Business Plan Development
Espace Stratégies is a strategy consulting firm offering services for the realization of your business plan, regardless of the scale of your project or your industry.
What is a business plan?
A business plan is a document containing guidelines that will guide the evolution of a project. The business opportunity under study is usually the result of strategic thinking that has identified new projects or development opportunities for the organization. Once the opportunity is targeted, it is essential to document the entire process in order to properly qualify the project and prepare for its development. Among the questions to explore are the nature of the opportunity, existing comparisons in the market, and the organization’s positioning that will enable it to lead the project.
During the development of the business plan, several aspects will need to be studied:
- The opportunity: What are the project parameters? What will be its structure, mission, and vision? How do we project its evolution in the short, medium, and long term? How does this project meet the targeted need and what is its relevance?
- Internal environment: What is the added value for the organization? What resources will be needed to carry out the project? What resources are already present within the organization?
- External environment: What other similar services or products are already offered in the market? What does the competitive environment look like? Is there direct or indirect competition that addresses the same need?
What is the timeframe for completing a business plan?
The development of a business plan varies depending on the scale of the project and can range from a few weeks to a few months. The duration depends, among other things, on the progress of the project, the information already held by the client, and the preliminary research conducted.
It is possible that the organization has excellent ideas, but the concept is still under development. Espace Stratégies is able to accompany you in the thought process through participatory work sessions, involving all stakeholders, which will help better define the structure, opportunities, and challenges related to the project’s realization.
What are the elements or deliverables of the business plan?
Typically, the business plan is delivered in the form of a document containing all the reflections and analyses carried out during the process. When creating the business plan, it is common for the organization to have already conducted preliminary analysis work.
The business plan often includes, but is not limited to, elements such as:
- The executive summary;
- The project presentation;
- The mission, vision, and values of the sponsoring organization;
- The organizational and governance structure;
- Strategic partners;
- The market and its opportunity;
- The proposed service offering and target clientele;
- Marketing, commercialization, and communication strategy;
- Required infrastructure and equipment;
- Financial structure.
Who can create a business plan?
A business plan can be created by any company, institution, nonprofit organization, or economic development service wishing to structure an opportunity for growth or development.
How does the creation of a business plan work?
The process can vary according to needs and always involves validation and collaboration with the client. The development of the business plan may include, among other things, participatory workshops, feasibility studies, work and follow-up meetings, analysis and research, and more. Espace Stratégies can also connect you with a network of experts in your sector who will be able to enhance or validate the opportunity.
We present a range of possible scenarios in order to channel towards the final version and specify the project. To do this, the creation of the business plan requires pre-established meetings that will report on the progress of the work.
How can Espace Stratégies help you?
Espace Stratégies is an independent firm able to bring an outside perspective and a new perspective on the challenges facing your organization. The approach we have developed is inclusive, participatory, and co-creative. It involves the client directly in the development and realization of the business plan. At the end of the process, the client has already integrated the content of the business plan because they have participated in all the reflection. They are thus able to appropriate the output and move to action easily.
What other services do you offer?
For whom?
Some of our projects
Québec City of Professions
Feasibility study, business plan, and financial structuring for a confidential province-wide education and technology project. Project completed over a one-year period.
CIAMIL
Powered by the City of Laval and the Laval Transit Corporation. Business plan development for the incubator, financial structuring for the next 3 years for development, implementation, and deployment. Partnership strategy with ecosystem stakeholders. Raised funding of $225,000 in 2018.
Regional Innovation Hub of Laval
Assistance in the creation (submission of the project to the government) and implementation of the PRIL. It was one of the first projects announced by the government and received funding of $1.6 million in June 2018.
