|
|
|
|
START UP A MOBILE CATERING BUSINESS |
STEP1. PLANNING |
|
|
Business plan and cash flow planning
continued
The figure you are left with is £655, this is your net profit figure and
the amount that you are left with to do as you like. Obviously the amounts will
alter depending on the amount of burgers etc you sell, the price you charge and
the day to day running expenses you incur to run your mobile catering business. |
|
Now from using that basic equation you should
be able to work out (assuming that you can repeat those amount of sales at least
once a week or over a week) your annual expected turnover, gross and net
profits. £1,350 sales x 52 weeks = £70,200 x 70% = £49,140 gross profit -
expenses £15,080 = £34,060 net profit. |
|
Not quite the tens of thousands of pounds per
event but still a respectable annual income that with a possible extra 5% gross
profit and a small reduction in business expenses could easily raise the figure
to around a £40,000 a year. |
|
But why do we need to prepare a business cash
flow plan? Two reasons mainly, one is to teach yourself business basics, if you
don't understand or grasp the difference between turnover, gross profit and net
profit and how to get to those figures then maybe running a mobile catering or
any business is not really for you. Secondly if you are trying to raise capital
to purchase a catering trailer or equipment perhaps from a bank you need to
demonstrate to the bank that you understand your business, how it works and
project expected profits to repay any borrowing. |
|
|
KEY POINTS |
CHECK LIST |
The initial idea
Have you ever considered starting your own mobile catering business?
Find out more
|
What's involved
It looks so easy, but what's it really like running your own
business?
Find out more |
Where to trade
Plan where your customers will be and where you can legally trade.
Find out more |
Foods to sell
Something unique, different, in tune with food trends and that will attract
the buying public.
Find out more |
Business plan
Financial planning is essential for your new mobile catering business to work.
Find out more |
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES |
Improving your gross profit margin
The less money that it costs you to buy the initial ingredients for the
finished product that you are selling the better your gross profit margin
percentages will be. Look at ways to reduce the cost of those ingredients
perhaps by negotiating and ordering larger quantities, look at portion control,
can you guarantee that every same item you sell costs the same to produce. Look
at where you buy your ingredients, have you tried catering wholesalers, frozen
food distributors and cash and carry outlets. Without compromising the quality
of your products it is possible to make savings, 5 pence saved on every burger
can make an enormous difference, if you sell 1000 burgers you will make an extra
£50.00 profit. If you sell a 1000 burgers a week, that's £2,600 a year and so
on.
Self assessment tax forms
Although many people like to do and submit their
own self assessment tax returns according to recent published articles up to 30%
of returns are completed incorrectly. Far easier to employ the services of a
good accountant who will, over the years save you money in the long run. For
those with very small businesses employing an accountant may seem like an
unnecessary expense, but as that small business develops into a bigger business
with more complex finances your accountant will be able to help and advise on
how you can reduce your future tax liabilities and bills. Many
accountants base their fees upon how complex your finances are and the amount of
time anticipated to complete your accounts, so the more well kept and organised
your records and receipts the cheaper your accountants bill will be. |
|
|
|
|
Everything your new mobile catering business will need.
Do you need product info and prices from
several companies? Use our free product finder service.
If you have an unbiased view or tip regarding a product, piece of machinery, on any page within our business start up area, here's your chance to let everyone know and read about it.
|
|