Business Plan Template for start-ups and entrepreneurs

Do you dream of starting up and creating a solid and cost-effective business in the long term? If so, you urgently need a business plan template. 

This is the document that will reveal if your idea is feasible and if you have the necessary resources to bring it to the market. We know that there's a lot of fear and uncertainty and that's why you need to spend as much time on it as necessary.

Still don't know how to create your own? Sit down, get comfortable and find out below: 

What is a business plan?

We define the business plan as the document that explains how the company will operate and what financial muscle it will need to stay in the market. 

We could say that it's a road map that allows us to assess all the obstacles that the company will have to face in order to be successful. It takes into account important elements such as:

• Competition.

• Niche to focus on.

• Organisational chart.

• Investors.

• Capital to inject.

• Working model. 

• Goals to achieve.

Therefore, there's no successful company without a well-structured business plan, so it's time to give it the attention it deserves in order to create a solid and stable company.

The importance of a business plan for your company

When you start a business you have a point B that you want to get to, that's a must. Well, the business plan is the GPS that will take you there, so you can't leave without it. 

Once you have the idea of what you want to do, the best thing to do is to put together a team and work out all the details you have in mind. It's a good idea to test the market and verify that this project, product or service has a place there.

Not doing so would be like going to the beach without knowing which road you're taking. Can you get there? Yes, but there's a good chance that you'll get lost along the way and take a thousand turns until you reach your destination.

Make your business plan and don't skip this important step!

9 Business plan templates you can use

There are many business plan templates available on the web. The important thing is to choose one that fits the characteristics of your company.

Here's a template that we've found very useful:

1. Executive summary

This is the first thing any investor sees. It's the summary of the project, highlighting the key data of the business you plan to create. 

It cannot be too long, as it's not the only point that will be shown. It should be no longer than three pages. 

2. Presentation of the project

Here you get closer to the point, you'll show the name, vision and mission of the company, as well as the products you plan to promote. 

You can use a few pages to explain the opportunity you saw, the market potential and the profits that could be made.

3. Evolution

Now it's time to pull out the numbers and explain the projection you have for the next few years. 

We recommend that you analyse the size of the market and how much you could cover in the coming months. Talk about the niche in question, target users and the elements that make it a great opportunity for everyone. 

4. The team

You wouldn't think of starting a company by yourself, would you? One of the key elements in business is teamwork, so surround yourself with people who have more skills than you and who are specialists in their fields.

Explain what the organisational structure is, who makes it up, what departments there are and much more. 

An investor values a capable and decisive team, so if he detects this in your project, it's very likely that he'll accept to inject resources. 

5. Market research

Back to the numbers again. You can focus on the market in general, who needs that product, what the specific need is and what products are in the niche that could compete with yours. 

Then others will know exactly which sector to target and the potential that exists in the medium and long term. 

6. Conjuncture

We mean the problem you want to solve. 

This point is very important, and you have to specify what the real need is that you want to tackle. How does this problem affect the customer's day-to-day life?

Make the investor feel that this problem is synonymous with opportunity if worked properly and that's what your product is for. 

7. Competition and distribution channels

Now you can talk about the other companies in the market and the distribution channels you will use to sell your product. 

You can include the marketing strategy. Get your numbers right to choose the most appropriate way to promote your services. This will be one of the key elements to make your project cost-effective. 

8. Investment plan

This point is fundamental. If you want to be a big company in the future, it's essential that you have a medium and long term investment plan that explains what you're going to do with the money.

You can specify the profits and earnings that you project for the following terms so that potential shareholders will be attracted to inject capital. 

9. Financial results

Yes, investors want future projections, but they also want to know what the results are at that point. 

If you've already sold, you can talk about recent numbers, stable sales, average ticket, most cost-effective areas and much more.

Benefits of having a business plan

Having a structured business plan increases the chances of making the future you envision for your business a reality. 

Let's look at some of the benefits you will get with this document:

1. You determine the business opportunities that exist in the market.

Just as you read it. A well-established business plan will help you to detect what business opportunities there are in the market. 

Everything will depend on the product, unsatisfied user needs, sectors to target and much more. 

Once you have it, you will know how you should act in the following months.

2. Establish objectives and strategies

With a business plan you'll know what your objectives are and what strategies you should apply to increase your chances of achieving them.

Forget about improvisation. To succeed as an entrepreneur you need to have an established work plan and this will be your guide to success. 

There are many reasons why you should have a business plan. The important thing is to choose the template that suits your tastes and needs so that you can present it to your team.

What other elements do you think a business plan should include? Let us know what you think in the comments.