This is a great article that details the tell-tale signs that your plan is going into your banker or investor’s recycle bin.

“Successful business plans that impress investors are seldom written on the back of a napkin. They include a logical statement of a problem and its solution; hard evidence; and straight talk about the risks and challenges involved. Follow these…..”

 How to Write a Good Business Plan - WSJ.com

Chem Dry Clean Masters
Bloomington & Peoria, Illinois

Opened: July 2003
Principle owners: Stan & Margie Huff
Number of Employees: 3 full- time & 3 part-time

How would you describe your services/products?

Chem-Dry: Residential & Commercial Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning. The company emphasizes hot-carbonated extraction, which cleans with less than 20% of the moisture of the traditional steam-type cleaner. The process is 100% non-toxic and dries much more quickly than other cleaners, usually 2-3 hours.

“Working with the students allows me to do two things: 1) Polish and shape ideas for organized growth of our companies, while 2) revisiting and checking ourselves regarding what we have been doing in the recent past. It develops both direction and accountability for our companies and actions through honest, subjective evaluation of our activities and goals. ”
Quote from The Pantagraph 3/21/2006 article:

Stan Huff, owner of Chem-Dry CleanMasters, which has offices in Bloomington and Peoria, said his business jumped 30 percent after consulting with Binning last year.

Through the center, Huff tested his ideas and expanded the market area of his residential and commercial carpet and upholstery cleaning business.

“It’s a great tool for a small business that doesn’t have the manpower or the hours in the day to do the research,” he said. “It’s paid off tangibly. It’s helped our tangible growth and it’s helped in terms of saving time and money.”  -  Stan Huff, Chem-Dry CleanMasters

Date: January 15, 2009

Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: College of Business Building - Room 147
Fee: FREE!

This seminar is intended for those not yet in business. It covers topics including registering a business name, licenses or permits, obtaining a tax ID number, forms of insurance, recordkeeping, choosing a legal form of ownership, tax issues, and how to compute a break even point.

This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, registration is required.

All seminars will be held in the College of Business Building on the Illinois State University campus unless otherwise noted. An email confirming your registration and listing the exact classroom number will be sent within 1 business day of your registration.

Deadline for registration is two days prior to the seminar. If minimum enrollment is not met two days prior to seminar date, the class will be cancelled and registrants will be notified.

Note: To register for any fee-based seminars, please call the Illinois Small Business Development Center at 309-438-3610 or register on-line at www.sbdc.ilstu.edu

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact the Illinois Small Business Development Center at 309-438-3610 to request any accommodations.

This Program has been developed through a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois SBDC at Illinois State University as a service to Illinois small businesses. The funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinions, or services. All funded programs are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. For further information or to make appropriate arrangements if you require special accommodations, please contact the center two weeks in advance.

Date: October 22, 2008

Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: College of Business Building
Fee: FREE!

This seminar is intended for those not yet in business. It covers topics including registering a business name, licenses or permits, obtaining a tax ID number, forms of insurance, recordkeeping, choosing a legal form of ownership, tax issues, and how to compute a break even point.

This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, registration is required.

All seminars will be held in the College of Business Building on the Illinois State University campus unless otherwise noted. An email confirming your registration and listing the exact classroom number will be sent within 1 business day of your registration.

Deadline for registration is two days prior to the seminar. If minimum enrollment is not met two days prior to seminar date, the class will be cancelled and registrants will be notified.

Note: To register for any fee-based seminars, please call the Illinois Small Business Development Center at 309-438-3610 or register on-line at www.sbdc.ilstu.edu

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact the Illinois Small Business Development Center at 309-438-3610 to request any accommodations.

This Program has been developed through a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois SBDC at Illinois State University as a service to Illinois small businesses. The funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinions, or services. All funded programs are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. For further information or to make appropriate arrangements if you require special accommodations, please contact the center two weeks in advance.