The executive summary should provide a brief overview of the plan.  It is the most important section in that it may well determine the amount of consideration your proposal will receive by any potential investor.  It must set out the uniqueness and viability of your venture.

Recommendations

• Confine the executive summary to a maximum of two pages; and
• write it after the rest of the business plan is complete.

Key elements

Describe your business and why it is unique:

• What is your product/service?
• Why is your market attractive?
• Who are your customers?
• Who are your competitors?
• Why are your products/ services preferable to those of your competitors?
• How far has your idea evolved to date?

Briefly state management's qualifications:

• What is management's past success record?
• What abilities do management bring to the venture?
• How is ownership to be distributed?

Present your financial projections summary:

• How much growth is expected?
• What earnings are projected?
• Over what period of time will these be achieved?

Indicate the amount, form and use of finance:

• How much finance is required?
• What form will the funding take? (Equity? Debt?)
• What will the money be used for?
• How will finance be repaid?
• What are the risks/rewards for the investor?