one page business plan format

One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide

By Joe Weller | April 6, 2020

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In this article, we’ve gathered a variety of free, one-page business plan templates for you to download in Excel, Word, and PDF formats. 

Included on this page, you’ll find a one-page business plan template for a service business , business plan template for a product business , business plan for a real estate agent , a Lean business plan template , and more. To help get you started, we’ve also included an example of a one-page business plan , and  a quick guide on how to create your one-page business plan .

One-Page Business Plan Template

Download One-Page Business Plan Template

Excel  | Word  |  PDF | Smartsheet

Use this one-page business plan template — designed to be simple, organized, and easy to use — to immediately get started on your plan. Write down your thoughts and key ideas as you decide if your business concept is viable, and adjust it as circumstances change. You can also use this template as a basis to build a more detailed and elaborate plan.

One-Page Business Plan for a Service Business Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for a Service Business Template

Excel | Word | PDF

This business plan template is designed specifically for businesses that provide a service. The one-page plan provides space to list the essential information about your strategy, including the service you offer, the problem you are solving for customers, your mission and vision statements, target audience, staffing requirements, key objectives, and much more. This template also includes a timeline at the bottom for you to add key milestones.

One-Page Business Plan for a Product Business Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for a Product Business Template

Use this one-page template to develop a strategic roadmap for your organization’s product offerings. This template provides space for you to include a business overview, a description of your target market, your competitive advantage, a list of marketing channels and materials you plan to utilize, as well as your pricing strategy, distribution channels, and success metrics. You can also use the visual timeline of milestones at the bottom to enter key dates and events.

One-Page Business Plan for Real Estate Agents Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for Real Estate Agents Template

This one-page business plan template is created for real estate agents to set objectives and put together an action plan. Enter your overarching goal at the top of the template, and establish three high-level activities you need to complete to achieve the goal. The template also includes a strategic action plan that breaks down each high-level activity into tasks and deadlines, with an accompanying visual timeline to ensure you stay on track.

One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Organization Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Organization Template

This one-page business plan is designed for a nonprofit organization, with space to detail your mission, vision, and purpose statements, as well as who you serve, the problem(s) you solve, and programs and resources you offer. Additionally, the template includes space to detail your financial plan, marketing activities, costs, and more.

One-Page Business Plan for Startup Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for Startup Template

This one-page business plan template is intended for an entrepreneur or a small startup business to document a plan as they determine if an idea is feasible. This template provides space to describe the problem and solution, the product or service, the target customer, existing alternatives, the unique value proposition, a marketing and sales plan, success metrics, and other information. You’ll also find room to detail sources of funding and how the funds will be used.

One-Page Business Plan for Small Business Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for Small Business

Use this one-page small business plan template to outline the essential aspects of your business strategy. Provide details on your organization’s vision, mission, product or service offering, and management team. Then identify the target audience, market size, competitor offerings, and your competitive advantage. This plan also includes room to detail your marketing and sales strategy, key objectives, and financial plan.

One-Page Lean Business Plan Template

Download One-Page Lean Business Plan Template

This one-page template uses a Lean approach to develop your business plan. Use this customizable template to detail the crucial elements of your strategy, including a brief business and industry overview, your product or service offering, options from your competitors, and your competitive advantage. Plus, this template includes room to detail your marketing plan, success metrics, financial plan, and a visual timeline of milestones.

One-Page Business Planning Template with Timeline

Download One-Page Business Planning Template with Timeline

Excel | Smartsheet

Use this business planning template to organize and schedule key activities for your business. Fill in the cells according to the due dates, and color-code the cells by phase, owner, or category to provide a visual timeline of progress.

One-Page Business Plan Example

This one-page business plan covers all the essential elements and offers a visually appealing presentation. Information for each aspect of the plan is concise, with details about the business mission, management team, product offerings, key marketing activities, competitors, and financial projections. This plan also provides links to additional resources so that stakeholders can easily find information to support the specifics of the plan.

How to Write a One-Page Business Plan (with Sample Outline)

A one-page business plan takes a standard business plan and extracts the fundamental aspects, then condenses the essential information down to one page. To determine the key elements to emphasize in your one-page plan, consider the type of business you operate, as well as the financial (and other resources) needs of your business.

To streamline your business plan into a one-page document, follow the steps below.

• Create a simple outline for your plan using bullet points. Below, you’ll find an example of an outline for a one-page business plan. You can add or remove sections according to the needs of your business. 
• Business mission
• Problem you are solving
• Funds needed (if applicable)
• Product or service positioning statement
• Unique value proposition
• Target customers
• Market size
• SWOT analysis
• Direct competitors
• Existing alternatives
• Competitive advantage
• Key marketing strategy (e.g., channel or method that will yield the best results)
• Key sales strategy
• Specialized equipment or facilities
• Staffing requirements (e.g., key personnel, skills, and training needs)
• Distribution method
• Sales projection
• Profit and loss projection 
• Gather all your findings on your business and industry.

Compile all the current information you have gleaned from market research, interviews, surveys, and various teams in your business (e.g., the marketing and finance teams). Comb through each document and extract the information that is fundamental to your business’s operation and relevant to the bullet points on your outline.

• Write two to three brief sentences for each main bullet point.

Once you create your outline and gather information, write two to three sentences for each main bullet point that expands on and summarizes the sub-bullet points for that section. For example, the plan summary section could say the following:

Donny’s Food Truck will offer a variety of fresh food at an affordable price in a convenient location. Increased traffic in the Hungry Town area, combined with severely limited dining options, provides an opportunity to offer customers a quick, nutritious meal at a competitive price. A food truck with the necessary equipment has already been acquired, so we are seeking $200,000 to cover wages, emergency repairs, and licenses needed to fund our first year of operations.

• Ensure you are able to support all the information provided in your plan.

Since a one-page plan omits many of the details provided in a traditional business plan, be sure you have market research and other supporting documentation on hand to show stakeholders in case they have questions as they review your plan. In addition, make sure you thoroughly understand the supporting information and know how to restate it in your own words before you disburse the plan. 

• Ensure your plan answers all the vital questions .

At a minimum, an effective one-page business plan should answer the following questions:

• What product or service do we offer?
• Who will use the product or service?
• What problem does our offering solve?
• How will the product or service get to our customers?
• What alternatives do our customers use, and why are we superior?
• What is our unique value proposition?
• What strengths and opportunities can we use to our advantage?
• What resources do we need to get up and running?
• What will our sales look like for the first few years?
• When do we expect to be profitable?

In addition to the steps provided above, you can save time and get started on your plan by downloading one of the templates provided on this page. You can also check out “ Free Executive Summary Templates ,” which can serve the same purpose as a one-page business plan.

Benefits of a One-Page Business Plan

Organizations and stakeholders can unite behind a strategic direction when they have a business plan in place. Developing a traditional business plan can be a daunting task, so many entrepreneurs, small startups, graphic designers, freelancers, and consultants find a one-page business plan a less intimidating place to start. 

Creating a one-page business plan benefits your organization in the following ways:

• Push you to prioritize and focus on key ideas.
• Enable your audience to quickly scan and grasp the core concepts of your plan.
• Allow you to easily share and pitch your business idea to prospective investors and stakeholders (e.g., email attachment, single piece of paper).
• Accelerate business setup, especially businesses that don’t need a loan or investment to get going.
• Provide a solid starting point to expand upon at a later time.
• Enable you to document your thoughts and ideas to see if you have a feasible plan.

Tips for Creating a One-Page Business Plan

Now that you know how to create a one-page plan and the benefits in doing so, here are some tips to get you started:

• Set a time limit (up to one hour) to focus and work on your plan.
• Use a one-page business plan template (you can choose from the options above), or refer to the sample outline provided on this page.
• Ensure your plan details only the core aspects that are fundamental to running and operating your business. 
• Remember that this is a living document — continue to revisit and adjust it as strategies and objectives change.
• Expand on your plan as your business size and needs grow. 

When the time comes that you need more space to lay out your goals and strategies, choose from our variety of free simple business plan templates . You can learn how to write a successful simple business plan here . 

Visit this free non-profit business plan template roundup  or download a  fill-in-the-blank business plan template  to make things easy. If you are looking for a business plan template by file type, visit our pages dedicated specifically to  Microsoft Excel ,  Microsoft Word , and  Adobe PDF  business plan templates. Read our articles offering  startup business plan templates  or  free 30-60-90-day business plan templates  to find more tailored options.

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One Page Business Plan for Word, PDF

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Template Highlights

• Eight (short) sections: Business Opportunity, Industry Analysis, Target Market, Company Description, Timeline, Marketing Plan, Financial Plan, and Funding Requirements.
• Easy instructions for each part.
• Zhuzh it up a bit with your company logo and branding.
• Download it as a PDF or Word file.
• Print it, email it, send it via Morse code.

Why all businesses should create a business plan

For startups and enterprises alike, there are many reasons to create a one-page business plan. For example, it can help you:

• Show your progress and how you intend to grow : Your business plan lists vital information on your company, such as your goals, market research results, and success milestones.
• Determine a realistic budget to ensure success : If you don’t create a proper plan, you might underestimate fixed and variable costs and, therefore, lack the financial capacity to succeed.
• Provide concrete information to potential investors : By having a detailed business plan in place, you’ll be able to effectively convey your business goals to internal stakeholders, and you’ll stand a better chance of winning over investors.
• Fulfill the requirements for securing a business loan : Many financial institutions won’t even consider giving you a loan without seeing your plan.

Should you create a business plan from scratch?

You can do this, but it’s often more hassle than it’s worth. If you’ve never made a business plan before, you’ll need to do a lot of research on what to include and ensure you create a professional and eye-catching document.  If you download our free one-page business plan template, you’ll save time and ensure you cover every relevant detail.

How to use the one-page business plan template

Here are the steps for filling out our template:

• Enter your contact details to download the template in Microsoft Word or as a PDF.
• Gather your relevant business documents, such as market research results and financial statements, in case you need to include details from them.  
• Add information to all the fields, including Company Description, Target Market, Industry Analysis, Implementation Timeline, Funding Required, and Financial Summary.
• Get feedback from business partners, employees, or other parties to ensure that all information is correct and up to date.
• Proofread to ensure there are no errors. These look unprofessional, leaving a bad impression of your business.  
• Save your business plan in various locations and formats. This helps you share your plan with stakeholders via email or present it at company meetings.

Template Preview

One page business plan.

One-Page Business Plan Template

This brief business plan template encourages you to stick to your core message and provide investors with just the information they need to know about your new venture.

The Business Opportunity

What is the problem your business will solve? Focus on the customer’s needs.

Give your elevator pitch. Be succinct, clear, and persuasive.

Be sure to include your value proposition -- What do you offer that no one else does?

Industry Analysis

List key factors for success in your industry.

Who is your main competition?

Company Description

Identify important facts about your business:

• Founding date

• Mission statement

• Type of organization

• Core strengths

• Main leadership

Target Market

Describe your customer segments.

Will you serve a particular geographical area?

Implementation Timeline

Provide a brief summary of how you will roll out the business. Consider depicting the different phases in a diagram. You can use the timeline below as a template.

Marketing Plan

Describe what methods you will use to acquire new customers.

Why would your target market prefer your product or service to another option?

Financial Summary

Cost Structure: What are your fixed and variable costs?

Revenue Streams: How will your business make money?

Funding Required

Present the amount of funding that you are seeking from investors and how it will be used.

HubSpot Tip: Be sure to edit and review your plan for typos before distributing it. Errors in a short document can be distracting to the reader and make you look unprofessional.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should i create a business plan, what types of companies need a business plan, how do i write a one page business plan, what should my business plan focus on, is this template free, can i edit this template, related tags:.

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One-Page Business Plan Template

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Why build a one-page business plan?

You don’t need days or even hours. In less than 30 minutes, you can develop an initial business plan.

Skip the 40-page detailed plan. Anyone can document their business strategy using the one-page business plan.

It’s shareable

Need quick feedback from business partners, potential customers, or friends? Provide them with a one-page plan.

It’s impressive

It’s hard to get potential investors to read a detailed business plan. A one-page plan is something that every investor has time to read.

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One-page business plan FAQ

What is a one-page business plan?

The one-page business plan is a simplified version of traditional operational plans that focuses on the core aspects of your business. While it may be a shorter business plan, it still follows the structure of a standard business plan and serves as a beefed-up pitch document.

There’s really not a lot of difference between a single-page business plan and a good executive summary. In fact, as you create a more detailed plan you may even be able to use it as your executive summary .

Who should use a one page business plan?

A one-page plan is useful for business owners that are mulling over ideas, just starting, actively managing, or looking to grow a business. It can help validate a business idea, work as an internal strategy document, or as a flexible management tool that can be adapted over time.

How do I write a business plan on one page?

You can use the one-page business plan template, or a tool like LivePlan that saves you time by guiding you through each step of writing your one-page plan and pitch.

Why choose this one-page business plan template?

There are a few key features that make this one-page business template more functional and effective than your average template.

Written by planning experts: This one-page business plan template wasn't just thrown together. It was crafted by seasoned planning experts with a combined 40 years of experience writing and reviewing business plans. Throughout this template, you find their expert tips and tricks, along with detailed instructions.

Works with other Bplans resources: Need additional guidance to write your business plan? Our free one-page business planning guide is built to support this template—giving you even more detailed walkthroughs for each section.

What is included in this one-page business plan template?

This template includes definitions, guidance, and examples to complete your one-page business plan. After downloading the template, you'll receive instructions for how to fill out each of the following sections:

Identity What does your company do or offer and to whom?

Problem worth solving What challenges does your company solve?

Our solution How does your company solve those challenges?

Target market Who makes up your target audience? Who are your ideal segments, personas, or customers?

Competitive landscape Who are your competitors? What makes them successful in your industry?

Sales channels How will you get your product/service to customers?

Marketing activities How will you get your product/service in front of potential customers?

Revenue What goods/services will drive revenue?

Expenses What items will cost you money?

Funding required Have what funding total you need front and center to clearly display what you are asking from investors.

Milestones What projects or tasks must be completed in order to reach your goals?

Team and roles Who is a critical part of your internal team (name/role)?

Partners and resources Who else is supporting your venture/business?

Can you print out this template?

This is a printable business plan template that can be downloaded and printed no matter which format you choose.

Why should you start with a one-page business plan?

There are plenty of good reasons why your first step should be writing a one-page plan.

1. It’s faster Instead of slogging away for hours, days, or even weeks tackling a formal business plan—the one-page format helps you get your ideas down much faster. It removes the complex formatting,

2. A great format for feedback Need quick feedback from business partners, colleagues, potential customers, or your spouse? Provide them with a one-page plan instead of a lengthy in-depth version for better results.

The one-page plan is more likely to be read and reviewed. And since all of your business information is available at a glance, you’ll receive far more valuable and timely feedback.

3. Easy to update Entrepreneurs never get things right the first time. You’ll constantly be learning and receiving feedback—requiring you to iterate and revise your business concept. Instead of updating a large document every time, you can do it in minutes with a one-page plan.

4. Direct and to-the-point Learning to communicate your ideas clearly and directly is critical. You need to be sure that anyone can really understand the essence of your business. Delivering your entire business concept on a single page is a great way to practice this, as it forces you to be succinct.

5. Works as an idea validation tool Initially, your business is just a set of assumptions that you need to validate. Do your potential customers have the problem you assume they have? Do they like your solution and are they willing to pay for it? What marketing and sales tactics will work?

As you validate these assumptions, you leave them in your plan. But, assumptions that end up being wrong will quickly fall off the page.

6. Becomes an outline for your detailed plan By “detailed” we don’t mean “long.” If you do need to create a detailed business plan document for investors or business partners, you can use your one-page plan as your core outline. You will just expand and provide more details for each section.

7. No one really reads long business plans A common problem with traditional business plans is that they are simply too long and overly complex. Even when investors ask for a detailed document, chances are that they won’t actually read every word. They may read certain sections, but often just want to see if you’ve thought through the details of your business, how it will operate, and how it will grow.

8. Useful for any business stage A one-page plan is useful for business owners that are mulling over ideas, just starting, actively managing, or looking to grow a business. It can help validate a business idea, work as an internal strategy document, or as a flexible management tool that can be adapted over time.

Is there a better way to write my one-page business plan than with this template?

While this template will help you get started, using the #1-rated business planning software, LivePlan has step-by-step guidance, support from our business planning experts, and powerful planning tools like AI-powered writing assistance, automatic forecasting, industry benchmark data, and more.

Can someone write your business plan for you?

If you're still struggling to write your business plan even when using a template, you can look into hiring a professional business plan writer. We even have a free resource to help you ask just the right questions to make sure you find the right plan writer.

Related Resources

How to Write a Business Plan in Under an Hour

10 Qualities of Great Business Plans

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How to Write an Impressive One-Page Business Plan [Including Templates]

Written by: Olujinmi Oluwatoni

Looking to launch a startup or drive growth for an existing business?

A well-crafted business plan is a valuable roadmap that can increase your chances of success.

According to a survey by Bplans , companies that wrote business plans were twice more likely to expand their businesses, attract investors, or secure loans compared to those who didn't.

Unlike the traditional multi-page business plan, a one page business plan is concise and snackable. It helps you attract investor attention and quickly communicate your vision and strategies without boring them.

So how do you create an impressive one-page business plan?

In this article, we're going to provide you with practical insights on how to create a one-page business plan effectively. We'll also offer you some customizable templates that will jumpstart your planning journey.

Table of Contents

• What is a One-Page Business Plan

Benefits of Using a One-Page Business Plan

• What Should a One-Page Business Plan Include

How to Create a One-Page Business Plan

• 8 One-Page Business Plan Templates
• A one-page business plan is a concise document that provides a quick and clear overview of a business's core aspects.
• One-page business plans are faster to create, serve as an outline for a more comprehensive plan, make it easy to get feedback and are easy to modify and revise.
• Here are the key elements of a one-page business plan: The executive summary, business opportunity, value proposition, team members, industry analysis, target market, marketing plan, revenue model, implementation time, financial summary, funding requirements and contact information.
• To design a startup one pager, you should create an outline, research and gather information, choose a template, write the content, design visual components and share it with investors.
• Visme's offers a user-friendly interface with a wide range of customizable templates and features that’ll help you create your one-page business plan seamlessly.

What Is a One-Page Business Plan?

A One-pager business plan is a concise document that summarizes the key elements of a business idea or venture. They serve as a streamlined version of traditional, comprehensive business plans .

With a one-page business plan, you can distill your value proposition, target market, market analysis, strategies and projections on a single page. It is especially useful when seeking to secure funding as it offers a brief overview that can be quickly delivered to stakeholders and investors.

One pager business plans can also be considered a strategy manual for you, your team or any other outside party that wants to gain insight into what your business does.

Here's why creating a one-page business plan is beneficial:

Time Efficiency

Creating a comprehensive, multi-page business plan can take a lot of time and be daunting, especially for business people who have a lot on their plates.

A one-page business plan provides a more time-effective option that enables business owners to describe their business plans without getting bogged down in pointless details.

Investor Engagement

Attracting the attention of investors is difficult since they are always flooded with company pitches.

However, a visually appealing and outstanding one-page business plan can stick out like a beacon. By leveraging the brevity of a one-pager plan, you can pique an investor’s interest by communicating your business potential in a concise manner.

Outline For More Comprehensive Plan

When developing a traditional, in-depth business plan, one-page business plans serve as excellent starting points. It is useful for sketching out concepts before committing significant time to writing a detailed business plan that you'll likely need to revise.

Once you've finished your company one-pager and are satisfied with it, you'll have the right foundation on which to build a more comprehensive version.

Easy to Share and Distribute

One-page documents can be easily shared via print, internet, email, and social media channels.

It's also a handy tool for entrepreneurs to use while presenting their company at conferences or meeting with potential investors. This adaptability makes it easy to share your business idea with stakeholders and investors in a targeted manner.

What Should a One-Page Business Plan Include?

Whether you're in the early stages of developing your business, looking to maintain the growth of your already established business or seeking expansion, your one-page business plan should comprise the following essential elements:

Executive Summary

An executive summary gives an overview of your business story. It is the part of the report where you hook the reader's attention and give a brief overview of your business essence. Your executive summary should be concise and no longer than two sentences.

The Business Opportunity

This section should clearly articulate the precise problem your venture is setting out to solve. You should clearly state the pain points and challenges that your potential users or customers currently face.

Let’s say you’re writing a plan for a logistics software company. Your business opportunity section could look like this:

Many businesses struggle with the complex task of optimizing delivery routes for their fleet, leading to increased fuel costs, longer delivery times, and decreased customer satisfaction. Existing route planning methods often lack real-time updates and fail to account for variables like traffic, weather, and delivery windows. This results in suboptimal routes and operational inefficiencies that hinder businesses from delivering their products in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Value Proposition

In this section of your one-pager, you should briefly describe the unique value of your product and how your company sets out to solve the identified problem.

Using the example above, here’s a value proposition:

Our cutting-edge software harnesses the power of real-time data, predictive analytics, and advanced algorithms to create optimal delivery routes on the fly. By taking into account variables such as live traffic updates, weather conditions, delivery windows, and vehicle capacities, we ensure that every route is not only the shortest, but also the most time-sensitive and cost-effective option available.

Team Members

This is the driving force behind any successful venture. Introduce the key individuals running the operations of the business, including their qualifications and core competencies.

Industry Analysis

Briefly identify your competitors and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Delve into their market share if the space permits.

But most importantly, take the opportunity to emphasize your own competitive advantage. Highlight what sets your business apart from competitors, whether it's unique features, pricing strategy, technology, or other factors.

Target Market

This section should highlight the specific audience or customer segment that your business is aiming to serve. You can include the following specifics when talking about your target audience:

• Geographic location
• Target market size
• Demographics such as age, income, and lifestyle.
• Spending habits

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan explains how you'll promote your goods and services, generate consumer demand and meet it. You should include information such as your marketing channels and promotional strategy.

Revenue Model

You should explain how your business generates or plans to generate income in this section. Highlight your pricing and revenue strategy, whether it is subscription-based, pay-per-use, advertising, licensing or freemium models.

Implementation Timeline

How will you roll out the business and which phases will be involved? Briefly talk about these roadmaps in this section. You can utilize a visual aid such as a chart, graph or map to provide a clear picture of your implementation timeline.

Financial Summary

Your financial summary section should highlight your vital financial indicators such as profit and loss, cash flow, balance sheet and sales projections.

For enhanced comprehension, consider incorporating visual aids to convey the financial data in this section. Fortunately, Visme offers a diverse range of data visualization tools that you can use to visualize various types of data.

Funding Required

In this section, specify the amount of funding you are seeking from potential investors. You should also specify the aspects of your business that the funding will support. Clearly stating your financial needs demonstrates your thoughtfulness in resource allocation.

Contact Information

Include contact details at the end of your plan. This will allow potential investors, partners, customers, and other stakeholders to easily reach out for inquiries, collaborations, or further discussions.

Depending on your purpose for writing this plan, you could leave out certain of the points listed above from your one-page business plan.

Follow the steps below to create a compelling one-page business plan. If you're in a hurry or need assistance getting your plan off the ground quickly, Visme's AI business plan generator can help you do it in just a few minutes.

Create an Outline

First, list out the essential parts of your business plan. Rank the components and select the ones that are most relevant to your business plan. Then use that to develop an outline.

Research And Gather Information

After determining the sections your one-page business plan should have, the next thing you need to do is gather the information required to fill them.

This may require you to conduct a study on your target demographics, collate past financial statements and identify current market trends. You might also need to conduct customer surveys, analyze competitor performance and collect quotes/estimates for future costs.

The goal of a one-page plan is not to sacrifice accuracy or specificity on the altar of conciseness. So just as with a full-fledged business plan, creating a one-page business plan requires thorough research.

Use a One-Page Business Plan Template

Creating business plans from scratch can prove laborious, especially if you're not a professional designer. However, you can skip all of that grunt work with Visme.

You can choose a template from Visme's collection of one-page business plan templates and adapt it to your specific requirements. Modify the background colors, texts, pictures and font colors, among other things, to reflect your brand identity and taste.

With Visme’s Brand Wizard , you can have all vital brand assets from your website automatically imported into your workspace and applied to every asset you create. Plus, Visme’s sharing and collaboration options make it convenient for teams to work together on creating concise and impactful one-pagers.

Hear what one of our customers has to say about Visme:

“You stumble on some templates and you’re blown away that someone put in such time and effort into creating them. You did not know you needed them in your life until that minute.”

Lorens | Graphic Designer

Write the Content

Condense the gathered information to its core essentials and insert them into the relevant sections that you have previously outlined in step one. Keep each section concise, using no more than two to 3 brief sentences or a bullet list of 2 to 3 key points.

It's important to be mindful of the length here, as trimming down your content when it extends past a single page might be challenging.

Design Visual Components

After filling in all of the text, you might want to add some visual elements to the plan to effectively illustrate information or data.

For instance, you may choose to present market share with the use of a pie chart or depict financial summary using a bar chart, graph or any other data visualization tool. Adding visual components not only makes your design more compelling but can also be an efficient way to manage the space on your page.

Some other visuals you can include are stock photos, 3D graphics, icons, shapes, characters and avatars, ai-generated images, videos and animated graphics.

Share Your One-Pager

It's time to show prospective investors your one-pager now that it's finished. You can download or share the document in a number of ways with Visme.

If your one pager has interactive features, here are some options available to you:

• Download as an HTML5 file
• Share via a private link with password access
• Share via a public link
• Send an invitation with a link
• Embed into a website with a snippet code

However, if it's a static document, you can download it as a PDF or an image or share it right on social media.

8 One Page Business Plan Templates

One page business plan.

Crafted to cater to the needs of both startups and established enterprises, this template will help you pitch investors in a clear and succinct way. From your value proposition to target audience, revenue model and key metrics, every vital detail finds its place.

Just like every other Visme template, this design may be customized in every way imaginable. Insert your company's colors, logo, icons and images into the design to give it a more personalized feel.

If you would like to change the custom images, you can utilize Visme’s AI image generator to create new professional images of your choice or improve on existing ones. Simply type your prompts and watch the magic happen in seconds.

Retail Business One Pager Proposal

Whether you're launching a new retail endeavor or refining an existing one, this template is your key to capturing attention and securing support.

Effortlessly communicate your store's vision, unique selling points, target market and sales strategy in a visually compelling format.

Struggling with content? With Visme's built-in AI writer , creating content is a breeze. This tool's sophisticated text creation, modification and proofreading features will help you save time and energy while producing high-quality work.

Sales Business Plan One Pager

Whether you're seeking investors, aligning your team, or optimizing your sales approach, this one page plan is your go-to solution.

Use this nifty template to put up a professional-looking presentation of your company's data, products and services and more. Also included are sections in which you may provide details about your business, its offerings, special features, statistics and more.

With its eye-catching design, you can present your strategies and numbers in a way that captures the reader's attention instantly.

Use Visme's interactive features , such as clickable buttons and links, to pique the interest of your audience and encourage them to learn more.

Finance Business Plan One Pager

Attract potential investors and partners to your finance business with this stunning one pager template.

Lay out your financial strategies, whether it's investment management, financial consulting, or any other niche. Showcase how you'll stand out in a competitive landscape.

This well-designed one-pager incorporates charts, graphs and visuals to make your financial projections and strategies even more compelling. Investors and stakeholders will be impressed by your data-driven approach.

To quickly find design elements in the Visme editor, use the shortcut key. With a simple click of the forward-slash (/), you can conduct a targeted search or quickly skim through the available options.

Marketing Business Plan One-Pager

Provide your audience with a comprehensive overview of your marketing approach without overwhelming them by using this template. Showcase your target audience, unique value proposition, distribution channels and key performance metrics in a visually compelling format.

Make use of visual aids like charts and graphs to communicate your findings from market research, analysis of the competition and growth estimates. Backed by data, you'll command attention from investors and partners eager to join your journey.

You can also include a link to an explainer video that demonstrates the value you provide. Create videos with ease using Visme and store related files in dedicated brand folders for easy access.

Retail Business Start-Up One Pager

Whether you're seeking investment, sharing your vision with potential partners, or mapping out your start-up strategy, this template offers a way to make a compelling case.

With a focus on clarity, this start-up one pager template enables you to present your business concept, target market, product offerings and initial financial projections on a single, engaging page.

You can keep track of the data for each one pager you send out using Visme analytics . More precise activity tracking is possible when you customize each document and save it separately with the prospect's name.

Tech Business Plan One-Pager

Whether you're seeking funding, aligning your team, or refining your tech strategy, this simple one-pager template is your ultimate tool.

Utilize this template to showcase your product/service, target market, technology stack and key milestones in a visually compelling format.

You can download your design as a JPG, PNG, or PDF to print or share with your team members for collaboration. Sharing Visme projects through live links allows you to track who accessed your work using Visme’s analytics.

Ecommerce Business Plan One-Pager

The vibrant color used in this design is sure to catch the eye of your audience right away. This makes it an excellent option for showcasing the worth of your eCommerce solution to potential investors or business associates.

This one-pager touches on your product range, market analysis, marketing strategy and analysis in a visually captivating format.

Using Visme's collaboration features , you may swiftly solicit input from your partners or mentors while controlling permissions to edit or comment.

To add people to your workspace, follow the short tutorial video below.

Create Winning Business Plans with Visme

One-page business plans are great because they force you to distill your ideas and goals into concise and focused points. This brevity makes it easier to communicate your vision to investors, track progress and adapt to changes quickly.

Creating a professional one-page business plan is seamless with Visme. You can access a wide range of customizable templates, graphics to effectively convey the plan and impress your audience.

Visme's real-time collaboration tools and flexible sharing options allow you to effectively involve all relevant parties in developing and communicating your business plan, even when you're not physically together.

Apart from one-pager business plans, you can make all types of business one pagers , pitch decks, proposals , reports and all kinds of business content in minutes with Visme.

Sign up for Visme today to start creating excellent and compelling business content that’ll help you achieve your business goals.

Create winning one-page business plans with Visme

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About the Author

Olujinmi is a Content writer for Visme who creates human-first SEO content. She loves helping businesses smash their ROI goals with strategic content development and optimization. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her composing songs.

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One-Page Business Plan Template

Focus on the core aspects of your business using a one-page business plan.

Updated September 22, 2023 Written by Josh Sainsbury | Reviewed by Brooke Davis

A One-Page Business Plan is a concise and summarized version of a comprehensive business plan. It captures the essential elements of a business idea or proposal on a single page, serving as a high-level overview of its vision, objectives, strategies, and action points.

The brevity of a one-page plan makes it especially useful for quickly conveying a business idea without overwhelming the reader.

What is a One-Page Business Plan?

When to use a one-page business plan, who should use a one-page business plan, how to write a one-page business plan, one-page business plan sample, advantages and disadvantages of a one-page business plan, frequently asked questions.

A one-page business plan is a simplified version of a complete business plan. Although the plan is shorter, it still outlines the basics of your future company. It follows the same structure as the standard version but with less detail.

The one-page plan allows you to condense and present the information in an easy-to-read format.

Similar plans like a lean business plan or executive summary also allow you to present your business in a condensed format.

However, an accurate one-page business plan must fit on one page. It must also use a legible font size of 11 or 12 points.

A one-page business plan would be best when ready to present your ideas to others, such as potential investors. Instead of filling out an extensive business plan, you can start small to get started.

This lets you present your ideas cogently.

You should use a one-page business plan template to:

• Present a simple version of your business plan to interested investors
• Get started on writing a more comprehensive business plan
• Create a plan for a small business or one with a simple purpose
• Focus on your key ideas to generate interest
• Brainstorm and plan for your future company

One-page business plans aren’t limited to just one type of business; they can be used in a multitude of scenarios, including:

Businesses in the ideation stage

A one-page business plan is ideal for building a quick overview for people and businesses still brainstorming ideas. A simple plan allows it to be amended and updated as the concept is developed and keeps all the ideas on a single page.

When you start, you will want to constantly refer back to your business plan to ensure you stick to your goals and core objectives. A traditional business plan doesn’t quite fit into an agile startup because it can be time-consuming to update and tweak as you grow and learn.

Using a one-page plan means you can edit it easily and either create a traditional plan down the line or, if you’ve already made one, fully update it once you feel more concrete with your goals.

Established companies

A one-page business plan isn’t limited to new and developing businesses. Established companies can take advantage of adding a one-page plan to their business strategy.

You can share your existing strategy internally and externally in a snapshot that will be easily understood by all, helping everyone to get on board with your goals.

Writing a one-page business plan is simple, mainly when you use a template to help you get started. A one-page business plan should cover the following sections:

Step 1 – Business Overview

It would be best if you discussed essential facts about your business and its identifying information, such as:

• Founding date
• Mission statement
• Type of business (LLC, Corporation, Partnership, etc.)
• Owner and leadership contact information
• Service of process information

Makes It Easy to Read: Use a legible and professional font that is easy to read and the right size. Be sure to format your document so it flows well. A template one-page business plan can help with this.

Step 2 – Market Analysis

You need to identify who your customers are and where they are located. This section should also address how many potential customers are available in your business’s geographical area.

This should also include whether you will engage in primarily business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-business (B2B) transactions.

Step 3 – Your Business Model

A description of your business model should consist of information like:

• How you will make money
• Costs of production and sales
• Prices customers will pay for products or services
• Will your company sell products online?
• Will you have a storefront presence?

This section could quickly become lengthy. Focus on the critical components of your business for the single-page business plan.

Focus on Your Strengths: This short plan is likely a pitching tool to investors. Lead with the winning aspects of your business that set you apart from the rest—your value proposition.

Step 4 – Financial Forecast

This section should outline critical financial metrics like cash flow, profit and loss, and a sales forecast. This part is often difficult to condense, but you should focus on standard business ratios that help you get the point across.

You can always provide further details if you receive a request for financial projections.

Step 5 – The Team

This final section should detail each team member’s names, roles, and responsibilities.

Keep It Short: Keep each section short and to the point. Sections should be limited to 1 or 2 sentences or between 3 and 4 bullet points.

You can download a free one-page business plan template below, in Word or PDF format:

All types of business plans have their benefits and their drawbacks, including a one-page business plan:

Advantages of Using a One-Page Business Plan:

• See the big picture – There will be plenty of situations through the growth of the business that will require a snapshot of your business venture. A one-page plan shows multiple elements of your strategy but focuses on the big picture and what’s important.
• Consense your thoughts and ideas – Condensing your thoughts and ideas allows you to be more critical of your business and provide a brief overview of your plan. It will enable you to show investors, your management team, and potential partners a quick run-through of your business.
• Faster to create than a traditional business plan – Designed to be completed quickly and easily, a one-page plan is much quicker to produce than a full-length business plan and will see you running through each section of your plan. You’ll likely have to revisit it to make amendments, but luckily, with everything on one page, it won’t be time-consuming.
• Keep your core objectives at the forefront – As your business grows, processes and operations will become more challenging to manage and maintain. But when it comes down to making the big decisions, you can always refer back to your one-page business plan to keep your core business objectives in mind.

Disadvantages of Using a One-Page Business Plan:

• Not suitable for complex business ideas that require lots of supporting data – If your business idea is difficult or your financial projections are detailed, you might struggle to get all the vital information into a one-page plan.
• Not as detailed as a traditional business plan – Squeezing all your business plans onto one page often means you will miss out on essential details that could be crucial to getting investment or bringing additional partners on board.
• Hard to identify weaknesses and potential opportunities – Only seeing a snapshot of your business can make it challenging to identify any potential faults that could harm your business venture. The lack of in-depth customer and competitor information could also result in missing profitable opportunities.

Tips for Creating a One-Page Business Plan

Now that you’re ready to create your one-page business plan, here are a few tips to get you started:

• Use a one-page business plan template to simplify the process; you can download the template above in PDF and Word.
• Make sure your plan focuses on the core information key to running and operating a successful business.
• Revisit, tweak and change. This isn’t a static document; update it as your business grows and develops.
• Before writing your single-page business plan, understand your target market and where your product or service fits. Don’t forget your value proposition.
• Don’t skip the financial projections, especially if you require funding.
• Keep your core goals and objectives realistic and achievable.

What should a one-page business plan include?

A one-page business plan should include the important details about your business. It should contain brief information about the following:

• Business goals and mission statement
• Product or service offerings
• Target market and advertising strategies
• Identifying information
• Financial status and funding needs

Can I create my one-page business plan?

Yes, you can create your one-page plan. Just download the template and start building your business strategy’s big picture.

Alternatively, you could use our document builder, the fastest and easiest way to create your single-page business plan.

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• Sample Business Plans

How to Create an One-Page Business Plan + Templates

Many entrepreneurs find it challenging to put their business ideas on paper. So don’t worry if you’re feeling the same anxiety.

The solution? Try starting with a one-page business plan!

This simple yet powerful tool helps you and your audience gain a clear understanding of your business.

But how do you write one—this guide will walk you through the process of creating a one-page business plan, including its types, essential components, and business plan templates.

Thus, let’s get started on crafting an effective plan. But before that let’s go through what it is.

Free One Page Business Plan Template

Download our free business plan template now and pave the way to success. Let’s turn your vision into an actionable strategy!

• Fill in the blanks – Outline
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What is a one-page business plan?

A one-page business plan is a simple and shorter version of a traditional business plan. It outlines the necessary elements of your business, such as the problem, solution, target customers, financial analysis, and other important things on a single page.

It’s specifically made to provide a quick idea of the business’s concept for easy communication and updates when needed.

Traditional vs. one-page business plan

A traditional business plan is a detailed document of around 15 to 30 pages. It covers everything from business overviews to financial forecasts in different sections. Whereas the one-page business plan is a single-page plan that’s a condensed version of the whole plan.

Traditional business plans are perfect if you need to secure significant funding or map out long-term strategies for your business.

On the other hand, a one-page business plan is ideal for quickly sharing your business idea and internal use for strategic planning. It’s concise and easy to update, making it perfect for startups and small businesses that need to stay updated and focused.

Now that we know the difference, let’s move forward to the components of the one page business plan.

What to include in your one-page business plan

A one-page business plan is particularly designed to provide a brief overview of your business, including your business idea, goals, strategies, and key metrics.

Here are the sections you need to include:

Note and mention the problems of the target customers that your product or service will solve. This is the part where you should create a convincing statement that’s relatable for your readers.

2. Customers

Identify who your target customers are, including their behaviors and demographics. Explain how your business will meet this specific target market’s needs.

Here, include information on market size, growth potential, and key trends. Highlight the demand for your product or service within this market.

4. Competitors

Highlight your main competitors along with their strengths and weaknesses. Explain how your business will stand out in the competitive landscape. Discuss any gaps in the market that your business will fill.

5. Solution

Explain your solution here about how your product or services will solve the problem. Also, highlight why your solution is the best fit for your audience.

Detail what exactly you offer to your audience and what’s the unique value proposition of the product or service. Also, mention how your product stands out along with your competitive advantage.

Introduce key members of your business, highlighting their roles and responsibilities. Also, add up their relevant experience and expertise in the industry.

8. Promotion

Outline your strategies—including a marketing plan, social media strategies, and advertising plans. Explain how these strategies will attract and retain customers.

9. Distribution

Describe the distribution channels you will use, such as online or retail stores, or direct delivery. Mention any partnerships with distributors that reach your target market.

10. Partners

Identify key business partners or collaborators who will play a crucial role in your business’s success. This could include suppliers or strategic alliances. Explain how these partnerships will support your business operations and growth.

11. Financing

Summarize your financial projections, including expected revenue, expenses, and profitability. Outline your funding requirements, specifying how much money you need to start or grow your business and what it will be used for.

12. Startup costs

Provide the list and estimation of the initial costs required to start your business. It includes costs for equipment, inventory, marketing, and any other significant startup expenses.

13. Running costs

Detail the ongoing operational costs necessary to run your business. This could include salaries, rent, utilities, supplies, and maintenance expenses.

14. Revenue streams

Clearly outline each revenue stream and how it contributes to your overall financial goals. List the different revenue streams, for example: product sales, subscription fees, licensing, or other sources of income.

Now that you know all the sections that need to be included in the one-page plan, let’s see which templates are used commonly.

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Most common one-page business plan templates

There are various types of one-page business plans with different components, let’s see them one by one:

1. One-page business plan canvas

The one-page business plan canvas helps businesses maintain the strategic overview of their company. By including all the necessary elements, it ensures everyone is in sync with the company’s mission and goals.

This is the one-page business plan canvas by Upmetrics:

2. One-page business plan: lean canvas

The lean canvas is ideal for startups and early-stage businesses to test their business concept. It helps the team focus on solutions and validate their business model through continuous feedback and learning.

3. One-page business plan: startup canvas

This canvas is for entrepreneurs to communicate their business ideas. It helps new entrepreneurs rapidly capture their business concepts, ensuring everyone understands the key elements and direction.

4. One-page business model canvas

The business model canvas is to help businesses visualize their entire business model on one page. It showcases how the business creates and delivers value.

How to use the one-page business plan template

You see it’s quite easy to use any of our one-page canvas templates. All you need to do is—download the template (we support PPTX and PDF format) and start filling in the details.

To begin with, gather the relevant business information; details on your target market, market research, and other essential points. Read the tips under each section to understand what to write, and begin filling out all sections.

Since you’re doing it all on your own, it may take a while to get things done. However, if you choose to use Upmetrics’ strategic planning tool , things can be sped up. Simply enter some related business information, and the Upmetrics AI assistant will do the rest.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

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Prepare your one-page business plan using AI

While traditional planning methods still exist and work, I’d be hard-pressed to believe they’re as efficient as AI-powered tools.

Ideating a one-page plan is more about brainstorming, guess working, and critical thinking, than writing.

Considering the importance of a one-page plan for your business, your stretched-out schedules, and other critical tasks on your to-do, using an AI-powered tool like Upmetrics for planning seems your best bet.

A strategic planning tool for one-page plans, a plan builder for detailed plan creation, a pitch deck creator for compelling investor decks, and an AI-powered financial forecasting tool for accurate forecasts, Upmetrics has all you need once you finish your plan.

So, what’s the wait? Try Upmetrics and start preparing your one-page plan.

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Best Sample Business Plan Templates

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Frequently asked questions, how detailed should my one-page business plan be.

As it’s a one-page business plan, the details included in it should be brief and to the point. Things to include are business overview, problems, solutions, market opportunity, business model, marketing strategy, business strategy, and key metrics.

Can a one-page business plan be used to secure funding?

A one-page business plan can give a quick and clear overview of your business idea and needs, but it might not be enough to secure funding on its own. Investors usually want more detailed information to understand your business fully. So, while it’s a good starting point, you’ll likely need a more detailed plan to get funding.

Is a one-page business plan suitable for all types of businesses?

No, a one-page business plan works well for startups or small businesses that want to portray and validate their business concept. For large enterprises and complex businesses, a detailed business plan is preferable.

However, even if your business has a one-page business plan, it’s advisable to have a traditional plan for detailed information on your business.

Can I convert my traditional business plan into a one-page format?

Yes, you can convert the detailed business plan into a one-page plan by summarizing all the sections in two to three sentences. But it’s not advisable.

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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How to write a One Page Business Plan: templates, ideas, and a step-by-step guide

Preston Lee

Preston Lee is the founder of Millo where he and his team have been helping freelancers thrive for over a decade. His advice has been featured by Entrepreneur, Inc, Forbes, Adobe, and many more. Learn more »

Download our FREE one page business plan template + guide

The problem with business plans, using a one page business plan, vs. using no business plan at all, vs. a lengthy, drawn out business plan, the one page business plan bias, so what should you include in a one page business plan, examples of successful one page business plans, chris guillebeau’s one page business plan from the $100 startup, fizzle’s one page business sketch template, bplan’s one page business plan template, how to write a one page business plan from patrick bet-david of valuetainment, millo’s own one page business plan template & step-by-step guide, some final encouragement about your one page business plan, show me your one page business plans.

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Writing a one page business plan (instead of a hundred-page, in-depth business plan no one will ever read) has become a popular and efficient way to get your small business moving in the right direction.

This article is meant to be an all-inclusive resource for anyone wanting to write their own one page business plan and use it to actually start a business .

I’ll include links to quality one page business plan templates, ideas for what to include in a business plan, and more resources to walk you through the process of building a one page business plan yourself.

If you’re ready to skip all of this and just want to download our one page business plan completely free, you can enter your email below and we’ll send it to you asap. Otherwise, keep reading.

Here’s the fundamental problem with business plans—I’m not talking about a one page business plan here, I’m talking about the typical business plan you might see in silicon valley or presented to a bank loan officer.

Therein lies the issue: if you’re looking for a one page business plan template, you’re most likely not headed to the bank to try and get some huge loan to start your business.

Like millions of people around the world, you’re probably a freelancer, a side-hustler, a solopreneur or aspiring to be one of these.

You’re not trying to start the next huge corporation. You just want to make some extra money on the side—and maybe eventually quit your job and work for yourself.

For this much more common purpose, a one page business plan is the exact perfect remedy.

Why? Because by putting all your business plans onto just one single page, you’re forced to do a few things:

• Prioritize: Limiting your business plan to one page means you can only include the most important elements of your new small business.
• Simplify: When you’re dreaming up what your business might look like in the future it can be really easy to get carried away. By limiting your business plan to one page, you force yourself to keep it simple.
• Organize: Instead of letting all your dreams and plans swirl around in your brain, putting them down into a simple one page business plan allows you to quickly organize and move forward.

By forcing yourself to prioritize, simplify, and organize, you’ll find you can get down to what’s more important in your business: actually getting work done and getting paid for the work you do.

Let’s compare what your first 6-12 months of business might look like with a one page business plan vs. no business plan at all vs. a lengthy, drawn out traditional business plan.

Your first 6-12 months might look something like this if you choose to develop a one page business plan:

You come up with an interesting business idea that you want to explore. You jot down a few ideas including how you’ll make money, what you’ll be selling, and how much you’d like to make doing what you’re doing.

After just a couple of hours total working on your one page business plan, you’re ready to get to work on the tasks that actually move your business forward.

Your first 6-12 months might look something like this if you choose to use no business plan at all:

You come up with an interesting business idea that you’d like to explore. Instead of writing anything down, you decide to sketch out what your logo might look like.

The logo sketching leads to a dead end but reminds you of another business idea you once had in college. So you talk to your friends about that business idea for a while.

A year later, you’ve followed a similar pattern with dozens of potential ideas, but without a business plan, none of them ever came to fruition.

Your first 6-12 months might look something like this if you choose to use a long, drawn-out business plan instead of something that fits on one page:

You come up with an interesting business idea that you’d enjoy exploring further. You start to crunch the numbers on what this might look like if it gets really big and successful.

Knowing you’ll need funding from angels or the bank, you decide to draft up a large document explaining what actions your small company will take over the next 5-10 years to ensure your lenders get their money back.

You go through so many revisions of this hundred-page document, you finally burn out and decide it’s easier just to keep your day job.

Ok, obviously, I’m biased toward the one page business plan scenario. It’s clean, it’s easy, it’s simple. But most of all, it gets you to take action…quickly!

When I was contemplating taking my own business full-time, I called up my dad who, my whole life, has been talking about entrepreneurship and inventing. If I had a dollar for every time my dad said something like “that’s a great business idea” or “I can’t believe no one has made a business out of that yet,”….well, I would never need to work again.

But my dad…he’s not in business for himself.

He never has been, really. He’s always been at a desk job. And I admire him for his persistence in taking care of our family.

One day I called him up and asked him: “why did you never try to build a business of your own?”

His response, among other things, was he couldn’t wrap his brain around how to build a business plan, get funding, and find the right manufacturing (all of which, might I add, were infinitely harder 30 years ago than they are today).

Why do I tell you this story? Because I’ve seen it a thousand times in lots of variations: people get overwhelmed with what they think they need in order to start a business.

One of those overwhelming tasks: building a 40-page business plan complete with competitive SWAT analysis, positioning statement, and blah blah blah.

So it kills your idea.

On the other hand, using a one page business plan lights a fire under you and pushes you forward into the work that matters more than the planning: the actual doing.

Okay, enough talking about a one page business plan. You’re convinced. Putting all your plans down on one simple piece of paper is going to be better than any other option.

But where do you start? What exactly do you put down in your one page business plan to really make it effective without being too complicated?

Remember, a one page business plan is much different from a 70-page plan primarily because this plan isn’t meant to be shown off to other people in an effort to gain support or get funding.

This business plan is primarily for one person: you.

That means there are lots of things you might find are recommended to go in a typical business plan. But that doesn’t mean they should be in your one page plan. Examples include “Executive Summaries,” “Management Organization” or “Funding Requests.”

Don’t waste your time on that kind of thinking for now.

Instead, include the most important elements of your new business only. Here are a just a few ideas to get you started:

• Company Description: What will your company do? What exactly will your company sell? Will you provide a service? Sell a product? To whom? Why?
• Products or Services: What products or services will you offer? How much will they cost in the beginning?
• Marketing and Sales: How will you get your first customers? Who will pay you for your service or product?
• Goals and Milestones: How many customers do you need to make this business “successful”? How long will it take to get the ideal number of customer or monthly revenue?

There are countless examples of business plans on the internet, but below, I’d like to highlight a few of my favorite approaches to one page business planning from some of the smartest people I personally know in the world of solopreneurship and small business.

Note: PLEASE don’t pay for an app or software to help you write a one page business plan. Maybe down the road you’ll need something like that, but keep it simple and download one of the free options below or just get out a blank sheet of paper and create your own.

Chris Guillebeau, author of one of my all-time favorite business books, The $100 Startup , offers a free one page PDF that’s pretty great.

It asks simple questions like: What will you sell? Who will buy it? And How will your business idea help people?  

I also love how Chris’s one page business plan focuses on success metrics—or what the business will look like if it’s “successful.” Will have it have a certain number of customers? A certain amount of monthly revenue?

This allows you to put an actual end point or goal on your one page business plan so that you know exactly what you’re working toward.

You can access Chris’s one page business plan here .

Another great resource to get you moving quickly toward your business goals is the Business Sketch Template provided my my friends at Fizzle.co.

Here’s what they have to say about one page planning:

“It might seem surprising or impossible to imagine that all of the most crucial pieces of your business can fit onto one page. At Fizzle, we call this plan a sketch: it’s meant to be completed quickly, if not a bit roughly, but the objective is still to put pencil to paper.”

What I like about Fizzle’s business sketch template is that it starts with the center focus on Key Metrics and prompts you to ask questions like “What will you measure to determine that this audience has this problem and wants this solution?”

As big proponents of building a small, lifestyle business, It’s no surprise this template also includes some unique sections like “personal fit” which force you to ask questions about how the business will interact with your daily life, personal passions, and life goals.

You can access Fizzle’s one page business sketch template here .

Another potential one page business plan is presented by Bplan.

Here’s what they have to say about “a new kind of business planning.”

“A business plan no longer needs to be a long document that takes weeks to write and research. It’s not something that you print, bind professionally, and then stick on a shelf. You probably only need a formal, traditional business plan if you’re seeking a bank loan or outside investment—you’ll be expected to provide one in those instances.”

With that, they offer some great advice on how to write a business plan in under 1 hour .

You can download their “lean business plan” template here .

If you prefer to learn by watching a video, I found this video is a pretty great resource to help you with your one page business plan. I don’t agree 100% with everything he says, but I like his overall approach to tackling business planning.

After studying this topic extensively—reading hundreds of articles and looking at lots of one page business plan templates, we’ve decided to include a free download of one of our own templates as well.

Our one page business plan template is tailored particularly to freelancers and solopreneurs—one-person businesses who want to stay small and build a healthy revenue for themselves and their loved ones.

Our one page business plan template is designed to be completed in less than 45 minutes and give you the ammunition you need to hit the ground running—instead of getting stuck in the details of starting a business.

You can download our free one page business plan template by entering your email below:

Before you go, here are some final words of encouragement and advice when it comes to planning your business.

First of all, you can plan everything you need to on just one page. At least for now.

Sure, one day you might need a more lengthy, in-detail plan to present to someone else, but for now, give yourself a break. You don’t have to write a plan that Mark Cuban would be proud of. You just have to write a plan that helps you get from point A to point B.

Secondly, don’t get stuck at this phase. If you have to, time yourself. Set a time limit of 45 minutes (or whatever amount makes sense for you). And when the timer’s up, it’s time to get back to work actually starting or building your business.

Finally, use this one page business plan as a compass, but be flexible. The point is to give yourself a roadmap, but just like your GPS has to “reroute” when there’s an unexpected obstacle, you might also need to pursue a different path, different method, or different goals as you go along.

In fact, I’d say it’s next to impossible to build a business plan of any kind and then stick to it 100% over any significant amount of time.

There will always be unforeseen obstacles and changes. There will always be hiccups. The idea is to just write your business plan .

Roll with the punches and something as simple as a one page business plan can take you far.

After you draft up your one page business plan, I’d love to see what you landed on. Share a link with me in our mastermind group , by leaving a comment below, or sharing on twitter .

I can’t wait to see what you’ve done. Good luck!

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Written by Preston Lee

Editor at millo.co.

Preston Lee is the founder of Millo where he and his team have been helping freelancers thrive for over a decade. His advice has been featured by Entrepreneur, Inc, Forbes, Adobe, and many more.

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Writing an Effective One-Page Business Plan: What You Need to Know (+ Free Template)

By Homebase Team

If you’ve started—or are starting—a small business, you’ve probably heard the words ‘business plan’ thrown around. That’s because a business plan is an important document with important information! Even a one-page business plan can help you address key questions early in the planning process.

That’s right—we said  one page. In many cases, there’s no need for a supermassive document that takes ages to create. In this article, we walk you through what a good business plan needs—and what a business plan one-pager should contain. 

Whether you’re writing your business plan for the first time or giving your existing plan a refresh, we’ve got your back. We’ve even got a free, downloadable business plan template to help you get started. Let’s get into it!

Why do you need a business plan?

A business plan is a blueprint for your business. It outlines everything your business needs, from goals to market to the steps you need to implement.

Business plans serve two main purposes:

• To help you set your business up for success. As you put together your business plan, you’ll be forced to think strategically about all your business goals and activities . Are they realistic? Is something likely to go wrong? What haven’t you thought of? The goal is for you to walk away feeling confident in the future of your business.
• To communicate the value of your business to others. It’s rare that entrepreneurs like yourself will go it 100% alone. You’ll likely work with partners, investors, or vendors to bring your small business to life. A business plan gives your collaborators confidence in you and your business and helps them support you in the best way possible.

Taking the time to create a business plan can feel like you’re wasting all-too-precious time, but it can help keep you focused and increase efficiency down the road. It’ll also help you make better business decisions off the bat so you can grow your small business quickly and wisely. 

What are the 7 main points in a business plan?

Every business plan is unique, which is part of the reason writing one can feel a tad overwhelming. You can’t just copy and paste the plan from another business—instead, you need to assess your business’s idea within its niche.

Luckily, the skeleton of every plan is usually very similar. Whether you’re creating a plan for a neighborhood daycare or that cool new bar down the street , here are a few main points to put into any comprehensive business plan.

1. Executive summary

Your executive summary is an overview of your business plan. 

Think about this section like a TL;DR or too long, don’t read . If someone wants to understand the gist of your business plan in just a few minutes, what information would they need to know?

2. Company overview and description

In this section, you should introduce your business to the reader. By the time they finish reading this section, they should have a good idea of who you are, what you do, and what you sell—in other words, your business’s niche.

Don’t be afraid to dive into your own background and why you decided to start this business. Building a small business is personal, and your story can go a long way in giving the reader some context.

3. Market and competitive analysis

Every business needs customers. Here’s where you’ll detail who they are and the potential target market of your business, including your ideal customer.

You’ll also want to take note of potential competitors that may impact your business. These might be direct competitors, but could also be similar businesses that may compete for your customers’ time and money. For example, if you’re opening a cycling studio, you might consider any other type of fitness studio to be a competitor.

Competition isn’t a bad thing, but being aware of your competition is one way to ensure your business stands out from the crowd. 

4. Business offerings

Here’s where you’ll outline what products or services your business will offer in more detail. It doesn’t have to be a complete laundry list, but it should give readers a general idea and show a certain degree of forethought and attention to details.

For example, if you’re opening a bakery , this might be a sample of your menu. Or if you’re an HVAC repair company , you might share an overview of the services you’ll offer your customers. This section might even mention the products or services you won’t offer and why, especially if it helps clarify how your business is unique.

5. Management and operational plan

From managing employees and inventory to securing equipment and a lease, there’s a lot that happens behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly. Every business plan should touch on how you’ll manage the day-to-day of your business.

This is also a great place to indicate key milestones and timelines so you know that you’re on track for a successful grand opening. 

6. Sales, marketing, and PR strategy

Now that you’ve got all the research and operational plans in place , it’s time to start attracting customers and securing those sales. Even with the best products or services in town, every business can use a little marketing boost. Feel free to get creative. From social media to paid ads, there are tons of ways you can spread the word about your budding business . 

7. Financial forecast and budget

No one loves to crunch financials, but when it comes to business, money talks. And a strong financial plan is key to the long-term success of your business.

This final section of your business plan should estimate the costs, revenue, and profits of your business in the short and long term. How do you plan to finance your business? What costs will you incur before opening day ? What are the ongoing costs?

Not only will this give your vendors and investors confidence in your business, but it helps you make sure that your business is profitable in the long run.

What is a one-page business plan?

A one-page business plan is essentially a condensed version of a full business plan.  

It covers all the core information about your business without overwhelming the reader with details. The goal is to summarize your business plan for yourself and potential stakeholders so they can understand your business at a glance.

Depending on your business needs, this concise document may even be all you need to get your business off the ground. Or it could serve as a stepping stone to a more robust plan in the future. 

Top benefits of a one-page business plan.

Bigger isn’t always better—and one-page business plans are here to prove it.

Here are some benefits and reasons why you might opt for a one-page business plan:

• To kickstart your business planning: A full business plan can be incredibly daunting. A one-page business plan gives you a place to start without feeling overwhelmed with the nitty gritty. 
• To share and distribute: Sometimes potential vendors, partners, or investors want to get more information about your business before they sign on officially. Instead of leaving them with a massive document, a one-page business plan helps you share the relevant need-to-know information easily.
• To focus on the key details: If you’re early on in the business ideation process and want to make sure you have all the important information, a one-page business plan can help you easily validate your business plan.
• To save time: In the long term, you may still expect to put together a full business plan at some point. However, if you’re in a time crunch, a one-page plan can help you get the important insights without the time commitment.
• To easily edit: In an ever-changing business environment, a one-page business plan is much easier to keep updated. 

Key details to include in a one-page business plan.

Above, we outlined the key components of any business plan. The key with a one-pager is to keep it brief without losing any of those important details. 

Let’s look at the sections of a business plan one-pager and dig into how you can adapt them to cover all the details of your business—all on one page. 

Summary and overview

Start your one-page plan by sharing the name of your business, what you do, and your main value proposition.

The problem—and your solution

In a few sentences, share the problem that your business solves and how you solve it. This clarifies why your business should exist, so it’s an important section!

Depending on your business, you may also want to share a few of your team members to help readers put a face to your business. Great examples include the executive chef for a restaurant, or the lead veterinarian for your vet clinic.

Target market

Briefly describe who you expect to be a customer and their characteristics. This could be in the form of a short “ideal customer” profile.

Competitor overview

Here, you’ll touch on potential competitors and what makes your business stand out.

Business timeline

Share the key milestones for your business. For example, pitch when you’ll start marketing your business, when you’ll hire employees , and when you expect to open.

Sales and marketing plan

Here, you’ll quickly highlight the key marketing activities that you’ll use to drive new customers to your business. Try to stick to the most interesting or high-value stuff, like a website or social media .

Financial projections

Outline your expected revenue , expenses, and profits to give the reader an idea of your financial future.

Our tips for creating a one-page business plan.

If you’ve ever written something with a limited word count, you know that sometimes keeping things concise can be easier said than done.

As you get writing your one-page business plan, here are some of our top tips so you can make the most of that one page.

• Focus on the need-to-know information.
• Avoid fluff and keep your sentences short.
• Link out to additional resources and material if more information is necessary.
• Don’t be afraid to strategically incorporate visuals to emphasize the important points.
• Feel free to up sections or have different versions of your one-page business plan based on who’s reading it. 
• Get creative with formatting to keep information organized.

One-page business plan example.

If you’re skeptical that all that information can fit on one page—we have proof!  Here’s an example that you can use to start thinking about your business plan.

Download our free one-page business plan template.

A one-page business plan is one of the most important pages you’ll write for your business. While there’s a lot to think about, it’s worth the effort to give both you and your partners peace of mind.

The good news is that we’ve done the heavy lifting for you! If the above one-pager looks good to you, we’ve pulled it together as a download for you. All that’s left for you to customize it for your unique business, fill in the sections, and get ready to launch your business.

Download your one-page business plan template PDF

Download your Homebase One-Page Business Plan Template Word document

Get your team in sync with our easy-to-use, all-in-one employee app.

One-page business plan FAQs

Why should you create a business plan.

There are several reasons you should create a business plan, such as:

• Improving your decision-making as you start and grow your business.
• Setting realistic goals and timelines.
• Attracting top-notch suppliers, investors, and even employees.
• Keeping your business profitable and your financials in order.

What types of companies need a business plan?

From brand-new small businesses to established corporations, companies of all shapes and sizes need a business plan. It’s a key part of setting your business up for success and improving your business trajectory.

Even if you already have a business plan in place, revisiting it from time to time can help you stay on track with your goals and adapt as your business changes.

Can a business plan be one page?

Yes, in many cases a business page can be one page. The trick to creating an effective one-page business plan is making sure that you’re covering the most important pieces of information. 

Our top tips? Keep it as concise and organized as possible, so you can effectively communicate the value of your business to your audience.

Writing a one-page business plan is simple. You can create a business plan from scratch or use a free template like the one above to stay on track, but generally, the steps to writing a one-page business plan include:

• Start with a short executive summary and value proposition to introduce your business.
• Share the problem your business solves and your solution.
• Give an outline of top competitors and how your business compares.
• Create a timeline of key milestones.
• Outline your sales and marketing plan for attracting customers.
• Summarize your financial projections and funding plans.

Remember:  This is not legal advice. If you have questions about your particular situation, please consult a lawyer, CPA, or other appropriate professional advisor or agency.

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One-Page Business Plan Templates

One-Page Business Plan Templates for Entrepreneurs

Susan Ward wrote about small businesses for The Balance for 18 years. She has run an IT consulting firm and designed and presented courses on how to promote small businesses.

Having a business plan is a must , whether your goal is to start a one-person freelancing business or a multi-million dollar enterprise. However, if you are looking to start a simple product or service business as a sole proprietor or one-person corporation you don't need a 50-page business plan . A shorter plan will suffice. A quick and easy one-page business plan templates can get you started. 

If your business is a partnership  or requires multiple employees, you may need a more robust business plan. Similarly, a one-page plan will not be sufficient if you are in need of  debt  or  equity financing  and wish to impress financial institutions or potential investors. Lenders and investors will require you to provide more in-depth information in the plan such as:

• Your relevant industry background, business, and management experience 
• A more thorough description of your target market , proof of sufficient demand for your products or services, and how you will meet that demand and turn a profit
• Thorough analysis of the competition and how you will compete in the marketplace
• Detailed, realistic financial projections , including projected income statements, cash flow projections, and  breakeven analysis
• An in-depth operating section with details on facilities, leases, equipment, and staffing.

Step-by-step guidance on how to write a business plan  can lead you through each section of a full-sized plan.

Keep in mind that a business plan is a living document and you can always start with a one-page plan and enlarge it with additional detail as required. You may be able to articulate the business overview, vision , objectives, and concise action items in a single page, but you might want more detail in the financial and marketing sections. For example, you might want to add an extra page to your pricing strategy section for income and  cash flow statements and another for breakeven analysis in advertising and promotion.

Structure of a Business Plan

A one-page business plan needs to provide concise answers to several basic questions that must be addressed such as:

• What is the need for your product or service?
• What is your competition and how will you differentiate yourself in the marketplace ?
• How will you make money, for example, in terms of sales versus expenses?
• How will you market your business?
• How will you get started? What are your  capital  requirements?

How to Use the Templates

The sample templates can be copied into a Word, Excel or similar office document by selecting the text and using copy/paste—using Windows, outline the text to be selected with the mouse, and hit CTRL-C to copy and CTRL-V to paste. 

One-Page Business Plan Template for a Service Business

This template is suitable for freelance businesses that provide services, such as consultants, graphic designers, landscapers, and delivery services. For a one-page plan, the answers to questions should be one or two sentences.

One-Page Business Plan Template for a Product Business

This template is suitable for businesses that sell products, such as food services, beauty products, and bike shops. For a one-page plan, the answers to questions should be one or two sentences.

How to Write a One-Page Business Plan

Written by Dave Lavinsky

The one-page business plan is one of the most popular tools for entrepreneurs, startups, and established companies. It’s also one of the simplest to develop. This article will walk you through a description of a one-page business plan, the purpose of this type of plan, and how to create a one-page business plan for your company.  

What is a One-Page Business Plan?

A one-page business plan is a compressed version of a traditional business plan that fits neatly into a single page. Creating a one-page business plan requires significant research, strategizing and financial modeling on the front end to be effective. In that respect, rather than being easier or simpler to create than a full-length business plan, the single-page business plan actually requires an additional distillation effort for the entrepreneur.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

As always, utilizing a business plan template provides the basis for you to clearly communicate your value proposition, business concept, business strategy, services, product offerings, etc., and improve your business planning process. ​  

Benefits of Using a One-Page Plan

A one-page plan is easier to read, share and understand.

By boiling down your business plan into one page with only the most important elements, you are better able to 1) focus on the key action items your business must accomplish and 2) present your vision and plan to your team in a way that won’t overwhelm them and will allow them to most easily understand it.

The reward is that the brevity of a 1 page business plan is very attractive to prospective investors, who are usually pressed for time. Because it is so brief, it is also an effective tool to share among your management team and employees to get your team motivated and working towards the same goals. A strong one-page business plan proves you grasp the crux of your business and appreciate what is most critical for audiences to quickly understand about it.

Below, we walk through the content of a one-page business planning template.  

The One-Page Business Plan Template

Whether you are starting a service business or a product-focused business, your one-page business plan should include the following 7 items:

• Business Model
• Market Analysis
• Competitor Analysis
• Financial Projections
• Funding Required & Uses of Funds

Each of these items are detailed below.

Finish Your Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

How to Create a One-Page Business Plan

Each of the key elements included in a traditional business plan retains its position in the 1 page business plan. You need only provide a few words, phrases, or sentences in the description for each of the sections and move on to the next. The following are the essential elements:

For example, Netflix in its budding days identified a problem with video stores. It was time consuming and inconvenient to go to the video store every time you felt like watching a new movie.

2. Solution

Again, looking at Netflix, the company initially solved the problem of time consumption and inconvenience by delivering movies directly to customers’ homes.

3. Business Model

Consider the example of YouTube. YouTube’s business model hinges on users who by and large engage on the platform for free. YouTube leverages this ever-increasing user base to attract advertisers, which provides revenues.

4. Market Analysis

For example, Swedish furniture brand Ikea’s US target market could be described as urban young professionals who like the Scandinavian style and are willing to put in a little setup work themselves to save money on quality furnishings. These individuals spend, on average, $8,000 on furnishing when they move into a new home or apartment.

5. Competitive Analysis

Take the example of coffee giant Starbucks. Their competitor analysis would yield large brands like Dunkin’ Donuts, Panera Bread and McDonald’s McCafé, as well as boutique coffee shops on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis. Starbucks differentiates itself through providing specialty coffee products of consistent quality under a national brand.

6. Financial Plan & Projections

See below for example graphs that show a growth in topline revenues year over year as well as the projected revenue distribution by service area for a hair salon:

7. Funding Required & Uses of Funds

See below for an example table of fund uses for a startup hair salon:

Free Downloadable One-Page Business Plan Example PDF

Download our one page business plan template pdf here.

Download Growthink’s One-Page-Business-Plan-Template for Microsoft Word  

Final Thoughts

Remember to focus on your business’ strengths as much as you can. If your market analysis reveals you have a strong position then highlight it more in the single-page plan. Likewise, if your financial projections come out stronger then elongate the financial section.

Editing the enormity of a business plan into a single page is a daunting task but doing so will bring clarity to the core idea and value of your business and help you pitch well in front of potential investors.  

One-Page Business Plan FAQs

What are the benefits of one-page business plans.

Traditional business plans are sometimes 25-50 pages long. It's hard to read that many pages for one company, let alone dozens of them.

One-page business plans are more digestible. 

They provide key points on what you do, why you do it, and how you plan for growth. 

What is the difference between a one-page business plan and a lean business plan?

A one-page business plan is a reduced version of a traditional business plan that can be easily wrapped onto a single sheet of paper.

The key elements included in a one-page business plan are:

On the other hand, a lean business plan is a short-term planning method that allows you to more quickly and accurately develop your business plan based on actual customer feedback and interactions. A lean business plan is focused more on helping you build a better business and testing a variety of strategies to assess if they are effective for your chosen business model. 

Also in a single-page format, the key elements included in this type of plan are:

• Business Overview
• Value Proposition
• Key Partnerships
• Key Activities
• Key Resources
• Customer Relationships
• Customer Segments & Channels
• Cost Structure
• Revenue Streams

A typical rule of thumb for these types of plans is that every sentence should be meaningful and useful for orientation purposes in order to appease investors in an efficient way while retaining their interest long enough to make an informed decision about investing in your business. 

Looking for more information? Lean Business Plan: How-To Guide & Template

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies that have gone on to achieve tremendous success.

Click here to see how Growthink’s professional business plan consulting services can create your business plan for you.

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Easy-to-use one-page business plan template

A one-age business plan is a useful tool for providing an overview of your goals and targets and how you and your team will achieve them. Before you get into the details, a one-page business plan can help you feel out your ideas, set priorities, and provide an outline for a more extensive standard business plan.

You can also keep your single-page plan on hand to keep you laser-focused on the scope and objectives of your business at all times.

In this article, we’ll show you how to use a one-page business plan to create a robust foundation for your business and share some ready-to-use business plan templates .

Get the template

What is a one-page business plan template?

A one-page business plan encompasses your entire business strategy condensed onto one-page. A one-page business plan template is a document that outlines a business’s strategies and goals.

A traditional business plan goes into great detail and could be dozens of pages long. With a one-pager, the idea is to condense all the important information into one high-level document.

However, if it’s a one-page business plan to hand out to prospective investors, you’ll likely focus more on something like financial projections .

In general, your one-page business plan can include:

• Vision statements and strategic objectives of your business
• Customer segments your business will serve
• Overview of the product or service you’ll provide
• Sales goals and marketing strategy
• High-level business overview of financial projections

Why use a one-page business plan template?

Understanding the benefits of writing a single-page business plan helps keep you focused when condensing lots of important information onto a one-page template.

Provide an overview of your business plan

A one-page plan provides you with an overview of everything you need to consider about your business venture. One-page plans provide a snapshot of multiple moving parts of your strategy and operations to keep you focused on what matters.

One-page business plan templates are a very useful starting point for developing a more detailed standard business plan . By creating a high-level document, you can begin to sketch out your ideas and assumptions and test them before spending lots of time developing a long business plan that you end up rewriting. Once you’re satisfied with your one-page plan, you have a step-by-step outline for a more in-depth version.

Manage operations and finances

As you grow your business, the operations and finances side of things often become more complex and difficult to manage. In times like these, when you need to make important decisions, a one-page business plan helps keep the core objectives of your venture in mind at all times. Nailing down your template means you don’t waste time deciding what the most important details are, so you can focus your time and energy into growing your business instead.

Synthesize business information

Another key benefit of having a one-page business plan on hand is the ability to provide anyone with a snapshot of your business whenever needed. This situation could apply to your management team, potential business partners, or potential investors who want a fast, easy-to-digest rundown of your business.

While you might have an elevator pitch ready, a one-page plan helps back up your claims, especially when it comes to items like financial projections or your cash flow statement . A one-page business plan template means it’s easy for you to quickly synthesize relevant information for the required audience. Simply drop the latest information into your template and get ready to present.

What are some examples of one-page business plans?

Before you write a one-page business plan, it’s helpful to get familiar with the various types of templates available and decide which one is best for your needs.

Startup one-page business plan template

Writing a business plan for a startup is a very different process than creating a plan for an established business. Startups are beginning from the very start of their journey with little historical data to go on. By nature, they need to be a lot more flexible with their ideas and decisions as they decide what works.

( Image Source )

So a one-page plan for startups is more about laying the groundwork for more in-depth strategic analysis and taking an agile approach to developing a business model.

Business model canvas

The business model canvas is a well-known template for business plans. A single page is divided into squares, with each square representing an important component of the business strategy.

With a business model canvas, you’ll be able to quickly outline items like your target markets, value proposition, and revenue streams. Writing and comparing these sections on one-page allows you to validate your business model against your market analysis and quickly iterate on different elements of your business strategy .

Business idea action plan template

While many business plan templates focus on strategy and high-level objectives, some businesses require more focus on operations and action right from the start. In those instances, a business idea action plan template can be more beneficial.

This type of one-page business plan focuses on what you are going to do and how you are going to do it, rather than analysis and projections. It enables business owners to develop tactics for how they’ll design, develop, market, and sell their products or services.

Small business plan template

Small businesses are often operating with limited funding and narrow profit margins. These constraints make revenue targets and cost-effective operations critically important to success, especially for a service business.

When this is the case, a shorter business plan template for small businesses which focuses on defining your business niche, setting clear targets, and creating detailed timelines keeps your strategy aligned to the bottom line at all times.

monday.com’s one-page business plan template

Building a one-page business planning template from scratch involves a lot of key elements for consideration, but it doesn’t have to be a tricky process. Having a template to keep you on track enables you to effectively shape your strategy, goals, key activities, and targets in one place.

monday.com has created a one-page business plan template to help you create an effective one-page business plan that will keep your goals and targets at the front of your mind as you grow your business. The monday.com template includes:

• Digital visualization of your entire business strategy in one location, so you can easily share your plan and make updates
• Extensive customization options so you can create a business plan that aligns fully with your company branding
• The ability to add your own visuals such as tables, images, and videos that are relevant to your business plan
• The ability to collaborate in real-time with business partners and senior management on the creation and development of your one-page plan
• Integrations with popular business tools such as Excel and Outlook so you can move your business plan seamlessly from creation to execution

Have your one-page business plan created quickly and seamlessly with monday.com. Sign up for our free trial and select the one-page business plan template to stay aligned with your business objectives and core goals.

One-page business plan tips & tricks

Although a one-page business plan is not as extensive as a full-length business plan, there are some best practices you should follow to get the most out of it. With these tips and tricks, you’ll have a one-page business plan that’s realistic, accurate, and functional.

Understand your target market

Before you start outlining your business activities and tactics, it’s imperative that you fully understand your target market and your product-market fit. This understanding includes considerations such as customer price sensitivity, buying preferences, demographics, and more.

Without understanding your target market, building a business model can lead to sales targets and timelines that don’t materialize, a marketing plan or marketing materials that miss the mark, and unrealistic financial projections.

Fine-tune your products and services

Another key element of your business plan is the outline of the products and services you’ll offer. In this area, business owners need to thoroughly understand the cost of production, how to price products and services so they remain profitable, and how your offering measures up against competitors in the market.

By getting a firm grasp of your value offering, you can more accurately project costs, revenue, and profitability over the long term.

Keep your goals and projections realistic

When creating your one-page business plan, use the hard numbers regarding costs and budget to remain realistic about your business goals.

This approach applies to your timelines, too. Although your goals and targets may be ambitious, there needs to be an achievable timeline and resource allocation attached to them.

FAQs about one-page business plans

How do you write a business plan in one page.

It might be more beneficial for some business owners to start with a long business plan and then work on synthesizing it into a one-page template. That way, you can gain a deep understanding of your strategy before selecting the most important highlights for your one-page business plan.

You can also use visuals in place of written text where appropriate to save on space. For example, you can condense the highlights of your financial projections onto a single graph that’s understandable at a glance.

What is the primary characteristic of a one-page business plan?

The primary characteristics of a one-page business plan are clarity and brevity. Anyone who picks up your one-page plan should quickly get a clear idea of what your business does, its goals, and how you plan to achieve them. So it’s essential to keep all the information extremely clear and concise. Using a template like one on monday.com already gives you a leg up with a helpful outline.

What should a simple business plan include?

While every business is unique in some way, there are fundamental pieces of information you should incorporate into all simple business plans, including:

• Business mission and objectives
• Target audiences
• Competitor analysis
• Products/services outline
• Key operational considerations
• Time-bound financial projections

Depending on the purpose of your plan, you might choose to leave some items off the page. For example, if it’s for internal use by a wider team, you might omit elements like business financing plans, income statements, cost structure, etc.

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How To Successfully Write a One Page Business Plan (With 3 Templates)

• by IdeaBuddy Team
• March 13, 2023
• 49 shares 4 0 45
• 6 minute read

Table of Contents Hide

What is a one page business plan, advantage #1 condense your thoughts.

• Advantage #2 See the big picture
• Advantage #3 Build a business model

One Page Plan Template: Idea Plan

One page plan template: business model canvas, one page plan template: lean canvas, 1. market needs, 2. business solution, 3. competition, 4. target market, 5. sales and marketing, 6. budget and sales goals, 7. milestones/roadmap, 8. team summary, 9. key partners, 10. funding needs, start writing your one page business plan.

Writing an old-school business plan can be painful, so we’ve put together a quick guide where we’ll teach you how to make its simplified version, a one page business plan.

So, in the next five minutes of reading, you will learn the following things:

• Why it can be better than a traditional business plan
• What templates to use
• What information should you include in each of the sections

Now, without further ado, let’s dive right into it!

It’s a great tool for the earliest stages of your business because it helps you structure your thoughts and brainstorm your business ideas with partners, friends, and fellow entrepreneurs.

Also, you can explain on a single page what your product portfolio will be, how you will handle distribution and sales, how to prepare a market analysis,  and how to select the right brand strategy .

In a nutshell, your one page business plan should explain:

• Who your customers are?
• What their problems are?
• How you can solve them?
• Who are your competitors?
• How can you set yourself apart?
• Who is on your team?
• How will you make money?
• What are the costs you anticipate?

Basically, it should cover all the same points as a full-length business plan, but in a condensed format.

The advantages of a one page business plan

It’s possible to boil everything down to a single page if you’re economical with words.

It will help you to map out your idea in under an hour, and explain your business model to the potential investors. If they like what they see, it will make them want to read the full-length version.

As we’ve just covered, a one page business plan makes it more likely that investors or banks will give you the time of day. One page is a quicker read than a pamphlet – although you will need a comprehensive business plan!

In the meantime, there are other advantages to a one page business plan that will come in handy. So read on, if you’re still not convinced that you can work magic with a single page.

It’s easy to get carried away when you are dreaming about your future business. A one page business plan will force you to condense your thoughts and formulate them as clearly as possible.

Advantage #2  See the big picture

You’ll cut out all the fluff when you’re limited to one page. That automatically makes you look at the big picture. And that will also help guide your decisions when you put your plan into action.

Advantage #3  Build a business model

It will help you to identify all the internal and external factors that form the building blocks for the business model that can tell everything about the business, like the product, target customers, competition, or any other element of your business.

Popular one page business plan templates 

You know why it’s a good idea to write a one page business plan, and you could now open a blank Word document to get started. But why do that when there are ready-made templates?

Let’s have a look at some of the popular one page business plan templates below.

Idea Plan is created by the IdeaBuddy team, and it is inspired by more popular business model templates, like Business Model Canvas and Lean Canvas.

What makes it unique, and why it’s more practical than the other one page plans?

It is very well organized, easy to understand, and it can be used by people who are not experts in business planning. Also, it has templates for the most popular business ideas.

The story starts from the inner, core blocks.

There you are defining the problem/solution and product/market fit that together represent your value proposition, or what makes you stand out from the rest.

Then you are moving on to the remaining blocks, in order to build your business model, and also to understand the external business elements, like competitors and market conditions.

Get started IdeaBuddy for free and create your one page plan in no time!

Strategyzer is the team behind Business Model Canvas (BMC), which is a strategic tool for sketching, visualizing, analyzing, and pivoting business models.

This is the most popular one page business plan template and is has nine building blocks. These blocks allow you to map existing business models, design new ones, and manage a portfolio of models.

Lean Canvas was created by Ash Maurya, and it represents an adaptation from the original Business Model Canvas, inspired by the book Lean Startup by Eric Ries. This one page business plan can help you deconstruct your idea into its key assumptions.

What’s so special about this template is that it follows the problem-solution approach, and it’s more suitable for startups and entrepreneurs.

Sections Of Your One Page Business Plan

Hopefully, you’ve picked a template that looks visually appealing and suits your specific needs. Now it’s time to fill it in with all the information we mentioned at the beginning of this blog post.

You should describe the market needs right at the beginning of your business plan. Your entire business idea relies on solving a specific problem, so make sure you describe it clearly.

Once you’ve described the problem, it’s time to explain how your business is going to solve it. Whether you want to design a product or provide a service, this is where you sell it to the world.

Chances are that you’re not the only one who wants to solve that particular problem. Make sure you analyze your direct and indirect competition so you know what you’re up against.

Who has the problem your business wants to solve? Where are they in the world, what do they do, and what are their greatest hopes and worst fears? Describe your ideal customer in detail.

It’s not enough to know who’s interested in what you sell. You also have to sell it to them. Make a plan for how you want to promote your product or service and convert people into customers.

For example, are you going to use email newsletter software to create appealing newsletters and communicate over email? Or do you want to take the social media route and build an audience there? You can also create a combination of channels that works for you.

You need some money to get this baby off the ground. So what’s your startup budget and how do you plan to spend it? More importantly, how much do you plan to sell and over how long?

Your business will (hopefully!) evolve over time as you build a reputation. What does the future look like? Create a roadmap with milestones to mark significant progress along the way.

No matter how awesome you are, you’re only one person. It’s good to have a team to help you out. Who are they and what do they bring to the table in terms of skills and experiences?

Are you selling a product? Then who manufactures it, who distributes it, and who promotes it? You should list your key partners, without which your business can not exist.

Finally, we’re at the bottom line… literally. Make a list of people or resources you need but don’t have the capital to afford without the help of outside investment. Specify how much you need.

Congratulations! Now you know why you should write a one page plan, where to find some great templates, and what you should include in it.

But knowing is only half the battle.

Now it’s time to put your knowledge into action and actually write the damn thing! Fortunately, you don’t need to go back to Google for a solution to that problem – you’ve already found it.

IdeaBuddy is an excellent platform you can use to go from zero to a fully-fledged business. And the best part? You can write your one page plan completely for free!

So what are you waiting for? Start writing your one page business plan today, it’s much easier than you think!

IdeaBuddy Team

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Why Do You Need a Business Plan To Start A Business?

• by IdeaBuddy
• May 10, 2023
• 6 shares 5 0 1

Create a Business Plan One-Pager (+ Proven Templates )

Learn what to include in a business plan one-pager & the best doc format. Learn how to write a one-page business plan, either from scratch or using a template.

Dominika Krukowska

14 minute read

Short answer

What to include in a business plan one-pager.

• Title slide
• Unique value proposition (UVP)
• Company overview
• The problem you are solving
• Market analysis
• The solution you offer
• Marketing and sales plan
• Main objectives and success metrics
• Key team members and their roles and accreditation
• Request for funds and use of funds
• Next steps (small concession)

Even the best business plan can be badly received if not presented well

If you make it too complex, dry, or fail to spark the investors’ interest, you’ll bury your chances of securing the funding necessary to get your business off the ground.

Your success lies in how you’re going to structure and deliver your business plan.

This post will provide you with essential tips and templates for creating a winning business plan one-pager .

You'll learn what to include, how to structure, and how to design a visually striking business plan that grabs attention and gets results.

Read on to build your confidence and empower yourself to present any business idea persuasively and stand out from your competition.

Let’s see how it’s done!

What is a business plan one-pager?

A business plan one-pager is a document that summarizes the key elements of a full business plan onto a single page.

It includes an outline of your company's mission, target market, products or services, revenue streams, competitive advantage, marketing and sales strategy, and financial projections.

Business plan one-pagers are often used as a pitch deck for investors, a proposal for business partnerships, or as an executive summary for internal use.

Why use a one-page rather than multi-page business plan?

Compared with traditional multi-page business plans, a one-pager has 3 significant advantages.

• It's concise and to-the-point. This makes it easier for investors and partners to grasp your vision quickly.
• A one-pager business plan has limited space. This forces you to present only the most important aspects of your business plan which makes your case more clear and compelling.
• It's more share-worthy. Because it's just one page, it's more likely to be read and shared.

Can I use a one-page business plan as a substitute for a more comprehensive business plan?

Probably not. Your business plan one-pager is not meant to replace a full business plan, but rather to supplement it.

While your one-pager provides a high-level overview of your business idea, it may not provide the level of detail some investors or partners require.

TIP: You can use a business plan one-pager as a way to test your business idea and get feedback before investing time and resources in creating a full-scale business plan.

How to write a one-page business plan

Let’s see how you can distill your business idea into a compelling format that makes you stand out and leave a lasting impression.

By the end, you'll be equipped with the skills and knowledge to make others believe in your vision with just one page.

What to include in a business plan one-pager

We've identified 11 key elements that should be included in every highly effective business plan one-pager.

11 critical slides included in a business plan one-pager:

1. Title slide

The title slide of your business plan one-pager is your first chance to make a great impression on potential investors, so make it count!

Adding a video in your cover slide can boost engagement by 32% , get people to read your one-pager 37% longer, and make them 17% more likely to take the desired action at the end.

TIP: You can add the average reading time in the cover slide (right below your company name and logo). This simple little fix can shrink your bounce rate by 24%.

2. Unique value proposition

The Unique Value Proposition (UVP) slide of your business plan one-pager is where you get to showcase what sets your business apart from the competition. You can do it in the form of a tagline that encapsulates your company's essence.

A vision statement that speaks to the heart of your business can capture the interest of investors and entice them to read on.

The mission statement should be snappy, catchy, and memorable.

Example UVPs:

"Transforming the future of sustainable energy"

"Innovating personalized healthcare solutions."

3. Company overview

The company overview slide should tell investors the story behind your business.

A company overview should answer 3 critical questions:

• how it came to be
• what it stands for
• and where it's headed

This slide should give investors a clear understanding of the type of business you're running, the problem you're trying to solve, and how your business aims to succeed in the marketplace.

By providing a succinct and compelling overview of your company, you can demonstrate that you have a solid understanding of your business, its strengths, and its potential for success.

A strong company overview slide can set the tone for the rest of your one-pager and make a great impression on investors.

4. The problem you are solving

This section should outline the pain points of your target market and explain why a solution is needed.

Presenting a compelling case for a real-world problem helps convince investors of the potential market demand for your solution.

TIP: Focus on the customer's perspective. Highlight the challenges they face and the impact those challenges have on their lives or businesses.

5. Market analysis

The market analysis slide is your opportunity to showcase your knowledge of the competitive landscape and your potential market.

It should describe your customer segments, the size of your target market, the current players in the market, and any gaps or opportunities that your business can leverage.

A strong market analysis slide demonstrates to investors that you've done your homework and that you have a deep understanding of the market you're entering.

6. The solution you offer

The solution slide should present the key features and benefits of your solution and demonstrate how it uniquely addresses the pain points of your target market.

A strong solution slide is the heart of your business plan one-pager.

It should showcase the innovation and value of your product or service. It should transport investors into a better world brought on by your business solution.

TIP: Carefully choose your words and visuals to describe your solution as transformational. The most successful business plans build excitement and anticipation and leave investors eager to learn more.

7. Marketing and sales plan

Your marketing and sales plan slide is your opportunity to showcase your strategy for reaching your target audience, generating interest in your product or service, and ultimately driving sales.

From pricing strategy and promotion to distribution channels, the marketing and sales plan slide should provide a comprehensive overview of how you plan to turn your vision into reality.

A well-crafted growth plan demonstrates your creativity and strategic thinking, you can inspire confidence in investors and show that you have what it takes to succeed in the competitive world of business.

8. Main objectives and success metrics

Your business plan one-pager's objectives and success metrics slide is where you define your key performance indicators (KPIs) and objectives. It’s important to add this slide early on, as it serves as a roadmap for your business's growth.

Presenting a well-defined set of objectives and metrics will show investors that you have a solid understanding of what it takes to succeed in your industry, as well as a strategic mindset and commitment to achieving your goals.

9. Key team members and their roles

The team slide is where you showcase the people behind the business, including relevant skills, experience, and accreditation. Investors want to see a team that has what it takes to bring the business to life and drive its success.

This slide should highlight each team member's unique contributions, including their roles and responsibilities, as well as any relevant accomplishments. I recommend that you include a brief bio and corporate headshot to add personal depth.

TIP: Remember, you are selling you and your team just as much as you’re selling your business idea. Business success relies on a great team. What takes business from good to great is first “Who” then “What” .

Show that your team brings a diversity of thought, a wealth of experience, and a passion for the business that can inspire investors and make them fall for your team even more than they fall for your business idea.

10. Request for funds and use of funds

When you're asking for funding, it's essential to be crystal clear about how much you need and why.

Whether you're planning to launch a new product, hire more staff, or boost your marketing efforts, make sure to provide specific details and supporting data to back up your request.

In the use of funds section, break down precisely how you plan to allocate the funds you receive.

This involves outlining how much you'll spend on product development, marketing, hiring, or other expenses.

Remember, investors want to see a clear return on investment (ROI). Whether you bringing in a dedicated development team or buying a comprehensive tool stack, by prioritizing your spending based on your business goals and demonstrating how the funds will help you achieve them, you'll show investors that their money is in good hands.

11. Next steps

Don’t end with a thank-you slide! Instead, end your business plan one-pager by providing a clear and actionable call-to-action.

This slide should leave no doubt in investors' minds about what you want them to do next and how they can get involved in your business.

By providing a compelling call-to-action, you can increase the likelihood of securing funding and gaining valuable support for your business.

Our research shows that decks with a clear, singular next step have a 27% higher conversion rate than those which end with a generic “thank you” slide.

Business plan one-pager possible next steps:

• Scheduling a meeting to discuss the plan in more detail
• Scheduling a live demo of the product
• Downloading additional materials (market research, positioning, marketing plan, user research, product technical documentation, etc.)
• Signing a letter of intent
• Making an investment (mostly good for small donations/investments)

Here’s an example of a business plan built with this structure:

Business plan one-pager

This one-page business plan presentation template covers your company, market, product and services, and growth plan as an interactive visual story that's easy to follow and highly engaging.

How to effectively fit a business plan on just one page

Let’s see the concrete steps you need to take to effectively condense your entire business strategy onto a single page without sacrificing critical information or losing sight of your goals.

1. Limit what you have to say

It's essential to prioritize the most vital information that investors need to know about your business. This means being strategic about what you include and what you leave out.

Rather than trying to cram every detail of your business into a single page, focus on the core information that defines your business.

Your core information is most often your unique selling proposition, target market, and financial projections.

2. Say what you have to say with fewer words (but avoid jargon and acronyms)

Since you're limited to just one page, it's important to be concise and to the point.

Avoid using complicated jargon or industry-specific acronyms that may be difficult for investors to understand. Instead, use clear and simple language that gets your message across quickly and effectively.

TIP: Write your message as if you're talking to a friend with no previous knowledge of what you do.

3. Give summaries and link to read full content

While it's important to be concise, you also want to ensure that you're providing enough information to give investors a good understanding of your business.

One way to do this is to provide brief summaries of key information and then provide a link to more detailed content.

4. Limit your use of visuals

Visuals can be a powerful tool for conveying information quickly and effectively, but they can also take up a lot of space on a one-page business plan.

Use visuals sparingly and only when they add value to your message. Consider using graphs, charts, and infographics to illustrate key points and data.

5. Move from PDF one-pager to web-based one-pager

Unlike PDFs, which require readers to constantly pinch in and out of content to make it legible, web-based one-pagers create an interactive experience with scrollable documents.

You can also use multimedia elements, such as videos and animations, to enhance your message and make the information more engaging.

With a web-based business plan one-pager , you can break up dense text into smaller, more comfortable chunks, creating a better reading experience for your audience.

Web-based one-pagers are designed to be mobile-friendly, so your audience can easily view your content on any device, from anywhere.

How to make your business plan one-pager stand out

First impressions are everything. An impressionable business plan one-pager can be the difference between securing investment and being left in the dust.

Here are some tips on how to make your business plan one-pager stand out:

1. Use motion

Including animation or video into your one-pager can be a powerful way to grab investors' attention and keep them engaged. Use motion to highlight key points or demonstrate how your product or service works.

To learn more about how it’s done, check out our article on how to use video animations to create engaging content .

2. Use original designs

Using original designs is a key element for standing out.

Avoid falling into the trap of using generic designs. Instead, take the time to create something that is truly unique and eye-catching.

This can be as simple as using your branding or as complex as creating your own infographics or custom illustrations such as Procreate color palettes .

3. Personalize

Personalization is the most effective way to make you stand out and leave a lasting impression.

Effective personalization:

• Including a personalized note
• Addressing the investor by name
• Referencing their previous investments (to show that you've done your research)

Tailor-made decks are read in full 68% more often , 41% longer, and are shared internally 2.3x more often.

4. Customize according to the investor’s preferred format

Customizing your one-pager to the specific investor's needs and preferences is the best way to get and hold their attention.

Look for guidelines on their website, ask previous candidates, or ask the investors directly.

Fit your plan to their format and highlight aspects of your business that align with their investment portfolio or industry expertise.

5. Tell a story with data visualization

Data can be overwhelming, but presenting it in a visual format can make it more accessible and compelling.

Use infographics, charts, and other data visualization elements to tell a story about your business's growth and potential.

Here’s our selection of the best data visualization tools to get you started.

How to make a persuasive business plan one-pager

If you want your business plan one-pager to persuade investors to get on board with your vision, you need to make sure it hits all the right notes.

We've got you covered with tips for making a highly-persuasive business plan one-pager.

1. Define a unique audience with an acute problem

You should define your ideal customer profile (ICP) and the problems they face, and how your solution can help them solve these problems.

2. Describe your uncopyable solution to said problem

When describing your solution in your one-page business plan, it's important to emphasize what makes it unique and difficult to replicate by others.

3. Show traction or potential traction

To make your business plan one-pager more persuasive, it's critical to show evidence of traction or the potential for it.

Consider sharing metrics such as customer acquisition rates, revenue growth.

4. Incorporate social proof

You will never get funded without earning investors’ trust. Social proof is the best tool for building trust (other than a face-to-face meeting).

You can include customer testimonials, case studies, or awards to showcase your business's credibility and success.

5. Display your authority and expertise

Include any notable achievements,awards, or acknowledgement your team or product have received.

6. Tie your business goals with universal values

Consider connecting your business goals with universal values that resonate with investors.

This could include making a positive impact on society or the environment, supporting underrepresented groups, or promoting innovation and growth.

Some investors will appreciate the positive impact beyond ROI, others will care only about profitability. Do your research.

How to optimize business plan one-pager UX

When it comes to creating a one-pager business plan, choosing the right document format can make all the difference. Here are some crucial factors to consider:

1. Move from static to interactive

Static formats like PDFs and Word documents can kill engagement and interest with your one-pager.

On the other hand, interactive formats like web pages or Storydocs offer a more immersive, engaging, and memorable experience.

With interactive formats, you can include videos, animations, and other multimedia elements to help showcase your business in a more engaging way.

Interactive

2. Move from pinch and zoom to scroll

Pinch-to-zoom gestures on PDFs are annoying for most people. They make navigating the one-pager frustrating and make reading needlessly hard

A scroll-based interactive one-pager gives investors a familiar and easy way to read through your business plan. Just like they're accustomed to do with any other online content (that’s also mobile-friendly).

3. Become mobile-friendly

Static document formats like PDFs and Word documents are difficult to read and navigate on mobile devices, while web-based formats offer seamless mobile experience.

4. Move from local file to online docs

Local files, such as PDFs or Word documents are being replaced with web pages or cloud-based documents.

Online docs offer your readers easy access from anywhere and from any device, a better reading experience, reduced exposure to virus and malware , and easy sharing.

Best business plan one-pager document types

You have various document formats to choose from when creating your business plan. Each format has its own set of benefits and limitations that can affect how it's received by investors and stakeholders.

Let’s run through the important differences.

Best document type for a business plan one-pager:

Business plan one-pager do’s and don’ts

✅ Keep it conversational and easy to understand.

✅ Use data to support your claims.

✅ Tell a story.

✅ Talk about your solution in the context of your audience's needs.

✅ Use interactive formats with multimedia.

✅ Focus on your unique selling proposition.

✅ Show that you have a plan for execution.

✅ End with your ask and a call-to-action.

✅ Clearly present your market positioning.

✅ Address major obstacles and provide plans to overcome them.

❌ Don't use buzzwords, jargon or go into technical detail.

❌ Don't make unrealistic claims.

❌ Don't spout out facts.

❌ Don't talk about your product (we, we, we).

❌ Don't use static formats.

❌ Don't focus on what makes your competitors bad.

❌ Don't make wild moonshot promises.

❌ Don't end with a “thank you” slide.

❌ Don't ignore your competition.

❌ Don't overlook potential risks and challenges.

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With Storydoc's business plan one-pager templates , you can focus on the content and messaging of your business plan, rather than spending hours formatting and structuring it.

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• Business Plan

A single page business plan is just as it sounds: a summary of business objectives displayed on a single page. Single page business plans are typically used to pitch ideas before writing longer, more detailed business plans for potential investors and partners. Instead of starting from scratch, use our free Single Page Business Plan PDF Template to outline company goals in a professional, accessible PDF document. Once you’ve filled out a simple form with details regarding your company’s overview, objectives, challenges, and strategies, this Single Page Business Plan Template will automatically convert that information into a professional PDF that can be read at a glance. With your single page business plan saved as a PDF, you can easily download it for your records, email the file to coworkers, or print out copies for company meetings.

This Single Page Business Plan Template already has a stunning design, but you can quickly customize it to meet your business needs with our drag-and-drop PDF Editor. Easily add fields for additional information such as milestones, market or competitive analysis, and financial summary. Don’t forget to represent your business by adding your logo and changing the fonts and colors to match your branding. No matter what modifications you make, your custom Single Page Business Plan Template will create an impressive, brief breakdown of business objectives to help steer your company in the right direction.

Single Page Business Plan FAQs

1) what is a single-page business plan.

A single-page business plan is a compressed version of a traditional business plan that is designed to fit on one page. It gives a succinct overview of your business concept to potential investors or partners so that they can quickly understand your key goals, strategies, and mission in a format that’s easily accessible.

2) Why should I use a single-page business plan?

Consider using a single-page business plan to pitch your business to investors, partners, or stakeholders more effectively by communicating your goals succinctly. The single-page business plan requires you to clarify and condense the key elements of your business so you can better articulate your vision, mission, and core values to important players — which helps you streamline your goals. While this short version can’t fully replace a long-form business plan, it’s useful for introductory meetings.

3) What are the key components of a single page business plan?

Every single-page business business plan should include these key components:

Mission and vision statement

Start your plan with a brief statement that describes the purpose and core values of your proposed business. This section typically also includes a comprehensive description that outlines exactly what your business will do and the target market it will reach.

Value proposition

This section outlines the problem that your business is trying to solve, its unique selling points, and its customer benefits. Be specific about the value that your business will provide.

Objectives overview

Lay out the specific short-term and long-term goals of your business. These goals should be reasonable based on the resources currently available to you. This section also includes key metrics, timelines, and cost structures.

Strategies and action plan

This area outlines your market analysis and marketing approach, as well as the key activities that will drive operations. The action plan may also include an overview of how your business will generate revenue.

4) How do I create a single-page business plan using a template?

Creating a single-page business plan with Jotform’s free template is beyond easy! Simply click Use Template , and fill out the form with your own information to populate the document. You can then add or edit sections, change fonts and colors, and add your own logo with our intuitive drag-and-drop form builder. Once you’ve adjusted the template to your liking, you can forward it via email or link, or save it as a PDF.

5) Can a single-page business plan template be used for any type of business?

The beauty of the single-page business plan template is that you can customize it to any type of business or industry. Whether you’re in technology, retail, entertainment, healthcare, or marketing, the single page business plan template will help you succinctly communicate your business to the world.

6) Is a single-page business plan template suitable for startups?

The single-page business plan template is perfect for startups. Companies that are in the early stages of development constantly need to pitch their concept to potential investors and venture capitalists — which is where the single-page business plan template comes in. Investors are busy people, and our template is useful for presenting your startup’s value proposition, market opportunity, and growth potential to these individuals.

Additionally, constantly recreating lengthy business plans for different audiences can be resource-intensive, especially for startups with few employees. But you can easily adapt the single-page business plan template to address feedback, changes in the market, or other circumstances.

7) How often should I update my single-page business plan?

You should update your single-page business plan any time there are changes to your mission, vision, goals, strategies, or market. The single-page business plan should accurately reflect the trajectory of your business, so consider doing periodic reviews, such as whenever you reach milestones.

8) What are the advantages of using a single-page business plan over a traditional business plan?

Ultimately, the single-page business plan is a time-saving tool for businesses that need to pitch their concept thoroughly and quickly. On top of that, the plan helps identify and distill the key elements of the business. The single-page business plan can be easily adapted to reflect changes in the market or feedback from periodic assessments. Lastly, because it’s only one page, the plan is easy to share and digest.

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.You don’t need a degree in design to build a professional strategic plan. Change fonts, update colors, and add your company’s logo in an instant — with Jotform’s drag-and-drop PDF Editor, customization is a breeze! Establish goals, set your priorities, and draw up solid action plans as polished PDFs with our Strategic Plan Template. By clearly defining your goals and the steps you’ll take to achieve them, you can keep your company on track and grow your business faster.

Operational Plan Template

A Business Operational Plan PDF Template encompasses critical details of a company or an organization. To put it simply, it is what the organization or company wants to achieve, such as financials, budget planning, etc. Accountants and managers in an institution or company often take so much time to create an operational plan template that they end up procrastinating other significant organizational events. This operational plan sample is structured with important details for your organization. It comes ready to print, but since most organizational details and structures are different, you can simply edit the fields by putting your own organization information. Also, using the Jotform PDF editor template, you can quickly add and delete fields, choose your own color options, etc. Finally, you can share your draft with your team members via email.

Marketing Brief Template

A marketing brief can make or break your campaign. But writing a brief for every new campaign eats up time you simply can’t afford to lose. With this free Marketing Brief Template, you can quickly and easily draft marketing briefs without ever having to start from scratch. Simply fill out this simple online form with client information and project details such as objectives, budget, and materials, and the template automatically creates overviews as PDFs — easy to download, print, and share with the rest of the marketing team. Since each marketing campaign is unique, why not make your marketing brief unique as well? Luckily for you, customizing your Marketing Brief Template is a breeze with our drag-and-drop PDF Editor. You’ll be able to change the text or any graphic element in just a few clicks. Feel free to get creative — change the fonts and colors, upload your own background image, or add your company logo for a professional touch. Each time you submit details about your new marketing campaign, your custom Marketing Brief Template will display those plans in easily-accessible PDFs. With PDF marketing briefs in hand, your marketing team can get right to work promoting your products and building your brand.

Glamping Business Plan Template

A Glamping Business Plan Template is a document containing case studies, strategies, and future plans of the company. A great business plan should discuss a problem and how to resolve it by creating specific goals, plans, and objectives.This Glamping Business Plan Template contains a cover page, company overview page, team or staff page, frequently asked questions page, financial analysis section, and a conclusion page. This template also shows the mission, vision, goals, and objectives of the company. This template explains the projected costs, revenue, profits, loss, and expenses of the company monthly, quarterly, and yearly. The data is displayed in a table format so that it is easy to read and to analyze. This template is also using Calculation widget and conditional logic in order to get the total revenue and expenses. You can fully customize this PDF by changing the image cover, logo, pictures of the staff, font format, layout and many more by using the PDF Editor.

SOP Template

A standard operating procedures (SOP) template is a document or memo that specifies the procedures for a specific issue, case, or scenario that all employees in an organization should follow. Establishing SOPs helps an organization become more organized and efficient. This sample SOP template outlines a hospital admissions process for managing and triaging COVID-19 patients. By following the process laid out in this document, employees will be more likely to avoid confusion and conflict with others.This SOP template shows the date the document was created; the effective date, title, and background of the process; the specific keywords, guidelines, and process flow; and the individuals assigned as reviewers or approvers. This PDF template displays a sample logo of a healthcare institution — users can easily customize the template to include their own logo. The template also includes an input table to show the process flow in an easy-to-understand format. The process flow includes a description of each step, the responsible personnel, and notes or remarks.

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.

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 One-Page Business Plan In 7 Simple Steps

Sometimes a one-page business plan is all you need to get a great idea going. Download our free one-page business plan template to get you started.

WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY

Expert Contributor

Last updated on Updated August 15, 2024

REVIEWED BY

Lead Staff Writer

• A one-page business plan is a concise document that outlines your business goals, strategies, and financials, making it ideal for focusing your efforts or pitching to investors.
• Perfect for startups or small projects, a one-page plan may also need to be expanded as your business grows or when seeking significant funding.

A one-page business plan can be the tool you need to secure funding opportunities, expand your business scope, or sharpen your focus and jumpstart your business success. Think of a business plan as a blueprint or roadmap for the success of your business. And when you limit your business plan to one single page, you can zero in on what will help you succeed.

Also, a formal business plan is often needed when seeking capital from traditional sources, such as a small business bank loan or a grant.

Don’t worry, because a successful business can rely on a business plan that’s just one single page — if you do it right. We’ll help you by walking you through the elements that make up a top-notch one-page business plan, and we’ll even give you a free downloadable template you can use to get started.

Table of Contents

What Is A One-Page Business Plan?

Do you need a one-page business plan, how to create a one-page business plan in 7 steps, download our one-page business plan template, how to use your one-page business plan.

A one-page business plan is a short document providing an overview of your current status and plans. Think of it as a big-picture overview driving your business decisions. Or, if you’re hoping to pitch your business plan to potential investors, a one-page business plan can give them a clean, quick outline of your goals and your strategies for getting there.

Your goals are big, and your plans for getting there are big, too. So, how the heck can you be expected to squeeze all of your energy and intentions into a single sheet of paper?

The answer is not to cheat by widening the page margins or by using a font so small you need a magnifying glass to read it. Stick to standard margins, use a normal, legible font, and follow our suggestions for creating a one-page business plan.

Every business, no matter how big or small, needs to have a business plan, and a one-page plan is a great place to start. This plan should provide a basic overview of your business in its early stages. You can use it to guide your planning and decision-making or to pitch investors who might be willing to help you grow.

Key point: Many business owners can get started with a one-page business plan, although it may not be what you need as your business grows and becomes more complex. The good news is that even when your business eventually requires a longer, more complicated business plan, your one-page business plan can still prove useful! You’ll be able to return to your one-page plan to guide you as you create your next-level business plan.

Use A One-Page Business Plan If …

• You work on your own, as an independent contractor, freelancer, or simply someone managing a side hustle or hobby. If you’re ready to take it to the next level, a one-page business plan is a perfect document to guide you.
• You have a business idea to pitch to potential investors or partners. A one-page business plan can serve as an excellent and easy-to-digest introduction to your business.
• You plan to craft a lengthier business plan down the road. Because a one-page plan forces you to be concise, it can help you clearly convey your thoughts and cut out unnecessary jargon.
• You want to organize your thoughts or hone your focus to improve your business or tackle some problem areas.

Do Not Use A One-Page Business Plan If …

• You have a very complicated business idea.
• You have multiple partners.
• You’re seeking significant capital from a traditional source such as a bank, the Small Business Association, or a grant.

Executive Summary VS One-Page Business Plan

If you’ve been looking into creating a business plan, you’ve probably run across the term “executive summary.” And you may be wondering if an executive summary is the same thing as a one-page business plan.

It’s close, but not quite.

An executive summary is similar to a one-page business plan, but with key differences. Because a detailed business plan can run to dozens of pages, they often include an executive summary, which is a brief document providing key details from the business plan. An executive summary is usually written out in sentence form, rather than bullet points. And unlike a one-page business plan, an executive summary can be as much as two or three pages long.

Elements Of A One-Page Business Plan

If you’ve decided that a one-page business plan is the right tool for you to use, before you start to write it, let’s take a look at what a great one-page business plan needs to include.

Here are the seven basic elements of a one-page business plan:

• Business Overview
• Target Market
• Your Competition
• Financial Summary
• Marketing Strategy

Now that you know a little more about what a one-page business plan is and when it’s the right tool for your business, you’re ready to start crafting your own! In the next section, we’ll walk you through 7 steps to help you create your one-page business plan.

You’re ready to create a one-page business plan! Before you start tapping away at your laptop, take a minute first to map out everything you need. You’ll find it much easier and faster to create your one-page business plan if you organize yourself first.

Remember the basic elements of a one-page business plan we covered earlier? Let’s break down each piece so you know exactly what to include. Your goal is to keep everything clear and concise, so you can fit all relevant information on a single page. A good rule of thumb is to keep each section to one or two sentences or a few bullet points .

Step 1: Create A Business Overview

In this section, state the business problem or market opportunity that you have identified. Then, give a brief description of how your business will solve that problem or meet that need. Answer this question succinctly: What product or service do you offer that will fill a need in the market?

Remember, you’re limited on space, so go directly to the point, using specifics and without being too generic. You want to make a statement that shows how your business stands out from the rest.

Step 2: Identify Your Objectives

For this section, home in on your goals for your business endeavor. Your objectives should be in the form of a list of the goals you have as you start or expand your business. What’s most important for you? Do you want to be your own boss? Do you want to provide outstanding service in an industry where service is lacking? Have you set a revenue goal?

Jot down your short-term and long-term goals for your business. Combine them, refigure them, and work on your list until you have no more than two or three clear, concise objectives that you can list in bullet form on your one-page business plan.

Step 3: Summarize Your Experience

Use this section to outline the specific qualities and experiences that contribute to making you a successful business owner uniquely poised to address the opportunities you’ve identified. Include your educational background, industry experience, work history, or even your own experiences as a customer that led to your business idea.

Having a resume on hand can make this section easier, so take the time to create or update yours. It’s also a good idea to have a resume ready if and when you formally seek funding in the future, as some lenders include this as part of their documentation requirements.

Step 4: Spotlight Your Target Market

Who will be your customers? What are their needs? Here are some questions to jumpstart your thinking:

• Will you market your products/services to consumers or to businesses?
• What is your key demographic? Consider factors including age, income, and lifestyle.
• Why do these customers need your product/service?
• Why should customers buy from you instead of from someone else?

Answering these questions may take some time, especially if you haven’t already considered these issues. Be prepared to do some research. Think about creating surveys, check out industry studies, and do your due diligence on comparable businesses.

While it’s true that serious market research costs money, for now, it’s okay to keep it simple. As your business grows and you develop a formal business plan, you can think about investing money in research. To create a one-page business plan, focus on free and low-cost methods for learning about your target market.

Step 5: Sketch Out Your Competition

Who will you be going up against in the marketplace? When you think about your competition, consider comparable products, services, and businesses that offer something similar to what you offer. Can you identify any competitive advantages they hold over you? And what advantages do you hold? Think about what you have to offer customers that would make them choose your business, product, or service.

For this section, you can use the market research from the previous section. Once again, it’s okay to keep it relatively simple and inexpensive here. As your business expands and you develop a more comprehensive business plan, you may need to invest money in additional market research.

Step 6: Provide A Financial Summary

It’s time to talk numbers! In your one-page business plan’s financial summary, you’ll need to include several important numbers. The first is your startup costs. If you haven’t launched your business yet, you may not have exact figures, but make sure to do some research so your estimates are as specific and realistic as possible.

Next, you will need to figure out ongoing costs to operate your business. This could include a lease or mortgage, marketing expenses, materials purchasing, hiring and training employees, payroll, insurance, and other expenses.

The last number you need to include is your projected revenue. After all, you want to show that you plan for your business to be profitable. What are you going to charge for your product or service? How many customers would you need to meet your revenue goals? You may already have an idea in mind, so just research comparable products or services to make sure your pricing remains low enough to be competitive but high enough to bring in a profit. If your business is currently in operation, you can review your bank statements and other financial documentation.

Step 7: Preview Your Marketing Strategy

You know how much revenue you need to be profitable. Now it’s time to think about how to gain that revenue as you plan out your marketing strategy. Remember, this is a one-page plan, so don’t list every detail. For now, though, you should keep a few things in mind.

The first is your budget. You can start with free and low-cost marketing methods, like free email marketing software, until you figure out what works. You can always upgrade to a paid plan when you need it.

Next, consider what your competitors or similar businesses within the industry are doing. In your eyes, which methods have been successful and which have flopped? Think outside of the box. While it’s certainly okay to do things your competitors are doing, such as advertising on social media, look for unique ideas that make you stand out.

One-page business plans rely on seven elements outlined above. But what’s the best way to organize your ideas? You want to make a compelling case, but you’ve got just one page to present it.

Never fear! We’ve got you covered with our free downloadable template.

Use our Merchant Maverick one-page business plan template to organize your ideas and capture your goals, plans, strategies, and more. It’s a great way to organize your thoughts and draft the professional-level one-page business plan you need to get started on your path toward business success.

For our PDF format, simply click on the link and print a copy for your records. For our Google Doc/MS Word format, when you click on the link, you will be asked to make a copy. Click “make a copy,” and then you will have your own editable one-page business plan in Google Docs.

Get Our One-Page Business Plan (PDF format)

  Get Our One-Page Business Plan (Google Doc/MS Word)

Congratulations! You’ve created your one-page business plan. Now, it’s time to put it to use.

If you haven’t yet launched your business, your business plan can serve as a road map to get started. You have your goals in place, you’ve started to calculate your expenses, and you know how much money your business needs to become profitable and succeed. With your one-page business plan in hand, you’re ready to take the first step toward your goals and launch your business!

If your business is already established, your one-page business plan can help you when you’re ready to pitch your business idea to investors or partners.

And, by the way, if you’re already thinking about funding sources, you can add some real numbers to your one-page business plan. Start with our list of the best banks for small business loans .

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How to Write a Detailed Business Plan Step-by-Step [Free Template]

Posted july 17, 2024 by noah parsons.

Writing a business plan is one of the most valuable things you can do for your business. 

Study after study proves that business planning significantly improves your chances of success by up to 30 percent 1 . That’s because the planning process helps you think about all aspects of your business and how it will operate and grow.

Ready to write your own detailed business plan? Here’s everything you need ( along with a free template ) to create your plan.

Before you write a detailed business plan, start with a one-page business plan

Despite the benefits of business planning , it’s easy to procrastinate writing a business plan. 

Most people would prefer to work hands-on in their business rather than think about business strategy . That’s why, if you’re writing a business plan for the first time, we recommend you start with a simpler and shorter one-page business plan.

With a one-page plan, there’s no need to go into a lot of details or dive deep into financial projections—you just write down the fundamentals of your business and how it works. 

A one-page plan should cover:

• Value proposition
• Market need
• Your solution

Competition

Target market.

• Sales and marketing
• Budget and sales goals
• Team summary
• Key partners
• Funding needs

A one-page business plan is a great jumping-off point in the planning process. It’ll give you an overview of your business and help you quickly refine your ideas.

Check out our guide to writing a simple one-page business plan for detailed instructions, examples, and a free downloadable template .

When do you need a more detailed business plan?

While I will always recommend starting with the one-page plan format, there are times when a more detailed plan is necessary:

• Flesh out sections of your plan: You need to better understand how your marketing, operations, or other business functions will operate.
• Build a more detailed financial forecast: A one-page plan only includes a summary of your financial projections. A detailed plan includes a full financial forecast, including a profit and loss statement, balance sheet, and cash flow forecast to better measure performance.
• Prepare for lenders and investors: While they may not read the full plan, any investor will ask in-depth questions that you can only answer by spending time writing a detailed business plan.
• Sell your business: Use your business plan as part of your sales pitch, and show potential buyers all the details of how your business works.

How to write a detailed business plan

Let’s walk through writing a detailed business plan step-by-step and explore an example of what a finished business plan (for a local swim club Pools & Laps) built with LivePlan’s business plan builder looks like.

1. Executive summary

Yes, the executive summary comes first in your plan, but you should write it last—once you know all the details of your business plan. 

It is just a summary of your full plan, so be careful not to be too repetitive—keep it between one or two pages and highlight: 

• Your opportunity: This summarizes what your business does, what problem it solves, and who your customers are. This is where you want readers to get excited about your business
• Your team: For investors, your business’s team is often even more important than what the business is. Briefly highlight why your team is uniquely qualified to build the business and make it successful.
• Financials: What are the highlights of your financial forecast ? Summarize your sales goals, when you plan to be profitable, and how much money you need to get your business off the ground.

For existing businesses, write the executive summary for your audience—whether it’s investors, business partners, or employees. Think about what your audience will want to know, and just hit the highlights.

2. Opportunity

The “opportunity” section of your business plan is all about the products and services that you are creating. The goal is to explain why your business is exciting and the problems that it solves for people. You’ll want to cover:

Problem & solution

Every successful business solves a problem for its customers. Their products and services make people’s lives easier or fill an unmet need in the marketplace. 

In this section, you’ll want to explain the problem that you solve, whom you solve it for, and what your solution is. This is where you go in-depth to describe what you do and how you improve the lives of your customers.

In the previous section, you summarized your target customer. Now you’ll want to describe them in much greater detail. You’ll want to cover things like your target market’s demographics (age, gender, location, etc.) and psychographics (hobbies and other behaviors). 

Ideally, you can also estimate the size of your target market so you know how many potential customers you might have.

Every business has competition , so don’t leave this section out. You’ll need to explain what other companies are doing to serve your customers or if your customers have other options for solving the problem you are solving. 

Explain how your approach is different and better than your competitors, whether it’s better features, pricing, or location. Explain why a customer would come to you instead of going to another company. 

3. Execution

This section of your business plan dives into how you will accomplish your goals. While the Opportunity section discussed what you’re doing, you now need to explain the specifics of how you will do it.

Marketing & sales

What marketing tactics will you use to get the word out about your business? You’ll want to explain how you get customers to your door and what the sales process looks like. For businesses with a sales force, explain how the sales team gets leads and what the process is like for closing a sale.

Depending on the type of business that you are starting, the operations section needs to be customized to meet your needs. If you are building a mail-order business, you’ll want to cover how you source your products and how fulfillment will work.

If you’re building a manufacturing business, explain the manufacturing process and the necessary facilities. This is where you’ll talk about how your business “works,” meaning you should explain what day-to-day functions and processes are needed to make your business successful.

Milestones & metrics

So far, your business plan has mostly discussed what you’re doing and how you will do it. 

The milestones and metrics section is all about timing. Your plan should highlight key dates and goals that you intend to hit. You don’t need extensive project planning in this section, just key milestones that you want to hit and when you plan to hit them. 

You should also discuss key metrics : the numbers you will track to determine your success.

The Company section of your business plan should explain your business’s overall structure and the team behind it.

Organizational structure

Describe your location, facilities, and anything else about your physical location relevant to your business. You’ll also want to explain the legal structure of your business—are you an S-corp, C-corp, or an LLC? What does company ownership look like?

Arguably one of the most important parts of your plan when seeking investment is the “Team” section. This should explain who you are and who else is helping you run the business. Focus on experience and qualifications for building the type of business that you want to build. 

It’s OK if you don’t have a complete team yet. Just highlight the key roles that you need to fill and the type of person you hope to hire for each role.

5. Financial plan and forecasts

Your business plan now covers the “what,” the “how,” and the “when” for your business. Now it’s time to talk about money. 

Financial forecasts

What revenue do you plan on bringing in, and when? What kind of expenses will you have? How much cash will you need?

These are the types of questions you’ll answer by creating detailed forecasts. Don’t worry about getting it perfect, these are just educated guesses. Your goal is to get numbers down that seem reasonable so you can review and revise financial expectations as you run your business. 

You’ll want to cover sales , expenses , personnel costs , asset purchases, cash , etc, for at least the first 12 months of your business. If you can, also create educated guesses for the following two years in annual totals. 

If you intend to pursue funding, it’s worth noting that some investors and lenders might want to see a five-year forecast. For most other cases, three years is usually enough.

If you’re raising money for your business, the Financing section is where you describe how much you need. Whether you’re getting loans or investments, you should highlight what and when you need it. 

Ideally, you’ll also want to summarize the specific ways you’ll use the funding once you have it. 

For more specifics, check out our write-up explaining what to include in your business plan for a bank loan .

Historical Financial statements

If your business is up and running, you should also include your profit and loss statement , balance sheet , and cash flow statement . These are the historical record of your business performance and will be required by lenders, investors, and anyone considering buying your business. 

If you don’t want lengthy financial statements overwhelming this section of your business plan, you can just include the most recent statements and include the rest within your appendix.

6. Appendix 

The final section of your business plan is the appendix . Include detailed financial forecasts here and any other key documentation for your business. 

If you have product schematics, patent information, or any other details that aren’t appropriate for the main body of the plan but need to be included for reference.

Tips to write a detailed business plan

Keep it brief.

You may not be limited to one page, but that doesn’t mean you need to write a novel. Keep your business plan focused using clear, plain language and avoiding jargon. Make your plan easier to skim by using short sentences, bulleted lists, and visuals. Remember, you can always come back and add more details.

Related Reading: 7 tips to make a high-quality business plan  

Start with what you know

Don’t worry about following a strict top-to-bottom approach. Instead, build momentum by starting with sections you know well. This will help you get information down and ultimately make you more likely to complete your business plan. 

Set time limits

You don’t have to write your business plan in one sitting. It may be more valuable to set a time limit, see how much you get done, and return to it again in another session. This will keep you focused and productive and help you fit plan writing into your other responsibilities.

Reference business plan examples

Real-world business plan examples from your industry can provide valuable insights into how others have successfully presented their ideas, strategies, and financials. Exploring these examples can inspire your own approach and offer practical guidance on what to include and how to tailor it to your specific needs.

Just be sure not to copy and paste anything.

Prioritize sections that really matter

When writing a detailed business plan, focus on the parts most important to you and your business. 

If you plan on distributing your plan to outsiders, you should complete every section. But, if your plan is just for internal use, focus on the areas that will help you right now.

Download a free business plan template

Are you ready to write your detailed business plan? Get started by downloading our free business plan template . With that, you will be well on your way to a better business strategy, with all of the necessary information expected in a more detailed plan.

If you want to improve your ability to build a healthy, growing business, consider LivePlan.

It’s a product that makes planning easy and features a guided business plan creator , drag-and-drop financial forecasting tools , and an AI-powered LivePlan Assistant to help you write, generate ideas, and analyze your business performance. 

Use your detailed business plan to grow your business

Your business plan isn’t just a document to attract investors or close a bank loan. It’s a tool that helps you better manage and grow your business. And you’ll get the most value from your business plan if you use it as part of a growth planning process . 

With growth planning, you’ll easily create and execute your plan, track performance, identify opportunities and issues, and consistently revise your strategy. It’s a flexible process that encourages you to build a plan that fits your needs.  

So, whether you stick with a one-page plan or expand into a more detailed business plan—you’ll be ready to start growth planning.

Sources in this article

• Parsons, Noah. “Do You Need a Business Plan? This Study Says Yes” Bplans: Free Business Planning Resources and Templates , 10 May 2024, www.bplans.com/business-planning/basics/research .

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One-Page Business Plan Template (with Examples)

The first step of scaling a business is planning, and one of the easiest ways to create a scaling plan is to use the One-Page Strategic Plan (OPSP). Originally introduced by Verne Harnish in his books Mastering the Rockefeller Habits and Scaling Up , the One-Page Strategic Plan makes it simple to keep everyone on the same page to achieve business goals.

We’ll share with you how to create your own One-Page Strategic Plan, how companies have used these plans to scale a business , and templates to guide the strategy of managing people and processes.

These templates can be used throughout the rest of the Hub articles on scaling a business to help you implement your calling with more success. Let’s start by examining what is included in the One-Page Strategic Plan.

One-Page Strategic Plan (OPSP)

The One-Page Strategic Plan is normally two pages, but I guess the decision was made to call it a One-Page Strategic Plan because it sounds better. The first page focuses on people and long-term vision, while the second focuses on processes and quarterly results. We’ll look at each page separately.

Download the OPSP . If you print it, please use landscape mode and fit-to-page for the best results. Then use the template to follow along.

Long Term Plan

The first page of the One-Page Strategic Plan is focused on people and is broken into six sections:

• Strengths and Weaknesses
• People that Drive Your Reputation
• Core Values
• 3 to 5-Year Targets
• 1-Year Goals

We’ll look at each of these to help you understand how they help business leaders scale a business for success.

Strengths and Weaknesses (Bottom)

I’ve included the strengths and weaknesses first because the One-Page Strategic Plan (OPSP) was created with the intent for people to work their way from the bottom to the top. The first step of solving any problem is recognizing there is one.

Given that we’re using it to scale a business, you’ll probably want to focus on areas where you are:

• Struggling to meet core customer demands
• Spending too much time
• Reaching a point that you need to hire more people

If your strength is serving customers but you’re spending 20 hours a week performing accounting tasks, your weakness is likely your accounting process. By reducing the time spent on accounting, you can focus more on serving your core customer base.

Take this portion seriously, as it will drive the rest of the plan. While you’re working on it, check out our interview with Mike about writing business plans.

People Drive Reputation (Top)

People are the key to running a successful business. Whether the people are employees, customers, or owners, they can impact the business’s success. Let’s look at each concept and how they affect planning to scale a company.

The creator of the One-Page Strategic Plan intends for you to use metrics that show the company is succeeding, but you need to understand the stakeholder expectations to create meaningful metrics. So we’ll discuss expectations.

Employees (1st Question)

If the scaling opportunity you are working on only involves certain employees or divisions, you might want to include who they are in this section. You will probably want to consult with employees as you develop the scaling strategy because they will be the key to success during the implementation stages. 

The Harvard Business Review outlines why change management fails —ultimately, all of the reasons focus on the inability of management to get employees to buy into the strategic plan. Include employees early and often to get the most out of your scaling plan.

If it is the whole company, you may want to include information on how you measure success. If you have never created metrics before, the Academy to Innovate HR lists 21 employee performance metrics that help measure employee success. I suggest reading it.

Customers (2nd Question)

Without customers, there is no company. It’s just a glorified hobby. You’ll want to include customers in various ways when scaling a business. Consider drawing upon customer knowledge and opinion in the following ways:

• Customer service surveys
• Beta testing
• Market research
• Requests for new product features. Craft.io has a blog on collecting feedback , and it sounds like many product managers love their feedback portals.

If you’re going to include customer metrics in this section, you may want to have ones like Net Promoter Score, Customer Satisfaction Score, and Churn Rate. Check out Hubspot’s 15 customer success metrics to learn more about customer metrics .

Owners and debt holders (3rd-6th Question)

This section was called shareholders in the original One-Page Strategic Plan, but in today’s business world, there are many more potential stakeholders than just shareholders.

Scaling opportunities might need approval for business decisions from:

• Shareholders
• Debt holders

You may also need to disclose your new strategies and risks in quarterly or annual reports.

Make sure to include anyone who can help or hinder your scaling strategies. The executive team will be the driver that ties the company’s core values with the brand promises and a Big Hairy Audacious Goal® (BHAG). Without them on board, this powerful tool may not achieve the key results.

Boston Research Group surveyed 60 CEOs to understand what the most important metrics are for new members of their executive teams and found that the three most important measures of executive success are:

• Exceeding performance goals
• Establishing a reputation as an expert, both within the company and externally
• Fitting the company’s culture

The same can be used to establish whether owners provide measurable results to help the company achieve scaling goals that improve revenue and profitability. Keep reading for information on how core values guide a growing firm.

Core Values (Column 1)

Core values are the first column in an OPSP tool because the scaling strategy owners implement should stay in line with the core values and vision. Reminding the team of how the company sees the world is key to keeping the implementation in line with the company’s focus.

If you have a mission statement and values, include them in this column. Also, include behaviors and values the team should and should not emulate as they implement the strategy. Here is an example of an email Elon Musk sent emphasizing how important it is for every team member to keep the brand promise:

Be clear, compassionate, and honest when communicating core values with your company and customers. This column and the next are driven entirely by the small business owners, CEOs, or the executive team.

Keep reading to learn about how the purpose column fits into the one-page personal plan and how it guides the company scaling strategy.

Purpose (Column 2)

The purpose column in the one-page plan focuses on why you are doing what you are doing. It is meant to be inspirational. When originally written, the column was meant to be worked on from bottom to top. It takes an approach where you must build the foundation first and then build upon it. 

The foundation is a Big Hairy Audacious Goal ®, a term registered by Jim Collins and introduced in his book Built to Last . The next step is how the company wants to measure profits, followed by actions, and finally, the purpose, which is the summary.

An example of what the purpose might look like would look something like the statement below:

“XYZ LLC aims to triple the number of millionaires in the US by providing content that makes starting and running a business more profitable. To drive revenue, we partner with companies with a Trust Pilot score of 4.5 or higher and provide referrals that help clients and partners create better results.

We are looking to scale the company revenue by using AI to identify, apply, and insert referral links into our blogs in meaningful places.”

The above statement summarizes how a company might try to scale revenue from blogging.

Big Hairy Audacious Goal ®

Big Hairy Audacious Goal ® is simply a statement of how you will change the world. An example is Meta’s (formerly Facebook) intended goal “to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.” It’s big and nearly impossible to achieve fully without merging us all as one.

Most people will create a BHAG using four strategies:

• Numerical: Hit a specific revenue, profit, or customer number.
• Aspirational: Attempt to be like another company, for instance, become the “Nike” of backpacks.
• Market Leader: General Electric once aimed to be one of the top two companies in the industry or exit the business.
• Transformational: Change how the industry operates. For instance, Airbnb and Uber changed their industries by making it so that homeowners and restaurants can earn additional income. Both companies’ main asset is tech playing the middleman between consumers and owners.

When you started your company, you probably had a meaningful reason. What was that reason? Write it down on your OPSP template.

We’ve given you a few ideas of what you should include as the foundation, so let’s go to the next section of the One-Page Strategic Plan, measuring profits.

Measuring Profits

Measuring profits can be done in a variety of ways, but the goal is to give a meaningful way of defining how much profit you want to make from a venture. For scaling a business, the primary goal, as discussed in The Ultimate Guide to Scaling a Business , is to reduce the marginal cost of sales. That means you might want to consider profit metrics like:

• Profit per Customer
• Profit per Transaction
• Profit per Employee
• Profit per Piece of Content

Once you’ve defined how to measure profits as the company grows, it’s time to look at the actions to achieve success.

The actions are the changes you make to reduce the marginal cost of increasing revenue. Include the high-level goals of your scaling projects in this section, such as comparing automated accounting, training people on process changes,  and implementing dashboards to monitor progress.

Paul Akers encourages focusing on making improvements that save 2 seconds per task completed. He finds this a great strategy to improve his company and life using LEAN mindsets. Listen to our interview with Paul to hear how easy it is for small improvements to build up.

Once you have some high-level priorities outlined, it’s time to look at what you want the company to look like in a few years.

3 to 5-Year Targets (Column 3)

In this column, you want to get more specific about where you want to be in the next three to five years.  At the top is a box for the date you want to accomplish everything by, the revenue you want to generate, profit margins, market cap, or cash on hand.

This column will consist of brand promises, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure them, primary capabilities, and the sandbox. Start from the bottom and work your way up. You’ll also want to update this section when the execution of the action items is complete.

Let’s look at each.

Brand Promises (Column 3, Bottom)

Brand promises are what you agree to deliver. The specifics will vary by industry, but there are six main ways of differentiating your company from competitors:

• Product: Explain your product features, performance, efficiency, warranty, etc.
• Service: Explain how your services compare to the industry.
• Channel: Explain how you deliver your product or service to the customer.
• Relationship: Explain how your customer service differs from the competition. Are you faster or friendlier? For instance, the HVAC company One Hour Air promises “ALWAYS ON TIME…OR YOU DON’T PAY A DIME!®”
• Reputation: This can be accomplished through marketing or by combining the differentiation strategies so when people ask about your service, your clients immediately think of you.
• Price: Are you a premium brand, a low-cost provider, or priced based on client needs?

Check out 6 Ways to Differentiate Your Business by MarketResearch.com to learn more about these strategies.

Once you have established your brand promises, it’s time to create KPIs to measure their success.

Measuring Brand Promises with Key Performance Indicators

Promises are only as good as the emphasis put behind them. To fulfill a brand promise, you’ll need to measure the results across the entire organization using key metrics. Jack Welch once said:

There are only three measurements that tell you nearly everything you need to know about your organization’s overall performance: employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and cash flow.

No company, small or large, can win over the long run without energized employees who believe in the mission and understand how to achieve it.

Your business may need more KPIs than employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and cash flow to identify whether you are meeting the brand promise. Datapine has a list of over 300 KPIs to consider based on the job, industry, and technology you are using. Find the ones that drive your business to match the company identity you are trying to create.

Keep reading for information on how to define the primary capabilities of your organization.

Primary Capabilities

Primary capabilities are focused on what you want the organization to be able to achieve. As it relates to scaling, these might be steps like:

• Automate fulfillment
• Start using a phone app for employees to input receipts into the accounting system
• Create a database for customer feature requests

These are also referred to as key thrusts. As long as they align with the core purpose and can be verified with a measurable target, they should help the team complete its business goals.

The owner of Urbanity wrote nearly 100 page business plan and got a business loan without any experience in the boutique business. Find out how below.

Keep reading to learn how the sandbox impacts the ability to scale a business.

Sandbox (aka Target Market)

The sandbox is a term used in Mastering the Rockefeller Habits to describe what we more commonly call the target market. You likely already know the target market because most people looking to scale a business have already reached their ideal customers. The focus here is to remind the team of who the organization serves and who it doesn’t.

Keep reading to define the annual goals of an organization.

1 Year Goals (Column 4)

Fast-growing firms can see over 100% growth per year. An organization growing at this rate will need to define its goals and fast-track them to maintain the customer service and quality control level executives expect. 

The top of the column has space to input the targets for financial targets and should be updated before the beginning of each year. To give even more clarity to employees, I suggest including the percentage change over the last year, which we’ve included in the templates. The picture below shows what direction I would expect each to move.

This column includes sections on initiatives, critical personnel goals, and critical profit and loss numbers that the company needs to meet. We’ll look at each to help you create a strategic plan to scale a business.

Key Initiatives

Key initiatives break down the primary capabilities into smaller, more manageable tasks. For instance, you may want to break down fulfillment automation into:

• Research alternatives
• Plan layout for implementation
• Implement a fulfillment automation plan
• Train employees on the process

Critical Personal Numbers (Columns 4, 5, and 7)

In this section, you’ll want to include critical numbers for hiring to meet your annual revenue targets. Make sure to break it down to the skills, too. For instance, a construction company might want to add:

• 50 general construction workers
• Four project managers
• Two accountants
• Four delivery drivers

Verne Harnish’s OPSP separates critical numbers into four categories:

• Dark green: Meets 100% of the goal
• Light green: Can successfully meet the goal, over 75%
• Yellow: 25% to 75% of the goal
• Red: Under 25% of the way to the goal

You can use the color coding in an online dashboard to help the executive team quickly review the execution of the plan on a routine basis. Don’t check them daily, but weekly or monthly would make sense. You can emphasize action items with your team to meet the critical numbers based on the information in the dashboard.

Critical Profit  and Loss Numbers (Columns 4, 5, and 7)

Like the critical number for hiring, profit and loss numbers help identify what has been completed and what should be emphasized to meet future growth. In this section, you are looking for leading indicators that show whether the work is being performed to meet the objectives.

Some examples of leading indicators are:

• Emails collected
• Requests for bids
• Phone calls received
• The number of people who click on your ads
• Anything that can be used with other data to approximate the number of sales you can expect

Most industries average a 5% to 10% closing rate. Hubspot industry data shows that a 2% growth in traffic creates a 1% increase in transactions, but analytics will show better estimates.

That concludes the first page of the One-Page Strategic Plan. The second page focuses more on the actual actions to meet future growth expectations. Let’s look at the processes plan.

Process Plan

The process plan is where you get into the real details of how to scale your business. It covers industry trends, productivity drivers, quarterly actions, the theme of the quarter or year, and how to measure each person’s success. Create this page before the beginning of each quarter or after you successfully build the processes.

Let’s look at each to see how the One-Page Strategic Plan can help you scale a small business.

Trends (Bottom)

The process plan starts with a solid foundation at the bottom of the page. In every industry, some trends occur. How well you can recognize and respond to trends impacts how profitable the company can be.

List the ones you see going on in this section. If you aren’t already keeping up with the pulse of your industry, I suggest becoming more active on:

• Trade Organizations
• Location of searches
• Historical trends
• Related topics
• Related search terms
• Check out the picture below for what comes up with eCommerce:

Keep reading for more information about using a strategic plan to scale an organization.

Productivity Drivers (Top)

The top of the page is broken into three categories that drive productivity:

Make or Buy

Record and report.

Each of these should be focused on meaningful results that will help drive revenue and profitability during the quarter.

This section is focused on inventory and manufacturing. You may want to measure metrics like inventory per SKU, turnover per SKU, gross margin percentage, and loss. Remember, the goal is to increase revenue and profit by becoming more efficient.

In this section, you’ll focus on growth statistics in sales and marketing. You may want to include the sales leads, consultations, and closing percentages. You might also want to have or review metrics like average transaction value, average discount, and revenue per employee.

This section focuses on accounting and should include items like how long it takes for accounts receivable to be paid, EBITDA , and other metrics that show the company’s financial health.

Quarterly Actions (Column 5)

Column 5 is focused on the quarterly results. It includes a table with the financial goals for the quarter, followed by your “Rocks” and critical numbers. We discussed the critical numbers earlier, but be aware that each column will have different critical numbers.

Keep reading to learn about what Verne Harnish calls rocks.

Rocks are the goals you must accomplish to stay on track. They are things like hiring a new developer, increasing your seller ranking on Amazon, or completing 20 consultations with prospective clients. You will have some goals with which you must succeed. If you fail to meet those goals, you may have to cancel the initiative.

Make sure to specify who is responsible for each Rock.

Quarterly and Annual Theme (Column 6)

The theme needs to focus on helping motivate employees. It consists of a theme name, scoreboard design, celebration, and reward for meeting the goals. Depending on your company size, you might need to have a single theme or a theme for each division.

Your theme name should be catchy to get people’s attention. For instance, if you run a business in which most of the revenue is generated during the summer, you might want to run a quarterly theme in the spring called “Heating Up,” then “It’s a Scorcher” for the summer months. If the reward is specific, you can base the name on that, too.

Scoreboard Design

A scoreboard is a fun way to measure progress and what it should look like as you go. Common methods of showing the progress are with a thermometer scoreboard like the one pictured below. Alternatively, you can use a baseball diamond or a football field if you plan to take the team to a game.

You can also have a graphic designer and developer create something to view it in the company’s tech stack. Get creative and fun with it for the best results, but don’t spend a lot of time overcomplicating it.

Celebration and Reward

A celebration and a reward are similar but different. A celebration might be a pizza party, while a reward would be a bonus or taking the team to a sporting event. Doing both is a way of thanking the team and each individual. If you do a reward for individuals, try to make it something meaningful to them.

Keep reading for info on the accountability column.

Accountability (Column 7)

Accountability is about the individual and their performance. It should include the KPIs for the team and break them up based on each person. In addition, this section should spell out what each worker’s priorities are. At the bottom, it will include the critical numbers to meet.

Let’s look at individual KPIs and priorities to see how they impact when you scale a business.

Personal KPIs

You’ll want Personal KPIs that are meaningful to each position. As a writer, I might be judged on words per article, affiliate links clicked per blog, or an average Google ranking.

KPIs and priorities should be the basis for your promotions, reviews, and bonuses. Otherwise, they aren’t significant or specific and might easily be overlooked.

Personal Priorities

Personal priorities are the specific tasks to be accomplished for an employee to be successful. When focusing on how to scale a business, an accountant might need to have a personal priority of categorizing all vendor spending within the first eight weeks of the quarter. A salesperson might need to increase sales by 10%.

Scaling a business means you’ll consistently improve the processes, but that doesn’t mean you need an overly complex business plan to get great results. Once you’ve created the first page, you can use it until you surpass your three-to-five-year goals. Then, you just need to use the second page to plan new and improved processes. If you’re applying for financing you might want to go with a more traditional business plan .

What KPIs do you find most useful for scaling and managing your business?

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Business Plan One Page Template

Customize, design, and edit the Business Plan Template to effectively present your business idea. With a clean design featuring green, orange, and red, this template highlights essential sections like the Business Opportunity, Target Market, and Financial Plan. Perfect for startups, it simplifies outlining your strategy. Discover more customizable plan templates on Venngage to suit your business needs.

• Design style modern
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• Size Letter (8.5 x 11 in)
• File type PNG, PDF, PowerPoint
• Plan premium

A business plan is a documented paper that outlines your business goals and strategies and how you intend to achieve them. It includes your company's history, products and services, marketing and sales plans, financial projections, and management team. Such business plans are essential to secure funding from investors or lenders. They are also used to monitor progress and ensure that the company is on track to meet its goals. A business plan's contents will vary depending on the type of business and its goals. However, some common elements should be in most business plans. The first section should provide an overview of your business, including its history, products and services, target market, and competitive advantages. Detail your marketing and sales strategies, including your target customers, marketing mix, and sales channels. Outline your financial projections, including your income, balance, and cash flow statements. Describe your management team, and include information on each member's experience and qualifications. Creating such business plans can be a lot easier if you use a business plan one page template from Venngage. This guide will help you organize your thoughts and create

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