Thinking about your business

Video transcript: Thinking about your business

[Audio/ Visual: Gentle music starts playing with blue introduction screen with white business.govt.nz logo in the centre of the screen. The word “presents” in smaller, thinner lettering is beneath the logo. These words disappear and are replaced with white text “How to prepare a business plan”. This disappears. White text saying “Thinking about your business” appears in the centre of the screen. Music continues to play throughout the entire video.]

[Visual: The screen changes to a profile shot of the presenter, seated at a kitchen table. They have a laptop set up in front of them on the table to their right and a red mug slightly off-screen to their left. In the bottom right is the business.govt.nz logo which remains there until the end of the video.]

Welcome back to our series on how to prepare a business plan. This video covers the first few sections about you and your business.

We hope you’ve downloaded our template so you can follow along. If you haven’t downloaded it, select the link on this page, or download the Word file directly by typing business.govt.nz/businessplan.

[Visual: The words “Download our template” and url “www.business.govt.nz/businessplan” appear on screen to the left of the presenter with an animated download icon. This icon has a blue circle with a white arrow pointing down, and a white block with the word “download” in blue. All disappear after a few seconds.]

[Visual: The screen changes to a sweeping, close-up shot of a laptop and stationery on a table. The text “Executive summary” pops up on the screen in white text]

The first section is the executive summary.

[Visual: The screen cuts to a profile shot of the presenter, seated at a kitchen table. The same set up that was earlier shown.]

Although it appears first, you actually write it last because it summarises the whole plan.

[Visual: The “Executive summary” page of the Business Plan Template is shown on screen, page 2. Relevant words are highlighted as the presenter speaks.]

You can’t summarise what you haven’t written.

[Visual: The screen changes to a sweeping, birds-eye shot of a laptop and stationery on a table. The text “Business details” pops up on the screen in white text.]

The second section is about business details, such as your business name, trading name and New Zealand Business Number.

[Visual: The screen changes to a shot of the presenter, seated at a kitchen table for a second before the visual of the “Business details” page of the Business Plan Template is shown, page 3, to the right of the presenter. This screen is then expanded so the presenter is no longer seen. Relevant sections of are highlighted as the presenter names them.]

You also note where your business is, both physically and online.

[Visual: The “Business details” page swipes up to the lower section of page three. The relevant sections are highlighter as the presenter names them.]

[Visual: The screen changes to a sweeping, close-up shot of a laptop and stationery on a table. The text “What you do and how you do it” pops up on the screen in white text.]

The third section is about what you do and how you do it.

[Visual: The screen changes to a profile shot of the presenter, seated at a kitchen table.]

[Visual: The “What we do and how we do it” page of the Business Plan Template is shown on screen, page 4, to the right of the presenter. This screen then grows until the presenter isn’t visible and the “What we do and how we do it” page is all that can be seen. Relevant bullet points are highlighted as the presenter speaks.]

What are you selling? Who are you selling to? And how are you selling it? Why would someone want to buy from you or want your services — how are you different to your competitors?

[Visual: The screen changes to a scanning, birds-eye shot of a laptop and stationery on a table. The text “Business background” pops up on the screen in white text.]

The next section is about the history of your business and its current position.

[Visual: The screen changes to a mid-shot of the presenter, seated at a kitchen table.]

For example, why did you set up the business?

[Visual: The screen widens and the “Business background” page of the Business Plan Template is shown on screen, page 5, to the right of the speaker. This screen then grows until the presenter isn’t visible and the “Business background” page is all that can be seen. Relevant words are highlighted as the presenter speaks.]

What milestones have you had so far? Where are you now? How many customers do you have? And how much revenue?

[Visual: The screen changes to a sweeping, close-up shot of a laptop and stationery on a table. The text “Goals” pops up on the screen in white text.]

Next comes your goals.

[Visual: The screen changes to a closer shot of the presenter, seated at a kitchen table briefly.]

[Visual: The “Our goal/mission” page of the Business Plan Template is shown on screen, page 6, to the right of the presenter. This screen then grows until the presenter isn’t visible and the “Our goal/ mission” page is all that can be seen. Relevant words are highlighted as the presenter speaks. An example of a specific, measurable and realist goal is highlighted on screen; “For example: Increase sales by 10% in 5 months”]

Make sure they’re specific, measurable and realistic.

[Visual: The screen changes to a sweeping, birds-eye shot of a laptop and stationery on a table. The text “Strategy” pops up on the screen in white text.]

The strategy section is about the steps you’ll take to reach your goals.

[Visual: The screen cuts to a profile shot of the presenter, seated at a kitchen table.]

You may find it helpful to fill in the rest of the business plan first, then come back to this.

[Visual: The screen changes to a sweeping, close-up shot of a laptop and stationery on a table. The text “Current and planned team” pops up on the screen in white text.]

The last section we’ll discuss in this video is about people.

[Visual: The screen changes to a wider shot of the presenter, seated at a kitchen table briefly.]

[Visual: The “Current and planned team” page of the Business Plan Template is shown on screen, page 7, to the right of the presenter. This screen then grows until the presenter isn’t visible and the “Current and planned team” page is all that can be seen. Relevant headings are highlighted as the presenter speaks.]

Who’s in your team now? What are their responsibilities and backgrounds? What experience do they have, both in your business and before they joined you?

[Visual: The screen cuts to a full screen shot of the presenter, seated at a kitchen table.]

Don’t forget people who are not on your payroll, like advisors, accountants and lawyers.

[Visual: As the presenter speaks, text appears as a list on the left side of screen with the words;

“Advisors

Accountants

Lawyers”

In white, thin text.]

[Visual: The screen cuts to a wider shot of the presenter and the words on screen disappear.]

Thinking about people helps you identify what skills and experience your business has and what else you’ll need.

Do you need someone who can help out anywhere, or someone with specialist skills?

[Visual: As the presenter speaks, text appears as a list on the left side of screen with the words;

“Generalist skills

Specialist skills”

In white, thin text.]

[Visual: The screen changes to a wider shot of the presenter and the words on screen disappear.]

You could outsource some work. For example, if you find it hard to write social media posts, could you get a contractor to write them?

That’s it for this video. Join us in our next video when we talk about your market and about marketing.

[Visual: The words “Download our template” and url “www.business.govt.nz/businessplan” appear on screen in white text with an animated download icon. This icon has a blue circle with a white arrow pointing down, and a white block with the word “download” in blue. All disappear after a few seconds.]

[Visual: Blue outro screen appears with the business.govt.nz logo in the centre of the screen. This logo disappears and the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment logo appears on the left-hand side and the Te Kāwanatanga o Aotearoa, New Zealand Government logo appears on the right-hand side.

[Video ends]