The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

Published August 13, 2014

New businesses could win money

LAKE OF THE OZARKS - The Lake of the Ozarks SCORE Chapter is now accepting applications for the Ralph Stonebraker Business Plan Award. This award was created to recognize outstanding business plans for start-up or newly formed businesses in our area. The purpose of this award is to raise awareness of the importance of a detailed business plan to the future success of a new business.

Why have a business plan? The real value of creating a business plan is not in having the finished product in hand; rather, the value lies in the process of researching and thinking about your business in a systematic way. The act of planning helps you to think things through thoroughly, study and research if you are not sure of the facts, and look at your ideas critically. It takes time now, but avoids costly, perhaps disastrous, mistakes later.

This competition is open to businesses located in Camden, Dallas, Hickory, Laclede, Miller, Morgan or Pulaski counties, and that have been in existence for two years or less, or for businesses that are just in the start-up phase.

(For help in developing and writing a business plan, go to the SCORE Chapter Web site at www.LakeOfTheOzarks.SCORE.org and click on the “Templates & Tools” link.)

Business plans must be received no later than August 30, 2014, to be considered for this award. Business plans will be evaluated independently by a panel of judges. The judges will select the top plans, and then meet with those applicants for a face-to-face interview. The person submitting the best business plan will receive a $1,500 award; second place will receive a $500 award. Awards will be presented at a recognition luncheon on October 17, 2014.

All plans will be kept in strict confidence. To receive an application form and a copy of the judges’ scoring criteria, please send an e-mail to StonebrakerBusinessPlan@yahoo.com.

Business plans can be submitted electronically (preferred) to StonebrakerBusinessPlan@yahoo.com, sent to SCORE at PO Box 1375, Camdenton, MO 65020 or delivered to the SCORE office at the Camdenton Area Chamber of Commerce, 739 West US Hwy 54 in Camdenton.