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If you’re appealing to potential financiers for start-up capital, the finance and start-up expenses section will be the most important element of the plan. This area shows potential backers that you are serious about making the business profitable. Your lenders want to know they will be paid back, so there must be enough details in this section for them to feel confident that they will have their investment returned.

Include how much you will need for start-up, how you will acquire it, how long it will take to make a profit, and how much of your own money will be invested. You will need to speak in terms that bankers understand, so include graphs and charts. You may want to consider hiring a professional to help you create this section.

This section may also include spreadsheets to predict future monthly projections. Your market research data, along with how much you think you can produce and sell within your projected business operation, will help you fill in the numbers. Build any seasonal fluctuations into your forecast. This section should give you an understanding of how much business you need to do in order to make a profit.

When I hoped to move my bakery business from a rental site and purchase a building for a bakery café concept, I needed financing. At that time, bakeries and cafés were an unusual pairing. I asked my tax accountant for help with my financial plan and he put together an extensive outline. He sent it to three banks and from that information, one of the banks, with the backing of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the city’s development office, provided the loan. Without an in-depth business plan, getting the loans would have been impossible.