Lessons In TR

This is an example business plan outline for a veterans program. At the 2013 PATH Intl Veterans Conference, once of the seminars really highlighted the importance of having a business plan. Because the more thoroughly you think through the plan, the more likely you are to succeed. There’s so many different versions of business plans out there, I wanted to share with you the format I liked best from my business classes and that I used to think through things when helping start our veterans program. However, as well thought out as that plan was, in the end much of our success depended on the connections we made and the people we knew and having the right resources (horses, timing, etc.). So make sure you have people on your team who are good at both!

This is the longest possible version of a business plan, so you may not need everything. To know exactly what each section if about, Google it. Hope it helps!

Veterans Program Business Plan Outline

Executive Summary

Vision & Mission Statement

Veterans Riding Program Industry

• Description
• History
• Benefits
• Current & Future trends
• Barriers to Entry & Exit
• The Industry Locally
• Major Players (Competitors)
• Our Position & Location in the Industry

Business Strategy

• Desired Image & Position in the Market
• Company Goals and Objectives
  • Long Term Goals
  • Short Term Objectives
• Competitive Advantage Strategy
  • Differentiation (what makes your service unique from competitors)
  • SWOT Analysis
    • Strengths
    • Weaknesses
    • Opportunities
    • Threats

Program Plan

• Program Offerings
  • Pilot Program
  • Regular Program
  • Future Programs
• Guarantees/Warrantees
• “Production Process”
  • Intake/Assessment
  • Curriculum
  • Seasonal Trends
  • Volunteer special training
• Program Policies
• Steps to retain…
  • Participants
  • Volunteers
• Product Comparison
  • Similarities
  • Uniquesses & Competitive Advantages
• Results
  • Keys to success
  • Things to do

Location & Layout

• Location
• Layout
• Analysis, Results
• Things To do

Target Market – participant demographics

• Characteristics – about Veterans in general
  • US Demographics
  • Local Demographics
  • Trends of Veterans – current, future
  • Services used
  • Unmet needs
• Results
  • Implications on veterans riding programs
  • Implications on marketing

Marketing Plan/Strategy

• Target Market (at who)
  • Individual Veterans &/or Groups?
• Factors (where)
  • Internal Marketing
    • Exchange process
    • Customer satisfaction (how keep participants, volunteers, veterans, therapists/group leaders satisfied?)
  • External Market
    • Variables that you cannot control (Social, demographics, competitive, etc….understand how the external environment is changing and the impact of that change on the target market)
    • State of the economy
    • Technology
    • Political and legal environment
    • Competition
• Marketing Team (by who)
• Advertising and Promotions (how)
  • Flyers
  • Website
  • Contacts, personal connections
  • Presentations
  • Volunteer Fairs

Pricing

• Prices & Pricing Strategy
• Profits, Gross Profit Margin (appendix)
• Price comparison
• Policies

Competitor Analysis

• First off…we’re all in this together
• Major Players/Competitors
• Map of Local Veteran Programs
• Analysis – challenges, opportunities
• Future Competition & Factors
• Results, strategies to implement to distinguish ourselves

Management Team

• Program structure
  • Diagram
  • Who’s in charge of what
• Veterans Program Management Team
  • Veterans Program Instructor
  • Additional Instructors
  • Advisers
  • Volunteers
  • Veteran Volunteers
  • Counselors & Mental Health Practitioners
• PALS Management Team
• Board, executive director, etc.
• Results – special training needed

Financial Forecast

• Startup Costs
• Program Costs
• Breakeven Point
• Projected Balance Sheet – yr 1
• Projected Income Statements – yr 1,2,3, analysis
• Projected Cash Flow Statements – yr 1,2,3, analysis – pessimistic, average, optimistic

Funding

• Price
• Budget
• Funding
  • Individual Donors
  • Grants
  • Sponsorship
• Plan/Action Steps to obtain funding

Timetable

• Pilot Program
• Marketing Activities
• Funding requests
• Ongoing programming
• Exit Strategy
  • Potential causes of exit & how that exit would occur

Appendix

Sources

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Note: This is not professional advice, this is a blog. I am not liable for what you do with or how you use this information. The activities explained in this blog may not be fit for every rider, riding instructor, or riding center depending on their current condition and resources. Use your best personal judgment!