Your project
So that’s it, you have the idea of the century? You want to launch a project but everything is not yet quite clear in your mind? Organise yourself to take considered decisions, validate your project and give yourself every opportunity to be successful!
To do this, there are two key stages: preparation of the project and production of a business plan.
Preparation of a professional project
Before anything else, you must refine your idea. Staring at a blank page can be disturbing if you don’t know where to start. Everything is a question of methodology.
Firstly, list your professional experience, your skills and your abilities. Imagine that you are going to apply for the job of your dreams. Ask yourself what is important for you.
From there, seek information on the occupations that correspond to you and which best meet your expectations and values. Could there be new prospects that you have not previously considered? Seek information.
Never lose sight of the realities of the market or your personal constraints.
Business plan or enterprise plan
The enterprise plan is the sales pitch for your professional project. It is intended for third parties, possibly investors, financial organisations,… and will serve to convince them that your project is attractive and viable. It will also act as a reference point in each stage of your project.
Generally, it is designed in 5 main parts:
- General presentation: write the slogan, the key element, that will make people want to hear more.
Be clear, concise and interesting! - Products and services: describe the products and services that you will put on the market.
Be rigorous! - Market study: prove that you know the market that you will enter. Your product or service must fulfil a requirement and you must encourage the public to obtain it.
- Strategy: explain how you are going to initiate and develop your activity and how you are going to position yourself amongst your competitors. Establish a timetable for your actions.
- Financial plan: demonstrate that your project is feasible. Use quantified data to show your potential. Do not hesitate to explain your calculations and tables for those who are discovering your project.
A business plan must not be long but it must be comprehensive, to provide an overall view of your activity for the forthcoming years. The objective is to convince, but you cannot evade any problems. Analyse the risks and anticipate any difficult questions. Do not let doubts arise. Demonstrate your knowledge of the project and make other market players want to join you.
Grants
To help you more easily find your bearings concerning any grants that may be available at the regional, federal or European levels, the region of Brussels-Capital has created EcoSubsiBru, the portal covering aid in the region of Brussels-Capital.
Here, you will find everything that you need to know concerning available grants via a search engine, or alphabetical or keyword searches. The Brussels enterprise agency also devotes part of its information to grants and financing available for enterprises.
The Wallonia region publishes the MIDAS database, which groups the economic aid available in the Wallonia region. The Enterprise section of the Wallonia Region portal also devotes a page to aid.
For Flanders, the site of the Flemish agency for innovation and entrepreneurship also provides information to future entrepreneurs on possibilities for grants.
