Kostenlose Businessplan-Vorlage und -Muster nutzen sowie Businessplan-Beispiele lesen

Unser Businessplan-Muster dient zur Orientierung, wie das Geschäftskonzept für Ihr Unternehmen aussehen kann. Direkt erstellen können Sie den Businessplan mit unserer Businessplan-Vorlage kostenlos, die als Word und PDF zum Download oder auch digital für Ihr Gründungskonzept zur Verfügung steht. 

Inspiration bietet ein Businessplan-Beispiel . Wir haben fertige Businessplan-Beispiele als PDF inkl. Finanzplan aus unterschiedlichen Branchen (u. a. Handwerk und Gastronomie) zum kostenlosen Download vorbereitet. 

business plan template deutsch

Von René Klein Chefredakteur

René Klein verantwortet als Chefredakteur seit über 10 Jahren die Inhalte auf dem Portal und aller Publikationen von Für-Gründer.de. Er ist regelmäßig Gesprächspartner in anderen Medien und verfasst zahlreiche externe Fachbeiträge zu Gründungsthemen. Vor seiner Zeit als Chefredakteur und Mitgründer von Für-Gründer.de hat er börsennotierte Unternehmen im Bereich Finanzmarktkommunikation beraten.

Businessplan-Vorlage Unternehmerheld

Businessplan schreiben: Gliederung, Leitfragen und Beispiel inklusive. Ebenso ein Beispiel für die Gründerperson, ein Muster für die Umsatzplanung und eine Excutive Summary.

Businessplan-Muster in MS Word

Businessplan-Gliederung und Erklärungen einzelner Kapitel als Word-Datei. Die Businessplan Word Vorlage enthält auch Hinweise zum Finanzplan.

  | Businessplan-Muster für das Geschäftskonzept

Damit Gründer nicht mit einem leeren Blatt Papier starten müssen, haben wir ein Businessplan-Muster entwickelt. Das Geschäftsplan-Muster zeigt, wie der Businessplan für die Selbstständigkeit aufgebaut und was enthalten sein sollte, damit das Firmenkonzept bei Banken (Stichwort bankfähig) oder der Arbeitsagentur gut angekommt. Was das Businessplan-Muster bietet, zeigt der Businesslan-Muster Aufbau:

  • Businessplan-Deckblatt Vorlage
  • Komplettes Inhaltsverzeichnis und Kapitelstruktur (u.a. Gründerperson, Marktanalyse, Marketing-Beispiel, SWOT, Finanzplan)
  • Übersicht zu Kapitelinhalten und Links zu vertiefenden Informationen
  • Professionelles Layout & Design-Vorlage

Das Businessplan-Muster PDF ist kostenlos und kann ganz einfach für Ihr Firmen- und Unternehmenskonzept genutzt werden. Bevor Sie das Businessplan-Muster kostenlos herunterladen können, stellen wir die Gliederung vor:

Gliederung für den Muster-Businessplan

Wer im Internet nach Businessplänen-Mustern sucht, findet viele verschiedene Gliederungen. Die nachfolgende Gliederung haben wir mit Kapitalgebern, Gründerberatern und aus Gesprächen mit zahlreichen Gründern in den vergangenen Jahren entwickelt.

Wie Sie im Businessplan-Muster sehen, hängt der Umfang des Geschäftsplans von der jeweiligen Gründung ab. Dabei spielen die Komplexität des Vorhabens und die Branche eine wichtige Rolle. Nehmen Sie sich bei der Erstellung des Planwerks genügend Zeit - ein paar Wochen können für das Schreiben durchaus angebracht sein. Der Geschäftsplan ist nicht nur die Grundlage für die Gründung, sondern auch für die ersten drei Jahre der Selbstständigkeit. Noch mehr Details zu jedem Gliederungspunkt finden Sie auf der Seite Businessplan-Gliederung .

Businessplan-Muster PDF kostenlos

Tipp: Businessplan-Muster richtig einsetzen

Es gibt zwar nicht das "eine" Businessplan-Muster. Doch es lohnt sich bei der Businessplanerstellung an einem etablierten Standard festzuhalten. So finden sich bspw. Kapitalgeber schnell im Geschäftsplan zu recht.

Sie können ein Businessplan-Muster als Grundlage verwenden, wenn Sie den persönlichen, auf Ihre Geschäftsidee angepassten, Businessplan schreiben. Sei es als Vorlage für den Gründungszuschuss oder für die Bank. Wir raten dazu, die Planung auf jeden Fall selbst zu erstellen - Ihre Geschäftsidee ist einzigartig und das sollte im Businessplan berücksichtigt werden! Es spricht jedoch grundsätzlich nichts dagegen, ein Businessplan-Beispiel bzw. ein Businessplan-Muster (von Für-Gründer.de oder von der IHK) vor der Erstellung ihres eigenen Geschäftsplans durchzulesen.

Wir haben eine Reihe an Vorlagen und Tools entwickelt, die Gründer und Selbstständige kostenfrei nutzen können. Neben dem digitalen Businessplan-Tool , mit dem Sie Schritt für Schritt einen professionellen Businessplan erstellen, haben wir z.B. ein Finanzplan Tool entwickelt, ein Tool für die Konkurrenzanalyse , für die Preiskalkulation sowie ein Tool für die SWOT Analyse .

  | Businessplan erstellen per Vorlage

Die Businessplan-Vorlage im Word-Format ist weiterhin eine beliebte Starthilfe für die Businessplanerstellung. Im Netz gibt es die Word-Vorlage in unterschiedlichsten Varianten zum kostenfreien (u.a. eine IHK Businessplan-Vorlage, ein KfW Businessplan-Muster) oder kostenpflichtigen Download.

Eine Vorlage für den Businessplan aus dem Internet zeichnet sich durch einige Vorteile aus. Hat aber auch Nachteile:

  • Hilfreicher Ausgangspunkt
  • Einfach zu bedienen
  • Formatierungsaufwand
  • Schlechte Teamfähigkeit, Versionierungschaos
  • Integration des Finanzplans schwierig
  • Je nach Anbieter nicht aktuell

Auf Für-Gründer.de bieten wir die Vorlage mit allen wichtigen Kapitel und Detailinformationen kostenlos an. 

Tipp: Businessplansoftware statt Word nutzen

Der Trend geht von der Word-Vorlage eindeutig in Richtung Businessplansoftware . Diese digitale Businessplan-Vorlage bietet gegenüber Word zahlreiche Vorteile. Unsere Lösung für den Online-Businessplan finden Sie in unserer Software-Lösung Unternehmerheld. Die Businessplan-Vorlage können Sie kostenfrei nutzen. Enthalten ist ein Inhaltsverzeichnis, das alle relevanten Bereiche des Geschäftsplans enthält. Zu jedem Punkt finden Sie mit einem Klick Leitfragen und Beispiele, die Ihnen Schritt für Schritt aufzeigen, welche Inhalte in der Planung für das Firmenkonzept nicht fehlen dürfen.

business plan template deutsch

Kostenfrei starten mit dem Businessplan-Tool im Unternehmerheld

Für den Unternehmerheld können Sie sich kostenfrei registrieren und anhand von wertvollen Leitfragen und Praxis-Beispielen Ihren Geschäftsplan erstellen. Sie profitieren außerdem von folgenden Aspekten:

Übersichtlich, kostenfrei, sicher: Wenn Sie die digitale Businessplan-Vorlage in der Onlinelösung Unternehmerheld nutzen, profitieren Sie von mehr Übersichtlichkeit. Die Nutzung der Businessplan-Vorlage ist kostenfrei - dabei garantieren wir strengen Datenschutz.

Einfache Zusammenarbeit im Team: Über die Teamfunktion in unserem Unternehmerheld können Sie Mitgründer, Berater sowie weitere Vertraute dazu einladen, gemeinsam an Ihrem Geschäftsplan zu feilen. Ob Lesen, Kommentieren oder Bearbeiten – die individuellen Benutzerrechte liegen ganz in Ihrer Hand.

Druckfähig & exportierbar: Wenn Sie Ihren Businessplan mit der Onlinelösung Unternehmerheld fertiggestellt haben, können Sie diesen als PDF-Dokument herunterladen.

Businessplan-Tool kostenfrei nutzen

  | Business- und Finanzplan-Beispiele: Branchen-Pakete zum Download

Bevor Sie als Gründer oder Selbstständiger bei Ihrer Hausbank einen Kredit beantragen, müssen Sie einen Businessplan für die Bank erstellen. Sonst gibt es in der Regel kein Darlehen. Nutzen Sie am besten eine Businessplan-Vorlage. Diese hilft bei der Strukturierung des Inhaltes und stellt eine gute Grundlage für den eigenen Geschäftsplan dar.

Je nach Branche sind besondere Aspekte zu beachten, die in einer allgemeinen Businessplan-Vorlage oft nicht zu finden sind. Daher empfiehlt es sich, beim Schreiben des Geschäftsplans auch eine beispielhafte Businessplan-Vorlage aus der jeweiligen Branche als Hilfsmittel zu nutzen. Ein solches Businessplan-Muster gibt nicht nur die Strukturierung vor, sondern liefert auch branchenspezifische Inhalte. Ob Sie nun im Einzelhandel, in der Gastronomie oder mit einem Onlineshop gründen – wir bieten Ihnen nachfolgend einen Überblick über die die wichtigsten Branchen und verweisen jeweils auf tiefergehende Informationen sowie fertige Businessplan-Beispiele als PDF zum Download.

Damit Sie sich einen Eindruck über Business- und Finanzpläne Ihrer Branche verschaffen können, haben wir Ihnen unsere vom Unternehmensberater geprüften Geschäftsplane mit Finanzteil als branchenspezifische Pakete zusammengeschnürt. So haben Sie alle wichtigen Informationen in einem Dokument.

Jedes Dokument beinhaltet unsere Business- sowie die Finanzpläne für verschiedene Geschäftsideen aus der Branche.

Businessplan-Beispiele inkl. Finanzplan für Handel (stationär & online)

business plan template deutsch

Unser Business- und Finanzplan-Paket "Handel" beinhaltet vier typische Geschäftsmodelle, an denen Gründer sich orientieren können, wenn sie ihren eigenen Businessplan schreiben.

  • Fahrradshop inkl. Gründerperson, Marktanalyse, Meilensteine
  • Frischemarkt inkl. Marketing-Beispiel, Unternehmensziele, Investitionsplan
  • Brautmoden inkl. Executive Summary, Umsatzplanung, Vertrieb
  • Onlineshop inkl. Finanzplan, Gründerperson, Geschäftskonzept

Jetzt herunterladen

Häufige Fragen

Wenn Sie eine Existenzgründung im Einzelhandel planen ( Leitfaden Laden eröffnen ), dann helfen unsere Businessplan-Beispiele aus dem Einzelhandel. Dazu gehören bspw. ein Fahrradgeschäft und ein Lebensmittelladen. Diese enthalten neben den allgemeinen Informationen viele wichtige Punkte, auf die Sie in einem Businessplan für den Einzelhandel besonders eingehen sollten. So spielt die Standortwahl beispielsweise eine große Rolle. Außerdem geht unser Muster-Businessplan für den Einzelhandel auf die handelsspezifischen Marketinginstrumente ein, erläutert die Kalkulation Ihrer Verkaufspreise und hilft bei der Berechnung des benötigten Startkapitals – inklusive der Startkosten für den erstmaligen Warenbestand.

Unser Businessplan-Muster PDF für einen Onlineshop unterscheidet sich in einigen Punkten zu den Businessplan-Beispielen für den stationären Einzelhandel. Bei einem Onlineshop spielt die Wahl des Standorts nämlich keine Rolle. Wollen Sie einen  Onlineshop eröffnen , ist für Sie der Aspekt Marketing zentral. Wie wollen Sie inmitten der Masse der bestehenden Onlineshops Sichtbarkeit generieren? Zudem können Ihre Kunden im Gegensatz zum stationären Handel nicht über Ihren Onlineshop "stolpern".

Alle Businessplan-Beispiele wurden mit unserer Businessplansoftware erstellt. Nutzen Sie diese kostenfrei.

Businessplan-Beispiele mit Finanzplan für Dienstleister

business plan template deutsch

In unserem Finanz- und Businessplan-Paket "Diensteister" finden Sie zwei Beispiele für Geschäftsmodelle in der Service-Branche. An diesen können Sie sich orientieren, wenn Sie in der Dienstleistungsbranche gründen wollen und noch Inspiration benötigen:

  • Unternehmensberater inkl. Gründerpersion, Marktanalyse und Marketing-Beispiel
  • Fitnessstudio inkl. Finanzplan-Beispiel, Executive Summary, Meilensteine
  • Fotograf inkl. Markt- und Konkurrenzanalyse, Finanzplan und Gründerperson
  • Hochzeitsplaner inkl. Wettbewerbsbetrachtung, Marketing & Finanzplan

Als Dienstleister sind andere Dinge wichtig für den Businessplan als in anderen Branchen, ganz unabhängig davon, ob Sie Freiberufler sind oder nicht. Im Falle unserer Businessplan-Beispiele für stationäre Dienstleistungen kommen dazu noch Standort-Aspekte hinzu. Dienstleister sollten auf jeden Fall ihr Leistungsangebot in den Fokus des Businessplans stellen, wie in unserem Businessplan-Muster für Unternehmensberater dargestellt.

Finanz- und Businessplan-Beispiele für die Gastronomie

business plan template deutsch

Mit unserem Starter-Paket für Gründer erhalten Sie ein realitätsnahes Business- und Finanzplan-Beispiel eines französischen Restaurants. Anhand von diesem können Sie alle Detailaspekte, die ein Gastro-Businessplan benötigt, eingehend betrachten und sich frische Ideen für Ihren eigenen Businessplan holen.

  • Businessplan-Beispiel Restaurant inkl. Investitionsplan, Executive Summary, Gründerperson

Ein Restaurant eröffnen , eine Bar oder ein Café zu gründen  mag unkompliziert klingen, wird jedoch nur mit einem durchdachten Gastronomie-Businessplan ein richtiger Erfolg. Ein guter Beispiel-Businessplan für die Gastronomie beantwortet die Frage nach der Standortwahl und geht insbesondere auf die Zielgruppen-Definition ein. Denn je nach Zielgruppe müssen die Inneneinrichtung, die Produktauswahl und die Preise gestaltet werden. Außerdem sollte die Kundenbindung ein wichtiger Aspekt der Planung sein. Unsere fertigen Businessplan-Muster für die Gastronomie decken all dies ab.

Businessplan-Beispiele für Handwerker

business plan template deutsch

Unser Businessplan-Muster "Handwerk" enthält Beispiele zweier Businesspläne mit Finanzteil. Wenn Sie sich als Handwerker selbstständig machen möchten, empfehlen wir, einen Blick darauf zu werfen. So gewinnen Sie einen Eindruck, wie der Businessplan für diese Branche aussehen muss und welche Inhalte nicht fehlen dürfen.

  • Büromöbel-Manufaktur inkl. Marktanalyse, Unternehmensziele, Umsatzplanung
  • Kinderfriseur inkl. Liquiditätsplanung, Meilensteine, Gründerpersonen

Unser Businessplan-Muster fürs Handwerk enthält auch diejenigen Punkte, die individuell für eine Gründung im Handwerk bezeichnend sind (Leitfäden Friseursalon eröffnen , Bäckerei eröffnen ). Dazu gehören beispielsweise die Zugangsvoraussetzungen, wie etwa die Meisterprüfung oder die Besonderheiten bei der Preiskalkulation im Handwerk. Außerdem werden in unserem Beispiel- Geschäftsplanplan fürs Handwerk die besonderen rechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen sowie der Schutz durch Versicherungen angesprochen.

Noch mehr Branchen-Tipps für Ihren Businessplan

  • Einzelhandel
  • Freiberufler
  • Gastronomie

Sie möchten einen professionellen Businessplan erstellen?

Mit unserer kostenfreien Online-Lösung Unternehmerheld erstellen Sie Ihren professionellen Geschäftsplan ganz schnell und einfach online - inklusive interaktiver Businessplanvorlage, 1 Businessplan-Beispiel, Leitfragen, Teamfunktionalität und und und...!

Businessplansoftware mit Businessplan-Vorlage, Businessplan-Muster und Businessplan-Beispiel

Jetzt kostenfrei Businessplan-Tool nutzen

  | Weitere Excel-Tools für verschiedene Businessplan-Kapitel

Damit Sie die einzelnen Kapitel der Businessplan-Vorlage aussagekräftig bearbeiten können, haben wir für Gründer zahlreiche Tools auf Excel-Basis entwickelt. Diese können Sie kostenfrei nutzen und die Ergebnisse per Screenshot in Ihren Geschäftsplan integrieren.

Businessplan-Tool Standortanalyse

Vergleichen Sie Standorte und finden den passenden für Ihr Geschäft!

Businessplan-Tool Produktpositionierung

Legen Sie die optimale Positionierung Ihres Angebots fest. 

Businessplan-Tool Preis-Leistungs-Analyse

Bestimmen Sie das optimale Preis-Leistungsverhältnis.

Noch mehr kostenfreie Excel-Tools

Zur Unterstützung der Arbeit mit einer Businessplan-Vorlage stellen wir weitere Tools auf Excel-Basis zur Verfügung.

  • SWOT Analyse
  • Gründungskosten
  • Konkurrenzanalyse
  • Umsatzpotenzial
  • Marktanteilsberechnung
  • Marketingbudget

Mit dem kostenlosen Businessplan-Tool von Unternehmerheld schreiben Sie einen Geschäftsplan ganz einfach und unkompliziert online. Am Ende können Sie Ihren bankfähigen Businessplandokument einfach als PDF downloaden.

  | Offene Fragen

Eine Businessplan-Vorlage ist eine Hilfe, einen Geschäftsplan zu erstellen. Das Businessplan-Muster gibt sämtliche Kapitel vor, der der Gründer einfach ausfüllen kann. Die Businessplan-Vorlage von Für-Gründer.de stellt zusätzlich umfangreiche Informationen zur Texterstellung zur Verfügung und ist damit als Muster für den Gründungszuschuss oder die Bank geeignet. Eine Word-Vorlage für den Businessplan ist aber kein fertiger Businessplan, sondern sollte stets individuell auf das eigene Geschäftskonzept angepasst werden.

Businessplan-Muster bzw. Businessplan-Vorlagen gibt es bei Jobcentern der Arbeitsagentur, bei örtlichen IHKs oder auch bei Förderbanken wie der KfW. In der Regel handelt es sich hier um statische Vorlagen, die teils mehrere Jahre alt sind. Der Trend geht weg von reinen Mustern zur dynamischen Businessplansoftware, wie sie der Unternehmerheld bietet.

Die beste Businessplan-Vorlage ist die, mit der der Gründer einen Businessplan erstellt, der zu einer erfolgreichen Finanzierung führt. Sie sollte gut bedienbar sein, sowie mit Leitfragen zu jedem Kapital Hilfe und Inspiration bei der Erstellung liefert. Idealerweise bindet die Vorlage auch gleich den Finanzplan ein, der letzten Endes über die Finanzierung entscheidet. Ideal für die Erstellung ist interaktives Online-Businessplantool, mit dem der Gründer viel Zeit spart.

Es gibt statische Vorlagen, die Gründer als Word-Datei, PDF im Web herunterladen können. Und es gibt interaktive Businessplan-Vorlagen. Sie werden als Online-Businessplan benutzt und bieten interaktive Hilfen beim Erstellen der einzelnen Businessplan-Kapitel. Auch die Fertigstellung und Formatierung des Businessplans erfolgt automatisch. Das Businessplan-Tool "Unternehmerheld" ist so eine interaktive Businessplan-Vorlage.

Ein Musterbeispiel hilft als Anregung und Anschauungsmaterial. Hilfreich sind beispielsweise Businessplan-Beispiele für bestimmte Branchen (Gastronomie, Handwerk, Dienstleistungen). Damit bekommt der Gründer häufig bereits erste Informationen zu allgemeinen Marktdaten und wichtigen Erfolgsfaktoren einer Branche. So ein Branchen-Businessplan ist immer nur Ausgangspunkt: Branchendaten sollten überprüft werden und Erfolgsfaktoren sollten auf das eigenen Konzept in Form von Alleinstellungsmerkmalen übertragen werden.

Zum bloßen Kopieren der Kapitel, wenn also nur die Daten ausgetauscht werden. In der Regel leiden dann vor allem die Abschnitte zu Alleinstellungsmerkmalen und Wettbewerbern darunter. Ein fertiges Businessplan-Beispiel soll zur aktiven Arbeit anregen und nicht zum passiven Abkupfern.

Es gibt keinen Unterschied, beide Begriffe meinen das gleiche.

  | Unser Fazit

Ein Beispiel Businessplan ist eine riesige Hilfe – keine Frage. Allerdings verleiten solche Businessplan-Vorlagen dazu, vorhandene Inhalte zu übernehmen, ohne sich selbst intensiv mit der eigenen Geschäftsidee zu befassen. Stellen Sie sich vor, Sie sitzen beim Finanzierungsgespräch und der Bankberater stellt tiefergehende Fragen, die Sie nicht beantworten können, da Ihr gesamter Businessplan fast ausschließlich auf einer Vorlage basiert.

Diese Situation lässt sich vermeiden, indem Sie ein Businessplan-Muster als Hilfe und Inspiration nutzen, die Kapitel des Geschäftsplans selbst zu formulieren, Alleinstellungsmerkmale herauszuarbeiten und den Markt und die Wettbewerber darzustellen. Zwar ist der Zeitaufwand deutlich größer, sie beschäftigen sich dadurch jedoch so umfassend mit Ihrer Existenzgründung, dass viele Fehler beim Businessplan von Beginn an vermieden werden - den Businessplan selbst zu schreiben lohnt sich! Zumal es mit interaktiven Businessplan-Vorlagen wertvolle Hilfen gibt.

Kostenloses Businessplan-Tool kennenlernen

frage[at]fuer-gruender.de

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How to Create a Business Plan in Germany

If you’ve already thought a lot about your business, let us help you now to sort your thoughts out.

A business model is a concise, detailed description of your business that still focuses on what is important. With the help of a „Business Model Canvas“, you can excellently lay the foundation for your business plan. You may have heard of this term before.

Here  you can download your own Business Model Canvas.

Business model canvas establi

By filling out the template, this model-like representation will clearly show you what you have, what you don’t have, and what you want to achieve. It is nowhere near as detailed as a final business plan and contains almost no numbers, unlike the actual business plan, but it gives you an excellent initial overview.

The Value Proposition Canvas and the Team Inventory Canvas are also very helpful in getting a clearer picture of your vision, just from a different perspective. So, just try it out and try to fill in the templates as concretely as possible!

  • Value Proposition Canvas
  • Team Inventory Canvas

Watch this video  to better understand the Value Proposition Canvas!

You should be aware that an enormous amount of work and time must be invested in the creation of the business plan. If you are planning to sell a product, it is best to have tested it on the market beforehand so that you can be sure that your business will be successful. The goal here, however, is to save yourself valuable working time later on. So, if possible, be sure to test some kind of prototype of your offering in advance.

Many startups don’t tackle their business plan until it’s actually needed. You should be 100% sure what exactly your idea is and how it can be designed and successfully marketed. Only then should you worry about a business plan.

blog post cover business plan

With a detailed business plan, you can then also request possible financing for your company. For potential investors such as banks, private investors, or venture capital companies, a business plan is a must for a major investment. It should therefore be clear and comprehensible.

By the way, how you can best finance your business, you will learn  in this article .

Unfortunately, start-ups often begin without a real, written business concept. This can greatly increase the risk of business failure. For already existing companies, a business plan gives direction and can also be seen or used as a management tool, among other things. The business plan is therefore first and foremost an extremely important planning tool for yourself and also certifies the potential of your idea.

Your business plan should basically contain the following:

  • A clear, sensible structure
  • Information about you, the founder, or the founding team
  • Information about the benefits/added value of the product
  • Service for the customer
  • Market analysis (including competitor analysis, target group analysis).

However, this should only give a small overview. What else belongs in a detailed business plan, you can find in our  business plan checklist .

Here  is an overview of the possible structure of a business plan.

Be aware that writing down your initial business model is just a snapshot. Many things are sure to change and many new ideas will emerge along the way to your own business. Even the biggest companies in the world today look very different from what they were once planned to be! So don’t get too attached to your ideas and try to keep a record of what your company looks like and how it develops over time.

Since you want to start up in Germany, your business plan must of course (unfortunately) be written in German. However, if you don’t speak German, that’s not much of a problem these days. For that, there is our business plan template we prepared for you (and translators on the Internet) to do the work.

You can simply download the  business plan template  for free and write your information in it!

For additional information, use the free access to our community to  check out our exclusive online classes !

© 2021 establi All information is without guarantee.

business plan template deutsch

Federal government

  • The business plan

Goals, financing and realisation – the business plan is your most important tool to convince partners and credit institutions of your company’s vision.

  • Working in Germany
  • Setting up a business
  • Preparation and consultation
  • Advisory services
  • Types of new businesses
  • Financing & funding programmes

You have found your business idea and want to put it into practice? Then you should prepare your start into self-employment . The most important instrument for this is the business plan.

A business plan helps you to plan your project step by step. It is crucial if you want to convince someone of your business idea and plans – banks, for example, use the business plan to check whether they will grant you a loan.

Get advice beforehand. An advisor can give you helpful tips on how to improve your business plan. 

You can find out how to write your business plan, what belongs in the plan and what else you need to consider on the pages of the start-up portal . You already know what should be in your business plan? Then the Platform for Founders   will show you how to write it step by step.

Are you wondering whether your business idea has been sufficiently thought through? Are you unsure of what your financial planning should look like? Then take a look at the checklists on the start-up portal .

Information on the web

  • Startup Portal Checklist for your business plan
  • IHK Berlin Short film summarizing the most important information about your business plan in a visual way
  • Checklist for your financing plan Things to bear in mind when planning your business finances

Do you have any questions?

Let us advise you on your opportunities to work and live in Germany. Our experts will support you with questions regarding job search, visa, recognition and learning German. 

You can find out more about the various contact options by clicking on one of the icons in the bar below.

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Self-employment

Germany: Selbstständigkeit

Self-employment is a form of gainful employment in which a person manages a business/company independently. It also includes all the liberal professions.

BUSINESS STRATEGIES

Free business plan template for small businesses

  • Cecilia Lazzaro Blasbalg
  • Dec 7, 2023

Free business plan template for your new business

Creating a successful business is about more than launching a business website or hanging a shingle on your front door. It requires a well-crafted plan that keeps you on track, anticipates obstacles and acts as a concrete roadmap for launching or improving your small business.

Business planning allows you to clarify your vision while providing information to both intrigue and reassure potential investors. The process may seem daunting, but creating a business plan isn’t difficult—and templates like the one below can help simplify the process even further.

Ready to launch your business? Create a website today.

What is a business plan?

A business plan is used by small business owners and entrepreneurs when starting a new business venture. It’s a strategic document that outlines the goals, objectives and strategies of your new or expanding business, including the company's vision, target market, financial projections and operational plans.

A business plan can attract potential partners, convince investors and banks to help you raise capital, and serve as a resource for future growth. Most importantly, you’ll be able to use your business plan as a roadmap for how to structure, operate and manage your new venture, whether it’s a sole proprietorship, a partnership or something larger.

Who needs a business plan?

Every business owner needs a business plan. They’re an essential tool for any person or entity interested in starting a business . There are many benefits, including:

Defining your business idea

Clarifying the market and competitive landscape

Outlining your marketing strategy

Stating your value proposition

Identifying/anticipating potential risks

Seeking investments from banks and other sources

Setting benchmarks, goals and key performance indicators (KPIs)

A business plan also gives you a way to assess the viability of a business before investing too much time or money into it. While all business involves risk, taking the time to create a plan can help mitigate fallout and avoid potentially costly mistakes.

When creating a business plan, it's important to establish your business goals up front and be prepared to spend time researching the market, performing a competitor analysis and understanding your target market .

Download Wix’s free business plan template

Creating a successful business plan is no easy feat. That’s why we’ve put together a simple, customizable, and free-to-download business plan template that takes the guesswork out of getting started. Use it to create a new business plan or to refresh an existing one.

Download your free Wix business plan template

Lean startup versus traditional business plan formats

In terms of types of business plans , there are two main formats to choose from: traditional and lean.

Traditional business plan format

A traditional business plan includes every detail and component that defines a business and contributes to its success. It's typically a sizable document of about 30 to 50 pages that includes:

Executive summary: The executive summary contains a high-level overview of everything included in the plan. It generally provides a short explanation of your business and its goals (e.g., your elevator pitch ). Many authors like to write this section last after fleshing out the sections below.

Company description: A company description should include essential details like your business name, the names of your founders, your locations and your company’s mission statement . Briefly describe your core services (or products if you’re writing an eCommerce business plan ), but don't go into too much detail since you’ll elaborate on this in the service/product section. Wix offers some helpful mission statement examples if you get stuck. It’s also a good idea to create a vision statement . While your mission statement clarifies your company’s purpose, a vision statement outlines what you want your company to achieve over time.

Market analysis: One of the most extensive sections of the business plan, this section requires that you conduct market research and write your conclusions. Include findings for the following: industry background, a SWOT analysis , barriers/obstacles, target market and your business differentiators.

Organization and management: This is where you outline how your business is structured and who's in charge, including founders, executive team members, board members, employees and key stakeholders. To this end, it can be helpful to create a visual layout (e.g., org chart) to illustrate your company structure.

Service or product line: Create a detailed list of your current and future products and services. If you’re still working on your idea, create a concept statement to describe your idea or product. You should also include a proof of concept (POC), which demonstrates the feasibility of your idea. Wherever applicable, include diagrams, product images and other visual components to illustrate the product life cycle.

Marketing and sales: Detail how your business idea translates into selling and delivering your offerings to potential customers. You can start by outlining your brand identity, which includes the colors and fonts you plan to use, your marketing and advertising strategy, and details about planned consumer touchpoints (like your website, mobile app or physical storefront).

Financial projections and funding requests: Include financial statements, such as a balance sheet, profit-and-loss statement (P&L), cash flow statement and break-even analysis. It's not uncommon for a business plan to include multiple pages of financial projections and information. You’ll also want to mention how much funding you seek and what you plan to do with it. If you’ve already secured funding, provide details about your investments.

essential parts of a business plan

Lean startup business plan format

A lean startup business plan—also referred to as a “lean canvas”—is presented as a problem/solution framework that provides a high-level description of your business idea. A lean plan is a single-page document that provides a basic overview of the most essential aspects of your business. It’s a good way to dip a toe into business planning since it doesn't require the same level of detail as a traditional plan. This includes:

Problem: What problem does your product or service solve, or what need does it fulfill?

Solution: How do you intend to solve it?

Unique value proposition (UVP): Why should people use your product or service versus someone else’s?

Unfair advantage: What do you have that other companies don’t?

Customers: Who are your ideal customers?

Channels: How will those customers find you?

Key metrics: How do you define success? How will you track and measure it?

Revenue streams: How will your business make money?

Cost structure: What will you spend money on (fixed and variable costs)?

Benefits of a business plan template

Business plan templates offer numerous benefits for entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners. Here are some key advantages:

1. Save time and effort: Templates provide a pre-defined structure, eliminating the need to start from scratch. This frees up valuable time and effort that can be invested in other crucial aspects of business development.

2. Improve structure: Templates ensure a consistent and organized approach to presenting your business plan. This makes it easier for potential investors, lenders and advisors to understand your vision and evaluate the feasibility of your business. 3. Enhance professionalism: Using a well-designed template demonstrates professionalism and seriousness to external stakeholders. This can significantly impact their perception of your business and increase their confidence in your venture. 4. Guide your thought process: Templates act as a helpful framework, prompting you to consider all the key elements of your business plan and ensuring you haven't overlooked any critical areas. 5. Ensure completeness: Templates often include checklists and prompts to ensure you cover all essential information, minimizing the risk of missing crucial details. 6. Standardize formatting: Templates ensure a consistent and uniform appearance throughout your business plan, contributing to a more polished and professional presentation. 7. Access to expert knowledge: Many templates are developed by experienced business professionals or organizations, incorporating best practices and insights gained from successful ventures. 8. Adaptability and customization: While templates offer a basic structure, they can be easily customized to reflect the unique characteristics and needs of your specific business. 9. Cost-effectiveness: Templates are generally available for free or at a low cost, making them an accessible and budget-friendly option for entrepreneurs. 10. Increased success rate: Studies have shown that businesses with well-developed plans are more likely to succeed. Templates can help you create a comprehensive and persuasive plan, increasing your chances of securing funding and achieving your business goals.

Tips for filling out your business plan template

The hardest part of a journey is always the first step, or so the saying goes. Filling out your business plan template can be daunting, but the template itself is meant to get you over that crucial first hurdle—getting started. We’ve provided some tips aimed at helping you get the most from our template.

These are best practices—they’re not rules. Do what works for you. The main thing to remember is that these tips can help you move more easily through the planning process, so that you can advance onto the next (exciting) step, which is launching your business.

Consider your goals: What is the purpose of your business? Are you looking to expand, launch a new product line or fund a specific project? Identifying your goals helps you prioritize important information in your business plan.

Fill out what you can: You may already have a vague—or specific—idea of what you want your business to achieve. Go through each section of the template and fill out what you can. We suggest leaving the executive summary blank for now, since it'll be the last thing you write.

Be realistic: Even though this document is meant to serve as a marketing tool for potential investors, don't exaggerate any numbers or make any false promises.

Dig into the research: Nothing's more motivating than getting some intel about your competitors and your market. If you're truly stuck, a little research can help motivate you and provide valuable insight about what direction to take your business. For example, if you plan to start a landscaping business, learn about the specific pricing offered in your area so that you can differentiate your services and potentially offer better options.

Get help from others: Bouncing your ideas off a friend, mentor or advisor is a great way to get feedback and discover approaches or products to incorporate into your plan. Your network can also give you valuable insight about the industry or even about potential customers. Plus, it's nice to be able to talk through the challenges with someone who understands you and your vision.

Revise and review: Once complete, step back from your plan and let it "cook." In a day or two, review your plan and make sure that everything is current. Have other people review it too, since having another set of eyes can help identify areas that may be lacking detail or need further explanation.

Once you’ve completed your business plan template, it can become a meaningful resource for developing your mission statement, writing business proposals and planning how to move forward with the marketing, distribution and growth of your products and services.

After launch, you can also analyze your value chain to identify key factors that create value for your customers and maximum profitability for you. This can help you develop a more effective business plan that considers the entire value chain, from research and development to sales and customer support.

Business plan template FAQ

What is the easiest way to write a business plan.

The easiest way to write a business plan is to utilize a template. Templates provide a structured format and guide you through each section, simplifying the process of creating a comprehensive plan.

Is there a template for how to write a business plan?

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Write your business plan

Business plans help you run your business.

A good business plan guides you through each stage of starting and managing your business. You’ll use your business plan as a roadmap for how to structure, run, and grow your new business. It’s a way to think through the key elements of your business.

Business plans can help you get funding or bring on new business partners. Investors want to feel confident they’ll see a return on their investment. Your business plan is the tool you’ll use to convince people that working with you — or investing in your company — is a smart choice.

Pick a business plan format that works for you

There’s no right or wrong way to write a business plan. What’s important is that your plan meets your needs.

Most business plans fall into one of two common categories: traditional or lean startup.

Traditional business plans are more common, use a standard structure, and encourage you to go into detail in each section. They tend to require more work upfront and can be dozens of pages long.

Lean startup business plans are less common but still use a standard structure. They focus on summarizing only the most important points of the key elements of your plan. They can take as little as one hour to make and are typically only one page.

Traditional business plan

write traditional plan

Lean startup plan

A lean business plan is quicker but high-level

Traditional business plan format

You might prefer a traditional business plan format if you’re very detail-oriented, want a comprehensive plan, or plan to request financing from traditional sources.

When you write your business plan, you don’t have to stick to the exact business plan outline. Instead, use the sections that make the most sense for your business and your needs. Traditional business plans use some combination of these nine sections.

Executive summary

Briefly tell your reader what your company is and why it will be successful. Include your mission statement, your product or service, and basic information about your company’s leadership team, employees, and location. You should also include financial information and high-level growth plans if you plan to ask for financing.

Company description

Use your company description to provide detailed information about your company. Go into detail about the problems your business solves. Be specific, and list out the consumers, organization, or businesses your company plans to serve.

Explain the competitive advantages that will make your business a success. Are there experts on your team? Have you found the perfect location for your store? Your company description is the place to boast about your strengths.

Market analysis

You'll need a good understanding of your industry outlook and target market. Competitive research will show you what other businesses are doing and what their strengths are. In your market research, look for trends and themes. What do successful competitors do? Why does it work? Can you do it better? Now's the time to answer these questions.

Organization and management

Tell your reader how your company will be structured and who will run it.

Describe the  legal structure  of your business. State whether you have or intend to incorporate your business as a C or an S corporation, form a general or limited partnership, or if you're a sole proprietor or limited liability company (LLC).

Use an organizational chart to lay out who's in charge of what in your company. Show how each person's unique experience will contribute to the success of your venture. Consider including resumes and CVs of key members of your team.

Service or product line

Describe what you sell or what service you offer. Explain how it benefits your customers and what the product lifecycle looks like. Share your plans for intellectual property, like copyright or patent filings. If you're doing  research and development  for your service or product, explain it in detail.

Marketing and sales

There's no single way to approach a marketing strategy. Your strategy should evolve and change to fit your unique needs.

Your goal in this section is to describe how you'll attract and retain customers. You'll also describe how a sale will actually happen. You'll refer to this section later when you make financial projections, so make sure to thoroughly describe your complete marketing and sales strategies.

Funding request

If you're asking for funding, this is where you'll outline your funding requirements. Your goal is to clearly explain how much funding you’ll need over the next five years and what you'll use it for.

Specify whether you want debt or equity, the terms you'd like applied, and the length of time your request will cover. Give a detailed description of how you'll use your funds. Specify if you need funds to buy equipment or materials, pay salaries, or cover specific bills until revenue increases. Always include a description of your future strategic financial plans, like paying off debt or selling your business.

Financial projections

Supplement your funding request with financial projections. Your goal is to convince the reader that your business is stable and will be a financial success.

If your business is already established, include income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements for the last three to five years. If you have other collateral you could put against a loan, make sure to list it now.

Provide a prospective financial outlook for the next five years. Include forecasted income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and capital expenditure budgets. For the first year, be even more specific and use quarterly — or even monthly — projections. Make sure to clearly explain your projections, and match them to your funding requests.

This is a great place to use graphs and charts to tell the financial story of your business.  

Use your appendix to provide supporting documents or other materials were specially requested. Common items to include are credit histories, resumes, product pictures, letters of reference, licenses, permits, patents, legal documents, and other contracts.

Example traditional business plans

Before you write your business plan, read the following example business plans written by fictional business owners. Rebecca owns a consulting firm, and Andrew owns a toy company.

Lean startup format

You might prefer a lean startup format if you want to explain or start your business quickly, your business is relatively simple, or you plan to regularly change and refine your business plan.

Lean startup formats are charts that use only a handful of elements to describe your company’s value proposition, infrastructure, customers, and finances. They’re useful for visualizing tradeoffs and fundamental facts about your company.

There are different ways to develop a lean startup template. You can search the web to find free templates to build your business plan. We discuss nine components of a model business plan here:

Key partnerships

Note the other businesses or services you’ll work with to run your business. Think about suppliers, manufacturers, subcontractors, and similar strategic partners.

Key activities

List the ways your business will gain a competitive advantage. Highlight things like selling direct to consumers, or using technology to tap into the sharing economy.

Key resources

List any resource you’ll leverage to create value for your customer. Your most important assets could include staff, capital, or intellectual property. Don’t forget to leverage business resources that might be available to  women ,  veterans ,  Native Americans , and  HUBZone businesses .

Value proposition

Make a clear and compelling statement about the unique value your company brings to the market.

Customer relationships

Describe how customers will interact with your business. Is it automated or personal? In person or online? Think through the customer experience from start to finish.

Customer segments

Be specific when you name your target market. Your business won’t be for everybody, so it’s important to have a clear sense of whom your business will serve.

List the most important ways you’ll talk to your customers. Most businesses use a mix of channels and optimize them over time.

Cost structure

Will your company focus on reducing cost or maximizing value? Define your strategy, then list the most significant costs you’ll face pursuing it.

Revenue streams

Explain how your company will actually make money. Some examples are direct sales, memberships fees, and selling advertising space. If your company has multiple revenue streams, list them all.

Example lean business plan

Before you write your business plan, read this example business plan written by a fictional business owner, Andrew, who owns a toy company.

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From competitive analysis to financial projections, business plans give your new business a roadmap for success. Download one of our free business plan templates and take your company to the next level.

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What is a business plan?

A business plan is a document that helps small business owners determine the viability of their business idea. Combining market research and financial analysis, a professional business plan helps startup CEOs and potential investors determine if the company can compete in the target market.

Typically, a good business plan consists of the following:

  • Executive summary
  • Company description
  • Mission statement
  • Product and services
  • Marketing plan
  • Operations plan
  • Management organization
  • Financial plan
  • Conclusion & appendix

Every section involved in a business plan is designed to help startup businesses reach their target market.

A business plan asks founders and entrepreneurs to detail their business strategy in a step-by-step process that makes sense from an operational perspective. This is essential if a startup is seeking a business loan or an investment from a venture capital firm.

However, even small businesses that are already economically viable can benefit from creating a business plan, since it encourages business owners and their management teams to examine their business model and reevaluate the best ways to reach their target customers.

Should I use a business plan template?

Yes.  If you’ve never written one, a business plan can be challenging to write.

Creating a successful plan that you can use to grow your small business can require weeks of market analysis and financial preparation. You may spend time using Microsoft Excel or Powerpoint in order to create documentation which better supports our operational decisions.

However, almost every professional business plan is structured in the same way and most ask for the same information. Because of this, using a business plan template is advisable to save time, money, and effort.

Business plan templates for free

Rather than spending time trying to figure out how to write a business plan , use a free template as a guide to completion.

Business plan templates from PandaDoc can help you reach an effective go-to-market strategy even faster by asking you to provide all the relevant information you need when creating an effective business plan.

Grab a free template to get started!

Frequently asked questions

How many pages should my business plan be.

This depends on the kind of business plan you need to write and how you intend to use the plan that you create.

For example, a plan for a small business seeking potential investors or a business loan will need to provide income statements, cash flow statements, and a balance sheet (usually for a three-year or five-year forecast period).

These financial statements can be omitted if a small business owner isn’t seeking funding and is instead planning to use their business plan as a guiding document for themselves and their management team members.

Some business plans may only run a few pages. Fully-developed business plans can be as long as 50 pages. Much of this depends on the type of business, the operational strategy, and the level of detail that goes into developing the business plan.

Who needs a business plan?

Every business should have a business plan. This is an essential guidance document for any founder or CEO.

Good business plans help a company determine the viability of its place in the market and can help the business develop better strategies for differentiating itself from its competitors.

Business planning also forces business owners to evaluate their marketing strategy, the cost of customer acquisition and retention, and how they plan to grow their business over time.

What is the best business plan template?

Business plans come in all shapes and sizes. The best business plan template for your business is one that you understand and that matches the size and legal structure of your operation.

If you’re a sole proprietor, a business plan template designed for a big corporation probably doesn’t make sense. However, a business plan that helps you build an effective roadmap to grow your business while protecting your intellectual property is a good starting point.

PandaDoc offers specialized business plan templates for common industries along with tips to help you get started with business planning.

Should I hire someone to write my business plan for me?

No. You’ll find freelance writers and business strategy companies out there who are happy to write your business plan for a fee.  These resources can guide you through the process, but you should write (or be heavily involved in) the creation of your business plan.

The reason for this is simple: You know the most about your business, and your business needs you to succeed.

A writer can work with you to make your business plan sound better to investors, and a consultant can help you fill in knowledge gaps — like how to conduct a SWOT analysis — and point out weaknesses in your plan. But, at the end of the day, you need to use the business plan to pitch investors and run your business.

Those ideas and guiding principles aren’t something you can outsource.

Should I use business planning software?

Software isn’t required when creating an effective business plan. Most business planning software is designed to help you navigate the outlining and writing process more effectively.

You don’t need software to write a professional business plan, but a solid template can help you get started. Download a free template from PandaDoc today and take your business to the next level.

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24 of My Favorite Sample Business Plans & Examples For Your Inspiration

Clifford Chi

Published: February 06, 2024

Free Business Plan Template

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The essential document for starting a business -- custom built for your needs.

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I believe that reading sample business plans is essential when writing your own.

sample business plans and examples

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As you explore business plan examples from real companies and brands, it’s easier for you to learn how to write a good one.

But what does a good business plan look like? And how do you write one that’s both viable and convincing. I’ll walk you through the ideal business plan format along with some examples to help you get started.

Table of Contents

Business Plan Format

Business plan types, sample business plan templates, top business plan examples.

Ask any successful sports coach how they win so many games, and they’ll tell you they have a unique plan for every single game. To me, the same logic applies to business.

If you want to build a thriving company that can pull ahead of the competition, you need to prepare for battle before breaking into a market.

Business plans guide you along the rocky journey of growing a company. And if your business plan is compelling enough, it can also convince investors to give you funding.

With so much at stake, I’m sure you’re wondering where to begin.

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  • Outline your idea.
  • Pitch to investors.
  • Secure funding.
  • Get to work!

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Fill out the form to get your free template.

First, you’ll want to nail down your formatting. Most business plans include the following sections.

1. Executive Summary

I’d say the executive summary is the most important section of the entire business plan. 

Why? Essentially, it's the overview or introduction, written in a way to grab readers' attention and guide them through the rest of the business plan. This is important, because a business plan can be dozens or hundreds of pages long.

There are two main elements I’d recommend including in your executive summary:

Company Description

This is the perfect space to highlight your company’s mission statement and goals, a brief overview of your history and leadership, and your top accomplishments as a business.

Tell potential investors who you are and why what you do matters. Naturally, they’re going to want to know who they’re getting into business with up front, and this is a great opportunity to showcase your impact.

Need some extra help firming up those business goals? Check out HubSpot Academy’s free course to help you set goals that matter — I’d highly recommend it

Products and Services

To piggyback off of the company description, be sure to incorporate an overview of your offerings. This doesn’t have to be extensive — just another chance to introduce your industry and overall purpose as a business.

In addition to the items above, I recommend including some information about your financial projections and competitive advantage here too.:

Keep in mind you'll cover many of these topics in more detail later on in the business plan. So, keep the executive summary clear and brief, and only include the most important takeaways.

Executive Summary Business Plan Examples

This example was created with HubSpot’s business plan template:

business plan sample: Executive Summary Example

This executive summary is so good to me because it tells potential investors a short story while still covering all of the most important details.

Business plans examples: Executive Summary

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Tips for Writing Your Executive Summary

  • Start with a strong introduction of your company, showcase your mission and impact, and outline the products and services you provide.
  • Clearly define a problem, and explain how your product solves that problem, and show why the market needs your business.
  • Be sure to highlight your value proposition, market opportunity, and growth potential.
  • Keep it concise and support ideas with data.
  • Customize your summary to your audience. For example, emphasize finances and return on investment for venture capitalists.

Check out our tips for writing an effective executive summary for more guidance.

2. Market Opportunity

This is where you'll detail the opportunity in the market.

The main question I’d ask myself here is this: Where is the gap in the current industry, and how will my product fill that gap?

More specifically, here’s what I’d include in this section:

  • The size of the market
  • Current or potential market share
  • Trends in the industry and consumer behavior
  • Where the gap is
  • What caused the gap
  • How you intend to fill it

To get a thorough understanding of the market opportunity, you'll want to conduct a TAM, SAM, and SOM analysis and perform market research on your industry.

You may also benefit from creating a SWOT analysis to get some of the insights for this section.

Market Opportunity Business Plan Example

I like this example because it uses critical data to underline the size of the potential market and what part of that market this service hopes to capture.

Business plans examples: Market Opportunity

Tips for Writing Your Market Opportunity Section

  • Focus on demand and potential for growth.
  • Use market research, surveys, and industry trend data to support your market forecast and projections.
  • Add a review of regulation shifts, tech advances, and consumer behavior changes.
  • Refer to reliable sources.
  • Showcase how your business can make the most of this opportunity.

3. Competitive Landscape

Since we’re already speaking of market share, you'll also need to create a section that shares details on who the top competitors are.

After all, your customers likely have more than one brand to choose from, and you'll want to understand exactly why they might choose one over another.

My favorite part of performing a competitive analysis is that it can help you uncover:

  • Industry trends that other brands may not be utilizing
  • Strengths in your competition that may be obstacles to handle
  • Weaknesses in your competition that may help you develop selling points
  • The unique proposition you bring to the market that may resonate with customers

Competitive Landscape Business Plan Example

I like how the competitive landscape section of this business plan below shows a clear outline of who the top competitors are.

Business plans examples: Competitive Landscape

It also highlights specific industry knowledge and the importance of location, which shows useful experience in this specific industry. 

This can help build trust in your ability to execute your business plan.

Tips for Writing Your Competitive Landscape

  • Complete in-depth research, then emphasize your most important findings.
  • Compare your unique selling proposition (USP) to your direct and indirect competitors.
  • Show a clear and realistic plan for product and brand differentiation.
  • Look for specific advantages and barriers in the competitive landscape. Then, highlight how that information could impact your business.
  • Outline growth opportunities from a competitive perspective.
  • Add customer feedback and insights to support your competitive analysis.

4. Target Audience

Use this section to describe who your customer segments are in detail. What is the demographic and psychographic information of your audience?

If your immediate answer is "everyone," you'll need to dig deeper. Here are some questions I’d ask myself here:

  • What demographics will most likely need/buy your product or service?
  • What are the psychographics of this audience? (Desires, triggering events, etc.)
  • Why are your offerings valuable to them?

I’d also recommend building a buyer persona to get in the mindset of your ideal customers and be clear on why you're targeting them.

Target Audience Business Plan Example

I like the example below because it uses in-depth research to draw conclusions about audience priorities. It also analyzes how to create the right content for this audience.

Business plans examples: Target Audience

Tips for Writing Your Target Audience Section

  • Include details on the size and growth potential of your target audience.
  • Figure out and refine the pain points for your target audience , then show why your product is a useful solution.
  • Describe your targeted customer acquisition strategy in detail.
  • Share anticipated challenges your business may face in acquiring customers and how you plan to address them.
  • Add case studies, testimonials, and other data to support your target audience ideas.
  • Remember to consider niche audiences and segments of your target audience in your business plan.

5. Marketing Strategy

Here, you'll discuss how you'll acquire new customers with your marketing strategy. I’d suggest including information:

  • Your brand positioning vision and how you'll cultivate it
  • The goal targets you aim to achieve
  • The metrics you'll use to measure success
  • The channels and distribution tactics you'll use

I think it’s helpful to have a marketing plan built out in advance to make this part of your business plan easier.

Marketing Strategy Business Plan Example

This business plan example includes the marketing strategy for the town of Gawler.

In my opinion, it really works because it offers a comprehensive picture of how they plan to use digital marketing to promote the community.

Business plans examples: Marketing Strategy

Tips for Writing Your Marketing Strategy

  • Include a section about how you believe your brand vision will appeal to customers.
  • Add the budget and resources you'll need to put your plan in place.
  • Outline strategies for specific marketing segments.
  • Connect strategies to earlier sections like target audience and competitive analysis.
  • Review how your marketing strategy will scale with the growth of your business.
  • Cover a range of channels and tactics to highlight your ability to adapt your plan in the face of change.

6. Key Features and Benefits

At some point in your business plan, you'll need to review the key features and benefits of your products and/or services.

Laying these out can give readers an idea of how you're positioning yourself in the market and the messaging you're likely to use. It can even help them gain better insight into your business model.

Key Features and Benefits Business Plan Example

In my opinion, the example below does a great job outlining products and services for this business, along with why these qualities will attract the audience.

Business plans examples: Key Features and Benefits

Tips for Writing Your Key Features and Benefits

  • Emphasize why and how your product or service offers value to customers.
  • Use metrics and testimonials to support the ideas in this section.
  • Talk about how your products and services have the potential to scale.
  • Think about including a product roadmap.
  • Focus on customer needs, and how the features and benefits you are sharing meet those needs.
  • Offer proof of concept for your ideas, like case studies or pilot program feedback.
  • Proofread this section carefully, and remove any jargon or complex language.

7. Pricing and Revenue

This is where you'll discuss your cost structure and various revenue streams. Your pricing strategy must be solid enough to turn a profit while staying competitive in the industry. 

For this reason, here’s what I’d might outline in this section:

  • The specific pricing breakdowns per product or service
  • Why your pricing is higher or lower than your competition's
  • (If higher) Why customers would be willing to pay more
  • (If lower) How you're able to offer your products or services at a lower cost
  • When you expect to break even, what margins do you expect, etc?

Pricing and Revenue Business Plan Example

I like how this business plan example begins with an overview of the business revenue model, then shows proposed pricing for key products.

Business plans examples: Pricing and Revenue

Tips for Writing Your Pricing and Revenue Section

  • Get specific about your pricing strategy. Specifically, how you connect that strategy to customer needs and product value.
  • If you are asking a premium price, share unique features or innovations that justify that price point.
  • Show how you plan to communicate pricing to customers.
  • Create an overview of every revenue stream for your business and how each stream adds to your business model as a whole.
  • Share plans to develop new revenue streams in the future.
  • Show how and whether pricing will vary by customer segment and how pricing aligns with marketing strategies.
  • Restate your value proposition and explain how it aligns with your revenue model.

8. Financials

To me, this section is particularly informative for investors and leadership teams to figure out funding strategies, investment opportunities, and more.

 According to Forbes , you'll want to include three main things:

  • Profit/Loss Statement - This answers the question of whether your business is currently profitable.
  • Cash Flow Statement - This details exactly how much cash is incoming and outgoing to give insight into how much cash a business has on hand.
  • Balance Sheet - This outlines assets, liabilities, and equity, which gives insight into how much a business is worth.

While some business plans might include more or less information, these are the key details I’d include in this section.

Financials Business Plan Example

This balance sheet is a great example of level of detail you’ll need to include in the financials section of your business plan.

Business plans examples: Financials

Tips for Writing Your Financials Section

  • Growth potential is important in this section too. Using your data, create a forecast of financial performance in the next three to five years.
  • Include any data that supports your projections to assure investors of the credibility of your proposal.
  • Add a break-even analysis to show that your business plan is financially practical. This information can also help you pivot quickly as your business grows.
  • Consider adding a section that reviews potential risks and how sensitive your plan is to changes in the market.
  • Triple-check all financial information in your plan for accuracy.
  • Show how any proposed funding needs align with your plans for growth.

As you create your business plan, keep in mind that each of these sections will be formatted differently. Some may be in paragraph format, while others could be charts or graphs.

The formats above apply to most types of business plans. That said, the format and structure of your plan will vary by your goals for that plan. 

So, I’ve added a quick review of different business plan types. For a more detailed overview, check out this post .

1. Startups

Startup business plans are for proposing new business ideas.

If you’re planning to start a small business, preparing a business plan is crucial. The plan should include all the major factors of your business.

You can check out this guide for more detailed business plan inspiration .

2. Feasibility Studies

Feasibility business plans focus on that business's product or service. Feasibility plans are sometimes added to startup business plans. They can also be a new business plan for an already thriving organization.

3. Internal Use

You can use internal business plans to share goals, strategies, or performance updates with stakeholders. In my opinion, internal business plans are useful for alignment and building support for ambitious goals.

4. Strategic Initiatives

Another business plan that's often for sharing internally is a strategic business plan. This plan covers long-term business objectives that might not have been included in the startup business plan.

5. Business Acquisition or Repositioning

When a business is moving forward with an acquisition or repositioning, it may need extra structure and support. These types of business plans expand on a company's acquisition or repositioning strategy.

Growth sometimes just happens as a business continues operations. But more often, a business needs to create a structure with specific targets to meet set goals for expansion. This business plan type can help a business focus on short-term growth goals and align resources with those goals.

Now that you know what's included and how to format a business plan, let's review some of my favorite templates.

1. HubSpot's One-Page Business Plan

Download a free, editable one-page business plan template..

The business plan linked above was created here at HubSpot and is perfect for businesses of any size — no matter how many strategies we still have to develop.

Fields such as Company Description, Required Funding, and Implementation Timeline give this one-page business plan a framework for how to build your brand and what tasks to keep track of as you grow.

Then, as the business matures, you can expand on your original business plan with a new iteration of the above document.

Why I Like It

This one-page business plan is a fantastic choice for the new business owner who doesn’t have the time or resources to draft a full-blown business plan. It includes all the essential sections in an accessible, bullet-point-friendly format. That way, you can get the broad strokes down before honing in on the details.

2. HubSpot's Downloadable Business Plan Template

Sample business plan: hubspot free editable pdf

We also created a business plan template for entrepreneurs.

The template is designed as a guide and checklist for starting your own business. You’ll learn what to include in each section of your business plan and how to do it.

There’s also a list for you to check off when you finish each section of your business plan.

Strong game plans help coaches win games and help businesses rocket to the top of their industries. So if you dedicate the time and effort required to write a workable and convincing business plan, you’ll boost your chances of success and even dominance in your market.

This business plan kit is essential for the budding entrepreneur who needs a more extensive document to share with investors and other stakeholders.

It not only includes sections for your executive summary, product line, market analysis, marketing plan, and sales plan, but it also offers hands-on guidance for filling out those sections.

3. LiveFlow’s Financial Planning Template with built-in automation

Sample Business Plan: LiveFLow

This free template from LiveFlow aims to make it easy for businesses to create a financial plan and track their progress on a monthly basis.

The P&L Budget versus Actual format allows users to track their revenue, cost of sales, operating expenses, operating profit margin, net profit, and more.

The summary dashboard aggregates all of the data put into the financial plan sheet and will automatically update when changes are made.

Instead of wasting hours manually importing your data to your spreadsheet, LiveFlow can also help you to automatically connect your accounting and banking data directly to your spreadsheet, so your numbers are always up-to-date.

With the dashboard, you can view your runway, cash balance, burn rate, gross margins, and other metrics. Having a simple way to track everything in one place will make it easier to complete the financials section of your business plan.

This is a fantastic template to track performance and alignment internally and to create a dependable process for documenting financial information across the business. It’s highly versatile and beginner-friendly.

It’s especially useful if you don’t have an accountant on the team. (I always recommend you do, but for new businesses, having one might not be possible.)

4. ThoughtCo’s Sample Business Plan

sample business plan: ThoughtCo.

One of the more financially oriented sample business plans in this list, BPlan’s free business plan template dedicates many of its pages to your business’s financial plan and financial statements.

After filling this business plan out, your company will truly understand its financial health and the steps you need to take to maintain or improve it.

I absolutely love this business plan template because of its ease-of-use and hands-on instructions (in addition to its finance-centric components). If you feel overwhelmed by the thought of writing an entire business plan, consider using this template to help you with the process.

6. Harvard Business Review’s "How to Write a Winning Business Plan"

Most sample business plans teach you what to include in your business plan, but this Harvard Business Review article will take your business plan to the next level — it teaches you the why and how behind writing a business plan.

With the guidance of Stanley Rich and Richard Gumpert, co-authors of " Business Plans That Win: Lessons From the MIT Enterprise Forum ", you'll learn how to write a convincing business plan that emphasizes the market demand for your product or service.

You’ll also learn the financial benefits investors can reap from putting money into your venture rather than trying to sell them on how great your product or service is.

This business plan guide focuses less on the individual parts of a business plan, and more on the overarching goal of writing one. For that reason, it’s one of my favorites to supplement any template you choose to use. Harvard Business Review’s guide is instrumental for both new and seasoned business owners.

7. HubSpot’s Complete Guide to Starting a Business

If you’re an entrepreneur, you know writing a business plan is one of the most challenging first steps to starting a business.

Fortunately, with HubSpot's comprehensive guide to starting a business, you'll learn how to map out all the details by understanding what to include in your business plan and why it’s important to include them. The guide also fleshes out an entire sample business plan for you.

If you need further guidance on starting a business, HubSpot's guide can teach you how to make your business legal, choose and register your business name, and fund your business. It will also give small business tax information and includes marketing, sales, and service tips.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of starting a business, in addition to writing your business plan, with a high level of exactitude and detail. So if you’re in the midst of starting your business, this is an excellent guide for you.

It also offers other resources you might need, such as market analysis templates.

8. Panda Doc’s Free Business Plan Template

sample business plan: Panda Doc

PandaDoc’s free business plan template is one of the more detailed and fleshed-out sample business plans on this list. It describes what you should include in each section, so you don't have to come up with everything from scratch.

Once you fill it out, you’ll fully understand your business’ nitty-gritty details and how all of its moving parts should work together to contribute to its success.

This template has two things I love: comprehensiveness and in-depth instructions. Plus, it’s synced with PandaDoc’s e-signature software so that you and other stakeholders can sign it with ease. For that reason, I especially love it for those starting a business with a partner or with a board of directors.

9. Small Business Administration Free Business Plan Template

sample business plan: Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers several free business plan templates that can be used to inspire your own plan.

Before you get started, you can decide what type of business plan you need — a traditional or lean start-up plan.

Then, you can review the format for both of those plans and view examples of what they might look like.

We love both of the SBA’s templates because of their versatility. You can choose between two options and use the existing content in the templates to flesh out your own plan. Plus, if needed, you can get a free business counselor to help you along the way.

I’ve compiled some completed business plan samples to help you get an idea of how to customize a plan for your business.

I chose different types of business plan ideas to expand your imagination. Some are extensive, while others are fairly simple.

Let’s take a look.

1. LiveFlow

business plan example: liveflow

One of the major business expenses is marketing. How you handle your marketing reflects your company’s revenue.

I included this business plan to show you how you can ensure your marketing team is aligned with your overall business plan to get results. The plan also shows you how to track even the smallest metrics of your campaigns, like ROI and payback periods instead of just focusing on big metrics like gross and revenue.

Fintech startup, LiveFlow, allows users to sync real-time data from its accounting services, payment platforms, and banks into custom reports. This eliminates the task of pulling reports together manually, saving teams time and helping automate workflows.

"Using this framework over a traditional marketing plan will help you set a profitable marketing strategy taking things like CAC, LTV, Payback period, and P&L into consideration," explains LiveFlow co-founder, Lasse Kalkar .

When it came to including marketing strategy in its business plan, LiveFlow created a separate marketing profit and loss statement (P&L) to track how well the company was doing with its marketing initiatives.

This is a great approach, allowing businesses to focus on where their marketing dollars are making the most impact. Having this information handy will enable you to build out your business plan’s marketing section with confidence. LiveFlow has shared the template here . You can test it for yourself.

2. Lula Body

Business plan example: Lula body

Sometimes all you need is a solid mission statement and core values to guide you on how to go about everything. You do this by creating a business plan revolving around how to fulfill your statement best.

For example, Patagonia is an eco-friendly company, so their plan discusses how to make the best environmentally friendly products without causing harm.

A good mission statement  should not only resonate with consumers but should also serve as a core value compass for employees as well.

Patagonia has one of the most compelling mission statements I’ve seen:

"Together, let’s prioritise purpose over profit and protect this wondrous planet, our only home."

It reels you in from the start, and the environmentally friendly theme continues throughout the rest of the statement.

This mission goes on to explain that they are out to "Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to protect nature."

Their mission statement is compelling and detailed, with each section outlining how they will accomplish their goal.

4. Vesta Home Automation

business plan example: Vesta executive summary

This executive summary for a smart home device startup is part of a business plan created by students at Mount Royal University .

While it lacks some of the sleek visuals of the templates above, its executive summary does a great job of demonstrating how invested they are in the business.

Right away, they mention they’ve invested $200,000 into the company already, which shows investors they have skin in the game and aren’t just looking for someone else to foot the bill.

This is the kind of business plan you need when applying for business funds. It clearly illustrates the expected future of the company and how the business has been coming along over the years.

5. NALB Creative Center

business plan examples: nalb creative center

This fictional business plan for an art supply store includes everything one might need in a business plan: an executive summary, a company summary, a list of services, a market analysis summary, and more.

One of its most notable sections is its market analysis summary, which includes an overview of the population growth in the business’ target geographical area, as well as a breakdown of the types of potential customers they expect to welcome at the store. 

This sort of granular insight is essential for understanding and communicating your business’s growth potential. Plus, it lays a strong foundation for creating relevant and useful buyer personas .

It’s essential to keep this information up-to-date as your market and target buyer changes. For that reason, you should carry out market research as often as possible to ensure that you’re targeting the correct audience and sharing accurate information with your investors.

Due to its comprehensiveness, it’s an excellent example to follow if you’re opening a brick-and-mortar store and need to get external funding to start your business .

6. Curriculum Companion Suites (CSS)

business plan examples: curriculum companion suites

If you’re looking for a SaaS business plan example, look no further than this business plan for a fictional educational software company called Curriculum Companion Suites. 

Like the business plan for the NALB Creative Center, it includes plenty of information for prospective investors and other key stakeholders in the business.

One of the most notable features of this business plan is the executive summary, which includes an overview of the product, market, and mission.

The first two are essential for software companies because the product offering is so often at the forefront of the company’s strategy. Without that information being immediately available to investors and executives, then you risk writing an unfocused business plan.

It’s essential to front-load your company’s mission if it explains your "Why?" and this example does just that. In other words, why do you do what you do, and why should stakeholders care? This is an important section to include if you feel that your mission will drive interest in the business and its offerings.

7. Culina Sample Business Plan

sample business plan: Culina

Culina's sample business plan is an excellent example of how to lay out your business plan so that it flows naturally, engages readers, and provides the critical information investors and stakeholders need. 

You can use this template as a guide while you're gathering important information for your own business plan. You'll have a better understanding of the data and research you need to do since Culina’s plan outlines these details so flawlessly for inspiration.

8. Plum Sample Business Plan

Sample business plan: Plum

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Simple Business Plan Templates

Plans, strategies, roadmaps – Businesses rely on these things to gain perspective on what’s about to happen. Milestones laid down in strategic and careful planning for growth and expansion, visions of where the company’s headed 10 years from now, goals that should meet timelines, all these require a smart, prudent and calculated planning.

Whether you’re a startup, an SMB, or close to a Fortune 500, a solid business plan is crucial. And of course, writing business plans is a huge task. But, what if you needed something that requires input from others though? Say, an online form or a PDF template where responses from your colleagues and managers matter? Well, here’s a collection of PDF templates for business planning.

These are beautifully designed templates, specifically tailored for businesses and companies who don’t know where to start. The hard part was already done and that’s designing the template. These will serve as boilerplates for whatever milestone your business needs. You won’t need to worry on building something from scratch, you just need to focus on the content. Some of these templates will contain or collect executive summaries, opportunities, expectations, execution, financial plans, forecasts, the whole nine yards.

Business plan templates help give a clear vision of what lies ahead. They help you get things organized, planned out, and help you check off items from your to-do list more efficiently.

Strategic Plan Template - PDF Templates

Strategic Plan Template

Focus on the future and keep your company moving forward with Jotform’s Strategic Plan Template. Simply fill in the attached form with your company overview, delve deeper with a SWOT analysis, and finish off by determining your strategic goals, actions, and financial plans. Our fully-customizable template converts submitted information into polished PDFs, which you can download, print, or share instantly.

Single Page Business Plan - PDF Templates

Single Page Business Plan

Get down to business with a customizable Single-Page Business Plan template from Jotform. Customize your plan in minutes. No coding. Drag and drop to build.

Operational Plan Template - PDF Templates

Operational Plan Template

This Operational Plan Sample is structured with important details for your organization. It comes ready to print, but you can simply edit the fields by putting your own organization information.

Marketing Brief Template - PDF Templates

Marketing Brief Template

Managing a marketing campaign or promotion is a challenging task. You need to have a marketing plan in order to execute the campaign smoothly with the time and budget provided. Creating a Marketing Brief is very beneficial because it summarizes the marketing strategy for a specific campaign.If you are in the advertising agency or part of the marketing department, then this Marketing Creative Brief Template is for you. This well-designed template contains the client information, project information, and the marketing materials that will be used. The project details explain the project title, description, objectives, target audience, budget overview, advertising guidelines, and competitors.

Glamping Business Plan Template - PDF Templates

Glamping Business Plan Template

Grab the attention of the investors by using this Glamping Business Plan Template. This business plan is simple yet effective because it contains all the necessary details when building a successful business.

Lean Business Model Canvas Template - PDF Templates

Lean Business Model Canvas Template

See your business from a new perspective with Jotform’s Lean Business Model Canvas Template. Simply fill in a short form with problems your business could solve, how they are currently being solved in the market, and how your company can uniquely work to solve these problems. Our template instantly converts the information into polished PDFs you can download or print for your next big meeting.Our Lean Business Model Canvas Template already looks professional, but you can personalize it further to match your business. Jotform PDF Editor lets you rearrange form fields or add your company logo at the touch of a button! By instantly converting your business model into an accessible PDF format, our Lean Business Model Canvas Template can help you see the bigger picture and determine how to take your business to the next level.

SOP Template - PDF Templates

SOP Template

Create a process to organize your employees in managing specific cases or scenarios by using this SOP Template. This template is commonly used in any organization whether it is a small, medium, or large group.

Creative Brief Template - PDF Templates

Creative Brief Template

A Creative Brief is used in advertising, branding, and marketing industries. In order to have a strong and outstanding creative campaign, you need to have a game plan to follow. This serves as a guideline that will help in making decisions related to the campaign.This Creative Brief Template PDF discusses the project details like the project name, due date, and project description. The marketing materials that will be used are listed in the document which includes its specifications like the dimension size, the medium that will be used, and the quantity. This is the best Creative Brief Template you can use for your next creative marketing campaign.

Business Model Canvas Template - PDF Templates

Business Model Canvas Template

Our Business Model Canvas Template includes nine segments which are key partners, key activities, value proposition, customer relations, customer segments, key resources, channels, cost structure, and pricing model.

Blog Post Outline Template - PDF Templates

Blog Post Outline Template

Use this Blog Post Outline Template for your blog content in order to get more visitors, followers, shares, and impressions. This template will definitely help your ranking in search engines.

Gym Business Plan Template - PDF Templates

Gym Business Plan Template

Be successful in the gym business that you're building by securing funding or a loan with the help of this Gym Business Plan Template. This PDF can be printed and given to investors or loan applications.

Meeting Minutes Template - PDF Templates

Meeting Minutes Template

Set goals, plan your actions, and update your team members by tracking the team meetings by using this Meeting Minutes Template. This PDF template will surely help the team in terms of planning and productivity.

Memorandum of Understanding Template - PDF Templates

Memorandum of Understanding Template

Build a harmonious relationship between two or more parties by using this Memorandum of Understanding Template. This template is easy to use and can be customized via the PDF Editor.

Pressure Washing Estimate Template - PDF Templates

Pressure Washing Estimate Template

Create estimates for pressure washing services with the use of web tools. Use this Pressure Washing Estimate PDF template and create instant estimates in PDF format without the trouble of hiring programmers.

Business Hours Template - PDF Templates

Business Hours Template

Announce and let the customers know if your business is open and not by using this Business Hours Template. This PDF template can be customized and personalized by using the PDF Editor.

Scope of Work Template - PDF Templates

Scope of Work Template

Establish the responsibilities of the service provider by using this Scope of Work Template. This document will show the list of work and tasks that should be performed by the service provider.

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Custom Sales Funnel Plan

Curriculum Vitae - PDF Templates

Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae Template will provide you with all the necessary information that you need for your recruitment procedure and automate the job application process of your business.

Preliminary Notice Template - PDF Templates

Preliminary Notice Template

Notify the parties involved like the property owner, hiring party, notifying party, and contractor about the construction project by using this Preliminary Notice Template. This PDF template can be customized if needed via the PDF Editor.

Credit Analysis - PDF Templates

Credit Analysis

Retainer Agreement - PDF Templates

Retainer Agreement

Create retainer agreements online. Free, easy-to-customize template. Fill out on any device. Collect e-signatures. Save time with automation tools.

Business Plan Financial Template - PDF Templates

Business Plan Financial Template

Create a business plan financial template with Jotform Sign. Drag and drop to customize. Fill out and e-sign from any smartphone, tablet, or desktop.

Transaction Summary - PDF Templates

Transaction Summary

Code of Conduct Template - PDF Templates

Code of Conduct Template

Create a professional code of conduct to send to your employees. Can be signed from any smartphone, tablet, or computer. Easy to customize and share. No coding.

What are the seven parts of a business plan?

  • Executive summary. This is an overview of your business plan. The executive summary should include your company’s offerings, mission, goals, and projections. Think of it as the elevator pitch for your business plan. If you can’t get investors interested here, it’s unlikely they’ll want to keep reading.
  • Company description and history. Describe your business’s legal structure and history in addition to what you do. If you just started this business, you may replace company history with your leadership team’s experience. The purpose of this section is to explain the company structure and build confidence in the people running the company.
  • Products and services. Talk about what your company offers, whether that’s products, services, or a combination of the two. Describe your products and services in detail. Explain what makes your offering unique, what your profit margins are, what kind of demand you’re seeing for it, etc.
  • Market and competitor research. Investors want to know if there’s demand for your offering. Describe the target market and how your product or service benefits potential customers. Include projections of where the industry is headed over the next few years. Additionally, detail your competitors and how saturated the market is.
  • Sales and marketing strategy. This part of the business plan explains how you’ll promote your product. Outline elements such as your ideal customer profile (ICP) as well as your marketing channels, budget, and methods.
  • Operations and logistics. Explain how you’ll source materials if you sell products as well as the technology you need to deliver such products and services. Also, provide details about your team, like how many people you’ll need and how you’ll manage employees.
  • Financial plan and projections. It’s crucial to prove that your business will be financially viable. For this, you’ll need revenue and expense projections. Many investors want to see sample account statements, balance sheets, and cash flow projections.

How do you write a business plan?

Your business plan should be a realistic roadmap that helps you build a successful company. When writing it, take a balanced approach so that you’re not blind to the potential pitfalls and risks. You’ll draft each of the seven sections previously discussed.

Tackling these sections can be overwhelming, so some people like to start with a one-page business plan that includes short paragraphs for each element. Another way to give yourself a head start is by working from a business plan template. Once you have a good start, you can expand each section to make a compelling case for your business.

Can I write a business plan myself?

Yes, you can. However, depending on your writing experience and goals, you may want outside help. If the business plan is for internal use with the purpose of improving business functions, you’ll likely be OK tackling it alone. But if you’re trying to secure funding from a bank or investors, a professional business plan writer can give you a leg up.

Even if you decide to do it yourself, have a trusted friend or business mentor review your plan and provide feedback. An objective point of view will help you refine your work.

What are the four types of business plans?

  • One-page or mini business plan. The one-page option is a great way to improve the focus of your business plan and highlight the essential elements. It can be an effective way to workshop your company’s plan or quickly give others a rundown of your entire business.
  • Traditional business plan. The traditional business plan is more in-depth than its one-page counterpart and will be more thorough in each section (often, plans exceed 40 pages). For example, it may contain detailed financials, branding samples, and competitive research documents.
  • Business model canvas (BMC). The business model canvas is a more visual representation of your business architecture. It includes sections for infrastructure, offering, customers, finances, etc. Many businesses find the BMC appealing since it can be summarized in a single page.
  • Strategic business plan. The strategic business plan can have different purposes, like proving feasibility, discussing planning operations, or projecting growth. It will outline the company’s goals, its strategy for reaching them, and the company structure. The main difference between this and the traditional plan is its focus on specific strategic initiatives.

What are the common mistakes in business plans?

  • Poor writing. Sloppy writing may suggest that you’re not serious about your business or you lack the needed professionalism.
  • Unrealistic expectations. While you should be optimistic about your business, if your financial projections reflect your hopes more than reality, people may hesitate to back your business.
  • Lack of supporting documentation. People reviewing your business plan want to see how you back up your claims. You can include research docs, sample financials, and estimates to make your case.
  • Failing to define the target audience. For a successful marketing plan, you need to define your target audience. Investors and financial institutions need to see if you’re confident about who you’re selling to.
  • Unbalanced. It’s important to lay out the risks and potential upsides. This analysis shows investors that you’re considering the whole picture regarding your business.

These templates are suggested forms only. If you're using a form as a contract, or to gather personal (or personal health) info, or for some other purpose with legal implications, we recommend that you do your homework to ensure you are complying with applicable laws and that you consult an attorney before relying on any particular form.

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How to Write a Food and Beverage Business Plan + Sample Business Plan PDF

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Elon Glucklich

7 min. read

Updated February 17, 2024

Free Download: Sample Food and Beverage Business Plan Templates

The food and beverage sector is booming. Restaurant openings rose 10% in 2023 compared to 2022 — even higher than in pre-pandemic years.

From fine dining to food trucks, farmers to brewers, and wholesalers to coffee makers, there are opportunities across the food and beverage industry. 

But starting a business without covering the basics — your operations plan, marketing tactics, financial strategy, and more — carries huge risks. 

That’s why we recommend you write a business plan.

  • Why write a food and beverage business plan?

Writing a business plan is an easy first step that you can start for free. Plus, businesses that take time to plan are significantly more successful than those that don’t.

Many food and beverage establishments fail because of one of the following:

  • Poor inventory management
  • Underestimated expenses
  • High employee turnover
  • Misjudged the size of their market

Writing a business plan can help you:

  • Develop processes for managing inventory and logistics
  • Understand your cash flows and create a realistic expense budget
  • Budget for competitive employee pay that increases worker retention
  • Analyze your competition and determine how big your market is  

If you’re looking for funding from investors for your business, you’ll definitely need a business plan.

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  • How to write a food and beverage business plan

Many business plans follow a standard format and you can use it as a starting point when writing your own plan. Here’s what that includes:

Executive summary

  • Company summary and funding needs
  • Products and services
  • Marketing plan
  • Management team

Financial plan

For food and beverage companies, you must give extra attention to your market analysis, operations plan, and financial forecasts.

If you’re ready to start, download a free business plan template and fill it out as you read this article.

A sample business plan outline for a food and beverage business.

Every business plan should include an executive summary . It’s a brief outline summarizing the plan, no more than one or two pages.

We recommend that you write the executive summary last after fleshing out the details of your plan. 

Just summarize the vision for your business, describe your offerings and target market , and touch on your management team and financials. Don’t go into tons of detail — just provide a high-level sense of what you want your business to accomplish.

Opportunity: problem and solution

This section of your food and beverage business plan describes the opportunity you hope to capture.

Maybe you’re a farmer looking to diversify your revenue streams by distributing to grocery stores. Or a bar owner with high-end liquor that competitors in the market aren’t serving. 

Whatever your business is, describe the gap in the market and how you aim to fill it.

If you’re operating a more common type of business, like a restaurant , you can probably keep this section short. But it’s useful to document what makes your business unique and it will help focus your sales and marketing efforts later on.

Market analysis

In a field as crowded with competitors as the food and beverage space, a detailed market analysis is essential. 

Your focus should be on identifying the specific customer segments you aim to serve. 

Maybe you’re a butcher with connections to fresh livestock. Will you be more successful selling directly to consumers, or should you focus on selling to grocery stores and markets in your area?

Or, you’re opening  a diner. Should your menu focus on healthy meals or easy-to-make child-friendly options?

These are the types of questions that market research helps you answer. This section should detail the defining characteristics of your target market, including the demographics and preferences of your ideal customer and the size of the market you’re targeting. Market research questions specific to a food and beverage business could include:

  • Business location and characteristics
  • Area income
  • Local food and beverage preferences
  • Existing food and beverage options 

Elaborate on how your food and beverage offerings align with that target market ’s needs. Remember, you can’t please everyone, so focus on a specific group of people or type of person and build out from there.

Marketing and sales

For food and beverage businesses promotions are how you stand out and seize a share of your market.

The marketing and advertising chapter of your business plan is where you’ll detail your strategies for capturing the attention — and loyalty — of the customers you identified as your target market in the previous section.

With so many options for consumers in the food and beverage space, you’ll likely have to rely on multiple marketing channels , including::

  • Advertising on websites, television, and in relevant publications.
  • Content marketing — developing an engaging website and writing blog content that’s search engine optimized to drive traffic to your site.
  • Engaging with your customers on social media.
  • Offering discounts and customer loyalty programs.
  • Appearing at food and beverage industry trade shows and community events.

It doesn’t matter how delicious your recipes are, how fresh your crops are, or how innovative your cocktails are — if you don’t operate efficiently, your business probably won’t last long.

The operations strategy may be the most detailed section of your business plan, especially if you’re writing it for a bank loan or investment. This section describes how you will run your business day to day.

When writing the operations section, describe the following:

Physical space

Whether it’s a restaurant, a farm, or a food transportation business, describe the space you’re operating in, and all of the physical assets and equipment you’ll need to be successful. 

If it’s a sit-down restaurant, consider including a floorplan mockup in your appendix.

Supply chain 

List the suppliers and partners that get your product to customers. Think about the businesses you purchase ingredients from, the warehouses that goods are stored in, and the trucking companies that deliver your products to grocery stores. 

These are your supply chain partners. It’s crucial that you maintain good relationships with them.

Production processes

How long it takes to make your product, and what materials and equipment are required. Documenting how you produce your goods or services demonstrates that you understand the costs of making them. 

You may also uncover ways to produce them more quickly, or at a lesser cost.

Detail how you’ll handle matters of efficiency like order fulfillment, storage, shipping, and returns, as well as customer satisfaction. If you provide delivery services, document how you will handle the process of getting your product to customers’ homes or businesses.

List your staffing needs, training, and experience requirements for key staff. Also, document the management structure of your business. 

This helps ensure that important tasks you don’t have time to monitor are being done and that workers are being supervised.

Describe investments in payment processing systems, inventory management software, and other tools that support sales or operations in your business. Cataloging your technology systems will help you determine where it might make sense to invest in upgrades for efficiency.

Take some time to write a financial plan . Create detailed financial projections, including sales , expenses , and profitability .

If that sounds intimidating, take a deep breath, and remember that financial forecasts are really just best guesses. If you’re running an existing business, you can start with your previous year’s numbers. If you’re starting, make an educated guess about where you hope to be financially a year from now.

Investors will want to see a: 

  • Sales forecast
  • Income statement (also called a profit and loss statement )
  • Cash flow statement
  • Balance sheet 

If you use a tool like LivePlan , you’ll be able to build out your financial forecasts relatively quickly, even if you don’t have experience with business numbers.

Even if you aren’t seeking investment, the financial plan is crucial for understanding the viability of your business. It allows you to adjust your business model based on projected performance, and make informed decisions about where to spend your money.

  • Food and beverage business plan templates and examples

If you want to see how other food and beverage businesses have created their plans, check out our free library of food and beverage business plans . 

You can download all of them in Word format and jump-start your own business plan.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Content Author: Elon Glucklich

Elon is a marketing specialist at Palo Alto Software, working with consultants, accountants, business instructors and others who use LivePlan at scale. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism and an MBA from the University of Oregon.

Check out LivePlan

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Create a form in Word that users can complete or print

In Word, you can create a form that others can fill out and save or print.  To do this, you will start with baseline content in a document, potentially via a form template.  Then you can add content controls for elements such as check boxes, text boxes, date pickers, and drop-down lists. Optionally, these content controls can be linked to database information.  Following are the recommended action steps in sequence.  

Show the Developer tab

In Word, be sure you have the Developer tab displayed in the ribbon.  (See how here:  Show the developer tab .)

Open a template or a blank document on which to base the form

You can start with a template or just start from scratch with a blank document.

Start with a form template

Go to File > New .

In the  Search for online templates  field, type  Forms or the kind of form you want. Then press Enter .

In the displayed results, right-click any item, then select  Create. 

Start with a blank document 

Select Blank document .

Add content to the form

Go to the  Developer  tab Controls section where you can choose controls to add to your document or form. Hover over any icon therein to see what control type it represents. The various control types are described below. You can set properties on a control once it has been inserted.

To delete a content control, right-click it, then select Remove content control  in the pop-up menu. 

Note:  You can print a form that was created via content controls. However, the boxes around the content controls will not print.

Insert a text control

The rich text content control enables users to format text (e.g., bold, italic) and type multiple paragraphs. To limit these capabilities, use the plain text content control . 

Click or tap where you want to insert the control.

Rich text control button

To learn about setting specific properties on these controls, see Set or change properties for content controls .

Insert a picture control

A picture control is most often used for templates, but you can also add a picture control to a form.

Picture control button

Insert a building block control

Use a building block control  when you want users to choose a specific block of text. These are helpful when you need to add different boilerplate text depending on the document's specific purpose. You can create rich text content controls for each version of the boilerplate text, and then use a building block control as the container for the rich text content controls.

building block gallery control

Select Developer and content controls for the building block.

Developer tab showing content controls

Insert a combo box or a drop-down list

In a combo box, users can select from a list of choices that you provide or they can type in their own information. In a drop-down list, users can only select from the list of choices.

combo box button

Select the content control, and then select Properties .

To create a list of choices, select Add under Drop-Down List Properties .

Type a choice in Display Name , such as Yes , No , or Maybe .

Repeat this step until all of the choices are in the drop-down list.

Fill in any other properties that you want.

Note:  If you select the Contents cannot be edited check box, users won’t be able to click a choice.

Insert a date picker

Click or tap where you want to insert the date picker control.

Date picker button

Insert a check box

Click or tap where you want to insert the check box control.

Check box button

Use the legacy form controls

Legacy form controls are for compatibility with older versions of Word and consist of legacy form and Active X controls.

Click or tap where you want to insert a legacy control.

Legacy control button

Select the Legacy Form control or Active X Control that you want to include.

Set or change properties for content controls

Each content control has properties that you can set or change. For example, the Date Picker control offers options for the format you want to use to display the date.

Select the content control that you want to change.

Go to Developer > Properties .

Controls Properties  button

Change the properties that you want.

Add protection to a form

If you want to limit how much others can edit or format a form, use the Restrict Editing command:

Open the form that you want to lock or protect.

Select Developer > Restrict Editing .

Restrict editing button

After selecting restrictions, select Yes, Start Enforcing Protection .

Restrict editing panel

Advanced Tip:

If you want to protect only parts of the document, separate the document into sections and only protect the sections you want.

To do this, choose Select Sections in the Restrict Editing panel. For more info on sections, see Insert a section break .

Sections selector on Resrict sections panel

If the developer tab isn't displayed in the ribbon, see Show the Developer tab .

Open a template or use a blank document

To create a form in Word that others can fill out, start with a template or document and add content controls. Content controls include things like check boxes, text boxes, and drop-down lists. If you’re familiar with databases, these content controls can even be linked to data.

Go to File > New from Template .

New from template option

In Search, type form .

Double-click the template you want to use.

Select File > Save As , and pick a location to save the form.

In Save As , type a file name and then select Save .

Start with a blank document

Go to File > New Document .

New document option

Go to File > Save As .

Go to Developer , and then choose the controls that you want to add to the document or form. To remove a content control, select the control and press Delete. You can set Options on controls once inserted. From Options, you can add entry and exit macros to run when users interact with the controls, as well as list items for combo boxes, .

Adding content controls to your form

In the document, click or tap where you want to add a content control.

On Developer , select Text Box , Check Box , or Combo Box .

Developer tab with content controls

To set specific properties for the control, select Options , and set .

Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each control that you want to add.

Set options

Options let you set common settings, as well as control specific settings. Select a control and then select Options to set up or make changes.

Set common properties.

Select Macro to Run on lets you choose a recorded or custom macro to run on Entry or Exit from the field.

Bookmark Set a unique name or bookmark for each control.

Calculate on exit This forces Word to run or refresh any calculations, such as total price when the user exits the field.

Add Help Text Give hints or instructions for each field.

OK Saves settings and exits the panel.

Cancel Forgets changes and exits the panel.

Set specific properties for a Text box

Type Select form Regular text, Number, Date, Current Date, Current Time, or Calculation.

Default text sets optional instructional text that's displayed in the text box before the user types in the field. Set Text box enabled to allow the user to enter text into the field.

Maximum length sets the length of text that a user can enter. The default is Unlimited .

Text format can set whether text automatically formats to Uppercase , Lowercase , First capital, or Title case .

Text box enabled Lets the user enter text into a field. If there is default text, user text replaces it.

Set specific properties for a Check box .

Default Value Choose between Not checked or checked as default.

Checkbox size Set a size Exactly or Auto to change size as needed.

Check box enabled Lets the user check or clear the text box.

Set specific properties for a Combo box

Drop-down item Type in strings for the list box items. Press + or Enter to add an item to the list.

Items in drop-down list Shows your current list. Select an item and use the up or down arrows to change the order, Press - to remove a selected item.

Drop-down enabled Lets the user open the combo box and make selections.

Protect the form

Go to Developer > Protect Form .

Protect form button on the Developer tab

Note:  To unprotect the form and continue editing, select Protect Form again.

Save and close the form.

Test the form (optional)

If you want, you can test the form before you distribute it.

Protect the form.

Reopen the form, fill it out as the user would, and then save a copy.

Creating fillable forms isn’t available in Word for the web.

You can create the form with the desktop version of Word with the instructions in Create a fillable form .

When you save the document and reopen it in Word for the web, you’ll see the changes you made.

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Free Business Plan Templates in Excel

By Joe Weller | September 27, 2020

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In this article, we’ve rounded up an extensive list of free business plan templates and samples for organizations of all sizes. You can download all of the plans in Excel. 

Included on this page, you’ll find business plan templates in Excel , business plan checklists in Excel , business plan financial templates in Excel , and more.

Business Plan Templates in Excel

These Excel business plan templates are designed to guide you through each step of a well-rounded strategy that supports your marketing, sales, financial, and operational goals.

Business Plan Template in Excel

Business Plan Template

This Excel business plan template has all the traditional components of a standard business plan, with each section divided into tabs. This template includes space to provide the executive summary, target audience characteristics, product or service offering details, marketing strategies, and more. The plan also offers built-in formulas to complete calculations for sales forecasting, financial statements, and key business ratios.

Download Business Plan Template

Excel | Smartsheet

One-Page Business Plan in Excel

business plan template deutsch

To check the feasibility of your business concept, use this single-page business plan template. The template allows you to jot down the core details related to your idea. This template also includes room for you to provide concise information about what you do, how you do it, why you do it, who your idea serves, your competitive advantage, your marketing strategies, and your success factors. At the bottom of this one-page plan, you’ll find a table to conduct a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. Find more downloadable single-page plans and examples at “ One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide .”

Download One-Page Business Plan

Excel | Word | PDF | Smartsheet

Sample 30-60-90-Day Business Plan for Startup in Excel

Sample 30 60 90 Day Business Plan for Startup Template

This 90-day business plan is designed for startup companies to develop a 90-day action plan. This template gives you room to outline the following: main goals and deliverables for each 30-day increment; key business activities; task ownership; and deadlines. This template also includes a built-in Gantt chart that adjusts as you enter dates. Visit “ 30-60-90-Day Business Plan Templates and Samples ” to download more free plans.

Download 30-60-90-Day Business Plan for Startup

For more free business plans in a wider variety of formats, visit “ Simple Business Plan Templates .”

Business Plan Checklists in Excel

These business plan checklists are useful for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and business owners who want to organize and track the progress of key business activities.

Business Planning Checklist with Timeline in Excel

Business Planning Checklist with Timeline

Use this checklist to keep your business planning efforts on track. This template enables you to add tasks according to each phase of your plan, assign an owner to each task, and enter the respective start and end dates. The checklist also enables you to create and color-code a visual timeline when you highlight the start and end dates for each task.

Download Business Planning Checklist with Timeline Template

Business Plan Checklist with SWOT Analysis in Excel

Business Planning Checklist with SWOT Analysis

Use this business plan checklist to develop and organize your strategic plan. Add the name of the business activity, along with its status, due date, and pertinent notes. This template also includes a separate tab with a SWOT analysis matrix, so you can evaluate and prioritize your company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Download Business Plan Checklist with SWOT Analysis - Excel

Business Startup Checklist in Excel

business plan template deutsch

This checklist template is ideal for startup organizations. It allows you to list and categorize key tasks that you need to complete, including items related to research, strategic relationships, finance, development, and more. Check off each task upon completion to ensure you haven’t missed or overlooked any important business activities. Find additional resources by visiting “ Free Startup Plan, Budget & Cost Templates .”

‌Download Business Startup Checklist Template

Business Plan Financial Templates in Excel

Use these customizable templates to develop your organization’s financial plan.

Business Startup Costs Template in Excel

business plan template deutsch

Use this template to estimate and track your startup and operational costs. This template gives you room to list line items for both funding and expenses; you can automatically calculate totals using the built-in formulas. To avoid overspending, compare budgeted amounts against actual amounts to determine where you can cut costs or find additional funding.

Download Business Startup Costs Template

Small-Business Budget Template in Excel

business plan template deutsch

This simple business budget template is designed with small businesses in mind. The template helps you track the income and expenses that you accrue on a monthly and yearly basis. To log your cash balances and transactions for a given time frame, use the tab for cash flow recording.

Download Small-Business Budget Template - Excel

Startup Financial Statement Projections Template

Startup Financial Projections Template

This financial statement projections template includes a detailed profit and loss statement (or income statement), a balance sheet with business ratios, and a cash flow statement to analyze your company’s current and future financial position. This template also comes with built-in formulas, so you can calculate totals as you enter values and customize your statement to fit the needs of your business.

‌ Download Startup Financial Statement Projections Template

For additional templates to help you produce a sound financial plan, visit “ Free Financial Templates for a Business Plan .”

Business Plan Marketing and Sales Templates in Excel

Use these downloadable templates to support and reinforce the marketing and sales objectives in your business plan.

Sales Forecast Template in Excel

business plan template deutsch

This sales forecast template allows you to view the projected sales of your products or services at both individual and combined levels over a 12-month period. You can organize this template by department, product group, customer type, and other helpful categories. The template has built-in formulas to calculate monthly and yearly sales totals. For additional resources to project sales, visit “ Free Sales Forecasting Templates .”

Download Sales Forecast Template

Marketing Budget Plan in Excel

Marketing-Budget-Plan-Template

This marketing budget plan template helps you organize and plan your campaign costs for key marketing activities, such as market research, advertising, content marketing , and public relations. Enter the projected quantity and cost under each campaign category; the built-in formulas enable you to calculate projected subtotals automatically. This template also includes a graph that auto-populates as you enter values, so you can see where your marketing dollars are going.

Download Marketing Budget Plan Template

Other Business Plans in Excel

Use these business plan templates to conduct analyses and develop a plan of action that aligns your strategy with your main business objectives.

Business Action Plan Template in Excel

business plan template deutsch

Use this basic action plan template to develop a roadmap for reaching your goals. Add a description of each action item, assign the responsible party, and list the required resources, potential hazards, key dates, and desired outcome. You can use this template to develop an action plan for marketing, sales, program development, and more. 

Download Business Action Plan Template

Business Plan Rubric in Excel

business plan template deutsch

Once you complete your business plan, use this rubric template to score each section to ensure you include all the essential information. You can customize this rubric to fit the needs of your organization and provide insight into the areas of your plan where you want to delve more deeply or remove unnecessary details. By following these steps, you can make certain that your final business plan is clear, concise, and thorough.

Download Simple Business Plan Rubric

Competitive Analysis Template in Excel

business plan template deutsch

This template enables you to analyze the competitive landscape and industry for your business. By providing details related to your company and competitors, you can assess and compare all key areas, including the target market, marketing strategies, product or service offerings, distribution channels, and more.

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For additional free templates for all aspects of your business, visit “ Free Business Templates for Organizations of All Sizes .”

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Nightmare on Wall Street: A Lyft typo projected profit to be 10x better than it really is.

  • Lyft mistakenly forecast 500 basis points of margin improvement for 2024, causing a stock surge.
  • The error was later corrected to 50 basis points, and the shares came back to earth.
  • Despite the typo, Lyft predicts healthy growth in rides for 2024.

Insider Today

Wall Street has been demanding more profit from tech companies, but this is overdoing it.

On Tuesday, Lyft reported results and included a surprisingly bullish forecast. A closely watched profit margin should expand by about 500 basis points in 2024.

This is based on adjusted EBITDA, which strips out a bunch of costs. But still, investors were paying close attention, and the stock surged more than 60% in after-hours trading.

The problem is that this was a typo. Let's call it an uber-typo.

A short while later, Lyft put out a corrected press release saying that this profit margin will improve by roughly 50 basis points, not 500. This is a huge difference, when you consider that Lyft's gross bookings totaled almost $14 billion in 2023.

Let's say Lyft repeats that top-line performance in 2024. 5% (500 basis points) of $14 billion is $700 million. But 0.5% (50 basis points) of $14 billion is only $70 million.

So Lyft was off by about $630 million.

Wall Street reacts

Wall Street analysts even published research responding to Lyft's erroneous forecast.

One analyst wrote that 500 basis points of EBITDA margin expansion was one of the key new datapoints to emerge from the results and noted that Wall Street had been looking for margins to improve by only about 100 basis points.

After Lyft corrected its typo, the stock dropped back down, although it was still up 16% in after-hours action on Tuesday.

I asked the company's investor relations department and its public relations department how the typo happened. No response so far.

Company earnings releases are intensely choreographed affairs, especially when it comes to forecasts. These are usually put together carefully by quizzing the CEO and all the major leaders of business divisions. Accounting, legal, and other departments get involved and the numbers are checked and re-checked over and over again before earnings day.

But, no matter how hard you try, typos can creep in. For instance, I wrote "billions" instead of "millions" in a story edit recently, until my boss caught it. The published story was accurate.

Why Lyft stock isn't down more

And there were other things to like about Lyft's results. The company forecast healthy growth in rides for 2024. And there will still be some improvement in margins. Just not 500 basis points.

I asked the Wall Street analyst if they were planning to change their first-take on the Lyft numbers.

"Nah… taking it to 5,000 bps," the analyst jokingly replied.

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