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9 Business Plan Examples to Inspire Your Own (2024)

Need support creating your business plan? Check out these business plan examples for inspiration and guidance.

a stock of books on purple background representing business plan examples

Any aspiring entrepreneur researching how to start a business will likely be advised to write a business plan. But few resources provide business plan examples to really guide you through writing one of your own.

Here are some real-world and illustrative business plan examples to help you craft your business plan .

Business plan format: 9 examples

The business plan examples in this article follow this template:

Executive summary
Company description
Market analysis
Products and services
Marketing plan
Logistics and operations plan
Financial plan
Customer segmentation

1. Executive summary

Your executive summary is a page that gives a high-level overview of the rest of your business plan. While it appears at the beginning, it’s easiest to write this section last, as there are details further in the report you’ll need to include here.

In this free business plan template , the executive summary is four paragraphs and takes a little over half a page. It clearly and efficiently communicates what the business does and what it plans to do, including its business model and target customers.

Executive summary for Paw Print Post detailing the business model and target customers.

2. Company description

You might repurpose your company description elsewhere, like on your About page , social media profile pages, or other properties that require a boilerplate description of your small business.

Soap brand ORRIS has a blurb on its About page that could easily be repurposed for the company description section of its business plan.

ORRIS homepage promoting cleaner ingredients for skincare with a detailed description.

You can also go more in-depth with your company overview and include the following sections, like in this business plan example for Paw Print Post:

Business structure

This section outlines how you registered your business —as an LLC , sole proprietorship, corporation, or other business type : “Paw Print Post will operate as a sole proprietorship run by the owner, Jane Matthews.”

Nature of the business

“Paw Print Post sells unique, one-of-a-kind digitally printed cards that are customized with a pet’s unique paw prints.”

“Paw Print Post operates primarily in the pet industry and sells goods that could also be categorized as part of the greeting card industry.”

Background information

“Jane Matthews, the founder of Paw Print Post, has a long history in the pet industry and working with animals, and was recently trained as a graphic designer. She’s combining those two loves to capture a niche in the market: unique greeting cards customized with a pet’s paw prints, without needing to resort to the traditional (and messy) options of casting your pet’s prints in plaster or using pet-safe ink to have them stamp their ’signature.’”

Business objectives

“Jane will have Paw Print Post ready to launch at the Big Important Pet Expo in Toronto to get the word out among industry players and consumers alike. After two years in business, Jane aims to drive $150,000 in annual revenue from the sale of Paw Print Post’s signature greeting cards and to have expanded into two new product categories.”

“Jane Matthews is the sole full-time employee of Paw Print Post but hires contractors as needed to support her workflow and fill gaps in her skill set. Notably, Paw Print Post has a standing contract for five hours a week of virtual assistant support with Virtual Assistants Pro.”

Your mission statement may also make an appearance here. Passionfruit shares its mission statement on its company website, and it would also work well in its example business plan.

Passionfruit About page with a person in a "Forever Queer" t-shirt.

3. Market analysis

The market analysis consists of research about supply and demand , your target demographics, industry trends, and the competitive landscape. You might run a SWOT analysis and include that in your business plan.

Here’s an example SWOT analysis for an online tailored-shirt business:

SWOT analysis chart with strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

You’ll also want to do a competitive analysis as part of the market research component of your business plan. This will tell you which businesses you’re up against and give you ideas on how to differentiate your brand. A broad competitive analysis might include:

Target customers
Unique value proposition , or what sets the products apart
Sales pitch
Price points for products
Shipping policy

4. Products and services

This section of your business plan describes your offerings—which products and services do you sell to your customers? Here’s an example for Paw Print Post that explains its line of custom greeting cards, along with details on what makes its products unique.

Products and services section of Paw Print Post showing customized greeting cards with paw prints.

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.

Business plan sample showing marketing plan for Paw Print Post.

The Paw Print Post focuses on four Ps: price, product, promotion, and place. However, you can take a different approach with your marketing plan. Maybe you can pull from your existing marketing strategy , or maybe you break it down by the different marketing channels. Whatever approach you take, your marketing plan should describe how you intend to promote your business and offerings to potential customers.

6. Logistics and operations plan

The Paw Print Post example considered suppliers, production, facilities, equipment, shipping and fulfillment, and inventory. This includes any raw materials needed to produce the products.

Business plan example with a logistics and operations plan for Paw Print Post.

7. Financial plan

The financial plan provides a breakdown of sales, revenue, profit, expenses, and other relevant financial metrics related to funding and profiting from your business.

Ecommerce brand Nature’s Candy’s financial plan breaks down predicted revenue, expenses, and net profit in graphs.

Bar chart illustrating monthly expenses and direct costs for a business from January to December.

It then dives deeper into the financials to include:

Funding needs
Projected profit-and-loss statement
Projected balance sheet
Projected cash-flow statement

You can use a financial plan spreadsheet to build your own financial statements, including income statement, balance sheet, and cash-flow statement.

Income statement template created by Shopify with sales, cost of sales, gross margin, and expenses.

8. Customer segmentation

Customer segmentation means dividing your target market into groups based on specific characteristics. These characteristics can be demographics, psychographics, behavior, or geography. Your business plan will provide detailed information on each segment, like its size and growth potential, so you can show why they are valuable to your business.

Airsign , an eco-friendly vacuum cleaner company, faced the challenge of building a sustainable business model in the competitive home appliance market. They identified three key customer personas to target:

Design-oriented urban dwellers
Millennials moving to suburbs
Older consumers seeking high-quality appliances

The company utilized Shopify’s customer segmentation tools to gain insights and take action to target them. Airsign created targeted segments for specific marketing initiatives.

Put your customer data to work with Shopify’s customer segmentation

Shopify’s built-in segmentation tools help you discover insights about your customers, build segments as targeted as your marketing plans with filters based on your customers’ demographic and behavioral data, and drive sales with timely and personalized emails.

9. Appendix

The appendix provides in-depth data, research, or documentation that supports the claims and projections made in the main business plan. It includes things like market research, finance, résumés, product specs, and legal documents.

Readers can access detailed info in the appendix, but the main plan stays focused and easy to read. Here’s an example from a fictional clothing brand called Bloom:

Appendix: Bloom Business Plan

Types of business plans, and what to include for each

This lean business plan is meant to be high level and easy to understand at a glance. You’ll want to include all of the same sections in one-page business plan, but make sure they’re truncated and summarized:

Executive summary: truncated
Market analysis: summarized
Products and services: summarized
Marketing plan: summarized
Logistics and operations plan: summarized
Financials: summarized

A startup business plan is for a new business. Typically, these plans are developed and shared to secure funding . As such, there’s a bigger focus on the financials, as well as on other sections that determine viability of your business idea—market research, for example:

Market analysis: in-depth
Financials: in-depth

Your internal business plan is meant to keep your team on the same page and aligned toward the same goal:

A strategic, or growth, business plan is a big-picture, long-term look at your business. As such, the forecasts tend to look further into the future, and growth and revenue goals may be higher. Essentially, you want to use all the sections you would in a normal business plan and build upon each:

Market analysis: comprehensive outlook
Products and services: for launch and expansion
Marketing plan: comprehensive outlook
Logistics and operations plan: comprehensive outlook
Financials: comprehensive outlook

Feasibility

Your feasibility business plan is sort of a pre-business plan—many refer to it as simply a feasibility study. This plan essentially lays the groundwork and validates that it’s worth the effort to make a full business plan for your idea. As such, it’s mostly centered around research:

Nonprofit business plans are used to attract donors, grants, and partnerships. They focus on what their mission is, how they measure success, and how they get funded. You’ll want to include the following sections in addition to a traditional business plan:

Organization description
Need statement
Programs and services
Fundraising plan
Partnerships and collaborations
Impact measurement

Set yourself up for success as a business owner

Building a good business plan serves as a roadmap you can use for your ecommerce business at launch and as you reach each of your business goals. Business plans create accountability for entrepreneurs and synergy among teams, regardless of your business model .

Kickstart your ecommerce business and set yourself up for success with an intentional business planning process—and with the sample business plans above to guide your own path.

Business plan examples FAQ

How do i write a simple business plan.

To write a simple business plan, begin with an executive summary that outlines your business and your plans. Follow this with sections detailing your company description, market analysis, organization and management structure, product or service, marketing and sales strategy, and financial projections. Each section should be concise and clearly illustrate your strategies and goals.

What is the best format to write a business plan?

The best business plan format presents your plan in a clear, organized manner, making it easier for potential investors to understand your business model and goals. Always begin with the executive summary and end with financial information or appendices for any additional data.

What are the 4 key elements of a business plan?

Executive summary: A concise overview of the company’s mission, goals, target audience, and financial objectives.
Business description: A description of the company’s purpose, operations, products and services, target markets, and competitive landscape.
Market analysis: An analysis of the industry, market trends, potential customers, and competitors.
Financial plan: A detailed description of the company’s financial forecasts and strategies.

What are the 3 main points of a business plan?

Concept: Your concept should explain the purpose of your business and provide an overall summary of what you intend to accomplish.
Contents: Your content should include details about the products and services you provide, your target market, and your competition.
Cash flow: Your cash flow section should include information about your expected cash inflows and outflows, such as capital investments, operating costs, and revenue projections.

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18 of My Favorite Sample Business Plans & Examples For Your Inspiration

Published: July 01, 2024

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.

7. HubSpot’s Complete Guide to Starting a Business

Screenshot of business startup kit download page from hubspot

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Table of Contents

How to Write a Business Plan

Executive summary, overview and business objectives, company description, define your target market, market analysis, swot analysis, competitive analysis, organization and management team, products and services offered, marketing and sales strategy, logistics and operations plan, financial projections plan, income statement, cash flow statement.

Section	Description	Example
Executive Summary	Brief overview of the business plan	Overview of EcoTech and its mission
Overview & Objectives	Outline of company's goals and strategies	Market leadership in sustainable technology
Company Description	Detailed explanation of the company and its unique selling proposition	EcoTech's history, mission, and vision
Target Market	Description of ideal customers and their needs	Environmentally conscious consumers and businesses
Market Analysis	Examination of industry trends, customer needs, and competitors	Trends in eco-friendly technology market
SWOT Analysis	Evaluation of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats	Strengths and weaknesses of EcoTech
Competitive Analysis	In-depth analysis of competitors and their strategies	Analysis of GreenTech and EarthSolutions
Organization & Management	Overview of the company's structure and management team	Key roles and team members at EcoTech
Products & Services	Description of offerings and their unique features	Energy-efficient lighting solutions, solar chargers
Marketing & Sales	Outline of marketing channels and sales strategies	Digital advertising, content marketing, influencer partnerships
Logistics & Operations	Details about daily operations, supply chain, inventory, and quality control	Partnerships with manufacturers, quality control
Financial Projections	Forecast of revenue, expenses, and profit for the next 3-5 years	Projected growth in revenue and net profit
Income Statement	Summary of company's revenues and expenses over a specified period	Revenue, Cost of Goods Sold, Gross Profit, Net Income
Cash Flow Statement	Overview of cash inflows and outflows within the business	Net Cash from Operating Activities, Investing Activities, Financing Activities

Tips on Writing a Business Plan

Free business plan template, what is a business plan, why you should write a business plan, what are the different types of business plans.

Type of Business Plan	Purpose	Key Components	Target Audience
Startup Business Plan	Outlines the company's mission, objectives, target market, competition, marketing strategies, and financial projections.	Mission Statement, Company Description, Market Analysis, Competitive Analysis, Organizational Structure, Marketing and Sales Strategy, Financial Projections.	Entrepreneurs, Investors
Internal Business Plan	Serves as a management tool for guiding the company's growth, evaluating its progress, and ensuring that all departments are aligned with the overall vision.	Strategies, Milestones, Deadlines, Resource Allocation.	Internal Team Members
Strategic Business Plan	Outlines long-term goals and the steps to achieve them.	SWOT Analysis, Market Research, Competitive Analysis, Long-Term Goals.	Executives, Managers, Investors
Feasibility Business Plan	Assesses the viability of a business idea.	Market Demand, Competition, Financial Projections, Potential Obstacles.	Entrepreneurs, Investors
Growth Business Plan	Focuses on strategies for scaling up an existing business.	Market Analysis, New Product/Service Offerings, Financial Projections.	Business Owners, Investors
Operational Business Plan	Outlines the company's day-to-day operations.	Processes, Procedures, Organizational Structure.	Managers, Employees
Lean Business Plan	A simplified, agile version of a traditional plan, focusing on key elements.	Value Proposition, Customer Segments, Revenue Streams, Cost Structure.	Entrepreneurs, Startups
One-Page Business Plan	A concise summary of your company's key objectives, strategies, and milestones.	Key Objectives, Strategies, Milestones.	Entrepreneurs, Investors, Partners
Nonprofit Business Plan	Outlines the mission, goals, target audience, fundraising strategies, and budget allocation for nonprofit organizations.	Mission Statement, Goals, Target Audience, Fundraising Strategies, Budget.	Nonprofit Leaders, Board Members, Donors
Franchise Business Plan	Focuses on the franchisor's requirements, as well as the franchisee's goals, strategies, and financial projections.	Franchise Agreement, Brand Standards, Marketing Efforts, Operational Procedures, Financial Projections.	Franchisors, Franchisees, Investors

Using Business Plan Software

Software	Key Features	User Interface	Additional Features
LivePlan	Over 500 sample plans, financial forecasting tools, progress tracking against KPIs	User-friendly, visually appealing	Allows creation of professional-looking business plans
Upmetrics	Customizable templates, financial forecasting tools, collaboration capabilities	Simple and intuitive	Provides a resource library for business planning
Bizplan	Drag-and-drop builder, modular sections, financial forecasting tools, progress tracking	Simple, visually engaging	Designed to simplify the business planning process
Enloop	Industry-specific templates, financial forecasting tools, automatic business plan generation, unique performance score	Robust, user-friendly	Offers a free version, making it accessible for businesses on a budget
Tarkenton GoSmallBiz	Guided business plan builder, customizable templates, financial projection tools	User-friendly	Offers CRM tools, legal document templates, and additional resources for small businesses

Business Plan FAQs

What is a good business plan, what are the 3 main purposes of a business plan, can i write a business plan by myself, is it possible to create a one-page business plan, how long should a business plan be, what is a business plan outline, what are the 5 most common business plan mistakes, what questions should be asked in a business plan, what’s the difference between a business plan and a strategic plan, how is business planning for a nonprofit different.

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Business plan templates

From competitive analysis to financial projections, business plans give your new business a roadmap for success. Download one of our free business plan templates and take your company to the next level.

Big Data Startup Business Plan Template

Create a professional Big Data Startup business plan with our customizable Startup Business Plan Template.

Virtual Assistant Business Plan

Strategize your way to success with this customizable AI virtual assistant business plan template.

Virtual Reality (VR) Business Plan

Our free virtual reality (VR) business plan helps you customize your document and create a winning strategy to land investors.

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Laundromat Business Plan

Create your success roadmap with a laundromat business plan template, designed to arrange the essentials of the laundry business.

5-Year Business Plan Template

Empower your path to long-term success with our 5-year business plan template.

Car Wash Business Plan Template

Launch and grow your car wash business with our customizable plan template.

Airbnb Business Plan Template

Unlock your path to success with our Airbnb business plan template, made to guide you in structuring the fundamental aspects of your Airbnb business.

Clothing Line Business Plan

Use this free and customizable clothing line business plan to appeal to investors and set up your fashion brand.

Gym Business Plan Template

The Panda tips in this gym business plan template guide you through the process of researching and presenting information necessary to secure funding and partners for your business.

Handyman Business Plan Template

Start a new handyman business using a well-researched handyman business plan template to meet your goals faster.

Vending Machine Business Plan Template

If you’re starting a new vending machine business, a well-rounded vending machine business plan can improve your chances of success.

Bar Business Plan Template

Create your path to success with our bar business plan template, designed as a valuable tool to help entrepreneurs organize the bar business.

Massage Therapy Business Plan

This massage therapy business plan template helps you cover the basics of starting or expanding a massage business.

Bed and Breakfast Business Plan Template

Use a complete bed and breakfast business plan template to set up your business for growth and success.

Catering Business Plan

Chart your path to success with our catering business plan template designed to help entrepreneurs organize their catering business.

Event Venue Business Plan Template

Launch and grow your event venue with our customizable business plan template.

Event Planning Business Plan

Prepare your event planning business for success with our ready-to-fill and easily downloadable event planning business plan template.

Rental Property Business Plan

Develop a rental property business plan tailored to serve as a valuable resource for entrepreneurs to organize their rental business.

Coaching Business Plan Template

If you want to grow your new or existing coaching business, use our free coaching business plan template as a roadmap to success.

Lawn Care Business Plan

Use a comprehensive lawn care business plan template that includes guidance and all critical information.

T-shirt Business Plan Template

Craft a winning T-shirt business plan in a structured business format that attracts investors and funding.

Candle-Making Business Plan Template

Use a candle-making business plan template to get together all of the information you need to ensure that your candle business succeeds.

SBA Business Plan Template

Use our free and fully customizable SBA business plan template to get started when writing a successful proposal for an SBA loan.

Cleaning Business Plan Template

Discover a hassle-free way to document a roadmap for your cleaning business with this free business plan template.

Real Estate Business Plan Template

Start off your new real estate business on the right foot by using a real estate business plan template to ensure your goals, visions, and finances are sorted.

Trucking Business Plan Template

Empower your journey to success with our trucking business plan template, designed as a valuable tool to organize the essentials of your trucking business.

Food Truck Business Plan Template

Find a fully customizable, free food truck business plan template that helps you create an effective proposal for interested investors.

Simple Business Plan Template

This simple business plan template walks you through the stages of establishing a successful business or seeking funding.

Solar Farm Business Plan

Give your solar farm business the best start by creating a professional business plan to keep your company on the right track.

Ecommerce Business Plan Template

This Ecommerce Business Plan Template is tailored particularly to e-commerce companies, and all you require to do is add the elements related to your business.

Accounting Firm Business Plan

Use this Accounting Firm Business Plan to achieve your goals. Accounting firms are comparable to other industries and need the Business Plan to help their development.

Campground Business Plan Template

This PandaDoc Campground Business Plan Template has all the essential information to help you develop a successful business strategy.

Firewood Business Plan

This Firewood Business Plan Template perfectly outlines the company structure of a probable firewood venture. It highlights the budgets needed to start and manage the unique business.

Funeral Home Business Plan

A Funeral Home Business Plan covers detailed data on the courtesies offered by the company, market analysis, administration strategies, personnel procedures, budget and financing plans, and other applicable topics.

Community Center Business Plan

You can use this Community Center Business Plan Template, it is perfect for anyone desiring to open and run a society center. It gives the center’s owner an outline of areas that must be disseminated with the investors to earn an acquisition.

Gas Station Business Plan

Take the first step towards success in the fuel industry with our professionally crafted Gas Station Business Plan template.

Beauty Supply Store Business Plan

This Beauty Supply Store Business Plan Template covers all the appropriate sections needed to invest in a beauty supply store. The template will help you to raise money for your business.

Flower Shop Business Plan Template

The Flower Shop Business Plan Template is organized to help you achieve the awareness of various investors to invest in your company.

Electrical Contractor Business Plan

This Electrical Contractor Business Plan template include information about the services you offer, who your target consumers are, why they should prefer you over your opponents and how much capital you require to get started.

Car Dealership Business Plan

A Car Dealership Business Plan is a detailed plan that will help you take your business to the next level. Use this template to create your plan.

Farm Business Plan

Farm Business Plan gives an overview of the company, including corporation history, owner backgrounds, creations and more. Use this template to quickly develop your farm company plan.

Consultant Business Plan Template

An example of a document outlining your strategy for launching or expanding your consulting firm is a Consultant Business Plan Template. The essential elements include a summary of the company, team, sector, rivals, target audience, and an operations and marketing strategy.

Construction Company Business Plan

The objectives and tactics of a construction company are described in a business plan for a construction company. For the creation of your business plan, use this Construction Company Business Plan Template.

Fashion Business Plan Template

Structural and action plans for a fashion firm are laid out in the fashion business plan template.

Daycare Business Plan

The creation of a business strategy is the first step in starting a daycare. Use this Daycare Business Plan Template to describe your company’s objectives, as well as your target market, potential rivals, and your financing strategy.

Convenience Store Business Plan

Do you need a Convenience Store Business Plan Template? This plan includes all the details and information needed to secure funding for a convenience store.

Startup Business Plan Template

We offer you the steps and the tools to create a fantastic business plan. Attract investors with this sleek and free startup business plan template.

Business Plan Template

This business plan template is a great tool for your startup to customize to reflect your strong qualifications, experienced team, and marketable business idea.

What is a business plan?

A business plan is a document that helps small business owners determine the viability of their business idea. Combining market research and financial analysis, a professional business plan helps startup CEOs and potential investors determine if the company can compete in the target market.

Typically, a good business plan consists of the following:

Executive summary
Company description
Mission statement
Product and services
Marketing plan
Operations plan
Management organization
Financial plan
Conclusion & appendix

Every section involved in a business plan is designed to help startup businesses reach their target market.

A business plan asks founders and entrepreneurs to detail their business strategy in a step-by-step process that makes sense from an operational perspective. This is essential if a startup is seeking a business loan or an investment from a venture capital firm.

However, even small businesses that are already economically viable can benefit from creating a business plan, since it encourages business owners and their management teams to examine their business model and reevaluate the best ways to reach their target customers.

Should I use a business plan template?

Yes. If you’ve never written one, a business plan can be challenging to write.

Creating a successful plan that you can use to grow your small business can require weeks of market analysis and financial preparation. You may spend time using Microsoft Excel or Powerpoint in order to create documentation which better supports our operational decisions.

However, almost every professional business plan is structured in the same way and most ask for the same information. Because of this, using a business plan template is advisable to save time, money, and effort.

Business plan templates for free

Rather than spending time trying to figure out how to write a business plan , use a free template as a guide to completion.

Business plan templates from PandaDoc can help you reach an effective go-to-market strategy even faster by asking you to provide all the relevant information you need when creating an effective business plan.

Grab a free template to get started!

Frequently asked questions

How many pages should my business plan be.

This depends on the kind of business plan you need to write and how you intend to use the plan that you create.

For example, a plan for a small business seeking potential investors or a business loan will need to provide income statements, cash flow statements, and a balance sheet (usually for a three-year or five-year forecast period).

These financial statements can be omitted if a small business owner isn’t seeking funding and is instead planning to use their business plan as a guiding document for themselves and their management team members.

Some business plans may only run a few pages. Fully-developed business plans can be as long as 50 pages. Much of this depends on the type of business, the operational strategy, and the level of detail that goes into developing the business plan.

Who needs a business plan?

Every business should have a business plan. This is an essential guidance document for any founder or CEO.

Good business plans help a company determine the viability of its place in the market and can help the business develop better strategies for differentiating itself from its competitors.

Business planning also forces business owners to evaluate their marketing strategy, the cost of customer acquisition and retention, and how they plan to grow their business over time.

What is the best business plan template?

Business plans come in all shapes and sizes. The best business plan template for your business is one that you understand and that matches the size and legal structure of your operation.

If you’re a sole proprietor, a business plan template designed for a big corporation probably doesn’t make sense. However, a business plan that helps you build an effective roadmap to grow your business while protecting your intellectual property is a good starting point.

PandaDoc offers specialized business plan templates for common industries along with tips to help you get started with business planning.

Should I hire someone to write my business plan for me?

No. You’ll find freelance writers and business strategy companies out there who are happy to write your business plan for a fee. These resources can guide you through the process, but you should write (or be heavily involved in) the creation of your business plan.

The reason for this is simple: You know the most about your business, and your business needs you to succeed.

A writer can work with you to make your business plan sound better to investors, and a consultant can help you fill in knowledge gaps — like how to conduct a SWOT analysis — and point out weaknesses in your plan. But, at the end of the day, you need to use the business plan to pitch investors and run your business.

Those ideas and guiding principles aren’t something you can outsource.

Should I use business planning software?

Software isn’t required when creating an effective business plan. Most business planning software is designed to help you navigate the outlining and writing process more effectively.

You don’t need software to write a professional business plan, but a solid template can help you get started. Download a free template from PandaDoc today and take your business to the next level.

Get started with PandaDoc today

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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:

marketing section template for business plan

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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Free PDF Business Plan Templates and Samples

By Joe Weller | September 9, 2020

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We’ve gathered the most useful collection of business plan PDF templates and samples, including options for organizations of any size and type.

On this page, you’ll find free PDF templates for a simple business plan , small business plan , startup business plan , and more.

Simple Business Plan PDF Templates

These simple business plan PDF templates are ready to use and customizable to fit the needs of any organization.

Simple Business Plan Template PDF

This template contains a traditional business plan layout to help you map out each aspect, from a company overview to sales projections and a marketing strategy. This template includes a table of contents, as well as space for financing details that startups looking for funding may need to provide.

Download Simple Business Plan Template - PDF

Lean Business Plan Template PDF

This scannable business plan template allows you to easily identify the most important elements of your plan. Use this template to outline key details pertaining to your business and industry, product or service offerings, target customer segments (and channels to reach them), and to identify sources of revenue. There is also space to include key performance metrics and a timeline of activities.

Download Lean Business Plan Template - PDF

Simple 30-60-90 Day Business Plan Template PDF

This template is designed to help you develop and implement a 90-day business plan by breaking it down into manageable chunks of time. Use the space provided to detail your main goals and deliverables for each timeframe, and then add the steps necessary to achieve your objectives. Assign task ownership and enter deadlines to ensure your plan stays on track every step of the way.

Download Simple 30-60-90 Day Business Plan Template

PDF | Smartsheet

One-Page Business Plan PDF Templates

The following single page business plan templates are designed to help you download your key ideas on paper, and can be used to create a pitch document to gain buy-in from partners, investors, and stakeholders.

One-Page Business Plan Template PDF

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.

Download One-Page Business Plan Template

If you’re looking for a specific type of analysis, check out our collection of SWOT templates .

One-Page Lean Business Plan PDF

This one-page business plan template employs the Lean management concept, and encourages you to focus on the key assumptions of your business idea. A Lean plan is not stagnant, so update it as goals and objectives change — the visual timeline at the bottom is ideal for detailing milestones.

Download One-Page Lean Business Plan Template - PDF

One-Page 30-60-90 Day Business Plan Template

Use this business plan template to identify main goals and outline the necessary activities to achieve those goals in 30, 60, and 90-day increments. Easily customize this template to fit your needs while you track the status of each task and goal to keep your business plan on target.

Download One-Page 30-60-90 Day Business Plan Template

For additional single page plans, including an example of a one-page business plan , visit " One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide ."

Small Business Plan PDF Templates

These business plan templates are useful for small businesses that want to map out a way to meet organizational objectives, including how to structure, operate, and expand their business.

Simple Small Business Plan Template PDF

A small business can use this template to outline each critical component of a business plan. There is space to provide details about product or service offerings, target audience, customer reach strategy, competitive advantage, and more. Plus, there is space at the bottom of the document to include a SWOT analysis. Once complete, you can use the template as a basis to build out a more elaborate plan.

Download Simple Small Business Plan Template

Fill-In-the-Blank Small Business Plan Template PDF

Simple Fill In The Blank Business Plan Template

This fill-in-the-blank template walks you through each section of a business plan. Build upon the fill-in-the-blank content provided in each section to add information about your company, business idea, market analysis, implementation plan, timeline of milestones, and much more.

Download Fill-In-the-Blank Small Business Plan Template - PDF

One-Page Small Business Plan Template PDF

One Page Business Plan For Small Business Template

Use this one-page template to create a scannable business plan that highlights the most essential parts of your organization’s strategy. Provide your business overview and management team details at the top, and then outline the target market, market size, competitive offerings, key objectives and success metrics, financial plan, and more.

Download One-Page Business Plan for Small Business - PDF

Startup Business Plan PDF Templates

Startups can use these business plan templates to check the feasibility of their idea, and articulate their vision to potential investors.

Startup Business Plan Template

Use this business plan template to organize and prepare each essential component of your startup plan. Outline key details relevant to your concept and organization, including your mission and vision statement, product or services offered, pricing structure, marketing strategy, financial plan, and more.

‌Download Startup Business Plan Template

Sample 30-60-90 Day Business Plan for Startup

Startups can use this sample 30-60-90 day plan to establish main goals and deliverables spanning a 90-day period. Customize the sample goals, deliverables, and activities provided on this template according to the needs of your business. Then, assign task owners and set due dates to help ensure your 90-day plan stays on track.

‌Download Sample 30-60-90 Day Business Plan for Startup Template

For additional resources to create your plan, visit “ Free Startup Business Plan Templates and Examples .”

Nonprofit Business Plan PDF Templates

Use these business plan PDF templates to outline your organization’s mission, your plan to make a positive impact in your community, and the steps you will take to achieve your nonprofit’s goals.

Nonprofit Business Plan Template PDF

Fill-in-the-Blank Nonprofit Business Plan Template

Use this customizable PDF template to develop a plan that details your organization’s purpose, objectives, and strategy. This template features a table of contents, with room to include your nonprofit’s mission and vision, key team and board members, program offerings, a market and industry analysis, promotional plan, financial plan, and more. This template also contains a visual timeline to display historic and future milestones.

Download Nonprofit Business Plan Template - PDF

One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Organization PDF

One Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Organizations Template

This one-page plan serves as a good starting point for established and startup nonprofit organizations to jot down their fundamental goals and objectives. This template contains all the essential aspects of a business plan in a concise and scannable format, including the organizational overview, purpose, promotional plan, key objectives and success metrics, fundraising goals, and more.

Download One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Organization Template - PDF

Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan PDF Templates

Use these fill-in-the-blank templates as a foundation for creating a comprehensive roadmap that aligns your business strategy with your marketing, sales, and financial goals.

Simple Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan PDF

The fill-in-the-blank template contains all the vital parts of a business plan, with sample content that you can customize to fit your needs. There is room to include an executive summary, business description, market analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, financial statements, and more.

Download Simple Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Template - PDF

Lean Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan PDF

This business plan is designed with a Lean approach that encourages you to clarify and communicate your business idea in a clear and concise manner. This single page fill-in-the-blank template includes space to provide details about your management team, the problem you're solving, the solution, target customers, cost structure, and revenue streams. Use the timeline at the bottom to produce a visual illustration of key milestones.

Download Fill-In-the-Blank Lean Business Plan Template - PDF

For additional resources, take a look at " Free Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Templates ."

Sample Business Plan PDF Templates

These sample business plan PDF templates can help you to develop an organized, thorough, and professional business plan.

Business Plan Sample

This business plan example demonstrates a plan for a fictional food truck company. The sample includes all of the elements in a traditional business plan, which makes it a useful starting point for developing a plan specific to your business needs.

Download Basic Business Plan Sample - PDF

Sample Business Plan Outline Template

Use this sample outline as a starting point for your business plan. Shorten or expand the outline depending on your organization’s needs, and use it to develop a table of contents for your finalized plan.

Download Sample Business Plan Outline Template - PDF

Sample Business Financial Plan Template

Use this sample template to develop the financial portion of your business plan. The template provides space to include a financial overview, key assumptions, financial indicators, and business ratios. Complete the break-even analysis and add your financial statements to help prove the viability of your organization’s business plan.

Download Business Financial Plan Template

PDF | Smartsheet

For more free, downloadable templates for all aspects of your business, check out “ Free Business Templates for Organizations of All Sizes .”

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300+ Business Plan Examples

With over two decades of experience, Growthink has assisted more than 1 million companies in developing effective business plans to launch and expand their businesses. Trust in our expertise to guide you through developing a business plan that drives your success. In addition to our sample plans, below you’ll learn the answers to key business plan questions and gain insightful tips on writing your business plan.

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1. Why is utilizing an example business plan a good idea?

Sample business plans can help you quickly and easily write a business plan for your own business. Business plans are an important tool for any business, but they can be challenging to create. A sample business plan will help you understand the business plan format , the benefit of market research, and how to write a compelling executive summary. It can also serve as a guide for creating your own business plan, outlining the key sections and providing examples of successful plans. Utilizing the best business plan template can save you time and ensure that your plan is well-structured and comprehensive.

Business plan examples may even help you with the different sections of a plan, including market analysis, business description, cash flow statements/business financial statements, and more. Business plans can also show you how a quality plan in your exact business plan category is organized and shows you the appropriate business communications style to use when writing your business plan.

2. Who would benefit from using an example business plan?

Any entrepreneur or business owner who has never written a business plan before can benefit from an example or sample plan. New business owners often start with business plan templates , which are helpful but are sometimes more useful after reviewing other sample business plans.

A good sample plan can be a step-by-step guide as you work on your business planning and business idea. Once you have a sense for the flow, specs, and details, etc. that business plans have, utilizing a business plan template will help you pull everything together, helping you create a plan investors and other stakeholders will value. A solid business plan will also help you if you need a bank loan, which may require a startup business plan. Download our free business plan template to help you get started on your own business plan.

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3. How do you get started with a sample business plan and maximize its benefit?

First you should read the business plan thoroughly. Study both the type of information provided in key sections like the executive summary, target market analysis, summary, etc., as well as the format and style of the plan. As you read, you may find yourself thinking through things such as improving or evaluating your business planning process, your business idea, or reconsidering who you want to write your business plan for. This is OK and part of the process. In fact, when you start writing a business plan for the first time, it will be much easier because you’ve gone through this process.

After this initial read, outline your business plan and copy in from the sample plan sections that apply to your business. For instance, if the sample plan included public relations in their marketing strategy and sales plan, and you will also use this tactic, you can copy it into your plan and edit it as appropriate. Finally, answer the other questions answered in the sample plan in ways that reflect your unique business and target customers.

Writing a business plan can seem daunting. Starting your business plan writing process by reviewing a plan that’s already been created can remove a lot of mental and emotional barriers while helping you craft the best plan you can.

4. When should you not use a sample business plan?

If your business is unlike any other, using a sample business plan will not be as effective. In this situation, writing a business plan from scratch utilizing a business plan template is probably your best path forward.

As an example, Facebook’s early business plan was unlike others since it was paving a new path and way of doing business. But, groundbreaking new businesses like Facebook are not the norm, and the vast majority of companies will benefit from utilizing sample business plans.

5. How do you choose the right type of business plan for your venture?

Selecting the appropriate type of business plan depends on your business’s stage, needs, and goals. Let’s explore the different types of business plans and how to determine which business plan format is right for you.

Startup Business Plan : This type of plan is for businesses just starting out and seeking funding or investment. It typically includes a detailed analysis of the market, target audience, competition, and financial projections.
Traditional Business Plan : Traditional business plans are the most common type of business plan, used by established businesses to outline their goals and strategies. It includes all the key sections such as market analysis, company description, and financial statements.
Internal Business Plan : Internal business plans are used for internal purposes, to guide the day-to-day operations and decision making of the business. It may not be as detailed as a traditional business plan, but still includes important information such as company mission, objectives, and key performance indicators.
Feasibility Business Plan : A feasibility business plan is used to assess the viability of a new product or service in the market. It includes detailed research and analysis to determine if the business idea is feasible and profitable.
One-Page Business Plan : As the name suggests, this type of business plan is condensed into one page and includes the most critical information about the business. It can be a useful tool for pitching to potential investors or partners.
Strategic Business Plan : A strategic plan looks at the big picture and long-term business goals of a company. It may include the company’s mission statement, core values, and overarching strategies for achieving success.

Ultimately, the type of business plan you choose will depend on your business’s specific needs and goals. It may also be beneficial to combine elements from different types of plans to create a customized plan that best fits your business. Carefully consider your objectives and resources before deciding on the right type of plan for your venture.

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The business plan example below is for Shoutmouth, a company that enjoyed much success in the early 2000’s and which was able to raise funding. While the plan’s premise (social networking) is not as unique now as it was then, the format and structure of this business plan still holds.

I. Executive Summary

Business Overview

Launched in late February 2007, Shoutmouth.com is the most comprehensive music news website on the Internet .

Music is one of the most searched and accessed interests on the Internet. Top music artists like Akon receive over 3 million searches each month. In addition, over 500 music artists each receive over 25,000 searches a month.

However, music fans are largely unsatisfied when it comes to the news and information they seek on the artists they love. This is because most music websites (e.g., RollingStone.com, MTV.com, Billboard.com, etc.) cover only the top eight to ten music stories each day – the stories with mass appeal. This type of generic coverage does not satisfy the needs of serious music fans. Music fans generally listen to many different artists and genres of music. By publishing over 100 music stories each day, Shoutmouth enables these fans to read news on all their favorite artists.

In addition to publishing comprehensive music news on over 1200 music artists, Shoutmouth is a social network that allows fans to meet and communicate with other fans about music, and allows them to:

Create personal profiles
Interact with other members
Provide comments on news stories and music videos
Submit news stories and videos
Recommend new music artists to add to the community
Receive customized news and email alerts on their favorite artists

Success Factors

Shoutmouth is uniquely qualified to succeed due to the following reasons:

Entrepreneurial track record : Shoutmouth’s CEO and team have helped launch numerous successful ventures.
Affiliate marketing track record : Online affiliate marketing expertise has been cited as one of MySpace’s key success factors. Over the past two years, Shoutmouth’s founders have run one of the most successful online affiliate marketing programs, having sold products to over 500,000 music customers online.
Key milestones completed : Shoutmouth’s founders have invested $500,000 to-date to staff the company (we currently have an 11-person full-time team), build the core technology, and launch the site. We have succeeded in gaining initial customer traction with 50,000 unique visitors in March, 100,000 unique visitors in April, and 200,000 unique visitors in May 2007.

Unique Investment Metrics

The Shoutmouth investment opportunity is very exciting due to the metrics of the business.

To begin, over the past two years, over twenty social networks have been acquired. The value in these networks is their relationships with large numbers of customers, which allow acquirers to effectively sell to this audience.

The sales price of these social networks has ranged from $25 to $137 per member. Shoutmouth has the ability to enroll members at less than $1 each, thus providing an extraordinary return on marketing expenditures. In fact, during an April 2007 test, we were able to sign-up 2,000 members to artist-specific Shoutmouth newsletters at a cost of only 43 cents per member.

While we are building Shoutmouth to last, potential acquirers include many types of companies that seek relationships with music fans such as music media/publishing (e.g., MTV, Rolling Stone), ticketing (e.g., Ticketmaster, LiveNation) and digital music sales firms (e.g., iTunes, The Orchard).

Financial Strategy, Needs and Exit Strategy

While Shoutmouth’s technological, marketing and operational infrastructure has been developed, we currently require $3 million to execute on our marketing and technology plan over the next 24 months until we hit profitability.

Shoutmouth will primarily generate revenues from selling advertising space. As technologies evolve that allow us to seamlessly integrate music sampling and purchasing on our site, sales of downloadable music are also expected to become a significant revenue source. To a lesser extent, we may sell other music-related items such as ringtones, concert tickets, and apparel.

Topline projections over the next three years are as follows:

	2007	2008	2009
Shoutmouth Members	626,876	4,289,580	9,577,020
Unique Visitors	2,348,050	8,390,187	18,633,659
Total Page Views (Millions)	20.7	273.5	781.0
Revenues	$165,431	$2,461,127	$7,810,354

Expenses	$1,407,958	$2,591,978	$2,838,423

EBITDA	($1,242,527)	($130,851)	$4,971,931

II. Shoutmouth Overview

What is Shoutmouth?

Shoutmouth is an operating company of The Kisco Group Inc. (TKG). Since 2003, TKG has capitalized on web-based marketing opportunities via launching targeted websites and generating web-based leads. TKG revenues in 2005 exceeded $1.3 million and grew to $3.5 million in 2006. Shoutmouth is currently the sole focus of TKG; all other TKG business units have been divested.

Development of Shoutmouth began in August 2006 and the site officially launched on February 21, 2007. Shoutmouth (located at www.shoutmouth.com) is the most comprehensive music news community on the Internet. The website covers 1,200 popular bands and music artists and offers more than 100 new music articles each day. In addition to providing news, Shoutmouth is a web community. That is, Shoutmouth members can actively participate on the site, by doing things such as commenting on news stories and submitting their own stories.

The Market Size and Need for Shoutmouth

The music market is clearly vast. According to IFPI, which represents the recording industry worldwide, global music sales were $33.5 billion in 2005, with the U.S. accounting for $12.3 billion of that amount. Importantly, digitally music sales are seeing substantial growth, with IFPI reporting sales of $400 million in 2004, $1.1 billion in 2005 and $2 billion in 2006.

Online, music is the one of the most frequently searched and accessed interests. For example, according to Wordtracker, the music artist Eminem received over 1.7 million web searches in December 2006, while band Green Day received 534,000 searches.

To put these figures in perspective, top celebrities in other entertainment fields receive but a fraction of this search volume. For example, December 2006 search volumes for select sports stars and actors were as follows: Kobe Bryant, 122K; Tiger Woods, 88K; Cameron Diaz, 332K; and Tom Cruise, 82K.

Conversely, 225 music artists received over 100,000 searches in December 2006, and over 500 music artists received over 25,000 searches.

This data is corroborated by Nielsen BuzzMetrics which plots the most popular topics bloggers are posting about. The chart to the right plots September 25, 2006 to March 25, 2007 and shows how music dominates other entertainment sectors online.

When searching for music artists online, fans, which are primarily between the ages of 13 and 35, are looking for news, pictures, lyrics, videos and audio files. In addition, fans enjoy publicly voicing their opinions about music and interacting with other fans.

There is currently no website besides Shoutmouth that provides comprehensive music news. Currently, to get the latest news on their favorite artists, fans must visit the official websites or fan websites of each of the artists they like . Even then, it is unlikely that the fan will get all the news that has occurred. To solve this problem, Shoutmouth scours the web and uncovers news from thousands of web sites.

What Shoutmouth Does and Will Offer

As of May 2007, the site covers the 1,200 most popular music artists (popularity primarily based on the number of web searches over the past 12 months for each artist).

Shoutmouth currently offers members the ability to:

Read over 500 new music articles each week
Read special features such as album reviews, interviews, new album release dates, top quotes of the week and other special reports
Watch and rate music videos
Listen to select music audio clips
Comment on news stories and music videos
Submit news stories that they see/hear of elsewhere
Suggest new music artists to add to the site
View articles by music artist or by genre (current genres include Rock, Pop, Rap, R&B, Country, and Electronic)
Create a user profile that includes their favorite music artists, Shoutmouth friends, news stories submitted to Shoutmouth, and comments made. Members have the ability to find other members based on their favorite artists and via our search functions.
Receive customized news and email alerts. Members can customize their “My News” page to include only artists they specify. Likewise, they can choose to receive email alerts whenever there is a new story on one of their favorite artists.

While establishing itself as the premier music news community, Shoutmouth will embark on the more aggressive goal of becoming the premier music community online . To accomplish this, Shoutmouth will begin to offer additional content (more videos, audio, pictures, lyrics, etc.) and additional functionality (music compatibility testing (e.g., if you like this, you’ll like this), voting capabilities, member-to-member messaging, etc.). We have already begun mapping out our content and technology growths plans to achieve this goal upon financing.

Importantly, Shoutmouth expects to be able to add massive amounts of relevant content (e.g., lyrics, reviews, pictures, video files, audio files, etc.) via member submissions and moderation. This is the same way that YouTube has been able to quickly add millions of videos and Wikipedia has been able to add millions of articles. Importantly, since established music websites (e.g., MTV, RollingStone.com, Billboard.com, etc.) are not community based, they would have to hire thousands of staff members to rival the content that Shoutmouth will have.

How We Get and Publish Our News

Currently, news stories that appear on Shoutmouth are gathered from numerous online sources. Shoutmouth’s staff writers find these stories by using RSS and News feeds that cover thousands of websites. In addition, Shoutmouth community members have the ability to submit stories they find elsewhere.

Typical stories include factual information plus the insight of the author. Shoutmouth editors ensure that all stories are properly classified by artist and genre, and that duplicate articles are filtered out.

Over the past three months, Shoutmouth has developed a solid infrastructure, which we consider a core competitive advantage, that that allows us to provide comprehensive music news . This infrastructure includes:

Setting up hundreds of RSS feeds based on comprehensive research regarding sites from which to receive feeds
Training our editorial team regarding identifying a story and weeding out duplicates
Assigning music artists among our five-person editorial team to better manage work flow and avoid duplicate articles

We are working on a system to ensure that member-submitted articles are automatically routed to the appropriate member of Shoutmouth’s editorial team to improve our efficiencies further.

Shoutmouth’s Goal to Break News First

The majority (approximately 90%) of Shoutmouth’s articles are currently developed by our in-house editorial team, while the balance is submitted by members. In addition, virtually all of our articles are based on information gleaned from other websites. As such, we are generally not the first to publish news; however we are the first and only site to publish all the news in one easily-accessible place. The one current exception is news which is published on bands’ official MySpace pages; Shoutmouth generally publishes articles on this news 24 to 48 hours before it is reported by other news or music sites (due to our efficiencies in finding news).

Shoutmouth realizes that it will gain a key competitive advantage, and will generate significant market buzz, if it is able to report on music news stories before other media sources . To accomplish this, we have begun contacting publicity departments at record labels to gain direct access to music news. We expect these contacts to enable us to gain immediate and sometimes exclusive access to news which will help further establish Shoutmouth as the canonical source for music news. We also plan to more aggressively solicit member submissions of new, buzzworthy news events and will consider offering rewards for unique substantiated news (much the way paparazzi are compensated).

III. Competition in the Online Music Market

This section of the business plan provides a competitive analysis, which is an overview of the competitive landscape, discusses both indirect and direct competitors and then details Shoutmouth’s competitive advantages.

Because consumer demand for music on the Internet is so great, there are a vast number of music websites. In summary, we consider most sectors of the online music market (which are discussed below) to be indirect competitors and potentially partners, rather than direct competitors, because none of them focus on music news.

The reason we believe that no one focuses on music news is that it is very difficult to do. Because news is very important to music fans, most music websites offer news. However, they primarily get their news from organizations such as CNN, Reuters, the Associated Press and BBC. These large organizations only write about the music stories that have mass appeal, which traditionally amounts to 8-10 music news stories per day. However, since music fans are often zealots when it comes to their favorite artists, they are not merely interested in cover stories. For instance, a U2 fan cares about any U2 news, particularly news that a non-U2 fan might consider insignificant.

In fact, because Shoutmouth is the sole one-stop shop for getting comprehensive music news, there might be an opportunity to license our content to other music websites.

Sectors of the Online Music Market

Shoutmouth specifically comPs in the community-based music news market. While players in this market represent direct competitors, Shoutmouth faces indirect competitors in the following markets:

Community-Based Sites
Community-Based News Sites
Community-Based Music Sites
Traditional Music Websites
Official Artist and Fan Sites

Each of these markets is described below.

A. Community-Based Sites

Community-based sites, also known as social networking sites, are websites in which members can create profiles, leave comments throughout the site, and communicate with other members among other features.

A June 2006 report by Piper Jaffray entitled “Silk Road: Social Networking is Here to Stay” effectively sums up the power and longevity of social networking:

“We believe social networking sites have become a permanent part of the fabric of web applications and are rapidly becoming one of the most popular activities online, potentially impacting how other popular services such as email, IM, and maybe even search are accessed.

As a clear indication of the growth rate and scale of social networking, consider this: MySpace monthly page views have now surpassed MSN or AOL in the U.S. and are nearly 75% of the size of Yahoo!. Social networking has filled a gap that was left by all the existing portals and web services and it is fulfilling a very important and basic function for millions of users: allowing them to express themselves and connect with their friends, with the two functions tightly integrated.

The leading sites such as MySpace (News Corp), Facebook, and others are amassing significant power in the new landscape of the Internet and the existing Internet companies are likely to have to work with these newcomers as they may yield material control on the flow of traffic to other applications.”

Social networking sites such as MySpace.com, Facebook.com, Tagged.com, and TagWorld.com have educated consumers regarding the value of these sites and how to use them. Their success has spurred genre-specific social networks such as community-based/social networking news sites and music sites, which are discussed below.

Shoutmouth doesn’t view established social networking sites as competitors since these sites have a general focus. That is, members talk about all aspects of life, from dating to music to movies, etc. Conversely, Shoutmouth is solely focused on music.

B. Community-Based News Sites

Community-based news sites are sites in which members decide what’s newsworthy and what’s not. For instance, on Digg.com, the most prominent community-based news site, members “Digg” stories that they feel are most newsworthy. The stories that the community feels are most important rise to Digg’s homepage, while less important stories get little attention.

Digg’s one million members can submit stories, “digg” stories, and comment on stories. Digg focuses on general news with a slant towards technology, gaming and unique/sensational news. While Digg does have a Music area within its Entertainment section, this receives little focus. In fact, at the time of the writing of this plan, Digg’s music home page only includes one article submitted within the past 48 hours. Furthermore, Digg doesn’t pare down the music category into sub-categories such as Rock and individual music artists. Conversely, these sub-categories are the entire focus of Shoutmouth.

Other sites that are similar to Digg include Newsvine.com, Spotback.com and Gabbr.com. Of most relevance is the Digg-like site for music, Noisetap.com, which was launched by Ticketmaster in January 2007.

Like Digg, Noisetap.com allows members to submit and vote for music stories. Noisetap.com is organized by music genre and not by music artist. This most likely will not satisfy the needs of many music fans since they don’t have the ability to find news on the specific artists they care most about. Likewise, without a full-time staff actively researching and publishing news stories at the artist-level, Noisetap.com will never be able to offer the comprehensive news that Shoutmouth does.

While Shoutmouth is currently similar to community-based news sites in that members can submit stories and comment on the news they find most interesting, no established player in the market provides a comprehensive focus on music. In addition, Shoutmouth sees these sites as marketing partners as we have and will continue to submit our stories on them to increase our readership.

C. Community-Based Music Sites

There are many community-based music websites, although none focuses on music news such as Shoutmouth. Conversely, these sites generally give members the ability to create and listen to song play lists. The community acts to help individual members find new music and new friends based on similarities in their music tastes. Prominent sites in this genre include Last.fm, Finetune, Pandora, RadioBlogClub, MyStrands, iLike[1] and iJigg.

Last.fm is the most prominent community-based music site and is a good model with which to compare Shoutmouth. Likewise, we will benchmark our performance against Last.fm as we reach of goal of becoming the premier music news community and focus on becoming the premier music community.

According to Alexa, Last.fm is the 359th most visited site on the Internet. While Last.fm focuses on allowing members to create customized Internet stations based on their music tastes, the site has much additional content and social networking features. For instance, for each artist, Last.fm includes pictures, a bio, concert dates, discography, fans on Last.fm, and similar artists. Fans are also able to create journals and communicate with other fans. Key features that Last.fm doesn’t currently focus on include news and video.

D. Traditional Music Websites

Traditional music websites such as MTV.com, RollingStone.com, Billboard.com, NME.com, AOL Music, and Yahoo! Music tend to have many features such as news, reviews, pictures, videos and audio. While these sites are generally very well done and extremely popular, they are under-serving visitors in two core areas: music news and community .

These sites’ lack of music news stems from the difficulty in creating this news, specifically that it requires filtering through thousands of articles and websites to find relevant stories. Likewise, as discussed, these firms might wish to license our news content in the future.

Regarding community , none of the top music sites are thriving communities. Rather, either these sites offer no community features or they recently began offering select features (e.g., submitting reviews or commenting on articles). Even when available, the community features on these sites are afterthoughts and are not engrained within the core fabric of the sites.

While they haven’t been able to transform their current sites into communities, top music websites clearly understand the power of online music communities and have an appetite for them. For example, in January 2007, MTV invested in social networking website TagWorld. MTV also acquired RateMyProfessors.com and Quizilla.com (teen social network) in January 2007 and October 2006 respectively.

As mentioned previously, our vision is to build and incorporate additional technologies, and use our “army” of members to publish vast amounts of music content on Shoutmouth, in order to fully satisfy music fans and leapfrog traditional music sites in terms of their music content.

E. Official Artist and Fan Sites

Shoutmouth com’s with official music artist websites and fan websites. These sites often include news about the specific artist as well as pictures, videos and other relevant information.

On one hand, official music artist and fan websites are direct competitors to Shoutmouth. This is because some of these sites offer comprehensive news on the specific artist they cover. In addition, many offer forums, discussion boards or other ways to communicate with other fans.

However, two factors separate Shoutmouth from these types of sites: 1) breadth and 2) sophistication.

Breadth : Most music fans love more than one artist. As such, in order to get the news they want, they would have to visit/join multiple fan or artist websites rather than getting all of their news from Shoutmouth.
Sophistication : While some official music artist websites are technologically sophisticated, offering forums, networking and other worthwhile features, the majority of artist and fan websites have limited usability, functionality and networking ability. In fact, this deficiency has lead to the success of MusicToday, which provides front and back-end technology to power artist websites.

Specifically, MusicToday offers web design and hosting, develops sophisticated online stores, builds online fan clubs and offers web ticketing among other services to select top music artists such as Dave Matthews Band, Christina Aguilera, Kenny Chesney, Britney Spears and Usher. While offering sophisticated tools for select music artist websites, MusicToday offers little to no music news nor advanced social networking functions. For instance, the official Dave Matthews Band website offers less than one news story per month.

F. Direct Competitors: Community-Based Music News Sites

Shoutmouth’s direct competitors are other music news websites that have social or community features that allow users to join the site, submit articles, comment on articles, create public profiles and/or communicate with other members. Shoutmouth has identified one significant player who offers this service, AbsolutePunk.net.

AbsolutePunk.net has done a good job of building a user base (the site claims 125,000+ registered members and nearly 500,000 un-registered members). In addition, the user base is very active — the average story on their site receives approximately 20 comments. AbsolutePunk.net offers music news, reviews, pictures and interviews among other features.

On the negative side, AbsolutePunk.net’s articles are generally posted by one staff writer (as opposed to Shoutmouth’s five writers), most articles are simply one sentence posts rather than full articles, and no attempt seems to have been made to cover all news stories. In addition, the site only covers the punk music genre. Although “punk” is broadly defined on the site, the site doesn’t cater to genres such as R&B, rap and country among others, failing to satisfy the broader market.

AbsolutePunk.net is owned by Indieclick, a Los Angeles-based media company. According to the AbsolutePunk.net website, the site:

Has developed a loyal (72% return rate) reader base
5,182,147 Posts
163,535 Threads
126,448 Members
1,711 Artist Profiles
20,774 Multimedia Files
Approx 76,000 visits per day.
Approx 276,000 pageviews per day.

Shoutmouth’s Competitive Advantage

In addition to being the first to fill the untapped market void for comprehensive music news, Shoutmouth’s competitive advantage in the market primarily includes the following:

Online Marketing Sophistication

Content Development Experience and Expertise

Shoutmouth’s team, primarily team members DL and PF, has operated an affiliate marketing business focusing on music for the past four years. Affiliate marketing is defined as a system of revenue sharing between one site (the affiliate) which features an ad or content designed to drive traffic to another site (the merchant). The affiliate receives a fee based on traffic to the merchant which converts to sales.

Our affiliate business has focused on connecting music fans, primarily aged 13 to 30, with music offers such as iPods and ringtones. Over the past two years, we have successful sold affiliated offers to over 500,000 customers. We have become a significant online advertiser, receiving Google’s “over 1 million leads” award, and are recognized as a major player among the top affiliate networks.

It is important to note that affiliate marketing success has been credited with part of MySpace’s success. This is because effective affiliate marketers understand how to drive and convert on Internet traffic.

Shoutmouth will employ its affiliate marketing techniques to drive traffic to Shoutmouth.com and enroll members. We will utilize technologies and proprietary techniques that allow us to monitor multiple metrics such as the cost per visitor, cost per member sign-up, etc., so that we can set and maintain profitable metrics.

Another venture that Shoutmouth team members, primarily PK and DL, launched was the development of over 3,000 niche websites. To create the content for these websites, we employed a virtual work force of over 90 researchers in India and 30 writers and editors in the US.

This experience taught us how to manage a large workforce, train writers to improve content quality and motivate a large group of people. These skill sets will be critical in allowing Shoutmouth to grow the content of the site, as developed by both staff and members, while maintaining quality standards.

IV. Marketing Plan

Shoutmouth’s marketing plan includes the following:

Online Advertising : Shoutmouth will initiate pay-per-click advertising campaigns on Google and Yahoo! in order to inexpensively drive traffic to the site. Specifically, Shoutmouth believes it can drive qualified traffic to the site for 20 cents per visitor and achieve a 20% member conversion rate, thus generating members at a cost of $1.00 per member.

Keys to Shoutmouth’s success in achieving this metric include:

Conducting thorough keyword research and advertising on appropriate keywords and keyword groups
Creating advertising text that maximizes click through rates
Creating landing pages that maximize conversions while maintaining the highest Google AdWords quality score possible
Closely monitoring conversions to quickly stop and/or modify unprofitable campaigns
Getting individuals to enter their email address to join the newsletter is much easier than getting them to join a site where they have to create a username, select a password, etc. As such, step one will be to get visitors to sign up for artist-specific newsletters.
Once on the newsletter distribution list, members will constantly receive messages (embedded in their daily newsletter) regarding the benefits of participating more on Shoutmouth.
Active Shoutmouth Membership: the constant reminders regarding Shoutmouth’s value proposition in the daily newsletters will influence members to participate more actively on the site (e.g., customize their profile, visit the site more often, etc.).

Invite-A-Friend : Shoutmouth is in the process of creating an aggressive invite-a-friend/member referral program. In doing so, we are following the lead of social movie community, Flixster, which grew to 5 million members within 10 months. It did this by encouraging members, during their initial registration process, to upload and send an invitation to multiple contacts in their email address books. The technology to develop this process is fairly complex and we expect to be completed with and to rollout this program in June 2007.

Direct Email Marketing : Shoutmouth will directly contact bloggers and prominent music fans we find online to tell them about Shoutmouth, encourage them to join, and encourage them to write about Shoutmouth on their blogs and online journals .

Creating/Distributing Buzzworthy/Viral Content : Shoutmouth plans to have several buzzworthy/viral articles (i.e., content that people would want to email to their friends since it is funny, interesting, etc.) on the site each day. With a single click, visitors will be able to send these articles to social bookmarking sites such as Digg.com or Fark.com, where these articles could receive widespread attention. In addition to our traditional news stories, Shoutmouth will also periodically create special reports/features in order to satisfy our members and visitors and to try to get widespread exposure.

An example of the power of such buzzworthy content, Shoutmouth has already succeeded in having two stories accepted by Fark and Digg, which have brought in over 50,000 unique visitors.

Super Fans/Street Team Development : Shoutmouth also plans to recruit “super fans.” Super fans are individuals who are passionate about a certain music artist/band and actively contribute articles and/or comments on Shoutmouth. We will recruit these fans, reward them with status (e.g., adding a gold Shoutmouth headphones image to their profile page) and encourage them to more aggressively promote the site by:

Submitting more news to Shoutmouth
Commenting on more articles on Shoutmouth
Growing the Shoutmouth community around their favorite artist(s) by actively recruiting new members to join the site (such as actively posting Shoutmouth-related comments on their MySpace pages, on other music forums, etc.)

Public Relations : Upon financing, Shoutmouth will hire a public relations firm to help us get mentions in media sources ranging from magazines, newspapers, radio, television and blogs. To date, we have developed and issued press releases via Billboard Publicity Wire which have been syndicated throughout the web. An effective PR firm will enable Shoutmouth to quickly reach a wide audience.

Widgets : Shoutmouth will create artist-specific and genre-specific music news widgets. For example, our U2 widget (see example on right) would include all of the recent U2 articles published on Shoutmouth. The widget can easily be placed on MySpace pages, blogs, etc. Each story title in the widget links to the full article on Shoutmouth.

Shoutmouth has great expectations for our widget. To begin, no such widget currently exists as there is no one place to get comprehensive news for specific music artists. Secondly, each time someone places a Shoutmouth widget on their blog or social networking page, it will effectively market Shoutmouth to a wide audience at zero cost to us.

V. Technology/Site Development Plan

This section provides a brief roadmap of the initial and future functionality of Shoutmouth.

Initial Site Functionality

The initial Shoutmouth website will include the following features:

Ability to submit and comment on news stories
Ability to suggest new music artists to add to the site
Ability to create user profiles
Ability to receive customized news and email alerts
Articles categorized by artist and core genre (e.g., Rock, Rap, Pop, etc.)
Music artist sections which includes News, Bio and Fans

Future Site Functionality

Shoutmouth will use news and basic functionality as the platform though which we will build a thriving music community. After initial launch, the Shoutmouth technology team will work on incorporating additional features such as:

Ability to message other members via the site (e.g., members will have an Inbox on the site)
Event calendars: members will receive online calendars. With the click of a button, the member will be able to add tour dates of their favorite artists/bands to their calendar.
Articles also categorized by sub-genre (e.g., Alternative Rock, West Coast Rap, etc.)
Music artist sections to also include videos, audio files, photo galleries, reviews and event calendars to which members can upload files and vote on top content.
Forums and member blogs
Music compatibility testing (suggestions on song/artists members might like)
Trivia quizzes
Music playlists

VI. Financial Plan

Revenue Model

During the first six months, Shoutmouth will not generate any revenues as it will not sell advertising space nor offer products for sale. This decision has been made to spur the growth of the Shoutmouth community. By initially positioning Shoutmouth more as a non-profit, for-the-people-by-the-people venture, members will be more prone to promote the site and invite their friends than if the site looks too commercial.

Starting in September 2007, Shoutmouth will primarily generate revenues from selling advertising space. As technologies (such as the Snocap music widget) evolve that allow us to seamlessly integrate music sampling and purchasing on our site, sales of downloadable music are also expected to be a significant revenue source. To a lesser extent, we may sell other music-related items such as ringtones, concert tickets, and apparel.

Funding To Date

To date, Shoutmouth’s founders have invested $500,000 in Shoutmouth, with which we have accomplished the following:

Built the site’s core technology
Hired and trained our core staff (we currently maintain an 11-person full-time team)
Populated the website with content (over 10,000 articles and 1,200 artist bios)
Generated brand awareness among music fans, including driving 50,000 unique visitors in March, 100,000 unique visitors in April, and 200,000 unique visitors in May 2007.

Funding Requirements/Use of Funds

Shoutmouth is currently seeking $3 million to provide funding for the next 24 months. At this point, the site will be profitable and can grow organically, or additional capital may be sought to more aggressively expand our member base.

The capital will be used as follows:

Execution of Marketing plan : in order for Shoutmouth to grow its visitor and member base, we need to invest dollars in online advertising and public relations. With regards to online advertising, we are confident that we can enroll members at a cost of $1 per member, which is a fraction of the value of the members to an acquirer (minimum $25 per member), thus providing a significant return on our marketing investments.
Execution of Technology plan : in order to build a thriving community, Shoutmouth needs to offer its visitors a “stickier” website and enhanced features. We currently maintain a vast “wish list” of features, such as members uploading and rating pictures and videos, trivia quizzes, and member-to-member messaging, that will significantly improve the site’s functionality and value proposition.
Staffing : In order to reach our goals, we will have to hire additional technical and operations personnel.

Financial Projections

Below is an overview of Shoutmouth’s Financial Projections for the next three years. Please see the Appendix for the full financial projections and key assumptions.

Exit Strategy / Valuation Metric

Shoutmouth’s most likely exit strategy is to be acquired by a traditional music website or property (e.g., Viacom/MTV, Ticketmaster, Rolling Stone), an entertainment/media conglomerate (e.g., Yahoo!, IAC/InterActiveCorp, NBC), or a large social networking site (e.g., News Corp/MySpace).

This strategy is supported by the significant M&A activity in the social networking market, which includes the following transactions over the past 24 months:


Del.icio.us	social bookmarking	12/05	$30-$35 million	Yahoo!
eCrush Inc.	teen social network	01/07	Undisclosed	Hearst Magazines Digital Media
FanNation	sports social networking	01/07	$20+ million	Sports Illustrated
Five Across Inc.	social networking	02/07	Undisclosed	Cisco Systems Inc.
Flickr	photo uploading and sharing community	03/05	$15-35 million (rumored)	Yahoo!
Grouper	video creating, uploading and sharing community	08/06	$65 million	Sony Pictures
Jumpcut	video creating, uploading and sharing community	09/06	$15 million (rumored)	Yahoo!
KiwiBox.com	teen social network	02/07	Undisclosed	Magnitude Information Systems, Inc.
MyBlogLog	blog community tool	01/07	$10 million (rumored)	Yahoo!
MySpace	social networking	07/05	$580 million	News Corp.
Quizilla.com	teen social network	10/06	Undisclosed	Viacom/MTV Networks
RateMyProfessors.com	community focused on rating college professors	01/07	Undisclosed	Viacom/MTV Networks
Reddit	social news site	10/06	Undisclosed	Conde Nast/ Wired Digital
Sconex.com	social network for high school students	03/06	$6.1 million	Alloy Inc.
TelevisionWithoutPity.com	TV fan site	03/07	Undisclosed	Bravo
Weblogs Inc.	blogging network	10/05	$25 million (rumored)	AOL
YouTube	video community	10/06	$1.65 billion	Google Inc.

Regarding valuation, below are the estimated valuations of social networking companies on a per member basis upon exit:

Del.icio.us: $50 – $100 per member
MySpace: $25 per member
Xing (business social network): $137 per member at IPO in 10/06
Flickr: $56 – $130 per member
Grouper: $130 per member

Based on this data, not only are social networking sites a promising investment, but sites that can acquire members for less than $25 each (a conservative valuation estimate based on the figures above), should earn a solid return on investment. As discussed above, Shoutmouth’s goal is to acquire members for no more than $1 each.

In addition, per the membership projections above, Shoutmouth’s valuation at the end of 2009, at a $25 valuation per member, is expected to be $239 million. A more conservative, using a 24.4 time EBITDA multiple (the average multiple of tech M&A deals in 2006 according to The M&A Advisor), yields a $121 million valuation in 2009.

Shoutmouth’s founding team includes entrepreneurs and managers with a track record of success and a history of successfully working together.

Management Team

DL, Co-Founder and CEO

D has a history of successfully launching and growing businesses of all sizes. As president and co-founder of an entrepreneurial services firm., D has personally assisted in the launch and development of over 100 ventures.

Over the past three years, D founded and has managed The Kisco Group which includes an affiliate marketing division (2006 revenues exceeded $3 million), a search engine optimization business which includes a network of 3,000 websites (2006 revenues exceeded $500,000) and an e-commerce business (which includes TopPayingKeywords.com and ShowerHeadsEtc.com).

D earned his Bachelors degree from the University of South Carolina.

PK, Co-Founder and Vice President of Operations

For the past two years, P has managed The Kisco Group’s search engine optimization business where he hired, trained and managed nearly 100 employees and a dozen outside firms. During this time, P has honed his management skills with regards to content development, marketing and operations.

P has had a passion for music since childhood and has been a semi-professional drummer for the past 15 years.

P earned his Bachelors of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from Clemson University.

PF, Co-Founder and Vice President of Technology

For the past year, P has managed The Kisco Group’s affiliate marketing business. In addition to setting up and managing widespread marketing campaigns, P has developed sophisticated analytic techniques to precisely analyze web traffic in order to optimize profitability.

Since August 2006, P has shifted his efforts and leveraged his technology skills in developing the Shoutmouth website. P has been instrumental in selecting the Content Management Platform upon which Shoutmouth is built, and finding and managing the technology team.

P earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Swarthmore College.

AB, Marketing Manager

A’s background in music includes being a singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer. He has also worked on the marketing side of music, having marketed Veritas Records through the development and distribution of promotional materials.

A’s career also includes psychological research and administration, having served as a Research Assistant with the Interpersonal Perception And Communication Laboratory in Cambridge, MA.

A earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Ohio State University.

M, Lead Technology Developer

M is an experienced web programmer with expertise in web design, application development and database development among others.

M’s work experience includes serving as a Senior Developer at Spheres. M has also engaged in multiple, long term freelance projects including serving as a Database Developer Consultant with The Penn Group and a Web Developer Consultant with Volution Media Group and Allied Online Consulting Group.

M earned his Bachelors degree in Computer Science with a minor in Cognitive Science from Rutgers University.

Content Development Team

Shoutmouth’s writing team, managed by PK, includes the following members:

JS, Editorial Manager: former content manager and copywriter for Scholastic Inc. and Promotions.com.
TZ: former music intern (Virgin Records and WRRV) and author of the blog, The Tom Z Show .
ML: former assistant editor for Adventure Publishing; author of the blog Certified Gangsta ; and former editor-in-chief of Fordham University’s newspaper The Paper .
SB: former staff writer for Paste Magazine , The Clarion Ledger , and Nightclub and Bar Magazine among others.
CSJ: former editorial intern for Rolling Stone and Editorial Assistant for Psychology Today .

Outsourced Technology Team

Shoutmouth works very closely with 2skies, a technology firm based in Australia with staff in Australia and the United States. 2skies is run by JDN, one of the co-founding developers of XE, the platform upon which Shoutmouth is built.

XE is an extensible, Open Source web application framework written in PHP and licensed under the GNU General Public License. XE delivers the requisite infrastructure and tools to create custom web applications that include fully dynamic multi-platform Content Management Solutions (CMS).

VIII. Appendix: Shoutmouth Financial Projections 3-Year Income Statement



Total Page Views (MILLIONS)
Revenues	$165,431	$2,461,127	$7,810,354


Staffing	$891,058	$1,328,078	$1,522,923
Outsourced Technology	$115,000	$60,000	$60,000
Office Space	$26,400	$90,000	$90,000
Advertising	$254,000	$900,000	$900,000
Other Marketing/Public Relations	$72,000	$120,000	$150,000
Web Hosting	$11,500	$33,900	$55,500
Other	$38,000	$60,000	$60,000
	$1,407,958	$2,591,978	$2,838,423

	($1,242,527)	($130,851)	$4,971,931
Depreciation	$1,600	$4,200	$5,800
	($1,244,127)	($135,051)	$4,966,131

Income Taxes @ (40%)	($497,651)	($54,020)	$1,986,452
Income Taxes Paid	$0	$0	$1,434,781
Income Tax Credit	($497,651)	($551,671)	$0

	($1,244,127)	($135,051)	$3,531,350

3-Year Balance Sheet

As of December 31




Cash	$1,845,206	$1,614,336	$4,726,360
Accounts Receivable (30 days)	$13,597	$202,284	$641,947
Inventory	$0	$0	$0
Current Assets	$1,858,803	$1,816,620	$5,368,307
Other Assets
Equipment (Computer systems, office equipment, etc.)	$16,000	$26,000	$32,000
Accumulated Depreciation	($1,600)	($5,800)	($11,600)
Total Long-Term Assets	$14,400	$20,200	$20,400

	$1,873,203	$1,836,820	$5,388,707



Accounts Payable (30 days)	$117,330	$215,998	$236,535
Total Current Liabilities	$117,330	$215,998	$236,535

Long Term Debt	$0	$0	$0


Paid In Capital	$3,000,000	$3,000,000	$3,000,000
Retained Earnings	($1,244,127)	($1,379,178)	$2,152,172
Total Equity	$1,755,873	$1,620,822	$5,152,172

	$1,873,203	$1,836,820	$5,388,707

3-Year Cash Flow Statement




Net Income/Loss	($1,244,127)	($135,051)	$3,531,350
Depreciation	$1,600	$4,200	$5,800
Minus Increase in Accounts Receivable	($13,597)	($188,687)	($439,663)
Plus Change in Current Liabilities	$117,330	$98,668	$20,537
Net Cash Flow from Operating	($1,138,794)	($220,870)	$3,118,024


Purchases of Property & Equipment	($16,000)	($10,000)	($6,000)
Net Cash Flow from Investing	($16,000)	($10,000)	($6,000)


Cash Received from Investors	$3,000,000	$0	$0
Net Cash Flow from Financing	$3,000,000	$0	$0

	$1,845,206	($230,870)	$3,112,024

	$1,845,206	$1,614,336	$4,726,360

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15+ Business Plan Examples to Help You Write Your Own

Written by: Caleb Bruski

Having a clear business plan and sharing your goals with investors and stakeholders is an important first step to starting a successful business. It's like Utibe Samuel Mbom said, “Those who work hard, work alone. Those who work smart, work as a team.”

Whether you’re at a startup creating a pitch deck for investors or an established corporation with a team to work with, it's crucial to write a solid business plan to help everyone grasp the goals and ultimate vision of your company.

Creating a business plan from scratch can take a lot of time and effort. Get a head start by using professionally designed business plan templates. You can find some amazing, ready-made business plan templates in Visme — complete with financial, overview and other important pages.

In this article, we'll show you 15+ business examples to help inspire your own.

Ready to create your own business plan? Build a solid document to bring your ideas to life using our business plan maker . Access pre-made templates, drag-and-drop design tools, free images, interactivity and more.

Simple Business Plan Example
Creative Business Plan Example
Modern Business Plan Example
Ecommerce Business Plan Example
Salon Business Plan Example
Startup Business Plan Example
Nonprofit Business Plan Example
Coffee Shop Business Plan Example
Consulting Business Plan
Fashion Business Plan Example
One-Page Business Plan Example
SaaS Business Plan Example
Photography Business Plan Example
Real Estate Business Plan Example
Small Business Plan Example
Day Care Business Plan Example

1 Simple Business Plan Example

When a business plan is called simple, it does not mean it lacks details. A good business plan should cover the most important details of your core idea and present them in a way that's easy for your audience to understand and remember.

The simple business plan template gives you access to 10 customizable pages for your next business plan complete with stock images and a professionally designed layout that is fully customizable.

These pages can be used to explain your business goals and deadlines to your shareholders, potential investors or employees. Use this simple business plan example and template to effortlessly share your timeline and scheduled launches with others.

2 Creative Business Plan Example

Making your company stand out from the crowd is essential to running a successful business. Use this creative business plan example and template to showcase how your ideas and plans for the future are unique, and why they're worth investing in.

While creativity is what makes our world diverse, your creativity here needs to follow your company’s branding. A key aspect of any successful brand strategy is consistency. Your business plan and any other document should follow the tone and style guide of your brand identity.

To learn more about the importance of branding and style guides, check out our complete guide to branding.

3 Modern Business Plan Example

Show your team what the future looks like with a modern business template.

One of the undeniable characteristics of modern style is the lack of clutter. While not all modern styles go so far as to be called minimalistic, they do share a common theme of being clean and clutter-free.

A restaurant business plan template available in Visme.

This modern business plan example takes those characteristics and applies them to a business plan. By being clean and organized, this business plan template shows how clear and solid the future plans of your company are.

Utilize this template to reinforce a culture of excellence among your work colleagues or impress potential investors with a clean and clear business plan outline for the future.

4 Ecommerce Business Plan Example

Ecommerce stores have become an important part of our society. According to a study from Statista, nearly 15% of all US retail sales were ecommerce sales in the first quarter of 2020.

An ecommerce business plan template available in Visme.

For your online business to succeed and stay up to date with all the online sales, holidays and trends, a clear business plan is needed.

The ecommerce business plan template is a great template for anyone looking to launch or maintain an ecommerce store. Use this example to help you create goals for upcoming sales and deadlines to launch new features in your store.

5 Salon Business Plan Example

This salon business plan is a perfect way to establish and share plans for your salon. With the help of this glamorous business plan template, you will be able to share with investors what your vision is for your salon or any other small business.

A salon business plan template available in Visme.

Our incredible selection of crystal-clear images takes your content to the next level, giving your sophisticated design some extra flair.

Create and share future plans, sales and ideas for your business with those around you. Cast your vision for what the future looks like and invite others to get behind your ambitions.

6 Startup Business Plan Example

Creating a startup can be a difficult task.

Having a great idea is one thing, but creating tangible goals, sharing mission statements and creating a culture that stands behind your original vision is a whole separate challenge.

A startup business plan template available in Visme.

Customize this template and make it your own! Edit and Download

The startup business plan template is a great example of how a business plan should look for a successful startup. The example includes customizable portions to help you share your objectives, values, market analysis and business model.

Creating a successful business plan that is captivating and informative may seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually a perfect opportunity to share your hopes, dreams and goals for your business.

7 Nonprofit Business Plan Example

There are over 10 million nonprofits in the world, and over 25% of Americans volunteer to work with a nonprofit or charity.

If you have a great cause and are looking for a way to bring other people on board, consider making a nonprofit business plan. While technically a nonprofit is “not a business”, a nonprofit or charity requires similar structure and planning.

A nonprofit business plan template available in Visme.

The nonprofit business plan example and template above is a great starting place to get your nonprofit's plan sketched out on paper.

Creating a business philosophy, creating goals and setting deadlines are shared values for both nonprofits and businesses. If you make a great plan, you will be able to compel others to give, volunteer or support your idea.

If you do not form a solid business plan that is easy to share with others, you will have a difficult time building your nonprofit, even if you are working for a good cause.

8 Coffee Shop Business Plan Example

If you’re looking to really spice up your coffee business, take a look at Visme’s business plan template. With an earth-toned color swatch, all of the pages on your business plan will match the overall vibe of your cafe or coffee shop.

A coffee shop business plan template available in Visme.

With the ability to customize your font and colors and find something that will grab your customers’ attention, it's hard to go wrong with the coffee shop business plan. From hiring strategies to operational costs, this template covers all the basic topics you would expect out of a business plan.

Investors and employees alike will be able to see the creativity and art that goes into coffee making with the high-quality stock photos, while also seeing that your business plan is structured and clearly laid out.

A business plan should be detailed and go over market evaluations and your company's marketing strategy. Every page of this particular theme reminds your team or investors that this is a business plan centered around coffee.

9 Consulting Business Plan

Consulting is an eclectic business. A consultant can help in nearly any industry where a person has the expertise and teaching capabilities.

As such, a business plan template for a consultant agency must be versatile and easily customizable. This consulting business plan example is an extremely flexible template to fit nearly any need.

A consulting business plan template available in Visme.

While most business plans are directed towards investors or employees, consulting business plans must also be tailored towards potential customers.

A great consulting business plan template will include a summary, objectives, market strategies, services and price listings for customers.

This template makes great use of large, high quality images. With Visme, you can simply drag and drop images onto the template to replace the existing images with your own.

10 Fashion Business Plan Example

Fashion can be a difficult business to get into due to the fact that most of your competitors are larger and more established brands.

One of the best ways to get the business off the ground is to show investors and customers that you’ve done your research into the market and have a strategy for success.

A fashion business plan template available to customize in Visme.

A detailed plan that shows how your product and business plans outshine the competition is exactly what you need to land your net pitch and get seed money for your business.

The fashion business plan example and template above gives you multiple pages to explain in detail how your business model will work and what your target dates are for particular tasks.

RELATED: 10 Efficient Business Model Canvas Templates to Use

11 One-Page Business Plan Example

Having an outlined plan for your business is an absolute must to have a prosperous business.

As the old proverb goes, “a goal without a plan is just a wish.”

While it is good to know as many details as possible, not every business plan or pitch needs to cover every excruciating detail. When pressed for time or dealing with a simple subject matter, consider using a one-page business plan.

A single page business plan template available in Visme.

The benefit of a one-page business plan is the amount of information retained by your audience. If you can simplify your subject matter to only contain a few main points, the likelihood of your audience engaging with and remembering your presentation increases.

A one-page business plan should cover the core essentials of your business plan and be used as an invitation for further discussion. It may be a good idea to have an extended version of your business plan on standby for when an investor wants more details on a specific subject.

12 SaaS Business Plan Example

A SaaS (software as a service) company is a company that hosts a web application and offers access to the application over the internet.

If you want your SaaS company to be the next big thing in tech, you need a business plan that explains what solutions your application provides, how your research and development financial goals will be met and how your app will be scalable.

A SaaS business plan template available in Visme.

Most applications can collect data with a monitoring tool and give crucial insight to you, your team and your shareholders.

Be sure to utilize these assets and include relevant data into your business plan presentation. This establishes trust with your supporters and helps them know what to expect in the future.

If you would like to know more about how to present your big data points, check out this article on how to use data visualization techniques in your documents and presentations.

13 Photography Business Plan Example

Freelancing can be a profoundly rewarding way of doing business. The freedom to work at your own pace and set your own rules can be a dream come true. However, freelancing also comes with the pressure of always finding the next job or project.

By creating a great customer experience, you increase the chances of drawing people back into your business for repeat purchases and even attract potential investors.

A photography business plan template available in Visme.

This well-structured photography business plan can help create a better customer experience as your client knows exactly what they are getting and how it compares to the rest of the market.

Create a business plan for your photography, design or any other freelance business complete with market analysis, pricing, target audience and plans to scale.

14 Real Estate Business Plan Example

Large-scale real estate investments are rarely done by a single individual. Typically, real estate investments are done by a group of friends, family, shareholders or companies.

Regardless of which category you find yourself in, writing out a plan and projection for your real estate investment is an absolute must to raise investments for a potential project.

A real estate business plan template available in Visme.

Explaining the market condition for the specific region is one of the main pieces of information necessary for a real estate investment. Knowing the market value, potential obstacles and return on investment are all important parts of your business’s plan that need to be presented.

The real estate business plan example goes into detail regarding the market conditions and financial analysis. Within the editor, you are able to import your own data to customize the charts and graphs for your specific situation.

15 Small Business Plan Example

Even small businesses need big plans.

The size of a business does not negate the need for a solid and thoroughly outlined business plan. The tendency amongst small businesses is to keep track and plan things in their heads.

A small business plan template available in Visme.

If a small business wants to scale and be successful, plans and goals for growth need to be outlined and presented. Start by creating a strategic business plan that includes your methodology for reaching your target audience.

From these big ideas, break the plan down into smaller and more achievable goals. Writing these goals out in a plan helps you and your team remember the established goals and creates a great way to invite potential investors into your business.

Take a look at this helpful article to learn how to create a timeline for your business.

16 Day Care Business Plan Example

The daycare business plan example will give you a great idea of what an operating plan should look like. Operating plans are detailed plans that show how a particular person or team contributes to the overall business goals.

A daycare business plan template available in Visme.

Operating plans do not need to cover every minute of every day, but should give an overarching plan for the day to day operations. An operation plan's purpose is to give a good insight into how and where the basic operations of a business will run in the everyday course of life and set milestones for success.

With this comprehensive business plan template, you can show off your childcare business's outstanding services and plans for the future. Customize each page to suit your context and needs.

Create a Solid Business Plan With Visme

The old saying “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail” remains true. Whether you are a new start up company or an established corporation with hundreds of employees, you need to have a business plan that is up-to-date and displays your current goals.

Visme offers tons of high-quality business plan templates that you can easily edit using a drag-and-drop editor in your browser — no downloads or design experience needed.

Or, learn more about how to create a compelling business plan presentation and turn your ideas into reality by impressing investors and stakeholders.

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About the Author

Caleb is a freelance writer, frontend web developer and photographer who is passionate about all things tech.

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Blog Business 15+ Best Business Plan Examples for Entrepreneurs & Startups

15+ Best Business Plan Examples for Entrepreneurs & Startups

Written by: Jennifer Gaskin Jun 09, 2021

15+ Business Plan Examples to Win Your Next Round of Funding Blog Header

Not having a solid plan makes it unlikely for you to achieve the goals you seek, whether it’s getting your to-do list done or launching a successful organization.

In the early stages of a company, that means developing things like pitch decks, business plans, one-sheeters and more. With Venngage’s Business Plan Builder , you can easily organize your business plan into a visually appealing format that can help you win over investors, lenders or partners.

Learn more about how to create a business plan so you can hit the ground running after reading through this list for inspirational business plan templates .

15+ Best business plan examples for entrepreneurs and startups

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While your business plan should be supported by thorough and exhaustive research into your market and competitors, the resulting document does not have to be overwhelming for the reader. In fact, if you can boil your business plan down to a few key pages, all the better.

Simple business plan outline:

Table of contents : List all sections and sub-sections within the business plan.
Business review : Include an overview of the business’s purpose, history, and key objectives.
The market : Analyze the target market, including customer demographics and market needs.
The competition : Evaluate the main competitors and their strengths and weaknesses in the market.

The simple, bold visual aesthetic of this business plan template pairs well with the straightforward approach to the content and various elements of the business plan itself.

Use Venngage’s My Brand Kit to automatically add your brand colors and fonts to your business plan with just a few clicks.

An essential startup business plan should include a clear and compelling value proposition, market analysis, competitive analysis, target audience identification, financial projections, and a well-defined marketing and operational strategy.

For a typical startup, the need to appear disruptive in the industry is important. After all, if you’re not offering anything truly new, why would an investor turn their attention toward your organization. That means establishing a problem and the ways in which you solve it right away.

Startup business plan outline:

The problem : Identify the specific issue or pain point your startup aims to solve.
Target market & opportunity : Define your customers and the potential market size.
The solution : Describe the product or service that addresses the identified problem.
Traction and validation/roadmap : Outline the progress made so far and the future milestones and goals.

Whether it’s a full-scale business plan or, in this case, a pitch deck, the ideal way for a startup to make a splash with its plans is to be bold. This successful business plan example is memorable and aspirational.

In the Venngage editor, you can upload images of your business. Add these images to your plans and reports to make them uniquely your own.

All businesses start out small at first, but that doesn’t mean their communications have to be small. One of the best ways to get investors, lenders and talent on board is to show that you’ve done your due diligence.

Small business plan outline:

Table of contents : List down of all the sections and sub-sections in the business plan.
Business overview : Include a quick overview of what your business is all about, including your mission and goals.
The market : Analyzes who your customers are, what they need, and how big the market is.
The competition : Look into your main competitors and what they’re good at (and not so good at).
Sales and marketing plan : Lay out your game plan for attracting and keeping customers.
Operating plan : Explain how you’ll run the day-to-day operations and manage the business.

In this small business plan example, the content is spread over many pages, which is useful in making lengthy, in-depth research feel less like a chore than packing everyone on as few pages as possible.

Organizations that set out to solve problems rather than earning profits also benefit from creating compelling business plans that stir an emotional response in potential donors, benefactors, potential staff members or even media.

Nonprofit business plan outline:

Table of contents : Lists all sections and sub-sections of your nonprofit business plan.
Introduction : Provide an overview of your mission and purpose.
Goal : State the specific objectives your nonprofit organization aims to achieve.
Impact & strategy : Explain how you plan to create positive change and the methods you will use.

Simplicity is the goal for nonprofits when it comes to business plans, particularly in their early days. Explain the crisis at hand and exactly how your organization will make a difference, which will help donors visualize how their money will be used to help.

Business plans are also helpful for companies that have been around for a while. Whether they’re considering new products to launch or looking for new opportunities, companies can approach business plans from the strategy side of the equation as well.

Strategic business plan outline:

The problem, issue, or job at hand : Define the specific challenge or task the strategic plan addresses.
Approach & methodology : Describe the methods and strategies that will be used to tackle the problem or achieve the objective.

Strategic business plans or strategy infographics should be highly focused on a single area or problem to be solved rather than taking a holistic approach to the entire business. Expanding scope too much can make a strategy seem too difficult to implement.

Easily share your business plan with Venngage’s multiple download options, including PNG, PNG HD, and as an interactive PDF.

One-page business plan example

For organizations with a simple business model, often a one-page business plan is all that’s needed. This is possible in any industry, but the most common are traditional ones like retail, where few complex concepts need to be explained.

This one-page strategic business plan example could be easily replicated for an organization that offers goods or services across multiple channels or one with three core business areas. It’s a good business plan example for companies whose plans can be easily boiled down to a few bullet points per area.

Especially when entering a saturated market, understanding the landscape and players is crucial to understanding how your organization can fit it—and stand out. That’s why centering your business plan around a market analysis is often a good idea.

Market analysis business plan outline:

Table of contents : Lists all sections and sub-sections of the market analysis business plan.
Executive summary : Provide a brief overview of the key points of the market analysis.
Business overview : Summarize your business’s mission, vision and core activities.
The market : Analyze the target market, including customer demographics and market trends.
The competition : Review the main competitors and their market positioning.
Sales & marketing plan : Outline strategies for reaching and engaging customers.
Operating plan : Details the day-to-day operations and management structure.

In this example, the majority of the content and about half the pages are focused on the market analysis, including competitors, trends, pricing, demographics and more. This successful business plan example ensures the artwork and style used perfectly matches the company’s aesthetic, which further reinforces its position in the market.

You can find more memorable business plan templates to customize in the Venngage editor. Browse Venngage’s business plan templates to find plans that work for you and start editing.

Company description business plan example

Depending on the market, focusing on your company story and what makes you different can drive your narrative home with potential investors. By focusing your business plan on a company description, you center yourself and your organization in the minds of your audience.

Company description business plan outline:

Executive summary : Briefly summarize the key components and objectives of the company description section.
Approach & direction : Outline the company’s strategy, goals and the direction it intends to take in achieving them.

This abbreviated plan is a good business plan example. It uses most of the content to tell the organization’s story. In addition to background about the company, potential investors or clients can see how this design firm’s process is different from their rivals.

With Venngage Business , you can collaborate with team members in real-time to create a business plan that will be effective when presenting to investors.

Five-year business plan example

For most startups or young companies, showing potential investors or partners exactly how and when the company will become profitable is a key aspect of presenting a business plan. Whether it’s woven into a larger presentation or stands alone, you should be sure to include your five-year business plan so investors know you’re looking far beyond the present.

With Venngage’s Business Plan Builder , you can customize a schedule like this to quickly illustrate for investors or partners what your revenue targets are for the first three to five years your company is in operation.

The lifeblood of any company is the sales team. These are the energetic folks who bring in new business, develop leads and turn prospects into customers. Focusing your energy on creating a sales business plan would prove to investors that you understand what will make your company money.

Sales business plan outline:

Table of contents : List all sections and subsections within the sales business plan.
Target market : Identify the specific segment or segments of customers the sales efforts will focus on.
Customer profile : Provide detailed descriptions of the ideal customers, including demographics, preferences and needs.
Action plan : Outline the specific steps and strategies to be taken to reach and engage the target market and achieve sales objectives.

In this example sales business plan, several facets of ideal buyers are detailed. These include a perfect customer profile that helps to convey to your audience that customer relationships will be at the heart of your operation.

You can include business infographics in your plan to visualize your goals. And with Venngage’s gallery of images and icons, you can customize the template to better reflect your business ethos.

Company mergers and shakeups are also major reasons for organizations to require strong business planning. Creating new departments, deciding which staff to retain and charting a course forward can be even more complex than starting a business from scratch.

Organization and management business plan outline:

Table of contents : List all sections and subsections within the organization and management business plan.
About us : Provide an overview of the organization, its mission, vision and values.
Project summary : Summarize the key details and objectives of the project.
Project timeline : Outline the milestones and schedule for completing the project.

This organization and management business plan focuses on how the company can optimize operations through a few key organizational projects.

Executive summary for business plan example

Executive summaries give your business plan a strong human touch, and they set the tone for what’s to follow. That could mean having your executive leadership team write a personal note or singling out some huge achievements of which you’re particularly proud in a business plan infographic .

Executive summary business plan outline:

Table of contents : Lists all sections and subsections within the executive summary business plan.
Executive summary : Provide a concise overview of the entire business plan, highlighting key points and objectives.
Statement of problem : Clearly define the specific issue or challenge the business aims to address.
Approach & methodology : Outline the methods and strategies that will be employed to solve the stated problem or achieve the desired goals.

In this executive summary for a business plan, a brief note is accompanied by a few notable achievements that signal the organization and leadership team’s authority in the industry.

Marketing and sales are two sides of the same coin, and clever companies know how they play off each other. That’s why centering your business plan around your marketing and sales strategy can pay dividends when it comes time to find investors and potential partners.

Marketing and sales strategy business plan outline:

Table of contents : List all sections and subsections within the marketing and sales strategy business plan.
Positioning : Describe how the business intends to position its products or services in the market to stand out from competitors.
Value prop : Highlight the unique value proposition that the business offers to its target customers, including its benefits and advantages.
Marketing strategy : Outline the overall approach and tactics that will be used to promote the products or services and attract customers.

This marketing and sales business plan example is the picture of a sleek, modern aesthetic, which is appropriate across many industries and will speak volumes to numbers-obsesses sales and marketing leaders.

Do business plans really help? Well, here’s some math for you; in 1981, Apple had just gone public and was in the midst of marketing an absolute flop , the Apple III computer. The company’s market cap, or total estimated market value, could hit $3 trillion this year.

Did this Apple business plan make the difference? No, it’s not possible to attribute the success of Apple entirely to this business plan from July 1981, but this ancient artifact goes to show that even the most groundbreaking companies need to take an honest stock of their situation.

Apple’s 1981 business plan example pdf covers everything from the market landscape for computing to the products that founder Steve Jobs expects to roll out over the next few years, and the advanced analysis contained in the document shows how strategic Jobs and other Apple executives were in those early days.

Inviting strangers to stay in your house for the weekend seemed like a crazy concept before Airbnb became one of the world’s biggest companies. Like all disruptive startups, Airbnb had to create a robust, active system from nothing.

Airbnb business plan outline:

Problem : Identify the specific challenge or need in the accommodation industry that the Airbnb business aims to address.
Solution : Describe how Airbnb’s platform provides a solution to the identified problem by connecting hosts with guests.
Market validation : Demonstrate through research or evidence that there is demand for Airbnb’s services.
Market size : Estimate the total addressable market for Airbnb’s accommodation services.
Product : Detail the features and functionalities of the Airbnb platform for both hosts and guests.
Business model : Explain how Airbnb generates revenue and sustains its operations.
Market adoption : Discuss the rate at which Airbnb’s services are being embraced by hosts and guests.
Competition : Identify other players in the accommodation industry offering similar services to Airbnb.
Competitive advantages : Highlight the unique strengths or advantages that set Airbnb apart from its competitors.

As this Airbnb business plan pitch deck example shows, for companies that are introducing entirely new concepts, it’s helpful not to get too into the weeds. Explain the problem simply and boil down the essence of your solution into a few words; in this case, “A web platform where users can rent out their space” perfectly sums up this popular company.

Sequoia Capital is one of the most successful venture capital firms in the world, backing startups that now have a combined stock market value of more than $1 trillion, according to a Forbes analysis .

For young companies and startups that want to play in the big leagues, tailoring your pitch to something that would appeal to a company like Sequoia Capital is a good idea. That’s why the company has a standard business plan format it recommends .

Sequoia capital business plan outline:

Company purpose : Clarify the core reason for the business and its overarching goals.
Problems : Identify specific challenges or pain points that the business aims to solve.
Solution : Describe how the business addresses the identified problems with its products or services.
Market potential : Assess the size and growth opportunities within the target market for the business.
Competition : Analyze existing competitors and their strengths and weaknesses in the market.
Business model : Outline how the business plans to generate revenue and sustain its operations.
Our team : Introduce the key members of the team and their relevant expertise and experience.
Financials : Provide projections and forecasts for the financial performance of the business.
Vision : Articulate the long-term aspirations and goals that the business seeks to achieve.

Using Sequoia Capital’s business plan example means being simple and clear with your content, like the above deck. Note how no slide contains much copy, and even when all slides appear on the screen at once, the text is legible.

Use Venngage to design business plans that will impress investors

Not every business plan, pitch deck or one-sheeter will net you billions in investment dollars, but every entrepreneur should be adept at crafting impressive, authoritative and informative business plans.

Whether you use one of the inspirational templates shared here or you want to go old school and mimic Apple’s 1981 business plan, using Venngage’s Business Plan Builder helps you bring your company’s vision to life.

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14 Professional Business Plan Samples [Downloadable pdf]

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.

14+professional business plan examples or samples

View Real Business Plan Examples/Samples

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.

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.

Online Marketplace Business Plan Example or Sample

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.

the executive summary of a real estate business example

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.

An example of Product and service section of business plan

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.

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.

Marketing plan of business plan screenshot

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

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.

Management summary of a business plan screenshot

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.

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.

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.

Tips for Writing Projected Industry Growth

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.

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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Didn't find what you are looking for.

Writing a business plan from scratch seems like an uphill climb? We get that, but hold tight—you’re not alone. Even business plan writers often feel the same way while writing from scratch. That’s where a little content reference or inspiration can help—just like these business plan examples .

Reading such real-life sample business plans can be incredibly helpful while drafting your very first business plan with zero clue about business plan writing.

As you read and explore these industry-specific examples, you learn more about what you should and should not include in your business plan, ensuring sustainable and long-term growth.

So, let’s explore these 400+ business plan examples to help you quickly write a business plan—hassle-free.

Why you should refer a business plan example?

A Business plan example will provide you with the complete format and structure for your document, giving you a head start on developing your document so you’re not stuck seeing an empty page working to find out where to start.

Also, it gives you the overall layout of a professional business plan so you understand what goes where and you’re not leaving out anything.

Here are some of the key benefits of using sample business plans:

Guidance on what to include in each section. If you’ve never attended business school, you might never have created a SWOT analysis or a balance sheet before. Business templates that give guidance — in plain language — about what to include and how to fill in each section and create a complete and effective plan.
A business plan is vital to get an investment. If you’re seeking investment for your business, you’ll need to convince banks and investors why they should invest in your business . Lenders and investors will only risk their time and money if they’re certain that your business will be successful and profitable and they will get a great return on their investment.
A business plan can help you prioritize. A complete, well-balanced business plan is one of the most valuable tools in assisting you to reach your long-term goals. It gives your business direction, defines your goals, outlines out strategies to reach your goals, and helps you to manage possible bumps in the way.

Creating a business plan will help you define the business goals you want to achieve, and define the strategies to achieve them. This means you can focus your resources and energy on what is important, rather than wasting time on unimportant things.

If you’re working with a team in your company then having a regular brainstorming session is the best way to keep your business on track and your business plan assures you’re all on the same page.

Make your plan in half the time & twice the impact with Upmetrics.

Sample business plan format

Following is the standard business plan format you must consider while drafting a comprehensive business plan.

Executive Summary : A high-level overview of your business plan.
Company Overview : An in-depth and detailed description of your small business, its fundamental elements, and future goals.
Market Analysis : A detailed description of your industry with the target market, competitors, and growth potential.
Products and Services : Description of the products or services you intend to exchange for money.
Sales and Marketing Strategies : Promotional strategies you will use to attract and retain customers.
Operations Plan : Business processes and procedures that ensure seamless business operations.
Management Team : Introduction to your founders, key management, and their compensation plan.
Financial Plan : A breakdown of your financial projections and financing needs.
Appendix : A supplementary final section that includes additional documents to support your plan.

This was about the outline. Now let’s break down and understand how to write each section, step by step, with real-life examples.

1. Executive Summary

Executive Summary is the first section of your business plan, providing a high-level overview of your entire plan and summarizing it for a quick understanding of your business.

Considering it as an introductory section of your plan, it must be clear, concise, and written to grab readers’ attention and persuade them to take action.

As business plans can be 10-20 to a hundred-page long, an executive summary remains your sole chance to gain a quick extra point.

Here are a few key components your Executive Summary must include:

Business concept
Company’s mission
Company History
Market Opportunity
Management Team
Financial Projections

Remember, you are bound to cover these topics in detail moving forward in your business plan, so make sure your executive summary is brief, covering only the key takeaways.

2. Company Overview

As the name suggests, the Company Overview section of your plan provides an overview of your small business, including your business concept, objectives, future goals, and what customers your business serves.

Since you will provide a brief company description in the executive summary, this section will expand on it—providing an in-depth understanding of your business.

Remember, this section is a platform for introducing and positioning your business as an ideal solution for your target market to your reader. So, make sure it’s short and succinct but impactful enough to help them understand what it does, who your potential customers are, and how you can make a difference.

Here are a few key components your business overview must include:

Company Description
Mission Statement
Business Objectives
Business History
Future Goals

3. Market Analysis

Market Analysis is a study of your external business environment, providing a complete overview of your industry and its dynamics. This section provides valuable insights into the market, like what’s working.

When smartly researched, utilized, and written, this section can help you discover and identify untapped areas in the market and strategize to stand out from your competitors.

Remember, this section helps your readers and potential investors understand your target market, market size, and growth potential, so make sure you play your cards right.

Here are a few key components your market analysis section must include:

Target Market
Market Size and Growth Potential
Competitive Analysis
Market or Industry Trends
Regulatory Environment

Unlike other sections of your business plan , Market Analysis requires deep research and analytical work. However, using an industry-specific example business plan can save hours of research work.

4. Products And Services

The products and services section is where you will mention and elaborate on your product or service range, description, pricing strategies, and more.

Since your business success solely depends on your products or services, your entire plan revolves around this particular section.

This section can be a crucial component of your plan while searching for an investor or partner, as a well-articulated products and services section can help you persuade them.

Here are a few key elements your products and services section must include:

Product Description
Product Comparison
Pricing Strategy
Order Management
Quality Measures

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

A business’s sales and marketing strategies determine how your product is displayed and reaches your target audience.

A well-designed sales and marketing plan can help you streamline your marketing efforts and create impactful and effective marketing campaigns while keeping track of the marketing budget and maximizing return on investment.

In short, this section will discuss how you’ll acquire new customers using your sales and marketing strategy. You might consider including the following information in your sales and marketing plan:

Your target audience and brand positioning
Your business’ UVP
Marketing channels and distribution tactics you plan to use
Sales goals and performance measurement
Your customer retention strategies
Your sales and marketing goals

6. Operations Plan

The operations plan section outlines the daily business processes and activities centered on achieving business goals and objectives described in the previous sections of your plan.

A detail-oriented logistics and operations plan helps you and your team define your responsibilities, daily tasks, and short-term goals you need to achieve, keeping track of your long-term objective.

Remember, your logistics and operations plan won’t be static but a living document. You may adjust and update it as time goes on.

Here are a few key elements your operations plan section must include:

Staffing and training
Tools and equipment
Inventory management
Supply chain management
Operational process

7. Management Team

Your management team plays a crucial role in the ultimate success of your business. And this section introduces your owners and management team, along with their qualifications, industry experience, roles and responsibilities, and compensation plan.

A strong management team section can be critical to weigh authority and help investors be confident about your business idea and vision.

Make sure to include the educational background, accomplishments, work experience, and area of expertise for each individual, part of your management.

You might consider including the following information in the management team section:

Business owner/founders
Key management
Organization structure
Compensation plan
Advisors/consultants

8. Financial Plan

It’s no secret that the financial plan is the most crucial yet nerve-wracking aspect of business planning. In fact, it’s one of the deciding factors when it comes to convincing potential investors and banks to invest or lend money.

This section of your plan details your business’s financial information and how it will reach its financial goals. The information may include balance sheet, income, and cash flow statements.

Here are a few key components and financial statements you must include or provide while creating a financial plan:

Profit and loss statements
Operating costs
Income statement
Cash flow statement
Balance sheet
Break-even point
Financing needs

9. Appendix

While an Appendix isn’t a required element of your business plan, it can be pretty helpful in adding legal notes, charts, tables, or any other critical information to support your business document.

It generally includes financial statements, information, and documents that didn’t naturally fit into your plan but can be considered critical enough to add.

In addition, it helps readers navigate through the entire business plan and easily find specific information or documents.

Need a way out from manual editing and business plan writing work?

Get Upmetrics’ business plan template, import data directly into the editor, and start editing using Upmetrics AI Assistant.

Start Planning Now

Since we are finished discussing the sections of a business, let’s learn more about how you can put an example business plan to use while writing your own.

How to use an Example of a Business Plan to write your own?

Having real-life and industry-specific business plan examples by your side can be incredibly resourceful to help you write a business plan from scratch.

A well-planned structure helps you outline your plan, while content inspiration helps you set the tone for your business document.

Let’s dive deep and understand how to use these examples effectively to write your business plan.

1. Understanding the Structure

Traditional business plans generally follow a similar structure.

It starts with an executive summary followed by a company description, market analysis, product and services, sales and marketing strategies, operational plan, management team, financial plan, and appendix.

Using an example business plan is the best way to understand the structure and outline your plan.

2. Gaining Inspiration

Reading industry-specific business plan examples can help you gain inspiration for your plan. You can gain insights on presenting your business idea, vision, mission, and values and persuade investors to invest in your idea.

3. Learning Industry-Specific Language

There’s no universal template for business planning that fits all. An industry-specific template can help you learn and understand the business language for your industry and the best way to communicate your message to your investors.

4. Identifying Key Elements

Reading business plan examples of similar businesses can help you identify the key elements and information to include in your plan. You can keep note of these and ensure everything necessary for investors to consider is present in your final draft.

5. Crafting Financial Projections

A financial plan is a critical component of your business plan, and a good business plan example can help you better understand how they project their financials which can be incredibly helpful while forecasting yours.

6. Refining Your Executive Summary

As mentioned earlier, your executive summary is a key factor influencing potential investors and lenders to invest or lend you money. Analyzing free business plan templates can help you optimize your executive summary to make it more brief, persuasive, and attention-grabbing.

7. Realizing what works and what doesn’t

Analyzing industry-specific and real-life examples can help you determine what works best and what doesn’t within your industry. Understanding these factors can help you avoid many significant pitfalls.

While business plan examples can be incredibly helpful in writing a plan from scratch, ensure your plan is customized for your business and sends out a unique message. Your business plan must reflect its unique idea, vision, and target market.

Download business plan examples for:

Business Plan Template for Startups
Business Plan Template for Small Business
Business Plan Example for Non Profits
Business Plan Example for Students

Download a free sample business plan template

Ready to kick-start your business plan writing process? Not sure where to start? Here you go, download our free sample business plan, import data directly into the editor, and start planning.

This intuitive, modern, and investment-ready template is designed specifically for startups and small businesses. In fact, this format has helped 110K+ entrepreneurs create business plans to secure funding, business grants, and loans. It includes a business planning course and step-by-step instructions to write each section.

Business plan types: choose the suitable template

Well, there are a few types of business plans. Though they cover similar categories, they all have different formats intended for different purposes or industries.

Here are a few common business plan types to help you choose the most suitable one for your business:

1. One-page business plan

One page business plan can be considered a one-page version of a standard business plan. It’s mainly used to present a quick overview of small businesses to your vendors, employees, investors, or stakeholders.

Considering its shorter length, creating a one page business plan can be a lot easier and less time-consuming compared to a standard business plan using a business plan software like Upmetrics.

2. Lean business plan

A lean business plan is a summarized version of a standard business plan that is longer than a one-page one. It’s mainly used to track finances and emphasize achieving short-term milestones.

This business plan type is best suitable if you are unsure about the business planning process. Moreover, drafting a lean business plan is also a lot easier and faster than a standard one.

3. Traditional business plan

A traditional business plan is the standard plan entrepreneurs have been using for years to outline marketing strategies, project financials, and draw investors. A traditional business plan can be a few dozen to a hundred-page long, depending on its purpose and your business specifications.

A traditional plan is a must-have business document for business owners aiming to achieve long-term business success.

4. Internal business plan

As the name suggests, an internal business plan is a document designed for internal management and team members to ensure everyone’s on the same page. The primary focus of these plans is to set primary goals and outline processes aiming to achieve them—ultimately streamlining business operations.

Start writing your business plan

There’s no denying—creating a business plan that draws investors in needs some serious work; it’s no stroll in the park. But you must take the first step to stay ahead in the cut-throat competition; there is no way around it.

So, what are you waiting for? Understand your business and the value it offers to its customers, find a suitable template from our library, and start planning.

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After trying Upmetrics, I wish to highly recommend this app to anyone who needs to write a business plan flexibly and to a high standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i write my own business plan.

Follow this step-by-step process to write your business plan on your own.

Choose a format that best suits your business requirements
Create a business plan outline
Create a company description section
Conduct market research
Conduct a competitive analysis
Describe your product and services
Outline sales and marketing strategies
Create a logistics and operations plan
Introduce management team
Project financials
Summarize your plan with an executive summary
Complete your plan with an appendix

Where can I find business plan examples?

Upmetrics is an incredible business planning solution providing 400+ business plan samples and examples. You can easily create a good business plan using these industry-specific templates.

What is a business plan template?

A business plan template is a pre-formatted business plan, usually written for a fictional company. These industry-specific templates can help entrepreneurs understand a business plan’s structure and other key components. These templates are used mainly by entrepreneurs planning to launch a new startup or expand an existing business.

Should I hire someone to write my business plan for me?

Concept, contents, and cashflow are the 3Cs of a business plan that can be defined as follows:

Concept: Your concept should explain the purpose of your business, summarizing what you plan to accomplish with this very business.
Contents: Your content should reflect your concept, product and services, target market, and competition.
Cashflow: Your cash flow section must detail your cash in-and-out flows, including capital investment, operations costs, and revenue projections.

Why Is It Beneficial to Use a Sample Business Plan as a Guide?

Let’s face it—writing a 40-50 page business plan from scratch can be too intimidating; you may soon give up and won’t even finish it.

Instead, using a sample business plan as a guide can help you understand its structure, gain inspiration and ideas for content, plan marketing strategies, and project financials. In short, using business template examples is the best way to write a business plan.

When should you not follow a business plan example?

We’ve always been saying this, using an example of a business plan is the best way to write one. However, it’s also critical to understand when not to follow a template. Here’s when:

The format does not align with your business model or industry.
Include outdated templates and information.
Offer poorly written content.
Include misleading and poorly done financials.
There’s a lack of expertise.

These are a few red flags in a template you must consider looking at while choosing one.

Are these examples suited for business plan beginners?

Absolutely. In fact, these examples are specially designed, keeping common issues faced by beginners while drafting a plan in mind to serve them best. So, if you are a new or an established business with no planning experience, you have to check out these templates.

Looking for a faster way to finish your business plan?

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Business Plan Executive Summary Example & Template

Updated: Jun 3, 2024, 1:03pm

Business Plan Executive Summary Example & Template

Components of an executive summary, how to write an executive summary, example of an executive summary, frequently asked questions.

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 management and marketing. It should also have an executive summary, which is a synopsis of each of the plan sections in a one- to two-page overview. This guide will help you create an executive summary for your business plan that is comprehensive while being concise.

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The executive summary should mimic the sections found in the business plan . It is just a more concise way of stating what’s in the plan so that a reader can get a broad overview of what to expect.

State the company’s mission statement and provide a few sentences on what the company’s purpose is.

Company History and Management

This section describes the basics of where the company is located, how long it has been in operation, who is running it and what their level of experience is. Remember that this is a summary and that you’ll expand on management experience within the business plan itself. But the reader should know the basics of the company structure and who is running the company from this section.

Products or Services

This section tells the reader what the product or service of the company is. Every company does something. This is where you outline exactly what you do and how you solve a problem for the consumer.

This is an important section that summarizes how large the market is for the product or service. In the business plan, you’ll do a complete market analysis. Here, you will write the key takeaways that show that you have the potential to grow the business because there are consumers in the market for it.

Competitive Advantages

This is where you will summarize what makes you better than the competitors. Identify key strengths that will be reasons why consumers will choose you over another company.

Financial Projections

This is where you estimate the sales projections for the first years in business. At a minimum, you should have at least one year’s projections, but it may be better to have three to five years if you can project that far ahead.

Startup Financing Requirements

This states what it will cost to get the company launched and running. You may tackle this as a first-year requirement or if you have made further projections, look at two to three years of cost needs.

The executive summary is found at the start of the business plan, even though it is a summary of the plan. However, you should write the executive summary last. Writing the summary once you have done the work and written the business plan will be easier. After all, it is a summary of what is in the plan. Keep the executive summary limited to two pages so that it doesn’t take someone a long time to peruse what the summary says.

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It might be easier to write an executive summary if you know what to expect. Here is an example of an executive summary that you can use as a template.

Bottom Line

Writing an executive summary doesn’t need to be difficult if you’ve already done the work of writing the business plan itself. Take the elements from the plan and summarize each section. Point out key details that will make the reader want to learn more about the company and its financing needs.

How long is an executive summary?

An executive summary should be one to two pages and no more. This is just enough information to help the reader determine their overall interest in the company.

Does an executive summary have keywords?

The executive summary uses keywords to help sell the idea of the business. As such, there may be enumeration, causation and contrasting words.

How do I write a business plan?

If you have business partners, make sure to collaborate with them to ensure that the plan accurately reflects the goals of all parties involved. You can use our simple business plan template to get started.

What basic items should be included in a business plan?

When writing out a business plan, you want to make sure that you cover everything related to your concept for the business, an analysis of the industry―including potential customers and an overview of the market for your goods or services―how you plan to execute your vision for the business, how you plan to grow the business if it becomes successful and all financial data around the business, including current cash on hand, potential investors and budget plans for the next few years.

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Kimberlee Leonard has 22 years of experience as a freelance writer. Her work has been featured on US News and World Report, Business.com and Fit Small Business. She brings practical experience as a business owner and insurance agent to her role as a small business writer.

Cassie is a deputy editor collaborating with teams around the world while living in the beautiful hills of Kentucky. Focusing on bringing growth to small businesses, she is passionate about economic development and has held positions on the boards of directors of two non-profit organizations seeking to revitalize her former railroad town. Prior to joining the team at Forbes Advisor, Cassie was a content operations manager and copywriting manager.

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Business Plan Example and Template

Learn how to create a business plan

What is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a document that contains the operational and financial plan of a business, and details how its objectives will be achieved. It serves as a road map for the business and can be used when pitching investors or financial institutions for debt or equity financing .

Business Plan - Document with the words Business Plan on the title

A business plan should follow a standard format and contain all the important business plan elements. Typically, it should present whatever information an investor or financial institution expects to see before providing financing to a business.

Contents of a Business Plan

A business plan should be structured in a way that it contains all the important information that investors are looking for. Here are the main sections of a business plan:

1. Title Page

The title page captures the legal information of the business, which includes the registered business name, physical address, phone number, email address, date, and the company logo.

2. Executive Summary

The executive summary is the most important section because it is the first section that investors and bankers see when they open the business plan. It provides a summary of the entire business plan. It should be written last to ensure that you don’t leave any details out. It must be short and to the point, and it should capture the reader’s attention. The executive summary should not exceed two pages.

3. Industry Overview

The industry overview section provides information about the specific industry that the business operates in. Some of the information provided in this section includes major competitors, industry trends, and estimated revenues. It also shows the company’s position in the industry and how it will compete in the market against other major players.

4. Market Analysis and Competition

The market analysis section details the target market for the company’s product offerings. This section confirms that the company understands the market and that it has already analyzed the existing market to determine that there is adequate demand to support its proposed business model.

Market analysis includes information about the target market’s demographics , geographical location, consumer behavior, and market needs. The company can present numbers and sources to give an overview of the target market size.

A business can choose to consolidate the market analysis and competition analysis into one section or present them as two separate sections.

5. Sales and Marketing Plan

The sales and marketing plan details how the company plans to sell its products to the target market. It attempts to present the business’s unique selling proposition and the channels it will use to sell its goods and services. It details the company’s advertising and promotion activities, pricing strategy, sales and distribution methods, and after-sales support.

6. Management Plan

The management plan provides an outline of the company’s legal structure, its management team, and internal and external human resource requirements. It should list the number of employees that will be needed and the remuneration to be paid to each of the employees.

Any external professionals, such as lawyers, valuers, architects, and consultants, that the company will need should also be included. If the company intends to use the business plan to source funding from investors, it should list the members of the executive team, as well as the members of the advisory board.

7. Operating Plan

The operating plan provides an overview of the company’s physical requirements, such as office space, machinery, labor, supplies, and inventory . For a business that requires custom warehouses and specialized equipment, the operating plan will be more detailed, as compared to, say, a home-based consulting business. If the business plan is for a manufacturing company, it will include information on raw material requirements and the supply chain.

8. Financial Plan

The financial plan is an important section that will often determine whether the business will obtain required financing from financial institutions, investors, or venture capitalists. It should demonstrate that the proposed business is viable and will return enough revenues to be able to meet its financial obligations. Some of the information contained in the financial plan includes a projected income statement , balance sheet, and cash flow.

9. Appendices and Exhibits

The appendices and exhibits part is the last section of a business plan. It includes any additional information that banks and investors may be interested in or that adds credibility to the business. Some of the information that may be included in the appendices section includes office/building plans, detailed market research , products/services offering information, marketing brochures, and credit histories of the promoters.

Business Plan Template

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.
Summarize the industry competition and how the company will capture a share of the available market.
Give a summary of the operational plan, such as inventory, office and labor, and equipment requirements.

Section 2: Industry Overview

Describe the company’s position in the industry.
Describe the existing competition and the major players in the industry.
Provide information about the industry that the business will operate in, estimated revenues, industry trends, government influences, as well as the demographics of the target market.

Section 3: Market Analysis and Competition

Define your target market, their needs, and their geographical location.
Describe the size of the market, the units of the company’s products that potential customers may buy, and the market changes that may occur due to overall economic changes.
Give an overview of the estimated sales volume vis-à-vis what competitors sell.
Give a plan on how the company plans to combat the existing competition to gain and retain market share.

Section 4: Sales and Marketing Plan

Describe the products that the company will offer for sale and its unique selling proposition.
List the different advertising platforms that the business will use to get its message to customers.
Describe how the business plans to price its products in a way that allows it to make a profit.
Give details on how the company’s products will be distributed to the target market and the shipping method.

Section 5: Management Plan

Describe the organizational structure of the company.
List the owners of the company and their ownership percentages.
List the key executives, their roles, and remuneration.
List any internal and external professionals that the company plans to hire, and how they will be compensated.
Include a list of the members of the advisory board, if available.

Section 6: Operating Plan

Describe the location of the business, including office and warehouse requirements.
Describe the labor requirement of the company. Outline the number of staff that the company needs, their roles, skills training needed, and employee tenures (full-time or part-time).
Describe the manufacturing process, and the time it will take to produce one unit of a product.
Describe the equipment and machinery requirements, and if the company will lease or purchase equipment and machinery, and the related costs that the company estimates it will incur.
Provide a list of raw material requirements, how they will be sourced, and the main suppliers that will supply the required inputs.

Section 7: Financial Plan

Describe the financial projections of the company, by including the projected income statement, projected cash flow statement, and the balance sheet projection.

Section 8: Appendices and Exhibits

Quotes of building and machinery leases
Proposed office and warehouse plan
Market research and a summary of the target market
Credit information of the owners
List of product and/or services

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Comment faire un business plan ? Modèle gratuit !

Téléchargez notre modèle vierge de business plan et suivez nos conseils pour bien le remplir !

Vous êtes sur le point de lancer votre projet et cherchez comment faire un business plan ? Découvrez ce qu’est un business plan, pourquoi il est important d’en faire un et notre modèle de business plan gratuit à télécharger (modèle vierge). Suivez nos conseils et exemples pour bien le remplir !

Qu’est-ce qu’un business plan ?

Le business plan (plan d’affaires, en français) est un dossier synthétique qui présente un projet de création ou de reprise d’entreprise, en définissant sa stratégie commerciale et financière. Vous pouvez en quelque sorte le considérer comme un CV ou un “book” destiné à structurer et à vendre votre projet.

La création d’un business plan intervient après les recherches documentaires, la prospection, les études et des démarches que vous avez pu mener en amont comme :

Le choix d’une forme juridique pour votre entreprise
La réalisation d’une étude de marché (ou d’un sondage en ligne )
L’évaluation de vos ressources et de votre business model (modèle économique)

Pour le réaliser, vous aurez plusieurs choix que nous vous présenterons par la suite, mais vous pouvez aussi utiliser notre modèle de business plan gratuit.

Pourquoi faire un business plan ?

Un business plan vous sert d’abord à vous-même : il permet de structurer votre projet de création d’entreprise et de mettre à plat vos idées. Il n’est pas obligatoire. Vous n’êtes donc pas contraint de vous coller à sa conception, assez chronophage.

Dans certains cas de figure, le business plan ne présente pas vraiment d’intérêt. Par exemple, si vous venez de créer votre micro-entreprise et vendez une prestation de services depuis votre domicile, un business plan se révélera sûrement inutile. À l’inverse, ce document nous paraît incontournable si vous souhaitez créer une boutique en ligne , par exemple ou bien ouvrir un restaurant.

Rappelez-vous : il s’agit aussi d’un outil de communication. Voici quelques exemples concrets pour lesquels on risque fort de vous demander un business plan :

lorsque vous désirez ouvrir un compte ou obtenir un prêt bancaire ou un autre financement ;
lorsque vous recherchez des fournisseurs ;
lorsque vous comptez vous associer et/ou trouver des partenaires ;
lorsque vous souhaitez lever des fonds.

Concernant ce dernier point, on peut penser à une start-up qui se lance, souhaite financer son développement et/ou accélérer sa croissance. Faire un business plan doit permettre à l’investisseur de savoir s’il peut s’engager avec elle. Va-t-il y trouver son compte ? Est-ce un projet rentable ? Quels risques prend-il en investissant avec cette startup ? Un business plan est là pour le séduire et le convaincre. Mais c’est également un outil qui doit inspirer confiance et rassurer sur l’équilibre financier de votre projet, mais aussi et surtout sur les perspectives de bénéfices.

Le business plan a aussi une utilité en interne. Grâce à lui, votre entreprise peut contrôler le pilotage de certaines opérations, tester différentes hypothèses, et réajuster au besoin en le mettant à jour, puisqu’il fournit un cadre de comparaison (ce dont vous manquez cruellement à votre lancement).

Enfin, si vous souhaitez reprendre un commerce ou une entreprise, vous pouvez aussi mettre sur pied un business plan. La trame de base est la même que pour un projet de création d’entreprise, sauf que vous devez aussi intégrer des éléments spécifiques sur l’entreprise que vous allez racheter (ex : historique, clientèle, produits, bilan financier etc.).

Modèle de business plan gratuit et conseils pour le remplir

Les modèles de business plan télécharger.

Vous êtes ici pour ça, donc ne faisons pas durer le suspense. Vous trouverez ci-dessous un modèle de business plan vierge à télécharger gratuitement. Nous l’avons décliné sous plusieurs formats, en fonction de vos besoins :

Modèle de business plan gratuit word téléchargeable ici
Modèle de business plan gratuit powerpoint (en cours de création)

Le format Word est idéal pour réaliser un business plan simplifié. Il vous suffira de remplir les différentes parties en suivants nos conseils et en l’adaptant au business d’un food-truck.

Nous vous fournissons uniquement le modèle Word, mais sachez que certains acteurs comme par exemple Créer-mon-business-plan fournissent des modèles beaucoup plus complets pour quelques dizaines d’euros qui vous permettront de recevoir à la fois un modèle Word et un outil Excel pour simuler les projections financières de votre projet de food-truck, ainsi que de l’aide pour le remplir.

Enfin, certains cherchent un modèle de business plan en PDF. Aucun intérêt à notre avis, il sera beaucoup plus facile de le modifier sous Word et d’en télécharger ensuite une version finalisée en PDF.

Exemple de trame du business plan

Le modèle de business plan que nous vous fournissons gratuitement intègre la trame suivante :

Partie	Objecti
	Présenter les points clés votre business plan
	Raconter l’origine du projet
	Décrire le produit ou service et l’avancement du projet
	Présenter l’étude de marché et la concurrence
	Détailler la stratégie commerciale et marketing
	Préciser la forme et le montage juridique du projet

C’est un bon exemple de business plan simple et une trame relativement classique, que vous pouvez adapter développer certaines catégories ou au contraire en passer certaines sous silence, selon votre projet.

Nos conseils pour un business plan simple et efficace

Maintenant que vous avez en tête la structure et les éléments incontournables du business plan, il est temps de vous livrer quelques conseils pour concevoir un business plan simple et efficace. Ces conseils valent que vous utilisiez notre modèle ou non.

Misez sur la clarté et la simplicité. N’en faites pas trop, en particulier si vous présentez un projet avec beaucoup de jargon technique. Mettez-vous toujours à la place de votre lecteur et n’entrez pas trop dans les détails. Adressez-vous à lui avec ses mots.
Pensez à faire concis et synthétique . Il n’y a pas de règle préétablie sur le sujet, mais on estime qu’un business plan ne devrait pas contenir de 20 à 25 pages.
Aérez votre texte en faisant des paragraphes et organisez vos idées avec des parties et des sous-parties regroupées au sein d’un sommaire.
Ajoutez des visuels lorsque c’est pertinent (ex : diagrammes, graphiques, images)
Faites-vous relire . Il n’y a rien de pire que de se retrouver à parcourir un document truffé de fautes d’orthographes. Soyez vigilant là-dessus !
Pensez aussi aux annexes . Elles vous permettent de joindre des documents complémentaires sans alourdir le coeur de votre business plan.
Etayez votre propos en citant vos sources . Expliquez tous vos calculs et tableaux de chiffres. Justifiez tout ce que vous avancez, en particulier vos projections financières.

Rappelez-vous, l’objectif du business plan est de convaincre votre interlocuteur, alors produisez un document sérieux et béton, qui ne laisse aucune place au doute.

4 erreurs à ne pas commettre dans votre business plan

Que vous utilisiez notre modèle de business plan ou non, voici les 4 principales erreurs à éviter lors de la rédaction de votre plan d’affaires :

Bâcler la forme du business plan
Mal présenter l’équipe
Ne pas être exhaustif dans l’étude de marché et de la concurrence
Négliger le modèle économique et la stratégie commerciale

Comment faire un business plan ?

Les différentes parties.

Chaque business plan est propre à chaque projet. Si sa structure et sa présentation peuvent varier, il doit néanmoins comporter des éléments essentiels que l’on a regroupés en 2 grands domaines (+ 1 bonus) :

La présentation de votre projet et de votre entreprise : c’est le modèle de business plan que nous vous avons fourni
Les projections financières : en général un fichier excel

La présentation de votre projet et de votre entreprise

Dans cette partie du modèle de business plan, vous allez notamment expliquer les modalités opérationnelles de votre business plan en suivant une trame :

Le statut de votre entreprise : date de création, forme juridique, nombre d’actionnaires, composition du capital etc.
Qui vous êtes, les membres de votre équipe et vos associés : parcours, compétences, expérience. Expliquez qui fait quoi au sein de l’entreprise, tout en démontrant que vous disposez de l’ensemble des compétences nécessaires à la réussite de l’activité.
Une synthèse de votre étude de marché . Elle contient la présentation du produit ou du service que vous souhaitez vendre, votre politique de prix, vos concurrents, le marché que vous souhaitez attaquer, vos avantages concurrentiels etc.
Une présentation de votre business model .
Votre stratégie et plan d’action . En premier lieu, on pense à la stratégie commerciale, qui doit présenter vos objectifs en termes de chiffre d’affaires et de croissance. Mais aussi au marketing, à la communication, à la distribution, ou encore à la gestion des ressources humaines.

Tous ces éléments sont bien évidemment inclus dans le business plan gratuit que nous vous avons fourni.

Les projections financières

C’est grâce à toutes ces projections financières que vous allez pouvoir démontrer à vos interlocuteurs la faisabilité et la solidité économique de votre projet. Votre business plan doit notamment contenir les éléments suivants :

Le compte de résultat prévisionnel . Il s’agit d’un des éléments-clés de votre plan d’affaires. Ce compte de résultat se présente sous la forme d’un tableau financier. Il doit déterminer le degré de rentabilité de votre entreprise, en démontrant que votre chiffre d’affaires à venir couvrira vos dépenses (charges). Les projections se font souvent sur les trois premières années d’existence de l’entreprise.
Le seuil de rentabilité : il s’agit du chiffre d’affaires minimum à partir duquel l’activité d’une entreprise devient rentable.
Le tableau ou plan de trésorerie : établi mensuellement, il présente les encaissements et les décaissements prévus au cours de la première année d’activité de l’entreprise.
La capacité de financement , c’est-à-dire tous les capitaux et les sources de financement qui permettent de lancer le projet (ex : fonds propres, aides etc.).
Le plan de financement à trois ans : il détaille vos besoins en financement sur les trois premières années d’activité. Il permet de vérifier que votre entreprise sera pérenne dans le temps.
Le besoin en fonds de roulement (BFR) . Le BFR correspond aux sommes d’argent dépensées par l’entreprise au lancement de son activité et qu’elle ne pourra récupérer qu’après l’encaissement du paiement de ses premières factures.

Si la partie présentation de l’entreprise est assez facile à remplir, comme vous pouvez le voir dans l’exemple de business plan que nous vous avons fourni gratuitement, la partie financière est plus complexe. Pour cette partie, nous vous recommandons de vous faire accompagner.

Bonus : l’executive summary

L’executive summary – résumé opérationnel, en français – est un teaser d’une à deux pages qui doit donner envie de lire la suite de votre business plan et de découvrir votre projet. Il se place au début d’un plan d’affaires et doit mettre en avant de façon synthétique les informations les plus importantes :

Votre projet et les problèmes qu’il résout
Votre stratégie
Votre offre avec votre avantage concurrentiel
Votre business model
Votre marché etc.

Vous disposerez ainsi d’une vision globale de tous les éléments à mettre en avant, ce qui vous facilitera la tâche.

Faire un business plan : quelles sont vos options ?

Plusieurs options s’offrent à vous pour réaliser un business plan : le faire vous-même sans aide tierce, utiliser un logiciel en ligne, ou faire appel aux services d’un professionnel. Chaque solution présente des avantages et des inconvénients.

Prix	Temps
Gratuit	+++	–
+	+++	+
+	++	++
+++	+	+++

Option n°1 : faire votre business plan gratuitement (mais vous-même)

Première possibilité pour faire votre business plan : vous y coller seul, sans l’aide d’un logiciel ou d’un professionnel. Pour cela, vous pouvez partir de notre modèle de business plan gratuit et vierge, ou bien d’un modèle de business plan déjà pré-rempli pour certains secteurs. En fonction de vos besoins, utilisez le format Excel, PDF et PowerPoint.

Créer son business plan en partant de zéro présente d’abord un avantage financier. Vous n’avez aucun frais à prévoir si vous choisissez un modèle de business plan gratuit. Cette solution est idéale pour les entreprises aux budgets serrés, mais elle présente un autre avantage non négligeable : cela vous force à réfléchir en profondeur sur votre projet de création d’entreprise. Par contre, préparez-vous à y passer du temps. La conception d’un business plan est chronophage et peut se révéler fastidieuse, surtout lorsque l’on attaque les prévisions financières.

Notez enfin que certains acteurs (comme Créer-mon-business-plan par exemple), proposent à la fois des modèles de business plan payants à télécharger et la possibilité de le réaliser en ligne. Comptez quelques dizaines d’euros pour un modèle de business plan thématisé (c’est à dire adapté à votre secteur), ce qui à notre avis peut valoir le coup pour éviter de repartir de notre modèle de business plan vierge :

Choix parmi des dizaines de modèles de business plan
Business plan au format Word de 10 à 20 pages
Exemples de textes fournis tout à long du modèle
Volet financier au formt Excel.

C’est donc un bon compromis entre le business plan gratuit et l’accompagnement (en ligne ou par un professionnel).

Option n°2 : faire son business plan en ligne

La deuxième option consiste à se faire accompagner un peu plus en réalisant son business plan en ligne , à l’aide d’un logiciel dédié. De nombreux sites sont en concurrence sur le marché.

Voici les avantages à utiliser un outil en ligne :

Vous disposez de modèles de business plans payants prêts à l’emploi, adaptés à différents corps de métiers.
Tous les modèles sont centralisés sur la même interface : vous gagnez du temps dans le processus de création. On vous aide à mettre en forme le document, à créer le prévisionnel financier etc.
Pas besoin d’avoir de connaissances en comptabilité.
Vous pouvez bénéficier de ressources complémentaires pour concevoir votre plan d’affaires, comme un accompagnement en ligne avec un conseiller.
Certains logiciels de business plan sont gratuits.

En ce qui concerne les inconvénients, ces modèles de business plan ne sont pas gratuits (mais ils sont complets). Ensuite, en fonction du logiciel que vous choisirez, vous n’aurez pas le droit à du conseil et vous ne pourrez pas déléguer la partie rédactionnelle. Il faudra quand même consacrer du temps pour l’écriture et avoir un minimum de bases pour élaborer votre business plan. Ceci-dit, ces logiciels fournissent de nombreux conseils et des exemples de business plan pour vous aider à remplir le vôtre de manière efficace.

Option n°3 : passer par un professionnel

Si vous cherchez de l’aide pour faire votre plan d’affaires personnalisé sans utiliser un modèle de business plan, rien ne vous empêche de vous attacher les services d’un professionnel. On pense notamment aux professionnels suivants :

L’expert-comptable local
L’expert-comptable en ligne
Les experts et consultants en business plan (ex : les spécialistes de la fiscalité, les avocats d’affaire).

Grâce à un professionnel du business plan, vous vous assurez de gagner du temps et disposez des conseils et du savoir-faire d’un expert. On le recommande en particulier aux projets complexes qui font appel à de nombreuses donnés financières.

Par contre, ce genre de service implique un coût financier plus important qu’avec un logiciel en ligne. Sans compter que vous risquez quand même de devoir collaborer à la partie descriptive du document. Un expert saura parfaitement jouer avec les chiffres, mais il aura besoin de vous pour comprendre la genèse de votre projet ainsi que tous les tenants et aboutissants.

Au cours de vos recherches, pensez aussi à vous rapprocher des structures d’accompagnement de créateurs, de certaines legaltech , des Chambres de commerce et d’industrie ( CCI ), ou encore des Chambres de métiers et de l’artisanat ( CMA ). Ces différents organismes professionnels proposent souvent des formations et ateliers autour du business plan et pourront vous accompagner dans la construction de votre plan d’affaires.

Au final, quelle que soit la méthode choisie, gardez bien cela en tête : comme le dit l’expression, “on n’a qu’une seule chance de faire bonne impression.” Alors appliquez-vous, et utilisez nos conseils pour réaliser un business plan solide !

Combien coûte un business plan ?

Le coût d’une business plan dépend de l’option que vous allez choisir. Si vous vous utilisez notre business plan gratuit, vous n’y passerez que du temps. Si vous choisissez un modèle payant, vous en aurez pour entre 50 et 100€ environ. Si vous optez pour un logiciel de business plan en ligne , les prix varient d’une solution à l’autre.

La solution la moins économique consiste à passer par un professionnel. Les tarifs dépendent de la complexité et de la technicité du projet. Pour vous donner un ordre d’idées, on a recensé des tarifs partant de 300€ et pouvant aller jusqu’à 4 000€.

Un business plan gratuit, c’est possible ?

Faire un business plan gratuitement, oui, c’est possible en utilisant un modèle de business plan et en y passant du temps, ou bien via certains organismes comme la CCI.

Les personnes ayant téléchargé le modèle de Business plan ont également été intéressés par :

Finding Investors

How Funding Works

Idea Validation Bootcamp

Pitch Deck Bootcamp

Pitching Investors

Product MVP

Product/MVP

Idea Validation

Customer Acquisition

Emotional Support

Top 4 Business Plan Examples

The Startups Team

Founders have to learn so many new skills when they're launching a startup, and writing a business plan is a big one. When you're writing your business plan for the first time, things can get… intimidating.

What do you include? What kind of wording should you use? What do you make sure not to include? Is a mid size business plan different than an enterprise plan or a scalable startup? Do I need to include financials like cash flow statements? What do investors want to see?

It's enough to make even a stalwart startup founder and management team throw in the towel before they've even begun.

Lucky for you — we've created a complete guide to writing your business plan . Check it out if you haven't already. (And if a link from there brought you here, just keep reading!) We'll share some business plan samples so you can get started writing your own professional business plan.

But, while it's nice to be guided step-by-step, it can also really help to have concrete examples when you're approaching creating something for the first time.

So, with that in mind, here are four sample business plans from the Startups community that we think really stand out from the crowd. We hope that these will serve as a startup business plan template and make it easier to write your own. At a minimum, these will provide some great business plan ideas whether you are writing traditional business plans for an established business or biz plans for an innovative new startup. While we would of course suggest you use our business plan creator, Bizplan.com, you can use these examples with any number of business plan apps or business plan software.

Click on the below links to see fully formatted versions or continue reading for the text-only version of Culina's.

LiveShopBuy

Every good business idea needs a business plan. A traditional business plan can work for most any new business.

CULINA Executive Summary

Fast facts:.

Founded: 2013 Headquarters: San Francisco, CA Founder: Kent McClure Market Size: $12.5 billion Target Audience: Homeowners; property managers; insurance providers.

Quick Description:

Culina is a San Francisco-based IoT and home automation company. We design an advanced smart hub technology that enables users to interconnect and remotely monitor all of their cooking devices and kitchen appliances through a single user-friendly platform.

Our Mission:

To make homes smarter, more connected, and safer for families while helping them save money and conserve energy through the power of affordable, automated technology.

Our Vision:

To become the leading provider of IoT technology for kitchen appliances on a global scale with applications across both residential and commercial properties.

Company Synopsis:

Culina Tech is the next leading name in home automation and IoT. We're committed to leading the charge in creating the ultimate smart kitchen for homeowners all around the world. Our revolutionary Smart Plugs enable users to make any kitchen appliance or cooking device intelligent. Compatible with all existing brands that plug into standard two or three-prong wall outlets, Culina creates an entire network of Wi-Fi-connected kitchen devices. The Culina App allows users to remotely monitor the status of and control all devices connected to our Smart Plugs. Whether it's remotely turning on the coffee pot after getting out of bed, turning off the stove if it was accidentally left on via smartphone, or switching on the crockpot before getting home from work, Culina is purpose-built to deliver unrivaled convenience and peace of mind.

With the ability to set energy usage caps on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, Culina helps homeowners stay within their monthly utility budget and save energy in the kitchen through more efficient use of the dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer, stove, and other common appliances.

When a device reaches its energy limit, Culina alerts users through their smartphone and is built with the ability to power down the device automatically if the user chooses. The App measures key usage metrics in real-time, allowing users to get an instant dashboard view of energy consumption as it occurs.

Our team has already finished the product development and design phase, with 3 prototype iterations completed, and we are now ready to begin mass manufacturing. We've also gained major traction among consumers and investors alike, with 10,000 pre-ordered units sold and $5 million in capital secured to date.

With this round of funding, our objective is to ramp up hardware manufacturing, improve software UX and UI, expand our sales and marketing efforts, and fulfill pre-orders in time for the 2017 holiday season. We are currently seeking a $15M Series B capital investment that will give us the financial flexibility to achieve these goals. On behalf of the entire Culina Tech team, we'd like to thank you for your time and interest in our company and this investment opportunity.

Funding Allocation:

⇾ 30% Manufacturing ⇾ 25% Sales & Marketing ⇾ 25% Key Hires ⇾ 20% Operational

Team Overview:

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It's a quintessential gathering place where families and friends come together to break bread, be merry, and make memories. But the kitchen is also where tragedy often strikes due to misuse of appliances. Kent McClure and his team set out to make the kitchen a safer and more energy-efficient place for the family after a tragic fire struck his own kitchen in late 2012. Thankfully, no lives were lost and everyone in his family made it out safe and sound, but Kent couldn't help but wonder “what if.”

With decades in the industrial design space, Kent knew he had the knowledge and the industry contacts to set out to improve upon home automation devices for the kitchen with a solution that not only made homes safer but also cut down on energy consumption and associated costs. In early 2013, Culina was born. Since that time, Kent and the Culina team have made it their mission to completely revolutionize the home automation and IoT space with innovative, AI-powered technology.

Kent McClure | Founder & CEO Kent is a Carnegie Mellon graduate with over 10 years of executive leadership experience in industrial design and engineering. He has a successful entrepreneurial history, founding a prior tech-based startup which he grew to $100 million in revenue, followed by an acquisition in 2010 and then IPO shortly after.

Sherri Carlson | COO Sherri earned her MBA from Harvard Business School. She oversees all of Culina's ongoing operations and procedures and is responsible for driving Culina to achieve and surpass sales, profitability, cash flow, and business goals and objectives.

Martin Frink | CTO Martin is a Stanford University alumnus with extensive technical expertise and over a decade of experience at venture-backed tech companies. He is responsible for Culina's technical vision, heading up all aspects of our technological development, strategic direction, development, and future growth.

Margaret Burns | CFO Margaret earned her degree in Financial Management from NYU. Prior to joining Culina, Margaret spent seven years as CFO for a publicly-traded mobile tech company headquartered in Silicon Valley. She currently manages Culina's financial risks and handles all financial planning, record-keeping, and reporting.

Business plans should contain a company description, market analysis, financial plan, and mission statement.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Market opportunity.

An enormous need exists for dramatic reductions in energy consumption. Businesses alone consume 12-20% of the total US energy supply on food production, processing, manufacturing, distribution, and preparation.

On the residential side, the Energy Information Administration estimates that the average US household uses 11,280 kWh per year. Many homeowners are simply unaware of the large amount of energy consumed by many small household kitchen appliances:

Dishwasher: 133 watts Television: 1,200 to 2,400 watts Coffee Maker: 900 to 1,200 watts Washing Machine: 350 to 500 watts Toaster: 55 to 250 watts Window Fan: 800 to 1,400 watts

The majority of US households now spend roughly 35 percent of their energy consumption on appliances, electronics, and lighting.

Most homeowners don't think about the little details that can help save them money on their energy bill. The vast majority of people keep the refrigerator or freezer too cold, fail to make sure refrigerator door seals are airtight, neglect to regularly defrost fridges and freezers, overload their dishwashers, and keep dishwasher water temperature too hot. As a result, energy consumption remains high, and energy bills remain high.

Not only do kitchens represent a primary source of household energy consumption, but also a primary source of house fires. More fires start in the kitchen than in any other room in the home, and household cooking appliances frequently account for billions of dollars in fire-related insurance claims every year. The number one cause of house fires and house fire injuries is the stove.

✓ 46% of house fires caused by cooking equipment ✓ 62% of house fires caused by ranges or cooktops ✓ $4,000 average fire and smoke damage repair costs

Culina is actively solving both of these common challenges caused by cooking equipment simultaneously. Our technology provides homeowners with immediate, real-time insight into their energy consumption by aggregating data for all kitchen appliances connected to our Smart Plugs while also delivering the preventative intelligence necessary to reduce kitchen-related disasters.

Key Features and Benefits:

We designed our Culina Smart Plugs to work in tandem with an intuitive, user-friendly mobile application — allowing users to gain a much-needed technological upgrade to the most popular room in the house.

Easy Setup:

Culina Smart Plugs work with standard two and three-pronged appliances and cooking devices. Simply attach the Culina Smart Plug to the appliance's electrical, plug it into the wall, download the Culina app, connect, and configure.

A one page business plan is a single page overview of your business plan format, logistics and operations plan priorities, and overall direction.

Constantly Learning:

Powered by machine learning artificial intelligence, our Intelligent Culina Response System learns user habits every time someone uses an appliance connected to one of our Smart Plugs.

Multi-Threat Sensors:

Our state-of-the-art sensors detect a variety of potential threats to the kitchen — including sudden and unusual temperature fluctuations, poisonous gas and emissions, toxic smoke, and more. Homeowners receive alerts whenever unusual activity is in progress such as a stovetop being left on for too long or during an unusual time of day.

Remote Monitoring:

Users can monitor all information directly from an easy-to-navigate dashboard in real-time using the Culina App for iOS and Android. Users can check metrics such as fridge and freezer temperature, cook time, and usage data as it is being gathered.

Remote Appliance Control:

With the Culina App, users can control all connected appliances and devices. If our Smart Plug is attached to a crockpot, for example, a user can add the ingredients before they head to work, activate the crockpot remotely, and come home to a readymade meal waiting for them the moment they step through the front door.

Free business plan templates are available online, or you can create your own business plan as the business owner if you don't want a traditional business plan.

Remote Shut-Off:

Not only does remote operation over appliances provide convenience, it also serves to prevent kitchen-related hazards. The Culina App includes auto shut-off capabilities allowing users to turn off appliances using their smartphone even when they're not at home. This is particularly useful in the event that users forget to turn off the oven or stove to prevent potential house fires.

Advanced Notifications:

In addition to notifying users if an appliance is left on by accident or if it detects a potential hazard, Culina also reminds users anytime regular maintenance is required.

Energy Consumption Data:

Users can also monitor energy consumption on a weekly basis right from the Culina App. By providing at-a-glance insight into whether energy use has gone up or down, users gain the ability to adjust their usage accordingly in order to conserve energy and ultimately save money in utility bills the long term.

Inter-operability:

Our cloud-based technology integrates with other popular platforms including Google's Nest and Lowe's Iris.

Cost-Saving Benefits:

Not only can users conserve money in energy consumption bills with Culina, but new insurance guidelines also provide significant discounts for homeowners who deploy smart technologies in their homes.

Pricing and revenue

Culina will initially monetize from hardware sales.

Our product will sell for $149 MSRP with approximately 40% profit margin. We will initially sell our product through popular e-commerce platforms and through our website — followed by brick-and-mortar outlets including Lowe's, Best Buy, Home Depot, and other major big box retailers.

5-Year Net Revenue Projections for business planning financial statements

Company Milestones:

With much of the heavy lifting already completed, Culina has laid the groundwork for rapid expansion going forward. Here's an overview of our accomplishments since first founding the company in 2013.

Consumer Validated:

Our first-generation product is market-ready and primed for commercial manufacturing. We have pre-sold 10,000 units, representing approximately $1,890,000 in pre-launch revenue. Our immediate customer base growing by the day and we have successfully proven that this is a product that consumers want and are enthusiastic about.

Investor-Backed:

We have secured a total of $5 million in funding from angel investors, founder capital, friends and family, and VCs.

Proprietary Technology:

We have applied for and have been granted a provisional patent for our Smart Plug technology.

Strategic Partnerships:

We are in the process of building relationships with notable industry leaders, influencers, and development teams in the home automation sector. We are also in advanced-stage partnership discussions with a number of major name insurance providers.

Press Mentions:

Culina has received coverage in many of today's most renowned tech and entrepreneurial publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, TechCrunch, The Verge, WIRED, and Engadget, among others.

Manufacturing:

A US-based contract manufacturer has been secured and is ready to begin production with the capacity to produce around 50K units per month as we scale.

Culina Company Timeline: 2013-2017 — displaying competitive advantages to secure funding in possible future rounds.

Future Development

Our initial focus on the consumer space with our launch product is just the first step in our long-term roadmap to growth. In order to capture a larger market share and continue scaling the company exponentially, we are planning on rolling out a B2B model in the future. This will provide Culina with new revenue streams and will offer a valuable, tech-driven solution for businesses.

Commercial Kitchens:

Commercial kitchens consume a huge amount of energy — roughly 2.5 times more per square foot than any other commercial space, according to the EPA.

The Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) estimates commercial kitchen equipment is often only 50% efficient. The challenge with reducing energy consumption in commercial kitchens is that it's neither practical nor affordable to replace all kitchen equipment or redesign entire workspaces.

In an effort to reduce CO2 emissions, some governments are offering incentives to businesses that can cut back on their carbon footprint. In the UK, Enhanced Capital Allowances allow businesses to benefit from 100% tax relief on their qualifying capital expenditure on energy-saving equipment. This can provide a cash flow boost and an incentive to invest in energy-saving equipment which normally carries a price premium compared to less efficient alternatives.

Our 2nd generation product will represent a revenue-generating and energy-saving solution for commercial kitchens where equipment is frequently selected based on low capital cost with little regard to whole life-cycle cost and the resulting negative energy consumption.

Built on cloud computing, machine-to-machine communication, and information-gathering sensors, the Internet of Things market is rapidly making more and more commonplace devices “smarter.” Factor in the increasing prevalence of smartphones and tablets, and home automation and IoT products are now becoming much easier to use and significantly more affordable than they have ever been before.

What was once only reserved for the wealthy and tech-savvy, everyday consumers now have direct access to and can take advantage of a growing number of home automation devices. The evolution of the Internet of Things has enabled consumers to digitally connect and remotely control everything from their door locks to their thermostat to their garage opener and essentially everything else in between. Evidence of the enormous impact home automation tech has had in the consumer space can be seen in the enormous adoption of products like Nest and Amazon Echo.

The home automation market and Internet of Things (IoT) space is a thriving industry with growth expected to exceed $50 billion by 2020. This represents an estimated 300% increase from today's market of $12.5 billion. Around 8.4 billion connected devices will be installed globally by the end of 2017, representing a +31% increase in just one year. Around 63% of these devices will be used by consumers, with the remainder deployed by businesses.

Culina is perfectly positioned to capitalize on a major multi-billion dollar market opportunity to provide greater protection, actionable intelligence, lower energy consumption, and more cost savings to the millions of homes in the US.

Most every business plan template online will prompt to identify target market, a cash flow statement, and business structure.

Target Audience

We are directly targeting three specific target populations for our product:

Homeowners:

Homeowners are our end users and will benefit the most from our product. For homeowners, Culina represents safety, peace of mind, increased convenience, and an economically-wise investment that pays for itself over time.

Residential Property Managers:

Including apartment complexes and student housing owners. Culina offers increased owner ROI, occupant satisfaction, and significantly lower operational and maintenance costs.

Insurance Companies:

By reducing home fires caused by unattended cooking and the resulting billions of dollars in related insurance claims filed every year. Insurance companies can also leverage our technology to adjust homeowners insurance policy pricing.

Marketing Strategy

Culina has carefully developed a diverse marketing plan intended to keep our brand in the hearts and minds of our existing and prospective customers, enabling us to continue expanding our reach and grow our business. Between our massive social network followings and email database contacts, we regularly communicate directly with over 100,000 consumers.

SEO & Social:

We will drive traffic and conversions to our website using social media marketing via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and others. We are also exploring SEO and SEM.

Content Marketing:

We consistently release marketing content through our blog that aims to educate our audience about the value that our product provides. Our content marketing efforts aim to influence and persuade readers without having to rely solely on conventional direct selling tactics.

Influencer Marketing:

We will launch an initiative to guest blog articles and features in IoT, home automation, and startup tech publications like TechCrunch, Wired, VentureBeat, and other outlets in our industry.

Use an example business plan to get your information down — make sure to include market research, balance sheet, financial projections, and industry trends.

Competitive Landscape

Primary competitors for Culina include other companies that are currently operating in the home automation and Internet of Things space, such as Nest Labs, Amazon Echo, and Wallflower Labs.

Leading home automation company Nest introduced its first product, Nest Learning Thermostat, in 2011. The company was founded in 2010 by former Apple engineers Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Nest was acquired by Google on January 14, 2014, by Google for $3.2 billion and still operates under its own brand identity.

Nest Labs designs programmable, self-learning, sensor-driven, Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats, smoke detectors, and other security systems.

The 3rd generation Nest Thermostat prices at $249; Nest Indoor and Outdoor Cams are $199; and their Smoke & CO Alarm retails for $99.

Key Weaknesses:

After Nest's acquisition, the company has underperformed in sales and fallen below the expectations that Google set for them when it purchased the startup.

Amazon Echo

Amazon Echo, also known as Alexa, is a voice command device powered by artificial intelligence and designed by mega online retailer Amazon.com. The smart home hub was initially released in November 2014.

Alexa is a voice-activated virtual assistant housed within the Echo smart speaker. Users simply say her name and then ask a question or give a command.

The Amazon Echo retails for $99 for Amazon Prime members and $170 for everyone else.

However, some users have noted the uneven sound quality and limited “skills” capabilities. Users can also only interact and communicate with Alexa in English and German.

Founded December 1, 2013, Wallflower Labs is a Charleston, MA-based startup that designs an internet-connected smart plug that works with any freestanding plug-in electric stove. The company's founder previously founded Yap — a speech recognition technology that was acquired by Amazon in 2011 to help develop Alexa. The startup has raised a total of $2.5 million from three rounds of equity funding to date, with the most recent funding reported at $1.5 million via a convertible note on August 30, 2016.

The smart plug sounds an alarm and alerts homeowners via smartphone when the stove is turned on, someone forgets to turn it off, when a cooking time expires, or the smoke alarm activates.

Because Wallflower Labs are still in the pre-launch phase, the company has not yet publicly released consumer pricing information.

Unlike Culina, which connects with all smart appliances and cooking devices in the kitchen, Wallflower Labs is solely focused on monitoring stove usage.

How Culina Measures Up:

Competitive Analysis - Competitive Landscape table — included in a business plan template.

Differentiating Factors

Culina maintains a unique competitive advantage over other existing home automation and IoT products in several categories. Our biggest differentiators include:

Diverse Product Capabilities

Culina makes it possible to gain an across-the-board view from an entire network of interconnected devices. Whether they're connected to the refrigerator, gas or electric-powered stove, microwave, or dishwasher, our Smart Plugs can deliver insight into everything from smoke and gas detection, to temperature changes, and usage metrics — regardless of the brand and through a single, user-friendly app.

User-Friendly

Our technology is easy to use and doesn't require any technical-savvy. Setup and configuration are simple, users are able to be up and running out of the box in approximately 10 minutes, and software updates are deployed over the air.

Affordability

Culina is priced below our competitors' products while delivering superior functionality and value. This will be an essential factor in helping us continue to gain market share nationally.

Team Strength Our team is comprised of industry veterans who bring decades of experience to the table across industrial design, mobile tech, cloud-based technology, artificial intelligence, and more.

Our leadership team has a history of starting and leading companies to successful exits and has established valuable relationships with industry leaders along the way that will help us strategically position Culina as a market innovator in the days ahead.

Investment Opportunity

Culina is currently seeking a total of $15M in Series B equity financing to fuel the next stage of company growth — including manufacturing, pre-order fulfillment, ongoing development of our platform, and marketing efforts in order to continue expanding the Culina brand. Any remaining funds will be allocated as operating capital.

Why Invest in Culina? With Culina, investors have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor with a company that's positioned to grow into a leading innovator in the home automation and IoT space.

With Culina, we've tapped into something truly extraordinary that's being celebrated by both early adopters and investors alike. With 10,000 units pre-sold and $1.89M in pre-launch revenue , we've already successfully demonstrated validation in the consumer space. With over $5 million in funding secured across several financing rounds, we've already proven that investors believe in our company, our mission, and our ability to succeed.

We've also established a scalable business model and robust product pipeline that will prime us for widespread expansion in the days ahead. We're now seeking investors who share our passion and commitment to pushing the boundaries of what home automation can be and do through nextgen technology.

We're looking forward to working with you in accelerating Culina's growth to become a dominant player in the booming global home automation and IoT industry.

Business plans are essential to any business. We hope this example business plan article guides you through your own business plan process.

In Conclusion

We hope these business plan examples will get you started on the right path in getting your business idea into a full-on company. Keep in mind that these startup business plan examples are not a uniform guide for every business, and some information may vary. You may need a 5-year business plan template, or perhaps just some business plan examples for students. Make sure to remember this as you start writing your business plan, and comment below to let us know if these examples of business plans for startups were helpful in your startup journey.

For more helpful founder information: check out our podcast! The No BS version of startup life you've been looking for: Startup Therapy .

Afreen Zaheer

The examples were really helpful. It always makes such a difference actually seeing an example in action to help get a clearer picture of the overall objective.

Sarah Humphreys

The documents should be working now! Our apologies for the inconvenience.

Louisa Nicholson

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6 exemples de business plans qui ont fait leurs preuves

Vous avez un projet de création d’entreprise et vous vous apprêtez à approcher des banques, investisseurs, partenaires, etc. ? Vous allez avoir besoin d’un business plan pour prouver votre rentabilité ! Un exercice fastidieux pour certains, mais qui a l’avantage de se contraindre à penser stratégie, organisation, financement, trésorerie, et développement. Une fois achevé, votre business plan vous servira de fil d’Ariane tout au long de votre activité !

Business plan d’entreprise : rappel des basiques

Qu’est-ce qu’un business plan .

Le business plan est un document essentiel pour toute entreprise dès sa création… ou plus tard ! Il consiste en un plan détaillé qui décrit la vision, la stratégie et les objectifs d’une société. À l’externe, le business plan sert à prouver aux investisseurs / banquiers, et autres partenaires que vous avez bien réalisé une étude de marché avant de concrétiser votre projet de création, et que votre business a du potentiel. En interne, il aide à prendre des décisions éclairées et réalistes, en fournissant une feuille de route claire pour le développement de l’entreprise. Le business plan sert le plus souvent à : – Clarifier la faisabilité de son projet au moment de la création de son entreprise ; – Obtenir un financement ; – Trouver un partenaire ; – Solliciter un investisseur ; – Vendre /acheter une entreprise ; – Affiner ou revoir sa stratégie d’entreprise ; Etc.

Composition d’un business plan type

Il n’y a pas de business plan idéal. C’est à vous de raconter l’histoire de votre entreprise, dans l’ordre qui vous convient le mieux pour convaincre, ou selon vos besoins. Cependant, pour être complet, un business plan comprend généralement les éléments suivants :

Executive summary : introduction concise présentant qui vous êtes et votre projet d’entreprise.
Description de l’entreprise : présentation de votre entreprise, son histoire, sa structure et sa mission.
Étude de marché : analyse du marché cible, des concurrents, et des opportunités de développement.
Stratégie marketing : plan détaillé pour commercialiser votre produit ou service, atteindre votre public cible et vous démarquer de vos concurrents.
Structure organisationnelle de l’entreprise : présentation de la hiérarchie, des rôles clés et de la gestion de l’entreprise.
Produits ou services : description détaillée de ce que vous proposez et de sa proposition de valeur unique.
Plan financier : prévisions financières (chiffre d’affaires prévisionnel), y compris les revenus, les dépenses, les flux de trésorerie et les projections à long terme.
Analyse de risques : identification et évaluation des risques potentiels pour l’entreprise.
Stratégie de croissance : plan pour la croissance future de l’entreprise et les opportunités d’expansion.

Si le « plan de votre business plan » est essentiel, n’oubliez pas aussi d’en soigner la forme : des slides claires, concises, sans erreur… qui reflètent vos valeurs & votre sérieux. Si vous devez le partager, veillez à le transmettre sous forme de document PDF. En bref, votre business plan doit refléter l’identité de votre projet. À lire aussi : Analyser et résumer vos PDF en un clin d’oeil avec ChatGPT

6 modèles de business plans d’entreprise

En choisissant le bon business plan et en l’adaptant à votre projet, vous maximiserez vos chances de succès. Inspirez-vous de l’un de ces modèles, et fabriquez votre propre trame pour élaborer un business plan solide qui répondra à vos objectifs !

Exemple de business plan n°1 pour un projet de création de société de conseil

1 – Expertise : quel est votre projet ? Décrivez votre domaine d’expertise spécifique dans le conseil. Mettez en avant vos compétences, votre expérience et vos avantages par rapport à vos concurrents.

2 – Segment de marché : présentez ensuite votre public cible, et décrivez les besoins et les problèmes spécifiques auxquels vous répondez. Expliquez quel plan vous comptez déployer pour atteindre ces clients et construire des relations durables avec eux.

3 – Offre de services : décrivez en détail les services que vous proposez et comment ils répondent à des besoins identifiés. Mettez l’accent sur la valeur ajoutée que vous apportez et démontrez comment vous aiderez vos clients à atteindre leurs objectifs.

4 – Modèle économique : comment allez-vous générer des revenus et combien en facturant votre offre de conseil ? Établissez un plan prévisionnel : écrivez votre structure de tarification, votre stratégie de prix et vos projections financières (trésorerie, investissement, etc.).

5 – Plan marketing et promotion : élaborez une stratégie marketing pour atteindre vos clients potentiels. Quels canaux allez-vous utiliser : médias sociaux, marketing de contenu, autres canaux de communication pertinents pour augmenter votre visibilité et établir votre crédibilité. Par exemple, installer vos locaux dans un espace de coworking afin de profiter des mises en relation au sein de la communauté, etc.).

👋 Points de vigilance à mentionner dans votre business plan : soyez conscient des fluctuations du marché, de la concurrence accrue et des évolutions technologiques qui peuvent avoir un impact sur votre projet. Restez à l’affût des nouvelles tendances dans votre domaine, et adaptez votre business plan en conséquence. À lire aussi : Bien choisir ses prestataires de service

Exemple de business plan n°2 pour un projet de création de boutique de vente en ligne

1 – Niche : identifiez votre créneau de marché spécifique et déterminez le type de produits que vous allez proposer. Faites des recherches approfondies sur votre marché cible et identifiez les tendances émergentes pour avoir un coup d’avance.

2 – Plateforme en ligne : choisissez une plateforme de e-commerce électronique adaptée à votre projet. Assurez-vous qu’elle offre une expérience utilisateur optimale, des fonctionnalités de paiement sécurisées et une intégration facile avec d’autres outils de marketing et de gestion.

3 – Stratégie de vente : décrivez votre stratégie de vente en ligne, y compris vos canaux de marketing, vos efforts de référencement/ SEO, vos campagnes publicitaires et votre présence sur les réseaux sociaux. Mettez en avant votre proposition de valeur unique pour attirer et fidéliser les clients.

4 – Gestion des stocks et logistique : votre plan d’affaires doit permettre de comprendre comment vous allez gérer vos stocks ; quel sera le traitement des commandes, la logistique des livraisons, etc. Assurez-vous d’avoir des systèmes efficaces en place pour répondre à la demande et offrir une expérience d’achat fluide.

5 – Service client : mettez l’accent sur la qualité du service client. Comment répondrez-vous rapidement aux attentes et aux nouvelles envies ? Quelles options de retour et de remboursement ? Quel suivi de votre réputation en ligne ?

👋 Points de vigilance à mentionner dans votre business plan : soyez attentif à vos concurrents en ligne, à l’évolution des préférences des consommateurs et aux problèmes de cybersécurité. Restez à jour avec les dernières tendances de l’e-commerce et adaptez si besoin votre business plan.

L'EXPÉRIENCE CLIENT : Challenges et enjeux

Vous êtes Auto-entrepreneur.e Dirigeant.e Salarié.e Étudiant.e Autre

Exemple de business plan n°3 pour une activité de dépannage/réparation/bricolage

1 – Services : identifiez les services de dépannage / réparation / entretien spécifiques que vous offrez. Mettez en avant vos compétences techniques, vos éventuelles certifications, votre expérience et votre réputation dans le domaine, la façon dont vous vous tenez informé.e des évolutions, etc.

2 – Marché local : assurez-vous que votre projet de création répond bien à un besoin. Présentez votre évaluation de la demande de vos services dans votre région et identifiez votre marché cible local. Analysez la concurrence existante sur votre activité et déterminez comment votre entreprise va se démarquer… en offrant une prestation de qualité supérieure !

3 – Infrastructure et équipement : décrivez votre infrastructure, votre local, vos équipements et vos ressources nécessaires pour fournir vos services. Assurez-vous d’avoir les outils et les installations adéquats pour répondre aux besoins de vos clients (pièces détachées en stock, délai de commande, etc.).

4 – Tarification et rentabilité : établissez un plan d’affaires détaillant une structure tarifaire compétitive et justifiée pour vos services. Faites une analyse des coûts (notamment des pièces détachées) pour déterminer vos besoins en trésorerie, le seuil de rentabilité de votre activité et établissez des projections financières réalistes.

5 – Marketing local : prévoyez un plan de marketing local pour attirer les clients de votre quartier/région : publicité ciblée dans les journaux locaux, les annuaires en ligne et les médias sociaux. Sollicitez des témoignages de clients satisfaits pour renforcer votre crédibilité et asseoir votre activité.

👋 Points de vigilance à mentionner dans votre business plan : votre entreprise doit être prête à faire face à des imprévus et à des demandes de dépannage urgentes. Assurez-vous de disposer des ressources nécessaires pour répondre rapidement aux besoins de vos clients. Tenez compte des exigences réglementaires et des normes de sécurité dans votre secteur d’activité.

Exemple de business plan n°4 pour une activité de restauration/traiteur

1 – Analyse du marché : présentez les tendances et les besoins de vos clients cibles qui ont fait naître votre projet. Parlez des nouvelles attentes (vegan, offre de saison, etc.). Observez la concurrence : quelles ses forces et faiblesses selon vous ?

2 – Proposition de valeur : parlez du positionnement précis de votre entreprise par rapport aux concurrents et ce que vous avez à offrir de différents/mieux/plus malin/plus responsable, etc.

3 – Stratégie marketing : comment allez-vous atteindre et fidéliser vos clients ? Dégustation sur les marchés, partenariats avec d’autre commerçants, distribution de votre carte dans les boîtes aux lettres, etc. ?

4 – Structure et organisation : quelle structure juridique adaptée à votre projet, choix du statut de l’entreprise, composition de l’équipe, gestion des extras… Où allez-vous héberger votre entreprise, stocker vos denrées, cuisiner ?

5 – Produits et services : décrivez précisément les produits et services offerts (autrement dit, votre carte) par votre entreprise. Quels seront vos processus de production, approvisionnement en matières premières et gestion des fournisseurs ? Décrivez les mesures prévues pour la qualité, l’hygiène et la sécurité alimentaire.

6 – Plan financier : présentez vos prévisions financières sur une période définie (par exemple, 3 ans). Élaborez un plan de financement avec identification des sources de financement. Estimez votre seuil de rentabilité et enfin, détaillez la façon dont vous allez gérer votre budget et votre trésorerie !

👋 Points de vigilance à mentionner dans votre business plan : évaluez tous les risques liés à l’activité de restauration/traiteur. Les normes alimentaires, la gestion des stocks, le transport des denrées… Prévoyez un plan d’action d’entreprise pour les atténuer et les gérer. À lire aussi : Plan de continuité d’activité : pourquoi faire et comment ?

Exemple de business plan n°5 pour un projet de de conciergerie

1 – Présentation de votre activité : définissez le concept de la conciergerie et son importance selon vous dans le contexte des usages modernes. Précisez quel sera votre cible : luxe, particuliers, touristes, B2B ?

2 – Analyse du marché : décrivez l’état du marché de la conciergerie et de ses tendances actuelles. Identifiez les besoins des clients et leur typologie : particuliers et/ou entreprises ? Analysez la concurrence et évaluez les opportunités et les défis.

3 – Proposition de valeur : présentez votre vision de la notion de service et vos valeurs (disponibilité, créativité, adaptabilité). Puis, listez les prestations que vous imaginez proposer dans le cadre de votre activité.

4 – Modèle économique et rentabilité : quelles seront les sources de revenus et les flux de trésorerie ? Définissez le chiffre d’affaires prévisionnel, les coûts opérationnels, les marges bénéficiaires et les prévisions financières de votre entreprise.

5 – Marketing et acquisition : comment prévoyez-vous de vous faire connaître et attirer vos clients ? Évoquez l’importance d’un service irréprochable et de leur fidélisation.

6 – Structure juridique et organisation administrative de l’entreprise : présentez les rôles et responsabilités clés au sein de votre équipe. Parlez de l’importance de la spécialisation de vos intervenants et de leur formation continue pour maintenir un haut niveau de service.

👋 Points de vigilance à mentionner dans votre business plan : votre entreprise doit être assurée pour couvrir les éventuels litiges ou accidents. Anticipez des horaires de travail souples / élargis selon les besoins de vos clients (et les heures supplémentaires dans votre plan de financement).

Exemple de business plan n°6 pour un projet de reprise d’entreprise

1 – Executive summary : rédigez unesynthèse de votre business plan en première page pour présenter les points forts du projet, les écueils à éviter et les priorités d’action.

2 – Vous : présentez-vous (ainsi que vos associés le cas échéant). Parlez de votre expérience et de votre motivation.

3 – Votre projet de reprise : détaillez les modalités de reprise et de passage de relais (rachat du fonds de commerce, rachat des titres, location – gérance, reprise seul.e ou avec des associés, montage juridique, etc.). 4 – Présentation générale de l’entreprise envisagée : historique de l’entreprise, son organisation générale, son business plan (!), sa clientèle, ses fournisseurs, etc. 5 – Produits/offre de l’entreprise : présentez les prestations fournies, leurs points forts et leurs points d’amélioration, ainsi que les perspectives de développement d’activité que vous entrevoyez. 6 – Concurrence : évoquez le secteur de l’entreprise, la concurrence, les évolutions et innovations.

7 – Projet de développement : présentez icivos projets d’amélioration : approche commerciale, communication, gestion des ressources humaines, etc. Puis les moyens nécessaires pour réaliser ces actions (moyens humains, techniques et financiers).

8 – Dossier financier : démontrez que votre projet de reprise est rentable à court terme ! Montrez que vous avez analysé la situation financière de l’entreprise à reprendre (bilans, chiffre d’affaires, rentabilité, compte de résultat d’exploitation, etc.). Détaillez votre dossier de financement prévisionnel et la stratégie financière envisagée. À lire aussi : Piloter une entreprise en Budget Base Zéro (BBZ)

Comment se faire accompagner pour rédiger un business plan ?

Vous voyez de quoi il retourne, mais vous n’êtes pas à l’aise sur toutes les parties de votre futur plan d’affaires ? Vous craignez d’être incomplet, ennuyeux ou vous n’êtes pas sûr de votre modèle économique ? Faites-vous accompagner, ou faites relire votre business plan par des experts. Plusieurs solutions sont à votre disposition.

Les chambres consulaires

Les CCI (Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie), CMA (Chambre des Métiers et de l’Artisanat), etc. ont pour mission de soutenir le développement économique et les entreprises de leur bassin d’implantation. Elles disposent notamment de conseillers spécialisés dans la création ou la reprise d’entreprise : ces derniers pourront vérifier votre business plan et/ou vous guider dans son élaboration. Les chambres consulaires proposent en outre des formations (payantes) pour aider les créateurs d’entreprises à réaliser leur business plan.

Les réseaux spécialisés

Les associations de financement ou d’aide à la création et la reprise d’entreprise ont elles aussi vocation à accompagner gratuitement l’entrepreneur dans la rédaction de son business plan. Deux exemples qui mettent en relation des bénévoles chevronnés et des créateurs d’entreprise : – Le Réseau Entreprendre – Le Réseau Initiative France .

Les experts en business plan

Vous avez aussi la possibilité, pour faire votre business plan, de vous faire accompagner par un expert dédié (payant). Les experts comptables seront précieux sur la partie plan de financement et prévisionnel. Les conseils d’un coach spécialisé aideront à réaliser un business plan d’entreprise dans les règles de l’art. Un investissement qui en vaut la peine : ce document vous accompagnera tout au long de la vie de votre entreprise… en le mettant bien sûr à jour régulièrement selon l’évolution de votre activité.

Bonus : les espaces de coworking

Enfin, rejoignez un réseau de coworking pour vous soulager de toute la gestion des services généraux, bénéficier de services clés en main et bénéficier d’un soutien supplémentaire et élargir votre réseau professionnel. De tels espaces accueillent nombre de jeunes entrepreneurs qui sont, comme vous, en phase de création, mais aussi des entreprises de tous secteurs et de toutes tailles. L’occasion d’échanger sur vos problématiques et pourquoi pas, de gagner de nouveaux clients !

En conclusion, concevoir un business plan idéal pour son d’entreprise nécessite une compréhension approfondie des enjeux spécifiques de son projet. En suivant les points clés mentionnés ci-dessus, vous serez en mesure de rédiger un business model complet et convaincant ! N’oubliez pas d’adapter ensuite votre plan en fonction des évolutions du marché et des nouvelles opportunités : un tel document doit suivre l’activité de votre entreprise.

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Toutes les ressources pour ouvrir sa chocolaterie 🍫

Mettez toutes les chances de votre côté pour monter un projet rentable.

Voici le Business Model Canvas pour votre chocolaterie

Cet article a été écrit par un expert qui a étudié l’industrie et a confectionné le business plan pour une chocolaterie

Vous retrouverez une analyse PESTEL complète, modifiable et sans copyright dans notre modèle de business plan

Nous avons rédigé de nombreux business plans pour des chocolateries .

Bien trop souvent, les gérants de ces établissements ne prennent pas le temps de structurer leur projet de manière claire et efficace.

Pourquoi? Parce qu'ils n'ont pas les bons outils et les bonnes structures. Parmi ceux-là, il y a le Business Model Canvas.

Qu'est-ce qu'un Business Model Canvas ? Est-ce que j'en ai besoin pour ma chocolaterie ?

Soyons honnêtes avec vous.

Ce n’est pas un remède miracle, mais le Business Model Canvas est un outil précieux pour structurer votre projet de manière stratégique.

Il permet de visualiser l'ensemble des éléments clés de votre entreprise.

Si vous êtes sur le point d'ouvrir une chocolaterie , utiliser un Business Model Canvas n’est pas juste utile, c’est indispensable.

Il vous aidera à :

définir clairement votre proposition de valeur, comme une gamme de chocolats artisanaux ou des créations personnalisées pour des événements spéciaux
identifier vos segments de clientèle, qu'il s'agisse de gourmets locaux, de touristes en quête de souvenirs gourmands ou de professionnels cherchant des cadeaux d'entreprise
structurer vos canaux de distribution, qu'il s'agisse de votre boutique en ligne, de partenariats avec des épiceries fines ou de ventes lors de marchés locaux
cerner vos principales sources de revenus, que ce soit la vente de tablettes de chocolat, les ateliers de fabrication ou des abonnements mensuels à des coffrets de dégustation
mettre en lumière vos ressources clés, telles qu'un maître chocolatier expérimenté, un réseau de fournisseurs de cacao de qualité ou un emplacement stratégique

Bien sûr, le Business Model Canvas ne garantit pas le succès à lui seul, mais il vous offre une vue d'ensemble claire et une feuille de route pour votre chocolaterie.

Et si vous rédigez un business plan pour votre chocolaterie , le Business Model Canvas est un excellent outil pour vous guider tout au long du processus.

Notre business plan pour une chocolaterie vous aidera à réussir votre projet.

Des exemples pour chaque partie du Business Model Canvas d'une chocolaterie

- Amateurs de chocolat et gourmets - Familles et couples à la recherche d'une expérience sucrée - Entreprises organisant des cadeaux d'entreprise ou des événements privés

- Expérience unique de dégustation de chocolats artisanaux et internationaux - Ambiance chaleureuse et accueillante avec des conseils d'experts en chocolat - Ateliers et événements de découverte du chocolat (dégustations, ateliers de fabrication)

- Boutique physique de chocolaterie - Réseaux sociaux (Instagram, Facebook) pour attirer et engager la clientèle - Événements privés et partenariats avec des entreprises locales

- Service personnalisé et conseils sur le choix des chocolats - Programmes de fidélité pour clients réguliers - Organisation d’événements exclusifs (dégustations privées, ateliers thématiques)

- Vente de chocolats à l'unité et en coffrets - Frais pour des ateliers de fabrication et événements privés - Ventes de boissons et autres produits d'accompagnement (café, thé)

- Sélection de chocolats variés et de qualité - Chocolatiers et personnel formé en chocolaterie - Local bien situé avec ambiance conviviale

- Sélection et achat de chocolats auprès de producteurs et importateurs - Création d’événements et d’ateliers de fabrication de chocolat - Gestion de l'expérience client en boutique (service, ambiance)

- Producteurs et distributeurs de chocolat - Fournisseurs locaux de produits d'accompagnement (café, thé) - Influenceurs et critiques dans le domaine de la gastronomie

- Achat de chocolats et d'accompagnements - Coût du personnel (chocolatiers, vendeurs) - Frais d’exploitation (loyer, licences, marketing)

Nous avons également un article dédié à l'analyse SWOT pour ce projet

Ne confondez pas Business Model Canvas, Business Model et Business Plan

Vous êtes nombreux à vous tromper entre ces trois concepts : le business model, le business model canvas, et le business plan.

Le business model canvas, comme on vient de le voir, est un outil pratique pour résumer votre concept sur une seule page.

Vous y mettez vos segments de clientèle (amateurs de chocolat, entreprises pour des cadeaux d'affaires), votre proposition de valeur (chocolats artisanaux, ateliers de fabrication), et vos flux de revenus (vente de chocolats, ateliers, abonnements).

C'est visuel, rapide à remplir, et ça vous permet de voir en un coup d'œil si tout se tient.

Le business model, c'est simplement la manière dont votre chocolaterie va gagner de l'argent.

Par exemple, allez-vous vendre uniquement des chocolats en boutique, proposer des ateliers de fabrication payants, ou peut-être organiser des événements privés comme des dégustations ou des cours de pâtisserie ? C'est l'idée centrale de votre activité.

Enfin, le business plan, c'est un document beaucoup plus détaillé. Il inclut tout : votre stratégie marketing (comment attirer des clients dans votre chocolaterie), vos prévisions financières (ce que vous allez dépenser et gagner), et votre plan opérationnel (comment vous allez gérer les stocks de cacao, le personnel, etc.). C'est celui que vous présenterez à un investisseur ou une banque.

En résumé : le business model, c'est le concept ; le canvas, c'est un outil de synthèse ; et le business plan, c'est votre feuille de route complète.

Des exemples de Business Model Canvas complétés pour des chocolateries

Un business model canvas pour une chocolaterie bio et équitable.

Producteurs de cacao bio et équitable, coopératives agricoles, distributeurs de produits bio, associations écoresponsables.

Sélection rigoureuse de fèves de cacao bio et équitables, production artisanale de chocolat, organisation d'ateliers éducatifs sur le chocolat bio.

Offrir des chocolats de haute qualité, respectueux de l'environnement et des producteurs, pour une expérience gustative éthique et savoureuse.

Fidélisation par l'éducation sur le chocolat bio, événements exclusifs pour les membres, programme de fidélité écoresponsable.

Site web, réseaux sociaux, marketing écoresponsable, événements locaux.

Clients soucieux de leur santé et de l'environnement, amateurs de chocolat de qualité, consommateurs urbains branchés sur les tendances durables.

Achat de fèves de cacao bio et équitables, coûts de production artisanale, investissement dans des certifications bio, coûts marketing digital.

Vente de chocolats bio en boutique et en ligne, ateliers de dégustation, abonnements à des coffrets de chocolats bio.

Un Business Model Canvas pour une chocolaterie avec atelier de fabrication

Fournisseurs de matières premières, artisans chocolatiers, agences événementielles, partenaires locaux pour l’organisation d'ateliers.

Production de chocolat sur place, organisation d'ateliers de fabrication de chocolat, création d'une ambiance conviviale et éducative.

Offrir une expérience immersive où les clients peuvent apprendre à fabriquer leur propre chocolat tout en dégustant des produits de qualité.

Création d’une communauté autour des ateliers, événements exclusifs, partenariats avec influenceurs pour promouvoir le concept.

Marketing viral via réseaux sociaux, publicités événementielles, collaborations avec influenceurs et artisans.

Amateurs de chocolat cherchant une expérience interactive, familles et groupes d'amis, touristes à la recherche d'activités originales.

Achat de matières premières, rémunération des artisans, coûts d'équipement pour les ateliers, frais d'organisation d'événements.

Vente de chocolats, frais de participation aux ateliers, partenariats avec des sponsors locaux.

Un Business Model Canvas pour une chocolaterie spécialisée dans les produits locaux et de terroir

Producteurs locaux de cacao et autres ingrédients, artisans régionaux, offices du tourisme, coopératives agricoles.

Promotion des chocolats locaux, organisation de rencontres avec les producteurs, événements de dégustation axés sur le terroir.

Valorisation du savoir-faire local à travers une sélection de chocolats de terroir, mettant en avant l'authenticité et la qualité.

Organisation de dégustations exclusives avec les producteurs, événements locaux, abonnements pour découvrir régulièrement des chocolats locaux.

Publicité locale, réseaux sociaux, partenariats avec des événements régionaux, présence dans les foires gastronomiques.

Amateurs de produits locaux, consommateurs attachés au terroir, touristes à la recherche d’expériences authentiques.

Approvisionnement en matières premières locales, partenariats avec les producteurs, coûts de promotion locale et événements, coûts logistiques liés aux circuits courts.

Vente de chocolats de terroir, organisation de soirées dégustation, abonnements pour des coffrets de chocolats locaux.

Un Business Model Canvas vierge à télécharger gratuitement

Si vous ne souhaitez pas modifier le Business Model Canvas de notre business plan, vous pouvez télécharger celui-ci et la remplir avec vos propres éléments.

Bonne utilisation du Business Model Canvas et bon business plan !

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9 Business Plan Examples to Inspire Your Own (2024)
Whatever approach you take, your marketing plan should describe how you intend to promote your business and offerings to potential customers. 6. Logistics and operations plan. The Paw Print Post example considered suppliers, production, facilities, equipment, shipping and fulfillment, and inventory.
550+ Sample Business Plan Examples to Inspire Your Own
Find inspiration and guidance for your own business plan with over 550 industry-specific examples. Learn the traditional business plan format and how to write each section with tips and templates.
18 of My Favorite Sample Business Plans & Examples For Your Inspiration
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.
Simple Business Plan Template (2024)
This section of your simple business plan template explores how to structure and operate your business. Details include the type of business organization your startup will take, roles and ...
How to Create a Business Plan: Examples & Free Template
Tips on Writing a Business Plan. 1. Be clear and concise: Keep your language simple and straightforward. Avoid jargon and overly technical terms. A clear and concise business plan is easier for investors and stakeholders to understand and demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively. 2.
Business Plan Templates: 26 FREE Samples
Find 26 free samples of business plans for various industries and purposes. Customize and download your own plan template or use PandaDoc to create and eSign your document online.
The 7 Best Business Plan Examples (2024)
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 ...
Free PDF Business Plan Templates
Lean Business Plan Template PDF. This scannable business plan template allows you to easily identify the most important elements of your plan. Use this template to outline key details pertaining to your business and industry, product or service offerings, target customer segments (and channels to reach them), and to identify sources of revenue.
300+ Free Business Plan Examples for 2024
With Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less! Click here to finish your business plan today. Download over 300 free business plan examples to help you write a winning business plan to start and/or grow your business in 2024.
15+ Business Plan Examples to Help You Write Your Own
A great consulting business plan template will include a summary, objectives, market strategies, services and price listings for customers. This template makes great use of large, high quality images. With Visme, you can simply drag and drop images onto the template to replace the existing images with your own.
15+ Best Business Plan Examples for Entrepreneurs & Startups
Startup business plan example. An essential startup business plan should include a clear and compelling value proposition, market analysis, competitive analysis, target audience identification, financial projections, and a well-defined marketing and operational strategy.. For a typical startup, the need to appear disruptive in the industry is important
How to Write a Business Plan for a Small Business
Products and services description. When writing a business plan, the produces and services section is where you describe exactly what you're selling, and how it solves a problem for your target market. The best way to organize this part of your plan is to start by describing the problem that exists for your customers.
14 Business Plan Examples & Samples to Write Your Own [2024]
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. Download Pack of 14 Business Plan Examples FREE.
400+ Business Plan Examples to Inspire Your Own [2024 ]
A traditional plan is a must-have business document for business owners aiming to achieve long-term business success. 4. Internal business plan. As the name suggests, an internal business plan is a document designed for internal management and team members to ensure everyone's on the same page.
Write your business plan
A good business plan guides you through each stage of starting and managing your business. You'll use your business plan as a roadmap for how to structure, run, and grow your new business. It's a way to think through the key elements of your business. Business plans can help you get funding or bring on new business partners.
Business Plan Executive Summary Example & Template
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 ...
Sample Business Plan Search
A fill-in-the-blank business plan built for small businesses. Download Business Plan Template. Sample Plans. Popular Plans. Coffee Shop Agricultural Farm Hair & Beauty Salon Bakery Cleaning Service See All. Top Categories. Food & Beverage Fitness & Beauty Cleaning, Repairs & Maintenance Clothing & Fashion Brand Retail & eCommerce See All.
Business Plan Example and Template
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.
Business Plan
Découvrez ce qu'est un business plan, pourquoi il est important et comment le faire. Téléchargez notre modèle vierge de business plan gratuit et suivez nos conseils pour le remplir.
Top 4 Business Plan Examples
Dishwasher: 133 watts Television: 1,200 to 2,400 watts Coffee Maker: 900 to 1,200 watts Washing Machine: 350 to 500 watts Toaster: 55 to 250 watts Window Fan: 800 to 1,400 watts. The majority of US households now spend roughly 35 percent of their energy consumption on appliances, electronics, and lighting.
250 modèles de business plan (exemple gratuit) (Word)
Apprenez à rédiger un business plan efficace et professionnel avec des conseils, des modèles et des exemples gratuits. Découvrez ce qu'est un business plan, à quoi il sert, comment le présenter et le financer.
6 exemples de business plans qui ont fait leurs preuves
Découvrez comment rédiger un business plan efficace pour présenter votre projet de création d'entreprise à des investisseurs, des partenaires ou des banques. Inspirez-vous de 6 modèles de business plans adaptés à différents secteurs d'activité.
Business Model Canvas pour une chocolaterie (exemples)
Notre business plan pour une chocolaterie vous aidera à réussir votre projet. Des exemples pour chaque partie du Business Model Canvas d'une chocolaterie Segments de clientèle:- Amateurs de chocolat et gourmets- Familles et couples à la recherche d'une expérience sucrée- Entreprises organisant des cadeaux d'entreprise ou des événements ...

9 Business Plan Examples to Inspire Your Own (2024)

Business plan format: 9 examples

1. Executive summary

2. Company description

Business structure

Nature of the business

Background information

Business objectives

3. Market analysis

4. Products and services

5. Marketing plan

6. Logistics and operations plan

7. Financial plan

8. Customer segmentation

9. Appendix

Types of business plans, and what to include for each

Feasibility

Set yourself up for success as a business owner

Business plan examples FAQ

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What are the 4 key elements of a business plan?

What are the 3 main points of a business plan?

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18 of My Favorite Sample Business Plans & Examples For Your Inspiration

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Business Plan Types

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1. Startups

2. Feasibility Studies

3. Internal Use

4. Strategic Initiatives

5. Business Acquisition or Repositioning

Executive Summary

Market Opportunity

Competitive Landscape Analysis

Target Audience

Marketing Strategy

Key Features and Benefits

Pricing and Revenue

1. Executive Summary

Company Description

Executive Summary Business Plan Examples

Tips for Writing Your Executive Summary

Market Opportunity Business Plan Example

Tips for Writing Your Market Opportunity Section

3. Competitive Landscape Analysis

Competitive Landscape Business Plan Example

Tips for Writing Your Competitive Landscape

4. Target Audience

Target Audience Business Plan Example

Tips for Writing Your Target Audience Section

5. Marketing Strategy

Marketing Strategy Business Plan Example

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