5 ELEMENTS OF A BANKABLE BUSINESS PLAN

Every business needs a business plan, a statement of business purpose, with the consequences of each element of that purpose spelt out in financial terms. To avoid catching the ‘common cold’ of small businesses (underestimating the amount of start-up capital you need), A business plan helps you to:  

a) Describe what you want your business to do: Who are your potential customers? How much are they likely to spend? Who are your suppliers, and how much do their supplies cost?  

b) Translate those plans and projections into cash: How much does your business need? How much do you already have? How much do you expect ‘outsiders’ to put in?  

Many people have never prepared a business plan, they don’t know how to start and they need new knowledge. Our objective as Business Plan writers is to help you focus on the big picture, guide you whenever you need a little perspective on where you stand and where you’re headed, especially if the road ahead starts to look a little bumpy.

Before getting down your business plan on paper, here are 5 Elements you need to consider. 

1. Determining Where You Want to Go 

When putting together a business plan, you have to decide where you want to end up in the future. This involves establishing a mission for your company, along with business goals and objectives,  through examining your company’s values and your vision for the future. 

2. Sizing Up Your Marketplace 

To make a useful plan for your business, you have to know something about the market you’re going after. This you do by examining your industry and figuring out what it takes to be successful while identifying where your opportunities and threats come from. You also need to analyse your customers, so that you can understand who they are, what they need and how you can group them to better serve them. In addition, you need to scope out your competition, trying to determine exactly what you need to win. 

3. Weighing Up Your Company’s Prospects 

This is where you objectively look at your capabilities and resources, identifying the strengths that you can count on and the weaknesses that you need to deal with. You zero in on what you do best, enabling you to figure out the real value that you provide for your customers and the true advantage that you have over your competitors. You also need to look into your finances and put together a financial forecast and a budget. 

4. Looking to the Future 

The main reason why you make a business plan in the first place is to get ready for what lies ahead for your business. Preparing a business plan helps you look into your future and prepares you for change. Therefore, you need to come up with strategies and directions that you can take as your company grows bigger. 

5. Executing the Business Plan

Your business plan is no good if you can’t put it to work. After developing your business plan, you need to align your company to be as efficient and effective as it can be. You also need to prepare the people in your company so that they have the skills they need to accomplish the goals set out in your plan. 

Best of Luck as you start the journey to your business growth! 

THE BEST 2022 GRANTS TO EMPOWER GRASSROOT ORGANIZATIONS AND WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN KENYA

Here is a list of open funding opportunities for organizations and individuals in various fields of interest.

 
1.     Call for Proposals: Main Grants and KASA in Africa 

Deadline: 22-Feb-22

 

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is now accepting proposals from interested women-led organizations registered and working in Africa. AWDF defines a woman led organisation as an organisation whose board chair and executive director are both women. Also at least 70% of the board and staff members of the organisation are women.

 

For more information, visit https://awdf.org/call-for-proposals-main-grants-and-kasa/

 

2.     USADF invites Applications from Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya

Deadline: 25-Feb-22

 

The United States African Development Foundation (USADF), in partnership with the Stanbic Kenya Foundation (SKF), invites applications from small and medium enterprises, cooperatives, and producer groups for grant financing and local support to help them address gaps in their internal systems and capabilities to 100% meet investment requirements by commercial investors.

 

For more information, visit https://www.usadf.gov/apply

 

3.     SAAF Flexible Grants for NGOs working on Access to Safe Abortion

Deadline: 20-Feb-22

 

The Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF) is providing grants to organisations in low- and middle-income countries working to improve access to safe abortion. Funding can be used for any work related to abortion, such as provision of services, advocacy, education and research.

SAAF is the only international fund focused exclusively on the right to safe and legal abortion, supporting organisations in low- and middle-income countries.

 

For more information, visit https://saafund.org/apply-for-funding/

 

4.     Lead2030 Challenge for SDG5 (Achieve Equality for Women)

Deadline: 18-Feb-22

 

100+ Accelerator/AB InBev is proud to support the Lead2030 Challenge for SDG 5. The Challenge aims to find and support solutions that will empower womenand close the equality gap ensuring a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.

 

For more information, visit https://www.oneyoungworld.com/lead2030/21-22/challenge-sdg5-abinbev

 

5.     Jana Robeyst Trust Fund Seeking Applications for Small Conservation Grants Program

Deadline: 30-Apr-22

 

The Jana Robeyst Trust Fund (JRTF) is seeking applications for its Small Conservation Grants program to provide relatively small levels of funding for ongoing projects or pilot programmes with a clear conservation value. The Jana Robeyst Trust Fund provides financial resources to early career scientists/conservationists and non-profit organizations to carry out vital field conservation and research work in Africa.

 

For more information, visit http://janatrustfund.org/index_en.html

 

6.     Call for Proposals: Transitioning Women Entrepreneurs From the Informal to the Formal Economy

Deadline: 25-Feb-22

 

The African Development Bank has announced the applications for Transitioning Women Entrepreneurs from the Informal to the Formal Economy.

 

For more information, visit https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/call-proposals-transitioning-women-entrepreneurs-informal-formal-economy

 

7.     Nominations Open for 2022 iF Social Impact Prize

Deadline: 26-May-22

 

Nominations are now open for the iF Social Impact Prize to support projects that contribute to improving the society. If you work towards achieving one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, your project is eligible.

 

For more information, visit https://ifdesign.com/en/if-social-impact-prize

 

8.     IKI Small Grants Program to address Climate Change or Conserve Biodiversity 

Deadline: 15-Apr-22

 

Are you a member of an organisation working to address climate change or conserve biodiversity? Is your organisation registered in an ODA-eligible country and do you have an effective, innovative, or creative non-profit project idea? Then IKI Small Grants Program is now open!

 

For more information, visit https://iki-small-grants.de/current-selection-procedure/

 

9.     2022 GIF Grant Call is now Open! Funding available for Innovations positively impacting the Poor

Deadline: Ongoing

 

Applications are now open for the Global Innovation Fund (GIF) – a social impact first investment vehicle that works with mission-aligned development agencies, philanthropy, and other funders to find and fund evidence-based innovations with the potential to positively impact the lives of millions of the world’s poorest people.

 

For more information, visit https://www.globalinnovation.fund/apply/

 
10.  Legal Empowerment Fund ($10,000-$100,000 in Annual Funding)

Deadline: 18-Feb-22

 

The Fund for Global Human Rights is currently accepting applications for the Legal Empowerment Fund (LEF) to provide urgently needed, long-term support to grassroots justice defenders and organizations that are fighting to help people understand and claim their rights while shaping the laws that govern them.

 

For more information, visit https://globalhumanrights.org/updates/lef-launches-first-request-for-proposals/

Advancing PYD through Meaningful Youth Engagement

https://www.youthpower.org/blogs/advancing-pyd-through-meaningful-youth-engagement 

BUSINESS ACCELERATION | BUSINESS PLANS | DIGITAL MARKETING | CONTENT DEVELOPMENT | WEB & GRAPHIC DESIGN | GHOST WRITING

√Are you a female small & medium business owner yet to register your business or have a registered business less than 3 years old?

√Do you feel that you lack required information necessary to grow your business?

√Do you feel that you have inadequate skills to effectively run your business? 

√Are you experiencing challenges in accessing resources (time, finance, personnel) to grow your business?

DO NOT PANIC, WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU! We shall……

a) coach you and walk you through business registration process, branding & design, and digital marketing;

b) train you on basic business development skills;

c) walk you through developing & executing a business plan;

d) take the pressure off your time so that you can focus on other important tasks, by ghost-writing your business letters, articles, and other pertinent documents;

e) offer you affordable rates considering that your business is new and you could be bootstrapping for now.

TED TALK: WHY YOU WILL FAIL TO HAVE A GREAT CAREER BY LARRY SMITH

https://www.ted.com/talks/larry_smith_why_you_will_fail_to_have_a_great_career?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare 

GETTING STARTED AS A FREELANCE WRITER

How to find your writing style? 

How do you, as a writer, find your place in the writing world and develop a writing style that suits you? When you write, choose a style that allows you to express yourself. That leaves you feeling like you have shared what you want to. That makes you feel energized and excited about your work...not drained and struggling to create more.

Here are four ways to help you develop your own writing style:

Read a lot

Make it a daily habit to spend at least half an hour devouring someone else’s work. As you read more and more, your own style of writing will deepen. It will develop based on your own experiences and the influences you have had. Find something that interests you and start reading, whether it be in a book, via a website, or another place…..and read every day. You can broaden your own horizons as an author by reading various styles of writing. Reading will show you new ways of wording sentences and creative ideas you hadn’t thought of.

Be honest to who you are

Trying to be someone you are not will hinder your writing journey, not help it. Writing is an art-form that allows you to express yourself from within. Therefore, stay true to yourself - your own values, your beliefs, your feelings and who you are as a person. When you write something that is not from who you are, it can confuse your reader. Because it will be difficult to sustain your voice as a writer. When your style changes or doesn’t flow well, it makes it harder for the reader to identify who you are and may not want to read more of your work. When you write from who you are you will not need to change your style part way through. Find your own style of writing and own it!

Write what comes with ease

There may be times that you feel like you have writer’s block, or struggle to come up with what you want to say. If you find that writing in general is difficult it could be for several reasons: you have not created a writing habit to allow it to flow for you; you are lacking in inspiration for your topic; you are not writing in a style that is true to you. If you have created a proper writing habit and you are stuck, try getting inspiration, like reading other forms of writing to refresh you or taking a break from writing. A half hour walk while you listen to music may be all it takes to put you back on track. If you are still struggling, then chances are, you are not writing in a style that is congruent to who you are.

Express yourself naturally

Once you have found your style the only other thing you can do is write, write, and keep writing. The more you write, the easier it will come to you and the better you will become at expressing yourself through your words. You have a gift to write and you need to use it to share your message with the world. 

Today plan your daily habit of reading and writing and watch your life grow and move you to the next level of your writing career.

A GUIDE TO BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITIONS

Business plans have been gaining popularity because they can be extremely effective tools for allocating funds to small businesses that show potential to scale. Business plan competitions are effective because they help governments, Corporates, Foundations, and NGOs decide which firms to “bet on:” 

Even though governments and donors have resources and good-will to invest in enterprises, they often lack the means to pick the highly efficient ones. Therefore, business plans can help them do that. At the same time, contenders who participate in these competitions are more likely to be successful employers.

Below are reliable entities/sites that regular call for/host Business Plan Competitions:

 

1.     MbeleNaBiz 

The MbeleNaBiz business plan competition (“MbeleNaBiz”) is an initiative of the Government of Kenya, under the Kenya Youth Employment and Opportunities Project (KYEOP). MbeleNaBiz aims to expand new and existing youth-led enterprises by providing them with grant funding and/or business plan training. MbeleNaBiz is implemented by the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) and the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs (MPYG), with support from the World Bank. KPMG has been contracted to manage MbeleNaBiz.

https://mbelenabiz.go.ke/about-competition.php

 

2.     Somo Africa

Somo is the root of a Swahili word meaning "lesson". Somo is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and pledges that 
100% of donations go to funding visionary entrepreneurs from marginalized communities around the world. 

https://www.somoafrica.org

 

3.     Sinapis

Sinapis has annual Business Competition showcasing some of the strongest companies that emerge each year. Finalists prepare for weeks to distill their dreams for their business into an 8-minute pitch. An independent panel of distinguished Kenyan investors and entrepreneurs ask probing questions to assess each opportunity. 

https://www.sinapis.org

 

4.     Growth Africa

GrowthAfrica accelerates ventures in and into Africa - and across the continent by assisting companies seize and develop business opportunities in Africa.

https://growthafrica.com

 

5.     TechnoServe 

TechnoServe helps people lift themselves out of poverty by harnessing the power of the private sector. A leading nonprofit organization operating in almost 30 countries, they work with hardworking women and men in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. By linking people to information, capital, and markets, they have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities.

https://www.technoserve.org

 

6.     Invest2Impact

Invest2Impact is a program created with the aim to provide women entrepreneurs in developing country markets with improved access to leadership opportunities, quality employment, finance, enterprise support, and products and services that enhance their economic participation. The program emerged from 2X Challenge, a commitment to formally mobilize USD $3 billion in capital towards women economic empowerment from key Development Finance Institutions (FinDev Canada, CDC, UK Aid Direct, PROPARCO, OPIC and Mastercard Foundation) committed to a reducing gender inequality.

https://invest2impact.africa

 

7.     African Germany Entrepreneurship Academy - AGEA

As part of its mandate, the AGEA network collaborates with dedicated academic and business partners in Africa and Germany to promote practice-oriented entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurship promotion and developing business start-ups for Africa. One of the flagship products that AGEA delivers is its annual AGEA Business Idea Competition (ABIC). ABIC is organised to reach out, identify and support innovative entrepreneurial solutions to African challenges by African students, entrepreneurs, academics and researchers within the AGEA network and beyond. 

https://www.ageacademy.de

 

8.     Hult Prize!

With a $1,000,000 global startup prize as its anchor activity, the Hult Prize has brought impact focused programs and training to over a million students globally, creating a pathway for youth everywhere to build a better world.​

https://www.hultprize.org

 

9.     D-Prize

D-Prize supports new entrepreneurs who distribute proven poverty interventions.The world has already invented products and services to end poverty. Yet there are dozens of proven interventions with large delivery gaps. Millions of people still don’t have access. 

https://d-prize.org

 

10.  Other relevant sites to subscribe to include:

i.   https://www.advance-africa.com

ii.  https://www.opportunitiesforafricans.com

iii. https://fundsforcompanies.com

iv. https://totalenergies.ke

v.  https://www.uwezo.go.ke

vi. https://www.wef.co.ke

PLEASE ADD IMPORTANT ORGANISATIONS / SITES THAT CALL FOR / HOST BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION OPPORTUNITIES OMITTED FROM THE ABOVE LIST.

WHATSAPP US FOR FREE SAMPLE OF BUSINESS PLAN TEMPLATE +254111380358

DID YOU KNOW THAT.....

 

People with narcolepsy tend to sleep about the same number of

hours per day as people without?

6 TYPES OF GRANTS FOR NONPROFITS (AND HOW TO FIND THEM)

 

https://youtu.be/smIfTdId-4c

10 REASONS WHY NO ONE WANTS TO READ YOUR RESUME

An average job recruiter receives tons and tons of CVs every day. A serious job-seeker needs to ensure that their CV will not be binned.  

MISTAKES TO AVOID 

1. Don’t let your resume fail to present you in the most positive light because it’s prepared in the wrong format. If you haven’t taken the time necessary to determine which format is right for you, based on your background and current career objectives, chances are that you may make a poor selection. If this happens, you’ve immediately short-changed yourself and have not put your best foot forward. 

 

2. Don’t make your resume difficult to read because there is not enough white space, the text extends from margin to margin, and there are no blank lines between sections, paragraphs, or bullets. No one is going to struggle through your resume. Instead, if they have difficulty reading it, they’ll discard it and move onto the next candidate.

 

3. Don’t make your resume difficult to read because the font is too small or too fancy. Again, no hiring manager is going to spend the time that is necessary to review a document that is difficult to read. Better to let it run onto two pages and improve its readability. 

 

4. Don’t use design enhancements that are inappropriate for the targeted profession or industry (for example, lines, boxes, columns, and graphics). 

 

5. Don’t overuse bold, italics, and underlining, which clearly defeats the purpose of these design enhancements. They only work if used sparingly throughout the document so that they can have the most impact. 

 

6. Don’t smudge your resume with fingerprints or coffee stains, or let it be otherwise untidy. This includes folding the resume unevenly or stapling pages together in a haphazard manner. What do you think this communicates about you to a prospective employer? Nothing positive, we can assure you. 

 

7. Don’t let your resume look poorly reproduced. With the electronic resources available today, there is no excuse for circulating a resume that is not well produced. If you don’t have access to your own printer, visit your local library or copy center so you can print original-looking documents. Always use a laser printer to print your resume. 

 

8. Don’t make handwritten changes to your resume. There is never a situation in which this is acceptable! If you have to make a change to your resume, do it in the electronic computer file and then reprint the document. 

 

9. Don’t produce your resume on odd-sized paper. Although many job seekers may perceive this as a competitive advantage, believe us when we tell you it’s not. 

10.Don’t submit a resume with typographical errors. Again, this is never acceptable. Do you want a prospective employer to think you are careless about your work, or that you’ll send out business correspondence, proposals, and reports with errors? We think not! If necessary, enlist the help of a friend with strong English skills to proofread your documents before printing them and sending them out. 

 Make sure you are careful not to: 

i.     use sloppy grammar or diction. 

ii.    confuse your chronology. Always list most recent  

       accomplishments first 

iii.   list your current or previous salaries. 

iv.   include personal data (age, marital status) 

v.    note religious or political affiliations. 

vi.   make it difficult to get a quick summary. 

vii.  list names of references on the résumé; instead use a 

      separate sheet. 

viii. be too wordy or lengthy in your description. One paragraph 

      about each job should be ample. 

ix.  bury your most significant accomplishments in a less than 

      prominent position. 

x.   put company names, dates, and title in the body of the 

      descriptive paragraphs. Set them off visually so the reader    

      can almost instantly grasp your whole history. 

ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (OD)

 

ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (OD) TRAINING

 Are you a group of individuals with special /common interest who are yet to form a legal entity and are interested in collective development?

 Do you feel that you lack information necessary to help you register an organization?

 Do you feel that you possess inadequate skills on organisational development including skills on governance, financial management, project management & resource mobilisation?

DO NOT LOSE HOPE, WE ARE YOUR OD EXPERT! We shall…. 

• facilitate you to come together as we sensitise you on the importance of having a common goal/ collective purpose;

• assist you to register an organization with an emphasis on the importance of having a legally recognised Agency/Entity;

• train you on organizational development: governance, financial management, project management & resource mobilization; 

• offer you affordable rates considering that you are at formation stage and may not have mobilised enough resources for now to meet most of your organisational needs. 

WRITING PROMPT

https://writing-prompt-s.tumblr.com/post/673391527825997824/you-are-sitting-outside-your-house-enjoying-the 

TOP FIVE (5) JOB SEARCH SITES IN KENYA

New year comes with new resolutions, new goals-setting, and new vows. Jobs search or change of jobs or desire for career progression hardly miss in the list. It is for this reason that we bring to you five top job search sites that you can subscribe to for regular updates on job vacancies and advertisements. 

 

1.     https://www.myjobsinkenya.com

 

2.     https://www.facebook.com/GovernmentAdvertisingAgency

 

3.     https://www.myjobmag.co.ke

 

4.     https://ajiradigital.go.ke/

 

5.     https://www.advance-africa.com/Jobs-in-Kenya.html

 

No one should ever say that looking for a job is easy. But you can take steps to make the process a bit easier and shorter than it typically is. If you are particularly anxious to get on with your job search without delay, here are some basic tips on getting a good job that I have learned over many years. 

·  Know Your Skills and Their Value

If you don’t know what you are good at and what difference you can make to an employer, how can you expect anyone else to figure it out? If you don’t know your skills and accomplishments and how they relate to a particular job, you can’t write a good resume or perform well in an interview, and are unlikely to get a good job. 

·  Have A Clear Job Objective

If you don’t know where you want to go, it will be most difficult to get there. You can write a resume without having a job objective, but it won’t be a good one.

·  Know Where and How to Look

Because three out of four jobs are not advertised, you will have to use other job search techniques to find them. 

· Spend At Least 30 To 40 Hours A Week Looking If You’re Unemployed and About 10 To 15 Hours A Week If You’re Currently Employed

Most job seekers spend far less time than this. As a result, they take much longer to find a new job than necessary. So, if you want to get a better job in less time, plan on spending more time on your job search. 

·  Get Two Interviews A Day

It sounds impossible, but this can be done once you redefine what counts as an interview.

·  Present Yourself Well in Interviews

You are unlikely to get a job offer if you don’t do well in this critical situation. 

·  Follow Up on All Contacts

Following up can make a big difference in the results you get in your search for a new job.

 

Please add other job search sites that you know of or have subscribed to. 

For free coaching on CV revamping Call/WhatsApp +254111380358