James Cashmore delivers the 'what, why and how' of business planning for social and environmental enterprises.

3. - Overall objective for the day – to provide you with inspiration, tools,
benchmarks and “practice opportunities” to build effective business
plans for your social and sustainable enterprises
- Designed for:
1. leaders of existing social enterprises who have done some business planning but
need to develop their skills and experiences further
1. individuals currently leading start-up social enterprises or values-led business,
who want to develop a plan for the first time
1. individuals thinking about setting up a social enterprise or values-led business
- Overall format – a combination of taught sessions, and practical group
work, including a detailed case study.

4. 1. Why plan? – the benefits of business planning (1 hour)
 Whole group taught session (20 minutes)
 Group work - the role of planning in defining the purpose and overall goals of the enterprise
2. What to plan – key elements of the business plan (1.5 hours, incl coffee break)
 Whole group taught session (30 minutes)
 Group work - focussing on 2-3 of the key elements per group
3. How to plan - how to run a planning process and to make it work for your
enterprise (30 mins)
 Whole group taught session
Lunch (60 minutes)
4. Case study (2 hours)
◦ Preparation (in syndicate streams) (60 mins)
◦ Presentation (45 mins)
◦ Wrap-up and summary of the day (15 mins)

5. 1. A social enterprise business hub, based in central
Cambridge
2. A community dairy, based either in the Cotswolds
or in rural India
3. An on-line volunteering exchange for the UK
4. OR, a real business known to one of the group

6. 1. Why plan? – the benefits of business planning (1 hour)
◦ Whole group taught session (20 minutes)
◦ Group work - the role of planning in defining the purpose and overall goals of the enterprise
2. What to plan – key elements of the business plan (1.5 hours, incl coffee break)
◦ Whole group taught session (30 minutes)
◦ Group work - focussing on 2-3 of the key elements per group
3. How to plan - how to run a planning process and to make it work for your
enterprise (30 mins)
◦ Whole group taught session
Lunch (60 minutes)
4. Case study (2 hours)
◦ Preparation (in syndicate streams) (60 mins)
◦ Presentation (45 mins)
◦ Wrap-up and summary of the day (15 mins)

8.  Changes in:
◦ Broader external environment
◦ Immediate market/competitor environment
◦ Internal “environment” – within organisation, supply
chain, customers, other immediate stakeholders

9. 1. Vision (long term direction)
2. Strategy (choice of route)
3. Anticipation (short term path)
4. Effectiveness (making the right choices – e.g.
resource allocation)
5. Action planning and monitoring (staying on plan)
6. Motivation (building team alignment and energy
around common goals)

11.  Creating a goal and bringing clarity to it
 Understanding core purpose
◦ What we are about
◦ What we aren’t about
 Creating unity and understanding
 Acts as a reference point – a “true north”

12.  Making the right choices, all things
considered
 Sets “orientation” with regard to key
stakeholders:
◦ Customers
◦ Suppliers
◦ Competitors
◦ Investors

14.  When we get “just around the corner”, what
are we going to be faced with?
 What’s just ahead of us?
◦ Decisions
◦ Milestones
◦ Disruptions and step-changes
◦ Opportunities
◦ And how are we going to respond (in broad terms)?
– (contingency planning)”

15.  What is our resource? – is it infinite?
 If not, how can we deploy the resources we
have most efficiently and effectively?
 What’s the likely investment (econ/soc/envt)
and return (econ/soc/envt)?

16.  Co-ordination
 Minimising waste
 Monitoring and tracking
 Taking corrective action

17.  Common goals and purpose?
 Common strategies?
 Tactics understood?
 Then let’s begin....(together)

18. Vision
Strategy
Anticipation
Effectiveness
Tracking
Energy

19.  There are different stakeholders to the plan…
 In a social/sustainable enterprise, key
stakeholders often includes people and/or
the planet

20.  Concerns differ
 Stakeholder balance
 But also stakeholder interconnectedness

21. 1. Shareholders vs environment
2. Communities vs shareholders
3. Customers vs suppliers
4. Employees vs customers

22.  Plan needs to consider all stakeholders
 But plan view needs to “sliceable” for the
perspectives of different groups

23. 1. A social enterprise business hub, based in
Cambridge
2. A community dairy, based either in the Cotswolds
or in rural India
3. An on-line volunteering exchange for the UK
4. OR, a real business known to one of the group
Same choice for the whole day
But - it’s the overall thinking that’s important, not the business specifics

25. 1. Why plan? – the benefits of business planning (1 hour)
◦ Whole group taught session (20 minutes)
◦ Group work - the role of planning in defining the purpose and overall goals of the enterprise
2. What to plan – key elements of the business plan (1.5 hours, incl coffee break)
◦ Whole group taught session (30 minutes)
◦ Group work - focussing on 2-3 of the key elements per group
3. How to plan - how to run a planning process and to make it work for your
enterprise (30 mins)
◦ Whole group taught session
Lunch (60 minutes)
4. Case study (2 hours)
◦ Preparation (in syndicate streams) (60 mins)
◦ Presentation (45 mins)
◦ Wrap-up and summary of the day (15 mins)

28.  Different types of plan
 Enterprise vs functional/team
 Strategic vs operational

33. 1. Executive Summary
2. Background (to the enterprise)
3. Purpose and proposition
4. The market: competitors, sales and marketing
5. Operations
6. Management team/people
7. Projections (including financials, and non-
financial impacts). Also use of funds.
8. Risks
9. Plan/timelines

34. 1. Executive Summary
2. Background (to the enterprise)
3. Purpose and proposition
4. The market: competitors, sales and marketing
5. Operations
6. Management team/people
7. Projections (including financials, and non-
financial impacts). Also use of funds.
8. Risks
9. Plan/timelines

35.  Aims
◦ Demonstrate that there is a market for the product/service
proposition that can support the projections
◦ Show that the competition is known and understood
◦ Define the target customer
◦ Demonstrate your advantage versus competitors
◦ Summarise the likely marketing mix
◦ Demonstrate the sales process (differs for B2B vs B2C)

36.  Potential tools
1. SWOT analysis, with key implications (SWOT + “so
what”)
1. Competitor analysis (e.g. Porter’s 5 forces for
assessing industry competitiveness, Porter’s generic
strategies for a firm or enterprise)
2. Product and market analysis (Ansoff)

39.  Management team
◦ Experience and skills
◦ Motivation and reward
 Organisational structure and capability assessment
(incl. strategic hires)
 Employees (incl. volunteers etc.)
◦ Recruitment and training
◦ Motivation and reward
◦ Development and progression
◦ Performance management

40.  Key assumptions
◦ The value added model (unit revenues and costs)
◦ Volumes (incl. breakeven analysis)
 Financial statements
◦ Profit and loss
◦ Cashflow forecast
◦ Balance sheet
 Risks and sensitivities
 KPIs – financial; social/environmental

43. 1. Why plan? – the benefits of business planning (1 hour)
◦ Whole group taught session (20 minutes)
◦ Group work - the role of planning in defining the purpose and overall goals of the enterprise
2. What to plan – key elements of the business plan (1.5 hours, incl coffee break)
◦ Whole group taught session (30 minutes)
◦ Group work - focussing on 2-3 of the key elements per group
3. How to plan - how to run a planning process and to make it work for your
enterprise (30 mins)
◦ Whole group taught session
Lunch (60 minutes)
4. Case study (2 hours)
◦ Preparation (in syndicate streams) (60 mins)
◦ Presentation (45 mins)
◦ Wrap-up and summary of the day (15 mins)

45.  Typical outcomes of a plan
 What would being “well planned” feel like?
 What would being unplanned feel like?
 What would you see/hear in a planned
environment?

46.  Like anything, planning can be done badly
or well.
 What really makes the difference?
 Is there a right or a wrong way? – or does it
depend on the organisation?

47.  The process of creating the plan is as important as
the plan itself
 Different plan elements require different
approaches and mindsets

51.  Participating in, or leading, a planning
process requires an understanding of:
◦ Why are we planning? – what’s the emphasis (e.g,
between the 6 dimensions)
◦ Who are we planning for? (stakeholders)
◦ What are we planning? (scope)
◦ What are the outcomes we are seeking?

52. 1.
3.
2.

53. - How important is my planning process? (as opposed to the
plan outcome/content). Which of the following are going to
help me:
- Wide awareness of the plan
-Commitment to the plan from others who will help
deliver it
- Validation/checking of the plan
- Who do I want to create the plan? And who will review it?
And who will use it?
Me
Me + Senior team
Everyone

54. - An event?
- A one–off process? (e.g. over several weeks/months)
- A continuous/cyclical process?
Choosing the right process also depends on the kind of plan
you want/need
- strategic
- operational/tactical
- financial

55.  Metrics
 Tracking
 Accountability – linked elements
 How will I know if I have implemented my
plan?

58. - Overall objective for the day – to provide you with
inspiration, tools, benchmarks and “practice
opportunities” to build effective business plans for
your social and sustainable enterprises
1. Why plan – the benefits of business planning
2. What to plan – key elements of the business plan
3. How to plan - how to run a planning process and to
make it work for your enterprise
4. Case study