An exotic animals business plan is an interesting sort of document – typically, if you're planning to sell exotic animals at retail, you'll need to make sure that your business operates within all of the applicable laws. These are not just state and federal, but in some cases city-specific. In certain parts of the U.S., there are municipal rules barring residents from owning certain types of wildlife – even if it would be permitted at the state level – and your business needs to take a caveat emptor approach to its sales. That said, ensuring that you have the necessary clearances and permits is not just a good idea, it's essential to getting funded, so make it clear in your plan that you know what you're up against in that arena. Beyond that, the business plan you'll need should answer these questions (among others):
• What experience do you have with wild or exotic animals?
• Where do you obtain the animals and how are they transported?
• List out all of the animals you will offer for sale.
• If applicable, identify which breeds/types can be ordered and which you'll always have on hand.
• How will you market your company to the target consumers?
These questions are important but they don't stand alone. You need to identify the sort of customers who are most interested in exotic animals and show that you know how to allocate the seed capital to start-up and run the retail side of the business. Can you ensure that you'll be able to keep the animals fed, the customers safe, and the clients happy long-term? Showing pictures of the animals you'll have for sale can help a funder see what you're all about, but they'll be more interested in the safety and the potential return. You need a pro forma financial model with a start-up/use of funds, revenue forecast, break-even point, profit and loss table, and a cash flow and balance sheet. Want help here? MasterPlans has authored almost 9,000 plans to date for virtually every business concept under the sun. Call a consultant today: 877-453-2011.
