Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Business Plan Writer & Consultant
South Dakota Business Plan Writer: East River or West River?
In West River, money arrives with summer visitors and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, then the Black Hills go quiet until spring. East River businesses lean on the hospitals and card companies around Sioux Falls and see steadier months. Dr. Paul’s forecast follows your side of the Missouri River month by month, so a lender sees the slow season coming.
Which side of the river? Call or text (321) 948-9588. Dr. Paul answers personally.
Last Updated: 10/31/2026 · Written by Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
City Spotlight
Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Aberdeen Run on Different Calendars
Summer visitors, hospital paychecks and a soybean crush schedule pay South Dakota owners in very different rhythms. The plan follows the rhythm of your town.
| City | What Drives Demand | The Plan Question |
|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | Sturgis Rally riders, Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park visitors, Ellsworth Air Force Base | What do Rally rates need to cover for winter? |
| Sioux Falls | Sanford Health, Avera, Citi and First PREMIER payrolls, downtown shoppers on Phillips Avenue | Is the idea ready for a full plan? |
| Aberdeen | The AGP (Ag Processing Inc.) soybean plant, area farms, Northern State University, Avera St. Luke’s | How much work rides on one plant? |
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally crowds in August sleep along I-90 and around Main Street Square, about half an hour from Sturgis itself.
“How should a Rapid City motel price rooms for Sturgis Rally week?”
The Plan FixSet Rally rates and minimum stays for the August Rally nights. Then fill winter weeks with Black Hills Stock Show guests at The Monument and Ellsworth construction crews on weekly rates.
Startup Sioux Falls runs CO.STARTERS cohorts and pitch nights for founders working near Phillips Avenue and the East Bank.
“How can a Sioux Falls founder test an idea before paying for a full plan?”
The Plan FixRun the idea through a CO.STARTERS cohort and write down what you hear at pitch night. Then bring an East Bank rent quote to the planning call, so the numbers start from a real lease.
AGP’s soybean crush plant pulls hauling, maintenance and ag service work into Aberdeen, and the shops that win it sit along Sixth Avenue, the US-12 corridor.
“How should an Aberdeen ag service company plan around the AGP soybean plant?”
The Plan FixTie hauling and repair contracts to AGP’s crush schedule and its planned maintenance shutdowns, and lease a shop on Sixth Avenue. Then keep farm accounts along US-12, beyond the plant’s buying area, so the plant never carries the whole year.
Selling or hiring across the state line? Dr. Paul also writes plans for owners in neighboring North Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa.
Writing, Templates or Lessons for a Seasonal South Dakota Business
Every path starts with your calendar. Decide whether Dr. Paul writes it, you build it, or you learn it first.
Business Consulting
The busy months take care of themselves. The empty ones need a plan, and Dr. Paul helps South Dakota owners make the cash, staffing and pricing calls that get them through.
See consulting options →Business Plan Writing
FeaturedMonth by month, Dr. Paul lays out your plan and projections around the season your side of the state actually has, from August in the Hills to steady Sioux Falls paychecks.
Start your plan →Business Plan Templates
Running a Black Hills motel? The hotel and motel template’s plan and projections can be set for a hot August and a cool February.
Browse templates →Small Business Education
The off months test every seasonal owner. Dr. Paul’s working capital and cash flow guides, his video library and the Fabled Forest books teach you to carry the business from Labor Day to spring.
Start learning →How Dr. Paul Helps
How Dr. Paul Helps South Dakota Owners Carry Cash Through the Off Season
West River money shows up in summer. East River money shows up every payday. The plan has to know which one pays you.
- Winter cash for the Hills. Rapid City hotels and outfitters that live on Mount Rushmore traffic get a monthly forecast that shows the slow season and the cash it takes to reach spring.
- Sioux Falls demand from real payrolls. Demand gets sized from Sanford Health, Avera and Citi employment, not from a guess about the whole Sioux Empire.
- GOED loan participation, lender ready. Dr. Paul prepares GOED loan participation files and Growth South Dakota requests with your participating lender, so the bank has what it needs to bring the state in.
- An owner draw the winter can afford. Seasonal owners get a monthly draw set to what the slow months can pay, so summer profit is still in the bank when October comes.
- Aberdeen suppliers, split by customer. Shops that work for AGP get revenue split between the plant and farm accounts, so a lender sees what happens during a maintenance shutdown.
South Dakota plans tend to annualize everything, and that is where they go wrong. A Rapid City business that earns most of its year in summer looks healthy on an annual line and broke in February. Dr. Paul writes the months out one by one, so the lender sees the winter coming and sees that you planned for it.
Watch
Before You Ask: The Funding Request and a Full Example
A participating lender reads the funding request closely. Dr. Paul shows how to write it, then walks through a complete plan.
How to Write a Business Plan Funding RequestHow much, for what, and how the business pays it back.
Basic Business Plan ExampleA complete plan, section by section, so you know what the lender expects to see.
Learn It Yourself
South Dakota Lessons for the Long Winter
A seasonal business lives or dies on its winter math. Read first about the month you dread most.
Funding and Licensing Snapshot
South Dakota Money, Advice and Paperwork
South Dakota has only a few places a plan gets reviewed. Learn what each one wants before you apply.
SBA South Dakota District Office
Sioux Falls hosts the office for the whole state, so West River and East River owners deal with the same SBA team.
GOED Loan Participation
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development runs the state’s share of the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) as loan participations with lenders. Featured partners include Growth South Dakota, REED Fund and Four Bands Community Fund.
Elevate Rapid City and Aberdeen
Elevate Rapid City connects owners with loan programs, grants and local lenders. The Aberdeen Downtown Association runs a revolving loan fund for downtown businesses.
Free Advising East and West River
The South Dakota Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is hosted by the University of South Dakota’s Beacom School of Business, with regional offices in Sioux Falls, Rapid City and on Aberdeen’s Main Street.
Secretary of State
LLCs and corporations register and file annual reports with the Secretary of State. Register the name before you print it on the plan.
By Trade and by Town
No general business license comes from the state. Check the licensing for your trade first, then with the city or county where you open.
From Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest
A Book for South Dakota Owners Who Lead Seasonal Crews
Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School · Book 1
Management and Leadership for Small Businesses
Black Hills businesses hire crews every spring and let them go every fall. Leading those short-season teams well is the focus of the book. In the stories, forest owners hire, train, lead and let people go, and the chapters show how a good leader handles each moment.
Summer brings the crowds and winter takes them away. Hire for the season you truly have, and know who will still stand with you when snow comes.
Doctor Owl, Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business SchoolFAQ
Questions From East River and West River Owners
Does a GOED loan participation request through my South Dakota lender need projections?
Is the RV park template a fit for a campground near Custer State Park?
Can the SBDC office in Rapid City help a Black Hills shop plan its winter cash?
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Business Plan Writer, Consultant & Author | 14+ Years | 1,000+ Clients Served
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA is the founder of Quality Business Plan. He writes business plans and financial projections for owners across the United States and Canada, works remotely with clients in every state, and has written plans behind more than $100M in funded projects. He is the author of the Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School series and has published over 1,000 business videos on YouTube. He has taught as an adjunct college instructor and teaches in Florida public schools.
This page is for general educational purposes only. It is not legal, lending, or financial advice. Program rules, loan sizes and local requirements change, so confirm them with the program or agency before you apply. The Fabled Forest and its characters are fictional.