Posts by: Steve Straub
Bob Zlotnik is CEO of Star-Tex Power. StarTex Power is the leading retail electricity provider in Texas and has been recognized as the company with the highest level of customer satisfaction among all electricity retailers in the state, according to a J.D. Power and Associates survey. Bob grew Star-Tex Power’s revenue from $4,800,000 to [...]
Jim Reavey is CEO of FM Facilities Maintenance. FM Facility Maintenance provides facility maintenance for clients with multisite restaurant and retail locations. FM Facilities Maintenance manages more than 25,000 customer locations nationwide, representing more than a million service requests annually. Just this year, FM finalized a deal to provide maintenance for all 6,200 of 7-Eleven’s corporate- [...]
Drayton McLane, Jr. is an American entrepreneur and is #288 on the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans. He serves as chairman of the McLane Group, L.P. and is the CEO of the Houston Astros Baseball Club. Throughout his lifetime, he has become known as an acclaimed businessman, leader, [...]
Dennis Jarrett is CEO of Stratus Building Solutions. Stratus Building Solutions is an international building services company recognized as the fastest-growing company of its kind (#1 Fastest Growing Franchise, Entrepreneur Magazine, 2011). They are setting new standards in the building services and maintenance franchise industry by being the first to offer Green [...]
Ben Trowbridge is CEO of Alsbridge. Alsbridge offers project management, business process outsourcing, benchmarking, and IT staffing to achieve cost savings for companies with more than $2 billion in revenue. Ben grew Alsbridge revenue from $1,900,000 to $33,100,000 in less than four years.
Ben is renowned for his forward thinking and collaborative [...]
Jon Morris is CEO of Rise Interactive. Chicago-based Rise Interactive provides a comprehensive array of Internet marketing services for large and mid-sized companies. From search engine marketing and SEO to creative development and Web analytics, Rise’s team of Internet marketing professionals in Chicago deliver tailored services to meet companies online marketing needs. Jon grew [...]
Ryan Abood is CEO of GourmetGiftBaskets.Com. GourmetGiftBaskets.com sells gourmet food and beverage gift baskets online. All gift baskets are produced in their facility in Manchester, New Hampshire. Major holidays and life events have their own specific gift basket offerings, but the selection also includes theme baskets such as fruit, golf, snack, breakfast, [...]
Andrew Coleman is CEO of LeadQual. LeadQual generates, qualifies, and converts Internet leads through search engine optimization and marketing and affiliate marketing services to increase ROI, lead conversion, customer satisfaction, and sales force effectiveness for its customers, which include Embassy Suites, Wyndham Capital Mortgage, and AviationSchoolsOnline.com. Andrew grew LeadQaul revenue from $347,000 [...]
Ilya Pozin is CEO of Ciplex. Ciplex is a full-service interactive and advertising agency that provides creative, technology, and marketing services. Ilya grew Ciplex revenue from $110,531 to more than $2,000,000 in less than three years in the middle of a recession.
A zeal for technology and the Internet coupled with an entrepreneurial [...]
Ken Paradis is CEO of Crowe Paradis Services Corp. Crowe Paradis provides nationwide representation for Social Security Disability claimants as well as health plan selection and enrollment assistance for Medicare beneficiaries. In conjunction with employer-sponsored group life, disability, and health plan participants, Crowe Paradis works to guarantee that disabled employees receive education, [...]
Ivan Koon is CEO of YouSendIt, Inc. YouSendIt is a Web-based digital file delivery service that allows users to securely transfer electronic files that are too large or too sensitive to e-mail. With nearly 12 million users, it enables more than 15 million transfers monthly in 220 countries among creative designers, photographers, business consultants, [...]
Patrick Husting is the CEO of Extended Results. Extended Results offers technology and business intelligence services to companies across numerous industries, including media/entertainment, financial services, government, health care, manufacturing, high technology, and retail. He grew revenue from $734,000 to more than $5,000,000 in three years, an amazing 578% increase, in spite of the recession.
Patrick founded the company with a [...]
Eric English is Founder & CEO of Silex Interiors. Silex Interiors imports semi-finished building materials, such as cabinetry and granite countertops, from around the world then finishes and installs them for its customers. Products are sold directly to builders and homeowners through its rapidly expanding chain of stores. Eric grew Silex interiors from 197,000 [...]
Jania Bailey is the President and CEO of FranNet. FranNet is the first choice for quality franchisors and potential prospective franchisees when seeking a franchise consultant. They accomplish this goal by being the market maker for a select number of high-quality franchisors using franchise consultants in local markets. She grew FranNet from [...]
Russ Mann, founder and CEO of Covario is building an award-winning, full-service search marketing firm that provides Fortune 500 companies with software and agency service solutions for paid search advertising (PPC), organic search engine optimization (SEO), display advertising and social media programs. He grew Covario from $1,900,000 to a 15,300,000 in three [...]
Dhiraj Rajaram, founder and CEO of Mu-Sigma is building the world’s largest applied math factory and helps clients institutionalize data-driven decision making. He grew Mu-Sigma from $1,400,000 to a projected $71,000,000 in 2011 in spite of the recession.
Dhiraj is responsible for the vision, strategic direction and leadership in Mu Sigma. His [...]
This spreadsheet walks you through the process of developing an integrated set of financial projections.
The first six worksheets in this workbook are steps you will need to complete.
They are titled:
1. Required Start-Up Funds
2. Salaries and Wages
3. Fixed Operating Expenses
4. & 5. Projected Sales Forecast (2 sheets)
The marketing plan template below should be used as a starting point when contructing your marketing plan. Customize your marketing plan outline based on your specific company and market.
I. Executive Summary
A high-level summary of the marketing plan.
II. The Challenge
Brief description of product to be marketed and associated goals, such as sales [...]
Nearly everyone who has ever started a business has underestimated the costs, and then faced the danger of running with inadequate capital reserves. The key to avoiding this pitfall is to adopt a rigorous approach to your research and planning.
Our Startup Expenses worksheet will lead you through the process.
EXPENSES – Begin by estimating [...]
The business plan consists of a narrative and several financial worksheets. The narrative template is the body of the business plan. It contains more than 150 questions divided into several sections. Work through the sections in any order that you like, except for the Executive Summary, which should be done last. Skip any questions that [...]
