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WHfl'Y MRE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, 0UJTOBER 18,1989, PAGE 9 Wriina business- plan Trying te start a business without a proper business plan is like trying to travel through uncharted territory without a map. It is tricky te figure out where you're going. It is critical, in fact, to have a comprehensive business. plan for a number of reasons. Unless you have a clear, written profile of the company's expected performance and prospects, it's virtually impossible te, get any financial backçing, apart from family largess. What's more, putting it ail down on paper makes it easier te judge whether the venture is sound to begin with. And once you're established, the plan serves as a good reference te track performance. Although it's not a legal requirement, a formai business plan is almost deemed mandatory by the financial community. Gary Angst, a consultant in the small business bmanch of the Ontario Ministry of Industry, Trade and Fînancial assistance Ontario will provide up te $38-million te assist sinali and medium-sized companies te hire technical and scientific staff, Ontario Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology Monte Kwinter said recently as he announced the start of the Technical Personnel Prograni. The initiative is designed to offer companies financial assistance te cover a portion of the cost of hiring new scientifie or technical employees for a minimum of three years. The program tùnds WiIl be allocated te small and medium-size companies with specifie projects in capital investment, systems, technology or technology transfer. Qua]ifying companies will aiso have plans te export their goods or services. For more information regarding the technical personnel program, contact Neil Walker, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Technology at 965-0551. Chapparel Steel rep to sekat meeting Gordon Forward, of Chapparel Steel, Texas, will discuss "Changi*ng Markets in the '90s," at a dinner meeting at Cullen Gardens on Thursday, Oct. 26. The event, scheduled as part of Small Business Week, Oct. 22- 28, is co-sponsored by the Osh- awa branch of the Federal Busi- ness Development Bank and the Durham Region Manufacturers' Association. The dinner meeting will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Cost is $35. Caîl Zoe Waller at 579-2911. ~AAMADEUS 1 756 SEAFOOD and STFAKHOUSE 1180 Simcoe St.N. Oshawa 436-9333 436-9065 - ~ Trt~r.J~H. ~E- L.1s - e Roast Prime Beef (Canada Grade A) New York Steak and Shrimps -- Presh Seafood Plate ~Open 7 daysa week Banquet Facilities Available EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT KITTY LITTER Kitty itter-its expensive in those littie bag s and once Tabbie has a couple of goes at it, it dloesn't smell so g ood either. Many large industrial users, buy kitty litter by the ton in large 40 lb. bags- not because they've got a pac k of lions out back, but rather because they buy it under the more common industrial name of oîl absorbent. They know that oil absorbent (kitty litter> is in fact dlay mined out of open pits, mostly in Georgia, Louisiana and Floricla. Grades of oil absorbnts vary cramatically depending upon the porosity of the.clay. Some grades of oîl absorbent will absorb as littie as 70% of their own weight in water. Others are extremely dusty or tumn to mud as soon as they become wet. Swish's Florco oil and water absorbent absorbs up to 160% of its own wemght un water, has the least dust content of any of its competitors and remnains in its çranular formn even after use. Our customers who buy Florco as a kitty litter, tell us that it's not only a superior product-but the price is also a lot less! If unpleasant odours in your cats litter box are a conoern, we recommend Swish Odor Sorb deodorant granules. Three tablespoons of Odor Sorb, mixed in with your cat's kitty litter wiIl mask and absorb undesirable odours. box Tr Florco and Odor Sorb the next time you tend to your cat's litter They're PURRRR fect._ , &, -. TechnolIQgy, points out that it's foolish te approach a banker with only some preliminary calculations. "Some people actually jot numbers on a napkin or on the back of a cigaret package; not surprisingly, they don't get more than the time of day from the banks," he says. Angst covers the province each year giving nurnerous seminars te, prospective entrepreneurs on how te develop a sound business plan. "A typical business plan begins with a summary of your operation, your idea, the market need, the amountý of capital requried and the projected financial resuits," explains Angst. "Your plan must make sense on paper before you cip into your wallet and get involved in a business." Graham Cunningham, an accountant and senior partner with Toronto-based G. G. Cunningham & Associates Inc., is convinced there's- a definfite correlation between a valid business plan and commercial success. "In your business plan, you should make a yearly sales forecast," advises Cunningham. "Then, compare your monthly cash flow with your projections. Although there will always be more variance, you can red flag a problem right away." Based on his long experience as a management consultant te small business, Cunningham cautions against one fairly common problem in drafting business plans. Often, he says, owner-managers are to optimistic when forecasting sales. Figures may be pulled out of thin air or calcualted too nimbly using spreadsheet software. "Sales forecasts are virtually meaningless if you don't calculate the profit spread for each product line," says Cunningham. To help you create a valid business'plan, the small business branch of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Technology provides three low-cost, comprehensive guide books that cover business planning for the manufacturing, retailing and service sectors. These bookiets contain forms to be filled out. Once completed, they provide a blueprint of your management, marketing and financial capabilities, solid groundwork on which potential investors can build. A LUXURIOUS SELECTION Few things in lite are as rewarding as a mink fur See our huge selection of new styles and tashions, and try. on the mink that fits you and your budget. MINKS FROM ~250.0 YOUR FURST CHOICE ln«Wdo4~FUR SALON - CàShfl@WSlw RocOiOls ~cn? io Iire an experienced credit & oleCiOn manager on argla rPar, m ass TABr ASOîAE Fore ver Friends After Four Months in Business is Closing Its Doors (for 2 Days OnIy- Oct. 24th & Oct. 25th.) So we can bring you an outstanding Country and Victorian Christmas Ail instore items reduced 15% to 201% from Oct. l9th through t Oct. 2lst, 1989. Excluding Christmasmrcade and furniture. To make room for our Christmas displays. Pringle Creek Plaza, Manning & Anderson Sts., Wbitby o666-4668 MA INTENA NCE L TD.I 500 HOPKINS ST.,,WHITBY 666-1224