Bloom and Balm Skincare

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

Executive Summary

Bloom and Balm Skincare is a small-batch skincare company in Maryland. We make body butters, lip balms, scrubs and gentle cleansers in a leased workshop, and sell them online, at markets, to boutiques and salons and through a monthly subscription box. Our customers want everyday self-care products with short ingredient lists and honest labels.

The problem is simple. Many people have sensitive skin and cannot tell what is in the products they buy, and many small shops struggle to find local brands that are consistent and well labeled. We make small batches, test every formula, label every product clearly and never promise that a cream will treat or cure a skin condition.

Here is what our numbers show. We expect sales of $172,560 in Year 1, growing to $568,140 by Year 5 as we add shops, online customers and subscribers. We expect a profit of about $15,000 in Year 1, growing to about $78,600 by Year 5.

We need $60,000 in total. That covers $35,300 in startup costs (mixers and production equipment, work tables, the first order of oils and containers, a small build-out, the lease deposit, product safety review, insurance and branding) and a cash cushion for the first months. I am putting in $12,000 of my own money, and I am asking for a $40,000 SBA loan plus $8,000 from an investor or partner.

I am Aaliyah Grant, the owner. These numbers are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end of this plan, not promises.

Company Description

Bloom and Balm Skincare will be a limited liability company (LLC) in Maryland, owned by Aaliyah Grant. An LLC is a business type that generally keeps your home and savings separate from the business's debts and lawsuits, although a lender may still ask for a personal guarantee. A business attorney or the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) can explain how it works in our state.

What we believe. Skin care should be simple, safe and honest. We say what is in every product, we test what we make and we never make claims we cannot back up.

What we offer:
- Online store sales. Body butters, lip balms, scrubs and cleansers sold through our website.
- Wholesale. Products sold to boutiques, salons, spas and gift shops at a lower price per product.
- Markets, pop-ups and events. Booths at weekend markets and holiday events.
- Subscription boxes. A monthly box with a few full-size products, shipped to subscribers.
- Later, as we grow: custom gift sets for businesses and weddings, and a hair care line. The numbers in this plan do not include these.

The space. In Year 1 we will lease a small workshop of about 600 square feet with a mixing area, a sink, shelves and a packing station. We budget $13,200 a year ($1,100 a month) for rent and utilities, and the plan assumes this grows about 15% a year as we move to a larger space.

Rules and insurance. Cosmetics are regulated by the federal government. A law passed in 2022 added requirements for safety, labeling and reporting serious problems, and smaller businesses are exempt from some of the registration and listing rules but not from the safety and labeling rules. I will check the current FDA guidance and ask an attorney to review our labels before we sell. We will not make sunscreens or acne treatments, which the FDA treats as drugs, and we will not claim that any product treats, cures or prevents a condition. We will register the LLC with the state, get a business license, an EIN (the business tax number from the IRS, free at irs.gov) and a sales tax permit, and carry general liability and product liability insurance, property insurance and workers' compensation once we hire.

Where things stand today. This plan is my starting point. Before I sign a lease or buy equipment, I will make small test batches in a space that follows the local rules, ask at least 20 people to try them and give honest feedback, and ask at least 10 shops whether they would stock us. If I cannot get at least 3 written orders or letters of interest, I will change the plan before I spend money.

Problem & Opportunity

Choosing skincare is confusing, and small brands face their own hurdles.

1. Long, unclear ingredient lists. Customers with sensitive skin want to know what they are putting on their bodies.
2. Products that promise too much. Labels with big claims can be misleading and may break the rules.
3. Allergies and reactions. People want to know what to avoid and how to patch test a product.
4. Few reliable local suppliers. Boutiques and salons want local brands but struggle with inconsistent quality and delivery.
5. Gift buying. People look for a handmade, well-packaged gift that feels personal.

How we will find out if people want this before we spend money. I will ask at least 20 people to try samples and share feedback on scent, texture and price, and ask at least 10 shops what they would pay and order. Our Year 1 plan needs about 3,300 products sold online, 1,500 wholesale and 1,500 at markets, plus 240 subscription boxes, so I will ask for at least 3 written orders or letters of interest first.

Products & Services

What we sell. We have four product lines, each priced simply.

1. Online store sales. The plan assumes an average of about $30 per product in Year 1, rising to about $34 by Year 5. Ingredients, containers, labels and packaging cost about $8.80 per product in Year 1. We expect about 3,300 products in Year 1, growing to about 9,200 a year by Year 5.
2. Wholesale to boutiques and salons. The plan assumes about $15 per product in Year 1, rising to about $17, with about $8.60 per product in direct costs. We expect about 1,500 products in Year 1, growing to about 6,500.
3. Markets, pop-ups and events. The plan assumes about $27 per product in Year 1, rising to about $31, with about $8.80 per product in direct costs. We expect about 1,500 products in Year 1, growing to about 3,000.
4. Subscription boxes. The plan assumes about $44 per box in Year 1, rising to about $48, with about $17 per box in products and packaging. We expect about 240 boxes in Year 1, growing to about 1,080.

Our prices. Clear prices by product and size, a wholesale price list with a case minimum, and a monthly subscription price. The prices in this plan are averages across products.

How it works for a customer:
1. A customer orders online, buys at a market or subscribes, and a shop places a wholesale order by email.
2. We make products in small batches on set days, record every batch and let them cure and settle as needed.
3. Every product carries a label with its name, weight, a full ingredient list, directions, warnings and our name and address, and a batch number.
4. Orders ship within a few days, with clear delivery dates for shops.

Gross margin, explained. "Gross margin" is the share of each sale left after paying for ingredients, containers, labels and packaging. Our plan shows about 66% in Year 1. That money pays the team, rent, marketing, insurance and other bills. Team pay is counted separately, under payroll.

Market Analysis

Who will use us:
- People who want simple, well-made body care for themselves or as a gift.
- People with dry or sensitive skin who read ingredient lists.
- Boutiques, salons, spas and gift shops that want local products.
- Subscribers who like a monthly self-care box.

Where we will work. Online customers anywhere in the country, markets within about an hour's drive and shops within about 60 miles.

How we sized the plan. Our Year 1 plan needs about 275 products a month sold online, plus wholesale, market sales and subscription boxes. That is a small amount of production for a workshop of this size. I will check the real numbers by selling at markets and asking shops before spending money.

Season. Holiday and Mother's Day gifting bring the most sales, and winter dry skin helps sales of body butters. The numbers show a yearly average, and we plan ahead by making stock in early fall and taking wholesale orders for the holidays early.

We are careful on purpose. The plan assumes a small product line, so every formula can be tested and every batch tracked.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices customers have:
1. Large skincare and drugstore brands. Familiar and widely available, but less personal.
2. Other small-batch skincare makers online and at markets. Many are good, so quality and story matter.
3. Spa and salon brands that sell through professionals.
4. Making their own at home, which costs less but takes time and can be risky without testing.
5. Gift shops that sell imported skincare brands.

How we will win customers: short ingredient lists, honest labels, tested formulas, small-batch quality, reliable delivery to shops and a clear promise not to overclaim. These are promises we have to keep, and any competitor could make them too, so we will measure ourselves on them every week.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How customers will find us.
- A simple online store with clear photos, ingredient lists and gift sets.
- Local markets and pop-ups, with testers and a sign-up sheet for our email list.
- Wholesale outreach. Visit local boutiques and salons with samples and a one-page price list.
- Social media. Photos and short videos of making, packing and using products, posted honestly and without health claims.
- Samples and honest reviews. Send small samples to a few trusted reviewers and ask for their real opinions.

Marketing budget. About $10,000 a year in Year 1 (about $833 a month), growing about 18% a year, which includes samples and some paid ads. The logo, labels, website and photos are paid for from startup costs ($4,300).

Operations Plan

How the business runs day to day.

The space and layout. A clean mixing area with a heat source and mixers, a sink, a cooling area, shelves, a filling and labeling table, a packing station and a stockroom. Everything is lit, clean and labeled.

A normal week:
1. Plan the week's batches from orders and stock, and order ingredients and containers.
2. Make products on set days using written recipes, weigh every ingredient and record the batch number, date and results.
3. Fill, label and pack products, and ship online and wholesale orders on set days.
4. Prepare for markets, answer customer messages and update the website.

Safety. We use cosmetic-grade ingredients from reputable suppliers, keep safety data sheets, wear gloves and hair coverings, clean and sanitize equipment between batches and use preservatives where a product contains water. We keep samples of every batch, test new formulas for stability and keep records so any problem can be traced. We list every ingredient on the label, and we say plainly that a patch test is a good idea for sensitive skin. We keep a log of any complaint or reaction and respond quickly. Serious problems are reported and a batch is recalled if needed.

Honest claims. We do not say that a product treats, cures or prevents a skin condition, heals scars or changes the structure of the skin. We say what a product is for in plain terms, such as moisturizing or cleansing.

Equipment. About $13,500 to start: mixers, scales and heating equipment, work tables and shelving, filling, labeling and packing equipment and a computer and photo setup. We set aside about $3,000 a year after that to replace and add equipment as we grow.

Running costs in Year 1: rent and utilities about $13,200, website, software and card fees about $4,800, marketing and samples about $10,000, insurance about $3,000, product testing, labeling and compliance about $3,600, and accounting and legal about $3,000. That is $37,600 in all.

Payment. Online and market customers pay at once. Shops are invoiced and most pay within 30 days, so we keep a cushion of cash to cover the wait and for stock ahead of the holidays.

Management & Organization

Who runs the business. Aaliyah Grant, founder and formulator. As owner I will develop and test formulas, make the products, sell at markets, manage orders and handle the money side of the business. I plan to pay myself $32,000 a year in salary.

The team. Pay figures include payroll taxes and workers' compensation insurance.
- Production assistant (part-time): one in Year 1, two in Year 2, three in Years 3 and 4 and four in Year 5, at about $17,000 a year each (about 20 hours a week).
- Orders and customer care (part-time): one starting in Year 2 and two from Year 3, at about $17,000 a year each.
- Production lead (full-time): one in Year 3, two from Year 4, at about $30,000 a year each.

We hire people who are careful, clean and reliable, train everyone on written batch, labeling and safety steps, and pay on time.

People who will help us: a bookkeeper or tax preparer, an insurance agent who understands product liability, a business attorney for a one-time review of our labels and wholesale terms, and a free mentor from SCORE or the Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Milestones Narrative

Our goals and when we plan to reach them.
- Before opening (4 to 6 months ahead): check the federal cosmetics rules, test formulas and ask at least 20 people for feedback, ask at least 10 shops about orders and get at least 3 in writing, register the LLC and get an EIN, open a business bank account, get insurance and equipment quotes, find a workshop, have an attorney review our labels and the lease, and set up the website and ordering. Sign the lease only after the shop orders and the label review are in hand.
- Year 1: open with the owner and one part-time assistant, with about 3,300 products sold online and about 1,500 wholesale, $172,560 in sales and a profit of about $15,000.
- Year 2: add orders and customer care help, with about 5,000 products sold online and about 2,800 wholesale, $276,000 in sales and a profit of about $36,000.
- Year 3: add our first full-time production lead, with about 6,600 products sold online and about 4,200 wholesale, $381,120 in sales and a profit of about $33,400.
- Year 4: grow shops and subscribers, with about 8,000 products sold online and about 5,500 wholesale, $478,990 in sales and a profit of about $53,200.
- Year 5: about 9,200 products sold online and about 6,500 wholesale, with a team of nine, $568,140 in sales and a profit of about $78,600.
Growth depends on winning shops, building an online audience and keeping every batch safe and consistent, so treat the later years as goals, not promises.

What we check every week: products made and sold, batch records complete, wholesale orders, subscribers, complaints and reactions logged, average order value and cash in the bank.

Funding Request

How much we need and how we will use it. Total we are raising: $60,000.

How we got that number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds up three things:
- Startup costs of $35,300, listed item by item in the Startup Costs section: $4,300 for mixers, scales, heating equipment and molds, $3,000 for work tables, shelving, cooling racks and storage, $3,400 for filling, labeling and packing equipment, $2,800 for computer, photo setup, card reader and shipping scale, $7,500 for first order of oils, butters, containers and labels, $2,400 for lease deposit and first month of rent, $2,400 for sink, ventilation and electrical work, $600 for business license and local permits, $3,300 for safety review of formulas, label review and legal setup, $4,300 for branding, logo, website and product photos, and $1,300 for first insurance payment.
- A cash cushion of about $21,700: about 3 months of running costs. Our cash stays above zero in every year of the plan, but lenders still want a cushion in the bank for slow weeks and surprises. They call this "working capital."
- Together that comes to about $57,000, rounded up to the nearest $500: $57,000.
We are raising $3,000 more than that, $60,000 in all, to leave extra room for loan payments in the first years and for stock ahead of the holidays.

Where the money comes from:
- My own money: $12,000.
- Amount requested as a loan: $40,000.
- From an investor or partner: $8,000.

Kind of funding we are looking for. An SBA 7(a) small loan through a local bank or community lender, plus investor or partner money. SBA Microloans, which go up to $50,000 through nonprofit lenders, are another place to ask; their repayment times are usually shorter, so the monthly payment would be higher. Investor or partner money is not paid back with interest, but the person gets a share of the business. A family member, a friend, a local investor or a business partner could fill this part. Put any agreement in writing.

How we will pay it back. We expect a profit of about $15,000 in Year 1, growing to about $78,600 by Year 5. With this funding, the business has money in the bank at the end of every year of the plan, and the lowest year-end balance is about $48,100, at the end of Year 1. The loan is planned at 12.75% interest over 10 years, so payments of about $591 a month (about $7,096 a year) are already included in our cash flow. We chose 12.75% as a cautious planning rate. Ask the lender for the real rate, which may be lower or higher.

What we are offering the lender: our equipment as collateral (something the lender can claim if the loan is not repaid) and my personal guarantee (my promise to repay from my own money if the business cannot).

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 making a small line of products in a space that follows the local rules (check first), selling online and at weekend markets while keeping your current job. Startup can be roughly $5,000 to $8,000 for equipment, ingredients, labels, insurance and a website. Get your own quotes.
- Phase 2: once you sell out at markets and have shop orders, lease a small workshop, hire part-time help 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 training 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 ingredient lists, batch records and a sample label.
- A wholesale price list and sample order form.
- A letter or quote for the workshop space, and the lease once you have it.
- Quotes for the mixing and filling equipment.
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):
- Online Store Sales: about $30 per product in Year 1, rising to $34; about $8.80 per product in direct costs, rising to $9.60; about 3,300 products in Year 1, growing to 9,200.
- Wholesale to Boutiques and Salons: about $15 per product in Year 1, rising to $17; about $8.60 per product in direct costs, rising to $9.40; about 1,500 products in Year 1, growing to 6,500.
- Markets, Pop-Ups and Events: about $27 per product in Year 1, rising to $31; about $8.80 per product in direct costs, rising to $9.60; about 1,500 products in Year 1, growing to 3,000.
- Subscription Boxes: about $44 per box in Year 1, rising to $48; about $17 per box in direct costs, rising to $19; about 240 boxes in Year 1, growing to 1,080.
- Pay: Founder / Formulator $32,000 (1/1/1/1/1); Production Assistant (part-time) $17,000 (1/2/3/3/4); Orders and Customer Care (part-time) $17,000 (0/1/2/2/2); Production Lead (full-time) $30,000 (0/0/1/2/2). The numbers in parentheses are how many people we plan to have in Years 1 through 5. Pay figures are yearly and include payroll taxes and workers' compensation.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: workshop rent & utilities $13,200, website, software & card fees $4,800, marketing and samples $10,000, business and product liability insurance $3,000, product testing, labeling & compliance $3,600, and accounting & legal $3,000. These grow between 5% and 25% a year as the business grows.
- Online and market customers pay at once, but shops are invoiced. At the end of Year 1 about $10,354 (6% of Year 1 sales) is owed to us by wholesale customers or still on its way from payment processors.
- Tax rate: 21%.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and research.

Startup Costs