Download a Business Plan Template

So, you’re ready to take the first steps in starting your business – congratulations!

Though you have a lot of work ahead of you, starting and growing a company from the ground up is a bold endeavor. And, if set up correctly it will deliver many things you want out of your professional career, as well as help you achieve some life goals.

Freedom, creativity, control, impact… all of these things are possible with a small business. But only if you start with a clear understanding of yourself, your offering, and the customers you serve.

So, how do you make sure that the business you start will be everything you want it to be? To put you on the right path towards the business you’ve always dreamed of, you need to start with a business plan.

To many, building a business plan sounds like a daunting task, but with big ideas and even bigger goals, it’s an important step to ensure you have a clear picture of what kind of company you’re building. A business plan helps you lay a foundation and iron out the details so you have a succinct short-term and long-term idea of what you’re building. If you’re not sure where to start business plan template documents can help.

A business plan template is a basic framework for building a powerful business plan document for your new company. With a business plan template, you get a head start on identifying key elements of your business. By identifying these key elements, your path becomes clear and easier to navigate.

Also, there are several key elements you must understand about your new business before you begin. You need to have a clear understanding of the products and services you offer, who your dream customers are (aka your target market), and who your competitors are (through doing a market analysis). You also need to see if your business idea is even viable by doing financial projections, which will determine if the product or service you offer is actually capable of creating enough income (aka revenue) to cover expenses (aka cost).

Because an offering that doesn’t make money isn’t a business, it’s a hobby.

With all of this information laid out, business plans act as a concise rundown of all the major parts of your business, which you’ll use to go from idea to small business and beyond. This detailed summary of the business you’re starting includes a plan for actually making it happen.

Trust us: there’s a bit of magic that comes from getting clear on these aspects of your new business because from clarity comes power, and with power… nothing will stand in your way.

A business plan that you’re using for your own clarity and purposes can look like anything you want – include the elements that are important to you, write it on a series of napkins if you want to, or add as much creative flair as you need to inspire you to get it done. Then get started with your business. The important thing is that you simply get it down “on paper” so that you have the information you need to effectively provide the product or service of your business to those in your target market so that you can begin reaching your goals.

But, if you’re wishing to seek funding for your new business, whether that’s from a bank, from an investor, or even from your family, it’s very important that you have a plan with a clear structure and with key elements presented. That way not only you will find clarity in the direction and purpose of your new business, but others can see it as well.

This plan will come together in a single document with clear organization that you can access anytime to keep you focused on taking just the right next step on your path.

There are several key elements that go into a complete and thorough business plan. With these elements, you have a complete picture of the company you’re here to start, which will become an invaluable resource as you begin taking your first steps, as well as when you begin checking-in in the coming months and even years. These elements include: