How to Write a Business Plan in Kazakhstan: Examples and Step-by-Step Instructions

To win a grant, secure a bank loan, or obtain land for your business, an aspiring entrepreneur must present a business plan. This document is also essential for the businessperson to understand how to run the business efficiently, minimize costs, and achieve the expected profit.

Typically, the scheme includes several sections. Let’s go through each in detail and provide examples.

How to Write a Business Plan from Scratch in Kazakhstan? 

The summary of a business plan for a small business is similar to a specialist's resume when job hunting: this section briefly describes the company, including its business direction, goals, prospects, and timelines to achieve the desired profitability and investments.

One of the aims of the summary is to convince the investor that your project is not only important and socially significant but also that it will be successful. In other words, your idea will generate income and, therefore, justify the investment. So, if your business idea addresses important social issues (such as integrating people with disabilities, delivering groceries to seniors, helping children with special needs, etc.), make sure to highlight that.

The unique feature of this section is that it comes first but is formulated last—after the entire business plan is ready. In essence, the summary is a brief overview of your entire business idea.

Usually, the summary includes the company name, type of services, number of employees, monthly income and expenses, payback period, etc.

Business Description

In this section, it’s important to describe in detail the products you plan to produce or the services you will provide. You should emphasize how your business will stand out from competitors and the uniqueness and benefits of your idea.

Explain the mission of your business, its goals, and target audience. Guide potential investors on how your idea will develop, how you plan to increase profits over time, and whether you intend to scale the business in the future.

For instance, if you are drafting a business plan to open a massage studio, the sample with calculations might look like this:

• Session cost (1 hour): 7,000 tenge.
• Number of clients per day: 5 people.
• Target audience: Women aged 30 to 45 with sedentary office jobs and men aged 25 to 40 who are actively involved in sports.
• Plans: Hire an additional specialist in six months, expand the client base, and open another studio in a year.

Is It Profitable? Market Analysis

This section will help potential investors understand whether they will benefit from investing in your business idea and how risky it is to invest in your chosen field.

You need to conduct an analysis on two fronts: first, study the entire market, and second, look closely at your chosen niche. For example, if it’s massage, it’s important to understand whether this service is in demand in the wellness market, how many competitors are in this niche, and how you can differentiate yourself from them (promotional offers, unique massage programs, more affordable prices, etc.).

For instance, you can not only perform wellness and therapeutic massages but also offer clients anti-cellulite treatments and facial care programs (such as Gua Sha massage, etc.). Over time, the list of services can easily be expanded with body spa programs and cosmetic procedures.

How Will People Learn About My Business? Marketing Strategy

The next important step is to think about the marketing strategy, i.e., the strategy for promoting the product or service. Consider the following points:

• Consumer trends: Today, massages, psychologist visits, spa treatments, and cosmetic procedures are viewed not as luxuries but as elements of daily self-care, which is currently at its peak popularity.
• Seasonality: If you decide to sell heaters, you should do so at the end of summer and early autumn—during the peak summer season, the demand for such equipment is low.
• Sales methods: These can include personal meetings with clients and product demonstrations, websites, social media accounts, banner ads, word of mouth, etc.
• Ways to attract customers' attention: Discounts, loyalty cards, promotions, social media giveaways, etc.

Today, businesses actively use social media for promotion, so this channel should not be ignored. Instead, choose platforms popular with your target audience, plan what content to publish and how often.

What Is Needed to Produce the Product? Production Plan

It’s impossible to create a business plan correctly without considering the production plan—this point is mandatory in any sample. What is it?

The production plan allows you to consider everything needed to produce the product or provide the service:

• Building or premises with clear specifications (floor, area, separate entrance, utilities).
• Equipment: The success of your business depends on the equipment used.
• Transportation: For example, you’ll need a personal vehicle to deliver flowers or farm products.
• Staff: You may need a secretary or receptionist to answer calls, a specialist to process and ship orders from an online store, etc.
• Communication tools: Primarily, reliable and fast internet connection.

All this will also require financial investment—these expenses must be included in the business plan.

For instance, if you want to open a small, cozy coffee shop, you’ll need a space of at least 30 square meters, a coffee machine, tables and sofas, a bar counter and bar stools, a small display refrigerator for ready-made desserts, a grill for making sandwiches, etc. The premises must be equipped with ventilation and other utilities, have a separate entrance, and be located in a high-traffic area.

Everything Organized: Organizational Plan

This section of the business plan should cover all organizational issues: the legal form of your business (sole proprietorship, limited liability company, etc.), work schedule (hours of operation, days of the week), and possibly the need to hire specialists—what qualifications and experience they should have, the age of employees considered, and their responsibilities.

Financial Matters: Financial Plan

This section includes everything related to finances. This involves profits, expenses and revenues, taxes, additional costs, and overheads. A precise accounting of all parameters will help you understand how much money you need to start a business and how soon you can recoup your investment.

For example, when opening a coffee shop, you’ll have one-time, regular, and periodic expenses. One-time expenses include purchasing furniture and equipment; regular expenses cover buying coffee, milk, and other products; periodic expenses involve buying dishes, towels, etc. Also, consider the cost of rent, utility bills, advertising expenses, wages for hired workers, and the cost of internet and mobile communication.

In the “Profit” section, include data on how much you can earn in a month, six months, or a year. Here, it’s important to consider the cost of goods and services, the expected number of orders, and the average check size.

Anticipating the Unexpected: Risks

Any business carries risks, which can be divided into two groups:

• Systematic risks: These do not depend on the entrepreneur, meaning they cannot be influenced. This group includes economic crises, catastrophes, natural disasters that disrupt the normal operation of your business, and political events.

 Unsystematic risks: These can be anticipated and influenced by the businessperson. For instance, it’s important to plan what to do if the payback period is prolonged or if you cannot meet the planned sales targets. Suppose your massage room is without water or electricity—you won’t be able to serve clients. Or, if your car breaks down, you can’t deliver orders on time.

Creating a Business Plan – Offline or Online?

You can develop a business plan “the old-fashioned way” – on paper. However, you’ll need to allocate time for drafting to ensure nothing significant is omitted in the final version of the document.

If you require professional assistance, you can approach the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Business Service Center. Aspiring business owners can avail of the one-time free service of creating a business plan and consult with lawyers, accountants, and tax specialists.

A more advanced option is to provide the service online. You can contact a specialized company: its experts will consider all your wishes, the specifics of your field, and the complexity of the project.

If you are applying for a government grant, you can create a business plan online at Kezekte.kz. Follow the instructions, fill in the sections, attach documents, and the system will automatically generate a ready-made plan. This document will also be attached to the grant application.

A properly formulated business plan will not only help attract investors and secure funding. It will allow you to visualize the business idea, anticipate potential pitfalls, and assess potential risks. All of this is necessary for efficient, stable operation, generating profit—in other words, for the success of your enterprise.

This article has been translated from its original language using neural network-based translation technology.