How to Write a Business Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide

A business plan exists to answer one question for a lender or investor: will this make money, and can this team pull it off? Work through these nine sections and you'll have a plan you can actually submit. Follow along with the free business plan template.

1. Executive summary

Write this last, but put it first. In one page, cover your concept, the problem you solve, your market, and what you're asking for. If a reader stops after this page, they should still understand the whole business.

2. Company description

State what the business does, its legal structure, where it operates, and the specific problem it solves for a specific customer.

3. Market analysis

Quantify your target market, name real competitors, and show the gap you fill. Use sourced numbers — "no competitors" or a vague "huge market" is an instant credibility hit.

4. Organization & management

Introduce your team, roles and an org chart. Highlight the experience that makes you credible to execute the plan.

5. Products or services

Describe what you sell, the customer benefit, pricing and roadmap. Lead with the benefit, not the feature list.

6. Marketing & sales

Explain how you'll reach and convert customers: channels, positioning, pricing strategy and the sales process.

7. Financial projections

Include three to five years of projected income, cash flow and balance sheet, plus the assumptions behind them. Lenders read this section most closely — keep it realistic.

8. Funding request

If you're raising, state how much you need, exactly how you'll use it, and the terms you're seeking. Tie every number back to the projections.

9. Appendix

Attach supporting documents: resumes, permits, product images, letters of intent and detailed financial tables.

Ready to start? Open the free business plan template — every section above is laid out with prompts. Pitching a specific deal rather than describing your whole company? Use the business proposal template instead.