Establishing your own business can be both rewarding and satisfying. There is normally a lot of time and effort involved to get things in place before you can open for business.

At ASB we like to help our clients to be successful in their business. When you're successful, so are we.

We've put together four informative guides for people who are starting out in business.

• Your guide to writing a business plan.
• Your guide to starting a business.
• Your guide to applying for finance.
• Your guide to cash flow management.

Your guide to writing a business plan

An easy to follow guide to writing your plan that includes questions to ask yourself and others along the way. Sections include:

• Overview: Your business at a glance.
• Business profile: A description of the type of business and where it's going.
• Your market: Your analysis of the market you're in, your customers and competitors.
• Sales and marketing: Your strategy for the promotion, distribution and pricing of your products or services.
• Management and staff: How your business will be managed and the staff it will require, including the responsibilities of key staff.
• Operational plan: This includes information about premises, equipment, materials, licences, consents, insurance, suppliers and systems.
• Finances and forecasting: Profit and loss forecasting, cash flow, capital expenditure and information on how loans and investors will be repaid and when.
• Succession planning: Preparing your business for the transfer of ownership to others.

More information, including links to useful websites, is available in our guide: Your guide to writing a business plan.

Your guide to starting your own business

An easy guide outlining the elements you need to consider to get your business off to a good start. Sections include:

• Alternatives to starting your own business
• Does your business idea have potential?
• Writing a business plan
• Formalities to consider
• Naming your business
• Setting up the business
• Tax
• Finances
• Help and funding available.

More information is available in Your guide to starting your own business.

Your guide to applying for finance

A helpful guide to questions banks may ask you, and the information they normally want to see, when you're applying for business finance.

Being well prepared to apply for finance typically involves having:

• A business plan, see above.
• Information about what the money will be used for, how that will affect your business and how it will be repaid.
• Supporting documents, such as financial statements, valuations, consents, regulatory compliances, insurance and more.

More information is available in our guide: Your guide to applying for business finance.