LivePlan is an app made by Palo Alto Software that allows small businesses to pitch, plan, and track their business from anywhere. This data is from a survey conducted in Jan 2014. The respondents are made up of 388 LivePlan users. The results report on small business optimism, as well as linking business planning and financial tracking to company growth.

1. Survey Results - Q1 2014
Surveyed 388 LivePlan users
[Made by Palo Alto Software]

2. Stage of company
68%
17%
15%
32% have
revenue

3. How long from idea to launch
No Revenue
16%
31.5%
21%
16.5%
15%

4. Top Industries
With Revenue Without Revenue
#1 Professional Services [24%]
#2 Food & Beverage [12%]
#3 Healthcare [9%]
Technology
#4 Retail [5%]
#5 Manufacturing [4%]
Consumer Products
Software
Financial Services
Communications & Media
#1 Food & Beverage [19%]
#2 Professional
Services[16.5%]
#3 Retail [7%]
#4 Healthcare [6%]
Communications & Media
#5 Manufacturing [5%]
Consumer Products
E-Commerce

5. Professional Services (breakdown)
#1 Healthcare Services [9]
#2Financial Services [5]
#3 Art & Music Services [4]
#4 IT Services [3]
Childcare Ed Services [3]
#5 Insurance [2]
Communications & Media[2]
Clean Energy Services[2]
With Revenue Without Revenue
#1 Healthcare Services [9]
#2 Media & Communications[7]
#3 Business Consulting [4]
Home & Construction Srvs[5]
#4 Art & Music Services [4]
#5 Financial Services [3]
Clean Energy Services[3]

6. Status of Business Plan
With Revenue Without Revenue
Ready to share
41.5%
Started/Not ready
to share
53.5%
Don’t plan on writing one
2%
Not started
3%
Ready to share
32.5%
Started/Not ready
to share
63.5%
Not started
4%

7. Budget & Forecast Development
With Revenue Without Revenue
87% 84%
7%
87% 83%
7%
“I have either completed my budget and forecast or I plan to develop them this year”

8. How often do you compare your financial plans and
budgets to your actual financial results?
1.7%
3.3%
13%
33%
36.3%
1.7%
5%
6%With Revenue

9. How 2013 actuals compared to your budget & forecast?
With Revenue
24.6%
51%
24.6%

10. Plan to hire employees this year
With Revenue Without Revenue
58%
24%
6.7%
10.5%1%
56%
21%
17.3%
13.2%
3%

11. 53%
Who has developed - or will develop - your 2014 budget and sales forecast?
29%
6%
1%
2%
3%
0%
3.7%
3.2%

12. Who do you employ/Plan to employ?
With Revenue Without Revenue
84% currently employ a Bookkeeper,
CPA, or Accountant
25% currently employ a Bookkeeper,
CPA, or Accountant

13. Accounting Tools
With Revenue Without Revenue
30% using QB products
89% no intentions to use Xero
61% using QB products
5% using FreshBooks
86% no intentions to use Xero

14. Top 5 goals in 2014
With Revenue
1. Increasing client/customer base 62%
1. Finding investors/funding 44%
1. Expanding my business 41%
1. Writing a solid business plan 39%
1. Increasing brand exposure 38%

15. www.liveplan.com
Pitch, Plan, and Track Your Business
All in One Easy to Use App