If you were to invest in a business, what would be the first thing you’d like to know?
Of course, you’ll look at financials and numbers, but the first thing you would want to know would be the business idea, what the company does, who is behind it, and what it plans to accomplish.
A company overview section offers just that!
It’s a captivating sneak peek into your company and where it’s headed to keep readers hooked.
But the question is, what should you include in your company overview and how do you make it engaging?
We’ll learn exactly that in this blog post and also offer you examples to strengthen your practical understanding.
Let’s get started!
What is a company overview?
A company overview is a brief description of your business explaining what you do, the history of your business, and what you aim to achieve with your business idea. It also introduces the people in your management team and talks about your company’s legal structure.
A company description falls just after an executive summary and it’s an important section of your business plan. It offers business-related insights to the readers through a concise yet descriptive and structured summary.
Why do you need a company overview?
A company overview is part of a business plan where you introduce your business and its fundamentals to the readers. It’s the most important section upon which the details of your entire plan will surface.
Whether you’re planning to attract potential investors or partners—a reader will require essential information regarding what you do, your goals, legal aspects, and the company’s history. This information is essential before they invest further time into reading your business plan.
This section does just that. It offers enough information about your business and drives the reader to continue further by winning over their trust in your business idea.
Besides, this is a section where you can add a humane touch to your story. Potential investors often want to know the story of your business idea and the passion that drives you. If your passion resonates with them, they’re likely to keep reading till the end.
So yes, adding a company description isn’t optional. However, you can modify the contents and choose the structure that tells your story adequately.
What to include in an effective company overview
Let’s now understand what you should include in your company summary to make an impact.
1. Basic business information
For starters, you can include some basic information about your brand such as your registered company name, location(s) of operation, and the business structure or partnerships you’ve established.
While it’s not necessary to dive into much detail, you might need to explain why you have chosen a particular business or legal structure, i.e. limited liability company, sole proprietorship, or partnership.
2. Teams and partners
Elaborate further to write about the ownership, team members, management, and all other business partners. You can briefly record the names of those who hold key positions and the duties managed in their roles.
3. Business history
Any business overview must include a brief company history highlighting the following:
- Date of incorporation
- Number of active years
- Growth and diversification
Even as a startup, you can highlight your milestones achieved till now to win over the investors. This can include details about product development, the number of beta users, loans secured, or the sales attained.
4. Target customer base and services included
You’ll require some information and statistics regarding your company’s current target audience and expected customer base with your novel business ideas.
Here you can mention the different products and services you offer, its unique selling propositions (USPs), and products that you’re likely to include in the brand’s future iterations.
Remember, it just needs to be an overview. You will dive into detailed depth when you write the products and services section.
5. Company mission statement
Include your company’s mission statement to highlight your company’s motto and central vision. If you don’t have a mission statement, create one highlighting your company’s purpose and what it aims to achieve.
Writing a mission statement doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it as simple and crisp as possible.
6. Future goals for the business
For partners, investors, or any other party involved, laying out the future goals clearly can efficiently consolidate your vision. Highlight your service, financial, and business goals to get all concerned parties on the same page.
And that’s pretty much everything you would include in your company overview.
Tips to write an effective company overview
As simple as it may sound, writing a company overview isn’t that simple. You’re likely to sway away and make this section unnecessarily long. Not only that, there are higher chances that you’ll miss out on essential information if you don’t follow a structure.
Well, let’s make it easier for you. These tips about writing a company description will come in handy when drafting a quick overview.
1. Add a structure
Just like you need a structure to place together your business plan contents, a structure is essential when you write a company overview.
The basic structure of a company overview flows like this:
- Basic business details
- Company history
- Mission statement
- Services and products
- Future scope and objectives
Write these parts individually or merge them if required. However, make sure that you don’t stretch it unnecessarily. Add just a few sentences explaining each of these points with brevity.
2. Highlight the basics
When you write a company overview, focus on keeping things very basic. It’s very tempting to pile on additional information to make your business look peachier. However, don’t! Leave in-depth detailing for other sections of your business plan.
3. Demonstrate passion
Add passion and excitement to the narration of your business story, mission, and milestones. After all, the tone of writing can make a world of difference in how the readers perceive you.
Keeping it too formal can be monotonous, while a flashy representation can be distracting. Find a balance and maintain subtlety to get the investors excited.
4. Make it concise
Keep your company overview short and crisp.
Remember, the readers don’t have time to go through lengthy overviews all the time. They might lose interest and put aside your business plans.
Instead, get to the point quickly. Outline your goals, mission statement, and milestones, and quickly tell your story. You can uncover the details about the target market, product, financials, and strategies later on in the plan.
5. Write it at the end
Remember, how we skip writing an executive summary at the beginning. Similarly, you should always write your company overview after you’re done writing your entire plan.
This way you would have a very clear understanding about what details to include and how much depth to add.
6. Proofread and get it tested
It’s always a good idea to get someone to review your business plan and in this instance your company overview. A fresh perspective can help identify the mistakes and loopholes that exist in your summary.
Besides, always proofread the content again and again to find misspelled words, grammar, punctuation, and broken flow.
If you’re an existing company, revisit this section, time and again to keep it relevant and updated.
Now, before you head ahead and start working on your company description, check these company overview examples to get a better gist.
Company overview examples
Let’s get a more practical insight by referring to these real-life company overviews prepared by startups.
Ice cream cones company overview example
Crafty Cones Ltd. holds the central objective of retailing novelty ice cream cones. With our prior experience in the food industry through Dough’s Pizzeria, our three-year-old venture, our mission is to expand our customer base in the confectionery industry and bring top-quality delicacies to our consumers. With our ice cream outlet, we aim to bring gourmet quality confections to the busy sectors of Houston.
Our team is structured to work on different target aspects separately, then come together to deliver quality food to our customers. With communication and transparency at different tiers of our cooking, managerial, sales, and marketing teams, we hope to establish a working mechanism where experts are working in tandem. Our teams will also include dedicated customer support, photography, and documentation teams, as well as a legal team to assist with conflict management and ensure the outlet operates in alignment with state guidelines.
Crafty Cones stands out with gourmet quality ice cream cones that are offered at an affordable price for everyday consumers. Our flavors are intended to be original and created from scratch. We have several flavor combinations in addition to those popularly cherished in ice cream parlors. Our dessert line will stand out not only with the novel flavors incorporated but also with our “crafty” cones as a unique selling point. Our goal is to introduce fun flavors that are sophisticated and enjoyable for people of all age groups.
Financial estimation
Financially, it is estimated that our venture will cost $250,000 for cooking and staffing, equipment, marketing, and other support avenues. Our staffing is estimated to include a total of 8 members, including managerial and head pastry chef positions. The equipment for crafting cones and additional condiments as per our menu is estimated to require an investment of $100,000.
We seek the support of our investors in these financial aspects, which amounts to a total of $250,000. Our experience with a prior food outlet resonates with our experience in the industry. Thus, all estimates are readily chalked to practical requirements and are considered in our plan. We believe that Crafty Cones has the potential to put gourmet pastry cooking on the map. It aims to hone that sophistication along with the central goal of bringing quality food to our consumers.
Example 2
Solar company overview example
Ownership & structure
SolarSynergy Inc. is a Delaware corporation co-owned by Laura Mitchell and Kevin Brown. The corporate structure was chosen to facilitate future expansion and to provide limited liability protection.
Company history
SolarSynergy Inc. was founded in 2019 by Laura Mitchell, a former energy consultant, and Kevin Brown, an experienced electrical engineer. The company began as a small startup focused on developing innovative solar energy solutions for residential and commercial properties. With initial funding from a successful Kickstarter campaign and a seed round from angel investors, SolarSynergy quickly established itself as a promising player in the renewable energy sector.
Location and services
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, SolarSynergy specializes in the design, installation, and maintenance of high-efficiency solar panels. The company aims to provide affordable and sustainable energy solutions to customers across Texas. SolarSynergy offers a range of services, including solar panel installation, energy efficiency consulting, and system maintenance, catering to both residential and commercial clients.
Management team
The management team of SolarSynergy Inc. is led by co-founders Laura Mitchell and Kevin Brown. Laura, the CEO, brings over 10 years of experience in the energy sector and is responsible for strategic planning and business development. Kevin, the CTO, has a background in electrical engineering and oversees the technical aspects of the company’s solar solutions. The team also includes a CFO with over 15 years of financial management experience, a marketing director, and a dedicated sales team.
Mission statement
“Our mission is to empower communities with sustainable, cost-effective solar energy solutions, reducing carbon footprints and promoting environmental responsibility.”
Achievements
Since its inception, SolarSynergy Inc. has installed over 500 solar systems, reducing carbon emissions by an estimated 10,000 tons annually. The company has received several industry awards, including the “Best Solar Startup” award at the 2020 Green Energy Expo.
Goals and vision
SolarSynergy Inc. aims to expand its operations to five additional states within the next three years. The company’s vision is to become a national leader in renewable energy solutions, known for its innovative products and exceptional customer service. By continually advancing its technology and expanding its market reach, SolarSynergy strives to make solar energy accessible to a broader audience.
Financial estimation
SolarSynergy Inc. estimates an initial investment of $2 million to support its expansion efforts. The funds will be allocated as follows:
Equipment and setup
- $1 million for purchasing advanced solar panel manufacturing equipment and setting up new installation facilities.
- Staffing: $500,000 for hiring and training additional engineers, sales personnel, and customer support staff.
- Marketing: $300,000 for launching comprehensive marketing campaigns, including digital advertising, local promotions, and participation in industry trade shows.
- Operational Costs: $200,000 for initial inventory, office space, utilities, and other miscellaneous expenses.
The support of investors is crucial to achieving these financial goals. With a solid business plan and a proven track record in the industry, SolarSynergy Inc. is poised for significant growth and success in the renewable energy market.
Prepare an effective company overview section
Consider your company overview as an elevator pitch. It will quickly introduce your business and prove its mettle to the readers. This section comes in quite handy when you want the readers to learn about your business in a short time.
Now, as you begin writing your company overview, ensure that it covers all the key components addressed in this blog post. Don’t forget to refer to the examples and use them as a reference to build your own unique section.
However, remember that this section is just a part of your overall business plan. To put together your entire plan, you can consider taking the help of a business planning app like Upmetrics.
With an extensive collection of 400+ business plan samples, a step-by-step guide, and AI assistance—this tool makes business planning a lot easier and faster.
