Starting a new business
The plan needs explicit assumptions where trading history does not yet exist. Research, quotations and realistic operating estimates are more useful than invented sales records.
BUSINESS SUPPORT · SOUTH AFRICA
Build a business plan you can explain and use
Turn your business idea or growth proposal into a clear, evidence-based plan. Vatco helps organise the market, operating and financial information around your intended reader, with assumptions made visible and a practical review process so the final document reflects a business you understand.
Your requirements · A clear scope · Your next step
YOUR SERVICE GUIDE
Business plans
Business plans
01
Define the purposeIdentify the reader, decision and required format.
02
Build the evidenceConnect the market, operating plan and financial assumptions.
03
Review the documentCheck the facts and prepare the agreed final version.
Start with the details that matter.
A clear place to start.Tell us what your business needs.
START WITH THE READER
A funding application and an operating plan ask different questions
A business plan explains what the business intends to do, why customers would buy, how it will operate and what the numbers depend on. Match the emphasis to the reader’s decision: repayment and evidence for a lender, the growth case for an investor or practical operations for an owner.
- Recipient instructions: Share the intended reader’s requirements before drafting, including any specified format, forecast period or supporting documents, so those requirements shape the scope.
- Specific criteria: A generic document labelled “bank ready” does not establish that it meets a particular institution’s requirements. The content needs to address the actual application and purpose.
- Owner understanding: Keep the plan understandable to the person who will run the business, so the proposal’s operating approach and assumptions can guide practical decisions after drafting.
START WITH YOUR SITUATION
Find the right starting point for your business
A startup with no financial history
Provide realistic supplier quotations, rental estimates and customer research. Mark estimates and unanswered questions instead of creating historical results that do not exist.
An established business seeking finance or growth
Supply relevant financial history and explain unusual periods. The operating narrative, capacity and forecasts should tell a consistent story that the owner understands.
A lender or investor with a prescribed format
Share the exact criteria, forecast period and attachments before drafting. A generic plan labelled ready for funding does not establish acceptance by that recipient.
COST AND INCLUSIONS
What affects the cost of business plans?
Swipe across to compare all columns.
| Cost item | Amount or pricing basis | What this covers |
|---|---|---|
| Vatco plan writing and structure | Quoted after the purpose, recipient and source material are reviewed | Defines the narrative, research depth, review stages and final document included. |
| Financial projections and editable model | Quoted for the agreed period and level of detail | Confirm assumptions, available records and whether an editable model is part of the deliverable, rather than assuming every forecast format is included. |
| Research, missing accounts or specialist reports | Separately scoped where required | Record reconstruction, extensive research and any required professional assurance are distinct work. |
| Pitch material, revisions and later updates | Specified in the written quote | A pitch deck, new recipient format or substantial change of assumptions can require additional work. Finance applications and their charges are separate from plan writing. |
Vatco’s professional fee is confirmed in your written quotation. The total depends on the agreed work; any VAT treatment should be stated in the quote.
CONNECT THE STORY AND THE NUMBERS
Build each part around evidence
A strong plan has a consistent thread from the customer problem to the operating capacity and financial forecast. If the sales forecast assumes rapid growth, the marketing approach, staffing and working-capital needs should explain how that growth could be supported. Decorative charts cannot resolve a gap between the narrative and the underlying assumptions.
Offer and customer
Describe the product or service, the intended customer and the reason they would choose it. Define the market you can realistically reach rather than treating every person in South Africa as a potential buyer.
Market and competition
Use relevant evidence to describe alternatives customers already have, how they buy and where your offer fits. Distinguish observed facts from estimates, and do not invent market-share figures or claim there are no competitors without a basis.
Operations and resources
Explain the location, suppliers, equipment, people and delivery process. Identify dependencies such as premises, licences or supplier terms so that the launch date is connected to an achievable operating sequence.
Financial assumptions
Connect revenue to quantities, prices and capacity, then identify costs, capital spending and the timing of cash movements. The forecast should show its assumptions clearly enough for the owner or reviewer to challenge them.
WHAT TO PREPARE
Documents and information to prepare
For a startup, supplier quotations, rental estimates and researched customer information can ground the assumptions. Not every answer will be known initially. Keep evidence, reasoned estimates and unresolved questions distinct throughout drafting instead of presenting every forecast input as an established fact.
- All plansBusiness, product and customer brief
Describe the owners, offer, location, customers, pricing and purpose. Include contracts or enquiries that can support the business case.
- Established businessesHistorical financial records
Provide the relevant accounts and explain unusual periods. Do not select only figures that make future growth appear strongest.
- Financial starting positionCapital, funding-use and cost schedule
List available startup capital, proposed funding use, known costs and commitments already made. Separate owner expectations from established business obligations.
- As availableSupplier quotations and operating evidence
Supply quotations, capacity information, supplier terms and relevant approvals or dependencies so the proposed start date and operating assumptions can be tested.
- External applicationRecipient criteria and required attachments
Share the format, forecast period, deadline and supporting-document list. Confirm whether an editable model, pitch deck or professional report is required.
MAKE THE FORECAST USEFUL
A projection is a scenario, not a promise
Financial projections should explain what would need to happen for the figures to be achieved. The owner should understand and approve the assumptions. Vatco can organise the plan and agreed projections, but the document cannot guarantee revenue, profitability or finance approval.
- Sales drivers: Test the forecast against customer numbers, purchase frequency, average transaction value and the business’s capacity to deliver the work or products being sold.
- Costs and cash flow: Reflect the proposed operation and when money is actually received and paid. Forecast profit is different from cash available in the bank.
- Changing conditions: Consider delayed sales, slower customer payments or an important cost increase. Identify the assumptions with the greatest effect on cash needs and the actions available.
- Useful review: Test the business consequences rather than adding optimistic growth percentages for an attractive chart. Identify any required professional financial report or assurance as a separate part of the scope.
FROM BRIEF TO FINAL DOCUMENT
Review the substance before polishing the presentation
The quotation should describe the intended plan, the information required, the financial work included and the review process. Page count alone is a poor measure of scope: a concise plan with a well-supported forecast can require more analysis than a long document filled with generic market descriptions.
- 01
Confirm the brief
Agree the purpose, reader and required output. Identify missing evidence and the decisions the business still needs to make before the plan can be completed.
- 02
Draft the connected plan
Develop the business narrative and the agreed financial work together. Check that the operating approach supports the forecast and that funding uses connect to identifiable business needs.
- 03
Review facts and assumptions
The business checks names, experience, costs, targets and commitments. Resolve contradictions before final design, and retain an explanation for material estimates rather than disguising them as proven facts.
- 04
Prepare the handover
Deliver the formats agreed in the scope and identify any supporting documents still needed for an application. Submission to a funder, ongoing revisions and a pitch deck are separate tasks unless expressly included.
CONNECT THE NEXT PIECE.
Related support
for your business.
YOUR QUESTIONS. A CLEARER NEXT STEP.
Business plans:
frequently asked questions.
01Will a business plan guarantee that I receive funding?
No. A funder or investor makes its own decision using its criteria and assessment process. The plan can explain the opportunity, evidence and assumptions clearly, but it cannot guarantee approval. Provide the intended recipient’s requirements so the document is relevant, and avoid treating a professionally designed plan as a substitute for eligibility or supporting evidence.
02Can you prepare a plan for a startup with no sales history?
Yes, a startup plan can be built around researched assumptions and the available evidence. It must distinguish forecasts from actual results. Supplier quotations, customer research, realistic capacity and known costs help make the plan useful. We should not invent completed sales, signed contracts or market statistics to make a new business appear established.
03Are financial projections included?
The scope should specify the financial work included, the forecast period and the information needed from you. It should also state whether an editable model is supplied. Projections need to match the intended reader’s requirements and the operating assumptions. A separate accountant’s report, independent assurance or other specialist financial work should not be implied unless expressly agreed.
04How is a business plan different from a company profile?
A company profile introduces the business and its capabilities. A business plan explains the proposed direction, market, operations and financial assumptions in greater depth. If a customer only needs a concise supplier introduction, a profile may be the appropriate document. If a funding or strategic decision is involved, the reader may need a plan and additional evidence.
05Can you update an existing plan instead of starting again?
Provide the current plan, the reason for the update and the latest business information. Some sections may remain useful, while the forecast, market assumptions or operating approach may need substantial revision. The review should identify what can be retained and what no longer reflects the business, rather than changing dates and leaving outdated assumptions untouched.
06What determines the cost and turnaround?
The purpose, complexity, research needs, quality of available records and extent of financial work all affect the scope. A specific funding deadline should be disclosed at the start with the recipient’s requirements. Time is also needed for the owner to check facts and assumptions. The quote should state the agreed review process and what additional work would require a separate instruction.
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