How to Write a Business Plan People Actually Read
A plan nobody rereads is a waste of a weekend. Here are the five answers to write first, then the three numbers a lender will ask for.
A business plan is not a school assignment. Its only job is to get you clear on who you serve, what you sell, what it costs, and how people will find you. Keep it short enough that you will actually reread it.
Answer these five questions first
Before any formatting, write plain sentences for these:
- Who is this business for? Name a specific person, not "everyone".
- What do they buy from you, and why you instead of the alternative?
- What does it cost you to deliver, and what will you charge?
- How will people find out you exist?
- How much money do you need to start, and where does it come from?
Those five answers are about 80% of a usable plan. Everything else is packaging.
Then add the three numbers
Lenders, partners, and your future self all want the same three numbers:
- Startup costs - everything you spend once, before you open.
- Monthly costs - what it takes to keep the doors open each month.
- Break-even - divide your monthly costs by your profit per customer. That answer is how many customers you need every month to stay alive.
If you can say those three numbers out loud without looking them up, you are ahead of most first-time founders.
Keep it to a few pages
Use headings, short paragraphs, and bullets. Skip the industry history chapter nobody reads. Add the supporting detail in an appendix if you need it for a loan application.
Our Business Plan Templates page has a one-page version and a full version you can download and fill in. Start with the one-page version this week, then expand only when a lender asks.