1. In the Appendix (Chapter 16 “Appendix: A Sample Business Plan” (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site.), you will find the income statements and balance sheets for Frank’s All-American BarBeQue for the years 2006 to 2010. Compute some of the key financial ratios (at least six ratios) for this business and discuss the meanings of any trends. Compute at least one ratio from each of the following categories: liquidity ratios, financial leverage ratios, profitability ratios, asset management or efficiency ratios, and market value ratios.

2. Interview the owners of five local businesses (different than any you have interviewed so far in this class) and ask them what business organizational format they use and why they adopted that form; Ask them how they initially financed the start-up of their businesses; Ask these same owners how they prefer to finance the firm. (Note that most owners will probably not want to go into any detail about the financial operations of their businesses.); and Ask them if they have had any experience with any SBA loan program and if they have any reactions to these programs.

3. Select five or six computerized accounting packages (including one of the cloud variety) that might be used by a start-up restaurant, and prepare a rigorous analysis of which should be selected and why.

4. Imagine your boss has asked you to prepare a small report on using factoring as an option in her auto parts business. Search the Internet to find out about the economics of factoring.