BUSINESS PLAN

  • Category: Prejudged Reports & Presentation 
    Type: Individual, Team

    Overview: 
    Two (2) parts: a prejudged report and a presentation. Competitors must complete both parts for award eligibility. The Business Plan shall not have been in operation for a period exceeding the previous year or evaluate ongoing business ventures.

    Skills: This event recognizes FBLA members who demonstrate an understanding and mastery of the process required to develop and implement a new business venture. The business venture must be currently viable and realistic and must not have been in operation for a period exceeding twelve months before the NLC.

    Elgibility:  No more than one (1) team member may have competed in this event at a prior NLC or have competed more than two (2) years at the national level. A participant may compete as an individual their first year. If competing a second year, the participant must be part of a team.

    State: Each local chapter may submit one (1) entry.
    National: The top four (4) places at the state competition will represent California at the National Leadership Conference.

    Event Specific Guidelines: 

    • An effective business plan should include the following information:
      • Executive Summary: provides a brief synopsis of the key points and strengths included in the plan.
      • Company Description: includes basic details of the business, including an overview, location, legal structure, and organization.
      • Industry Analysis: provides an analysis of the larger industry in which the business will belong; analyzes key trends and players in the industry; demonstrates an understanding and awareness of external business decisions.
      • Target Market: provides a brief overview of the nature and accessibility of the targeted audience.
      • Competitive Analysis: includes an honest and complete analysis of the business’ competition and demonstrates an understanding of the business’ relative strengths and weaknesses.
      • Marketing Plan and Sales Strategy: demonstrates how the business’ product or service will be marketed and sold; includes both strategic and tactical elements of the marketing and sales approach.
      • Operations: provides an overview of business operations on a day-to-day basis, including production processes, physical facility reviews, use of technology, and processes followed to ensure delivery of products or services.
      • Management and Organization: describes the key participants in the new business venture and identifies human resources the business can draw upon as part of the management team, employee pool, consultants, directors, or advisers. It also portrays the role each will play in the business’ development, and discusses compensation and incentives.
      • Long-Term Development: gives a clear vision of where the business will be in three (3), five (5), or more years. It offers an honest and complete evaluation of the business’ potential for success and failure and identifies priorities for directing future business activities.
      • Financials: indicate the accounting methodology to be used by the business. Discuss any assumptions made in projecting future financial results. Present projections honestly and conservatively.
      • Appendix: includes copies of key supporting documents (e.g., certifications, licenses, tax requirements, codes, letters of intent or advance contract, endorsements, etc.).
      • Note: Business must not have been in operation more than 12 months.

    Finalists: The top five (5) individuals or teams with the highest prejudged score will compete in the presentation portion of the event. 

    Timeline:

    Equipment Setup: 5 min 
    Performance: 7 min 
    Warning: 6 min 
    Time Up: 7 min 
    Penalty Over Time: 5 pts 
    Q & A: 3 min 

    Submission: 
    Project must be submitted online as a PDF. See Competitive Events Overview for submission forms. Report Verification is included on Submission Form. File size limited to 25 MB.
    Submission Deadline:  11:59 pm PST February 28. Conference registration is required for work to be judged. Missing the deadline or failure to register for the conference will forfeit competitor participation. Hint: Allow for plenty of time to upload your work.

     JUDGING: Judges will use the rating sheets (prejudged, presentation) to score competitors. The panel of judges evaluating prejudged materials may not necessarily be the same panel evaluating the presentations. All decisions of the judges are final.

    Rating Sheets (performance shown first)

    GUIDELINES (It is highly recommended that competitors read all guidelines)
    General Report Guidelines
    Report Tips
    General Presentation
    General (All Events)
    General Competition Tips



     PREPARATION
    Format Guide
       Format Guide PDF
    Sample Practice Materials
        Video #1
    Previous Winners
       2018 Business Plan, 1st Place
       2018 Business Plan, 2nd Place
       2018 Business Plan, 3rd Place
       2018 Business Plan, 4th Place
       2018 Business Plan, 5th Place
       2018 Business Plan, 6th Place
       2018 Business Plan, 7th Place
       2018 Business Plan, 8th Place
       2018 Business Plan, 9th Place
       2018 Business Plan, 10th Place
       2017 Business Plan, 1st Place
       2017 Business Plan, 2nd Place
       2016 Business Plan, 1st Place
       2016 Business Plan, 2nd Place
    Website Resources

    Alignment

    NBEA Standards
    • Accounting
    • Career Development
    • Communication
    • Economics & Personal Finance
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Management
    • Marketing
    Career Clusters
    • Business Management & Administration
    • Finance
    • Human Services
    • Marketing, Sales, & Service