In this section, we’ve included some resources that might come in handy for starting your business. Feel free to use these sample business plans and profit and loss statements as examples to help guide your planning or to show to potential clients and investors. We’ve also included a list of organizations that provide support and resources for young female entrepreneurs—everything you need to start working on your goals and become a Boss.

QUERY LETTER

A query letter is a tool for outreach. It can be used when a friend or colleague is referring you to someone new to get potential business or information or when you’re contacting someone cold to find out if they’re interested in meeting with you or hearing more about what you do. It can be sent as an e-mail attachment or via old-fashioned snail mail. Or you can put the letter right into the body of the e-mail.

ELEMENTS OF A QUERY LETTER

DATE

(unless you’re putting your query in the body of the email)

DEAR _________________________________ :

Find a name. (No “Dear Sir or Madam,” no “To Whom It May Concern.” Do a little research. Find out who will be reading your letter. Don’t send it without a name.)

I AM _________________________________ AND THIS IS WHAT I DO.

(Introduce yourself here. Here’s where you describe who you are, explain who suggested you write to the recipient or how you found them, and explain what your business does and any successes you’ve had so far.)

I AM WRITING BECAUSE _________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________ .

(Now it’s time to say what you want; how can this person help you? Be specific with your request. Do you need advice on something in particular? Do you want to show them your product?)

THIS IS WHAT I CAN DO FOR YOU—OR THE WORLD.

(Sell it. Your concept is great—explain how great and what your goal for it is.)

I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH A CALL IN _________________________________ .

(Say when you’ll get in contact to discuss how you can work together. And keep that promise.)

SINCERELY,

BOSS

E-MAIL

PHONE

WEBSITE

BUSINESS PLAN

A business plan lets prospective investors, partners, or owners of a space you might rent see a summary of who you are and what your business does. It includes financial and growth projections and information about any startup capital you have already. Any business plan should include the following sections:

1. 1. A SUMMARY OF WHO YOU ARE—the person creating and running the business. Don’t forget to mention why you are particularly well suited to be launching your business. Talk about your experiences and the successes you’ve had.
2. 2. A DESCRIPTION OF YOUR COMPANY—what it makes, what it sells, what service it provides, and how you know there is a need for it.
3. 3. AN ANALYSIS OF THE OTHER BUSINESSES IN YOUR SPACE—that is, businesses that do something similar and how well they are doing it. Don’t feel the need to say that every other business doing what you plan to do is failing at it miserably. Investors like to see that you are working in an area where businesses are succeeding. Just make sure you point out what makes yours different and potentially more successful.
4. 4. WHO WILL BE RUNNING THE BUSINESS WITH YOU? Will you have employees? Managers? Unpaid or paid helpers?
5. 5. GET INTO DETAIL ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL MAKE AND SELL. Include specifics about ideas you have, including patents you may have already applied for and received. Discuss plans you have to keep your product current. How long is it likely to be useful without needing to be revised?
6. 6. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADVERTISE, MARKET AND FIND BUYERS FOR YOUR PRODUCT? Don’t forget to mention all your Twitter followers or social media friends. They are proof that you have influence over a large group and that you have a potential market for your product.
7. 7. THE MONEY—here’s where you talk about how much money you need to get your project off the ground and how much you may need later on to sustain it. Refer to this as “round one” and “round two” of financing. Don’t be afraid to state what you need, but make sure you can account for how you’ll use the money you raise.
8. 8. HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WILL TAKE UNTIL YOU’RE UP AND RUNNING AND MAKING A PROFIT? Don’t feel pressured to say you’ll be profitable right away. Savvy investors know it takes awhile, and they are patient. The most important thing you can do is to give realistic expectations and then meet them. Write up a realistic timeline.

EXAMPLES

You can find many sample business plans online, and it will be worth it to research and read a number of them before you start. Visit sba.gov, CanadaBusiness.ca, or bplan.com (these are just a few of many sites) to get started. Business plans can go into vast detail and run dozens of pages long, but here is a sample of the simplest version.

BUSINESS PLAN FOR WELL, CALIFORNIA

A NATURAL BATH AND BODY PRODUCTS COMPANY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Well, California is owned by Boss Extraordinaire, who learned about creating healthy, organic products through studying at a summer program at the Health Institute. She makes body lotions, soaps, bath gels, and lip balms out of organic products sourced from ethical growers in California. Organic, handmade bath and body products have grown in popularity and are carried in mainstream grocers as well as local health markets. Well, California has a website (insert website URL here), where it currently sells its products, and will begin selling at farmers’ markets this year.

MISSION: Well, California manufactures and sells organic body products sourced from growers and suppliers in California in order to support the local economies of California. The products are gentle and safe for most skin types.

COMPANY OWNERSHIP: Well, California is fully owned by Boss Extraordinaire.

STARTUP SUMMARY: Well, California’s startup costs consist of ingredients used to make bath and body products, rent on an industrial kitchen space, as well as bottles and labels for the finished goods. Well, California currently has $5,000 from a Kickstarter campaign, which will cover expenses to produce 5,000 bottles of lotion, the company’s first signature product, and 5,000 units of its other products.

STARTUP EXPENSES

• Website design and maintenance . . . $500
• Ingredients . . . $3,000
• Bottles and Labels . . . $1,000
• Accounting/Legal . . . $500
• First Month’s Rent . . . $1,000

PRODUCTS

• * Citrus lip balm
• * Berry soap
• * Citrus soap
• * Berry body lotion
• * Avocado body lotion
• * Citrus body lotion
• * Citrus bath gel
• * Berry bath gel

MARKET ANALYSIS: Organic bath and body products experienced a steady 10% yearly growth rate from 20xx to 20xx, increasing in 20xx–20xx to a 20% growth. Customers are increasingly interested in using safe, natural products on their skin, which corresponds with a growth in sales of organic foods in the same period.

The key is to offer healthy natural products with a unique, distinguishing feature. Well, California, does this by:

• * sourcing all ingredients locally from within California
• * using excess crop production of avocados and citrus fruits
• * ensuring top-quality ingredients

MARKETING STRATEGY

1. a) Sell products from website
2. b) Sell products at local farmers’ markets and craft fairs
3. c) Sell products at established retail locations

SALES FORECAST

[You will detail the specifics of these sales with charts and graphics.]

1. a) Year 1: $10,000 in sales from website, based on current sales figures [Include these figures.]
2. b) Year 2: $15,000 in sales from website and local markets
3. c) Years 3–5: $50,000 in sales from placement in retail locations

MANAGEMENT: [You will detail the expenses and salaries with charts.] Boss Extraordinaire will handle production and packaging of products, website design, sales, and marketing in year 1.

1. a) Well, California will hire sales representatives to staff local markets in year 2.
2. b) Well, California will hire sales representatives and production staff in year 3.

FINANCIALS: Profit and Loss Statement [see below for a sample] and all projected financial numbers.

SPREADSHEET

A spreadsheet is a chart with columns for different pieces of information, all organized so you can see it in one place. You’ve probably used them in school, but this might be the first time you’ve needed one in real life. Excel is the big daddy of spreadsheet programs, and once you open a new sheet, you’ll see columns you can label and fill in with information. You can even set up equations to take the information you put in your spreadsheet and calculate other information from it. A lot of spreadsheets can be really simple, though—the main benefit is that you can edit and change the information without losing any of it.

INCOME AND EXPENSES STATEMENT

YOU KEEP TWO CATEGORIES OF INFORMATION: money coming in and money going out (income and expenses). List everything you pay out as an expense: rent on an office, supplies, web hosting fees, paint, computers, wages—anything your business pays for.

Then list all the money coming in—money from sales, startup loans, grant money, donations—any funds you receive.

If things are going according to plan, the income and the expenses should be roughly the same. That means you shouldn’t be spending more than you’re earning.

In a real profit-and-loss statement, you want the income and expenses to balance out in the end. As the owner and chief employee, your own salary is an expense. So whatever extra money you’d have actually gets paid to you, so your profit and loss statement can zero out at the end. If your profits are higher, your salary might go up along with it.

HERE’S WHAT YOUR STATEMENT MIGHT LOOK LIKE:

YOUR BUSINESS NAME HERE
Income Statement for
January–December 20XX
REVENUES AND GAINS
Sales Revenues	$25,000
Interest Revenues	$1,000
Total Revenues and Gains	$26,000
EXPENSES AND LOSSES
Rent Expense	$2,000
Employee Salaries	$5,000
Office Supplies Expense	$1,000
Startup Equipment Expense	$5,000
Marketing and Promotion	$1,000
Meals and Entertainment	$1,000
Total Expenses and Losses	$15,000
NET INCOME	$11,000

PRESS RELEASE

A press release is a public declaration of news you want to share, framed in the way you want the world to know about it. It’s basically just a blast of information with contact details so reporters, bloggers, or researchers can contact you for more. Always keep it to one page and use the elements in the sample press release shown below.

Contact: ANN BROWN

www.boss.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Well, California eschews waste by using California’s excess avocado crop in its new product line.

REDUCING WASTE AND REVITALIZING SKIN

Avocado body lotion soothes sunburn while keeping extra fruit out of landfills.

Well, California, a local, female-owned business is now in the business of doing good for the planet. After talking with California farmers who have a bumper crop of avocados this year, company founder Ann Brown realized she had a solution to the problem of potential waste. Her company will use excess crop production in its line of avocado body lotions, while giving a portion of the profits back to California charity organizations this year.

SUPPORTING LOCAL GROWERS

Well, California has been in business for three years, providing organic, natural bath and body products sourced from California farmers. “We’re giving back to local growers while providing healthy products for our customers,” says founder and CEO Ann Brown. The company has a line of soaps and bath gels in berry, citrus and avocado scents, all of which incorporate the benefits of the fruit oils they contain. They company also has a line of lip balms and its signature body lotion line, Essence by Well, California.

“I was going to throw away seventy pounds of avocados this week,” said farmer Jane White. “When Ann Brown approached me and asked about our surplus, I realized it was a win-win for both of us. We will be in business for many years to come.”

RESOURCES: PROGRAMS THAT HELP BOSSES GET AHEAD

There are many others online and locally.

USA

THE BOSS (BRINGING OUT SUCCESSFUL SISTERS) NETWORK

Networking organization that supports the development of female entrepreneurs.

thebossnetwork.org

CHIC CEO

Website dedicated to helping female entrepreneurs start businesses.

chic-ceo.com

FEMALE ENTREPRENEUR ASSOCIATION

Online hub to inspire women in business.

femaleentrepreneurassociation.com

THE GIRL EFFECT ACCELERATOR

Two-week program for startups that benefit girls in poverty.

girleffectaccelerator.com

GIRL UP

United Nations Foundation’s adolescent girl empowerment campaign.

girlup.org

GIRLS GOING PLACES ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM

A Florida-based program and conference designed to help girls start businesses.

girlsgoingplaces-afg.com

GIRLS WHO CODE

Focused on closing the technology gender gap, the organization offers a summer immersion program to teach girls to code.

girlswhocode.com

GOOGLE FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Partners with entrepreneurs and builds communities where startups can grow.

googleforentrepreneurs.com

LEAN IN

Nonprofit network for women to support one another through mentorship and peer circles. Based on Sheryl Sandberg’s best-selling book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.

leanin.org

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS

Membership organization that unites women business owners into a national network.

nawbo.org

NATIONAL CENTER FOR WOMEN & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

National network that works to increase diversity in technology.

ncwit.org

NFTE NATIONAL YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGE

Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship’s semester-long or year-long programs for young entrepreneurs to create a business plan and compete for national recognition.

nfte.com

POINTS OF LIGHT CIVIC ACCELERATOR

Investment fund and accelerator for nonprofit and for-profit civic ventures.

pointsoflight.org/civic-incubator/civic-accelerator

SAVOR THE SUCCESS

Membership organization for networking and mentorship among women business owners.

join.savorthesuccess.com

STARTUPCORPS

Philadelphia-based organization that gives teens entrepreneurship opportunities.

startupcorps.org

SHE OWNS IT

Web destination and support network for female entrepreneurs.

sheownsit.com

TECHCRUNCH

Preeminent source for technology news and information on startups, with events including the coveted Hackathon, Disrupt, and Startup Battlefield.

techcrunch.com

WOMEN IMPACTING PUBLIC POLICY

National nonpartisan public policy organization that advocates on behalf of women in business.

wipp.org

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (WOSB) FEDERAL CONTRACT PROGRAM

Helps women-owned businesses compete for federal contracts.

sba.gov/contracting/government-contracting-programs/women-owned-small-businesses

WOMEN’S STARTUP LAB

Year-long founder development accelerator in Silicon Valley.

womenstartuplab.com

CANADA

CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN EXECUTIVES AND ENTREPRENEURS (CAWEE)

Provides opportunities to build your contact base, share resources, acquire referrals, and develop skills and knowledge that will help your business grow.

cawee.net

CANADIAN WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY

A global forum for women professionals to connect with peers, share knowledge, promote research, collaborate, and seek suggestions and advice on career advancement and business growth in the technology sector.

cata.ca/Communities/new-communities.html

CANADIAN WOMEN’S BUSINESS NETWORK

Provides affordable, effective online advertising and relevant resources to assist small businesses.

cdnbizwomen.com

WOMEN IN BIZ NETWORK

Aims to increase the overall well-being and financial success of Canadian business women through mentorship, advocacy, and skill-building events.

womeninbiznetwork.com

CANADIAN WOMEN’S FOUNDATION

Empowers women and girls in Canada to move out of violence, out of poverty, and into confidence and leadership.

canadianwomen.org

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

Creates inspirational programs that bring women together in developing their leadership skills.

womeninleadership.ca

CANADA ONE

Provides information and resources about Canadian grant and loan programs for young entrepreneurs.

canadaone.com/magazine/loan_programs.html

WOMEN’S ENTERPRISE ORGANIZATIONS OF CANADA

An association of organizations that provide programs and services directly to women business owners in Canada.

weoc.ca

STARTUP CANADA

Celebrates and distinguishes outstanding achievement in advancing Canadian entrepreneurship.

startupaward.ca

FORUM FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS (FWE)

Educates, energizes, and empowers all women, encouraging them to become successful entrepreneurs.

fwe.ca

WINSETT CENTRE

An action-oriented, nonprofit organization that aspires to recruit, retain, and advance women in science, engineering, trades, and technology (SETT).

winsett.ca

YOUNG WOMEN IN ENERGY

Aims to address the recognized need to increase female presence, development, and leadership in the energy industry.

youngwomeninenergy.com

FUTURPRENEUR CANADA

Provides financing, mentoring, and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18 to 39.

futurpreneur.ca

WEB DESIGN

Of course, there are many companies that offer web design services. But when you’re just starting out, you may want more of a DIY approach. Here are some avenues to explore:

GODADDY WEBSITE BUILDER: godaddy.com/websites/website-builder

GOOGLE WEB DESIGNER: google.com/webdesigner

SQUARESPACE: squarespace.com

WEEBLY: weebly.com

WIX: wix.com

PHOTO CREDITS

Niharika Bedekar: Ashley Overbeek

Deepika Bodapati: Vijay Sarathy

Fe Maidens: Erica Hill

Alyson Greenfield: Chantilly Waryck

Naama Raz-Yaseef: Gayle Anonuevo

Chelsea Siler: Wendy D.