These words of advice are intended to help you avoid problems with lenders and investors. But they are also sound guidelines for your business plan even if you don’t expect it to be read by a single outsider. All the employees of a company—from top managers down to the mail room—are lenders and investors: they lend their abilities and invest their energy in your company. If your business plan fails to support their hopes and inspire them, you risk turning those employees—no matter what their level of responsibility or pay—into wage slaves.
Many business plans are created with a circular approach that offers a summary at both the beginning and the end, using the points in between to enhance the introductory summary so the concluding summary is more complete and comprehensive. For investors, it answers the question, “Why should we invest in this company?” It can save the reader time and give a company a greater opportunity to attract the type of financing it seeks.