Will my computer be compatible with your software?
Do I need a business plan?
Should I use a business plan template?
Should I hire a professional to write my business plan?
Venture Capitalist, Angel Investors, what does it all mean and what do I need?
I am not an accountant and I am intimidated by financial planning. Can you help?

Will my computer be compatible with your software?

We do not have software. But we do have a solution that is compatible with a wide range of computers and existing software.

Our instructional guide is supplied in PDF format.

Our workbooks and worksheets are created in:
Microsoft Word and Excel for Windows or Mac OS X;
Pages and Numbers for Mac OS X;
Open Office 3 for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux

Every version is included with every download, so you don't need to worry about selecting the correct format, version or licence. It's all included, all in one.

Do I need a business plan?

Absolutely. A business plan is a written document that describes a business, its operations and target customer, with details on how it will become profitable. While it can be instrumental for obtaining funding through an investor, it is more importantly a tool for you, the business owner. It forces you to focus on every aspect of your business, and put it down on paper. A business plan can literally convince you that you are on the right track or alert you if your idea needs work.

Should I use a business plan template?

Business plan templates are useful for reviewing the format and language of an average plan. They also (usually) provide the needed topics that should be covered in a standard business plan. While using a template for ideas and guidelines may be helpful, we do not recommend using solely a template to build your business plan. Investors review hundreds if not thousands of business plans every year, and are turned off when they see a template plan cross their desk. It often gives the impression that you do not know your business very well or worse, that you do not care to create and present a custom business plan. And if you do not care, why should the investor?

Should I hire a professional to write my business plan?

If you are apprehensive about preparing a business plan yourself, or if you simply do not have the time (but do have the money) to outsource the planning, then yes, we highly recommend hiring a professional. There is nothing wrong with that.

Advanced Business Planning was designed to assist the business owner who:
• does not currently have the budget for a business planner;
• wants to have confidence in all areas of their business;
• wants to learn more about smart marketing, reaching customers and handling finances;
• wants to influence investors with their personal knowledge of their company and the market; and
• wants to make certain that their business plan accurately represents the company.

Venture Capitalist, Angel Investors, what does it all mean and what do I need?

Advanced Business Planning gives detailed definitions and examples of SBA, Bank, and Grant Funding; Angel Investors; Private Investors; Venture Capital Investors; and Institutional Investors. We also provide with you step-by-step procedures on building a formal request and substantiating it.

I am not an accountant and I am intimidated by financial planning. Will ION FreshStart Advanced Business Planning work for me?

Yes! We designed Advanced Business Planning for people just like you. We have programmed worksheets that prompt you for simple data and calculate entire balance sheets, income statements, cash flow projections and all forecasts.