What to Include in Your Executive Summary

If You Are an Established Business

If you are an established business, be sure to include the following information:

The Mission Statement – This explains what your business is all about. It should be between several sentences and a paragraph.

Company information – Include a short statement that covers when your business was formed, the names of the founders and their roles, your number of employees, and your business location(s).

Growth highlights – Include examples of company growth, such as financial or market highlights (for example, “XYZ Firm increased profit margins and market share year-over-year since its foundation). Graphs and charts can be helpful in this section.

Your Products/Services -- Briefly describe the products or services you provide.

Financial information – If you are seeking financing, include any information about your current bank and investors.

Summarize future plans – Explain where you would like to take your business.

With the exception of the mission statement, all of the information in the executive summary should be covered in a concise fashion and kept to one page. The executive summary is the first part of your business plan many people will see: therefore, each word should count.

If You Are a Startup or New Business

If you are just starting a business, you won't have as much information as an established company. Instead, focus on your experience and background as well as the decisions that led you to start this particular enterprise.

Demonstrate that you have done thorough market analysis. Include information about a need or gap in your target market, and how your particular solutions can fill it. Convince the reader that you can succeed in your target market, then address your future plans.

$35 Million VC Fund in Ohio

Ohio State University and Ohio University have teamed up to create a $35 million venture-capital fund to turn campus research discoveries into products and jobs.

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Low-Interest Loans Support New Manufacturing Jobs

New state investments approved by the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) will support the creation of 134 new jobs and the retention of 74 jobs in Monroe and Westmoreland counties.

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Bill Wipes Out Ethanol Tax Credit to Restore Highway Funding

Governor Signs Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead (R) signed a bill (S.F. 8) repealing the gasoline tax credit of 40 cents per gallon provided to producers of ethanol, among critics of the subsidy who said it was time for the ethanol industry to stand on its own.

Under the measure, the repeal of the ethanol fuel tax credit will allow the state Highway Fund and local governments to resume collecting millions in fuel taxes on Wyoming-produced ethanol.

The measure, approved Feb. 17 by the Senate and on March 2 by the House, takes effect July 1, 2015. It was signed March 22 by Mead.

Alternative Energy Development, Manufacturing Tax Credits Enacted

A new alternative energy development tax credit and alternative energy manufacturing tax credit have been enacted in Utah for tax years starting by Jan. 1, 2012.
A nonrefundable credit is now available to entities involved in alternative energy development, equaling up to 75 percent of new state revenues generated by projects that either generate utility scale alternative energy or extract alternative fuels.

The credit is available to “alternative energy entities” that conduct business within the state and enter into an agreement with the Office of Energy Development. “Alternative energy projects” are defined as projects involving a new or expanding operation in the state and either utility-scale alternative energy generation or the extraction of alternative fuels.

Coalfield Employment Enhancement Tax Credit

Virginia extends the coalfield employment enhancement credit through tax years beginning before January 1, 2017. Prior to this legislation, the credit applied to tax years beginning before January 1, 2015.

Virginia Governor approves “Amazon Law”

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell signed “Amazon legislation” that creates a presumption of sales and use tax nexus for an out-of-state seller if a commonly controlled person maintains a distribution center, warehouse, fulfillment center, office, or similar location within Virginia that facilitates the delivery of tangible personal property sold by the seller to its customers.