Moving Company

Words in [brackets] are blanks you fill in with your own details when you adopt this sample in Supreme Plan AI.

Executive Summary

Steady Hands Moving is a moving company serving families, renters and small businesses in our city and the nearby suburbs. We handle local moves, loading and unloading, and packing services, with a careful, insured crew. Moving is stressful, and many people have a bad experience: movers who arrive late, damage furniture, add fees at the end or hold belongings hostage. We will win customers by giving a clear written estimate, showing up on time, taking care of belongings and charging a fair price with no surprises. Here is what our numbers show. We expect sales of about $157,400 in Year 1, growing to about $629,400 by Year 5 as we add moving crews and a second truck. We expect losses of about $79,400 in Year 1, $47,800 in Year 2 and $38,500 in Year 3 while we build our customer base, then a profit from Year 4 (about $8,000), growing to about $49,700 by Year 5. We need $228,500 in total. That covers $58,900 in startup costs (a used box truck, moving equipment, opening supplies, license fees, insurance and advertising) and a cash cushion of about three months of bills. I am putting in $20,000 of my own money, and I am asking for $161,500 as an SBA 7(a) loan, plus $47,000 from an investor or partner. The startup costs include a used 16-foot box truck. I am Lauren Rodriguez, the owner. These numbers are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end of this plan, not promises.

Company Description

Steady Hands Moving will be a limited liability company (LLC) in Alabama, owned by Lauren Rodriguez. We will work from my home, with the truck parked in my driveway and equipment stored in a locked shed. What we believe. Show up on time, treat belongings as our own, give a written price and never add surprise fees. What we offer:
- Local moves for apartments, houses and small offices. - Loading and unloading help. - Packing services and supplies. - Heavy and specialty items, such as pianos, safes and appliances (with the right equipment). - Small commercial moves for offices and shops. Licenses and insurance. Moving companies are regulated. Local moves within a state may need a state moving license or authority, and moves between states require registration with the federal government (an USDOT number) and more insurance. Our state requires a household goods carrier permit for local moves, which I will apply for before my first job. We will carry commercial auto, cargo and general liability insurance, and workers' compensation once we hire. We give a written estimate, explain the liability coverage we offer and keep all required records. Where things stand today. I have worked for a moving company for three years, I have priced a used box truck and equipment, and I have helped friends move on weekends.

Problem & Opportunity

People moving near us want a mover they can trust, and it is hard to find one. 1. Late or no-show. Many movers arrive late or not at all. 2. Damage. Furniture is scratched, broken or lost, with no one to pay for it. 3. Surprise fees. Quotes grow with extras for stairs, fuel or packing. 4. Hostage loads. Some dishonest movers hold belongings until the customer pays far more than quoted. How we know people want this. Eight friends and neighbors asked me to help with their moves last year, and an apartment manager said she needs a reliable mover for her tenants.

Products & Services

What we sell. 1. Moving jobs. A local move, including truck, crew and basic wrapping. Our plan assumes an average of about $650 per job in Year 1, rising to about $730 by Year 5. Fuel, supplies and direct costs run about $220 per job. We expect about 220 jobs in Year 1, growing to about 772 a year by Year 5. 2. Packing service add-ons. Packing and unpacking, with boxes and supplies. Our plan assumes an average of about $180 per add-on in Year 1, rising to about $200. Materials cost about $60 per add-on. We expect about 80 add-ons in Year 1, growing to about 329. Our prices. Two movers and a truck $140 an hour (three-hour minimum). Packing from $90 an hour. Stairs and long carries quoted in advance. How it works for the customer:
1. A free estimate, by phone, video or a quick visit, written down. 2. A set date and arrival window, and a call when the crew is on the way. 3. Careful loading, with furniture wrapped and the home protected. 4. Unloading and placement, a final walk-through and a clear invoice that matches the estimate. Gross margin, explained. "Gross margin" is the share of each sale left after paying for materials and direct job costs. Our plan shows about 66% in Year 1. That money pays the owner and crew, vehicle costs, insurance and other bills.

Market Analysis

Who will hire us:
- Families moving to a new home. - Renters and young professionals. - Seniors downsizing who need packing and careful handling. - Small businesses and offices relocating. Where we will work. A service area close enough to keep trips short, starting with our city and the two nearest suburbs, within 30 minutes of my home. We focus on local moves. Season. Moving is busiest in the summer and at the end and start of each month, and slower in winter. We plan for busy weekends and use slow weekdays for small jobs, commercial work and packing. Our plan is careful on purpose. About 220 moves in Year 1 is a schedule one truck and a small crew can handle well.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices customers have:
1. Larger moving companies. Metro Movers (a made-up name) charges about $140 an hour for two movers and a truck; known for being fast, but adds fees. 2. Man-with-a-truck and day laborers. Cheaper, but often uninsured, with no one to pay if something is damaged. 3. Renting a truck and doing it yourself. Cheaper, but hard work and risky. How we will win customers: on-time arrival, careful handling, written prices with no surprise fees, and insurance.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How people will find us. - A free Google business listing with photos and reviews, and a simple website with an online quote request. - Asking every happy customer for a review. - Relationships with real estate agents, apartment managers, senior living communities and storage companies. - Listings on moving-quote sites and neighborhood groups. - A referral reward for customers who refer a friend. Marketing budget. About $6,000 a year. The truck lettering, business cards and website are paid for from startup costs.

Operations Plan

How the business runs day to day. Jobs and crews. The owner (or an office helper) takes calls, writes estimates and schedules moves. In Year 1 the owner works with two crew members, and we grow to seven by Year 5. Each move has a written estimate, a crew lead, a damage-prevention plan and a final walk-through with the customer. Equipment. About $45,000 to start: used 16-foot box truck; hand trucks and dollies; moving pads and blankets; ramps, straps and tie-downs; appliance dolly, piano board and specialty gear; tool kit and shrink wrap equipment; tablet and phones for dispatch and photos; safety gear: back braces, gloves and boots. We set aside about $5,000 to $6,000 a year for repairs and replacements. Upkeep. Trucks serviced on schedule, tires and brakes checked, and moving pads washed and replaced. Safety. Safe lifting, with straps, dollies and enough crew for heavy items. Truck and driver safety rules, and ramp and stair care. Everyone wears gloves and boots and is trained. Running costs in Year 1: fuel and vehicle maintenance about $16,000, insurance and licensing about $12,000, marketing about $6,000. Scheduling and billing. A simple scheduling and invoicing app on my phone, with customers billed at the end of each move.

Management & Organization

Who runs the business. Lauren Rodriguez, owner. As owner I will drive and move, write estimates, schedule jobs, keep the truck running and handle the money side of the business. I plan to pay myself $52,000 a year in salary in Year 1. Crew. Moving crew members at about $34,000 a year each (or part-time pay): two in Year 1, three in Year 2, five in Year 3, six in Year 4 and seven in Year 5. People who will help us: a bookkeeper or tax preparer, an insurance agent, and a free mentor from SCORE or the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Angela Mitchell serves as a key volunteer advisor.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals and when we plan to reach them. - Before starting: get the license, registration and insurance, register the business, buy the box truck and equipment, and set up the phone and website. Target start: April 2027, before the summer rush. - First year: complete about 220 moves and 80 packing add-ons, for about $157,400 in sales. - Year 2: add crew members, about $257,800 in sales, and a loss of about $47,800. - Years 3 to 5: grow to seven moving crew members and about $629,400 in sales by Year 5. Growth depends on hiring good people and winning the work, so treat the later years as goals, not promises. What we check every week: moves booked and finished, damage claims, reviews, fuel and truck costs, and cash in the bank.

Funding Request

How much we need and how we will use it. Total needed: $228,500. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan shows a minimum, and we plan to raise a little more than that so the loan payments in the early years are also covered. The calculator's number adds up: - Startup costs of $58,900, listed item by item in the Startup Costs section (about $45,000 for the box truck, dollies, pads, straps and moving gear, $3,000 for opening boxes, tape and wrap, $1,500 for the business license and state moving or USDOT registration, $6,000 for the first insurance payments, $900 for business setup and bookkeeping software, and $2,500 for truck lettering, business cards and a website). - A cash cushion of about $169,600: the deepest cash dip in the early months plus about three months of bills, so slow weeks do not put the business at risk. Lenders call this "working capital." - Together that comes to about $181,500 (rounded up to the nearest $500), which is the minimum the calculator shows. We are planning for $228,500, which adds room for the early loan payments. Where the money comes from: - My own money: $20,000. - Amount requested: $161,500. - From an investor or partner: $47,000. Kind of funding we are looking for: an SBA 7(a) loan through a local bank or community lender, plus investor or partner money, which is not paid back with interest but gives that person a share of the business. How we will pay it back. We expect losses of about $79,400 in Year 1, $47,800 in Year 2 and $38,500 in Year 3 while we build our customer base, then a profit from Year 4 (about $8,000), growing to about $49,700 by Year 5. With this funding, the business has money in the bank every year of the plan. The loan is planned at 12.75% interest over 10 years, the most the SBA allows for a loan this size, so payments of about $2,388 a month are already included in our cash flow. What we are offering the lender: our truck and equipment as collateral and my personal guarantee A smaller first step, if needed. If we cannot raise the full amount right away, we can start smaller and grow into this plan: - Phase 1: start with small moves and loading help on weekends using a rented truck and your own dolly, while keeping your current job. Startup can be under $3,000. - Phase 2: once you have more jobs than you can handle part-time, buy the box truck and moving equipment and follow this plan. To plan the smaller start, make a copy of this plan (use Duplicate) and lower the numbers to match. All numbers in this plan are estimates. We will update them as real results come in.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach before you send this plan:

- Your resume (one page is fine) and any licenses or certificates. - A personal financial statement (a list of what you own and what you owe; lenders usually provide a form). - Business registration papers and your EIN (your business tax number from the IRS, free at irs.gov). - Proof of insurance, or a quote. - Your state moving license or USDOT registration, if required. - Quotes for the truck and equipment. - Your price list and a sample written estimate. If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue. The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Moving Jobs: about $650 per job in Year 1, rising to $730; about $220 per job in direct costs; about 220 jobs in Year 1, growing to 772. - Packing Service Add-Ons: about $180 per add-on in Year 1, rising to $200; about $60 per add-on in direct costs; about 80 add-ons in Year 1, growing to 329. - Owner salary: $52,000 a year. Crew: $34,000 a year each, from two in Year 1 to seven in Year 5. - Other yearly costs in Year 1: fuel and vehicle maintenance about $16,000, insurance and licensing about $12,000, marketing about $6,000. - Tax rate: 21%. - Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and research.

Startup Costs