Good Business Plans

[Emmalee25]

Hi all,
Ok, for my 221G which is now NOT a 221G but just a request for further info (yawn) i have to update my biz plan, as it was based around getting the visa in May (she laughs!!) anyway, i had good feedback on my first biz plan, but am really finding it hard to summon up the energy to pull it off a second time tbh..... fed up with the whole thing and actually have an overwhelming urge to just write F'off in itallics (but i digress) so, anyone got ideas for a great whacking biz plan update????? any good ways of delivering figs, future projections etc??? i know i sound thick, and i think this whole process has made me so, my degree is in retail/biz management and marketing! But i cant function anymore...It must be the sun....HELP!

Em x

[mark]

if your first business plan was good, why not increase all the figures by 50%

would that work ?

[Susie]

Hi Em

I have some ideas, if you need my help just show me the first plan.

How about, clubs held in the school holidays, parents at work so kids need somewhere to go


Employ Party plan agents, bit like Tupperware or Anne summers parties, pay host a commission

I will put my thinking cap on

[DebbieM]

Hi Em

I know it is a pain to sit down and think all of this through but be mindful that when you renew the Embassy will compare actual to business plan and my understanding is that this is where a number of people fall foul.

If you haven't achieved your business plan then your renewal will be doubly difficult - as if it can get any harder. Neil who posts regularly on here is a consultant for this type of thing and I'm sure he will back me up.

Remember your business plan is the back bone of your application now and in the future and if it is unrealistic it will come back and bite you.

I don't know that much about your location in the US but I understand you have a cafe/sandwich shop???? Why not target local buisnesses and offer and lunchtime delivery service. Go for big companies and offer a pre order service faxed through. In the UK I worked for a company who had a large restaurant of it's own but we still used a sandwich place around the corner who offered pannini's, assorted breads and pastries to die for (I'm paying the price now) but we kept that shop in business. Sorry if I'm totally off on this one - just a thought.

Debs

[victoria]

To me I can't imagine that it needs to be that radically different - simply updated to show where you are. Redsox said that they totally understood that he wasn't on track given the delay in the visa (which is the same with us so hoping that they will be equally understandable). If you are on track - fab - simply show that you are, if you're not, reduce it accordingly & explain that its because you haven't been able to run your business.

If you've done anything different - add that in. I recall saying that your website was in your first business plan & you've achieved that so you can update it in that respect (assuming that you've now had your site corrected!)

I think that the advice above is sound advice - don't put in unreachable figures or things that you'll never do because on renewal they'll call you on it.

Grab a large coffee & some cadburys chocolate & lock yourself away for a couple of hours & you'll be fine! GL...

[haytonmac]

hi Em I can offer the coffee and chocolate from home!! lol if that will help ,good luck!

[Redsox]

My VA was very definite about not needing to re-write the business plan. I simply took a 1 page update detailing what I had been doing in the interim period while waiting for the visa.

It contained the following statement:

'The business plan submitted in February 2006 was based on xxxxxx LLC trading fully from April 2006 and for the Principal, xxxxxx, to have the requisite non-immigrant visa to work in the USA by this date. A visa has not been issued as of 10th October, however, the business plan is still valid, with the milestones moving by 6 months to reflect this slippage.'

I then inlcuded all of the other work that had been carried out - from the UK as I had been very careful not to do any actual work in the US. My visits to the US were limited to meetings etc which were ok to do under the waiver programme.

[InnVic]

Whatever you do keep it realistic..increasing figures by 50% or making something up, will not work. It has be be reasonable and quantifiable...and they WILL measure you on it when you come to renew...two years goes VERY quickly and I know you don't want to have to go through this s**t again in a few years do ya! Personally if the first plan was good and your only change of cirumstances is the time delay before you could start implementation I'd just redate, tweak slightly and re-apply!.

[pegasus]

Hi
As Debbie says, just make sure what you put in is attainable, and reasonable. To adjust the numbers and statements will depend on what you submitted (what they have in their possession now!) and if the market cycle has changed, or more to the point where you will be in that cycle when you now get your visa. You may logically need more capital if it is in the down side than you would if it were in the upswing. If you haven't the foggiest idea of what I am talking about give me a buzz, its allot easier than many would have you believe. If you would like I am prepared to have a quick look for free (that offer is for anyone on this site).
I would be surprised if you needed a rewrite.

b rgds

Neil

[Emmalee25]

Cheers Guys,
am feeling upbeat today so may swing something, had some ok news (it can never be classed as good in my book) from the embassy re our appt, so will work on updating biz plan etc etc etc!
Thanks again
Em x

[Kitty]

So difficult to know what is expected of applicants, if only the embassy would spell criteria out in black and white then we know whether we can comply or not

[DebbieM]

I don't think the Embassy know!

I think not laying out black and white criteria is possibly a good thing, because applications would be written to what the Embassy want and perhaps not what the business is about - not good for either party. Remember, the Embassy is looking for a business that can support its owners, employ Americans and show profit and growth.

The key is to make sure you know what you are buying and don't make rash decisions just because you think it offers the chance of living here. Understand and know your business inside out and don't take anyone elses word. Before we bought two years ago, we actually spent over 10 weeks over a period of 12 months working along side the people we were buying off just to make sure everything was in order. I think this went down really well with the Embassy as we got our visa on the first application. However, with our renewal looming I have to say despite doing really well, I'm still very concerned as there seems to be so much doubt about what is getting through.

I would like to think we have done everything possible (we started planning our renewal when we arrived) and we just have to have confidence in our business and ourselves. I don't see what else we can do.

[Emmalee25]

My VA was very definite about not needing to re-write the business plan. I simply took a 1 page update detailing what I had been doing in the interim period while waiting for the visa.

It contained the following statement:

'The business plan submitted in February 2006 was based on xxxxxx LLC trading fully from April 2006 and for the Principal, xxxxxx, to have the requisite non-immigrant visa to work in the USA by this date. A visa has not been issued as of 10th October, however, the business plan is still valid, with the milestones moving by 6 months to reflect this slippage.'

I then inlcuded all of the other work that had been carried out - from the UK as I had been very careful not to do any actual work in the US. My visits to the US were limited to meetings etc which were ok to do under the waiver programme.

Ive done it!!!!
yeah, thanks everyone, redsox, i hope you dont mind but i nicked your quote to start my update...havent re-written just updated and added etc...
im sooooooooo happy
Em x