Overview The executive summary should be the last element prepared when developing a business plan. Unfortunately, we have found that many entrepreneurs try to
begin with this section. When we refer to a "hard-hitting" executive summary, we refer not to extravagant language or hyperbole, but to key attributes of the venture that will entice target readers,
usually investors, to read on and learn more about a company's opportunity. In many cases, it is appropriate to include a quote from a leading industry source as a headline at the top of the executive
summary. There is a wide variety of opinions on what an executive summary should include and how long it should be. Our practice is to limit the executive summary to a maximum of three pages.
These pages are comprised of four key elements: To see an example of each of these components, click the links at left. |