Hi Everyone-
I'm finally opening my storefront in April 2011!! While I won't have to get a loan, I still want to have a business plan in place for the future.
Would anyone be willing to email me a copy of their business plan for reference or does anyone know of one that's available online? I've searched forever and can't really find anything useful. I know the general layout of the plan but I just want to cover all my bases.
Thanks so much!

I don't have a plan, but a suggestion.

Always have the basics on hand. Vanilla cupcakes with chocolate and vanilla frosting and chocolate cupcakes with vanilla and chocolate frosting.

I know it sounds normal, but I went to a cupcake shop at a resort town and couldn't get either at 1:00 PM. None were baking. None were ready to be frosted. This was over several days. I could get two obscure flavors and a fat free item. Really?

I still can't get over the fact that I went into a cupcake shop - ready to buy - and left with nothing. Don't let this happen to you.

Once you are open, the cost of product will be nominal to everything else. Have lots of cupcakes out for sale.

I posted this in another thread: (hope it helps!)

There's a lot of great free info and samples for writing business plans. Here's a few helpful sites.

(Since all business plans aren't exactly layed out the same way or include all of the same info, I'd recommend printing out all of the pages that you've found most helpful then it's easier to refer back to examples that you like while working on your plan and building it from a combination of those that included the most or the most useful.)

Business Resource Software, Inc. (businessplans.org)
Entrepreneur.com
Palo Alto Software, Inc. (bplans.com)

Here's the link to the thread "Sample Business Plans":
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-687085-plan.html

Any business plan outline will work. You can get books and software. I know what you mean about it being bakery-specific, but every bakery is different.

I googled sample business plan when I first did mine and I got alot of sites-one of the first ones (if not the first) had a sample bakery business plan. I'd just do that. I think it was about 25 pages long so it definitely covered the bases. My biggest advice is listen to and grow with your customers. We have a big need for vegan items because I'm in a very progressive area and I had to change my plan according to that.
Congratulations too!

call your local chamber of commerce and they will help you for free.

I do not have any suggestions, but want to wish you good luck on your venture. It is my dream to someday leave the corporate world and set up a store front. Kudos!

Thanks everyone!!! I'm going to visit the Score chapter and work with them. Great advice