Make use of an online business plan software. In most cases, providers offer a free service option to get started with no risk and cost. There shall be a financial planner built-in with a good planning application. Tap in your forecasts (revenue, expenses, investments, financing), and get all the financial projections and ratios generated automatically. ---This post was edited to remove a commercial link. Read our discussion policies for more Community best practices.

There are several ways to approach your pro forma financials. The easiest ways is to use peer data. There are many ways to find peer data - like reviewing other business plans (search for free sample business plans) or from public data if you can find a pure play public company (look to Edgars). If you can find a peers financial data - you can estimate your sales levels and sales growth from their date as well as common size their financial and use those percentages to estimate your expenses. Regarding government loans - they just don't exist. The SBA does guarantee some small business loans - but, these loans are still underwritten by a bank (banks are not lending to new businesses). You might think about some alternative ways to raise the capital you need. There are many new non-bank lenders that are stepping up to fill this small business funding gap left open. Since you are not seeking too large of an amount - there are many funding resources that you could tap - depending on what you will use those funds for.

Denise, Demographics and projections in this economic climate are tough. Talk with the City Planning Department -- they are the ones most likely to have up to date information. City Planning relies a great deal on sales taxes and property taxes, so they keep a pretty close eye on what is happening in any area. Take those stats and specify them to your geographic niche. Be conservative in your projections. It is far better to earn more than you expected than to earn less than you expected. Although anything in the restaurant field is traditionally difficult to fund, you probably aren't looking for a lot of money. If I were you, I think I would look at something like Sam's Club funding. It is faster and easier than anything you could do through bank channels, and the paperwork is a whole lot easier to deal with. Good luck with your new business!

shipcord, Congratulations on starting a bakery/coffee shop. Take a look at our resources for writing a business plan. In regards to estimating the financials, you may want to speak with other business owners of in the resort. This may give you an idea of foot traffic and some treads. Also if you contact a SCORE office or Small Business Development Center, they can help you pull local data. In regards to loans, check out our Loans section. It provides links to many of the government loan programs. If you have additional questions, please feel free to post them here. JimD

I have been writing a business and financial plan for a Bakery in NH. Because there isn't a bakery like the one I am doing in my city. I have talked to some restaurant owners. The best advise that I have recieved is to plan backwards.... figure out all your fixed expenses along with your variable expenses (like how much it costs to make two dozen chocolate chip cookies and how much it costs to make a cake along with your packaging) and plan backwards from there. How many cakes and cookies and eclairs do you need to sell to break even? Is this realistic? Will you sell 5 cakes per day to break even? Will you sell 2 doz cookies each day? Once you figure out what you have to sell, then add extra product that will increase your bottom line. Good luck!