18 of My Favorite Sample Business Plans & Examples For Your Inspiration
Updated: July 01, 2024
Published: November 08, 2018
I believe that reading sample business plans is essential when writing your own.
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As you explore business plan examples from real companies and brands, it’s easier for you to learn how to write a good one.
So what does a good business plan look like? And how do you write one that’s both viable and convincing? I’ll walk you through the ideal business plan format along with some examples to help you get started.
Table of Contents
Business Plan Types
Business plan format, sample business plan: section by section, sample business plan templates, top business plan examples.
Ultimately, the format of your business plan will vary based on your goals for that plan. I’ve added this quick review of different business plan types that achieve differing goals.
For a more detailed exploration of business plan types, you can check out this post .
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1. Startups
Startup business plans are for proposing new business ideas. If you’re planning to start a small business, preparing a business plan is crucial. The plan should include all the major factors of your business.
You can check out this guide for more detailed business plan inspiration .
2. Feasibility Studies
Feasibility business plans focus on that business's product or service. Feasibility plans are sometimes added to startup business plans. They can also be a new business plan for an already thriving organization.
3. Internal Use
You can use internal business plans to share goals, strategies, or performance updates with stakeholders. In my opinion, internal business plans are useful for alignment and building support for ambitious goals.
4. Strategic Initiatives
A strategic business plan is another business plan that's often shared internally. This plan covers long-term business objectives that might not have been included in the startup business plan.
5. Business Acquisition or Repositioning
When a business is moving forward with an acquisition or repositioning, it may need extra structure and support. These types of business plans expand on a company's acquisition or repositioning strategy.
Growth sometimes just happens as a business continues operations. But more often, a business needs to create a structure with specific targets to meet set goals for expansion. This business plan type can help a business focus on short-term growth goals and align resources with those goals.
I’m going to focus on a startup business plan that needs to be detailed and research-backed as well as compelling enough to convince investors to offer funding. In my experience, the most comprehensive and convincing business plans contain the following sections.
Executive Summary
This all-important introduction to your business plan sets the tone and includes the company description as well as what you will be exchanging for money — whether that’s product lines, services, or product-service hybrids.
Market Opportunity
Information about gaps in your industry’s market and how you plan to fill them, focused on demand and potential for growth.
Competitive Landscape Analysis
An overview of your competitors that includes consideration of their strengths and how you’ll manage them, their weaknesses and how you’ll capitalize on them, and how you can differentiate your offerings in the industry.
Target Audience
Descriptions of your ideal customers, their various problems that you can solve, and your customer acquisition strategy.
Marketing Strategy
This section details how you will market your brand to achieve specific goals, the channels and tactics you’ll utilize to reach those goals, and the metrics you’ll be using to measure your progress.
Key Features and Benefits
This is where you’ll use plain language to emphasize the value of your product/service, how it solves the problems of your target audiences, and how you’ll scale up over time.
Pricing and Revenue
This section describes your pricing strategy and plans for building revenue streams that fit your audiences while achieving your business goals.
This is the final section, communicating with investors that your business idea is worth investing in via profit/loss statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets to prove viability.
Okay, so now that we have a format established, I’ll give you more specific details about each section along with examples. Truthfully, I wish I’d had this resource to help me flesh out those first business plans long ago.
1. Executive Summary
I’d say the executive summary is the most important section of the entire business plan. It is essentially an overview of and introduction to your entire project.
Write this in such a way that it grabs your readers' attention and guides them through the rest of the business plan. This is important because a business plan can be dozens or hundreds of pages long.
There are two main elements I’d recommend including in your executive summary: your company description and your products and services.
Company Description
This is the perfect space to highlight your company’s mission statement and goals, a brief overview of your history and leadership, and your top accomplishments as a business.
Tell potential investors who you are and why what you do matters. Naturally, they’re going to want to know who they’re getting into business with up front. This is a great opportunity to showcase your impact.
Need some extra help firming up your business goals? I’d recommend HubSpot Academy’s free course to help you set meaningful goals that matter most for your business.
Products and Services
Here, you will incorporate an overview of your offerings. This doesn’t have to be extensive, as it is just a chance to introduce your industry and overall purpose as a business. I recommend including snippets of information about your financial projections and competitive advantage here as well.
Keep in mind that you'll cover many of these topics in more detail later on in the business plan. The executive summary should be clear and brief, only including the most important takeaways.
Executive Summary Business Plan Examples
This example was created with HubSpot’s business plan template . What makes this executive summary good is that it tells potential investors a short story while still covering all of the most important details.
Our Mission
Maria’s Gluten Free Bagels offers gluten-free bagels, along with various toppings, other gluten-free breakfast sandwich items, and coffee. The facility is entirely gluten free. Our team expects to catch the interest of gluten-free, celiac, or health-conscious community members who are seeking an enjoyable cafe to socialize. Due to a lack of gluten-free bagel products in the food industry currently, we expect mild competition and are confident we will be able to build a strong market position.
The Company and Management
Maria’s Gluten Free Bagels was founded in 2010 by Maria Jones, who first began selling her gluten-free bagels online from her home, using social media to spread the word. In 2012 she bought a retail location in Hamilton, MA, which now employs four full-time employees and six part-time employees. Prior to her bagel shop, Maria was a chef in New York and has extensive experience in the food industry.
Along with Maria Jones, Gluten Free Bagel Shop has a board of advisors. The advisors are:
- Jeni King, partner at Winding Communications, Ltd.
- Henry Wilson, president of Blue Robin, LLP.
Our Product
We offer gluten-free products ranging from bagels and cream cheese to blueberry muffins, coffee, and pastries. Our customers are health-conscious, community-oriented people who enjoy gluten-free products. We will create a welcoming, warm environment with opportunities for open mic nights, poetry readings, and other community functions. We will focus on creating an environment in which someone feels comfortable meeting a friend for lunch, or working remotely.
Our Competitive Advantages
While there are other coffee shops and cafes in the North Shore region, there are none that offer purely gluten-free options. This restricts those suffering from gluten-free illnesses or simply those with a gluten-free preference. This will be our primary selling point. Additionally, our market research [see Section 3] has shown a demand for a community-oriented coffee and bagel shop in the town of Hamilton, MA.
Financial Considerations
Our sales projections for the first year are $400,000. We project a 15% growth rate over the next two years. By year three, we project 61% gross margins.
We will have four full-time employees. The salary for each employee will be $50,000.
Start-up Financing Requirements
We are seeking to raise $125,000 in startup to finance year one. The owner has invested $50,000 to meet working capital requirements, and will use a loan of $100,000 to supplement the rest.
Example 2 :
Marianne and Keith Bean have been involved with the food industry for several years. They opened their first restaurant in Antlers, Oklahoma in 1981, and their second in Hugo in 1988. Although praised for the quality of many of the items on their menu, they have attained a special notoriety for their desserts. After years of requests for their flavored whipped cream toppings, they have decided to pursue marketing these products separately from the restaurants.
Marianne and Keith Bean have developed several recipes for flavored whipped cream topping. They include chocolate, raspberry, cinnamon almond, and strawberry. These flavored dessert toppings have been used in the setting of their two restaurants over the past 18 years, and have been produced in large quantities. The estimated shelf life of the product is 21 days at refrigeration temperatures and up to six months when frozen. The Beans intend to market this product in its frozen state in 8 and 12-ounce plastic tubs. They also intend to have the products available in six ounce pressurized cans. Special attention has been given to developing an attractive label that will stress the gourmet/specialty nature of the products.
Distribution of Fancy's Foods Whipped Dream product will begin in the local southeastern Oklahoma area. The Beans have an established name and reputation in this area, and product introduction should encounter little resistance.
Financial analyses show that the company will have both a positive cash flow and profit in the first year. The expected return on equity in the first year is 10.88%
Tips for Writing Your Executive Summary
- Start with a strong introduction of your company that showcases your mission and impact, then outline the products and services you provide.
- Clearly define a problem, explain how your product solves that problem, and show why the market needs your business.
- Be sure to highlight your value proposition, market opportunity, and growth potential.
- Keep it concise and support ideas with data.
- Customize your summary to your audience. For example, you might emphasize finances and return on investment for venture capitalists, whereas you might emphasize community benefits and minimal environmental impact for progressive nonprofits.
For more guidance, check out our tips for writing an effective executive summary .
2. Market Opportunity
This is where you'll detail the opportunity in the market. Ask and answer: Where is the gap in the current industry, and how will my product fill that gap?
To get a thorough understanding of the market opportunity, you'll want to conduct a TAM, SAM, SOM analysis , a SWOT analysis , and perform market research on your industry to get some insights for this section. More specifically, here’s what I’d include.
- The size of the market
- Current or potential market share
- Trends in the industry and consumer behavior
- Where the gap is
- What caused the gap
- How you intend to fill it
Market Opportunity Business Plan Example
I like this example because it uses critical data to underline the size of the potential market and what part of that market this service hopes to capture.
Example: The market for Doggie Pause is all of the dog owners in the metropolitan area and surrounding areas of the city. We believe that this is going to be 2/3 of the population, and we have a goal of gaining a 50% market share. We have a target of a 20% yearly profit increase as the business continues.
Tips for Writing Your Market Opportunity Section
- Focus on demand and potential for growth.
- Use market research, surveys, and industry trend data to support your market forecast and projections.
- Add a review of regulation shifts, tech advances, and consumer behavior changes.
- Refer to reliable sources.
- Showcase how your business can make the most of this opportunity.
3. Competitive Landscape Analysis
Since we’re already speaking of market share, you‘ll also need to create a section that shares details on who the top competitors are. After all, your customers likely have more than one brand to choose from, and you’ll want to understand exactly why they might choose one over another.
My favorite part of performing a competitive analysis is that it can help you uncover the following:
- Industry trends that other brands may not be utilizing.
- Strengths in your competition that may be obstacles to handle.
- Weaknesses in your competition that may help you develop selling points.
- The unique proposition you bring to the market that may resonate with customers.
Competitive Landscape Business Plan Example
I like how the competitive landscape section of this business plan shows a clear outline of who the top competitors are. It also highlights specific industry knowledge and the importance of location. This demonstrates useful experience in the industry, helping to build trust in your ability to execute your business plan.
Competitive Environment
Currently, there are four primary competitors in the Greater Omaha Area: Pinot’s Palette Lakeside (franchise partner), Village Canvas and Cabernet, The Corky Canvas, and Twisted Vine Collective. The first three competitors are in Omaha and the fourth is located in Papillion.
Despite the competition, all locations have both public and private events. Each location has a few sold-out painting events each month. The Omaha locations are in new, popular retail locations, while the existing Papillion location is in a downtown business district.
There is an opportunity to take advantage of the environment and open a studio in a well-traveled or growing area. Pinot’s Palette La Vista will differentiate itself from its competitors by offering a premium experience in a high-growth, influential location.
Tips for Writing Your Competitive Landscape
- Complete in-depth research, then emphasize your most important findings.
- Compare your unique selling proposition (USP) to your direct and indirect competitors.
- Show a clear and realistic plan for product and brand differentiation.
- Look for specific advantages and barriers in the competitive landscape. Then, highlight how that information could impact your business.
- Outline growth opportunities from a competitive perspective.
- Add customer feedback and insights to support your competitive analysis.
4. Target Audience
Use this section to describe who your customer segments are in detail. What is the demographic and psychographic information of your audience? I’d recommend building a buyer persona to get in the mindset of your ideal customers and be clear about why you're targeting them. Here are some questions I’d ask myself:
- What demographics will most likely need/buy your product or service?
- What are the psychographics of this audience? (Desires, triggering events, etc.)
- Why are your offerings valuable to them?
Target Audience Business Plan Example
I like the example below because it uses in-depth research to draw conclusions about audience priorities. It also analyzes how to create the right content for this audience.
The Audience
Recognize that audiences are often already aware of important issues. Outreach materials should:
- Emphasize a pollution-prevention practice
- Tell audience a little about how to prevent pollution
- Tell audience where they can obtain information about prevention.
Message Content
- Focus the content for outreach materials on cost savings, such as when and where pollution prevention is as cheap as or cheaper than traditional techniques. Include facts and figures.
- Emphasize how easy it is to do the right thing and the impacts of not engaging in pollution prevention.
- Stress benefits such as efficiency or better relations with government, for businesses not primarily concerned with public image.
Tips for Writing Your Target Audience Section
- Include details on the size and growth potential of your target audience.
- Figure out and refine the pain points for your target audience , then show why your product is a useful solution.
- Describe your targeted customer acquisition strategy in detail.
- Share anticipated challenges your business may face in acquiring customers and how you plan to address them.
- Add case studies, testimonials, and other data to support your target audience ideas.
- Remember to consider niche audiences and segments of your target audience in your business plan.
5. Marketing Strategy
Here, you‘ll discuss how you’ll acquire new customers with your marketing strategy. I think it’s helpful to have a marketing plan built out in advance to make this part of your business plan easier. I’d suggest including these details:
- Your brand positioning vision and how you'll cultivate it.
- The goal targets you aim to achieve.
- The metrics you'll use to measure success.
- The channels and distribution tactics you'll use.
Marketing Strategy Business Plan Example
This business plan example includes the marketing strategy for the town of Gawler. In my opinion, it works because it offers a comprehensive picture of how they plan to use digital marketing to promote the community.
You’ll also learn the financial benefits investors can reap from putting money into your venture rather than trying to sell them on how great your product or service is.
This business plan guide focuses less on the individual parts of a business plan, and more on the overarching goal of writing one. For that reason, it’s one of my favorites to supplement any template you choose to use. Harvard Business Review’s guide is instrumental for both new and seasoned business owners.
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Looking for business plan examples for inspiration? Download or view 14 business plans examples/samples, vetted by our MBA business plan writers. Download in PDF format or read like a book. These real business plan samples would help in writing your own business plan.
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As an entrepreneur, effectively pitching your idea to attract investors and secure funding can be a challenge. Moreover, when launching a business, creating a comprehensive business plan is paramount.
To aid you in these crucial tasks, we offer a collection of real-world and sample business plan examples across diverse industries. A well-structured business plan is indispensable in the fast-paced entrepreneurial landscape, as it delineates your goals, strategies, and financial projections, providing a clear roadmap for your venture.
Our aim is to facilitate the creation of an effective business plan by integrating real-life examples to elucidate the key elements involved. Below, you’ll find a range of 14 detailed business plan examples available for download and use.
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Important Sections to Include in Business Plan
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To create a robust business plan, ensure inclusion of the following key sections:
- Executive Summary: A brief snapshot of your business and the key highlights of your business plan. Read more
- Product and Services: An elaborate description of the offerings you will provide to your customers. Read more
- Marketing and Sales Plan: A strategic roadmap outlining how you intend to promote and market your business before, during, and after its launch. Read more
- Operating Planning: An explanation of the systems, processes, and tools necessary to efficiently run your business behind the scenes. Read more
- Organization and Management: Organization and management in a business plan outline the structure and leadership of the company. Read more
- Financial Plan: A comprehensive plan mapping out your short-term and long-term financial goals and the associated costs of running your business. If you require funding, this section is where you can outline your request and financial needs. Read more
- Key External Drivers: External drivers encompass factors like outsourcing, economic changes, industry competition, and business legislation complexity. Read more
- Startup Summary: The startup summary offers a comprehensive financial overview of , detailing expenses, asset value, and total requirements, crucial for transparency with entrepreneurs and investors. Read more
- Projected Industry Growth : Projected industry growth forecasts the sector’s expansion, offering a 10-year perspective and average annual growth rate, providing clarity to investors. Read more
- Break-even analysis: The break-even analysis visually presents key metrics and a 12-month revenue forecast to help stakeholders grasp the point where the business covers costs and starts generating profit . Read more
- Management Summary: The management summary provides a concise overview of organizational structure, key personnel, their roles, and financial commitments, ensuring stakeholders understand the business’s operational strength and leadership capability. Read more
- Financial Indicators: The financial indicators section evaluates organizational fiscal health, focusing on year-over-year profitability metrics, leverage ratios, liquidity ratios, and additional metrics, providing a comprehensive understanding of the business’s financial performance and efficiency in revenue generation from equity investments. Read more
Something Borrowed Something New is a burgeoning e-commerce enterprise specializing in wedding accessories and personalized gifts. Operating on a drop-shipping model, this business has the capability to make a significant impact in the market.
Moreover, leveraging social networking and blogging can be instrumental in generating awareness and capturing interest, thereby creating a robust online marketing strategy for Something Old and Something New.
To enhance their business operations, they are contemplating the integration of a WhatsApp CRM system. This initiative aims to optimize communication with potential customers, ensuring prompt responses to inquiries and fostering a seamless interaction process.
EPlace Solutions will be an innovative online marketplace business portal offering a variety of products to consumers throughout the globe. Founded by Mr. John Jones, a seasoned business visionary with an eye toward profit and achievement, the organization is set to enter the market in 2023.
Online shopping is at an all-time high with new consumer mindsets calling for them to shop for the types of deals and bargains that will be so much a part of the online marketplace business model.
There is an increasing demand for snack-type fast food to be consumed while window shopping and walking around inside a shopping mall.
Do you plan to start a snack bar business? Then here’s a complete snack bar startup business plan template and feasibility report you can use FREE of charge. It sounds easy to open a snack bar, but in reality, you need well-planned strategies to ensure that your business stands the test of time.
Our snack bar business plan sample includes a detailed description of the products and services offered, as well as a market a nalysis and competitive analysis.
It also includes a financial plan that outlines the startup costs, revenue projections, and break-even analysis. We like this sample plan because it demonstrates how to build a profitable snack bar business by creating a unique menu and offering healthy, high-quality snac ks that meet custome r demand.
Your snack shop business plan can look as polished and professional as the sample plan. It’s fun and easy, with Wise Business Plan. Let’s review the snack shop business plan sample and adjust them according to your audience for the best results.
A coffee shop business plan is a document that outlines what your business idea is and how it will be implemented. Its purpose is to answer questions such as what it costs to start a coffee shop, how these costs will be financed, and how much money you can expect to earn from your cafe.
Are you looking for the right business plan for your cafe? Let’s review the Coffee shop business plan sample to find out how cloud-based software can make your day-to-day work more efficient.
Our coffee shop business plan sample includes a detailed description of the products and services offered, as well as a market analysis and competitive analysis.
It also includes a financial plan that outlines the startup costs, revenue projections, and break-even analysis. We like this sample plan because it demonstrates how to build a profitable coffee shop business by creating a unique brand and offering high-quality products a nd customer service.
In the food industry, there is fierce competition. To ensure success, you need to hit the ground running with the right pitch. Our food house business plan is the ideal solution with an attractive design highlighting key information and conveying the right message.
This food business plan example features food images intended to tantalize the taste buds. It captures the theme perfectly and will convey the ultimate message to investors, clients and customers.
It is important to remember that the business plan template can be customized to meet your company’s specific needs and requirements. It will help showcase your business as a leader in the modern industry.
This food business plan template provides key slides to showcase everything from finances to marketing and key competitors. If you prefer, you can alter the content displayed to meet your specific needs, but this is a good starting point.
Ultimately, this food house business plan will be suitable for any business operating in the food industry and keen to get interested from key individuals. It will ensure that you can build up the rep of your company.
We provide a one-of-a-kind sales pitch deck designed to appeal to your prospective audience, as well as a custom presentation tailored to their information requirements.
When establishing a think tank, you will need to develop a business plan and document it properly. As a mass think tank, you need a special strategy to legalize the think tank as a non-profit organization and to raise funds for your project successfully.
Copy and print businesses offer a variety of services to both businesses and consumers. A copy and print shop can handle everything from single-page printing to large-volume jobs using several types of media.
Our printing shop business plan sample includes a detailed description of the products and services offered, as well as a market analysis and competitive analysis. It also includes a financial plan that outlines the startup costs, revenue projections, and break-even analysis. We like this sample plan because it demonstrates how to build a profitable printing shop business by offering high-quality, customized printing services with a focus on customer s ervice and efficient operations.
Let’s take a look at Printing and Photocopy Business Plan Sample that you can use to inspire your own and easily create one.
The acquisition business plan sample is intended for businesses seeking to acquire another company or merge with a competitor. This plan includes an analysis of the target company, a valuation, and a strategy for integrating the acquired business into the existing operations. We like this sample plan because it provides a clear roadmap for the acquisition process and demonstrates the potential benefits of the deal.
At Wisebusinessplans, we understand that obtaining an L1 visa for an executive or manager requires a thorough and compelling business plan.
Our L1 business plan sample includes all the necessary components to satisfy USCIS requirements and demonstrate your qualifications and your company’s viability in the US market.
The L1 business plan sample is a comprehensive plan for a new business seeking L1 visa approval for an executive or manager. This plan focuses on demonstrating the applicant’s qualifications and the company’s viability in the US market.
We like this sample plan because it is specific to the L1 visa process and includes all the necessary components to satisfy USCIS requirements.
If you’re an entrepreneur seeking E-2 visa approval, Wise Business Plans can help you create a persuasive business plan.
Our E-2 business plan sample outlines your investment, business operations, and financial projections, providing a clear and compelling case for your ability to successfully run a business and make a significant economic impact.
The E-2 business plan sample is designed for entrepreneurs seeking E-2 visa approval, which allows individuals to invest in and manage a business in the United States. This plan outlines the applicant’s investment, business operations, and financial projections. We like this sample plan because it provides a clear and compelling case for the applicant’s ability to successfully run a business and make a significant economic impact.
If you’re looking to obtain an EB-5 visa by investing in a new commercial enterprise in the United States, Wise Business Plans can help you create a compelling business plan.
Our EB-5 business plan sample includes a description of your business, a market analysis, and financial projections, providing a detailed and persuasive case for the potential success of your venture.
The EB-5 business plan sample is designed for individuals seeking to obtain an EB-5 visa by investing in a new commercial enterprise in the United States. This plan includes a description of the business, a market analysis, and financial projections. We like this sample plan because it provides a detailed and persuasive case for the potential success of the business, which is crucial for obtaining EB-5 visa approval.
If you’re seeking investment from angel investors, venture capitalists, or other private equity firms, Wise Business Plans can help you create a compelling pitch.
Our investor business plan sample includes a pitch deck, financial projections, and a detailed analysis of the market the potential return on investment and the scalability of your business.
The investor business plan sample is intended for businesses seeking to attract investment from angel investors, venture capitalists, or other private equity firms. This plan includes a pitch deck, financial projections, and a detailed analysis of the market opportunity. We like this sample plan because it emphasizes the potential return on investment and the scalability of the business.
At Wisebusinessplans, we’re committed to helping non-profit organizations achieve their social impact goals.
Our non-profit business plan sample includes a mission statement, programs and services, marketing and outreach strategies, and a financial analysis, providing a clear roadmap for establishing or expanding your organization.
The non-profit business plan sample is designed for organizations seeking to establish or expand a non-profit entity. This plan includes a mission statement, programs and services, marketing and outreach strategies, and a financial analysis. We like this sample plan because it demonstrates a strong commitment to social impact and outlines a clear strategy for achieving the organization’s goals.
Whether you’re seeking financing from a bank or other financial institution, Wise Business Plans can help you create a detailed and persuasive business plan.
Our bank business plan sample includes a thorough financial analysis, market research, and a strategy for achieving profitability, highlighting the key factors that banks consider when evaluating loan applications.
The bank business plan sample is tailored for businesses seeking financing from a bank or other financial institution. This plan includes a detailed financial analysis, market research, and a strategy for achieving profitability. We like this sample plan because it highlights the key factors that banks consider when evaluating loan applications, and provides a strong case for the borrower’s ability to repay the loan.
The cannabis industry is rapidly growing, and Wise Business Plans can help you enter it with confidence.
Our cannabis business plan sample includes a market analysis, operational strategy, and regulatory compliance a comprehensive overview of the unique challenges and opportunities in the industry and offering a clear roadmap for success.
The cannabis business plan sample is tailored for entrepreneurs seeking to enter the rapidly growing cannabis industry. This plan includes a market analysis, operational strategy, and regulatory compliance plan. We like this sample plan because it provides a comprehensive overview of the unique challenges and opportunities in the cannabis industry, and offers a clear roadmap for success.
The executive summary is a concise overview of your business plan, highlighting the key points of each section. It should capture the essence of your business, its mission, and the purpose of the business plan. This section should be written last, but it’s placed at the beginning of the business plan. Here is an example executive summary from our professional business plan written for Eplace Solution , an innovative e-commerce portal.
- Keep it brief and focused on key points.
- Clearly define the problem and your solution.
- Highlight market opportunities and growth potential.
- Showcase your team’s qualifications.
- Include financial projections.
- End with a clear call to action.
- Tailor it to your audience.
- Review and update regularly.
In this section, provide a detailed description of your company, including its history, legal structure, location, and vision. Explain your mission statement and core values that guide your business decisions. Use real-life examples of successful companies and how their strong company descriptions have contributed to their growth. In addition, you can reuse your company description on your About page, Instagram page, or other properties that ask for a boilerplate description of your business.
This section also allows you to describe how you register your business . Here you must choose whether your business is a corporation, sole proprietorship, LLC , or another type of business .
- Describe your company’s mission and vision.
- Explain what your business does and the problems it solves.
- Mention your target market and customer base.
- Highlight your unique selling points.
- Provide a brief history and background.
A market analysis analyzes how you are positioned in the market, who your target customers are, what your product or service will offer them, and industry trends. It might be useful to do a SWOT analysis to discover your strengths and weaknesses to identify market gaps that you may be able to exploit to build your business.
As part of your market research, you’ll also need to perform a competitive analysis. It will give you an idea of who your competition is and how to differentiate your brand. Here’s an example of a competitive analysis we did for a food business.
- Research and understand your industry thoroughly.
- Identify market trends and growth opportunities.
- Analyze your competitors and their strengths and weaknesses.
- Define your target audience and their needs.
- Include data and statistics to support your analysis.
Adding products and services to a business plan involves more than listing your company’s offerings. If you intend to gain funding or partner with another business, your products, and services section needs to demonstrate your company’s quality, value, and benefits.
Here’s an example of a product and service section in the business plan we wrote for an e-commerce business that offers wedding accessories.
- Clearly describe your offerings and their features.
- Explain how your products/services address customer needs.
- Highlight any unique qualities or advantages.
- Discuss your pricing strategy.
- Mention any future product/service development plans.
Here is example of services section of a bank.
It is always a good idea to have a marketing plan before launching your business. A potential investor will want to know how you will advertise your business. Therefore, you should create a marketing plan that explains your planned promotion and customer acquisition strategies.
Discuss how you will make a sale. How will you attract customers and maximize their lifetime value? Ensure your marketing and sales forecasts align with your financial forecasts Marketing plans are usually based on the four Ps : product, price, place, and promotion. Breaking it down by marketing channels makes it easier. Discuss how you intend to market your business via blogs, email, social media, and word-of-mouth.
Here is an example of marketing strategies we develop for a restaurant business.
- Define your marketing goals and objectives.
- Outline your marketing strategies, including channels and tactics.
- Explain your sales strategy and target sales goals.
- Include a budget for marketing and sales activities.
- Discuss your sales team and their roles.
- Detail your customer acquisition and retention strategies.
- Mention any partnerships or collaborations for marketing and sales.
Example of marketing and sales plan section of a bank
The operation plan should include all the steps needed to run the business in the long run. The plan should include details about logistics, duties for each department of the company, and responsibilities for the team.
The main aspect of running a business is its costs. Whether it’s machinery or services, each requires capital.
how to write an operation plan in a business plan
- Describe your day-to-day business operations.
- Explain your supply chain and production processes.
- Outline your facility and equipment requirements.
- Discuss your quality control and efficiency measures.
- Mention any legal and regulatory compliance considerations.
- Detail your staffing and management structure.
- Include contingency plans for potential disruptions.
In this section, you can describe your current team and the people you need to hire. You will need to highlight your team’s relevant experience if you intend to seek funding. Basically, this is where you demonstrate that this team can be successful in starting and growing the business.
- Introduce your leadership team and their roles.
- Highlight their relevant experience and qualifications.
- Explain your organizational structure and hierarchy.
- Discuss key personnel responsibilities and functions.
- Mention any plans for team growth or development.
- Address any advisory boards or external support.
Management summary of coffee shoppe business.
A financial plan should include sales and revenue forecasts, profit and loss statements , cash flow statements , and balance sheets .
Now, if you plan to pitch investors or submit a loan application, you’ll also need a “use of funds” report. Here you outline how you plan to leverage any funding you might acquire for your business.
With our business templates , you can create your own income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet.
- Include detailed financial projections (income statement, cash flow, balance sheet).
- Explain your funding requirements and sources.
- Discuss your pricing and revenue model.
- Describe your expense management and cost controls.
- Mention any financial risks and mitigation strategies.
- Highlight key financial milestones and goals.
Financial highlights of foodShack business.
External drivers refer to the external factors or influences that significantly impact the activity and growth of an industry. These drivers include outsourcing of non-core activities, changes in economic activity, competition from other industries, and the complexity of business legislation.
Additionally, external drivers encompass the effects of changes in new business formation, especially among small businesses, which directly affect the demand for services within the industry.
- Identify and analyze current and emerging market trends in your industry.
- Assess potential positive or negative impacts these trends may have on your business.
- Evaluate broader economic conditions, including inflation rates, interest rates, and GDP growth.
- Elucidate how changes in economic conditions could influence consumer behavior, product demand, and overall cost structure.
- Outline key industry regulations and compliance requirements, discussing potential impacts on operations, costs, and market access.
- Highlight relevant technological advancements and explain their potential effects on your product or service offerings, operations, and competitiveness.
- Analyze current and potential future competitors, emphasizing the evolving competitive landscape’s impact on market share, pricing strategy, and overall business strategy.
- Consider social and cultural factors influencing consumer preferences and behaviors, exploring how societal changes can affect product demand.
- Evaluate environmental trends and regulations, discussing potential impacts on operations, supply chain, and customer perceptions.
- Assess political stability, government policies, and geopolitical factors, exploring potential risks and opportunities from political changes.
- Discuss global market conditions, analyzing how global economic trends, trade policies, and currency fluctuations may affect operations and expansion plans.
- Identify and discuss potential risks in the supply chain, such as disruptions, shortages, or geopolitical issues.
- Consider demographic shifts affecting your target market and discuss how changes may impact your customer base and marketing strategies.
- Highlight key legal and regulatory factors affecting the business, discussing potential legal challenges, compliance costs, and regulatory changes.
- Outline comprehensive risk management strategies, including contingency plans and risk mitigation strategies.
- Explain how you will monitor external drivers and emphasize the importance of staying agile and responsive to changes in the external environment.
The startup summary serves as a comprehensive overview of essential financial aspects, encompassing total startup expenses, the overall value of startup assets, and the total requirements, which is the cumulative sum of all expenses and startup investments.
It provides a clear financial snapshot, outlining the costs involved in launching the business, the value of assets acquired, and the overall financial needs for the startup.
This section is crucial for entrepreneurs and potential investors, offering a transparent understanding of the financial foundation required to initiate and sustain the business successfully.
This roadmap ensures a realistic evaluation of the business idea, identifying potential challenges and offering solutions.To write an effective plan, focus on what sets your venture apart from competitors, maintain conciseness, and embrace flexibility as a living document.
Answer fundamental questions about your business, create actionable checklists, execute the plan, and continually revise and update based on experiences and feedback.This iterative process fosters continuous improvement, helping entrepreneurs stay adaptable and enhance their business strategies over time.
- Clearly state the startup’s name and provide a concise description of its activities.
- Include a succinct mission statement capturing the startup’s purpose and goals, reflecting its core values.
- Specify the founding date and offer brief bios of key founders, highlighting relevant experience.
- Summarize the startup’s concept, explaining offered products or services and key distinguishing features.
- Clearly articulate the problem or need in the market that the startup addresses, defining the target audience.
- State what makes the startup unique, whether it’s a special feature, market gap, or competitive advantage.
- Provide a brief description of the market opportunity, covering target market size, trends, and growth prospects.
- Outline how the startup plans to generate revenue, detailing streams, pricing strategy, and potential partnerships.
- Offer a snapshot of the startup’s current status, highlighting key achievements such as product development or partnerships.
- If seeking funding, clearly state the amount sought and its allocation, covering areas like product development and marketing.
- Include a high-level financial summary with key projections for revenue, expenses, and profitability.
- Briefly outline future aspirations and plans, encompassing areas like expansion, product development, or strategic partnerships.
The projected industry growth is a pivotal aspect that forecasts the expansion of a specific sector over a defined timeframe.
For instance, it could provide an estimate of where that particular business will be standing in the next 10 years, and what will be the average annual growth rate of that industry.
This information provides prospective investors and stakeholders with a clear understanding of the industry’s potential and positions the startup within a dynamic and flourishing market.
- Emphasize the importance of industry trends and growth to your business.
- Provide a concise overview, including market size, major players, and recent trends.
- Briefly explain how you gathered data on industry growth projections (e.g., market research reports, expert interviews).
- Identify and discuss prevailing trends, such as technological advancements, changes in consumer behavior, and regulatory shifts.
- Summarize the industry’s historical growth, highlighting growth rates, market expansion, and notable milestones.
- Highlight key factors expected to drive industry growth, such as emerging markets, technological innovations, and demographic shifts.
- Discuss specific opportunities within the industry, including gaps in the market, underserved segments, or areas of competitive advantage.
- Acknowledge potential challenges or risks that could impact industry growth, demonstrating a realistic understanding.
- Present projections for future growth rates based on historical data, expert opinions, and your analysis. Include short-term and long-term projections.
- Discuss how key competitors are positioned to leverage industry growth, emphasizing your business’s differentiation strategies.
- Consider the regulatory landscape impacting growth, discussing anticipated changes and their potential effects on the industry.
- Explore international trends and their implications for industry growth, including factors like global economic conditions and geopolitical influences.
Here is example of market analysis section of a bank.
The break-even analysis serves as a vital financial tool, offering a detailed estimation of key metrics such as Sales Revenue, Cost of Sales, Gross Profit, Fixed Expenses, and Income Before Tax.
These critical components are visually presented through a bar graph, providing a clear and concise overview of the financial dynamics.
Additionally, the break-even analysis delves into a 12-month forecast, outlining the projected amount of revenue generated and the corresponding fixed costs.
This section is instrumental in helping stakeholders understand the financial threshold at which the business covers its costs and begins to generate profit.
- Define break-even analysis as a financial calculation where total revenue equals total costs.
- Identify constant costs regardless of production or sales levels.
- Enumerate and explain costs changing with production or sales.
- Present the break-even analysis formula, indicating the units needed to cover costs.
- Perform a practical break-even calculation using business-specific fixed costs, selling price, and variable cost per unit.
- Include a break-even chart or graph for a visual understanding of cost-revenue dynamics.
- Conduct a proactive sensitivity analysis to explore how changes in variables impact the break-even point.
- Specify the anticipated timeframe to reach the break-even point in terms of months or units sold.
- Clearly outline assumptions made in the analysis and provide justifications for transparency and credibility.
- Acknowledge potential risks or challenges that may affect the accuracy of the break-even analysis.
- Briefly mention contingency plans for difficulties in reaching the break-even point within the projected timeframe.
The management summary within the business plan provides a concise overview of the organizational structure and key personnel.
This includes a count of individuals, specifying the number of founders and operational team members integral to the organization.
The summary delves into the roles and responsibilities of each key figure, offering insights into the leadership dynamics driving the business.
Furthermore, the management summary sheds light on the financial aspect by presenting details about personal wages and payroll allocations for both founders and operational staff.
This comprehensive section ensures a clear understanding of the human resource framework and the financial commitments associated with the management team, crucial for stakeholders evaluating the business’s operational strength and leadership capability.
- Highlighting the critical role the management team plays in the business’s success, the introduction emphasizes their significance.
- Listing each key member with names, positions, and brief role summaries introduces the core of the management team.
- Providing brief biographies for each team member underscores their relevant experience, skills, achievements, and industry-specific expertise.
- Clearly outlining roles and responsibilities emphasizes how each team member’s skills contribute to the overall success of the business.
- Sharing the team’s vision and strategy involves discussing key strategic goals and outlining the plans to achieve them.
- Highlighting notable achievements or milestones showcases the team members’ successful ventures, industry recognition, or career accomplishments.
- Discussing team dynamics emphasizes collaboration and the complementary nature of their skills in driving the business forward.
- Introducing advisory board members, if applicable, underscores the additional guidance and expertise they bring to the business.
- Discussing how the team plans to contribute to future growth and development includes strategies for talent acquisition, leadership development, and succession planning.
- Touching on the team’s culture and values emphasizes their role in shaping the overall ethos of the business.
- If seeking investment, briefly mentioning how the management team plans to use funding for business growth and development provides insight into their financial strategy.
Here is example of marketing and sales plan section of a bank.
The financial indicators section within the business plan helps in evaluating the fiscal health and performance of the organization.
Year-after-year profitability estimates take center stage, encompassing key metrics such as gross margin, net profit margin, and EBITDA to revenue.
These indicators provide a comprehensive understanding of the business’s ability to generate profit relative to its revenue.
Furthermore, the financial indicators extend to leverage ratios, including the critical Debt to Equity ratio, Debt to Assets ratio, and Interest Coverage ratio.
These metrics illuminate the organization’s capital structure, debt management, and its capacity to meet interest obligations.
Liquidity ratios includes the Current Ratio and Current Debt to Total Asset Ratio.
These ratios provide insights into the company’s short-term financial health and its ability to meet immediate obligations.
The financial indicator toolbox is enriched with additional metrics, notably the Revenue to Equity ratio, which sheds light on the efficiency of generating revenue from equity investments.
- Detailed revenue forecasts for the next 3-5 years. Breakdown by product/service and geographical regions.
- Detailed breakdown of anticipated expenses. Include fixed and variable costs, operational expenses, and other relevant expenditures.
- Historical P&L statements if available. Projected future profits and losses based on revenue and expense projections.
- Outline of expected cash inflows and outflows. Emphasis on the ability to meet short-term obligations.
- Snapshot of the company’s financial position. Includes assets, liabilities, and equity.
- Calculation and presentation of key financial ratios (liquidity, solvency, profitability). Discussion on the significance of these ratios.
- Identification and explanation of relevant KPIs. Highlighting alignment with the overall business strategy.
- Discussion of potential financial risks. Mitigation strategies and addressing uncertainties.
- Clear statement of the amount and purpose of funds required.
- Outline of key assumptions underlying financial projections. Rationale for these assumptions.
- Summary of industry financial trends and business positioning. Outlook on future financial prospects considering market dynamics.
Looking For The Right Business Plan Format?
These sample business plans will provide you with a complete structure and format for your business plan, which will give you a head start on developing your document, so you won’t be stuck seeing an empty page and wondering what to write.
Simply going through the process of writing a business plan is one of its key benefits. If you sit down to write, you’ll naturally think about your startup costs, your target market , and any market analysis or research you’ll need to conduct. In addition to defining your position among your competitors, you will establish your goals and milestones.
You can see what should be included in a sample financial plan, but It is wrong to assume that a sample company’s financial projections will fit your own. If you need more resources to get you started, we recommend this guide on how to write a business plan .
In addition, you can download our 40+ free business plan templates covering a range of industries.
One-page business plans are short, compact, and to the point and are designed to make the plan easy to read at a glance. Make sure to include all of the sections, but truncate and summarize them
Start-up business plans are for businesses that are just getting started. They are usually developed to secure outside funding. In this regard, financials are of increased importance, as well as other sections that determine whether your business idea is viable, such as market research.
A strategic business plan lays out a company’s goals and how it will achieve them at a high level. It is a foundational document for the company as a whole. A strategic business plan allows all levels of the business to see the big picture, inspiring employees to work together to reach the company’s goals.
Developing a feasibility plan answers two primary questions about a business venture: who would purchase the service or product the company wants to sell, and if the venture is profitable.
Internal Business plans are geared to a specific audience within a company to keep your team on the same page and focused on the same goals.
In conclusion, whether you’re venturing into a traditional business or creating an innovative startup, the significance of a well-crafted business plan cannot be overstated. Different types of business plans cater to specific needs, from internal alignment to strategic expansion. Employing a template in MS Word ensures a polished presentation. The process of writing an executive summary, creating a plan, and defining the components of your business plan is essential.
Recognizing the need for a comprehensive and standard business plan can help guide your endeavors. Whether you choose to write a full business plan or opt for a one-page business overview, leveraging templates in MS Word can simplify the process. In essence, understanding the types of business plans and utilizing an executive summary template provides a structured approach to showcase your business overview.
Take inspiration from example business plans to tailor your strategy, ensuring a roadmap for success in the dynamic world of entrepreneurship. Always remember, a meticulously crafted business plan not only communicates your vision effectively but also serves as a valuable resource that can help secure investments and guide your business’s growth trajectory.
Begin with an executive summary, delve into market analysis, outline your strategies, create financial projections, and use available business plan examples as templates to guide your writing.
A comprehensive business plan template should encompass key sections such as an executive summary, business description, market analysis, marketing strategy, organizational structure, and financial projections. Seek templates online that cover these elements.
Tailor your business plan to the scale of your small business. Define your objectives clearly, outline cost-effective strategies, and emphasize agility in adapting to market changes.
Explore well-crafted business plan examples you can visit our website wisebusinessplan.
The fundamental components include an executive summary, business description, market analysis, marketing and sales strategy, organizational structure, product/service description, and financial projections.
Investors focus on growth potential, detailed financial projections, market analysis, competition analysis, and the qualifications and experience of your management team when reviewing a business plan.
To find a business plan example for a tech startup,you can visit our visit wisebusinessplan .
A business plan provides a comprehensive overview of your entire business, including strategies, operations, and financials. In contrast, a business proposal typically focuses on a specific project or offer, outlining the details and benefits to a potential client.
Craft an engaging executive summary by summarizing your business’s mission, highlighting the market opportunity, showcasing your product or service, and providing a concise overview of your financial projections.
Seek tailored business plan examples for nonprofit organizations you can visit wisebusinessplan .
These business plans are written by MBA writers. Real-world use cases were used in these plans.
Get our business plan writing and consultation service.
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The 7 Best Business Plan Examples (2024)
As an aspiring entrepreneur gearing up to start your own business , you likely know the importance of drafting a business plan. However, you might not be entirely sure where to begin or what specific details to include. That’s where examining business plan examples can be beneficial. Sample business plans serve as real-world templates to help you craft your own plan with confidence. They also provide insight into the key sections that make up a business plan, as well as demonstrate how to structure and present your ideas effectively.
Example business plan
To understand how to write a business plan, let’s study an example structured using a seven-part template. Here’s a quick overview of those parts:
- Executive summary: A quick overview of your business and the contents of your business plan.
- Company description: More info about your company, its goals and mission, and why you started it in the first place.
- Market analysis: Research about the market and industry your business will operate in, including a competitive analysis about the companies you’ll be up against.
- Products and services: A detailed description of what you’ll be selling to your customers.
- Marketing plan: A strategic outline of how you plan to market and promote your business before, during, and after your company launches into the market.
- Logistics and operations plan: An explanation of the systems, processes, and tools that are needed to run your business in the background.
- Financial plan: A map of your short-term (and even long-term) financial goals and the costs to run the business. If you’re looking for funding, this is the place to discuss your request and needs.
7 business plan examples (section by section)
In this section, you’ll find hypothetical and real-world examples of each aspect of a business plan to show you how the whole thing comes together.
- Executive summary
Your executive summary offers a high-level overview of the rest of your business plan. You’ll want to include a brief description of your company, market research, competitor analysis, and financial information.
In this free business plan template, the executive summary is three paragraphs and occupies nearly half the page:
- Company description
You might go more in-depth with your company description and include the following sections:
- Nature of the business. Mention the general category of business you fall under. Are you a manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer of your products?
- Background information. Talk about your past experiences and skills, and how you’ve combined them to fill in the market.
- Business structure. This section outlines how you registered your company —as a corporation, sole proprietorship, LLC, or other business type.
- Industry. Which business sector do you operate in? The answer might be technology, merchandising, or another industry.
- Team. Whether you’re the sole full-time employee of your business or you have contractors to support your daily workflow, this is your chance to put them under the spotlight.
You can also repurpose your company description elsewhere, like on your About page, Instagram page, or other properties that ask for a boilerplate description of your business. Hair extensions brand Luxy Hair has a blurb on it’s About page that could easily be repurposed as a company description for its business plan.
- Market analysis
Market analysis comprises research on product supply and demand, your target market, the competitive landscape, and industry trends. You might do a SWOT analysis to learn where you stand and identify market gaps that you could exploit to establish your footing. Here’s an example of a SWOT analysis for a hypothetical ecommerce business:
You’ll also want to run a competitive analysis as part of the market analysis component of your business plan. This will show you who you’re up against and give you ideas on how to gain an edge over the competition.
- Products and services
This part of your business plan describes your product or service, how it will be priced, and the ways it will compete against similar offerings in the market. Don’t go into too much detail here—a few lines are enough to introduce your item to the reader.
- Marketing plan
Potential investors will want to know how you’ll get the word out about your business. So it’s essential to build a marketing plan that highlights the promotion and customer acquisition strategies you’re planning to adopt.
Most marketing plans focus on the four Ps: product, price, place, and promotion. However, it’s easier when you break it down by the different marketing channels . Mention how you intend to promote your business using blogs, email, social media, and word-of-mouth marketing.
Here’s an example of a hypothetical marketing plan for a real estate website:
Logistics and operations
This section of your business plan provides information about your production, facilities, equipment, shipping and fulfillment, and inventory.
Financial plan
The financial plan (a.k.a. financial statement) offers a breakdown of your sales, revenue, expenses, profit, and other financial metrics. You’ll want to include all the numbers and concrete data to project your current and projected financial state.
In this business plan example, the financial statement for ecommerce brand Nature’s Candy includes forecasted revenue, expenses, and net profit in graphs.
It then goes deeper into the financials, citing:
- Funding needs
- Project cash-flow statement
- Project profit-and-loss statement
- Projected balance sheet
You can use Shopify’s financial plan template to create your own income statement, cash-flow statement, and balance sheet.
Types of business plans (and what to write for each)
A one-page business plan is a pared down version of a standard business plan that’s easy for potential investors and partners to understand. You’ll want to include all of these sections, but make sure they’re abbreviated and summarized:
- Logistics and operations plan
- Financials
A startup business plan is meant to secure outside funding for a new business. Typically, there’s a big focus on the financials, as well as other sections that help determine the viability of your business idea—market analysis, for example. Shopify has a great business plan template for startups that include all the below points:
- Market research: in depth
- Financials: in depth
Your internal business plan acts as the enforcer of your company’s vision. It reminds your team of the long-term objective and keeps them strategically aligned toward the same goal. Be sure to include:
- Market research
Feasibility
A feasibility business plan is essentially a feasibility study that helps you evaluate whether your product or idea is worthy of a full business plan. Include the following sections:
A strategic (or growth) business plan lays out your long-term vision and goals. This means your predictions stretch further into the future, and you aim for greater growth and revenue. While crafting this document, you use all the parts of a usual business plan but add more to each one:
- Products and services: for launch and expansion
- Market analysis: detailed analysis
- Marketing plan: detailed strategy
- Logistics and operations plan: detailed plan
- Financials: detailed projections
Free business plan templates
Now that you’re familiar with what’s included and how to format a business plan, let’s go over a few templates you can fill out or draw inspiration from.
Bplans’ free business plan template
Bplans’ free business plan template focuses a lot on the financial side of running a business. It has many pages just for your financial plan and statements. Once you fill it out, you’ll see exactly where your business stands financially and what you need to do to keep it on track or make it better.
PandaDoc’s free business plan template
PandaDoc’s free business plan template is detailed and guides you through every section, so you don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Filling it out, you’ll grasp the ins and outs of your business and how each part fits together. It’s also handy because it connects to PandaDoc’s e-signature for easy signing, ideal for businesses with partners or a board.
Miro’s Business Model Canvas Template
Miro’s Business Model Canvas Template helps you map out the essentials of your business, like partnerships, core activities, and what makes you different. It’s a collaborative tool for you and your team to learn how everything in your business is linked.
Better business planning equals better business outcomes
Building a business plan is key to establishing a clear direction and strategy for your venture. With a solid plan in hand, you’ll know what steps to take for achieving each of your business goals. Kickstart your business planning and set yourself up for success with a defined roadmap—utilizing the sample business plans above to inform your approach.
Business plan FAQ
What are the 3 main points of a business plan.
- Concept. Explain what your business does and the main idea behind it. This is where you tell people what you plan to achieve with your business.
- Contents. Explain what you’re selling or offering. Point out who you’re selling to and who else is selling something similar. This part concerns your products or services, who will buy them, and who you’re up against.
- Cash flow. Explain how money will move in and out of your business. Discuss the money you need to start and keep the business going, the costs of running your business, and how much money you expect to make.
How do I write a simple business plan?
To create a simple business plan, start with an executive summary that details your business vision and objectives. Follow this with a concise description of your company’s structure, your market analysis, and information about your products or services. Conclude your plan with financial projections that outline your expected revenue, expenses, and profitability.
What is the best format to write a business plan?
The optimal format for a business plan arranges your plan in a clear and structured way, helping potential investors get a quick grasp of what your business is about and what you aim to achieve. Always start with a summary of your plan and finish with the financial details or any extra information at the end.
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Simple Business Plan Templates
By Joe Weller | April 2, 2020
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In this article, we’ve compiled a variety of simple business plan templates, all of which are free to download in PDF, Word, and Excel formats.
On this page, you’ll find a one-page business plan template , a simple business plan for startups , a small-business plan template , a business plan outline , and more. We also include a business plan sample and the main components of a business plan to help get you started.
Simple Business Plan Template
Download Simple Business Plan Template
Word | PDF
This simple business plan template lays out each element of a traditional business plan to assist you as you build your own, and it provides space to add financing information for startups seeking funding. You can use and customize this simple business plan template to fit the needs for organizations of any size.
One-Page Business Plan Template
Download One-Page Business Plan Template
Excel | Word | PDF | Smartsheet
Use this one-page business plan to document your key ideas in an organized manner. The template can help you create a high-level view of your business plan, and it provides easy scannability for stakeholders. You can use this one-page plan as a reference to build a more detailed blueprint for your business.
For additional single page plans, take a look at " One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide ."
Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template
Download Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template
Use this fill-in-the-blank business plan template to guide you as you build your business plan. Each section comes pre-filled with sample content, with space to add customized verbiage relevant to your product or service.
For additional free, downloadable resources, visit " Free Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Templates ."
Simple Business Plan for Startup
Download Startup Business Plan Template — Word
This business plan template is designed with a startup business in mind and contains the essential elements needed to convey key product or service details to investors and stakeholders. Keep all your information organized with this template, which provides space to include an executive summary, a company overview, competitive analysis, a marketing strategy, financial data, and more. For additional resources, visit " Free Startup Business Plan Templates and Examples ."
Simple Small-Business Plan Template
Download Simple Small-Business Plan Template
This template walks you through each component of a small-business plan, including the company background, the introduction of the management team, market analysis, product or service offerings, a financial plan, and more. This template also comes with a built-in table of contents to keep your plan in order, and it can be customized to fit your requirements.
Lean Business Plan Template
Download Lean Business Plan Template
This lean business plan template is a stripped-down version of a traditional business plan that provides only the most essential aspects. Briefly outline your company and industry overview, along with the problem you are solving, as well as your unique value proposition, target market, and key performance metrics. There is also room to list out a timeline of key activities.
Simple Business Plan Outline Template
Download Simple Business Plan Outline Template
Use this simple business plan outline as a basis to create your own business plan. This template contains 11 sections, including a title page and a table of contents, which details what each section should cover in a traditional business plan. Simplify or expand this outline to create the foundation for a business plan that fits your business needs.
Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline
Download Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline
Excel | Smartsheet
This template doubles as a project plan and timeline to track progress as you develop your business plan. This business planning template enables you to break down your work into phases and provides room to add key tasks and dates for each activity. Easily fill in the cells according to the start and end dates to create a visual timeline, as well as to ensure your plan stays on track.
Simple Business Plan Rubric Template
Download Simple Business Plan Rubric
Once you complete your business plan, use this business plan rubric template to assess and score each component of your plan. This rubric helps you identify elements of your plan that meet or exceed requirements and pinpoint areas where you need to improve or further elaborate. This template is an invaluable tool to ensure your business plan clearly defines your goals, objectives, and plan of action in order to gain buy-in from potential investors, stakeholders, and partners.
Basic Business Plan Sample
Download Basic Business Plan Sample
This business plan sample serves as an example of a basic business plan that contains all the traditional components. The sample provides a model of what a business plan might look like for a fictional food truck business. Reference this sample as you develop your own business plan.
For additional resources to help support your business planning efforts, check out “ Free Strategic Planning Templates .”
Main Components of a Business Plan
The elements you include in your business plan will depend on your product or service offerings, as well as the size and needs of your business.
Below are the components of a standard business plan and details you should include in each section:
- Company name and contact information
- Website address
- The name of the company or individual viewing the presentation
- Table of Contents
- Company background and purpose
- Mission and vision statement
- Management team introduction
- Core product and service offerings
- Target customers and segments
- Marketing plan
- Competitive analysis
- Unique value proposition
- Financial plan (and requirements, if applicable)
- Business and industry overview
- Historical timeline of your business
- Offerings and the problem they solve
- Current alternatives
- Competitive advantage
- Market size
- Target market segment(s)
- Projected volume and value of sales compared to competitors
- Differentiation from competitors
- Pricing strategy
- Marketing channels
- Promotional plan
- Distribution methods
- Legal structure of your business
- Names of founders, owners, advisors, etc.
- Management team’s roles, relevant experience, and compensation plan
- Staffing requirements and training plans
- Physical location(s) of your business
- Additional physical requirements (e.g., warehouse, specialized equipment, facilities, etc.)
- Production workflow
- Raw materials and sourcing methods
- Projected income statement
- Projected cash flow statement
- Projected balance sheet
- Break-even analysis
- Charts and graphs
- Market research and competitive analysis
- Information about your industry
- Information about your offerings
- Samples of marketing materials
- Other supporting materials
Tips for Creating a Business Plan
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the thought of putting together a business plan. Below, you’ll find top tips to help simplify the process as you develop your own plan.
- Use a business plan template (you can choose from the variety above), or refer to the previous section to create a standard outline for your plan.
- Modify your outline to reflect the requirements of your specific business. If you use a standard business plan outline, remove sections that aren’t relevant to you or aren’t necessary to run your business.
- Gather all the information you currently have about your business first, and then use that information to fill out each section in your plan outline.
- Use your resources and conduct additional research to fill in the remaining gaps. (Note: It isn’t necessary to fill out your plan in order, but the executive summary needs to be completed last, as it summarizes the key points in your plan.)
- Ensure your plan clearly communicates the relationship between your marketing, sales, and financial objectives.
- Provide details in your plan that illustrate your strategic plan of action, looking forward three to five years.
- Revisit your plan regularly as strategies and objectives evolve.
- What product or service are we offering?
- Who is the product or service for?
- What problem does our product or service offering solve?
- How will we get the product or service to our target customers?
- Why is our product or service better than the alternatives?
- How can we outperform our competitors?
- What is our unique value proposition?
- When will things get done, and who is responsible for doing them?
- If you need to obtain funding, how will you use the funding?
- When are payments due, and when do payments come in?
- What is the ultimate purpose of your business?
- When do you expect to be profitable?
To identify which type of business plan you should write, and for more helpful tips, take a look at our guide to writing a simple business plan .
Benefits of Using a Business Plan Template
Creating a business plan can be very time-consuming, especially if you aren’t sure where to begin. Finding the right template for your business needs can be beneficial for a variety of reasons.
Using a business plan template — instead of creating your plan from scratch — can benefit you in the following ways:
- Enables you to immediately write down your thoughts and ideas in an organized manner
- Provides structure to help outline your plan
- Saves time and valuable resources
- Helps ensure you don’t miss essential details
Limitations of a Business Plan Template
A business plan template can be convenient, but it has its drawbacks — especially if you use a template that doesn’t fit the specific needs of your business.
Below are some limitations of using a business plan template:
- Each business is unique and needs a business plan that reflects that. A template may not fit your needs.
- A template may restrict collaboration with other team members on different aspects of the plan’s development (sales, marketing, and accounting teams).
- Multiple files containing different versions of the plan may be stored in more than one place.
- You still have to manually create charts and graphs to add to the plan to support your strategy.
- Updates to the plan, spreadsheets, and supporting documents have to be made in multiple places (all documents may not update in real time as changes are made).
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How to Develop a Business Concept
Last Updated on 2024-10-11
Is there a secret recipe to a successful business concept? Short answer, there’s none. But there are ways to create a foundational concept that transforms your idea into a profitable business.
There’s always that ‘aha!’ moment before the next up-and-coming business is born. Indeed, everyone seems to have an idea for a successful startup. However, only a few would dare to make it happen.
If you’re ready to mobilize this dream, first you need to decide what business it would be. Developing a business concept is an important step to express your entire plan in writing. A business concept statement provides a roadmap for your startup once you’re ready to assemble all the resources for your new startup.
What is a Business Concept?
That’s the million-dollar question for which we have an answer. Essentially, a business concept is a brief description of an idea behind the existence of a business. It describes key consumer problems it seeks to solve, articulates how the idea applies to a market and provides a clear direction when processing a business plan .
We all know that business plans are quite extensive; it’ll take a long time to read the entire document. Since most of its readers are busy people like entrepreneurs and investors, it’s unreasonable to read the whole business plan only to find out that the content doesn’t meet the readers’ expectations in the end.
Hence, it’s practical to hit the right balance. You need a document that’s short as a note but still informational as a business plan. This is why you need a compelling business concept statement along with the proposal.
Additionally, a business concept serves as an overview to potential business partners or investors. It provides them with enough information on whether or not they should continue with the proposed plan. Thus, your concept statement should hook your audience’s attention as well as justifies the investors’ decisions
What to include in a Business Concept Statement?
While a business concept statement needs to be short, it should still include key elements of your business. These includes:
A short description of the business
Explain what your business is about and the reason for starting this endeavor. You may also include features that make your company stand out from its competitors. It should be no more than 1-2 sentences long.
Market need
Are there any gaps in the market that your business idea can fill? Identify these market problems that your product or service will solve. You can also pinpoint the lack of products (services) that consumers don’t know they need.
Core products or services
Elaborate more about the product or service that your company is or will be offering. Similarly, discuss why your offerings are the solution and why you are the right company to deliver that idea to the market.
Target market
In here, mention who are your product’s target consumers are. Be specific and present data backed by credible market research findings.
Business model
This is an important element in the business concept since it outlines how the company will make money. Your business model answers the question, ‘ How do you charge customers for your product or service?’
Unique Value Proposition
What makes your product (service) different from those already in the marketplace? Point out why consumers should consider buying your offerings from that of the competitors. Is it more affordable? Do you offer same-day delivery? Or do you offer better quality products? These are examples of things to consider when writing your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) .
Competitive Analysis
Identify your potential competitors. What are their strengths and weaknesses? Also, include the annual revenue and market share. It gives the readers an idea about the size of the market and its growth potential.
Related Video: Tips for Achieving Business Goals
This concludes your business concept statement. Touch on the goals of the company in a particular timeframe. These can be short and long-term goals.
Please note that a concept statement is not a sales pitch. So, don’t make any unverified claims or write it like a catchy sales copy. This helps stakeholders gauge if your business idea is reasonable based on the analysis of the market.
7 Tips to Develop the Best Business Concept
- Observe your surroundings – Are there any products or services that are not available right now? Or perhaps what’s currently available doesn’t live up to the things it claims to offer. This is a great opportunity for you to build a better product.
- Check out trends – See if there are any changes in lifestyle or market needs. Tune in to what’s happening on the Internet, TV, or newspaper. For example, more people today are choosing veganism as a lifestyle. This heightens the demand for vegan or plant-based products.
- Nostalgia – Was there a product or service that you liked in the past that is no longer offered in your area? Maybe you want to relive that. Ask around and see if other people share your sentiment.
- Bring new life – Is there a way to modernize common services such as home appliances repair and pet grooming? Find out how you can transform routine services into something better.
- Gaps in operations – More companies choose to let go of some of their business operations to save time and cost. If you can find a way to close this gap, it can be a potential business waiting to happen. As an example, our founders here at Full Scale saw that new American startups can’t find top-notch developers in the country. So, they built Full Scale, an offshore development company that answers the growing demand for quick and affordable software services.
- Create a new demand – As industries grow, the core needs of the market often gets ignored. Revive or create a new demand that answers an existing need.
- Hobbies and Interests – Yes, your hobbies can also be a great inspiration for starting a business. Is there a clear demand for which your hobbies or expertise can answer?
Related Video: Business Analysis Tips and Tricks
A Business Concept that Works
When starting a business, there are several nuts and bolts you need to consider. Critical of them all is a business concept. It’s a pillar that crystalizes your idea into a money-making machine.
Position your business concept in a way that answers a key need in the market today, and in the years to come. By following the tips shared in this article, you can assess your strengths in providing optimal value for your customers.
In this way, it saves you more time and money and minimizes any missteps in your journey. So, have you already thought about what your business concept will be? How can your idea extend to providing answers or solutions to customers’ problems?
If you’re not sure how your business idea will turn out in the market, you can count on startup gurus, Matt DeCoursey and Matt Watson, to pave the way for you. They are experts in all things startup—from conception to launch.
Best of all, they are the geniuses behind Full Scale , Kansas City’s unrivaled choice for quick and top-quality software development services. From software engineers, web developers, to marketing specialists, we got you covered.
Interested? Get your FREE consultation today.
Matt Watson is a serial tech entrepreneur who has started four companies and had a nine-figure exit. He was the founder and CTO of VinSolutions, the #1 CRM software used in today’s automotive industry. He has over twenty years of experience working as a tech CTO and building cutting-edge SaaS solutions.
As the CEO of Full Scale , he has helped over 100 tech companies build their software services and development teams. Full Scale specializes in helping tech companies grow by augmenting their in-house teams with software development talent from the Philippines.
Matt hosts Startup Hustle, a top podcast about entrepreneurship with over 6 million downloads. He has a wealth of knowledge about startups and business from his personal experience and from interviewing hundreds of other entrepreneurs.
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Food and Beverage Business Plans
Bakery business plans.
- Delicatessen and Bakery Business Plan
- Dessert Bakery Business Plan
- Specialty Baker Business Plan
- Bakery Business Plan
Bar & Brewery Business Plans
- Bar and Tavern Business Plan
- Brewery Business Plan
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- Nightclub Business Plan
- Nightclub Saloon Business Plan
- Nightclub, Dance Classes Business Plan
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- Wine Store Business Plan
Catering & Food Truck Business Plans
- Catering and Ballroom Rental Business Plan
- Catering Company Business Plan
- Food Preparation Business Plan
- Food Truck Business Plan
Coffee Shop & Cafe Business Plans
- Cafe Bistro Coffeehouse Business Plan
- Coffee Kiosk Business Plan
- Coffee Roaster Business Plan
- Coffee Shop Business Plan
- Coffeehouse Business Plan
- Convenience Store Cafe Business Plan
- Internet Cafe Business Plan
- Religious Coffeeshop Business Plan
- Sports Equipment Cafe Business Plan
- Tea Room Business Plan
- Coffee Distribution Business Plan
- Coffee Export Business Plan
Restaurant Business Plans
- Bed and Breakfast - Caribbean - Business Plan
- Bed And Breakfast Business Plan
- Bed and Breakfast Inn Business Plan
- Bowling Entertainment Center Business Plan
- Deli Restaurant Business Plan
- Ethnic Food Restaurant Business Plan
- Fast Food Restaurant Business Plan
- Fine Dining Restaurant Business Plan
- Franchise Sandwich Shop Business Plan
- Healthy Restaurant Business Plan
- Italian Restaurant Business Plan
- Mediterranean Restaurant Business Plan
- Mexican Restaurant Business Plan
- Movie Theater Restaurant Business Plan
- Organic Restaurant Business Plan
- Pasta Italian Restaurant Business Plan
- Pie Restaurant Business Plan
- Pizzeria Business Plan
- Pizzeria Franchise Business Plan
- Sandwich Restaurant Business Plan
- Steak Buffet Restaurant Business Plan
- Steak Restaurant Business Plan
- Themed Restaurant Business Plan
- Fast Food Service Business Plan
- Small Restaurant Business Plan
Specialty Food & Beverage Shop Business Plans
- Butcher Shop Business Plan
- Dinner Theater Business Plan
- Ethnic Food Import Business Plan
- Frozen Custard Shop Business Plan
- Convenience Store Soda Fountain Business Plan
- Gourmet Food Store Business Plan
- Organic Food Store Business Plan
- Pizza Delivery Business Plan
- Shaved Ice Beverage Business Plan
- Ice Cream Shop Business Plan
Wholesale Food & Beverage Business Plans
- Agriculture Fruit Farm Business Plan
- Hydroponics Farm Business Plan
- Nonprofit Food Bank Business Plan
- Pasta Manufacturer Business Plan
- Produce Farm Business Plan
- Salsa Manufacturer Business Plan
- Wholesale Food Business Plan
- Wholesale Food Manufacturer Business Plan
- Wholesale Juice Business Plan
Food and beverage industry overview
The food and beverage industry includes all businesses involved in the production, distribution, and sale of food and drinks.
The global food and drink market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 11.9%, reaching a market volume of $3.8 billion by 2027. This increase sharply contrasts the declining industry performance over the last three years.
Contributing factors to this performance are:
- Expected ease of inflation over the next year.
- Continued innovation in beverage and grab-and-go options.
- Increased interest in health-conscious options.
- Lifestyle changes as consumers increase travel and return to the office.
Additionally, the increased adoption of app-based and eCommerce purchasing options will continue to fuel discretionary spending in this category. Portable eating, tech-based purchasing, and alternative health and wellness products or services all show great promise for new entrants.
How to start a food and beverage business
To start a food and beverage business, you need to focus on the following:
1. Identify an idea that meets current demand
Identify your target market and potential competitors. Then, develop a unique product or service that serves a specific need—such as a particular cuisine, dietary need, or a unique dining experience.
2. Write a business plan
Create a business plan that thoroughly explains your business model, operations, pricing strategy, and financial projections.
3. Handle health, safety, hygiene and legal compliance
Food and beverage is a highly regulated industry with additional legal, health, and safety requirements. You must develop strict health and safety standards, prepare a staff training plan, and apply for permits or licenses relevant to your food or beverage offering.
4. Operations and relationships with suppliers
Establish relationships with reliable suppliers to acquire consistent quality ingredients. Focus on implementing an effective inventory management system that helps minimize waste and unnecessary expenses.
5. Location, layout, and staffing
Purchasing behavior and workflows are rooted in your business location and how your business is presented. Carefully choose a location and layout that fits your customers’ expectations and provides a healthy working environment for your employees.
Then, focus on training to ensure quality service, adherence to safety protocols, and the representation of your brand values.
6. Startup costs and financial management
Hefty upfront investments can be needed to start a food and beverage business. Kitchen equipment, menus, signage, POS systems, and mobile ordering technology scratches the surface.
You’ll likely be operating on thin margins, making effective financial planning necessary early on. Take direct inventory of what it will cost to start and run your business for the first year. Consider if you need funding and put a system in place to forecast and review your performance regularly.
7. Marketing and branding
You will have plenty of competition as a food and beverage business. Every restaurant, big brand, delivery service, grocery store, and mini-mart is a potential alternative.
So, don’t sleep on your branding and marketing efforts. Remember your target market, choose the proper channels, and develop a memorable visual identity that fits your mission.
For more on starting a business, check out our full selection of startup resources.
How to write a business plan for a food and beverage business
Here are some specific sections and information to focus on when writing a business plan for a food, beverage, or restaurant business.
Market analysis
The food and beverage industry is a highly competitive market with established competition and a steady influx of new entrants. Thoroughly document who you will be competing with, how you are different, and your ideal customers. This information will influence everything else about your business.
Business model
You’ll notice a trend through the rest of these, but you need a detailed description of how you will make money. As mentioned before, food and beverage businesses often operate on incredibly thin margins.
You need to be sure that your revenue streams make sense for the market, can consistently bring in cash, and will be sustainable long-term.
Menu and product offerings
Specific to this industry, you must cover what you offer and provide a sample menu or product list. It should directly relate to the interest of your clientele and showcase what you offer.
Describe your location, including a layout of your store or restaurant and details for how your business will operate—how you will work with suppliers, specific workflows, equipment needs, and staffing.
Focus on demonstrating quality and efficiency when outlining your operations, and don’t forget to revisit it as you run your business.
Financial projections
Provide detailed financial projections to map out your revenue and expenses. At a minimum, cover startup costs, break-even analysis, profit and loss forecasts, and cash flow statements.
Include any assumptions behind your projections and map out funding needs if you intend to pursue a loan or other investment.
You can use any of our food, beverage, or restaurant sample plans to ensure you cover the right information in your plan. For a detailed overview, check out our complete business plan outline.
What is an example of a food and beverage business?
Food, beverage, and restaurant businesses include:
- Agriculture and food production
- Food processing and packaging
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage production
- Restaurants
- Food transportation services
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Concept Proposal
Proposal maker.
The word concept has a broad range of meaning depending on its usage. Its core meaning is abstract . Abstract means it is conceived in the mind yet unrealized into the reality. A concept proposal is the same as a design proposal although they differ in their outputs.
A concept proposal focuses on ideas, theories, and hypothesis. They are called the ‘what ifs’. In the business world, a request for proposal usually arises when the body realizes that there are some things to be improved or to be worked on. Let us then delve further what concept proposals are.
Event Concept Proposal Template
- Google Docs
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Size: 41 KB
Free Business Concept Proposal Template
Size: 69 KB
Free Concept Proposal Template
Size: 111 KB
Sample Concept Proposal Template
Size: 40 KB
Design Concept Proposal Template
Size: 65 KB
Project Concept Proposal Template
Size: 44 KB
Concept Design Proposal
Size: 43 KB
Project Concept Example
Size: 109 KB
Business Concept Proposal
Size: 171 KB
Event Concept Proposal
Size: 26 KB
Exhibition Proposal Example
Size: 207 KB
What Is a Concept Proposal?
A concept proposal can be simply defined as a written proposition of an abstract idea supplied and speculated by the mind with the purpose of bringing in new thoughts and views. A concept proposal can be applied in a multitude of ways. It can be used in architecture and designs, engineering and infrastructure, and even in the business plan and marketing plan . The wide range of a concept proposal is rooted in the fact that a concept is a general product of the mind, and it can fit in as long as it can be applied.
What Is a Proof of Concept Proposal?
To get a proof of concept (POC), you have to bring a certain method or idea to reality in order to demonstrate its feasibility and verify that this concept or theory has practical potential. Following this, one can then assume that a proof of concept proposal is a test of effectiveness. It is a method by which a concept, which is abstract, can be realistic. You may also like service proposal examples .
A simple proposal example in many ways gives a futuristic layout of a subject. By using a proof of concept proposal, an organization can then presume that the idea presented can be actualized.
Brand Concept Sample Proposal
Size: 57 KB
Fundraising Concept Proposal
Size: 942 KB
Marketing Proposal Sample
Size: 87 KB
Concept Proposal Template
Size: 281 KB
New Product Development Example
Size: 357 KB
Research Concept Proposal
Size: 175 KB
What Is the Difference between Concept Paper and Project Proposal?
The difference between a concept paper and a grant proposal are their objectives.
The concept paper a written document formulated and addressed to appeal potential buyers in finding a certain project or program. It has a convincing tone that appeals to the emotions of some promising prominent people. It is also sometimes regarded by some as an initial step in a marketing proposal. You may also check out research proposal examples & samples.
On the other hand, a project proposal is another type of a written document that has its main objective of solving a specific problem. It contains a specific, detailed and logical presentation of information on the steps and strategies of making a project a success.
How to Write a Business Concept Proposal
Writing a business concept proposal requires thorough research and unmatched skills. However, here are the steps on how to write a business concept proposal.
- Create a system . When providing your concept, make sure to outline it in a systematized and logical manner. This makes your proposal easy-to-understand.
- Understand the subject. This should be the first step in writing a business concept proposal. Try to understand the subject matter in order to conceptualize the value statements and ideas.
- Do your research. Make sure to do an extensive research about business ideas and concepts. The key to a successful business concept proposal is originality. Make sure that your proposal is unique. You may also see proposal memo examples & samples.
- End it with a clear conclusion. When closing out your proposal document, make sure to wrap everything up starting from your main point up to the least detail. If necessary, reiterate your important positions. You may also like short proposal examples & samples.
Text prompt
- Instructive
- Professional
Generate a proposal for a new school recycling program
Compose a proposal for a school field trip to a science museum.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
The following are illustrative examples. A beach resort for pet owners. A beauty salon aligned to a youth subculture. A restaurant that sources all food from local farmers. A popup shop that sells gadgets that are trending in social media. A flower shop that offers lower prices, standard quality and reliable delivery.
1. Startups. Startup business plans are for proposing new business ideas. If you're planning to start a small business, preparing a business plan is crucial. The plan should include all the major factors of your business. You can check out this guide for more detailed business plan inspiration. 2.
5. Marketing plan. It's always a good idea to develop a marketing plan before you launch your business. Your marketing plan shows how you'll get the word out about your business, and it's an essential component of your business plan as well. The Paw Print Post focuses on four Ps: price, product, promotion, and place.
Business plans for lean startups and solopreneurs can simply outline the business concept, sales proposition, target customers and sketch out a plan of action to bring the product or service to ...
The E-2 business plan sample is designed for entrepreneurs seeking E-2 visa approval, which allows individuals to invest in and manage a business in the United States. This plan outlines the applicant's investment, business operations, and financial projections. ... Summarize the startup's concept, explaining offered products or services ...
Sample Business Plan PDF Templates. ... Use this one-page template to summarize each aspect of your business concept in a clear and concise manner. Define the who, what, why, and how of your idea, and use the space at the bottom to create a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) for your business. ...
Marketing plan: A strategic outline of how you plan to market and promote your business before, during, and after your company launches into the market. Logistics and operations plan: An explanation of the systems, processes, and tools that are needed to run your business in the background. Financial plan: A map of your short-term (and even ...
How to Write a Business Plan Step 1. Create a Cover Page. The first thing investors will see is the cover page for your business plan. Make sure it looks professional. A great cover page shows that you think about first impressions. A good business plan should have the following elements on a cover page:
Download Simple Small-Business Plan Template. Word | PDF. This template walks you through each component of a small-business plan, including the company background, the introduction of the management team, market analysis, product or service offerings, a financial plan, and more. This template also comes with a built-in table of contents to ...
Table of Contents. A business plan is a document that you create that outlines your company's objectives and how you plan to meet those objectives. Every business plan has key sections such as ...
Here is a basic template that any business can use when developing its business plan: Section 1: Executive Summary. Present the company's mission. Describe the company's product and/or service offerings. Give a summary of the target market and its demographics.
Here is a list of steps a new business may undertake: Develop the idea and generate the business concept. Research the competition and determine where the business can fit into the market. Write a complete business plan. Outline the people and resources the business may require to execute its plan.
Essentially, a business concept is a brief description of an idea behind the existence of a business. It describes key consumer problems it seeks to solve, articulates how the idea applies to a market and provides a clear direction when processing a business plan. We all know that business plans are quite extensive; it'll take a long time to ...
Writing a concept statement is the same way as writing a mission statement. You need to create a layout on how to present your ideas. Here are the steps on how to write a design concept statement. 1. Provide a brief introduction. Write at least two to three sentences explaining the objective of your design.
2. Write a business plan. Create a business plan that thoroughly explains your business model, operations, pricing strategy, and financial projections. 3. Handle health, safety, hygiene and legal compliance. Food and beverage is a highly regulated industry with additional legal, health, and safety requirements.
A concept proposal can be simply defined as a written proposition of an abstract idea supplied and speculated by the mind with the purpose of bringing in new thoughts and views. A concept proposal can be applied in a multitude of ways. It can be used in architecture and designs, engineering and infrastructure, and even in the business plan and ...
A concept statement is an idea that gives a strategy, plan or design its meaning, purpose, direction and depth. They are commonly used in the early planning stages of businesses, brands, products, programs, projects and designs. A concept statement can be used to pitch an idea. They are also used to provide direction to work efforts as they act ...
The concept plan signals a commitment to a diligent planning effort by organizing and documenting the intentions of the founders. The concept plan precedes the writing of a business plan and establishes the foundation for its development. The concept plan should be brief, extending to only a few pages in length. Writing a concept plan is
Here is an example business plan introduction to help you write your own: Company description Rajn is a brand new shoe reselling e-commerce platform designed for shoe enthusiasts and collectors. Rajn seeks to sell new and used footwear through an online store and app. The goal of this plan is to outline Rajn's fiscal goals, build a stronger ...