Give the lender a clear explanation of the project
The plan begins with the decision you want the reader to assess: who is buying or building the franchise, what the total project involves and how it will be funded. We organize the information around your ownership, location, operating responsibilities and proposed use of funds.
Franchisor materials provide useful context, but they do not replace a plan for your business. Distinguish information about the wider brand from assumptions about your location. The reader should not have to guess which figures are historical, quoted or forecast.
Connect the narrative with the financial model
A forecast should follow the operating plan. If the narrative describes particular hours, staffing or sales channels, the financial assumptions should reflect them. Likewise, the amount requested in the application should reconcile with the project budget and proposed owner contribution.
BDC advises that business-plan assumptions should be realistic and explainable. Our process uses that principle to identify questions: what supports the sales estimate, which costs are confirmed and how will the business manage the expected cash movements? We keep assumptions visible rather than hiding uncertainty behind precise-looking numbers.
Organize the sections around the financing purpose
The scope depends on the transaction and lender request. A new opening needs a different explanation from a resale with existing results. We identify the relevant information before preparing the plan, and flag gaps that require input from you, the franchisor or your professional advisers.
- Business and ownership overview, including the operator's responsibilities and experience.
- Franchise concept, location and the intended customer offering.
- Opening, acquisition or expansion plan with key assumptions.
- Project costs, funding sources and the proposed use of the loan.
- Financial forecasts and explanations that connect them to the operating plan.
- Supporting documents and questions that remain to be resolved.
Use your own evidence and review the result
Bring the franchise investment details, available quotes, lease information and any existing financial records. We will distinguish confirmed documents from items still being developed. If a number changes during preparation, the plan should change with it.
Your review is part of the work. You should be able to explain the key assumptions and recognize your actual project in the finished document. A business plan is not a substitute for knowing the business, and no document can guarantee that a lender will approve the request.
Keep the plan useful through lender review
A financing discussion may produce follow-up questions or require updated information. We help organize the response and keep the relevant plan, budget and application details consistent. The aim is a coherent financing file rather than several versions that describe different projects.
Our team combines former banking and franchise ownership experience. Tell us whether you are planning a new location, purchasing a resale or adding units, and whether a lender has already provided a document list. We can then define the preparation needed for your next step.
Your questions, answered
Can you prepare a plan for a CSBFL application?
Yes. We prepare in-house business plans to support franchise financing applications, including projects being considered under CSBFP. The lender determines its document requirements and whether the application qualifies.
Can you use the business information I already have?
Yes. Share the current franchise materials, budget, quotes and any draft plan. We can identify useful information, inconsistent figures and gaps before completing the lender-facing document.
Will the plan contain guaranteed sales or an approval promise?
No. Projections are estimates based on disclosed assumptions. The plan should make those assumptions understandable; sales outcomes and lending decisions cannot be guaranteed.