Creating A Business Plan Can

Creating a business plan can:
 Help you discover any weaknesses in your business idea so you can address
them before you open for business
 Identify business opportunities you may not have considered and plan how to
take advantage of them
 Analyze the market and competition to strengthen your idea
 Give you a chance to plan strategies for dealing with potential challenges so
they don’t derail your startup
 Convince potential partners, customers and key employees that you’re serious
about your idea and persuade them to work with you
 Force you to calculate when your business will make a profit and how much
money you need to reach that point, so you can be prepared with adequate
startup capital
 Determine your target market and how to reach them
Laying out a detailed, step-by-step plan gives you a blueprint you can refer to during
the startup process and helps you maintain your momentum.
What this business plan template includes

Writing a business plan for a startup can sometimes seem overwhelming. To make the
process easier and more manageable, this template will guide you step-by-step
through writing it. The template includes easy-to-follow instructions for completing each
section of the business plan, questions to help you think through each aspect, and
corresponding fillable worksheet/s for key sections.
The business plan sections covered in this template include:
 Executive Summary
 Company Description
 Products and Services
 Marketing Plan
 Operational Plan
 Management and Organization
 Startup Expenses and Capitalization
 Financial Plan
 Appendices
The Appendices include documents that supplement information in the body of the
plan. These might be contracts, leases, purchase orders, intellectual property, key
managers’ resumes, market research data or anything that supports assumptions or
statements made in the plan.
The last section of the template, “Refining Your Plan,” explains ways you may need to
modify your plan for specific purposes, such as getting a bank loan, or for specific
industries, such as retail or manufacturing.
Complete the Business Plan Template for a Startup Business to create a working
business plan for your startup.
How to Write a One-Page Business Plan (with Sample Outline)
A one-page business plan takes a standard business plan and extracts the
fundamental aspects, then condenses the essential information down to one-four
pages. To determine the key elements to emphasize in your one-page plan, consider
the type of business you operate, as well as the financial (and other resources) needs
of your business.
To streamline your business plan into a one-page document, follow the steps below.
 Create a simple outline for your plan using bullet points.
Below, you’ll find an example of an outline for a one-page business plan.
 Plan Summary
 Business mission
 Problem you are solving
 Funds needed (if applicable)
 Offerings
 Product or service positioning statement
 Unique value proposition
 Market Analysis
 Target customers
 Market size
 SWOT analysis
 Can any of your strengths help with improving your weaknesses or combating your threats?
Please describe how below.(At least 8 sentences)

 Based on the information above, what are your immediate goals/next steps? ( 4 short term SMART
objectives)
 Based on the information above, what are your long-term goals/next steps? ( 4 long term SMART
objectives)
 Competitive Analysis
 Direct competitors
 Existing alternatives
 Competitive advantage
 Marketing and Sales Plan
 Key marketing strategy (e.g., channel or method that will yield the best
results)
 Key sales strategy
 Operations Plan
 Specialized equipment or facilities
 Staffing requirements (e.g., key personnel, skills, and training needs)
 Distribution method
 Financial Plan
 Sales projection
 Profit and loss projection

 Gather all your findings on your business and industry.
Compile all the current information you have gleaned from market research, interviews,
surveys, and various teams in your business (e.g., the marketing and finance teams).
Comb through each document and extract the information that is fundamental to your
business’s operation and relevant to the bullet points on your outline.
 Write two to three brief sentences for each main bullet point.
Once you create your outline and gather information, write two to three sentences for
each main bullet point that expands on and summarizes the sub-bullet points for that
section. For example, the plan summary section could say the following:
Donny’s Food Truck will offer a variety of fresh food at an affordable price in a
convenient location. Increased traffic in the Hungry Town area, combined with severely
limited dining options, provides an opportunity to offer customers a quick, nutritious
meal at a competitive price. A food truck with the necessary equipment has already
been acquired, so we are seeking $200,000 to cover wages, emergency repairs, and
licenses needed to fund our first year of operations.
 Ensure you are able to support all the information provided in your plan.
Since a one-page plan omits many of the details provided in a traditional business
plan, be sure you have market research and other supporting documentation on hand
to show stakeholders in case they have questions as they review your plan. In addition,
make sure you thoroughly understand the supporting information and know how to
restate it in your own words before you disburse the plan.
 Ensure your plan answers all the vital questions.
At a minimum, an effective one-page business plan should answer the following

questions:
 What product or service do we offer?

 Who will use the product or service?
 What problem does our offering solve?
 How will the product or service get to our customers?
 What alternatives do our customers use, and why are we superior?
 What is our unique value proposition?
 What strengths and opportunities can we use to our advantage?
 What resources do we need to get up and running?
 What will our sales look like for the first few years?
 When do we expect to be profitable?
In addition to the steps provided above, you can save time and get started on your plan
by downloading one of the templates provided on this page. You can also check out
“Free Executive Summary Templates,” which can serve the same purpose as a one-
page business plan.
Tips for Creating a One-Page Business Plan
Now that you know how to create a one-page plan and the benefits in doing so, here
are some tips to get you started:
 Set a time limit (up to one hour) to focus and work on your plan.
 Use a one-page business plan template (you can choose from the options
above), or refer to the sample outline provided on this page.
 Ensure your plan details only the core aspects that are fundamental to running
and operating your business.
 Remember that this is a living document — continue to revisit and adjust it as
strategies and objectives change.
 Expand on your plan as your business size and needs grow.

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Creating a business plan can:

What this business plan template includes

The business plan sections covered in this template include:

 Create a simple outline for your plan using bullet points.

Below, you’ll find an example of an outline for a one-page business plan.

 Gather all your findings on your business and industry.

 Ensure your plan answers all the vital questions.

At a minimum, an effective one-page business plan should answer the following

 What product or service do we offer?

Tips for Creating a One-Page Business Plan

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