Simple Steps for

Starting Your Business Last Revised: 4/4/2014

Business Concept: Business Concept Outline

Fill in the spaces below (front and back) to the best of your ability. This outline will help
you draft your feasibility plan.

Business Idea

Personal
Background

Industry Profile

Target Markets

Other Key
Factors

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 Simple Steps for
Starting Your Business
Last Revised: 4/4/2014

Business Concept: Competitor Data Collection Plan

For each category, brainstorm ways you can collect information about your competitors.

Price

Benefits/Features

Size/profitability

Market strategy

GreaterBridgeport.SCORE.org
 Simple Steps for
Starting Your Business Last Revised: 4/6/2014

Business Concept: Elevator Speech

 Show your confidence in yourself
 Be concise – less than two minutes
 Be clear about yourself
 Be compelling – Why should the listener care?
 Contain a call to action - What do you want the listener to do?

Fill in the spaces below to the best of your ability. This outline will help you draft your
elevator speech.

Opening
sentence to
“hook” the
listener

Your business
vision

Call to action

GreaterBridgeport.SCORE.org
 Simple Steps for
Starting Your Business
Last Revised: 4/4/2014

Start-Up Basics: Vision Statement

Write a vision statement for your business. It should contain:

1. The overall purpose of your business; what are you trying to achieve? Why are
you in business?
2. What your business does; products and services it provides.
3. What's important to your business; the values your business lives by.

Business Name:

The purpose of my business is:

The business will provide the following products and/or services:

The things that are important and the values I will have for my business include:

GreaterBridgeport.SCORE.org
 Simple Steps for
Starting Your Business
Last Revised: 4/4/20144

Start-Up Basics: Business Concept Feasibility Assessment

Please read the following statements and assign between 0-5 points based on your level of agreement
with each statement. The more you agree with a statement, the more points you assign to it. If you do not
agree with a statement, then you can give it 0 points. Calculate the subtotal for each section and see your
results on the second page!

Topic Statement Points

I know that my idea is serving an unmet need and solving an

un-serviced need.
Idea Feasibility
I know that my product / service could be expanded to gain
additional customer groups.

Subtotal

I know who my potential buyers are.

Market Identification
I have a clear value proposition for my potential buyers.

Subtotal

I know what it will take to start my business.

Implementation
I know what it will take to run my business.

Subtotal

I understand what it will take to obtain funding.

Funding
I have a plan to fund my business start.

Subtotal

I am ready to work hard to achieve my business goals.

Personal Readiness
I understand the challenges lying ahead and have a plan to
tackle them.

Subtotal

GreaterBridgeport.SCORE.org
 Simple Steps for
Starting Your Business
Start-Up Basics: Business Concept Feasibility Assessment
Total Point Structure
If "Idea Feasibility" got the
most points
If "Market Identification"
got the most points
If "Implementation" got
the most points
If "Funding" got the most
points
If "Personal Readiness"
got the most points
If you did not agree with
any statements
Last Revised: 4/4/20144
What It Means Next Steps
Congratulations! It seems that you feel ready to move
forward. You know that you have an idea that solves a
potential customer pain point. That is one of the solid
foundations a business needs to succeed. This workshop
will help you further evaluate your idea and provide the
necessary data to make an educated decision.
Knowing your customers is paramount and having a clear
value proposition for them is what leads to making a
potential sale into a closed sale. This workshop will help
you use your strengths to further evaluate your idea and
provide the necessary data to make an educated decision.
This section is where most people score low, so you
definitely have an edge. Strategy and process do make a
difference in a small business environment and are often a Schedule
competitive advantage. This workshop will help you use your next
your strengths to further evaluate your idea and provide counseling
the necessary data to make an educated decision. session to
finalize your
Funding can sometimes be the dream killer for plans.
entrepreneurs, so you have a leg up on most aspiring
business owners. This workshop will help you evaluate your
idea and provide the necessary knowledge to plan your
business right.
Many entrepreneurs often do not realize how their life will
be impacted by starting a business. It is good that you
understand the challenges and are ready to overcome
them. This workshop will help you use your strengths to
further evaluate your idea and provide the necessary data
to make an educated decision.
Starting this workshop with an open mind will allow you to
fully understand what it takes to start and run a business.
Make sure you understand all aspects before making a "go,
no-go" decision.
GreaterBridgeport.SCORE.org
 Workshop Evaluation

Workshop title: _____________________________ Date: ______________

1. The presentation was clear and to 5. The content had substance.
the point. Strongly Agree
Strongly Agree Agree
Agree Neutral
Neutral Disagree
Disagree Strongly Disagree
Strongly Disagree
2 The level of detail was appropriate. 6, I gained new insights.
Strongly Agree Strongly Agree
Agree Agree
Neutral Neutral
Disagree Disagree
Strongly Disagree Strongly Disagree
3. The presenter was responsive to 7. The session was well organized.
the participants. Strongly Agree
Strongly Agree Agree
Agree Neutral
Neutral Disagree
Disagree Strongly Disagree
Strongly Disagree

4. The content was on topic and 8. My thinking about the topic is now
pertinent to me. more focused.
Strongly Agree Strongly Agree
Agree Agree
Neutral Neutral
Disagree Disagree
Strongly Disagree Strongly Disagree
Use the back for additional comments or suggestions.
 U.S. Small Business Administration Client Number:

Counseling Information Form

Client Request for Counseling

Client Name (Name of the person completing this form/representative of the business) Email
(First Last)

Position/Title (if already in business) Day Telephone

Business Name (if already in business) Night Telephone

Street Address/PO Box (give business address if currently in business) Fax

City State Zip Business Description

Race (mark one or more) Ethnicity Gender Veteran Status

Asian Hispanic Male Non-Veteran Veteran Service-Disabled Veteran
Black or African American Origin Female
Native American or Alaska Native Not of Do you consider Military Status
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander Hispanic Origin yourself a person Member of Reserve or National Guard
White
with a disability? On Active Duty
Yes No

Are you currently in business? Month & Year Business Started? What is the legal entity of your business?
Yes Sole Proprietorship Corporation LLC
No (if no, skip to next section) S-Corporation Partnership
Other (specify) ________________________________
Type of Business (choose best category) Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
Mining Manufacturing Real Estate & Rental & Leasing Management of Companies & Enterprises
Utilities Finance & Insurance Health Care & Social Assistance Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting
Information Wholesale Trade Accommodation & Food Services Administrative & Support
Construction Public Administration Arts, Entertainment & Recreation Waste Management & Remediation Services
Retail Trade Educational Services Transportation & Warehousing Other Services (except Public Administration)
What percentage of your business is female owned? ________% Number of Employees For your most recent full business year:
Do you conduct business online? Yes Full Time: Gross Revenues / Sales $______________
Is this a home based business? Yes Part Time: +Profits / -Losses $______________

Describe specific assistance requested : _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What inspired you to contact us? (mark best choice)

SBA Other Client Chamber of Commerce Other (specify) _______________________________
Bank Magazine Educational Institution
Business Owner Internet Local Economic Development Official
. Television/Radio Newspaper Word of Mouth

I request business counseling service from the Small Business Administration (SBA) or an SBA Resource Partner. I agree to cooperate should I be selected to participate in surveys
designed to evaluate SBA services.
I permit SBA or its agent the use of my name and address for SBA surveys and information mailings regarding SBA products and services (Yes No ).
I understand that any information disclosed will be held in strict confidence. (SBA will not provide your personal information to commercial entities.) I authorize SBA to furnish
relevant information to the assigned management counselor(s). I further understand that the counselor(s) agrees not to: 1) recommend goods or services from sources in which
he/she has an interest, and 2) accept fees or commissions developing from this counseling relationship. In consideration of the counselor(s) furnishing management or technical
assistance, I waive all claims against SBA personnel, and that of its Resource Partners and host organizations, arising from this assistance.
Client Signature Date:

SBA Form 641 (5/04) Previous Editions are Obsolete