Financial Statements
The financial statements are the backbone of your business plan.
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They show how profitable your business will be in the short and long term, and should include the following:
- The income statement details the business's cash-generating ability. It projects such items as revenue, expenses, capital (in the form of depreciation) and cost of goods.
- Cash flow statement details the amount of money coming into and going out of the business-monthly for the first year and quarterly for each year thereafter. The result is a profit or loss at the end of the period represented by each column.
- The Balance sheet paints a picture of the business's financial strength in terms of assets, liabilities and equity over a set period. You should generate a balance sheet for each year profiled in the development of your business.
Excerpted from Start Your Own Business: The Only Start-Up Guide You'll Ever Need
