February 17 Meeting

Howard Smith
Building a Better Business Plan

By Shari L. Covino

Business Consultant and teacher at a local community college, Howard L. Smith was guest speaker at Thursday’s meeting and addressed to the group his philosophy on developing an effective business plan. “Develop a Mission Statement first,” Smith says, “and establish what it is you want from your business.” Smith stated that the philosophy of a business needs to be reflected in the business plan. The business plan is like a resume, and the business owner is responsible for its content.

Smith is also President of Howard L. Smith Associates, LLC, and has several years of management experience in the business community. He has many years of corporate experience, having worked for large international consulting firms as well. In addition, he has worked with companies throughout the U.S. and Canada. Smith provides several types of services at his consulting firm.

There are many advantages of using an effective business plan as Smith went through a list of do’s and don’ts to the group. And clearly, the purpose of a business plan should be concise and to the point. Smith spoke about one of the most important elements of the business plan – the Executive Summary – and how it should include the company’s prospects, needs, and situation. It should be well written and is a critical piece to the plan.

To contact Howard or to inquire about his programs, he can be reached at (860) 989-1776.

 

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