Business planning

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The vast majority of successful businesses work to a plan. It doesn't matter if you're looking at the short, medium or long term. For your business to be a success you need a plan to map out its future.

Business planning is a dynamic process through which you create a working tool, not just a static document. Having put the time and effort into producing your plan, it's important to use it to help you manage the business. Your hard work will be wasted if your plan sits on a shelf and gathers dust, or if it's just used for a specific purpose, like agreeing a loan from a bank, for example.

Producing and using a business plan regularly can help you to:

• Direct the quality of the services you provide
• Manage the performance of your business
• Identify areas where your business may need to improve
• Prepare for the future and forward plan
• Establish criteria against which you can manage

All of which creates excellence in the delivery of services to children.

If you don't plan, then things will happen to you rather than you making things happen.

If your business will be based in Sheffield, the Out of School Network can provide guidance and support in developing your business plan. Phone us on 0114 249 4941 and ask for the Business Development Team or e-mail info@osn.org.uk.

Relevant business tools from OSN

Business plan (PDF 37KB)
Planning is one of the cornerstones of a successful business. Use our business plan outline to start you off on the right track.

Cash flow template (Excel 97 44KB)
An accurate cash flow helps you to pinpoint and plan for times of scarcity as well as letting you see how viable you overall model is. You will need Microsoft Excel to use this file.

Using the cash flow template (PDF 435)
A "how to" guide for our Excel cash flow template.

Blank cash flow to print (PDF 99KB)
Not got Excel? Print a copy of our blank cash flow to see what kind of format to use. You could even attempt to complete it by hand . . . . or contact OSN for help!

Go to the OSN Business Toolkit >