The Organization and Management, or Management Summary section in a typical business plan outline includes information about the key players in the business, such as:
- Each person's relevant experience and background
- Any special areas of expertise
- The education level of key players
Additionally, if more than one person will be responsible for management or day-to-day operations, the typical business plan includes a mention of which people are responsible for carrying out specific tasks. Most business plan outline formats include one or more sub-sections for personnel, including a personnel plan if the business owner plans to expand the business along with personnel expenses, such as salary, benefits, stock options, etc., that are required to keep the business running.
If you are starting a home business or are writing a business plan for one that's already operating and you are the only person involved in the business, this section isn't needed if you've already discussed your background earlier in the business plan. If you hare more than one key person, it's usually a good idea to include resumes for your key players in the Appendix section of your document, which comes at the end of the business plan outline.
Business Plan Outline Example
Sometimes the best way to understand what goes into a business plan is to view a sample of a commonly used business plan outline. Here's an example of the Management Summary section and a business plan outline for a small software sales company.
Participate in the Business Plan Poll
Poll: Do You Have a Formal Business Plan?
- I have a formal business plan that I created
- I have a formal business plan created by others
- I don't have a formal business plan yet, but I'm working on one now
- I don't have a formal business plan yet, but I'll probably prepare one in the future
- I don't have a formal business and I don't plan to create one
Discuss Your Business Plan Outline in the Forum
For those of you who would like to go into a bit more detail on how to write a business plan or would like more ideas on a business plan outline that will work for your business, I welcome you to participate in the discussion on this topic in the Business Plans folder in the About Home Business Forum.