Entrepreneurial Foundation of Saskatchewan

Introduction

Too many companies fail soon after launch due to inadequate planning and preparation at initial stages of development. Other businesses experience some success, but are unable to remain competitive over the long term because they could not adapt to changing industry and technology trends or market needs. Even mature companies with a long history of success can flounder as they try to undergo a major transition or sell their businesses without adequate planning.

The Entrepreneurial Foundation of Saskatchewan’s Capital Planning eTool was designed to help entrepreneurs undertake a disciplined developmental process throughout the lifecycle of their companies. Regardless of your stage of development, the Capital Planning eTool provides resources to help you decide if you are ready to move to the next step and be better prepared for the future stages. It also outlines financing options that may be available to you to complete each stage of development and prepare for the next stage.

Using the Capital Planning eTool

The Capital Planning eTool has 3 main components:

1. A Diagnostic to determine which stage of development best describes various aspects of your business (Market, Product/Technology/Service, Human Resources, Company/Operations). Simply answer "Yes" or "No" if you can answer all of the listed questions.

2. A series of Developmental Tutorials to assist you to fill in gaps and help you to catch-up with elements that should have been addressed at earlier stages.

3. A Financing Options Tutorial that:

• summarizes the stages of development that the Diagnostic reveals as being completed;
• provides additional tutorial materials to help you determine if you are ready to proceed to the next stage, need to redo this stage, or need to start over;
• outlines and describes financing options that may be available to you at a particular stage of development; and
• provides a capital planning tutorial to help you prepare for the financing that is right for you

Note: You will be directed to all of the Financing Tutorials that correspond to the stages of development that you feel you have completed. For example, if the Diagnostic reveals that you have completed several stages of development, you will still be directed to the Financing Options Tutorials for earlier stages to ensure that you have truly completed these stages before proceeding. 

Access

Need a Username and Password? Please Click Here to complete the Request Form and a UserName and Password for Access to the eTool will be sent to you shortly!  Members of the Entrepreneurial Foundation of Saskatchewan will receive a password that expires at the end of the one-year membership period.  Non-members will receive a trial password that will expire in 14 days.  If you are interested in becoming a member of EFS, please click on the Membership tab above. 

Terms of Use

Each idea, industry and company is unique and there are many elements and variables that are impossible to predict. For this reason, use of the Capital Planning eTool is contingent upon your acknowledgement that it does not guarantee any future success or failure. Since it is non-industry or sector specific, some elements of the Capital Planning eTool may have more or less applicability to your business. For this reason, we recommend that you work with the staff of the Entrepreneurial Foundation as you work through the Capital Planning eTool so that your individual needs can be addressed.

Acknowledgements:

We are grateful to the National Research Council Canada, the BioAccess Commercialization Centre and Wellness West for their support of the Entrepreneurial Foundation of Saskatchewan in developing the Capital Planning eTool