Writing a business plan is a dynamic process and hard work. The best business plans are those that closely examine every assumption.

Think of yourself as a business plan "detective". When a detective begins to work, they do not know what they are going to uncover. They just start probing for answers. When they get a piece of information, they examine its impact on their investigation. This may lead to seeking answers to new questions.

Nothing A Little Hard Work Can't Overcome

Truth is, each business you mention could probably support the creation of a separate business plan. About a year ago, I had a similar challenge. I was writing a plan for a business that had about five different types of businesses within it. However, they all revolved around one core business.

Recently, I have begun to see new start ups combining several different types of businesses under one roof. For example, this morning I am meeting with a potential client who has a concept which involves combining over 12 different types of businesses.

The question you ask is not unusual or difficult to deal with. It will just take some work on your part. I can't provide you with a sample plan because that would violate previous confidentiality agreements. However, here is how I would go about attacking such a project:

• Identify the core business: what part of the business is essential for all the rest being successful? Then build the plan around that core business.
• Description of the business: for your business plan to be successful in attracting investors, you will want to make sure they understand your business concept and the structure of the business. Therefore, a description of your vision, goals and businesses are crucial. I would suggest using metaphors to describe your business concept. For example, if I was going to describe the Internet I would say ""The Internet is like a *spider's web* - a world wide labyrinth of inter-connected computer users. It allows instant access to any *site* around the world."" This metaphor is certainly not original but it is easily understood. What kind of idea can you use to describe how your business concept has a likeness to it?
• Marketing: explain how you will go about marketing the commons and each individual component of the business.
• Financial Projections: creating separate financial projections for each division then blending them into a consolidated projected financial statement, will allow investors to see how each individual component contributes to the success of the business as a whole. Plus, the separate financial projections demonstrate your knowledge, expertise and the viability of each component.
• Audience: I highly recommend customizing the executive summary or portions of the plan, depending upon what type of investor is going to be reading it. For example, if I had an investor with a background in shopping malls, I would focus on the property management and marketing components of the plan. If I was showing the plan to an investor with a retail background, I would show the strength of the retail concept. You get the idea. IMPORTANT POINT: if just one portion of your business plan fails to get past the critical eyes of an experienced investor, your plan will not attract money.
• Management & Systems: a business will need experienced managers, solid systems and controls. It's easy for one portion of a multifaceted business to drain resources from other successful divisions. Demonstrate how you will manage the entire business and micro manage each portion of the business to produce a profit.

Remember, one of the most valuable aspects of writing a business plan is, it forces you to think through your ideas and learn how to clearly communicate your business advantages, strengths and opportunities. If you cannot explain the concept in the business plan, I won't be able to communicate effectively in marketing, advertising and promotions.

Keep plugging away until you ""solve"" the problems you are encountering in writing your business plan. Once you have all the answers the plan is ready for publication.