Writing a Business Plan

Business Plans

How to Create Your First Successful Business Plan

Entrepreneurial expert Chris Haroun uses his patented process to help make your new business plan a reality.

				
Business Plans: A Step-by-Step GuideThis guide to writing a business plan will outline the most important parts and what should be included in an effective plan.

								2 min read
			
How to Write a Business PlanNow that you understand why you need a business plan and you've spent some time doing your homework gathering the information you need to create one, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get everything down on paper.

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4 Reasons Why a Traditional 40-Page Business Plan Is an Insane Waste of TimeNo one will even read your epic novel of a plan in this age of short bursts of information. Create a 10-page pitch deck instead.

				Adam Callinan
			
					|			5 min read
			
5 Reasons Your Business Plan Sucks and How You Can Change ItMost plans fail to achieve their objective and end up misrepresenting the business.

				Tallat Mahmood
			
					|			5 min read

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For any entrepreneur planning to start a business, writing a business plan is a helpful way to clarify what service or products the company provides, as well as your business goals and how to to reach them. Business plans are considered a mandatory step for entrepreneurs seeking funding from venture capitalists or banks.

What to include: Business plans vary in length -- anywhere from 20 to 50 pages -- but typically cover the same topics, such as: Cover Page (essential contact information); Executive Summary (what your business does and what market need it solves); Company Overview (profile of company and successes); Industry Analysis (details about the market); Customer Analysis (who are the customers); Competitive Analysis (identify key competitors); Marketing Plan (your brand and how do you plan on getting it in front of customers); Operations Plan (daily and yearly operational processes for success); Management Team (identify key company personnel); and Financial Plans (revenue projections for three to five years).

Helpful resources: For guidance on how to write a business plan, read “Business Plans: A Step-by-Step Guide” and Write Your Business Plan from the staff of Entrepreneur Media.