business plan marketplaces

How To Create A Marketplace Business Plan In 11 Steps: Full Guide

• November 17, 2023
• Fundraising

Both in the B2C and B2B industry, marketplaces have reshaped how we purchase online. They are flourishing in all verticals today, from large-scale consumer markets to B2B niche sectors. Whether you are raising capital or applying for a grant, you will need a solid business plan for your marketplace startup.

Whilst every marketplace is unique, we strongly recommend to follow in your business plan a clear structure vetted by dozens of high-profile VC firms globally. Having a powerful and clear business plan will maximise your chances of raising capital from potential investors.

In this article we walk you through the 11 sections you must have in your Marketplace business plan. Let’s dive in!

Note: If you are looking for a pitch deck instead, read our guide here . Although business plans and pitch decks are similar, they are also very different in their format. If you aren’t sure what is best for you, we recommend to read our article on the key differences between business plans and pitch decks .

Marketplace Business Plan: The Template

If you are creating a business plan for your marketplace startup, we recommend you follow the following structure:

• Executive Summary
• The Problem
• The Solution
• Market Opportunity
• Competitive Landscape
• Business Model
• Intellectual Property
• Marketing Strategy
• Financial Plan

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary is the introduction of your business plan. This is a section you should spend a lot of time on as it’s the first impression investors will have when looking at your business plan.

The executive summary should fit in 2 pages maximum . Make it to the point, concise, and make sure to answer the following questions:

• What is the problem you want to solve?
• What is your solution?
• Who are the co-founders behind the project?
• Do you have early traction?
• What are you asking for (capital from investors, government grant application, etc.)?

2. The Problem

This is the “why” of your business. Explain in this section what is the problem you are trying to solve.

The greatest businesses are solving big problems, yet they aren’t necessarily obvious . For instance, your marketplace might be in a niche B2B market and digitalising a legacy industry (health supplies for private clinics for instance). As such, you are solving an important problem for private clinics: the lack of product information, choice and unfavourable bargaining power from large suppliers.

Ideally you would list the 2/3 friction points you aim to fix. For instance, digitalisation usually fixes multiple problems at once: it is fast, seamless and accessible (vs. slow, prone to errors and non-readily available / accessible solutions).

Expert-built financial model templates for tech startups

3. The Solution

Your startup builds and commercialises a product and/or a service which solves the problem explained earlier.

This section should not explain in detail your product nor how it works. Instead, it should focus on the benefits for your customers .

Ideally, you should compare the pain points explained on section 2 (the Problem) to the benefits your solution brings to your customers. That way,  it is crystal clear to investors your solution really adds value to potential customers .

Following our marketplace example above, the benefits could be:

• Availability of products and comparability: clinics can choose exactly the product they are looking for, easily comparing features vs. alternatives
• Price competition ensuring best price-quality ratio

4. Market Opportunity

Here, you need to clearly identify 2 very important metrics:

• Market size :  how big is your market?
• Market growth:  how fast does your market grow?

If you are operating in a niche market, chances are that you will face some challenges: the information might not be publicly available. In any case, you should be able to make a high-level estimation of your market.  Read our article on market sizing and how to estimate TAM, SAM and SOM for your startup .

When looking for these metrics, you have multiple sources of information: public reports, specialised press, etc. Even public companies publish press releases and annual reports including some of their proprietary market estimates so be sure to look there too.

5. Competitive Landscape

How fragmented is your market.

Are there 3 big players sharing 90% market share or thousands of small players? Here, refer to public market reports and your own understanding of the competitive landscape.

A few questions you could ask yourself, among others:

• Who are your competitors?
• Are they local, regional, national or global?
• Are there any marketplace already in your industry or suppliers only?
• What’s the bargaining power of suppliers vs. buyers?

Where do you position yourself vs. competition?

Is your solution a game changer other competitors don’t have (yet)? Do you have competitors with similar products/services?

Ideally, you would create a small table with, for each type of competitors (e.g. wholesalers, marketplaces, direct suppliers, etc.) the main characteristics they share or not. For instance, do they all a global presence? Do they cover all the products you offer? Are they selling multiple brands / suppliers products? What is their relative price positioning (expensive vs. accessible)?

6. Business Model

This section is very important. Now that we have clearly identified the problem you are solving and the benefits of your solution, let’s have a closer look at your product.

This is where you clearly explain 2 key things:

Which products/services do you offer?

Marketplaces typically act as intermediary between sellers and buyers for specific products and/or services. Unfortunately, the global marketplaces like Amazon are exception to the rule here.

Here you will need to explain clearly what is your product offering : what services/products are you focusing on? Ideally, you would show a breakdown in terms of orders or revenues (pie chart for instance). Indeed, using our health supplies B2B marketplace example above, you might only focus on disposable health supplies (and not heavy medical equipments) for instance.

Another key information to add here is the average order value: what is the average value of the products? Are products transacting on your marketplace $50 piece second-hand clothing or $20,000 specialised industry rental machinery?

Pricing model

Marketplace are generating revenues from a number of sources, usually there are 3 main sources:

• Commission revenue : the main source of marketplaces. Marketplaces generate commissions revenues from 2 sources: either percentage of order value (for instance 10% of all transactions’ value) or a fixed fee instead (for instance $20 per transaction)

Note: the sum of commission revenues as a percentage of total transaction value (gross merchandise value) is usually referred to as “rake” or “take rate”. For a refresher on the 10 most important marketplace metrics, read our article here .

• Subscription revenue : you offer a tiered system, freemium or not (free plan) users need to pay for (monthly or annual billing cycle). You can charge either sellers or buyers (or both) for accessing the marketplace
• Additional revenues: marketplaces can sell add-on services such as promotion & content (e.g. promoted ads), white-label products, marketing and branding services, etc.

7. Intellectual Property

This section is optional: only include it if you already have a MVP. If so, you have a strong argument for product-driven investors which will give a lot of credit to your tech.

Be careful not to go into too many specifics though: investors aren’t always engineer by training. Do not put things like the programming language you have chosen (e.g. React, Python) or the database provider (PostgreSQL, MongoDB).

Instead, include things such as:

• whether you have a white-labelled solution or a proprietary back-end / database
• how many full time front/back-end engineers you have
• how much you invested already in your tech

8. Marketing Strategy

This section explains  how you acquire sellers and buyers respectively .

Depending on the type of customers you have, acquisition will likely be different. For instance, large suppliers (sellers) are usually acquired via outbound acquisition (Sales representatives). Instead, consumers (buyers) are acquired purely through traffic (paid or organic).

The different sources of acquisitions for marketplaces are:

• Paid marketing : any paid digital marketing campaigns (pay-per-click or per-impressions), whether it is search to your landing page (e.g. Google Ads), social media (e.g. Facebook Ads) or referrals. Paid marketing is mostly used to acquire sellers and buyers. As explained above, whilst buyers can be acquired exclusively through paid marketing or organic growth (see below), sellers can also require sales team effort (see below)
• Organic growth : you acquire sellers and buyers without paying for it. Organic growth is typically driven by investment in content (SEO, social media)
• Outbound acquisition : you acquire sellers (or rarely buyers) thanks to your sales team who contact potential customers via phone, emailing or in-person sales efforts. This is especially true for marketplaces who connect a few large suppliers to potential buyers.

Once you have clearly explained your acquisition strategy and what tools you are using (e.g. Google Ads for paid search, social media and content for organic growth), ideally you can show, among others:

• Your average  Customer Acquisition Cost
• Conversion rates and its components (add-to-cart rate, cart abandonment rate)
• Your monthly paid ads budget
• The number of followers you have on social media
• Your newsletter count

Note: for a refresher on the 10 most important marketplace metrics, read our article  here .

The roadmap tells investors where you are going and how is product going to evolve in the future. You can either keep it high-level (e.g. your long-term strategy) or more detailed (e.g. the pipeline of the near-future product features).

Investors do not just invest in your product as it is today. For example, you might only have developed a MVP with limited features for  early-adopters  while your product could be tweaked and serve a much larger customer base in the future.

Also, you might be broadening the type of products you offer in the future. Or you might introduce premium services such as a subscription, or premium listing fees. All of these additional features are very important to add in your investment deck.

Note: if you choose to include your product pipeline, keep it very simple. Your marketplace business plan isn’t your product manager’s presentation to engineers.  Instead of features, focus on the additional benefits and customer segments you might target  as such.

In this section you should focus on the people behind the company. Unlike in the executive summary, the team section of your business plan should not be limited to the cofounding or management team.

Instead, you should explain the current organisational structure of your company, the different teams, who they report to and their relative size.

For the people, keep it short. Keep biography to a minimum and only to key people (cofounders and management team). As rule of thumb, 5 lines per team member are enough, 10 a maximum.

When it comes to biographies, only include what is relevant: name, position, years of experience and/or previous companies is more than enough.

What about advisors?

Do you have angel investors with significant experience who advise you on strategy? Do you have a PhD who acts as advisor to your marketplace startup (on regulation and market access matters for instance)?

Any advisor should also be included here, with the same level of detail as for the management team.

Demonstrating in your business plan that not only team members but also experts are advising and/or sitting on your board is a strong selling point.

Note: add a clickable link to the respective Linkedin profiles so investors can refer to a more exhaustive resume for your team members (if relevant)

11. Financial Plan

Along with your product and the team, this section is very important. Unfortunately, many startups overlook the importance of financial projections in their Marketplace business plan.

Think about your audience: investors (venture capital firms or angel investors) are financially literate individuals . As such, they invest in your business to generate returns. Logically, they care a lot about your financials and more especially,  the expected financial performance of your business .

Do not expect investors to make up their own plan for your startup if you haven’t. As CEO, founder or entrepreneur alike,  you should have a clear idea of where you are going .

As rule of thumb, the more advanced your startup is, the more granularity you should include here. Pre-seed startups might keep it short (2/3 pages maximum) yet we recommend seed and Series A+ startups to include 4/5 pages at least instead.

Common marketplace metrics you should include in your financial plan slide are:

• Gross Merchandise Value (GMV)
• Average Order Value (AOV)
• Seller / Buyer Ratio
• Repeat Orders Rate
• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV or LTV)

For a complete list of the 10 most important metrics for marketplace businesses, refer to our article  here .

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Marketplace Financial Model Template

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Write your business plan

Business plans help you run your business.

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. Investors want to feel confident they’ll see a return on their investment. Your business plan is the tool you’ll use to convince people that working with you — or investing in your company — is a smart choice.

Pick a business plan format that works for you

There’s no right or wrong way to write a business plan. What’s important is that your plan meets your needs.

Most business plans fall into one of two common categories: traditional or lean startup.

Traditional business plans are more common, use a standard structure, and encourage you to go into detail in each section. They tend to require more work upfront and can be dozens of pages long.

Lean startup business plans are less common but still use a standard structure. They focus on summarizing only the most important points of the key elements of your plan. They can take as little as one hour to make and are typically only one page.

Traditional business plan

Lean startup plan

Traditional business plan format

You might prefer a traditional business plan format if you’re very detail-oriented, want a comprehensive plan, or plan to request financing from traditional sources.

When you write your business plan, you don’t have to stick to the exact business plan outline. Instead, use the sections that make the most sense for your business and your needs. Traditional business plans use some combination of these nine sections.

Executive summary

Briefly tell your reader what your company is and why it will be successful. Include your mission statement, your product or service, and basic information about your company’s leadership team, employees, and location. You should also include financial information and high-level growth plans if you plan to ask for financing.

Company description

Use your company description to provide detailed information about your company. Go into detail about the problems your business solves. Be specific, and list out the consumers, organization, or businesses your company plans to serve.

Explain the competitive advantages that will make your business a success. Are there experts on your team? Have you found the perfect location for your store? Your company description is the place to boast about your strengths.

Market analysis

You'll need a good understanding of your industry outlook and target market. Competitive research will show you what other businesses are doing and what their strengths are. In your market research, look for trends and themes. What do successful competitors do? Why does it work? Can you do it better? Now's the time to answer these questions.

Organization and management

Tell your reader how your company will be structured and who will run it.

Describe the  legal structure  of your business. State whether you have or intend to incorporate your business as a C or an S corporation, form a general or limited partnership, or if you're a sole proprietor or limited liability company (LLC).

Use an organizational chart to lay out who's in charge of what in your company. Show how each person's unique experience will contribute to the success of your venture. Consider including resumes and CVs of key members of your team.

Service or product line

Describe what you sell or what service you offer. Explain how it benefits your customers and what the product lifecycle looks like. Share your plans for intellectual property, like copyright or patent filings. If you're doing  research and development  for your service or product, explain it in detail.

Marketing and sales

There's no single way to approach a marketing strategy. Your strategy should evolve and change to fit your unique needs.

Your goal in this section is to describe how you'll attract and retain customers. You'll also describe how a sale will actually happen. You'll refer to this section later when you make financial projections, so make sure to thoroughly describe your complete marketing and sales strategies.

Funding request

If you're asking for funding, this is where you'll outline your funding requirements. Your goal is to clearly explain how much funding you’ll need over the next five years and what you'll use it for.

Specify whether you want debt or equity, the terms you'd like applied, and the length of time your request will cover. Give a detailed description of how you'll use your funds. Specify if you need funds to buy equipment or materials, pay salaries, or cover specific bills until revenue increases. Always include a description of your future strategic financial plans, like paying off debt or selling your business.

Financial projections

Supplement your funding request with financial projections. Your goal is to convince the reader that your business is stable and will be a financial success.

If your business is already established, include income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements for the last three to five years. If you have other collateral you could put against a loan, make sure to list it now.

Provide a prospective financial outlook for the next five years. Include forecasted income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and capital expenditure budgets. For the first year, be even more specific and use quarterly — or even monthly — projections. Make sure to clearly explain your projections, and match them to your funding requests.

This is a great place to use graphs and charts to tell the financial story of your business.  

Use your appendix to provide supporting documents or other materials were specially requested. Common items to include are credit histories, resumes, product pictures, letters of reference, licenses, permits, patents, legal documents, and other contracts.

Example traditional business plans

Before you write your business plan, read the following example business plans written by fictional business owners. Rebecca owns a consulting firm, and Andrew owns a toy company.

Lean startup format

You might prefer a lean startup format if you want to explain or start your business quickly, your business is relatively simple, or you plan to regularly change and refine your business plan.

Lean startup formats are charts that use only a handful of elements to describe your company’s value proposition, infrastructure, customers, and finances. They’re useful for visualizing tradeoffs and fundamental facts about your company.

There are different ways to develop a lean startup template. You can search the web to find free templates to build your business plan. We discuss nine components of a model business plan here:

Key partnerships

Note the other businesses or services you’ll work with to run your business. Think about suppliers, manufacturers, subcontractors, and similar strategic partners.

Key activities

List the ways your business will gain a competitive advantage. Highlight things like selling direct to consumers, or using technology to tap into the sharing economy.

Key resources

List any resource you’ll leverage to create value for your customer. Your most important assets could include staff, capital, or intellectual property. Don’t forget to leverage business resources that might be available to  women ,  veterans ,  Native Americans , and  HUBZone businesses .

Value proposition

Make a clear and compelling statement about the unique value your company brings to the market.

Customer relationships

Describe how customers will interact with your business. Is it automated or personal? In person or online? Think through the customer experience from start to finish.

Customer segments

Be specific when you name your target market. Your business won’t be for everybody, so it’s important to have a clear sense of whom your business will serve.

List the most important ways you’ll talk to your customers. Most businesses use a mix of channels and optimize them over time.

Cost structure

Will your company focus on reducing cost or maximizing value? Define your strategy, then list the most significant costs you’ll face pursuing it.

Revenue streams

Explain how your company will actually make money. Some examples are direct sales, memberships fees, and selling advertising space. If your company has multiple revenue streams, list them all.

Example lean business plan

Before you write your business plan, read this example business plan written by a fictional business owner, Andrew, who owns a toy company.

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Here is a free business plan sample for an online marketplace.

Are you considering launching a marketplace that connects buyers and sellers, but unsure of how to structure your business model?

In the following paragraphs, we will present you with a comprehensive business plan template tailored for a marketplace.

Creating a robust business plan is crucial for any aspiring entrepreneur. It serves as a roadmap, guiding you through the complexities of establishing and growing your platform, and ensuring that you have a clear understanding of your target market, competitive landscape, and revenue streams.

To kickstart your planning process with confidence, you can utilize our marketplace business plan template. Our team is also available to provide a free review and offer feedback on your completed plan.

How to draft a great business plan for your online marketplace?

A good business plan for a marketplace must reflect the unique aspects of operating such a platform.

To start, it is crucial to provide a comprehensive overview of the online marketplace industry. This includes current statistics and identifying emerging trends, as illustrated in our marketplace business plan template .

Your business plan should articulate your vision clearly, define your target audience (such as small businesses, niche markets, or general consumers), and establish the unique value proposition of your marketplace (like specialized services, unique product offerings, or a focus on local goods).

The market analysis section is vital. It should delve into the competitive landscape, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of existing marketplaces, and identifying the needs and behaviors of both sellers and buyers.

For a marketplace, it is important to outline the range of products or services you plan to offer. Describe the categories and how they cater to the demands of your users.

The operational plan should detail the technical infrastructure of your marketplace, including the platform's development, maintenance, and scalability. It should also cover logistics, payment processing, and customer service.

Quality control measures, user experience, and trust-building features such as reviews and ratings systems are also critical components to emphasize.

Address your marketing and sales strategy next. How will you attract sellers and buyers to your platform? Consider advertising, partnerships, and incentives for early adopters.

Implementing digital strategies, like search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, and a robust social media presence, is essential for online marketplaces.

The financial section is another cornerstone. It should include startup costs, revenue streams (like commission fees or subscription models), operational expenses, and financial projections.

Marketplaces often have complex revenue models and may take time to become profitable, so a thorough understanding of your financials is imperative. For assistance, refer to our financial forecast for a marketplace .

Compared to other business plans, a marketplace plan must pay special attention to network effects, the balance between supply and demand, and the strategies for scaling the user base.

A well-crafted business plan will not only help you clarify your strategy and approach but also attract investors or secure loans.

Lenders and investors are keen on seeing a solid market analysis, a viable financial model, and a clear plan for managing and growing the marketplace.

By presenting a detailed and substantiated plan, you showcase your dedication and preparedness for the challenges of running a marketplace.

To achieve these goals while saving time, you can start with our marketplace business plan template .

A free example of business plan for an online marketplace

Here, we will provide a concise and illustrative example of a business plan for a specific project.

This example aims to provide an overview of the essential components of a business plan. It is important to note that this version is only a summary. As it stands, this business plan is not sufficiently developed to support a profitability strategy or convince a bank to provide financing.

To be effective, the business plan should be significantly more detailed, including up-to-date market data, more persuasive arguments, a thorough market study, a three-year action plan, as well as detailed financial tables such as a projected income statement, projected balance sheet, cash flow budget, and break-even analysis.

All these elements have been thoroughly included by our experts in the business plan template they have designed for a marketplace .

Here, we will follow the same structure as in our business plan template.

Market Opportunity

Market data and figures.

The marketplace industry, encompassing both physical retail spaces and e-commerce platforms, is a dynamic and evolving sector with significant economic impact.

As of recent estimates, the global retail market has reached a value of approximately 25 trillion dollars, with e-commerce sales alone accounting for over 4 trillion dollars. This growth trajectory is anticipated to persist, driven by technological advancements and changing consumer behaviors.

In the United States, the marketplace industry is a major contributor to the economy, with thousands of marketplaces operating across the country, ranging from small local farmers' markets to large online retailers.

These figures underscore the critical role that marketplaces play in the global economy, serving as hubs for trade, commerce, and consumer engagement.

The marketplace industry is witnessing several key trends that are shaping its future.

One significant trend is the rise of omnichannel retailing, where businesses integrate online and offline channels to provide a seamless shopping experience. This approach caters to consumers who enjoy the convenience of online shopping but also value the tactile experience of physical stores.

Sustainability and ethical sourcing are becoming increasingly important to consumers, leading marketplaces to prioritize eco-friendly products and transparent supply chains.

Personalization and AI-driven recommendations are enhancing the shopping experience, making it more tailored to individual preferences and behaviors.

Additionally, the adoption of mobile commerce continues to surge, with more consumers using smartphones and tablets to shop on-the-go.

Lastly, the integration of social media platforms with marketplace functionalities allows for social commerce, where consumers can shop directly through social media apps, further blurring the lines between entertainment and shopping.

These trends highlight the marketplace industry's adaptability and its focus on meeting the evolving needs of modern consumers.

Success Factors

Several factors contribute to the success of a marketplace.

First and foremost, a diverse and high-quality product selection is vital. Marketplaces that offer a wide range of products that meet consumer needs and preferences are more likely to attract and retain customers.

User experience is also critical, with easy navigation, fast loading times, and a secure checkout process being essential for online marketplaces.

For physical marketplaces, location remains a key factor, as high foot traffic areas can lead to increased sales and visibility.

Customer service excellence, both in-person and online, is crucial for building trust and loyalty among consumers.

Finally, efficient operations management, including inventory control, logistics, and cost management, along with the ability to adapt to market trends and consumer demands, are fundamental for the sustained success of any marketplace.

The Project

Project presentation.

Our marketplace project is designed to cater to the diverse needs of a health-conscious community by offering a wide range of organic, locally-sourced, and specialty food items, including gluten-free, vegan, and non-GMO products. Situated in a bustling neighborhood or near health and wellness centers, this marketplace will provide a one-stop-shop experience for customers looking for fresh produce, artisanal goods, and eco-friendly household items.

The emphasis will be on the quality, sustainability, and traceability of the products to ensure customers receive the best possible goods while supporting local producers and reducing environmental impact.

This marketplace aims to become a hub for healthy living, offering not just food items but also educational workshops and events that promote a sustainable and nutritious lifestyle.

Value Proposition

The value proposition of our marketplace project is centered around offering a curated selection of high-quality, sustainable, and ethically sourced products that cater to the health and environmental consciousness of our customers.

Our dedication to providing a diverse array of goods, from organic vegetables to artisanal cheeses, ensures a unique shopping experience that supports local economies and promotes healthier living choices.

We are committed to fostering a community space where individuals can not only shop but also learn about the benefits of sustainable practices and healthy eating habits.

Our marketplace is poised to become a cornerstone of the community, providing a meaningful alternative to conventional shopping options and enhancing the well-being of our customers and the planet.

Project Owner

The project owner is an entrepreneur with a passion for sustainable living and community engagement.

With a background in business management and a personal commitment to environmental stewardship, they are driven to create a marketplace that stands out for its focus on quality, community, and sustainability.

Armed with a vision of fostering a healthier society, they are determined to offer a range of products that not only satisfy the palate but also contribute to the well-being of customers and the local environment.

Their dedication to ethical business practices and a deep belief in the power of community make them the ideal leader for this project, aiming to transform the way people think about and engage with their food and their environment.

The Market Study

Market segments.

The market segments for this specialized marketplace are diverse and cater to a wide range of consumer needs.

Firstly, there are local artisans and small businesses looking for a platform to sell their unique, handcrafted goods to a broader audience.

Secondly, the marketplace serves eco-conscious consumers who prioritize sustainable and environmentally friendly products.

Additionally, the platform attracts individuals seeking rare or niche items that are not readily available in conventional stores.

Lastly, the marketplace is an ideal space for collectors and hobbyists searching for specific items to complete their collections or pursue their hobbies.

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis of this marketplace project highlights several key factors.

Strengths include a diverse range of products, a user-friendly online platform, and a strong focus on community and customer service.

Weaknesses may involve the challenge of maintaining product quality control across various vendors and the logistics of managing a multi-seller platform.

Opportunities exist in the growing trend towards online shopping and the potential to scale by continuously adding new vendors and product categories.

Threats could include the dominance of established online marketplaces and the rapid changes in e-commerce regulations and consumer behavior.

Competitor Analysis

Competitor analysis in the online marketplace sector indicates a highly competitive environment.

Key competitors include large e-commerce platforms as well as niche marketplaces that specialize in certain product categories or values, such as sustainability or local production.

These competitors vie for market share by offering convenience, competitive pricing, and a wide selection of products.

Potential competitive advantages for our marketplace include a curated selection of quality goods, a strong sense of community, and exceptional customer support.

Understanding the competitive landscape is crucial for carving out a unique position in the market and for customer acquisition and retention.

Competitive Advantages

Our marketplace stands out due to its commitment to supporting small businesses and artisans, providing them with a platform to reach a wider audience.

We offer a carefully curated selection of products, ensuring that each item meets our standards for quality and uniqueness.

Our dedication to sustainability and ethical practices appeals to a growing demographic of socially responsible consumers.

Moreover, our focus on creating a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience, coupled with robust customer service, fosters loyalty and trust in our brand.

You can also read our articles about: - how to launch an online marketplace: a complete guide - the customer segments of an online marketplace - the competition study for an online marketplace

The Strategy

Development plan.

Our three-year development plan for the specialized marketplace is designed to cater to a diverse range of customers seeking quality, convenience, and variety.

In the first year, we aim to establish a strong online presence and build a robust vendor network. We will focus on user experience and seamless transactions to quickly gain market traction.

The second year will be about scaling up, adding more vendors, and expanding our product categories to become a one-stop-shop for our customers.

In the third year, we plan to introduce additional services such as same-day delivery and subscription models while also exploring B2B partnerships to further diversify our revenue streams.

Throughout this period, we will prioritize customer satisfaction, platform security, and innovative features to stay ahead in the competitive marketplace landscape.

Business Model Canvas

The Business Model Canvas for our marketplace focuses on connecting customers with a wide range of vendors offering unique and high-quality products.

Our value proposition lies in providing a convenient and secure shopping experience, with a diverse selection of goods from trusted sellers.

We operate primarily through our online platform, utilizing key resources such as our technology infrastructure and customer service excellence.

Key activities include marketplace management, vendor relations, and customer support.

Our revenue streams are generated from transaction fees, premium vendor subscriptions, and targeted advertising within the platform.

Costs are associated with platform development, maintenance, marketing, and staff salaries.

Access a complete and editable real Business Model Canvas in our business plan template .

Marketing Strategy

Our marketing strategy is centered around building a strong brand and community.

We plan to engage customers through targeted social media campaigns, influencer partnerships, and SEO to drive traffic to our platform.

We will also offer promotional deals and loyalty programs to encourage repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals.

Collaborations with industry leaders and participation in trade shows will help us to expand our vendor network and product offerings.

Our commitment to customer service excellence will be at the forefront of our marketing efforts to ensure a positive reputation and brand loyalty.

Risk Policy

Our risk policy for the marketplace is focused on mitigating operational, financial, and cybersecurity risks.

We will implement robust security protocols to protect user data and transactions, conduct regular audits, and stay compliant with e-commerce regulations.

Financial risks will be managed through diversified revenue streams and careful budgeting, while operational risks will be addressed through contingency planning and vendor management policies.

We will also secure comprehensive insurance to protect against potential liabilities.

Our goal is to provide a secure and reliable platform for both customers and vendors, ensuring the long-term success of the marketplace.

Why Our Project is Viable

We are confident in the viability of our marketplace due to the growing trend of online shopping and the demand for diverse, quality products in one convenient location.

With our focus on customer experience, vendor partnerships, and platform security, we believe we can capture a significant share of the market.

We are committed to adapting to consumer trends and technological advancements to ensure the continuous growth and relevance of our marketplace.

We are excited to embark on this journey and are prepared to make the necessary investments to create a thriving online marketplace.

You can also read our articles about: - the Business Model Canvas of an online marketplace - the marketing strategy for an online marketplace

The Financial Plan

Of course, the text presented below is far from sufficient to serve as a solid and credible financial analysis for a bank or potential investor. They expect specific numbers, financial statements, and charts demonstrating the profitability of your project.

All these elements are available in our business plan template for a marketplace and our financial plan for a marketplace .

Initial expenses for our marketplace include securing a suitable location, renovating the space to create a welcoming and efficient shopping environment, acquiring point-of-sale systems and inventory management software, initial stock procurement from diverse vendors, and costs associated with branding and launching comprehensive marketing campaigns to attract both vendors and customers to our platform.

Our revenue assumptions are based on a thorough market analysis of consumer trends and preferences, with a focus on the demand for a diverse range of products, including unique, artisanal, and locally-sourced items.

We anticipate a steady increase in foot traffic and online sales, starting modestly and expanding as the reputation of our marketplace grows within the community and beyond.

The projected income statement outlines expected revenues from vendor booth rentals, commission on sales, and any additional services offered, against the cost of goods sold, operational costs (rent, utilities, marketing, salaries, etc.), and other expenses.

This results in a forecasted net profit that is essential for assessing the long-term viability of our marketplace.

The projected balance sheet reflects assets such as leasehold improvements, equipment, and inventory, alongside liabilities including loans and accounts payable.

It provides a snapshot of the financial standing of our marketplace at the end of each fiscal period.

Our projected cash flow statement details the inflows from sales and vendor fees, and outflows for expenses and inventory purchases, enabling us to predict our financial needs and maintain a healthy cash reserve.

The projected financing plan identifies the mix of equity, loans, and other financing methods we intend to utilize to fund our initial and ongoing operational costs.

The working capital requirement for our marketplace will be diligently managed to ensure we have sufficient funds to support day-to-day activities, such as restocking inventory, vendor payments, and staff wages.

The break-even analysis will determine the volume of transactions required to cover all our costs and begin generating a profit, marking the point at which our marketplace becomes self-sustaining.

Key performance indicators we will monitor include the average revenue per vendor, customer retention rates, the current ratio to evaluate our short-term financial resilience, and the return on investment to gauge the profitability of the capital deployed in our marketplace.

These metrics will be instrumental in assessing the financial health and success of our marketplace venture.

If you want to know more about the financial analysis of this type of activity, please read our article about the financial plan for an online marketplace .

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Small Business Trends

How to create a business plan: examples & free template.

Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or launching your very first startup, the guide will give you the insights, tools, and confidence you need to create a solid foundation for your business.

Table of Contents

How to Write a Business Plan

Executive summary.

It’s crucial to include a clear mission statement, a brief description of your primary products or services, an overview of your target market, and key financial projections or achievements.

Our target market includes environmentally conscious consumers and businesses seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. We project a 200% increase in revenue within the first three years of operation.

Overview and Business Objectives

Example: EcoTech’s primary objective is to become a market leader in sustainable technology products within the next five years. Our key objectives include:

Company Description

Example: EcoTech is committed to developing cutting-edge sustainable technology products that benefit both the environment and our customers. Our unique combination of innovative solutions and eco-friendly design sets us apart from the competition. We envision a future where technology and sustainability go hand in hand, leading to a greener planet.

Define Your Target Market

Market analysis.

The Market Analysis section requires thorough research and a keen understanding of the industry. It involves examining the current trends within your industry, understanding the needs and preferences of your customers, and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.

Our research indicates a gap in the market for high-quality, innovative eco-friendly technology products that cater to both individual and business clients.

SWOT Analysis

Including a SWOT analysis demonstrates to stakeholders that you have a balanced and realistic understanding of your business in its operational context.

Competitive Analysis

Organization and management team.

Provide an overview of your company’s organizational structure, including key roles and responsibilities. Introduce your management team, highlighting their expertise and experience to demonstrate that your team is capable of executing the business plan successfully.

Products and Services Offered

This section should emphasize the value you provide to customers, demonstrating that your business has a deep understanding of customer needs and is well-positioned to deliver innovative solutions that address those needs and set your company apart from competitors.

Marketing and Sales Strategy

Discuss how these marketing and sales efforts will work together to attract and retain customers, generate leads, and ultimately contribute to achieving your business’s revenue goals.

Logistics and Operations Plan

Inventory control is another crucial aspect, where you explain strategies for inventory management to ensure efficiency and reduce wastage. The section should also describe your production processes, emphasizing scalability and adaptability to meet changing market demands.

We also prioritize efficient distribution through various channels, including online platforms and retail partners, to deliver products to our customers in a timely manner.

Financial Projections Plan

This forward-looking financial plan is crucial for demonstrating that you have a firm grasp of the financial nuances of your business and are prepared to manage its financial health effectively.

Income Statement

Cash flow statement.

A cash flow statement is a crucial part of a financial business plan that shows the inflows and outflows of cash within your business. It helps you monitor your company’s liquidity, ensuring you have enough cash on hand to cover operating expenses, pay debts, and invest in growth opportunities.

Tips on Writing a Business Plan

4. Focus on your unique selling proposition (USP): Clearly articulate what sets your business apart from the competition. Emphasize your USP throughout your business plan to showcase your company’s value and potential for success.

FREE Business Plan Template

To help you get started on your business plan, we have created a template that includes all the essential components discussed in the “How to Write a Business Plan” section. This easy-to-use template will guide you through each step of the process, ensuring you don’t miss any critical details.

What is a Business Plan?

Why you should write a business plan.

Understanding the importance of a business plan in today’s competitive environment is crucial for entrepreneurs and business owners. Here are five compelling reasons to write a business plan:

What are the Different Types of Business Plans?

Using Business Plan Software

Upmetrics provides a simple and intuitive platform for creating a well-structured business plan. It features customizable templates, financial forecasting tools, and collaboration capabilities, allowing you to work with team members and advisors. Upmetrics also offers a library of resources to guide you through the business planning process.

Business Plan FAQs

What is a good business plan.

A good business plan is a well-researched, clear, and concise document that outlines a company’s goals, strategies, target market, competitive advantages, and financial projections. It should be adaptable to change and provide a roadmap for achieving success.

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.

Yes, a one-page business plan is a condensed version that highlights the most essential elements, including the company’s mission, target market, unique selling proposition, and financial goals.

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.

A business plan should address questions such as: What problem does the business solve? Who is the specific target market ? What is the unique selling proposition? What are the company’s objectives? How will it achieve those objectives?

What’s the difference between a business plan and a strategic plan?

How is business planning for a nonprofit different.

Target Market Examples

Elon Glucklich

7 min. read

Updated April 24, 2024

Imagine your dream is to own a diner.

You have restaurant experience and a great location in mind – you just need the bank to approve your loan to get started.

But the bank has questions. A big one it wants answered is: who is your target market?

It might be tempting just to say, “hungry diners.” But you’ll need to dig deeper to truly define your target market . 

In this article, we’ll use this diner scenario to walk through the market research process and illustrate what the final result could look like.

• Questions about your target market

Before you even set foot in the bank, you should already have asked – and taken steps to answer – several key questions about your target market.

Let’s call our example business the Bplans Diner. Where is that perfect location you’ve found for the diner? Is it in a densely populated urban area, suburban neighborhood, or rural?

What are your hours of operation? Some diners cater to a breakfast crowd, while others might offer 24-hour dining to be a favorite among night owls. When you expect your peak hours could help determine whether you should expect to sell more omelets or hamburgers.

What’s the area’s median income, and what types of businesses or institutions are nearby? This information will help you determine pricing and marketing strategies for your diner. For instance, if your diner is located in a business district, you may want to offer lunch specials. But if it’s near a college or university, you might want to offer student discounts.

This is what a thorough target market analysis looks like, providing key insights and data to pinpoint the specific groups of customers most likely to patronize your diner. Gathering all of this information may sound intimidating, but it’s really just a matter of doing research. If you need help and guidance, check out our complete guide to conducting market research for your business . 

Let’s look at an example of a target market analysis for this diner. Then, we’ll break it down and discuss each element in detail.

• Example of a target market analysis

As you can see, the target market analysis follows the basic market segmentation process of splitting out potential customers into their demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioral traits.

Next, let’s take a look at each in more detail. Afterward, we’ll look at how you can harness your target market analysis into actual business strategies.

• Demographic

You may have noticed that the demographic analysis in our example is very broad – 18 to 65 years old, including students, workers, and some seniors.

Finding your target market isn’t always about identifying a narrow demographic to cater to. In the case of a restaurant, it makes sense to focus on the geographic location and who currently frequents the area (more on that in the next section).

A different approach may be needed for a technology product that’s sold online. In that case, narrowing the demographic focus to specific age ranges or needs would be much more important than where the business is located.

In the case of the diner, we reached our decision by conducting a demographic analysis, examining the age ranges, occupations, and other concrete data points about potential customers near the proposed location (Reminder: we didn’t do this for the Bplans Diner, we’re just providing an example). 

There are several ways to go about collecting this information for your business. The most straightforward is to get out in the neighborhood, take a look around and talk to people. Are you mostly seeing students, or families? Are there a lot of office workers in the area? 

You can also look up data from the U.S. Census Bureau , which includes population, age, income and other useful information, often down to the neighborhood level.

After conducting this research, one valuable step is to create a detailed customer persona that represents the typical customer you expect for your business (we provide an example of a customer persona for the diner further down in this article).

While the demographic analysis considers the type of people who might frequent your business, the geographic analysis considers the characteristics of the neighborhood itself. 

Our target market analysis for Bplans Diner noted that we plan to operate in an urban area near a university with heavy foot traffic and expect a fair amount of late-night diners.

A key reason for examining the geographic makeup of your businesses is to size up your competition. If there’s already a popular diner in the area you plan to target, getting customers could be a major challenge. But if there’s a lack of dining options or no one is serving diner-style food, you’re more likely to be successful. Determining the size of your market will help you create reasonable revenue projections. 

We also mentioned the plan for Bplans Diner to cater to a late-night crowd. Examining the geographic makeup of the neighborhood will help you determine if there are the kinds of businesses – bars, music venues, or businesses such as hospitals where people are working all hours – to justify targeting this group.

• Psychographic

You know the demographics and geographic characteristics of your market. Now it’s time to consider the attitudes and values of your potential customers.

The psychographic analysis helps to understand the lifestyle of potential customers and how that might affect their preferences as consumers. If many of your potential customers are health-conscious, for instance, you’ll want to ensure your diner provides options like salads or gluten-free menu items. But if most customers are families looking for a place to bring their children, it may be important to keep classic items like hamburgers and french fries on the menu.

The best way to understand your potential customers’ attitudes is to get out and talk to them. Customer interviews are among the most powerful methods of validating a business idea , since you’ll get honest, real-time feedback from the kinds of people your business would depend on.

Finally, the behavioral analysis expands on customer psychographics by examining what customers do, given their values. This is another place where it’s worth considering the broad demographics of the diner’s target market – 18 to 65 years old, split among students, workers, and seniors.

They may all want the diner’s food, but their behaviors will vary widely. College students might be looking for a late-night study spot, or a place to meet up with friends for dinner before a concert or sporting event. But workers and seniors might be more interested in breakfast or lunch specials. 

Each of these behaviors gives a business owner valuable information to target individual segments of their target audience. For instance, you might want to play popular music in the evenings to get young diners ready for a night out on the town. But you’ll want a quieter ambiance at the time of day when seniors are most likely to come in. The environment can be adjusted based on when certain customers frequent the business.

Addressing behavioral aspects like buying motivations and concerns of your potential customers will also help you effectively market your diner. For example, you could create marketing campaigns based on student discounts, late-night specials, or a family-friendly atmosphere, depending on your customers’ behaviors.

• Connecting a target market analysis to business strategy

So far, we’ve touched on each of the components of a target market analysis for a diner: customer demographics, geographics, psychographics, and behaviors. (It’s also important to conduct an industry analysis to understand competitive and macroeconomic forces affecting your planning.)

With the target market analysis complete, you’re better equipped to demonstrate a thorough understanding of your customers to a lender.

Here are a few insights a business owner could use for the Bplans Diner, developed through the above analysis.

• Bplans Diner Competitive Analysis

Market Trends: Growing demand for late-night food options, increasing preference for healthy dining options.

Competitor Strengths and Weaknesses:

Competitor A: Strong brand but limited menu options.

Competitor B: Wide variety of options but lacking in ambiance.

• Bplans Diner Marketing Strategy

Product Differentiation: Offering a diverse menu that caters to various preferences, including healthy options.

Positioning: Establishing Bplans Diner as a reliable, quality, 24-hour dining option in the region.

Promotion: Utilizing social media to announce special night-time deals and promotions.

• Get started with your business plan template

A target market analysis is a key part of any business plan. But it’s just one piece. At Bplans, we take some of the pain out of business planning. We’ve developed a free business planning template to help reduce entrepreneurs’ time to create a full, lender-ready business plan. Bplans has also collected over 550 free sample business plans across numerous industries. Find a plan in your industry to get inspiration for your plan.

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Elon is a marketing specialist at Palo Alto Software, working with consultants, accountants, business instructors and others who use LivePlan at scale. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism and an MBA from the University of Oregon.

Table of Contents

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Table of Contents

How to make a business plan

How to make a good business plan: step-by-step guide.

A business plan is a strategic roadmap used to navigate the challenging journey of entrepreneurship. It's the foundation upon which you build a successful business.

A well-crafted business plan can help you define your vision, clarify your goals, and identify potential problems before they arise.

But where do you start? How do you create a business plan that sets you up for success?

This article will explore the step-by-step process of creating a comprehensive business plan.

What is a business plan?

A business plan is a formal document that outlines a business's objectives, strategies, and operational procedures. It typically includes the following information about a company:

Products or services

Target market

Competitors

Marketing and sales strategies

Financial plan

Management team

A business plan serves as a roadmap for a company's success and provides a blueprint for its growth and development. It helps entrepreneurs and business owners organize their ideas, evaluate the feasibility, and identify potential challenges and opportunities.

As well as serving as a guide for business owners, a business plan can attract investors and secure funding. It demonstrates the company's understanding of the market, its ability to generate revenue and profits, and its strategy for managing risks and achieving success.

Business plan vs. business model canvas

A business plan may seem similar to a business model canvas, but each document serves a different purpose.

A business model canvas is a high-level overview that helps entrepreneurs and business owners quickly test and iterate their ideas. It is often a one-page document that briefly outlines the following:

Key partnerships

Key activities

Key propositions

Customer relationships

Customer segments

Key resources

Cost structure

Revenue streams

On the other hand, a Business Plan Template provides a more in-depth analysis of a company's strategy and operations. It is typically a lengthy document and requires significant time and effort to develop.

A business model shouldn’t replace a business plan, and vice versa. Business owners should lay the foundations and visually capture the most important information with a Business Model Canvas Template . Because this is a fast and efficient way to communicate a business idea, a business model canvas is a good starting point before developing a more comprehensive business plan.

A business plan can aim to secure funding from investors or lenders, while a business model canvas communicates a business idea to potential customers or partners.

Why is a business plan important?

A business plan is crucial for any entrepreneur or business owner wanting to increase their chances of success.

Here are some of the many benefits of having a thorough business plan.

Helps to define the business goals and objectives

A business plan encourages you to think critically about your goals and objectives. Doing so lets you clearly understand what you want to achieve and how you plan to get there.

A well-defined set of goals, objectives, and key results also provides a sense of direction and purpose, which helps keep business owners focused and motivated.

Guides decision-making

A business plan requires you to consider different scenarios and potential problems that may arise in your business. This awareness allows you to devise strategies to deal with these issues and avoid pitfalls.

With a clear plan, entrepreneurs can make informed decisions aligning with their overall business goals and objectives. This helps reduce the risk of making costly mistakes and ensures they make decisions with long-term success in mind.

Attracts investors and secures funding

Investors and lenders often require a business plan before considering investing in your business. A document that outlines the company's goals, objectives, and financial forecasts can help instill confidence in potential investors and lenders.

A well-written business plan demonstrates that you have thoroughly thought through your business idea and have a solid plan for success.

Identifies potential challenges and risks

A business plan requires entrepreneurs to consider potential challenges and risks that could impact their business. For example:

Is there enough demand for my product or service?

Will I have enough capital to start my business?

Is the market oversaturated with too many competitors?

What will happen if my marketing strategy is ineffective?

By identifying these potential challenges, entrepreneurs can develop strategies to mitigate risks and overcome challenges. This can reduce the likelihood of costly mistakes and ensure the business is well-positioned to take on any challenges.

Provides a basis for measuring success

A business plan serves as a framework for measuring success by providing clear goals and financial projections . Entrepreneurs can regularly refer to the original business plan as a benchmark to measure progress. By comparing the current business position to initial forecasts, business owners can answer questions such as:

Are we where we want to be at this point?

Did we achieve our goals?

If not, why not, and what do we need to do?

After assessing whether the business is meeting its objectives or falling short, business owners can adjust their strategies as needed.

How to make a business plan step by step

The steps below will guide you through the process of creating a business plan and what key components you need to include.

1. Create an executive summary

Start with a brief overview of your entire plan. The executive summary should cover your business plan's main points and key takeaways.

Keep your executive summary concise and clear with the Executive Summary Template . The simple design helps readers understand the crux of your business plan without reading the entire document.

2. Write your company description

Provide a detailed explanation of your company. Include information on what your company does, the mission statement, and your vision for the future.

Provide additional background information on the history of your company, the founders, and any notable achievements or milestones.

3. Conduct a market analysis

Conduct an in-depth analysis of your industry, competitors, and target market. This is best done with a SWOT analysis to identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Next, identify your target market's needs, demographics, and behaviors.

Use the Competitive Analysis Template to brainstorm answers to simple questions like:

What does the current market look like?

Who are your competitors?

What are they offering?

What will give you a competitive advantage?

Who is your target market?

What are they looking for and why?

How will your product or service satisfy a need?

These questions should give you valuable insights into the current market and where your business stands.

4. Describe your products and services

Provide detailed information about your products and services. This includes pricing information, product features, and any unique selling points.

Use the Product/Market Fit Template to explain how your products meet the needs of your target market. Describe what sets them apart from the competition.

5. Design a marketing and sales strategy

Outline how you plan to promote and sell your products. Your marketing strategy and sales strategy should include information about your:

Pricing strategy

Advertising and promotional tactics

Sales channels

The Go to Market Strategy Template is a great way to visually map how you plan to launch your product or service in a new or existing market.

6. Determine budget and financial projections

Document detailed information on your business’ finances. Describe the current financial position of the company and how you expect the finances to play out.

Some details to include in this section are:

Startup costs

Revenue projections

Profit and loss statement

Funding you have received or plan to receive

Strategy for raising funds

7. Set the organization and management structure

Define how your company is structured and who will be responsible for each aspect of the business. Use the Business Organizational Chart Template to visually map the company’s teams, roles, and hierarchy.

As well as the organization and management structure, discuss the legal structure of your business. Clarify whether your business is a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, or LLC.

8. Make an action plan

At this point in your business plan, you’ve described what you’re aiming for. But how are you going to get there? The Action Plan Template describes the following steps to move your business plan forward. Outline the next steps you plan to take to bring your business plan to fruition.

Types of business plans

Several types of business plans cater to different purposes and stages of a company's lifecycle. Here are some of the most common types of business plans.

Startup business plan

A startup business plan is typically an entrepreneur's first business plan. This document helps entrepreneurs articulate their business idea when starting a new business.

Not sure how to make a business plan for a startup? It’s pretty similar to a regular business plan, except the primary purpose of a startup business plan is to convince investors to provide funding for the business. A startup business plan also outlines the potential target market, product/service offering, marketing plan, and financial projections.

Strategic business plan

A strategic business plan is a long-term plan that outlines a company's overall strategy, objectives, and tactics. This type of strategic plan focuses on the big picture and helps business owners set goals and priorities and measure progress.

The primary purpose of a strategic business plan is to provide direction and guidance to the company's management team and stakeholders. The plan typically covers a period of three to five years.

Operational business plan

An operational business plan is a detailed document that outlines the day-to-day operations of a business. It focuses on the specific activities and processes required to run the business, such as:

Organizational structure

Staffing plan

Production plan

Quality control

Inventory management

Supply chain

The primary purpose of an operational business plan is to ensure that the business runs efficiently and effectively. It helps business owners manage their resources, track their performance, and identify areas for improvement.

Growth-business plan

A growth-business plan is a strategic plan that outlines how a company plans to expand its business. It helps business owners identify new market opportunities and increase revenue and profitability. The primary purpose of a growth-business plan is to provide a roadmap for the company's expansion and growth.

The 3 Horizons of Growth Template is a great tool to identify new areas of growth. This framework categorizes growth opportunities into three categories: Horizon 1 (core business), Horizon 2 (emerging business), and Horizon 3 (potential business).

One-page business plan

A one-page business plan is a condensed version of a full business plan that focuses on the most critical aspects of a business. It’s a great tool for entrepreneurs who want to quickly communicate their business idea to potential investors, partners, or employees.

A one-page business plan typically includes sections such as business concept, value proposition, revenue streams, and cost structure.

Best practices for how to make a good business plan

Here are some additional tips for creating a business plan:

Use a template

A template can help you organize your thoughts and effectively communicate your business ideas and strategies. Starting with a template can also save you time and effort when formatting your plan.

Miro’s extensive library of customizable templates includes all the necessary sections for a comprehensive business plan. With our templates, you can confidently present your business plans to stakeholders and investors.

Be practical

Avoid overestimating revenue projections or underestimating expenses. Your business plan should be grounded in practical realities like your budget, resources, and capabilities.

Be specific

Provide as much detail as possible in your business plan. A specific plan is easier to execute because it provides clear guidance on what needs to be done and how. Without specific details, your plan may be too broad or vague, making it difficult to know where to start or how to measure success.

Be thorough with your research

Conduct thorough research to fully understand the market, your competitors, and your target audience . By conducting thorough research, you can identify potential risks and challenges your business may face and develop strategies to mitigate them.

Get input from others

It can be easy to become overly focused on your vision and ideas, leading to tunnel vision and a lack of objectivity. By seeking input from others, you can identify potential opportunities you may have overlooked.

Review and revise regularly

A business plan is a living document. You should update it regularly to reflect market, industry, and business changes. Set aside time for regular reviews and revisions to ensure your plan remains relevant and effective.

Create a winning business plan to chart your path to success

Starting or growing a business can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting, a well-written business plan can make or break your business’ success.

The purpose of a business plan is more than just to secure funding and attract investors. It also serves as a roadmap for achieving your business goals and realizing your vision. With the right mindset, tools, and strategies, you can develop a visually appealing, persuasive business plan.

Ready to make an effective business plan that works for you? Check out our library of ready-made strategy and planning templates and chart your path to success.

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Plans and pricing.

How to build your marketplace business plan

The creation of a marketplace is a commercial opportunity which requires significant investment by operators. Even if a marketplace shares similarities with an e-commerce site, there are fundamental differences to be taken into account when developing the business plan, more specifically in terms of overheads and revenues. In this context, the development of a realistic business plan is crucial to validating your profitability and understanding how to generate cash flows and create long-term value.

With more than 10 years’ experience in marketplace operation, Octopia provides its expertise, advice and guidance in the development of your marketplace business plan.

If you would like to know more about the key steps to developing your marketplace business plan, keep reading!

Step 1: Forecast your GMV

The first step in the business plan is to define a potential GMV 1 , using various methods. We generally recommend you forecast your GMV estimations over 5 years.

Method 1: ‘Top-down’

The first method to assess your potential GMV is the ‘top-down’ approach. You can assess the size of the market you operate in and allocate yourself a market share (target or real). You can also define the share of your e-commerce turnover which should come from your future marketplace.

Method 2: ‘Bottom-up by offer’

The second method used to assess your potential GMV is the ‘bottom-up’ approach. Starting with a number of products (target or real), estimate an average GMV for each product and add together to obtain your total GMV.

Method 3: Marketing

It is also possible to estimate your Marketplace GMV using your marketing investments and traffic. You can define a marketing budget and the annual traffic derived from this budget. By applying an average conversion rate 2 which is relevant to your sector, you can deduct a number of orders and potential GMV based on the average shopping cart.

Generally speaking, the more comprehensive the marketplace offer, the more your customers will see you as a one-stop shop, which will increase your traffic and conversions and thus your GMV. In order to offer your end customers a rich selection, you need to recruit a sufficient number of sellers, one of the keys to marketplace success.

Octopia recommends you combine several methods to assess your potential GMV, which will enable you to compare the coherence between models. It is also important to compare as much as possible the results of your methods with your current business results (if in existence) or the market benchmark (average cart, number of orders, conversion rate, traffic and marketing budget, etc.).

The next step of the business plan is to define marketplace turnover.

Step 2: Calculate your turnover

The net turnover corresponds to marketplace revenues after deduction of cancellations and product returns.

Marketplace operators have several revenue sources:

• Commission rates: This is the main source of marketplace revenue. The operator fixes a commission rate which will be levied for every sale made by a third-party seller. This rate generally varies between 5% and 25% per sale.

When launching your marketplace, Octopia recommends you fix a commission rate somewhat lower than the market to attract as many sellers as possible

• Subscription: This is the amount paid on a monthly or annual basis by sellers to access the marketplace. Subscription fees are at the total discretion of the marketplace operator.

As with commission, subscription may serve as a means to enter a market. On launching your marketplace, you can choose to reduce this subscription or provide it for free to attract sellers and provide a comprehensive offer to satisfy your customers. The subscription can thus be added gradually as the marketplace matures to become a considerable portion of your revenues.

• Monetization 3   : This is the cost paid by sellers to the operator in exchange for financial services, credit lines, administrative services or visibility. This monetization varies between 0.1% and 2% of GMV. There is a direct link therefore between the number of sellers and turnover: the more sellers there are, the more monetization the operator can generate.

Monetization is a set of additional services provided at a later stage, when the marketplace is more mature.

Revenues thus depend on the number of sellers and the GMV, and have a direct impact on turnover.

Elements to deduct:

Once you have defined a gross turnover, you must deduct certain indicators in order to obtain your net turnover:

• Cancellation rates: When the end customer decides to cancel their order before receiving the product. This rate is calculated as a percentage of the GMV and is defined on the basis of market studies.
• Product return rate: When the end customer receives the product and returns it to the marketplace. This rate varies according to the market, business sector and country.

Deduct these ratios from your revenue to obtain your net turnover. The business plan is not complete until you have deducted overheads from this turnover.

Step 3: Identify your costs and investments

There are two main overheads to marketplace operation:.

• Marketing: Investing in marketing when launching the marketplace is crucial to enhancing your visibility. This cost varies from one marketplace to another, you can allocate a dedicated budget or a percentage of the GMV.

Octopia emphasizes the importance of calculating the marketing ROI to fine-tune your marketing strategy, i.e., how much every Euro invested will contribute to GMV.

• Payroll: In addition to the standard payroll of an e-commerce site, launching your marketplace will imply the integration of new skill sets, particularly those linked to seller management. The two key tasks are sourcing and account management. Sourcing consists in identifying, contacting and onboarding sellers to your marketplace. Account management is the organization, management and retaining of your sellers to ensure their performance and avoid c hurn 4 . Octopia estimates that one person can source between 20 and 30 sellers per year and a second person can oversee account management for 20 to 35 sellers per year.

If you would like to benefit from our advice to on how to identify the right sellers for your needs, read our dedicated article

Additional overheads to marketplace operation:

• PSP (cash-in / cash-out): This is the payment service provider, which is mandatory to carry out financial transactions on the marketplace. PSPs generally bill a fixed rate per order and a variable cost according to your GMV.
• Customer relations: This is the cost of managing customer relations and after-sales service, etc. The marketplace operator plays an intermediary role between the sellers and the end customer. The operator must arbitrate in the event of a dispute and implement tools to enable seller-customer dialog. These after-sales overheads represent €0.30 to €0.60 on average per order.
• IT running costs: These correspond to the hosting and licensing of the marketplace platform. The marketplace operator pays a one-off ‘set-up’ cost to launch the marketplace, followed by running costs corresponding to an annual subscription.

Launching a marketplace thus implies substantial costs, mainly related to seller management tasks. In addition to a base of 15,000 international sellers ready to join your marketplace, Octopia also offers to outsource your sourcing and account management, and thus their related costs.

Step 4: Analyze the bottom-line impact

Now that the top line and related costs have been assessed and aligned, it is time to examine the impacts on the bottom line. In other words, the analysis of the time to value of the project, the return on investment and the generation of cash flow. By working with Octopia, you can benefit from proactive result-based advice and thus ensure faster, more sustainable growth.

In conclusion, developing a business plan is a complex task which requires solid sources of information. Numerous marketplaces launched in the last 10 years have failed. While the marketplace model implies fewer fixed costs than a standard e-commerce model, the challenge lies in reaching an adequate critical mass to attract a sufficient number of qualitative sellers providing a wide and relevant range which will attract and satisfy more customers.

Octopia guides you through the development of your marketplace business plan. As a specialist in marketplace management for more than 10 years, Octopia has expert knowledge of the key factors for a prosperous marketplace.

• GMV : Growth Merchandise Value represents the total value of goods sold by sellers for a given period on the marketplace, before deducting taxes and commissions.
• Conversion or transformation rate: The percentage of online visitors who reach a certain objective, such as making a purchase.
• Monetization: The type of remuneration which transforms an audience into revenue, by providing sellers with enhanced visibility of their offers.
• Churn or attrition rate: In the context of the marketplace, this is the percentage of sellers leaving the marketplace definitively, either deliberately or due to their suspension by the marketplace.
• EBITDA : earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization,

Home > Business > Business Startup

How To Write a Business Plan

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Starting a business is a wild ride, and a solid business plan can be the key to keeping you on track. A business plan is essentially a roadmap for your business — outlining your goals, strategies, market analysis and financial projections. Not only will it guide your decision-making, a business plan can help you secure funding with a loan or from investors .

Writing a business plan can seem like a huge task, but taking it one step at a time can break the plan down into manageable milestones. Here is our step-by-step guide on how to write a business plan.

Table of contents

• Write your executive summary
• Do your market research homework
• Set your business goals and objectives
• Plan your business strategy
• Describe your product or service
• Crunch the numbers
• Finalize your business plan

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Step 1: Write your executive summary

Though this will be the first page of your business plan , we recommend you actually write the executive summary last. That’s because an executive summary highlights what’s to come in the business plan but in a more condensed fashion.

An executive summary gives stakeholders who are reading your business plan the key points quickly without having to comb through pages and pages. Be sure to cover each successive point in a concise manner, and include as much data as necessary to support your claims.

You’ll cover other things too, but answer these basic questions in your executive summary:

• Idea: What’s your business concept? What problem does your business solve? What are your business goals?
• Product: What’s your product/service and how is it different?
• Market: Who’s your audience? How will you reach customers?
• Finance: How much will your idea cost? And if you’re seeking funding, how much money do you need? How much do you expect to earn? If you’ve already started, where is your revenue at now?

Step 2: Do your market research homework

The next step in writing a business plan is to conduct market research . This involves gathering information about your target market (or customer persona), your competition, and the industry as a whole. You can use a variety of research methods such as surveys, focus groups, and online research to gather this information. Your method may be formal or more casual, just make sure that you’re getting good data back.

This research will help you to understand the needs of your target market and the potential demand for your product or service—essential aspects of starting and growing a successful business.

Step 3: Set your business goals and objectives

Once you’ve completed your market research, you can begin to define your business goals and objectives. What is the problem you want to solve? What’s your vision for the future? Where do you want to be in a year from now?

Use this step to decide what you want to achieve with your business, both in the short and long term. Try to set SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound benchmarks—that will help you to stay focused and motivated as you build your business.

Step 4: Plan your business strategy

Your business strategy is how you plan to reach your goals and objectives. This includes details on positioning your product or service, marketing and sales strategies, operational plans, and the organizational structure of your small business.

Make sure to include key roles and responsibilities for each team member if you’re in a business entity with multiple people.

Step 5: Describe your product or service

In this section, get into the nitty-gritty of your product or service. Go into depth regarding the features, benefits, target market, and any patents or proprietary tech you have. Make sure to paint a clear picture of what sets your product apart from the competition—and don’t forget to highlight any customer benefits.

Step 6: Crunch the numbers

Financial analysis is an essential part of your business plan. If you’re already in business that includes your profit and loss statement , cash flow statement and balance sheet .

These financial projections will give investors and lenders an understanding of the financial health of your business and the potential return on investment.

You may want to work with a financial professional to ensure your financial projections are realistic and accurate.

Step 7: Finalize your business plan

Once you’ve completed everything, it's time to finalize your business plan. This involves reviewing and editing your plan to ensure that it is clear, concise, and easy to understand.

You should also have someone else review your plan to get a fresh perspective and identify any areas that may need improvement. You could even work with a free SCORE mentor on your business plan or use a SCORE business plan template for more detailed guidance.

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The takeaway

Writing a business plan is an essential process for any forward-thinking entrepreneur or business owner. A business plan requires a lot of up-front research, planning, and attention to detail, but it’s worthwhile. Creating a comprehensive business plan can help you achieve your business goals and secure the funding you need.

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What you need to know to plan your marketplace business

An introduction to online marketplaces. What they are, why they are booming, and why you should build one.

Published on Jun 5, 2017

Last updated on Mar 15, 2024

This article is also the first chapter of the Practical guide to building an online marketplace business . Also available in audio!

Online marketplaces are hot. The success of platforms like Airbnb , Etsy , and Fiverr has proven that the marketplace model is very scalable and can be applied to pretty much any area of business. As one of the top VC firms, Andreessen Horowitz, put it : " This is just the beginning ".

In the coming years, we're going to see tremendous innovation in the field of building and running marketplaces. There's no better time to become a marketplace entrepreneur.

Even though the time is right—and the technology is finally mature enough —building a successful marketplace is far from a trivial task. In this series of articles, we share what we've learned about how to build a successful marketplace .

Before we start, a word of warning: there are no shortcuts for launching a marketplace and making it successful. Having a sound strategy and knowing best practices are important, but you still need to be prepared to put in lots of hard work to grow your community and make it flourish.

This first article will act as a high-level overview of many of the things that are required to build a successful marketplace. These include:

• Why marketplaces are booming
• What the challenges are to building a marketplace business
• Why it's important to understand your personal motivations
• Why the best way to learn is by launching as soon as possible
• Why engaging your users should be a priority

In the following chapters of this guide, we are going to take a deeper dive into these subjects.

Marketplace platforms are great businesses

The first time I came across Airbnb , I was amazed. The design and usability were excellent. Whenever I showed the service to someone, they fell in love with it. Many of them started instantly searching for a host for their next trip. Once they returned from their trip, they recommended Airbnb to friends and colleagues.

Many entrepreneurs who approach me through Consumo Colaborativo are eager to share their idea of creating an " Airbnb for X ". That's normal: the success of Airbnb and the Collaborative Economy, in general, is something that cannot go unnoticed. This chart shows it quite well:

As of December 2015, funding for projects that are part of the Collaborative Economy industry is already almost five times what the most successful social networks (including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube) have raised. Since then, the gap has grown even further. If the influence of social media on our society has been unprecedented, we can imagine what kind of effect these collaborative platforms are capable of.

We are talking about a young industry with great potential for growth. PwC did a study on the global market size of the collaborative economy. They found that the size of the industry is currently at around $15 billion, and expect it to grow to $335 billion by 2025.

The main reason marketplace businesses scale so well is that you don't need to have your own inventory to run one. Airbnb does not own any hotel rooms, but it's already considered one of the biggest companies providing short-term accommodation in the world. This is a really attractive proposition: you can build a huge business without having to spend a lot of money to buy the initial inventory, and thus taking on a lot of risk.

Five years ago, the concept of a sharing or collaborative economy didn't exist. When I started looking into how to build a platform in late 2009, the most well-known marketplace websites were eBay , Craigslist , and Couchsurfing . Today, thousands of entrepreneurs are creating the next generation of online marketplaces in multiple different sectors.

As you dive into learning about marketplaces, a useful resource to take with you is Sharetribe's marketplace glossary . It contains helpful definitions for the essential terms to know.

Building a successful marketplace is not easy

Convincing people from all over the world to sleep in private residences was certainly not easy for Airbnb. These words from Airbnb's CEO Brian Chesky are a perfect illustration of what it took:

– We met all these investors and they just wouldn't invest. So we started funding it ourselves. We sold collectible breakfast cereal and did other crazy things… We went door to door with cameras taking pictures of all these apartments to put them online. I lived in their living rooms. And home by home, block by block, communities started growing.”

For more information on how Airbnb was born, watch this video of Airbnb's co-founder Joe Gebbia describing the initial stages of the project.

Building a successful marketplace business takes a lot of work. Coming up with an idea and launching a website is just the very beginning. While you don't need to have your own inventory, you need to solve the chicken-and-egg problem: how to convince others to bring their inventory to your marketplace when there are no buyers yet, and how to attract the buyers when you don't have inventory (yet). In the coming posts, we'll go over different means of overcoming this problem.

Also, your idea will likely require a large-scale change in mindset. That's certainly the case with Airbnb. Before they started, most people hadn't thought of staying at the homes of unfamiliar people or renting out their own bedroom to strangers. Airbnb managed to change that mindset, but it required a lot of time and effort in building an extremely convenient solution to find accommodation. Marketplaces are rarely overnight successes—most of them require patience to reach critical mass.

What do you want to achieve by starting a marketplace?

Before you get busy developing your marketplace, you should take some time to reflect on three things: why, what and how.

Why do you want to create a marketplace business? Is it because you are tired of working for another company? Perhaps you want to save the world, make tons of money, or build a profitable side business. Whatever the reasons are, articulating your true motivations for being an entrepreneur is important because your strategy will depend on them.

If your plan is to build a small business and eventually support yourself and maybe a small staff, it might make sense to focus on a smaller market. If instead your plan is different and you expect to raise money from venture capitalists, your market needs to be huge. Marc-Arthur Gauthey from Startupassembly.co has explained it like this:

– Try to explain to an investor that you want to create relationships between people, and he’ll ask you how much they’d pay. These people think exclusively in capital letters: ROI, BFR, EBITDA, and IPO.

– You don’t raise capital without an excellent market approach, a real problem to address, a clear business strategy (this also includes a long-term vision), and an Excel spreadsheet that projects your investor becoming a millionaire... That’s just how it goes.

The next step is to figure out what it is that you're planning to build. Are you really passionate about a particular idea, or are you looking for a profitable niche? The second chapter of our guide focuses on the topic of finding the best marketplace ideas , but it's important to keep in mind that building the platform still requires a lot of dedication. The more passionate you are about the subject area, the more likely you are to succeed.

Finally, you need to figure out how to build your marketplace platform. Do you know how to write code? If not, do you have money to hire developers? Or are you planning to use existing marketplace software, and if so, which will you choose ? Do you have previous experience running a startup? Do you have previous experience in the target market? Do you have co-founders or are you alone? The answers to these questions will help you define the best strategy for developing your idea. We recommend being pragmatic and taking into account both your strengths and weaknesses—your professional experience, education, initial contacts, and financial resources. These will influence the way you should start your business.

Most great startups are built by really capable teams of founders. However, if you do not have a skilled team around you (yet) but still want to shoot for the moon, worry not—there are ways to move forward with your business even if you are a sole founder without technical skills. In some cases, these constraints can actually work to your advantage.

Create your Minimum Viable Product as soon as possible

While software development is relevant to the success of your marketplace, it is not enough to make it successful. We have seen many cases of entrepreneurs putting all their initial resources into the development of their platform, and then realizing that nobody is interested in using it . I call marketplaces that are technologically well built but fail at attracting users “desert platforms”.

During the initial phase of the project, your main goal should be to develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and launch it as soon as possible . This will help you validate your business idea without having to take a big risk and invest lots of capital. The learning process only starts once you have something to offer your users, so it's important to get to that point as soon as possible. Your first product needs to have just enough features to be able to solve your users' core problem.

We will go into more details on how to build a marketplace MVP in a later article, but one thing you should not focus on (in the beginning) is creating the perfect marketplace platform. I’ve met entrepreneurs who want to develop a platform like Airbnb in the initial phase—one that "has all the features, it works worldwide and all kinds of people can use". Having a global vision is important, but all successful platforms were Minimum Viable Products in the beginning.

For example, Airbnb started out on a site designed with WordPress, and most of their current features were built at a point when they had already proven that their basic concept works. You don't need to think about scaling to millions of users right away—instead, you should focus on finding 10 people who are really passionate about your concept.

One of the most common mistakes that entrepreneurs make is spending too much time and a majority of their budget  on developing the platform before they launch. Instead, they should be doing a manual-first startup . Off-the-shelf marketplace solutions like Sharetribe are great tools for marketplace entrepreneurs who want to get their first product out the door and validate their idea as quickly as possible.

Engage your users before your platform is ready

Finally, one last thing I want to highlight in this overview is the importance of interacting with your users as soon as you start working on your project. From my experience considering that talking to users brings a residual value is one of the most common pitfalls when building a marketplace. Christopher Lukezic of Airbnb explains this well in this interview . When he was asked what advice he would give to a sharing economy entrepreneur, his response was:

– What I've learned from [the Airbnb founders] is to listen to your users early on and engage them in the process at every step of the way. Don't just meet them; engage them, converse with them, and prod them to find out what their problems and needs are. People often start companies to solve their own problems, but, over time, all entrepreneurs recognize that, to be successful, the product has to be built for a wider array of end users.

– The ones who are truly successful make sure to engage their users at every point along the way in order to solve bigger and bigger problems by presenting transformative solutions to the way we live our lives.

Talking to your users can take a lot of time, but it's time that you simply need to spend. The platform you're building is an important piece of the puzzle, but it's your users and their level of engagement that really makes or breaks your business.

Let's start building a marketplace!

We've now covered the most important things you need to know before moving forward with building your marketplace business. You know the main advantages, the biggest challenges, and the common pitfalls. Most importantly, you should be able to answer the following question: what kind of business do I really want to build?

It's time to start building!

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Marketplace software: How to compare and choose the best solution

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What Is a Business Plan?

Understanding business plans, how to write a business plan, common elements of a business plan, the bottom line, business plan: what it is, what's included, and how to write one.

Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader. Besides his extensive derivative trading expertise, Adam is an expert in economics and behavioral finance. Adam received his master's in economics from The New School for Social Research and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in sociology. He is a CFA charterholder as well as holding FINRA Series 7, 55 & 63 licenses. He currently researches and teaches economic sociology and the social studies of finance at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

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A business plan is a document that outlines a company's goals and the strategies to achieve them. It's valuable for both startups and established companies. For startups, a well-crafted business plan is crucial for attracting potential lenders and investors. Established businesses use business plans to stay on track and aligned with their growth objectives. This article will explain the key components of an effective business plan and guidance on how to write one.

Key Takeaways

• A business plan is a document detailing a company's business activities and strategies for achieving its goals.
• Startup companies use business plans to launch their venture and to attract outside investors.
• For established companies, a business plan helps keep the executive team focused on short- and long-term objectives.
• There's no single required format for a business plan, but certain key elements are essential for most companies.

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Any new business should have a business plan in place before beginning operations. Banks and venture capital firms often want to see a business plan before considering making a loan or providing capital to new businesses.

Even if a company doesn't need additional funding, having a business plan helps it stay focused on its goals. Research from the University of Oregon shows that businesses with a plan are significantly more likely to secure funding than those without one. Moreover, companies with a business plan grow 30% faster than those that don't plan. According to a Harvard Business Review article, entrepreneurs who write formal plans are 16% more likely to achieve viability than those who don't.

A business plan should ideally be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect achieved goals or changes in direction. An established business moving in a new direction might even create an entirely new plan.

There are numerous benefits to creating (and sticking to) a well-conceived business plan. It allows for careful consideration of ideas before significant investment, highlights potential obstacles to success, and provides a tool for seeking objective feedback from trusted outsiders. A business plan may also help ensure that a company’s executive team remains aligned on strategic action items and priorities.

While business plans vary widely, even among competitors in the same industry, they often share basic elements detailed below.

A well-crafted business plan is essential for attracting investors and guiding a company's strategic growth. It should address market needs and investor requirements and provide clear financial projections.

While there are any number of templates that you can use to write a business plan, it's best to try to avoid producing a generic-looking one. Let your plan reflect the unique personality of your business.

Many business plans use some combination of the sections below, with varying levels of detail, depending on the company.

The length of a business plan can vary greatly from business to business. Regardless, gathering the basic information into a 15- to 25-page document is best. Any additional crucial elements, such as patent applications, can be referenced in the main document and included as appendices.

Common elements in many business plans include:

• Executive summary : This section introduces the company and includes its mission statement along with relevant information about the company's leadership, employees, operations, and locations.
• Products and services : Describe the products and services the company offers or plans to introduce. Include details on pricing, product lifespan, and unique consumer benefits. Mention production and manufacturing processes, relevant patents , proprietary technology , and research and development (R&D) information.
• Market analysis : Explain the current state of the industry and the competition. Detail where the company fits in, the types of customers it plans to target, and how it plans to capture market share from competitors.
• Marketing strategy : Outline the company's plans to attract and retain customers, including anticipated advertising and marketing campaigns. Describe the distribution channels that will be used to deliver products or services to consumers.
• Financial plans and projections : Established businesses should include financial statements, balance sheets, and other relevant financial information. New businesses should provide financial targets and estimates for the first few years. This section may also include any funding requests.

Investors want to see a clear exit strategy, expected returns, and a timeline for cashing out. It's likely a good idea to provide five-year profitability forecasts and realistic financial estimates.

2 Types of Business Plans

Business plans can vary in format, often categorized into traditional and lean startup plans. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) , the traditional business plan is the more common of the two.

• Traditional business plans : These are detailed and lengthy, requiring more effort to create but offering comprehensive information that can be persuasive to potential investors.
• Lean startup business plans : These are concise, sometimes just one page, and focus on key elements. While they save time, companies should be ready to provide additional details if requested by investors or lenders.

Why Do Business Plans Fail?

A business plan isn't a surefire recipe for success. The plan may have been unrealistic in its assumptions and projections. Markets and the economy might change in ways that couldn't have been foreseen. A competitor might introduce a revolutionary new product or service. All this calls for building flexibility into your plan, so you can pivot to a new course if needed.

How Often Should a Business Plan Be Updated?

How frequently a business plan needs to be revised will depend on its nature. Updating your business plan is crucial due to changes in external factors (market trends, competition, and regulations) and internal developments (like employee growth and new products). While a well-established business might want to review its plan once a year and make changes if necessary, a new or fast-growing business in a fiercely competitive market might want to revise it more often, such as quarterly.

What Does a Lean Startup Business Plan Include?

The lean startup business plan is ideal for quickly explaining a business, especially for new companies that don't have much information yet. Key sections may include a value proposition , major activities and advantages, resources (staff, intellectual property, and capital), partnerships, customer segments, and revenue sources.

A well-crafted business plan is crucial for any company, whether it's a startup looking for investment or an established business wanting to stay on course. It outlines goals and strategies, boosting a company's chances of securing funding and achieving growth.

As your business and the market change, update your business plan regularly. This keeps it relevant and aligned with your current goals and conditions. Think of your business plan as a living document that evolves with your company, not something carved in stone.

University of Oregon Department of Economics. " Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Business Planning Using Palo Alto's Business Plan Pro ." Eason Ding & Tim Hursey.

Bplans. " Do You Need a Business Plan? Scientific Research Says Yes ."

Harvard Business Review. " Research: Writing a Business Plan Makes Your Startup More Likely to Succeed ."

Harvard Business Review. " How to Write a Winning Business Plan ."

U.S. Small Business Administration. " Write Your Business Plan ."

SCORE. " When and Why Should You Review Your Business Plan? "

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What is a Business Plan? Definition, Tips, and Templates

Published: June 28, 2024

Years ago, I had an idea to launch a line of region-specific board games. I knew there was a market for games that celebrated local culture and heritage. I was so excited about the concept and couldn't wait to get started.

But my idea never took off. Why? Because I didn‘t have a plan. I lacked direction, missed opportunities, and ultimately, the venture never got off the ground.

And that’s exactly why a business plan is important. It cements your vision, gives you clarity, and outlines your next step.

In this post, I‘ll explain what a business plan is, the reasons why you’d need one, identify different types of business plans, and what you should include in yours.

Table of Contents

What is a business plan?

What is a business plan used for.

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Purposes of a Business Plan

What does a business plan need to include, types of business plans.

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A business plan is a comprehensive document that outlines a company's goals, strategies, and financial projections. It provides a detailed description of the business, including its products or services, target market, competitive landscape, and marketing and sales strategies. The plan also includes a financial section that forecasts revenue, expenses, and cash flow, as well as a funding request if the business is seeking investment.

The business plan is an undeniably critical component to getting any company off the ground. It's key to securing financing, documenting your business model, outlining your financial projections, and turning that nugget of a business idea into a reality.

The purpose of a business plan is three-fold: It summarizes the organization’s strategy in order to execute it long term, secures financing from investors, and helps forecast future business demands.

Business Plan Template [ Download Now ]

3. Legitimizing a Business Idea

I’ve seen that everyone‘s got a great idea for a company — until they put pen to paper and realize that it’s not exactly feasible.

A business plan is an aspiring entrepreneur's way to prove that a business idea is actually worth pursuing.

As entrepreneurs document their go-to-market process, capital needs, and expected return on investment, entrepreneurs likely come across a few hiccups that will make them second guess their strategies and metrics — and that's exactly what the business plan is for.

It ensures you have everything in order before bringing their business idea to the world and reassures the readers that whoever wrote the plan is serious about the idea, having put hours into thinking of the business idea, fleshing out growth tactics, and calculating financial projections.

4. Getting an A in Your Business Class

Speaking from personal experience, there‘s a chance you’re here to get business plan ideas for your Business 101 class project.

If that's the case, might I suggest checking out this post on How to Write a Business Plan , which provides a section-by-section guide on creating your plan?

5. Identifying Potential Problems

Business plans act as early warning systems that identify potential problems before they escalate into major obstacles.

How? When you conduct thorough market research, analyze competitor strategies, and evaluate financial projections, your plan pinpoints vulnerabilities and risks. This allows you to develop contingency plans and risk mitigation strategies.

This helps you prevent costly mistakes and shows investors and lenders you’re well-prepared and have considered various scenarios.

6. Attracts and Retains Talent

A well-articulated plan outlines your company's vision, mission, and values, showcasing a clear direction and purpose. People who want meaningful work that aligns with their ambitions will love this.

Also, it shows the company's potential for growth and stability. This instills confidence in employees and assures them of a secure future and opportunities for career advancement.

When you show growth potential and highlight a positive work culture, your business plan becomes a magnet for top talent.

7. Provides a Roadmap

A business plan provides a detailed roadmap for your company's future. It outlines your objectives, strategies, and the specific actions you need to achieve your goals.

When you define your path forward, a business plan helps you stay focused and on track, even when you face challenges or distractions. It’s a great reference tool that allows you to make smart decisions that align with your overall vision.

This way, having a comprehensive roadmap in the form of a business plan provides direction and clarity at every stage of your business journey.

8. Serves as a Marketing Tool

A business plan is not only an internal guide but also serves as a powerful marketing tool. Your business plan can showcase your company‘s strengths, unique value proposition, and growth potential when you’re looking for investors, partnerships, or new clients.

It provides a professional and polished overview of your business, which shows your commitment and strategic thinking to potential stakeholders.

Your business plan helps you attract the right people by clearly articulating your target market, competitive advantages, and financial projections. In summary, it acts as a persuasive sales pitch.

• Business Plan Subtitle
• Executive Summary
• Company Description
• The Business Opportunity
• Competitive Analysis
• Target Market
• Marketing Plan
• Financial Summary
• Funding Requirements

1. Business Plan Subtitle

Every great business plan starts with a captivating title and subtitle. You’ll want to make it clear that the document is, in fact, a business plan, but the subtitle can help tell the story of your business in just a short sentence.

2. Executive Summary

Although this is the last part of the business plan that you’ll write, it’s the first section (and maybe the only section) that stakeholders will read.

The executive summary of a business plan sets the stage for the rest of the document. It includes your company’s mission or vision statement, value proposition, and long-term goals.

3. Company Description

This brief part of your business plan will detail your business name, years in operation, key offerings, and positioning statement.

You might even add core values or a short history of the company. The company description’s role in a business plan is to introduce your business to the reader in a compelling and concise way.

4. The Business Opportunity

The business opportunity should convince investors that your organization meets the needs of the market in a way that no other company can.

This section explains the specific problem your business solves within the marketplace and how it solves them. It will include your value proposition as well as some high-level information about your target market.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

5. Marketing plan

It’s always a good idea to develop a marketing plan before you launch your business. Your marketing plan shows how you’ll get the word out about your business, and it’s an essential component of your business plan as well.

The Paw Print Post focuses on four Ps: price, product, promotion, and place. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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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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How to Write a Business Plan, Step by Step

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What is a business plan?

1. write an executive summary, 2. describe your company, 3. state your business goals, 4. describe your products and services, 5. do your market research, 6. outline your marketing and sales plan, 7. perform a business financial analysis, 8. make financial projections, 9. summarize how your company operates, 10. add any additional information to an appendix, business plan tips and resources.

A business plan outlines your business’s financial goals and explains how you’ll achieve them over the next three to five years. Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing a business plan that will offer a strong, detailed road map for your business.

LLC Formation

A business plan is a document that explains what your business does, how it makes money and who its customers are. Internally, writing a business plan should help you clarify your vision and organize your operations. Externally, you can share it with potential lenders and investors to show them you’re on the right track.

Business plans are living documents; it’s OK for them to change over time. Startups may update their business plans often as they figure out who their customers are and what products and services fit them best. Mature companies might only revisit their business plan every few years. Regardless of your business’s age, brush up this document before you apply for a business loan .

» Need help writing? Learn about the best business plan software .

This is your elevator pitch. It should include a mission statement, a brief description of the products or services your business offers and a broad summary of your financial growth plans.

Though the executive summary is the first thing your investors will read, it can be easier to write it last. That way, you can highlight information you’ve identified while writing other sections that go into more detail.

» MORE: How to write an executive summary in 6 steps

Next up is your company description. This should contain basic information like:

Your business’s registered name.

Address of your business location .

Names of key people in the business. Make sure to highlight unique skills or technical expertise among members of your team.

Your company description should also define your business structure — such as a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation — and include the percent ownership that each owner has and the extent of each owner’s involvement in the company.

Lastly, write a little about the history of your company and the nature of your business now. This prepares the reader to learn about your goals in the next section.

» MORE: How to write a company overview for a business plan

The third part of a business plan is an objective statement. This section spells out what you’d like to accomplish, both in the near term and over the coming years.

If you’re looking for a business loan or outside investment, you can use this section to explain how the financing will help your business grow and how you plan to achieve those growth targets. The key is to provide a clear explanation of the opportunity your business presents to the lender.

For example, if your business is launching a second product line, you might explain how the loan will help your company launch that new product and how much you think sales will increase over the next three years as a result.

» MORE: How to write a successful business plan for a loan

In this section, go into detail about the products or services you offer or plan to offer.

You should include the following:

An explanation of how your product or service works.

The pricing model for your product or service.

The typical customers you serve.

Your supply chain and order fulfillment strategy.

You can also discuss current or pending trademarks and patents associated with your product or service.

Lenders and investors will want to know what sets your product apart from your competition. In your market analysis section , explain who your competitors are. Discuss what they do well, and point out what you can do better. If you’re serving a different or underserved market, explain that.

Here, you can address how you plan to persuade customers to buy your products or services, or how you will develop customer loyalty that will lead to repeat business.

Include details about your sales and distribution strategies, including the costs involved in selling each product .

» MORE: R e a d our complete guide to small business marketing

If you’re a startup, you may not have much information on your business financials yet. However, if you’re an existing business, you’ll want to include income or profit-and-loss statements, a balance sheet that lists your assets and debts, and a cash flow statement that shows how cash comes into and goes out of the company.

Accounting software may be able to generate these reports for you. It may also help you calculate metrics such as:

Net profit margin: the percentage of revenue you keep as net income.

Current ratio: the measurement of your liquidity and ability to repay debts.

Accounts receivable turnover ratio: a measurement of how frequently you collect on receivables per year.

This is a great place to include charts and graphs that make it easy for those reading your plan to understand the financial health of your business.

This is a critical part of your business plan if you’re seeking financing or investors. It outlines how your business will generate enough profit to repay the loan or how you will earn a decent return for investors.

Here, you’ll provide your business’s monthly or quarterly sales, expenses and profit estimates over at least a three-year period — with the future numbers assuming you’ve obtained a new loan.

Accuracy is key, so carefully analyze your past financial statements before giving projections. Your goals may be aggressive, but they should also be realistic.

NerdWallet’s picks for setting up your business finances:

The best business checking accounts .

The best business credit cards .

The best accounting software .

Before the end of your business plan, summarize how your business is structured and outline each team’s responsibilities. This will help your readers understand who performs each of the functions you’ve described above — making and selling your products or services — and how much each of those functions cost.

If any of your employees have exceptional skills, you may want to include their resumes to help explain the competitive advantage they give you.

Finally, attach any supporting information or additional materials that you couldn’t fit in elsewhere. That might include:

Licenses and permits.

Equipment leases.

Bank statements.

Details of your personal and business credit history, if you’re seeking financing.

If the appendix is long, you may want to consider adding a table of contents at the beginning of this section.

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

Here are some tips to write a detailed, convincing business plan:

Avoid over-optimism: If you’re applying for a business bank loan or professional investment, someone will be reading your business plan closely. Providing unreasonable sales estimates can hurt your chances of approval.

Proofread: Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors can jump off the page and turn off lenders and prospective investors. If writing and editing aren't your strong suit, you may want to hire a professional business plan writer, copy editor or proofreader.

Use free resources: SCORE is a nonprofit association that offers a large network of volunteer business mentors and experts who can help you write or edit your business plan. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Development Centers , which provide free business consulting and help with business plan development, can also be a resource.

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How to Write a Business Plan: Beginner’s Guide (& Templates)

Written by: Chloe West

Thinking about starting a business? One of the first steps you’ll need to take is to write a business plan. A business plan can help guide you through your financial planning, marketing strategy, unique selling point and more.

Making sure you start your new business off on the right foot is key, and we’re here to help. We’ve put together this guide to help you write your first business plan. Or, you can skip the guide and dive right into a business plan template .

Ready to get started?

Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit business plan templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:

8-Step Process for Writing a Business Plan

What is a business plan, why is a business plan important, step #1: write your executive summary, step #2: put together your company description, step #3: conduct your market analysis, step #4: research your competition, step #5: outline your products or services, step #6: summarize your financial plan, step #7: determine your marketing strategy, step #8: showcase your organizational chart, 14 business plan templates to help you get started.

A business plan is a document that helps potential new business owners flesh out their business idea and put together a bird’s eye view of their business. Writing a business plan is an essential step in any startup’s ideation process.

Business plans help determine demographics, market analysis, competitive analysis, financial projections, new products or services, and so much more.

Each of these bits of information are important to have on hand when you’re trying to start a business or pitching investors for funds.

Here’s an example of a business plan that you can customize to incorporate your own business information.

We’re going to walk you through some of the most important parts of your business plan as well as how to write your own business plan in 8 easy steps.

If you’re in the beginning stages of starting a business , you might be wondering if it’s really worth your time to write out your business plan. 

We’re here to tell you that it is.

A business plan is important for a number of reasons, but mostly because it helps to set you up for success right from the start.

Here are four reasons to prove to you why you need to start your business off on the right foot with a plan.

Reason #1: Set Realistic Goals and Milestones

Putting together a business plan helps you to set your objectives for growth and make realistic goals while you begin your business. 

By laying out each of the steps you need to take in order to build a successful business, you’re able to be more reasonable about what your timeline is for achieving everything as well as what your financial projections are.

The best way to set goals is using the SMART goals guidelines, outlined below.

Reason #2: Grow Your Business Faster

Having a business plan helps you be more organized and strategic, improving the overall performance of your business as you start out. In fact, one study found that businesses with a plan grow 30% faster than businesses that don’t.

Doesn’t that sound reason enough alone to start out your business venture with a solidified plan? We thought so too, but we’ve still got two more reasons.

Reason #3: Minimize Risk

Starting a new business is uncharted territory. However, when you start with a roadmap for your journey, it makes it easier to see success and minimize the risks that come with startups.

Minimize risk and maximize profitability by documenting the most important parts of your business planning.

Reason #4: Secure Funding

And finally, our last reason that business plans are so important is that if you plan to pitch investors for funding for your new venture, they’re almost always going to want to see a detailed business plan before deciding whether or not to invest.

You can easily create your business plan and investor pitch deck right here with Visme. Just sign up for a free account below to get started. 

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The executive summary is a brief overview of your entire business plan, giving anyone who reads through your document a quick understanding of what they’re going to learn about your business idea.

However, you need to remember that some of the people who are going to read your business plan don’t want to or have time to read the entire thing. So your executive summary needs to incorporate all of the most important aspects of your plan.

Here’s an example of an executive summary from a business plan template you can customize and turn into your own.

Your executive summary should include:

• Key objective(s)
• Market research
• Competitor information
• Products/services
• Value proposition
• Overview of your financial plan
• How you’re going to actually start your business

One thing to note is that you should actually write your executive summary after the rest of your business plan so that you can properly summarize everything you’ve already created.

So at this point, simply leave a page blank for your executive summary so you can come back to it at the end of your business plan.

The next step is to write out a full description of your business and its core offerings. This section of your business plan should include your mission statement and objectives, along with your company history or overview.

In this section, you may also briefly describe your business formation details from a legal perspective.

Mission Statement

Don’t spend too much time trying to craft this. Your mission statement is a simple “why” you started this business. What are you trying to achieve? Or what does your business solve?

This can be anything from one single quote or a paragraph, but it doesn’t need to be much longer than that. In fact, this could be very similar to your value proposition.

What are your goals? What do you plan to achieve in the first 90 days or one year of your business? What kind of impact do you hope to make on the market?

These are all good points to include in your objectives section so anyone reading your business plan knows upfront what you hope to achieve.

History or Overview

If you’re not launching a brand new business or if you’ve previously worked on another iteration of this business, let potential investors know the history of your company.

If not, simply provide an overview of your business, sharing what it does or what it will do.

Your third step is to conduct a market analysis so you know how your business will fit into its target market. This page in your business plan is simply meant to summarize your findings. Most of your time should be spent actually doing the research.

Your market analysis needs to look at things like:

• Market size, and if it’s grown in recent years or shrinking
• The segment of the market you plan to target
• Demographics and behavior of your target audience
• The demand for your product or service
• Your competitive advantage or differentiation strategy
• The average price of your product or service

Put together a summary of your market analysis and industry research in a 1-2 page format, like we see below.

Your next step is to conduct a competitive analysis. While you likely touched on this briefly during your market analysis, now is the time to do a deep dive so that you have a good grasp on what your competitors are doing and how they are generating customers.

Start by creating a profile of all your existing competitors, or at the very least, your closest competitors – the ones who are offering very similar products or services to you, or are in a similar vicinity (if you’re opening a brick and mortar store).

Focus on their strengths and what they’re doing really well so that you can emulate their best qualities in your own way. Then, look at their weaknesses and what your business can do better.

Take note of their current marketing strategy, including the outlets you see a presence, whether it’s on social media, you hear a radio ad, you see a TV ad, etc. You won’t always find all of their marketing channels, but see what you can find online and on their website.

After this, take a minute to identify potential competitors based on markets you might try out in the future, products or services you plan to add to your offerings, and more.

Then put together a page or two in your business plan that highlights your competitive advantage and how you’ll be successful breaking into the market.

Step five is to dedicate a page to the products or services that your business plans to offer.

Put together a quick list and explanation of what each of the initial product or service offerings will be, but steer clear of industry jargon or buzzwords. This should be written in plain language so anyone reading has a full understanding of what your business will do.

You can have a simple list like we see in the sample page above, or you can dive a little deeper. Depending on your type of business, it might be a good idea to provide additional information about what each product or service entails.

The next step is to work on the financial data of your new business. What will your overhead be? How will your business make money? What are your estimated expenses and profits over the first few months to a year? The expenses should cover all the spending whether they are recurring costs or just one-time LLC filing fees .

There is so much that goes into your financial plan for a new business, so this is going to take some time to compile. Especially because this section of your business plan helps potential cofounders or investors understand if the idea is even viable.

Your financial plan should include at least five major sections:

• Sales Forecast: The first thing you want to include is a forecast or financial projection of how much you think your business can sell over the next year or so. Break this down into the different products, services or facets of your business.
• Balance Sheet: This section is essentially a statement of your company’s financial position. It includes existing assets, liabilities and equity to demonstrate the company’s overall financial health.
• Income Statement: Also known as a profit and loss statement (P&L), this covers your projected expenses and revenue, showcasing whether your business will be profitable or not.
• Operating Budget: A detailed outline of your business’s income and expenses. This should showcase that your business is bringing in more than it’s spending.
• Cash Flow Statements: This tracks how much cash your business has at any given point, regardless of whether customers or clients have paid their bills or have 30-60+ days to do so.

While these are the most common financial statements, you may discover that there are other sections that you want to include or that lenders may want to see from you.

You can automate the process of looking through your documents with an OCR API , which will collect the data from all your financial statements and invoices.

The next step is coming up with a successful marketing plan so that you can actually get the word out about your business. 

Throughout your business plan, you’ve already researched your competitors and your target market, both of which are major components of a good marketing strategy. You need to know who you’re marketing to, and you want to do it better than your competition.

On this page or throughout this section of your business plan, you need to focus on your chosen marketing channels and the types of marketing content you plan to create.

Start by taking a look at the channels that your competitors are on and make sure you have a good understanding of the demographics of each channel as well. You don’t want to waste time on a marketing channel that your target audience doesn’t use.

Then, create a list of each of your planned marketing avenues. It might look something like:

• Social media ( Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest)
• Email newsletter
• Digital ads

Depending on the type of business you’re starting, this list could change quite a bit — and that’s okay. There is no one-size-fits-all marketing strategy, and you need to find the one that brings in the highest number of potential customers.

Your last section will be all about your leadership and management team members. Showcasing that you have a solid team right from the start can make potential investors feel better about funding your venture.

You can easily put together an organizational chart like the one below, with the founder/CEO at the top and each of your team leaders underneath alongside the department they’re in charge of.

Simply add an organizational chart like this as a page into your overall business plan and make sure it matches the rest of your design to create a cohesive document.

If you want to create a good business plan that sets your new business up for success and attracts new investors, it’s a good idea to start with a template. 

We’ve got 14 options below from a variety of different industries for you to choose from. You can customize every aspect of each template to fit your business branding and design preferences.

If you're pressed for time, Visme's AI business plan generator can churn out compelling business plans in minutes. Just input a detailed prompt, choose the design, and watch the tool generate your plan in a few seconds.

Template #1: Photography Business Plan Template

This feminine and minimalistic business plan template is perfect for getting started with any kind of creative business. Utilize this template to help outline the step-by-step process of getting your new business idea up and running.

Template #2: Real Estate Business Plan Template

Looking for a more modern business plan design? This template is perfect for plainly laying out each of your business plans in an easy-to-understand format. Adjust the red accents with your business’s colors to personalize this template.

Template #3: Nonprofit Business Plan Template

Creating a business and marketing plan for your nonprofit is still an essential step when you’re just starting out. You need to get the word out to increase donations and awareness for your cause.

Template #4: Restaurant Business Plan Template

If your business plan needs to rely heavily on showcasing photos of your products (like food), this template is perfect for you. Get potential investors salivating at the sight of your business plan, and they’re sure to provide the capital you need.

Template #5: Fashion Business Plan Template

Serifs are in. Utilize this template with stunning serif as all the headers to create a contemporary and trendy business plan design that fits your business. Adjust the colors to match your brand and easily input your own content.

Template #6: Daycare Business Plan Template

Creating a more kid-friendly or playful business? This business plan template has bold colors and design elements that will perfectly represent your business and its mission. 

Use the pages you need, and remove any that you don’t. You can also duplicate pages and move the elements around to add even more content to your business plan.

Template #7: Consulting Business Plan Template

This classic business plan template is perfect for a consulting business that wants to use a stunning visual design to talk about its services.

Template #8: Coffee Shop Business Plan Template

Customize this coffee shop business plan template to match your own business idea. Adjust the colors to fit your brand or industry, replace photos with your own photography or stock photos that represent your business, and insert your own logo, fonts and colors throughout.

Template #9: SaaS Business Plan Template

A SaaS or service-based company also needs a solid business plan that lays out its financials, list of services, target market and more. This template is the perfect starting point.

Template #10: Small Business Plan Template

Every startup or small business needs to start out with a strong business plan in order to start off on the right foot and set yourself up for success. This template is an excellent starting point for any small business.

Template #11: Ecommerce Business Plan Template

An ecommerce business plan is ideal for planning out your pricing strategy of all of your online products, as well as the site you plan to use for setting up your store, whether WordPress, Shopify, Wix or something else.

Template #12: Startup Business Plan Template

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

This is another generic business plan template for any type of startup to customize. Switch out the content, fonts and colors to match your startup branding and increase brand equity.

Template #13: One-Page Business Plan Template

Want just a quick business plan to get your idea going before you bite the bullet and map out your entire plan? This one-page template is perfect for those just starting to flesh out a new business idea.

Template #14: Salon Business Plan Template

This salon business plan template is easy on the design and utilizes a light color scheme to put more focus on the actual content. You can use the design as is or keep it as a basis for your own design elements.

Create Your Own Business Plan Today

Ready to write your business plan? Once you’ve created all of the most important sections, get started with a business plan template to really wow your investors and organize your startup plan.

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About the Author

Chloe West is the content marketing manager at Visme. Her experience in digital marketing includes everything from social media, blogging, email marketing to graphic design, strategy creation and implementation, and more. During her spare time, she enjoys exploring her home city of Charleston with her son.

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 .

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

Related Readings

Thank you for reading CFI’s guide to Business Plans. To keep learning and advancing your career, the following CFI resources will be helpful:

• Corporate Structure
• Three Financial Statements
• Business Model Canvas Examples
• See all management & strategy resources
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• Sources of Business Finance
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• Small Business Grants
• Crowdfunding Sites
• How to Get a Business Loan
• Small Business Insurance Providers
• Best Factoring Companies
• Types of Bank Accounts
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12 Key Elements of a Business Plan (Top Components Explained)

Starting and running a successful business requires proper planning and execution of effective business tactics and strategies .

You need to prepare many essential business documents when starting a business for maximum success; the business plan is one such document.

When creating a business, you want to achieve business objectives and financial goals like productivity, profitability, and business growth. You need an effective business plan to help you get to your desired business destination.

Even if you are already running a business, the proper understanding and review of the key elements of a business plan help you navigate potential crises and obstacles.

This article will teach you why the business document is at the core of any successful business and its key elements you can not avoid.

Let’s get started.

Why Are Business Plans Important?

Business plans are practical steps or guidelines that usually outline what companies need to do to reach their goals. They are essential documents for any business wanting to grow and thrive in a highly-competitive business environment .

1. Proves Your Business Viability

A business plan gives companies an idea of how viable they are and what actions they need to take to grow and reach their financial targets. With a well-written and clearly defined business plan, your business is better positioned to meet its goals.

2. Guides You Throughout the Business Cycle

A business plan is not just important at the start of a business. As a business owner, you must draw up a business plan to remain relevant throughout the business cycle .

During the starting phase of your business, a business plan helps bring your ideas into reality. A solid business plan can secure funding from lenders and investors.

After successfully setting up your business, the next phase is management. Your business plan still has a role to play in this phase, as it assists in communicating your business vision to employees and external partners.

Essentially, your business plan needs to be flexible enough to adapt to changes in the needs of your business.

3. Helps You Make Better Business Decisions

As a business owner, you are involved in an endless decision-making cycle. Your business plan helps you find answers to your most crucial business decisions.

A robust business plan helps you settle your major business components before you launch your product, such as your marketing and sales strategy and competitive advantage.

4. Eliminates Big Mistakes

Many small businesses fail within their first five years for several reasons: lack of financing, stiff competition, low market need, inadequate teams, and inefficient pricing strategy.

Creating an effective plan helps you eliminate these big mistakes that lead to businesses' decline. Every business plan element is crucial for helping you avoid potential mistakes before they happen.

5. Secures Financing and Attracts Top Talents

Having an effective plan increases your chances of securing business loans. One of the essential requirements many lenders ask for to grant your loan request is your business plan.

A business plan helps investors feel confident that your business can attract a significant return on investments ( ROI ).

You can attract and retain top-quality talents with a clear business plan. It inspires your employees and keeps them aligned to achieve your strategic business goals.

Key Elements of Business Plan

Starting and running a successful business requires well-laid actions and supporting documents that better position a company to achieve its business goals and maximize success.

A business plan is a written document with relevant information detailing business objectives and how it intends to achieve its goals.

With an effective business plan, investors, lenders, and potential partners understand your organizational structure and goals, usually around profitability, productivity, and growth.

Every successful business plan is made up of key components that help solidify the efficacy of the business plan in delivering on what it was created to do.

Here are some of the components of an effective business plan.

1. Executive Summary

One of the key elements of a business plan is the executive summary. Write the executive summary as part of the concluding topics in the business plan. Creating an executive summary with all the facts and information available is easier.

In the overall business plan document, the executive summary should be at the forefront of the business plan. It helps set the tone for readers on what to expect from the business plan.

A well-written executive summary includes all vital information about the organization's operations, making it easy for a reader to understand.

The key points that need to be acted upon are highlighted in the executive summary. They should be well spelled out to make decisions easy for the management team.

A good and compelling executive summary points out a company's mission statement and a brief description of its products and services.

An executive summary summarizes a business's expected value proposition to distinct customer segments. It highlights the other key elements to be discussed during the rest of the business plan.

Including your prior experiences as an entrepreneur is a good idea in drawing up an executive summary for your business. A brief but detailed explanation of why you decided to start the business in the first place is essential.

Adding your company's mission statement in your executive summary cannot be overemphasized. It creates a culture that defines how employees and all individuals associated with your company abide when carrying out its related processes and operations.

Your executive summary should be brief and detailed to catch readers' attention and encourage them to learn more about your company.

Components of an Executive Summary

Here are some of the information that makes up an executive summary:

• The name and location of your company
• Products and services offered by your company
• Mission and vision statements
• Success factors of your business plan

2. Business Description

Your business description needs to be exciting and captivating as it is the formal introduction a reader gets about your company.

What your company aims to provide, its products and services, goals and objectives, target audience , and potential customers it plans to serve need to be highlighted in your business description.

A company description helps point out notable qualities that make your company stand out from other businesses in the industry. It details its unique strengths and the competitive advantages that give it an edge to succeed over its direct and indirect competitors.

Spell out how your business aims to deliver on the particular needs and wants of identified customers in your company description, as well as the particular industry and target market of the particular focus of the company.

Include trends and significant competitors within your particular industry in your company description. Your business description should contain what sets your company apart from other businesses and provides it with the needed competitive advantage.

In essence, if there is any area in your business plan where you need to brag about your business, your company description provides that unique opportunity as readers look to get a high-level overview.

Components of a Business Description

Your business description needs to contain these categories of information.

• Business location
• The legal structure of your business
• Summary of your business’s short and long-term goals

3. Market Analysis

The market analysis section should be solely based on analytical research as it details trends particular to the market you want to penetrate.

Graphs, spreadsheets, and histograms are handy data and statistical tools you need to utilize in your market analysis. They make it easy to understand the relationship between your current ideas and the future goals you have for the business.

All details about the target customers you plan to sell products or services should be in the market analysis section. It helps readers with a helpful overview of the market.

In your market analysis, you provide the needed data and statistics about industry and market share, the identified strengths in your company description, and compare them against other businesses in the same industry.

The market analysis section aims to define your target audience and estimate how your product or service would fare with these identified audiences.

Market analysis helps visualize a target market by researching and identifying the primary target audience of your company and detailing steps and plans based on your audience location.

Obtaining this information through market research is essential as it helps shape how your business achieves its short-term and long-term goals.

Market Analysis Factors

Here are some of the factors to be included in your market analysis.

• The geographical location of your target market
• Needs of your target market and how your products and services can meet those needs
• Demographics of your target audience

Components of the Market Analysis Section

Here is some of the information to be included in your market analysis.

• Industry description and statistics
• Demographics and profile of target customers
• Marketing data for your products and services
• Detailed evaluation of your competitors

4. Marketing Plan

A marketing plan defines how your business aims to reach its target customers, generate sales leads, and, ultimately, make sales.

Promotion is at the center of any successful marketing plan. It is a series of steps to pitch a product or service to a larger audience to generate engagement. Note that the marketing strategy for a business should not be stagnant and must evolve depending on its outcome.

Include the budgetary requirement for successfully implementing your marketing plan in this section to make it easy for readers to measure your marketing plan's impact in terms of numbers.

The information to include in your marketing plan includes marketing and promotion strategies, pricing plans and strategies , and sales proposals. You need to include how you intend to get customers to return and make repeat purchases in your business plan.

5. Sales Strategy

Sales strategy defines how you intend to get your product or service to your target customers and works hand in hand with your business marketing strategy.

Your sales strategy approach should not be complex. Break it down into simple and understandable steps to promote your product or service to target customers.

Apart from the steps to promote your product or service, define the budget you need to implement your sales strategies and the number of sales reps needed to help the business assist in direct sales.

Your sales strategy should be specific on what you need and how you intend to deliver on your sales targets, where numbers are reflected to make it easier for readers to understand and relate better.

6. Competitive Analysis

Providing transparent and honest information, even with direct and indirect competitors, defines a good business plan. Provide the reader with a clear picture of your rank against major competitors.

Identifying your competitors' weaknesses and strengths is useful in drawing up a market analysis. It is one information investors look out for when assessing business plans.

The competitive analysis section clearly defines the notable differences between your company and your competitors as measured against their strengths and weaknesses.

This section should define the following:

• Your competitors' identified advantages in the market
• How do you plan to set up your company to challenge your competitors’ advantage and gain grounds from them?
• The standout qualities that distinguish you from other companies
• Potential bottlenecks you have identified that have plagued competitors in the same industry and how you intend to overcome these bottlenecks

In your business plan, you need to prove your industry knowledge to anyone who reads your business plan. The competitive analysis section is designed for that purpose.

7. Management and Organization

Management and organization are key components of a business plan. They define its structure and how it is positioned to run.

Whether you intend to run a sole proprietorship, general or limited partnership, or corporation, the legal structure of your business needs to be clearly defined in your business plan.

Use an organizational chart that illustrates the hierarchy of operations of your company and spells out separate departments and their roles and functions in this business plan section.

The management and organization section includes profiles of advisors, board of directors, and executive team members and their roles and responsibilities in guaranteeing the company's success.

Apparent factors that influence your company's corporate culture, such as human resources requirements and legal structure, should be well defined in the management and organization section.

Defining the business's chain of command if you are not a sole proprietor is necessary. It leaves room for little or no confusion about who is in charge or responsible during business operations.

This section provides relevant information on how the management team intends to help employees maximize their strengths and address their identified weaknesses to help all quarters improve for the business's success.

8. Products and Services

This business plan section describes what a company has to offer regarding products and services to the maximum benefit and satisfaction of its target market.

Boldly spell out pending patents or copyright products and intellectual property in this section alongside costs, expected sales revenue, research and development, and competitors' advantage as an overview.

At this stage of your business plan, the reader needs to know what your business plans to produce and sell and the benefits these products offer in meeting customers' needs.

The supply network of your business product, production costs, and how you intend to sell the products are crucial components of the products and services section.

Investors are always keen on this information to help them reach a balanced assessment of if investing in your business is risky or offer benefits to them.

You need to create a link in this section on how your products or services are designed to meet the market's needs and how you intend to keep those customers and carve out a market share for your company.

Repeat purchases are the backing that a successful business relies on and measure how much customers are into what your company is offering.

This section is more like an expansion of the executive summary section. You need to analyze each product or service under the business.

9. Operating Plan

An operations plan describes how you plan to carry out your business operations and processes.

The operating plan for your business should include:

• Information about how your company plans to carry out its operations.
• The base location from which your company intends to operate.
• The number of employees to be utilized and other information about your company's operations.
• Key business processes.

This section should highlight how your organization is set up to run. You can also introduce your company's management team in this section, alongside their skills, roles, and responsibilities in the company.

The best way to introduce the company team is by drawing up an organizational chart that effectively maps out an organization's rank and chain of command.

What should be spelled out to readers when they come across this business plan section is how the business plans to operate day-in and day-out successfully.

10. Financial Projections and Assumptions

Bringing your great business ideas into reality is why business plans are important. They help create a sustainable and viable business.

The financial section of your business plan offers significant value. A business uses a financial plan to solve all its financial concerns, which usually involves startup costs, labor expenses, financial projections, and funding and investor pitches.

All key assumptions about the business finances need to be listed alongside the business financial projection, and changes to be made on the assumptions side until it balances with the projection for the business.

The financial plan should also include how the business plans to generate income and the capital expenditure budgets that tend to eat into the budget to arrive at an accurate cash flow projection for the business.

Base your financial goals and expectations on extensive market research backed with relevant financial statements for the relevant period.

Examples of financial statements you can include in the financial projections and assumptions section of your business plan include:

• Projected income statements
• Cash flow statements
• Balance sheets
• Income statements

Revealing the financial goals and potentials of the business is what the financial projection and assumption section of your business plan is all about. It needs to be purely based on facts that can be measurable and attainable.

11. Request For Funding

The request for funding section focuses on the amount of money needed to set up your business and underlying plans for raising the money required. This section includes plans for utilizing the funds for your business's operational and manufacturing processes.

When seeking funding, a reasonable timeline is required alongside it. If the need arises for additional funding to complete other business-related projects, you are not left scampering and desperate for funds.

If you do not have the funds to start up your business, then you should devote a whole section of your business plan to explaining the amount of money you need and how you plan to utilize every penny of the funds. You need to explain it in detail for a future funding request.

When an investor picks up your business plan to analyze it, with all your plans for the funds well spelled out, they are motivated to invest as they have gotten a backing guarantee from your funding request section.

Include timelines and plans for how you intend to repay the loans received in your funding request section. This addition keeps investors assured that they could recoup their investment in the business.

12. Exhibits and Appendices

Exhibits and appendices comprise the final section of your business plan and contain all supporting documents for other sections of the business plan.

Some of the documents that comprise the exhibits and appendices section includes:

• Legal documents
• Licenses and permits
• Credit histories
• Customer lists

The choice of what additional document to include in your business plan to support your statements depends mainly on the intended audience of your business plan. Hence, it is better to play it safe and not leave anything out when drawing up the appendix and exhibit section.

Supporting documentation is particularly helpful when you need funding or support for your business. This section provides investors with a clearer understanding of the research that backs the claims made in your business plan.

There are key points to include in the appendix and exhibits section of your business plan.

• The management team and other stakeholders resume
• Marketing research
• Permits and relevant legal documents
• Financial documents

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Martin loves entrepreneurship and has helped dozens of entrepreneurs by validating the business idea, finding scalable customer acquisition channels, and building a data-driven organization. During his time working in investment banking, tech startups, and industry-leading companies he gained extensive knowledge in using different software tools to optimize business processes.

This insights and his love for researching SaaS products enables him to provide in-depth, fact-based software reviews to enable software buyers make better decisions.

• Best Business Plan Software

10 Best Business Plan Software In 2024

Updated: May 3, 2024, 5:15pm

Writing a business plan not only helps you stay on track as you start a new business but it can also help you secure funding. You can create one from scratch with a simple template, but business plan software often has features to make it easier, more nuanced and overall better. It could even make the difference between bringing investors on board and going it alone. So, Forbes Advisor found the best business plan software that has the features you need at an affordable price.

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The Best Business Plan Software of 2024

Forbes advisor ratings, methodology, how to choose a business plan software, benefits of business plan software, frequently asked questions (faqs), next up in business.

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From $8 monthly per user

Zoom, LinkedIn, Adobe, Salesforce and more

On monday.com's Website

Yes, for one user and two editors

$9 per user per month

Google Drive, Slack, Tableau, Miro, Zapier and more

On Smartsheet's Website

Yes, for unlimited members

$7 per month

Slack, Microsoft Outlook, HubSpot, Salesforce, Timely, Google Drive and more

On ClickUp's Website

$9.80 per user per month

Salesforce, Adobe, Miro, Netsuite, Quickbooks, SAP

On Wrike's Website

• Wrike: Best overall
• Smartsheet: Best for goal management
• LivePlan: Best for financial forecasting
• Aha!: Best for roadmapping
• Bizplan: Best for beginners
• IdeaBuddy: Best for ideation
• iPlanner: Best for no-frills business planning
• Enloop: Best for automatic business plan creation
• AchieveIt: Best for consultant groups
• Business Sorter: Best for teams

Best Overall

Starting price

Free; $9.80 per user

Team messaging

Roadmapping

Wrike is a project management (PM) tool that works well as business plan software because it gives you tools to help you gather and compare your data. Wrike makes it easy to start your business plan with its collaboration tools, business plan templates , drag-and-drop interface and goal management features. Another benefit of using Wrike to build your plan is that you see your ideas and goals from multiple views: Gantt chart, calendar or board views.

There are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to use Wrike for your business plan. First, you can map out exactly what your business goals are in a project, invite teammates to collaborate and message business partners to discuss everything. Plus, you can export your data when you’re ready to put all the details into a presentation to hand over to potential investors.

Wrike offers a free plan that’s good for putting your vision down in task and project form, but you may want to upgrade to a paid plan to invite collaborators, get custom workflows and add more views and automations. Paid plan pricing ranges from $9.80 per user, per month, to $24.80 per user, per month, both billed annually.

Learn more: Read our full Wrike review .

Who should use it:

Wrike makes it easy for any new business owner to create a business plan and collaborate with others on the financial and operational goals. Plus, it provides value after you finalize your business plan because it’s a good pick for a PM tool.

• Roadmapping ability
• Multiple views (Gantt, calendar and board)
• Business plan templates included
• Goal management via projects and tasks
• Free plan available
• Affordable plans
• No pitching tools
• No financial tools

Best for Goal Management

$7 per user, per month

(billed annually)

(added cost)

Using PM software like Smartsheet is a good idea for starting a business plan because it includes all the tools you need to collaborate and plan across multiple teams or stakeholders. It’s especially good for real-time goal management. Get your ideas in place, go over market and competitive research from other teammates and finalize everything together.

Smartsheet won’t help you write your business plan, but it does give you a place to compile all the data and then you can use one of its free business plan templates. As you figure out your milestones, you can invite an unlimited number of viewers to see how it’s going. The only downsides are that Smartsheet doesn’t have a native messaging app (you’ll have to use an integration), only commenting allowed and there’s no free plan.

Paid plans from Smartsheet cost $7 per user, per month, or $25 per user, per month (billed annually for both). The low-priced Pro plan limits you to 10 editors, but the Business plan allows unlimited editors (but it also has a three-user minimum).

Learn more: Read our full Smartsheet review .

Smartsheet lets you make changes in real time, so it’s a good option for those who are just starting to piece together a plan and looking for a way to manage ideas and goals before finalizing a business plan.

• Discounts for nonprofits available
• Automations on every plan
• Popular integrations allowed on low-tier plan
• 30-day free trial
• No free plan
• Only 10 viewers allowed on low-tier plan
• Three-user minimum on Business plan

Best for Financial Forecasting

$15 per month

One of the strongest cases for using LivePlan to create your business plan is its financial forecasting. It isn’t just a single feature, rather it’s a tool that lets you turn your balance sheet and cash flow statements into charts, graphs and what-if situations to help you show possible investors the best- and worst-case scenarios for your business.

There are two plans available: Standard or Premium (there is no free plan). The low-priced plan, which costs $15 per month (billed annually), doesn’t limit your contributors or guests and includes instructions to help you complete a business plan. It even includes the financial forecasting features and more than 500 sample plans to get you started.

The Premium plan costs $30 per month (billed annually), but it’s full-featured. You get a milestone planner and industry benchmark data, which can save you research time. Another timesaver: At this plan level, you can integrate QuickBooks or Xero to add your financial data seamlessly.

LivePlan is business plan software that includes prompts and accounting software integrations, making it great for new business owners that want easy financial forecasting.

• Unlimited guests and contributors
• Export finished business plan as PowerPoint presentation
• Includes step-by-step instructions with prompts
• 35-day money-back guarantee
• No free trial

Best for Roadmapping

$59 per user, per month

Every business plan starts with strategy and Aha! makes it easier to map out what you plan to do to get from point A to point Z. Aha! is primarily roadmapping software that product teams use to plan features, products or bug fixes. Any business in any industry can use it to shape ideas and strategy into plans and milestones.

Much like product development, business plans have phases and Aha! is ideal for the first few phases of business planning. Although you won’t find a scorecard feature with Aha! Roadmaps, you can score and prioritize your business vision and goals. Finally, you can present your plan to viewers (stakeholders) before you create your official business plan and secure funding.

There are three plans from which you can choose: Premium at $59 per user, per month; Enterprise at $99 per user, per month; and Enterprise+ at $149 per user, per month, all billed annually. The only reasons to upgrade to either Enterprise plan is if you want to add on automation, development tools and custom worksheets and tables.

Aha! Roadmaps is a great tool to help you strategize and get your ideas for your business in one place. You can use the presentation feature to share your business’s roadmap on your way to creating your finalized business plan.

• User-friendly interface
• Ability to score and prioritize ideas
• Share roadmaps with others
• Expensive for business plan creation
• Has a bit of a learning curve

Best for Beginners

$20.75 per month

Bizplan is specifically for business plan creation. It offers a guided walkthrough of each section you need for a complete business plan to use for funding or pitching to partners. Plug in the information, from your mission and goals to financial forecasts, and Bizplan will do the math and create the visual charts you need to get your point across.

Bizplan is very easy to use because it includes prompts and questions that take away the manual effort of figuring out what you need, so you can simply focus on providing the answers. When you’re satisfied you included all the data needed, you can invite stakeholders and consultants to look it over and add comments for approval or change requests. A unique feature of Bizplan is it gives you access to Fundable, a crowdfunding platform, on which you can share your business plan to try to generate funding.

Monthly pricing costs $29, but you can opt for annual pricing that averages to $20.75 per month. If you expect to need business plan software for much longer than a year, there’s a lifetime access option for $349 flat. All plans come with all features and access, including business courses, business planning tools and a route to investors.

If it’s your first time creating a business plan, Bizplan is a great choice to help guide you through all the sections you need to include in your plan for potential investors and partners.

• Monthly, annual and lifetime plans
• Unlimited business plans
• Unlimited collaborators
• Step-by-step instructions
• Modular, drag-and-drop interface
• Online business courses
• Access to Fundable
• Financial forecasting
• No roadmapping tools
• Lack of customization
• Only integrates with Xero

Best for Ideation

Free; $6 per month

IdeaBuddy is a basic business plan tool that lets you start for free, which is great for beginners who aren’t quite ready to create a plan. The idea plan feature is great because it lets you lay out your business plan on one page, giving you an overview. There are built-in sticky notes for brainstorming and custom templates to start you off with a bit of a guide (or just create your own).

Another great feature of IdeaBuddy is the whiteboard, which lets you drag and drop various elements, draw on it and collaborate with others to come up with your perfect business idea. That feature is locked behind the highest tier, so you’ll have to pay $22 per month (billed annually) to use it. However, that plan also gives you up to 10 collaborators and 10 ideas.

Other plans are more limiting: The free plan is for a solopreneur who has a single idea to work on and the Dreamer plan is $6 per month while the Founder plan is $12 per month, both billed annually. The Dreamer plan is also limited to one idea, but you get one collaborator while the Founder plan gives you up to three ideas and three collaborators. Plus, you’ll get access to the paid plans to export and share your plan with viewers.

IdeaBuddy is just what it sounds like: It’s best for ideation. You can create a full-fledged business plan, but this program is best suited for the very beginning stages of business creation.

• Free forever plan
• Affordable paid plans
• Monthly and annual billing options
• Easy to use
• Export to Word, Excel or as PDF
• Flexible whiteboard feature
• May be too basic for some users
• Doesn’t offer much guidance

Best for No-Frills Business Planning

$55 for one year

Business plan software doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective, and iPlanner certainly fits that bill. It’s been around since 2007 and it doesn’t appear to have updated its look or functions. The browser-based business planning software gives you a place to build out your business model and a business plan.

There are two different software options from iPlanner: Strategy Designer and Startup Framework. The Strategy Designer costs $59 for three plans, but it’s a one-time fee for the year. Choose it if you want a more condensed and no-frills kind of business plan. You can export it to Word or as a PDF.

The iPlanner Startup Framework is $55 per year, which gives you one plan to create. It’s similar to the Designer version, but you can create a business model, separate financials and build a team with various roles (view only, project owner or consultant).

iPlanner is best for those who have created a business plan before and don’t need hand-holding or fancy features.

• Business modeling option
• Samples on site for demoing
• Export to Word or as PDF
• No free plan or trial
• Not a lot of guidance
• Outdated interface

Best for Automatic Business Plan Creation

$11 per month

Enloop is a unique business plan app that generates a business plan for you based on information you provide. You can edit the text Enloop writes for you to make it more specific or change numbers in your financial forecasts as you see fit. Enloop offers a scorecard that updates as you change things, finish sections and make your business plan overall better.

Then Enloop compares your financial forecasts to industry standards, so you don’t have to do the research. The software shows you up to 16 ratios, such as sales, inventory and payables and then shows you what the average is for your industry as it compares to your financials. Enloop then gives you either a pass or fail so that you can modify your plan before you put anything into play.

Although Enloop doesn’t offer a free plan, there is a free trial for one week so you can see if it’s right for you. The Detailed plan costs $11 per month while the Performance plan is $24 per month, both billed annually. The biggest difference between the two plans is how many financial ratios Enloop analyzes: The Detailed plan only gets three ratios and Performance plan gets 16.

Enloop is best for those who have some experience creating business plans, not necessarily for those who are starting from scratch as there are no brainstorming or strategizing tools included. Use Enloop to create business plans quickly.

• Three business plans for each tier
• Generates a business plan automatically
• Compares your financials to industry standards
• Seven-day free trial available
• Scorecards indicate odds of success
• No messaging team members through app
• Not meant for strategizing

Best for Consultant Groups

$80 per, user per month

Not everyone wants to go it alone when creating business plans and consultants are often hired for industry expertise and business plan creation. AchieveIt offers generous plans that won’t limit the number of plans and projects you can create, so you can work on multiple business plans at one time.

Specifically, AchieveIt is planning software meant for medium to large teams to work on projects simultaneously. For business planning, it’s a great option for those strategizing and analyzing a variety of data points with multiple people—all of AchieveIt’s plans have a minimum requirement of 20 users.

Plans are pricey, especially when you consider the user minimum. Core, the lowest-priced plan, costs $80 per user, per month, and Plus is $90 per user, per month, both billed annually. So, it’s going to cost $1,600 per month, at least, which puts this software out of reach for most small businesses.

AchieveIt is a good choice for large businesses that need planning software and for business plan purposes, it makes most sense for established consultant groups.

• Unlimited plans and projects
• Collaboration tools
• Goal management
• 20-user minimum
• Pricier than most competitors
• Integrations at added cost

Best for Teams

Business sorter.

$10 per month

When you’re ready to craft your business plan, it can help immensely to have business planning software like Business Sorter. The cloud-based app makes it easy for you to start a plan and kicks off your business planning with a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). Then, you can follow a guide to build your plan with each section divided by areas. After which, you can choose cards to help steer you toward the right objectives and goals for your business.

You won’t find roadmapping tools in Business Sorter, but the card system keeps you on track (and even gives you goals you may not have considered). As you prioritize goals, you’ll find steps you need to take that guide you to completing your business plan. Every plan allows multiple users, so you can collaborate on what takes precedence.

Plans start at $10 per month, billed annually, and allows you to have three users on board. For 10 users, the Medium plan costs $30 per month, billed annually, and if you need 30 users, the Large Team plan will run you $80 per month, billed annually. It’s one of the most affordable business planning apps for teams.

Although Business Sorter doesn’t offer a messaging tool, it’s still one of the best options for teams. You don’t have to pay per person, but you can add multiple people to the account to work on creating business plans.

• Easy-to-use business plan templates
• Free trial available
• Card system helps guide your goal setting
• Create up to 40 business plans
• Plans limit user count
• No messaging in app
• Very limited integrations

Forbes Advisor carefully considered a variety of software to choose the right business planning apps for this ranking. We compared features, ease of use, costs and collaboration. We ranked each company based on these factors using a 5-star rating system. The highest possible score is 5 out of 5 stars.

Here are the details of the factors we considered:

• Features: We looked at general and unique features of each app and gave more credit to software that provides better functionality for business planning.
• Cost: Regardless of your business size, cost is an important factor to consider when you’re adding new software to your tech stack. We awarded a higher score to those that offer free trials, free plans and affordable options.
• Ease of use: Programs that have a steep learning curve aren’t likely to be adopted by you or your team, so we chose software that’s user-friendly. Drag-and-drop interfaces or guidance through features and tools are helpful for any team.
• Customer reviews: An important factor for any software is how the general public views the program. We considered other ratings and studied the pros and cons listed by other users of the software to help us with our ranking.

Technically, you don’t need business plan software, but using it can make the entire experience easier and you’ll have better odds of creating a solid plan. You don’t even have to choose software made specifically for business planning—project management software is great for roadmapping and goal management. Aside from looking for software that includes financial forecasting, you’ll want collaboration tools, a user-friendly interface, affordable plans and ways to brainstorm or roadmap for your business idea.

One of the most important sections of any business plan is the financials. If you haven’t already done the research and calculations, look for a business plan app that automatically calculates these numbers for you.

Collaboration is also key if you’re working with a partner, team or consultants. At the very least, look for software that lets you invite viewers to see the work you’re doing, but the best business plan software lets users leave comments or work on a plan in real time simultaneously.

Ease of use is nearly as important as pricing. You’ll need software you and your team will use without spending too much downtime learning how to use it. It also makes no sense to choose a cost-prohibitive tool for creating a business plan—most of the software Forbes Advisor suggests is appropriate for small business budgets.

Finally, depending on the stage you’re in of business planning, you may want a tool that offers features that make it easy for you to create a roadmap for your business. If you’re in the early stages, these tools can help with brainstorming, prioritizing goals and managing your goals before you finalize your actual business plan.

Most business plan software helps guide you through the creation of a business plan with prompts, suggestions or tips. So, using business plan software is especially helpful for new business owners who don’t know all the sections to include to increase the odds of getting funding or luring a partner to join your operation.

Business plan software can also automate some processes, such as calculations of financials or comparisons of those finances with industry standards. Some business planning apps give you whiteboards or editable cards you can use for brainstorming. Other features may include scorecards to let you know if you’re on the right track or roadmapping tools to give you an overview of your business plan.

The biggest benefit of business plan software is that it helps you organize and prioritize all of your goals so you can more easily analyze and then compile the data you need to create your business plan. After that, you can create your plan from scratch or if you’re using business planning software made specifically for crafting plans, you can piece it all together and then export it as a PDF or to Microsoft Word.

Which business plan software is the best?

Forbes Advisor suggests Wrike, Smartsheet or LivePlan to help you write your business plan. Depending on the stage you’re in of business planning, one tool or another may be better for you.

How do I create my own business plan?

There are several steps you should follow to create a good business plan, but there are different types of plans you can create. Every business plan starts with a strong executive summary and includes your business goals and financial forecasting. Follow a guide on how to create a business plan to ensure you include all the sections needed.

What are the different types of business plans?

There are many types of business plans you can create and the one that makes the most sense for you depends on your situation. A standard business plan is meant for when you need to present to investors or a bank for financial help. A lean plan doesn’t include all the summaries and background information a standard plan does, so it’s more suitable for established business owners. There are also one-page business plans that are more like pitches. You may also run across operational, tactical, strategic and contingency business plans. We created a simple business plan template that you can use to get started when launching a side gig or small business.

Is business plan software secure?

As  with most types of software, the best business plan software programs offer many levels of security. When choosing this type of software, you want to look for security features that include multifactor authentication (MFA), intrusion detection, the monitoring of user activities, documentation that shows frequent security updates and patches, data encryption and privacy protection.

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Amy Nichol Smith spent more than 20 years working as a journalist for TV and newspapers before transitioning to software and hardware product reviews for consumers and small businesses. She has been featured in publications such as L.A. Times, Tom's Guide, Investopedia and various newspapers across the U.S.

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Council adopts new housing plan to address failed market

La Ronge council has adopted a Housing Business Plan meant to be a clear strategy toward a well-functioning housing market that meets the needs of all residents and visitors, both now and in the future.

The plan, which also includes the Village of Air Ronge and was presented at their council meeting earlier this month, is essential for securing funding and investments, managing risks, and allocating local resources. It includes important information for the housing industry, community groups, service providers, local governments, employers, potential regional partners, and residents.

The document adopted by council states the housing market in the region has failed and the plan provides a roadmap for creating a new one.

“The plan benchmarks the current housing situation and outlines specific actions the Town of La Ronge and Northern Village of Air Ronge should take to achieve its vision. Currently, there are significant challenges preventing the housing market from effectively serving the region,” the document states.

“The implementation of this plan means that the region will become more than simply investment-ready, it will realize a compelling vision for the future.”

In specific, the plan explains there are solutions the municipalities can undertake to create a more robust housing market. Those solutions include preparing priority sites for multi-unit dwellings to a shovel-ready state, implementing an innovative housing incentive program to attract developers, and making steps to market the collaborative supports available to developers.

It also suggests enhancing collaboration with the Lac La Ronge Indian Band on housing initiatives, and stablishing an independent non-profit organization dedicated to regional housing development.

“Implementation requires tailoring to the unique needs of the region, characterized by a young, working-age population with significant income disparity.” the document adds.

“Allowing poor housing conditions, unmet needs, and houselessness to persist in a community has a cost.”

The plan found there is a large working population in Air Ronge and La Ronge, particularly under 40 years of age, and that the housing future housing demands is expected to increase given the large youth demographic.

It also found the supply of housing to accommodate small households is low and is the most pressing demand to fulfill. Investment in renovations could address current quality issues, support improved affordability (particularly related to monthly utility costs), reconfigure existing dwellings for current market needs and optimize use of community investments in existing infrastructure.

Region stakeholders believe the cost of servicing to be a significant barrier to housing market solutions.

“Market dynamics (potentially related to housing quality and/or condition) have kept prices low, yet an absolute shortage of units is preventing access by those with lower incomes who could benefit from lower prices,” the document mentioned.

“The market would benefit from the addition of high-end housing units attractive to a move-up market, which would free up lower cost dwellings. It also requires purpose-built units affordable to households earning less than $70,000 annually.”

Read more about the Air Ronge/La Ronge Housing Business Plan online here.

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Entrepreneurial dreams: Your guide to starting a business in Canada

Embarking on the journey of starting a business in Canada is an exciting and rewarding endeavour. Whether you’re a newcomer with a passion for entrepreneurship or a seasoned business professional looking to establish roots in a new country, understanding the basics of starting a business is crucial. From legal requirements to financial considerations, let’s explore the key steps to help you turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

Legal requirements: Setting the foundation

Before launching your business, it’s essential to understand the legal requirements and regulations governing entrepreneurship in Canada. Determine the legal structure of your business, whether it’s a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or cooperative, and register your business name accordingly. Familiarize yourself with tax obligations, licencing requirements, and any industry-specific regulations that may apply to your business.

Business plan and market research: Charting your course

A well-crafted business plan serves as a roadmap for your entrepreneurial journey, outlining your business goals, target market, competitive analysis, marketing strategy and financial projections. Conduct thorough market research to understand your target audience, industry trends and potential competitors. Identify your unique value proposition and develop strategies to differentiate your business in the marketplace.

Licences and permits: Navigating regulatory compliance

Depending on the nature of your business and its location, you may need to obtain various licences, permits and certifications to operate legally in Canada. Research the specific licencing requirements for your industry and jurisdiction, and ensure that you obtain all necessary permits before launching your business. These may include permits for zoning, health and safety, food handling, alcohol sales and more.

Finances, including loans: Securing funding for your venture

Financing your business is a critical aspect of entrepreneurship and there are several options available to newcomers in Canada. Explore government funding programs, grants and loans designed to support small businesses and newcomers. Consider alternative financing options, such as crowdfunding, venture capital or angel investors, to raise capital for your venture. Develop a comprehensive financial plan that outlines your startup costs, operating expenses, revenue projections and cash flow forecasts.

Setting expectations: Embracing challenges and opportunities

Starting a business is an inherently risky venture, and it’s essential to set realistic expectations and be prepared to face challenges along the way. Entrepreneurship requires dedication, perseverance, and resilience in the face of adversity. Understand that success may not come overnight and be willing to adapt, pivot, and learn from setbacks. Celebrate small victories and milestones along the way, and remember that every obstacle presents an opportunity for growth and learning.

Contingency plans: Mitigating risks and uncertainties

In business, it’s essential to anticipate and prepare for potential risks and uncertainties. Develop contingency plans to address unforeseen challenges, such as changes in market conditions, supply chain disruptions or economic downturns. Consider diversifying your revenue streams, building strong relationships with suppliers and partners, and maintaining adequate insurance coverage to protect your business against unforeseen events.

Starting a business in Canada offers newcomers the opportunity to pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations and contribute to the country’s vibrant economy. By understanding the legal requirements, conducting thorough market research, securing financing, setting realistic expectations and developing contingency plans, you can navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship and build a successful and sustainable business.

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Wall Street rally helped boost gains for 401(k) plan savers in the first half of 2024

FILE - Signs at the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway streets in New York, June 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith, File)

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Strong growth for stocks on Wall Street this year have helped juice gains for savers with retirement accounts.

The average 401(k) plan balance stood at $127,100 at the end of the second quarter, an increase of 13% from the same period last year, according to data from Fidelity Investments drawn from 24 million accounts.

The average balance in the April-June quarter was up just 1% from the first three months of the year, when the average 401(k) balance jumped 16.4% from a year earlier.

“Retirement savers in the second quarter of 2024 benefited from the continued upswing of the previous quarter, when contribution levels and average account balances reached record highs,” said Sharon Brovelli, president of workplace investing at Fidelity Investments.

The median 401(k) plan balance was just $29,200 at the end of the second quarter, an increase of 17% from a year earlier. The median figure tends to skew lower than the average because workers who recently enrolled into a 401(k) plan but haven’t had time to build up a balance.

About 35% of Americans reported having a 401(k) or similar retirement savings plan in 2020, according to the Census Bureau.

Individual retirement accounts, or IRAs, also rose. The average balance was $129,200 by the end of the second quarter, an increase of 1% from the first quarter and up 14% from the second quarter last year, Fidelity said.

The retirement savings plans’ gains came as the major stock indexes crushed multiple record highs amid a wave of enthusiasm over artificial intelligence developments that fueled demand for shares in Big Tech stocks, including chipmaker Nvidia, Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Amazon.

The benchmark S&P 500 index rallied to a roughly 15% gain through the first six months of the year. It has since added another 2.4% and is up about 17% as of Wednesday.

The savings rate, or how much savers set aside from their pay combined with contributions from their employer, also helped push up 401(k) plan balances. The savings rate was 14.2%, Fidelity said. That’s down slightly from 14.1% in the first quarter, but higher than the 13.9% rate in the second quarter last year.

For many savers, their growing nest eggs are proving too tempting not to tap early. Some 18.3% of employees with a 401(k) plan had a loan outstanding on their retirement account balance in the second quarter, Fidelity said. That’s up from 17.2% in the same quarter last year.

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Survey: 48% of workers plan to look for a new job in the next year

Following the COVID-19 recession, the job market boomed. Workers experienced a historic amount of bargaining power. Phrases like the “Great Resignation” and “quiet quitting” were part of Americans’ everyday lingo, and unemployment hit its lowest point in 54 years.

Today, that’s no longer the case.

The U.S. job market has been slowly weakening over the last few months, as further evidenced by the latest jobs report.

The economy added far fewer jobs than expected in July – just 114,000 – the third time in the past eight months that job growth has fallen below 200,000. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, unexpectedly jumped 0.2 percentage points to 4.3%.

But the slowing job market isn’t completely deterring workers from looking for new opportunities over the next year.

Nearly half (48%) of Americans in the workforce (i.e., those who are employed full-time or looking for full-time employment) say they’re likely to search for a new job in the next 12 months, Bankrate’s new Employment Security Survey found.

Many workers also say they’re likely to ask for higher pay and work flexibility in the coming year.

Nearly half of workers say they’re likely to search for a new job in the next year, especially younger workers.

The slowdown in the job market is undeniable.

With unemployment rising, fewer Americans quitting their jobs and slowing wage growth, workers no longer have the bargaining power they had following the pandemic.

However, that doesn’t mean the job market is in a dire state or that Americans aren’t still on the hunt for jobs. The job market just may be normalizing back to what workers experienced before the pandemic, according to Bankrate analyst Sarah Foster.

“I’ve often speculated that workers might’ve gotten used to the historic amount of bargaining power that they had post-pandemic,” Foster says. “If you get a taste of what that’s like, it’s hard to go back. It might make a more ‘normal’ labor market feel artificially worse than it actually is.”

Over the next year, nearly half of Americans (48%) in the workforce say they’re likely to search for a new job, including the following:

• 23% who say they’re very likely

• 25% who say they’re somewhat likely

What’s notable is that this year’s figure is down from 56% when Bankrate last conducted this survey in March 2023, a possible sign of the cooling job market. Over half of U.S. workers (52%) say they’re unlikely to search for a new job in the next year, including the following:

• 25% who say they’re not too likely

• 27% who say they’re not at all likely

Younger workers – including millennials and Gen Z – make up a significant portion of the U.S. workforce and are more prone to job-hopping than other generations.

Bankrate’s survey found younger workers are more likely than their older counterparts to search for a new job in the next year. Here’s the breakdown across generations:

• 64% of Gen Z workers (ages 18-27)

• 52% of millennial workers (ages 28-43)

• 45% of Gen X workers (ages 44-59)

• 25% of baby boomer workers (ages 60-78)

Higher pay or greater workplace flexibility are also big priorities for workers over the next year, especially among younger workers.

Forty-three percent of those in the workforce say they’re likely to ask for a raise at work, while 42% plan to ask for more work flexibility such as different hours, and/or the ability to work from home or remotely more often.

Millennials and Gen Z workers are more likely to ask for a raise at work, compared with older workers.

• 52% of Gen Z workers

• 54% of millennial workers

• 34% of Gen X workers

• 25% of baby boomer workers

Some workers plan to make other career moves in the coming year. Twenty-five percent of workers are likely to quit their jobs in the next year, while 22% are likely to relocate for a job.

Roughly 3 in 10 workers (29%) will likely start their own business in the next year, with a higher percentage of young workers planning to become entrepreneurs, including the following:

• 41% of Gen Z workers

• 34% of millennial workers

Roughly 1 in 5 workers say their employment situation has worsened since the Fed began raising rates

The Federal Reserve has been a major catalyst for the weakening labor market.

As the Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates to combat inflation, the economy has slowed down, unemployment has risen and the number of jobs added monthly has declined.

Roughly 1 in 5 workers (21%) believe their employment/career situation has worsened since the Fed began raising rates in March 2022. Meanwhile, the majority of workers (57%) say their situation is about the same, and 22% said it has improved.

Younger workers are more likely than older workers to say their career situation has improved since the Fed’s rate hiking cycle began.

• 30% of Gen Z workers

• 26% of millennial workers

• 15% of Gen X workers

• 15% of baby boomer workers

Since the Fed’s rate hiking cycle began, workers have some worry about their job security

Some workers are also feeling uneasy about their job security. Layoffs aren’t widespread and they remain at record lows, but “there’s been an undeniable social element to the fear of job security” in today’s job market, says Foster.

“Americans see the posts on LinkedIn. They often know someone who knows someone who’s been laid off,” she says.

“Even back when unemployment was at a half-century low that it didn’t even eclipse pre-pandemic, Americans had a perception that the job market was much worse than it was.”

Seventy percent of workers have some level of worry about job security since the rate hiking cycle began, including:

• 42% who say their level of worry hasn’t changed

• 28% who say they are more worried

• 16% who say they are less worried

Only 15% of workers said they aren’t or haven’t worried about their job security since the Fed began raising interest rates.

Some generations are more concerned about their job security than others. Among generations who said they are more worried about their job security are the following:

• 36% of Gen Z workers

• 29% of Gen X workers

• 28% of millennial workers

• 18% of baby boomer workers

How to make a career change

The job market has slackened from red-hot levels, and finding a new job may be more challenging now than it was just a few years ago.

But it’s not impossible. Here are three steps everyone should take when making a career change right now, especially in a weakening job market:

• Lean into your network: Your network is one of your greatest assets when trying to find your next job.

Connect with old colleagues, reach out to people in your industry and contact recruiters to show you’re interested in new opportunities. They may be able to assist you in your job search and make the process go faster by fielding questions, giving you feedback on your resume or referring you to specific jobs.

• Have a well-stocked emergency fund: From application to hiring, it can take several months to secure a job.

In case of emergencies, aim to have three to six months’ worth of expenses socked away in a high-yield savings account before you begin your job search. Emergency funds can be a lifeline if you experience a sudden job loss or a hefty unexpected expense while transitioning careers.

• Always negotiate for higher pay and better benefits: Job seekers may not have as much bargaining power as they did a few years ago, but it’s still important to negotiate.

Recruiters often expect candidates to negotiate their compensation package, which is why you should come prepared with your ideal salary and other non-negotiables. Make sure your asks are backed by research, experience and conversations with people in your industry.

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Harris and Trump Have Housing Ideas. Economists Have Doubts.

The two presidential nominees are talking about their approaches for solving America’s affordability crisis. But would their plans work?

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By Jeanna Smialek and Linda Qiu

America’s gaping shortage of affordable housing has rocketed to the top of voter worry lists and to the forefront of campaign promises, as both the Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris, and the Republican candidate, Donald J. Trump, promise to fix the problem if they are elected.

Their two visions of how to solve America’s affordable housing shortage have little in common, and Ms. Harris’s plan is far more detailed. But they do share one quality: Both have drawn skepticism from outside economists.

Ms. Harris is promising a cocktail of tax cuts meant to spur home construction — which several economists said could help create supply. But she is also floating a $25,000 benefit to help first-time buyers break into the market, which many economists worry could boost demand too much, pushing home prices even higher. And both sets of policies would need to pass in Congress, which would influence their design and feasibility.

Mr. Trump’s plan is garnering even more doubt. He pledges to deport undocumented immigrants, which could cut back temporarily on housing demand but would also most likely cut into the construction work force and eventually limit new housing supply. His other ideas include lowering interest rates, something that he has no direct control over and that is poised to happen anyway.

Economist misgivings about the housing market policy plans underline a somber reality. Few quick fixes are available for an affordable housing shortfall that has been more than 15 years in the making, one that is being worsened by demographic and societal trends. While ambitious promises may sound good in debates and television ads, actual policy attempts to fix the national housing shortfall are likely to prove messy and slow — even if they are sorely needed.

Here’s what the candidates are proposing, and what experts say about those plans.

Harris: Expand Supply Using Tax Credits.

Ms. Harris is promising to increase housing supply by expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, providing incentives for state and local investment in housing and creating a $40 billion tax credit to make affordable projects economically feasible for builders.

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NFRA-ICAI tussle over key audit standard overhaul: CA Institute Council to meet on Sep 17 to discuss future strategy

Icai to debate nfra’s plan to overhaul audit standard sa600, fearing concentration of market in few hands.

By KR Srivats

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is locked in a battle of wits with the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) over its intervention to overhaul a key audit standard (SA600–‘Using the Work of Another Auditor’). A special central council meeting has been convened on September 17 by the CA Institute to debate the matter thoroughly.

The meeting will discuss the issue which arises from a recent NFRA plan to require the principal auditor (auditor of a Holding Company in a Corporate Group) to own and take responsibility for the actions of the component auditors (auditors of the subsidiaries) in a corporate group.

Ranjeet Kumar Agarwal, President of ICAI, said that CA Institute is not in favour of any refresh of the two-decade-old SA600 that would lead to the concentration of the audit market only in a few hands.

“We are not in favour of this (NFRA plan) as it will affect small practitioners and virtually kill the majority of 96,000 CA firms in the country. India cannot afford to allow the audit market to be concentrated in the hands of few firms”, Agarwal told businessline .

“We at the central Council will discuss this matter on September 17. This is a larger issue. It is impacting the economy of the country. Things that are going on for twenty years cannot be changed by one line,” he said.

According to R Narayanaswamy, Former Professor of Finance and Accounting, IIM Bangalore and current part-time Member at NFRA, there are two concerns (from ICAI)  about implementing ISA 600 (international standard corresponding to SA 600) in India. 

One, the group auditor, usually a bigger firm, will review the component auditors’ work by having access to their work papers. Two, the group auditor could take away the work of component auditors, leading to further concentration of work. 

“On the first, there is no bar on review of the component auditors’ work. Peer review involves evaluation by another firm. On the second, auditing standards should protect the interests of investors and creditors and the public interest. 

They can’t be used to protect the business interests of auditors, big or small. If there are anti-competitive practices, it can be taken up with the Competition Commission of India,” Narayanaswamy told businessline .

NFRA, which is the country’s sole independent audit regulator, plans to empower the principal auditor to access the working papers of audit of component auditors. It also wants principal auditors to own up to the actions of the component auditors instead of just relying on them.

These proposed changes will initially form part of a consultation paper that NFRA plans to issue for stakeholder and public comments, sources said. The elements of the changes required to SA 600 (Auditing Standard on ‘Using the Work of Another Auditor’) were discussed at a meeting of the NFRA Board on Monday.

Currently, while attesting the consolidated financial statements of a corporate group, the Principal auditor relies on the work done by the component auditors (of the subsidiaries). They however don’t own any responsibility for any professional misconduct or acts of omission or commission by the auditors of the subsidiaries.

Probes made by NFRA on recent audit failures in Corporate India in cases such as DHFL, IL&FS, Reliance Capital, and Coffee Day Enterprises saw the principal and component auditors blame each other and neither owning responsibility for the frauds. This has prompted NFRA to look at filling the gaps in auditing standards, sources said.

Agarwal highlighted that there are 1.6 lakh practising chartered accountants and 96,000 CA firms in the country. Of this, nearly 75 percent of the firms are proprietorship firms. They will be affected if SA 600 changes as proposed are implemented, he added.

Amarjit Chopra, former ICAI President, said, “In my view, Principal Auditor should identify the critical areas that he wishes Component Auditor to focus on, e.g. related parties transactions, utilisation of loans etc and should issue directions for the same. Later on principal auditor may ask for working papers in respect of such areas from the  component auditor in case he feels the need for the same”.

But asking for working papers for the entire audit may not be desirable, Chopra said. He added that certain carve-outs in SA600 may be necessary in India for RBI, CAG, and IRDAI audits.

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