If you’re a solo professional like I am, you know how tough it is to find any time at all to do any business planning. You can see how the superior plan is clearly the best in most situations in that it allows for flexibility, plans for the expected and the unexpected, and allows you to spend more time enjoying the trip, knowing that you have all of your bases covered.

In my experience, business leadership must prioritize business planning as a guiding light to competitive advantage – and back it with the right resources, focus, and technology – so big problems can be solved by skilled individuals and routine tasks can largely be automated.

With significant growth prospects within production of its natural resources, as well as within agriculture, retail and financial sectors, foreign investors and businesses looking to expand into the Western Africa region could find viable investment opportunities within the DRC.

However, if you’re an existing business seeking small-business loans , you’ll want to include income or profit-and-loss statements, a balance sheet that lists your assets and debts, and a cash flow statement that shows how cash comes into and goes out of the company.

If you’re applying for a loan or looking for investors, a business plan shows you’re prepared and have fully vetted your business idea, says Craig Allen, a financial advisor who teaches business plan writing classes at Southern New Hampshire University.