A business plan with quality narratives and numbers helps chart growth and is essential for attracting funding from investors.

A good business plan can be a valuable 3-to-5-year road map for creative businesses looking to grow and sustain. Often startup and/or emerging creative businesses possess parts of a business plan but lack the comprehensive vision that thoughtfully integrates key components like SWOT analysis, target markets, and pricing strategies. Most importantly, business plans might have a solid story on the goals while lacking detailed financials to measure success.

For the Business Plan Boost, up to 10 Black creative entrepreneurs will receive 15 hours of one-on-one expert support in crafting a new and/or refreshed business plan and projections. The participants will work with the professionals at the national firm, Small Business Consulting, to combine and/or create content for a beneficial business plan and projections.

"Great experience working with SBC. They took their time explaining each step with me. They helped me figure out how to put the business plan together and what needed to be done to bring it to life. Would highly recommend!"

Romie Watson Owner of Dummy and Co-Owner of Senseless

Apply Today

Applications open on April 17, 2023, and interested applicants can click the button below to start. Application deadline is April 28, 2023, and any questions about the process go to Roderick Ramsey, Program Manager for ORIGINS at Bridgeway Capital.

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Overview

Basics
  • Participants: Up to 10 creatives entrepreneurs
  • Deliverable: Complete Business Plan and Financial Projections
  • Duration: Runs May through July 2023
  • Schedule: Flexible to Participants
  • Participation: Full Engagement Required
  • Software: LivePlan for Business Plans and Financial Projections
  • Software: Vertical IQ for Industry Performance Research
  • Coaching: 15 Hours with Small Business Consultants (SBC)
Timeline
  • Application Opens: April 17, 2023
  • Information Session: April 26, 2023, at 7:00 PM (ORIGINS Monthly Meeting in April starts at 6:00 PM)
  • Application Deadline: April 28, 2023, by 11:59 PM
  • Selected Participants Announced: May 5, 2023
  • Kick Off: May 15, 2023
  • Targeted End Date: July 28, 2023
Eligibility
  • Black Creative Business Owner
  • Current ORIGINS Network Member
  • Location: Western PA, Northern WV, or Eastern OH
  • Not an ORIGINS Network Member, Sign Up!

Join Network

All Black creative entrepreneurs in the ORIGINS Network can access this opportunity and participate in an information session on April 26, 2023, at 7:00 PM. Signing up will also grant access to other resources, opportunities, and communications offered through ORIGINS and its parent organization, Bridgeway Capital.

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Our Experts & Tools

SBC Consulting

Bridgeway works closely with the team at Small Business Consulting (SBC) and their small business support consultants on a wide variety of business assistance projects. SBC consultants are both skilled and patient, and truly meat entrepreneurs where they are in the growth process. The firm was founded on acumen and care, focusing on leading small business owners to demonstrable improvements in job creation, job retention, sales growth, and capital infusion.

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LivePlan is business planning software used across the county for various entrepreneurs and organizations that support small businesses. It helps entrepreneurs and small companies concisely organize relevant strategies and projection information. While the software can be used independently by entrepreneurs, the process is more effective with the coaching support of skilled consultants with marketing and accounting expertise.

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VIQ Home - Vertical IQ

Vertical IQ will be utilized by SBC in conjunction with LivePlan to support participants in their planning process. The platform quickly gets entrepreneurs up-to-speed on the details of their industry, enabling them to access crucial insights on how similar small businesses perform in the market. It will help them build stronger relationships and sales through actionable, convenient, and focused data covering more than 97% of the US Economy.

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