educational seminar, he explains the business planning process, key information required and how the document can be formulated to help franchisees get the funding they need.

He likens the growth of the business to a journey and the business plan to a simple Business SatNav. Initially, focus is given to setting business objectives i.e. determining the final destination and then plotting the route (business plan strategy) and what you will need to take on board (i.e. resources/staff etc.).

He explains that once this part of the process has been completed, and only then, the next stage is to make sure there is sufficient petrol in the tank, i.e. we need to know how much money will be required to set us up for the journey (initial capital, loan and asset finance) and also crucially to see us safely through to the end of the journey (i.e. the amount of working capital you will need).

He will introduce you to the world of financial projections and once again use simple to understand language and examples. You will start to understand how the viability of your plan can be checked and the important difference between ‘profit’ and ‘cash’, something which is often misunderstood and can lead to serious problems.

This presentation will therefore help you to decide whether to prepare your business plan yourself or to seek some assistance from an independent professional such as an accountant or franchise business consultant who also specialises in funding.