Here’s a lean, actionable business plan template you can complete in 1-2 hours. Copy each section into a document and fill in the brackets.

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1. ONE-PAGER (The Snapshot)

Write this last, but place it first. Keep it to 3-4 paragraphs.

The Problem: [What pain point are you solving?]
Your Solution: [Product/service in one sentence]
Target Market: [Who pays you? Be specific: "Marketing directors at 50-200 employee SaaS companies"]
Revenue Model: [How you make money: subscriptions, one-time sales, B2B contracts, etc.]
The Ask: [If seeking funding: amount & what it buys. If bootstrapping: key milestone this plan achieves]

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2. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Mission: [Why you exist beyond money—1 sentence]
Legal Structure: [LLC, S-Corp, Sole Prop?]
Stage: [Idea/MVP/Generating Revenue/Scaling]
Location: [Physical or virtual HQ]

Success Metrics (90-day):

• [Metric 1: e.g., "100 paying customers"]
• [Metric 2: e.g., "$10k MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)"]
• [Metric 3: e.g., "Launch in 2 distribution channels"]

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3. PRODUCT/SERVICE LINE

Differentiation: [Why choose you over [Competitor X]? Avoid "better service"—be concrete: "We deliver in 24 hrs vs. their 5 days"]

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4. MARKET ANALYSIS (Keep it light)

Total Addressable Market (TAM): [Broad market size, e.g., "$10B wellness industry"]
Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM): [Realistic 3-year capture: "$1M revenue potential"]

Customer Persona:

• Demographics: [Age, income, job title]
• Psychographics: [What keeps them awake at night? What do they read?]
• Buying Trigger: [What event causes them to purchase?]

3 Direct Competitors:

1. [Name]: [Their strength] / [Their weakness you exploit]
2. [Name]: [Strength] / [Weakness]
3. [Name]: [Strength] / [Weakness]

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5. SALES & MARKETING

Acquisition Channel 1 (Primary): [e.g., LinkedIn outreach, Google Ads, TikTok organic]

• Tactic: [Specific action: "Post daily carousels targeting #operationsmanagers"]
• Budget: $[Amount]/month
• Target CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost): $[X]

Acquisition Channel 2 (Secondary): [e.g., Referral program, Trade shows]

Sales Process:

1. [Lead capture: Free audit? Newsletter?]
2. [Nurture: Email sequence? Demo call?]
3. [Close: Proposal template? Self-checkout?]
4. [Retention: Onboarding flow? Support SLA?]

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6. OPERATIONS

Key Activities: [What you DO—manufacturing, coding, consulting, fulfillment]
Suppliers/Vendors: [Critical dependencies: AWS, Shopify, raw materials supplier]
Tech Stack: [Website builder, CRM, accounting software]
Location Needs: [Home office / Coworking / Warehouse / Retail?]

Risk Mitigation: [What if your main supplier fails? What if acquisition channel dies?]

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7. TEAM & HIRING

Advisory Board: [2-3 experts you can call for advice? Industry vets?]

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8. FINANCIALS (The Numbers)

Startup Costs: [One-time expenses to launch]

• Equipment/Tech: $[X]
• Legal/Formation: $[X]
• Initial Inventory: $[X]
• Total: $[X]

Monthly Operating Costs (Burn Rate):

• Software/Tools: $[X]
• Marketing: $[X]
• Salaries (including yours): $[X]
• Rent/Utilities: $[X]
• Total Monthly: $[X]

Revenue Projections (Conservative):

• Month 3: $[X]
• Month 6: $[X]
• Month 12: $[X]
• Break-even: [When costs = revenue?]

Funding Needs: $[Amount] for [months] of runway to reach [milestone]

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9. MILESTONE ROADMAP

Next 30 Days:

• [Concrete task]
• [Concrete task]

Next 90 Days:

• [Launch/Milestone]
• [Customer count/Revenue target]

Year 1:

• [Major goal: "Profitable" / "Series A ready" / "3 new hires"]

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QUICK-START CHECKLIST

Before you write, gather:

• 3 competitor websites (screenshot their pricing)
• 5 potential customer interview notes (validate the problem!)
• Spreadsheet template for the financials (Google Sheets is fine)

Pro Tip: Skip perfect grammar. Use bullet points. This plan is for you to stay focused and for lenders/investors to see you’ve thought it through—not for a literary award.

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Want me to expand on any specific section? For example:

• Are you struggling with the financial projections (I can give you formulas)?
• Do you need market research shortcuts for your specific industry?
• Is this for funding/loans (needs more rigor) or internal use (can be lighter)?

What type of business are you planning, and what stage are you at—idea, MVP, or already generating revenue?

Simple Business Plan Template

This is a straightforward, one-page-friendly template for startups or small businesses. Customize it with your details, keep it concise (aim for 5-10 pages total), and use it to guide your launch or pitch to investors. Fill in each section step-by-step, using bullet points or short paragraphs for clarity. Update it as your business evolves.

1. Executive Summary

Overview: A high-level snapshot of your business—write this last, after completing the rest.

• Business name: [Your Business Name]
• Mission statement: [One-sentence description of your purpose, e.g., "To provide affordable eco-friendly cleaning services to urban households."]
• Key objectives: [3-5 bullet points, e.g., "Achieve $10K revenue in Year 1; Expand to 3 cities by Year 3."]
• Funding needs: [Amount requested and use, e.g., "$10K for equipment and marketing."]

2. Company Description

Overview: What your business does and why it exists.

• Legal structure: [e.g., Sole proprietorship, LLC, Corporation]
• Location: [Physical address or "Online-only"]
• Ownership: [Your name and partners, with % ownership]
• Unique value proposition: [What sets you apart? e.g., "Fastest delivery in the industry with zero-waste packaging."]

3. Market Analysis

Overview: Prove there's demand—research competitors and customers.

• Target market: [Who are your ideal customers? e.g., "Busy professionals aged 25-45 in mid-sized cities."]
• Market size: [e.g., "$X billion industry growing at Y% annually."]
• Competitors:

  Competitor	Strengths	Weaknesses	Your Edge
  [Name 1]
  [Name 2]

• SWOT Analysis:
  • Strengths: [List 3-5]
  • Weaknesses: [List 3-5]
  • Opportunities: [List 3-5]
  • Threats: [List 3-5]

4. Products or Services

Overview: Detail what you're selling.

• Description: [Core offerings, e.g., "Handmade leather wallets in 5 colors."]
• Pricing: [e.g., "$10-50 per unit; Bundles at $10."]
• Suppliers/Production: [How you make/deliver it.]
• Future roadmap: [Upcoming products/services.]

5. Marketing and Sales Strategy

Overview: How you'll attract and convert customers.

• Marketing channels: [e.g., Social media (Instagram/TikTok), SEO, Email newsletters.]
• Sales process: [e.g., "Online store via Shopify → Free shipping over $10 → 30-day returns."]
• Budget: [e.g., "$1K/month on ads."]
• Customer acquisition cost (CAC): [Estimate: $X per customer.]
• Milestones: [e.g., "1,000 email subscribers in 3 months."]

6. Organization and Management

Overview: Your team and operations.

• Team structure:

  Role	Name	Experience	Compensation
  Founder/CEO	[You]	[Years in industry]	[Salary/Equity]
  [Other roles]

• Key operations: [Daily processes, tools like QuickBooks for accounting, Trello for tasks.]

7. Financial Projections

Overview: Show the numbers—use simple spreadsheets (Excel/Google Sheets).

• Startup costs: [List one-time expenses, total $X.]
• Revenue forecast (3-5 years):

  Year	Revenue	Expenses	Profit
  1	$X	$Y	$Z
  2

• Break-even point: [e.g., "After selling 500 units."]
• Assumptions: [e.g., "10% monthly growth."]

8. Funding Request (If Seeking Investment)

• Amount: [$X]
• Use of funds: [Pie chart or bullets: 40% marketing, 30% inventory, etc.]
• Exit strategy: [e.g., "Acquisition in 5 years."]

9. Appendix

• Supporting docs: Resumes, market research links, product photos, legal agreements.

Next Steps to Get Started

1. Gather data: Spend 1-2 hours researching your market (use Google Trends, Statista, or competitor sites).
2. Fill sections 2-7 first: Use this template in Google Docs.
3. Build financials: Download a free Excel template from SCORE.org or Bplans.com.
4. Review & iterate: Share with a mentor (find one on LinkedIn) and refine.
5. Take action: Set a deadline to complete it in 1 week.

What type of business are you planning (e.g., e-commerce, service-based)? Do you need help expanding on a specific section, like financials or market research? Or examples for your industry?