>> Hide video <<

Video: Screen is split into five sections, each showing a montage of various entrepreneurs at work.

Host (voiceover): Are you thinking of starting or growing a business? Do you have a business plan? Are you confident with the one you have? Every year, thousands of people start businesses in Ontario, but those with a solid plan are more likely to succeed.

Video: Shot of the host, a male in his mid thirties to mid forties. He is at the Canada Business Ontario call centre.

Host: How can you build a business plan that works for you? Canada Business Ontario is your business information connection.

Video: Title screen reveals the Canada Business Ontario identifier, which reads: Canada Business Ontario - Your Business Information Connection. The title of the video (Business Planning) appears underneath.

Video: The screen then cuts to a close-up of a cursor selecting "Ontario" from a drop-down menu on the Canada Business website, followed by a shot of hands typing on a keyboard, with Canada Business Ontario literature in the foreground.  We then see an entrepreneur on the phone with a Business Information Officer, and a young woman at a presentation holding a folder containing Canada Business Ontario literature.

Host (voiceover): CBO, Canada Business Ontario, is a part of the national Canada Business Network, a one-stop source for information on government services for business - from start-up, financing, growth, to regulatory compliance, and more.

Video: The host addresses the audience while walking by two CBO banners at the Canada Business Ontario office.

Host: Why is a business plan so important? Your business plan is a tool that helps you not only structure your business, but also establishes a framework for its growth and helps you identify your long term goals.

Video: Close-up of host.

Host: Your business plan describes your business, its objectives and strategies; it describes the market you're targeting and your financial forecast. Ask yourself: Who are my customers? How am I going to reach them? Who is my competition? How am I going to price my product or service?

Video: Cuts to a montage showing a CBO representative assisting a client at a trade show booth, a woman in a library, a man on his laptop, a man on a cell phone, and, finally, a man and a woman in an office,  going over a business plan.

Host (voiceover): If you're starting a new business, and are looking for financing, your business plan is an essential part of your proposal. For possible investors, it's the document that sells your idea, demonstrates its potential, and is the blueprint of how you can make it work over the long haul.

Video: The montage continues with shots of various entrepreneurs working and performing retail transactions.

Host (voiceover): A business plan can help you measure the value of your business, and provide you with strategies on how to deal with the unexpected. The plan will also help guide you through positive aspects of your business such as: opening a new location, hiring new staff, or how to keep up with demand.

Video: We see an entrepreneur typing at a computer. This cuts to a close-up of a computer screen. The following points are typed out as the host mentions them:

Host (voiceover): Your business plan should include:

• A brief summary of your plan
• A description of your business idea
• Your marketing and sales strategy
• And, details on how your business will operate, including:
  • Human Resources and
  • Financial Forecasts

Video: Close up of the host.

Host: If you're working on a business plan, or are thinking of updating one, CBO can help.

Video: Close-up of a cursor descending through the list of Info-Guides on the Canada Business Ontario website. A montage then shows a series of shots, one for each of the upcoming points listed by the host. As each point is mentioned, it is written at the bottom of the screen. We see people attending a presentation (onscreen text: Government Programs), a Business Information Officer (onscreen text: Market Research), a close-up of a brochure being opened  (onscreen text: Financing), a business meeting (onscreen text: Regulations), a customer buying bread (onscreen text: Taxation), kitchen staff at work (onscreen text: Hiring), a man and a woman working in an office (onscreen text: Setting up Payrolls), and a woman looking through a catalogue and writing on a sheet (onscreen text: Importing and Exporting).

Host (voiceover): Canada Business Ontario is your business information connection, and provides information on topics such as:

• Government Programs
• Market Research
• Financing
• Regulations
• Taxation
• Hiring
• Setting up Payrolls, as well as
• Importing and Exporting

Video: Samples of different business plan templates are laid out over a shot of a woman at a computer. Next, we see a close-up of the Canada Business website, as a cursor selects "Business Planning", then "Writing Your Business Plan" from the left-hand menu.

Host (voiceover): CBO can also provide you with templates and examples of current business plans, as well as other helpful resources, that can assist you in developing your own business plan.

Video: We see the same woman at a computer, from behind this time. The CBO website is visible on her computer screen. We cut to a close-up of the CBO website, as a cursor descends through the list of languages in which the multilingual documents are available.

Host (voiceover): The best part? This information is available to you at no cost, it's easy to access, and popular topics are available in over ten languages.

Video: Close-up of the host as he addresses the audience. The website URL and the phone number appear at the bottom of the screen when he mentions them.

Host: How can you access Canada Business Ontario? Simple. Visit canadabusiness.ca, or call the Business Information Line at one triple eight, 745-8888 and talk to a Business Information Officer.

Video: Wider shot of the host, standing in front of two CBO banners.

Host: Business Planning: just one of the many services from Canada Business Ontario to help your business succeed.

Video: The Canada Business Ontario identifier (Canada Business Ontario, Your Business Information Connection) appears onscreen, along with the website address (CanadaBusiness.ca), the Business Info Line number (1.888.745.8888), and the TTY number (1.800.268.7095). The Ontario logo, Industry Canada identifier and Canada Wordmark are also shown at the bottom of the screen.

Logo: Canada Wordmark