# Business Plan Template

**Businessman Talk · Strategy section · Version 1.0 · 2026-08-30**
Companion to `/strategy/business-plan/` (node C-092). Seven sections in the order lenders expect, based on the U.S. Small Business Administration's traditional-plan structure, with the funding request folded into the financial plan and the appendix treated as attachments. A one-page lean version follows at the end.

**How to use it.** Replace every line in square brackets. Delete any prompt you have answered. Keep each section to the length shown; a lender reads the summary, the financials, and then whatever the numbers make them doubt. Write the executive summary last.

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## 1. Executive summary

*One page. Written last. The only section some readers finish.*

- **What the business does, in one sentence:** [Business name] is a [category] that [what it does] for [customer].
- **Why customers choose it (the value proposition):** For [customer] who [need], we are the [category] that [benefit], unlike [alternative], because [proof].
- **Where it is now:** [Trading since / pre-launch; location; staff; last 12 months' revenue if any]
- **What this plan is for:** [Raise £/$ X from Y for Z · Get a lease · Align the team · Decide whether to open a second site]
- **The three numbers that matter:** [Revenue year 1 / year 3] · [Gross margin] · [Cash needed and when it is repaid]
- **Who is behind it:** [Owner(s), one line each on relevant experience]

## 2. Company description

*Half a page. What the business is, legally and practically.*

- **Legal form and ownership:** [Sole trader / partnership / limited company; who owns what percentage]
- **Location and premises:** [Address; owned or leased; lease term]
- **Mission (one sentence, 15 to 30 words):** [Why the business exists]
- **The problem you solve and for whom:** [Two or three sentences in the customer's words]
- **What makes you different (name the alternative):** [Rival, doing it themselves, doing nothing]
- **History to date:** [Founding date, milestones, anything already proven]

## 3. Market analysis

*One to two pages. Evidence, not enthusiasm. Every number has a source beside it.*

- **Target customer:** [Who; how many within reach; how you counted them; source]
- **Customer need and buying behaviour:** [What triggers the purchase; how often; who decides; what they pay now]
- **Market size within your reach:** [Number of customers × spend per year = £/$ X; source]
- **Trend that helps or hurts:** [One external force, with a source: regulation, technology, demographics, price]
- **Competitors (three at least):**

| Competitor | What they offer | Price | Strength | Weakness you can use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Name] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| [Name] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| [Name] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |

- **Your position against them:** [Cost, differentiation, or focus; one paragraph]

## 4. Organisation and management

*Half to one page. Who runs it and who does the work.*

- **Structure:** [Who reports to whom; a five-box chart if more than five people]
- **Owner(s) and key people:** [Name · role · relevant experience · time committed]
- **Gaps and how you fill them:** [Roles not yet hired; advisers; accountant; solicitor]
- **Ownership and decision rights:** [Who can sign what; any shareholder agreement]

## 5. Products and services

*Half to one page. What you sell and why it is worth the price.*

- **The offer, line by line:** [Product or service · price · cost to deliver · gross margin]
- **Customer benefit per line:** [What the customer gets, as a result]
- **Life cycle and roadmap:** [What is live; what launches in year 1 and year 2]
- **Intellectual property, licences, certifications:** [What you hold; what you need]
- **Suppliers and dependencies:** [Key suppliers; the one you could not replace in a month]

## 6. Marketing and sales

*One page. How customers find you and how you close.*

- **Positioning statement:** [One sentence from section 2, repeated]
- **Channels, ranked by expected share of new customers:** [Channel · cost per month · expected enquiries · conversion rate · source of the estimate]
- **Sales process:** [Enquiry → quote → close; who does each step; time from enquiry to sale]
- **Pricing and terms:** [Price list; deposits; payment terms; late-payment rule]
- **Retention:** [How a customer becomes a repeat customer; what you measure]
- **The first 90 days after funding:** [Three dated marketing actions]

## 7. Financial plan

*Two to three pages plus attachments. The section the lender reads twice. Include the funding request here.*

- **Funding request:** [Amount · type (loan, equity, grant) · what it buys, line by line · when it is repaid or returned · what you will put in yourself]
- **Assumptions (list every one):** [Price · volume per month · cost of sales · staff · rent · seasonality · payment delays]
- **Three-year projection (attach the spreadsheet):**

| | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Cost of sales | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Gross profit | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Overheads | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Net profit before tax | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Cash at year end | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |

- **Monthly cash flow for year 1 (attach):** [Lowest cash month and the balance in it]
- **Break-even:** [Units or revenue per month at which the business covers its costs; show the calculation]
- **What goes wrong and what you do (contingency):** [Sales 30% below plan → action · key supplier fails → action · owner unavailable for a month → action]
- **Key performance indicators you will report:** [Three to five, with the frequency]

## Attachments (appendix)

- [ ] Owner CVs
- [ ] Twelve-month cash-flow spreadsheet
- [ ] Quotes for major purchases
- [ ] Lease or heads of terms
- [ ] Licences, permits, insurance certificates
- [ ] Letters of intent from customers or suppliers
- [ ] Product photos or service specification

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## One-page lean plan

*Nine boxes, one line each. Use this when the reader is you, a partner, or the team, not a lender. Based on the SBA's lean startup format.*

| | |
|---|---|
| **Key partners** | [Who you cannot do this without] |
| **Key activities** | [The three things the business does every week that make money] |
| **Key resources** | [People, equipment, premises, licences, cash] |
| **Value proposition** | [For [customer] who [need], we are the [category] that [benefit], unlike [alternative], because [proof]] |
| **Customer relationships** | [How you win them, keep them, and grow them] |
| **Customer segments** | [Who, specifically; the narrowest useful description] |
| **Channels** | [How customers find you and how you deliver] |
| **Cost structure** | [Largest three costs; fixed vs variable] |
| **Revenue streams** | [What you sell, at what price, how often] |

**Review date:** [Quarterly]. **Owner of this document:** [Name].

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*Template: Businessman Talk. Free to copy and adapt for your own business. Section order follows the U.S. Small Business Administration's traditional business plan structure (sba.gov, "Write your business plan"), with the funding request placed inside the financial plan and supporting documents listed as attachments.*