"Kasia created an amazing business plan for my small home-based business to transition into our first brick-and-mortar. It was very easy to communicate with her and she understood everything I needed and excel my expectations. it was truly a pleasure working with her."
Vanessa Rosario started a home-based bakery business in 2015. Vanessa’s entrepreneurial spirit began at a young age when she started selling jewelry and lemonade outside her home in Santiago, Dominican Republic. At 14 she began selling treats to her friends which quickly evolved into a side hustle. She had a passion for business but found joy in making pastries. She pursued her passion by studying business administration and management. While pursuing her degree, her college years were marked by traveling between countries in Europe and discovering different styles of food and pastries. With her business degree in hand, Vanessa decided to study the culinary arts. In 2015 she turned this blend of educational pursuits into a business.
Salt & Sugar LLC is a dessert and cake catering company located in Springfield, VA. Vanessa's business has grown to over 300 repeat customers. Her commitment to consistently high-quality and delicious-tasting desserts and cakes allowed her to outgrow her original location, requiring a larger facility where she could keep up with the demand for her confections from current customers and still have the capacity to attract new clients.
Challenges
When Vanessa came to me, she needed a business plan to get funding for her proposed expansion. She wanted to evolve her home-run business to move into a professional offsite location. To do this, she needed $187,000 in funding into cover equipment, build-out, and other costs related to her business. Her business plan needed to clearly show how she would develop her current two-person home business into a six-employee retail operation. Vanessa’s intent was to focus on Dominican coffee and Latin-flavored pastries. She wanted the business plan to highlight the uniqueness of Dominican coffee, desserts and cakes, focusing on the commitment to Latin flavors and Latin ingredients. It also had to describe the business idea, growth, owner background, education, experience, previous success, and forecasted future success.
Entrepreneurs who want to expand their business and are seeking funding have a 2.5x greater chance of getting their funding with a business plan.
Solution
The difference between a great business plan and a subpar one is not only research but also the ability to tell a story. In Vanessa’s case, it was how she got from point A to point B. Showing the story of how she began her passion for pastries and turned it into a successful brand.
Benefits/Results
With her professional business plan in hand, Vanessa was able to secure the funding she needs. Once that money is deposited into her account, she can secure a location, begin to build out, purchase equipment and furniture, and begin selling her delicious Latin pastries with a side of Dominican coffee.
Vanessa is on track to achieve her goal of bringing Latin flavors and Dominican coffee to her community.
Final Thoughts
“I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” --Estee Lauder
The SBA has approved close to 57,000 loans with over $31B in funding approval, as of December 2022. You receive these loans through an SBA bank partner. With a business plan, you’ll have a 2.5x greater chance of getting funding. If you are ready for a professional business plan that puts you in the best position for approval, contact us today.