Consulting Planning Business Plan

Introduction
Business Solutions Consulting (BSC) is a start-up consulting firm focused on serving the comprehensive needs of businesses in the full range of the business cycle. With a core staff of experienced professionals and a team approach to most consulting projects, BSC will be able to offer a more balanced quality service than many of its competitors.

The Company
Business Solutions Consulting is a team of six business consultants. Each consultant specializes in a particular discipline, including finance, sales and marketing, technology, management, operations, and human resources.

BSC offers a list of services for business owners to choose from, depending on their particular business needs. This includes; business and marketing plan preparation, financial search and procurement, IT consulting services, management development, human resources advising,  and etc.

BSC will have a focus on start-up businesses, preferably in the earlier stages of operation. Small and mid-sized businesses make up a sizable majority of U.S. and international markets. BSC prefers to establish a relationship with a younger operation and continue to nurture that relationship over the long term.

BSC will be established as an Oregon based LLC with two principal partners, each of whom owns a 50% share in the company. Mr. Andrew B. Christiansen has extensive experience in business planning and finance, including CFO positions with ABC Conglomerate and DEF International. Mr. David E. Fields brings in experience in the area of marketing, advertising, and communications.

The Market
The business consulting industry is very fragmented. Several large multinational companies dominate the industry while many smaller (and often more specialized) firms occupy their market niches. Major management consulting companies, such as McKinsey, Bain, and Boston Consulting Group, have established their dominant position by providing services to the leading companies in various industries. Consulting practices of the major accounting firms (a.k.a. the Big Five) have established worldwide presence and sell their packaged services to companies of different sizes and industries. At the same time, numerous firms and individual business consultants prosper in the market niches that bigger players consider unprofitable to enter.

Start-up companies are the target market of this firm. BSC intends to stay on the pulse of new business activity within the local area. Additionally, business contacts, referrals from among the group, and Internet marketing efforts will be made in pursuit of new clients. Start-up companies are attractive because owners often lack the broad range of knowledge and expertise required to launch a new business. There is a serious need in the marketplace, and certainly a significant demand for, these types of start-up consulting services.

Competitors in the forefront of the marketplace typically offer many of the services that BSC has. These services include information-based consulting, integration and management services. Services are designed to increase clients’ operations effectiveness through reduced cost, improved customer service, enhanced quality of current product lines and services, and a more rapid introduction of new products and services. Competitors also offer industry-specific expertise to objectively evaluate, select, develop, implement, and manage information systems, networks, and applications.

Consulting firms BSC is competing with include regional and specialty consulting firms, as well as the consulting groups of international accounting forms such as KPMG LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, Deloitte & Touche LLP, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and Andersen Consulting. In its management and IT consulting services, BSC competes with information system vendors such as HBO & Company, Inc., Integrated Systems Solution Corporation, Electronic Data Systems Corporation, Perot Systems Corporation, SAIC, CAP Gemini America, Inc., and Computer Sciences Corporation. In e-commerce-related services, BSC competes with the traditional competitors, as well as newer, Internet product and service companies such as Razorfish, Scient, TriZetto, and Viant.

Financial
BSC’s co-owners, Andrew B. Christiansen and David E. Fields, will each provide $50,000 that will cover the bulk of the start-up expenses. The rest of the required financing will come from the Small Business Administration (SBA) 10-year loan in the amount of $100,000. Combined, these funds will be sufficient to cover the company’s expenses throughout the first year of operations, which is the most critical from the cash flow standpoint.

BSC’s Break-even Analysis is based on the average of the first-year figures for total sales by salaries, bonuses costs, and all other operating expenses. Such analysis shows that BSC will break-even by the tenth month of operations.

1.1 Mission

Business Solutions Consulting aims to offer comprehensive consulting services. BSC will focus on providing personal and specialized services to meet each client’s specific needs.

1.2 Keys to Success

BSC’s keys to success include:

1. A group of professionals with a broad range of specialty areas that complement each other.
2. A high level of experience in these specialty areas.
3. A team approach on most consulting projects.
4. Many business contacts among the consultant group.

Business Solutions Consulting is a startup firm, which will focus on providing a wide range of business consulting services to other startups and companies in early stages of their operations. Business Solutions Consulting is a team of six Business Consultants. Each consultant specializes in a particular discipline, including finance, sales and marketing, technology, management, operations, and human resources.

2.1 Company Ownership

Business Solutions Consulting was registered as an Oregon LLC, equally owned by Andrew B. Christiansen and David E. Fields.

BSC’s co-owners, Andrew B. Christiansen and David E. Fields, will each provide $49,750 in investment that will cover the bulk of the start-up expenses. The rest of the required financing will come from the Small Business Administration (SBA) 10-year loan in the amount of $100,000. Combined, these funds will be sufficient to cover the company’s expenses throughout the first year of operations, which is the most critical from the cash flow standpoint.

The following chart and table contain projected initial start-up cost data.

 BSC offers a list of services for business owners to choose from, depending on their particular business needs.

Start-up services include business plan preparation, marketing plan preparation, and financing search and procurement. Ongoing services include business plan updates, marketing plan updates, search and procurement of additional rounds of financing, management development, IT consulting services, e-commerce consulting services, operational advising, and human resources advising.

BSC is flexible, working with its clients in the fashion preferred by the client, be it on-site, remotely, or a combination of both. BSC typically works on a project in a team fashion to assist the client in all areas of the business simultaneously. This allows for all parties involved to be in sync in terms of understanding the interconnections of all functional areas of the business.

BSC will have a focus on start-up businesses, preferably in the earlier stages of operation. Small and mid-sized businesses make up a sizable majority of U.S. and international markets. BSC prefers to establish a relationship with a younger operation and continue to nurture that relationship for the long term. The following chart and table show BSC’s projected target markets and their growth for the first three years of this plan.

5.1 Market Segmentation

Start-Ups

Start-up companies often are in need of expert advice and planning in initiating a successful start-up. It is believed that a majority of start-ups actually seek out consulting assistance. Those that do typically are searching for a comprehensive area of services.

1-3 Year Old Companies

Young companies, between 1 and 3 years old are less likely to be searching for expert business consulting services. Typically, they have already secured financing and have developed a satisfactory level of security. However, these businesses are still in the beginnings of their overall cycle and in most cases need the broad expertise of a team of expert consultants.

3 + Year-Old Companies

Established companies make up the final segment, and is significantly smaller than the start-up segment. The established company segment typically has a need for a less comprehensive range of services. These entities are in need of specialized services in one or two disciplines, e.g., operational planning or human resources.

5.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

Start-up companies are the target market of this firm. BSC intends to stay on the pulse of new business activity within the local area. Additionally, business contacts, referrals from among the group, and Internet marketing efforts will be made in pursuit of new clients.

5.3 Market Needs

Start-up company owners often lack the broad range of knowledge and expertise required to launch a new business. There is a serious need in the marketplace, and certainly a significant demand for, these types of start-up consulting services.

5.4 Service Business Analysis

The business consulting industry is very fragmented. Several large multi-national companies dominate the industry while many smaller (and often more specialized) firms occupy their market niches. Major management consulting companies, such as McKinsey, Bain, and Boston Consulting Group, have established their dominant position by providing services to the leading companies in various industries. Consulting practices of the major accounting firms (a.k.a. the Big Five) have established worldwide presence and sell their packaged services to companies of different sizes and industries. At the same time, numerous firms and individual business consultants prosper in the market niches that bigger players consider unprofitable to enter.

5.5 Competition and Buying Patterns

Competitors in the forefront of the marketplace typically offer information-based consulting, integration and management services. Services are designed to increase clients’ operations effectiveness through reduced cost, improved customer service, enhanced quality of current product lines and services, and a more rapid introduction of new products and services. Competitors also offer industry-specific expertise to objectively evaluate, select, develop, implement, and manage information systems, networks, and applications.

Consulting services are becoming more focused on technology-based solutions to help clients improve cost management, quality, service, and research and development to obtain differentiation and competitive advantage. E-strategy services are being provided to business and IT executives with education, insights, and strategies to utilize the power of the Internet to improve their performance. E-strategy services include executive visioning, business strategy, planning for e-business initiatives, user design, and intellectual capital formation. IT strategy consulting services are focusing on the use of IT to support business goals, and to leverage the power of the Internet to transform the way products and services are distributed and retailed.

Strategic planning consulting services typically consist of strategic alignment (which includes IT strategic planning and governance, alignment of IT and process, and future focus and regulatory requirements), IT department operational excellence (which includes fiscal responsibility, infrastructure, IT department processes, data center operations, and IT human resources management), and IT value realization (which consists of performance measurement, business integration (people, process and technology), change management and application investment). Performance improvement services consist of process redesigning to reducing administrative costs, improving financial performance, engaging and retaining customers, and improving accountability and reporting.

Other commonly found services among competitors include long-term IT management expertise, as well as a wide range of management services including assessment/due diligence, program management, discrete outsourcing, and full IT outsourcing services.

Consulting firms BSC is competing with include regional and specialty consulting firms, as well as the consulting groups of international accounting forms such as KPMG LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, Deloitte & Touche LLP, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and Andersen Consulting. In its management and IT consulting services, BSC competes with information system vendors such as HBO & Company, Inc., Integrated Systems Solution Corporation, Electronic Data Systems Corporation, Perot Systems Corporation, SAIC, CAP Gemini America, Inc., and Computer Sciences Corporation. In e-commerce-related services, BSC competes with the traditional competitors, as well as newer, Internet product and service companies such as Razorfish, Scient, TriZetto, and Viant.

BSC intends to succeed by offering companies a comprehensive range of multi-cycle business planning solutions.

6.1 Sales Strategy

BSC intends to succeed by offering companies a comprehensive range of multi-cycle business planning solutions. The company will strive to optimize its billing hours. The following table outlines the sales forecast for the next three years.

6.2 Competitive Edge

Our competitive edge is the team approach of consultants who are each focused in one or two business disciplines.

Andrew B. Christiansen has extensive experience in business planning and finance, including CFO positions with ABC Conglomerate and DEF International. David E. Fields brings in experience in the area of marketing, advertising, and communications.

7.1 Personnel Plan

The following table illustrates the personnel plan for the next three years. No major changes in headcount are planned.

BSC expects to raise $100,000 as its own capital, and to borrow $100,000 guaranteed by the SBA as a 10-year loan. This provides the bulk of the current financing required.

8.1 Break-even Analysis

BSC’s Break-even Analysis is based on the average of the first-year figures for total sales by salaries, bonuses costs, and all other operating expenses. These are presented as per-unit revenue, per-unit cost, and fixed costs. These conservative assumptions make for a more accurate estimate of real risk. Such analysis shows that BSC will break-even by the tenth month of operations.

8.2 Projected Profit and Loss

As the profit and loss table shows, BSC expects to continue its steady growth in profitability over the next three years of operations.

Pro Forma Profit and Loss
	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3
Sales	$1,106,240	$2,300,980	$4,417,881
Direct Cost of Sales	$0	$0	$0
Other	$0	$0	$0
Total Cost of Sales	$0	$0	$0
Gross Margin	$1,106,240	$2,300,980	$4,417,881
Gross Margin %	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Expenses
Payroll	$600,000	$660,000	$726,000
Sales and Marketing and Other Expenses	$216,600	$227,430	$238,802
Depreciation	$6,000	$6,300	$6,615
Utilities	$1,200	$1,266	$1,336
Payroll Taxes	$90,000	$99,000	$108,900
Other	$0	$0	$0
Total Operating Expenses	$913,800	$993,996	$1,081,652
Profit Before Interest and Taxes	$192,440	$1,306,984	$3,336,229
EBITDA	$198,440	$1,313,284	$3,342,844
Interest Expense	$8,050	$6,065	$5,356
Taxes Incurred	$45,725	$325,230	$846,597
Net Profit	$138,666	$975,689	$2,484,276
Net Profit/Sales	12.53%	42.40%	56.23%

8.3 Projected Cash Flow

As the cash flow statement illustrates, BSC expects to maintain a steady rate of cash flow over the next three years of operations.

8.4 Projected Balance Sheet

Following is a copy of the company’s projected balance sheet.

8.5 Business Ratios

The following table outlines the important business ratios for Business Solutions Consulting, as determined by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) Index. Ratios for the Business Consulting services industry (SIC 8748) are used as a benchmark in this table.