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Simple Business Plan Templates

By Joe Weller | April 2, 2020

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In this article, we’ve compiled a variety of simple business plan templates, all of which are free to download in PDF, Word, and Excel formats.

On this page, you’ll find a one-page business plan template , a simple business plan for startups , a small-business plan template , a business plan outline , and more. We also include a business plan sample and the main components of a business plan to help get you started.

Simple Business Plan Template

Download Simple Business Plan Template

This simple business plan template lays out each element of a traditional business plan to assist you as you build your own, and it provides space to add financing information for startups seeking funding. You can use and customize this simple business plan template to fit the needs for organizations of any size.

One-Page Business Plan Template

Download One-Page Business Plan Template

Excel | Word | PDF  | Smartsheet

Use this one-page business plan to document your key ideas in an organized manner. The template can help you create a high-level view of your business plan, and it provides easy scannability for stakeholders. You can use this one-page plan as a reference to build a more detailed blueprint for your business. 

For additional single page plans, take a look at " One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide ."

Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template

Download Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template

Use this fill-in-the-blank business plan template to guide you as you build your business plan. Each section comes pre-filled with sample content, with space to add customized verbiage relevant to your product or service.

For additional free, downloadable resources, visit " Free Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Templates ."

Simple Business Plan for Startup

‌ Download Startup Business Plan Template — Word

This business plan template is designed with a startup business in mind and contains the essential elements needed to convey key product or service details to investors and stakeholders. Keep all your information organized with this template, which provides space to include an executive summary, a company overview, competitive analysis, a marketing strategy, financial data, and more. For additional resources, visit " Free Startup Business Plan Templates and Examples ."

Simple Small-Business Plan Template

Download Simple Small-Business Plan Template

This template walks you through each component of a small-business plan, including the company background, the introduction of the management team, market analysis, product or service offerings, a financial plan, and more. This template also comes with a built-in table of contents to keep your plan in order, and it can be customized to fit your requirements.

Lean Business Plan Template

Download Lean Business Plan Template

This lean business plan template is a stripped-down version of a traditional business plan that provides only the most essential aspects. Briefly outline your company and industry overview, along with the problem you are solving, as well as your unique value proposition, target market, and key performance metrics. There is also room to list out a timeline of key activities.

Simple Business Plan Outline Template

Download Simple Business Plan Outline Template

Word  | PDF

Use this simple business plan outline as a basis to create your own business plan. This template contains 11 sections, including a title page and a table of contents, which details what each section should cover in a traditional business plan. Simplify or expand this outline to create the foundation for a business plan that fits your business needs.

Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline

Download Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline

Excel | Smartsheet

This template doubles as a project plan and timeline to track progress as you develop your business plan. This business planning template enables you to break down your work into phases and provides room to add key tasks and dates for each activity. Easily fill in the cells according to the start and end dates to create a visual timeline, as well as to ensure your plan stays on track.

Simple Business Plan Rubric Template

Download Simple Business Plan Rubric

Excel | Word | PDF | Smartsheet

Once you complete your business plan, use this business plan rubric template to assess and score each component of your plan. This rubric helps you identify elements of your plan that meet or exceed requirements and pinpoint areas where you need to improve or further elaborate. This template is an invaluable tool to ensure your business plan clearly defines your goals, objectives, and plan of action in order to gain buy-in from potential investors, stakeholders, and partners.

Basic Business Plan Sample

Download Basic Business Plan Sample

This business plan sample serves as an example of a basic business plan that contains all the traditional components. The sample provides a model of what a business plan might look like for a fictional food truck business. Reference this sample as you develop your own business plan.

For additional resources to help support your business planning efforts, check out “ Free Strategic Planning Templates .”

Main Components of a Business Plan

The elements you include in your business plan will depend on your product or service offerings, as well as the size and needs of your business. 

Below are the components of a standard business plan and details you should include in each section:

• Company name and contact information
• Website address
• The name of the company or individual viewing the presentation
• Table of Contents
• Company background and purpose
• Mission and vision statement
• Management team introduction
• Core product and service offerings
• Target customers and segments
• Marketing plan
• Competitive analysis
• Unique value proposition
• Financial plan (and requirements, if applicable)
• Business and industry overview
• Historical timeline of your business
• Offerings and the problem they solve
• Current alternatives
• Competitive advantage
• Market size
• Target market segment(s)
• Projected volume and value of sales compared to competitors
• Differentiation from competitors
• Pricing strategy
• Marketing channels
• Promotional plan
• Distribution methods
• Legal structure of your business
• Names of founders, owners, advisors, etc.
• Management team’s roles, relevant experience, and compensation plan
• Staffing requirements and training plans
• Physical location(s) of your business
• Additional physical requirements (e.g., warehouse, specialized equipment, facilities, etc.)
• Production workflow
• Raw materials and sourcing methods
• Projected income statement
• Projected cash flow statement
• Projected balance sheet
• Break-even analysis
• Charts and graphs
• Market research and competitive analysis
• Information about your industry
• Information about your offerings
• Samples of marketing materials
• Other supporting materials

Tips for Creating a Business Plan

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the thought of putting together a business plan. Below, you’ll find top tips to help simplify the process as you develop your own plan. 

• Use a business plan template (you can choose from the variety above), or refer to the previous section to create a standard outline for your plan.
• Modify your outline to reflect the requirements of your specific business. If you use a standard business plan outline, remove sections that aren’t relevant to you or aren’t necessary to run your business.
• Gather all the information you currently have about your business first, and then use that information to fill out each section in your plan outline.
• Use your resources and conduct additional research to fill in the remaining gaps. (Note: It isn’t necessary to fill out your plan in order, but the executive summary needs to be completed last, as it summarizes the key points in your plan.)
• Ensure your plan clearly communicates the relationship between your marketing, sales, and financial objectives.
• Provide details in your plan that illustrate your strategic plan of action, looking forward three to five years.
• Revisit your plan regularly as strategies and objectives evolve.
• What product or service are we offering?
• Who is the product or service for?
• What problem does our product or service offering solve?
• How will we get the product or service to our target customers?
• Why is our product or service better than the alternatives?
• How can we outperform our competitors?
• What is our unique value proposition?
• When will things get done, and who is responsible for doing them?
• If you need to obtain funding, how will you use the funding?
• When are payments due, and when do payments come in?
• What is the ultimate purpose of your business?
• When do you expect to be profitable?

To identify which type of business plan you should write, and for more helpful tips, take a look at our guide to writing a simple business plan .

Benefits of Using a Business Plan Template

Creating a business plan can be very time-consuming, especially if you aren’t sure where to begin. Finding the right template for your business needs can be beneficial for a variety of reasons. 

Using a business plan template — instead of creating your plan from scratch — can benefit you in the following ways:

• Enables you to immediately write down your thoughts and ideas in an organized manner
• Provides structure to help outline your plan
• Saves time and valuable resources
• Helps ensure you don’t miss essential details

Limitations of a Business Plan Template

A business plan template can be convenient, but it has its drawbacks — especially if you use a template that doesn’t fit the specific needs of your business.

Below are some limitations of using a business plan template:

• Each business is unique and needs a business plan that reflects that. A template may not fit your needs.
• A template may restrict collaboration with other team members on different aspects of the plan’s development (sales, marketing, and accounting teams).
• Multiple files containing different versions of the plan may be stored in more than one place.
• You still have to manually create charts and graphs to add to the plan to support your strategy.
• Updates to the plan, spreadsheets, and supporting documents have to be made in multiple places (all documents may not update in real time as changes are made).

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How to Write a Business Plan, Step by Step

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What is a business plan?

1. write an executive summary, 2. describe your company, 3. state your business goals, 4. describe your products and services, 5. do your market research, 6. outline your marketing and sales plan, 7. perform a business financial analysis, 8. make financial projections, 9. summarize how your company operates, 10. add any additional information to an appendix, business plan tips and resources.

A business plan outlines your business’s financial goals and explains how you’ll achieve them over the next three to five years. Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing a business plan that will offer a strong, detailed road map for your business.

ZenBusiness

A business plan is a document that explains what your business does, how it makes money and who its customers are. Internally, writing a business plan should help you clarify your vision and organize your operations. Externally, you can share it with potential lenders and investors to show them you’re on the right track.

Business plans are living documents; it’s OK for them to change over time. Startups may update their business plans often as they figure out who their customers are and what products and services fit them best. Mature companies might only revisit their business plan every few years. Regardless of your business’s age, brush up this document before you apply for a business loan .

» Need help writing? Learn about the best business plan software .

This is your elevator pitch. It should include a mission statement, a brief description of the products or services your business offers and a broad summary of your financial growth plans.

Though the executive summary is the first thing your investors will read, it can be easier to write it last. That way, you can highlight information you’ve identified while writing other sections that go into more detail.

» MORE: How to write an executive summary in 6 steps

Next up is your company description. This should contain basic information like:

Your business’s registered name.

Address of your business location .

Names of key people in the business. Make sure to highlight unique skills or technical expertise among members of your team.

Your company description should also define your business structure — such as a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation — and include the percent ownership that each owner has and the extent of each owner’s involvement in the company.

Lastly, write a little about the history of your company and the nature of your business now. This prepares the reader to learn about your goals in the next section.

» MORE: How to write a company overview for a business plan

The third part of a business plan is an objective statement. This section spells out what you’d like to accomplish, both in the near term and over the coming years.

If you’re looking for a business loan or outside investment, you can use this section to explain how the financing will help your business grow and how you plan to achieve those growth targets. The key is to provide a clear explanation of the opportunity your business presents to the lender.

For example, if your business is launching a second product line, you might explain how the loan will help your company launch that new product and how much you think sales will increase over the next three years as a result.

» MORE: How to write a successful business plan for a loan

In this section, go into detail about the products or services you offer or plan to offer.

You should include the following:

An explanation of how your product or service works.

The pricing model for your product or service.

The typical customers you serve.

Your supply chain and order fulfillment strategy.

You can also discuss current or pending trademarks and patents associated with your product or service.

Lenders and investors will want to know what sets your product apart from your competition. In your market analysis section , explain who your competitors are. Discuss what they do well, and point out what you can do better. If you’re serving a different or underserved market, explain that.

Here, you can address how you plan to persuade customers to buy your products or services, or how you will develop customer loyalty that will lead to repeat business.

Include details about your sales and distribution strategies, including the costs involved in selling each product .

» MORE: R e a d our complete guide to small business marketing

If you’re a startup, you may not have much information on your business financials yet. However, if you’re an existing business, you’ll want to include income or profit-and-loss statements, a balance sheet that lists your assets and debts, and a cash flow statement that shows how cash comes into and goes out of the company.

Accounting software may be able to generate these reports for you. It may also help you calculate metrics such as:

Net profit margin: the percentage of revenue you keep as net income.

Current ratio: the measurement of your liquidity and ability to repay debts.

Accounts receivable turnover ratio: a measurement of how frequently you collect on receivables per year.

This is a great place to include charts and graphs that make it easy for those reading your plan to understand the financial health of your business.

This is a critical part of your business plan if you’re seeking financing or investors. It outlines how your business will generate enough profit to repay the loan or how you will earn a decent return for investors.

Here, you’ll provide your business’s monthly or quarterly sales, expenses and profit estimates over at least a three-year period — with the future numbers assuming you’ve obtained a new loan.

Accuracy is key, so carefully analyze your past financial statements before giving projections. Your goals may be aggressive, but they should also be realistic.

NerdWallet’s picks for setting up your business finances:

The best business checking accounts .

The best business credit cards .

The best accounting software .

Before the end of your business plan, summarize how your business is structured and outline each team’s responsibilities. This will help your readers understand who performs each of the functions you’ve described above — making and selling your products or services — and how much each of those functions cost.

If any of your employees have exceptional skills, you may want to include their resumes to help explain the competitive advantage they give you.

Finally, attach any supporting information or additional materials that you couldn’t fit in elsewhere. That might include:

Licenses and permits.

Equipment leases.

Bank statements.

Details of your personal and business credit history, if you’re seeking financing.

If the appendix is long, you may want to consider adding a table of contents at the beginning of this section.

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

Here are some tips to write a detailed, convincing business plan:

Avoid over-optimism: If you’re applying for a business bank loan or professional investment, someone will be reading your business plan closely. Providing unreasonable sales estimates can hurt your chances of approval.

Proofread: Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors can jump off the page and turn off lenders and prospective investors. If writing and editing aren't your strong suit, you may want to hire a professional business plan writer, copy editor or proofreader.

Use free resources: SCORE is a nonprofit association that offers a large network of volunteer business mentors and experts who can help you write or edit your business plan. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Development Centers , which provide free business consulting and help with business plan development, can also be a resource.

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

Published: February 06, 2024

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

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

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

Table of Contents

Business Plan Format

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Executive Summary

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

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

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

Company Description

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

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

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

Products and Services

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

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

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

Executive Summary Business Plan Examples

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

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

Image Source

Tips for Writing Your Executive Summary

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

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

2. Market Opportunity

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

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

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

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

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

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

Market Opportunity Business Plan Example

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

Tips for Writing Your Market Opportunity Section

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

3. Competitive Landscape

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

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

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

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

Competitive Landscape Business Plan Example

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

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

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

Tips for Writing Your Competitive Landscape

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

4. Target Audience

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

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

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

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

Target Audience Business Plan Example

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

Tips for Writing Your Target Audience Section

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

5. Marketing Strategy

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

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

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

Marketing Strategy Business Plan Example

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

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

Tips for Writing Your Marketing Strategy

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

6. Key Features and Benefits

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

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

Key Features and Benefits Business Plan Example

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

Tips for Writing Your Key Features and Benefits

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

7. Pricing and Revenue

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

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

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

Pricing and Revenue Business Plan Example

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

Tips for Writing Your Pricing and Revenue Section

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

8. Financials

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

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

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

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

Financials Business Plan Example

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

Tips for Writing Your Financials Section

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

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

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

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

1. Startups

Startup business plans are for proposing new business ideas.

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

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

2. Feasibility Studies

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

3. Internal Use

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

4. Strategic Initiatives

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

5. Business Acquisition or Repositioning

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

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

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

1. HubSpot's One-Page Business Plan

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

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

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

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

Why I Like It

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

2. HubSpot's Downloadable Business Plan Template

We also created a business plan template for entrepreneurs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. ThoughtCo’s Sample Business Plan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. HubSpot’s Complete Guide to Starting a Business

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

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

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

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

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

8. Panda Doc’s Free Business Plan Template

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

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

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

9. Small Business Administration Free Business Plan Template

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s take a look.

1. LiveFlow

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Lula Body

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Vesta Home Automation

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

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

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

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

5. NALB Creative Center

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

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

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

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

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

6. Curriculum Companion Suites (CSS)

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

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

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

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

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

7. Culina Sample Business Plan

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

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

8. Plum Sample Business Plan

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Didn't find what you are looking for.

The answer is simple.

It’s an informal business plan that can convince you that your idea makes sense to the outside world because you are investing your time, money, and everything into that idea.

To write a business plan, maybe you think you don’t need a step-by-step guide or a sample business plan . After all, some entrepreneurs achieved success without writing a business plan. With great timing, past business experiences, entrepreneurial ambitions, and a little luck, some entrepreneurs build successful businesses without even writing an informal business plan.

But the odds are greater than those entrepreneurs fail.

And that’s why writing a business plan will help you succeed .

The easiest way to simplify the work of writing a business plan is to start with sample business plans.

What is business plan sample?

Why you should refer a business plan example, who should use business plan examples, how to use sample business plans.

What is Business Plan Sample?

That’s why we created business plan examples to help you get started.

Use our 400+ business plan examples written for all industries and write your business plan in half of the time with twice the impact.

• Guidance on what to include in each section.  If you’ve never attended business school, you might never have created a  SWOT analysis   or a balance sheet before. Business templates that give guidance — in plain language — about what to include and how to fill in each section and create a complete and effective plan.
• A business plan is vital to get an investment.  If you’re seeking investment for your business, you’ll need to convince banks and investors why they should invest in your business . Lenders and investors will only risk their time and money if they’re certain that your business will be successful and profitable and they will get a great return on their investment.
• A business plan can help you prioritize.  A complete, well-balanced business plan is one of the most valuable tools in assisting you to reach your long-term goals. It gives your business direction, defines your goals, outlines out strategies to reach your goals, and helps you to manage possible bumps in the way.

Who should use Business Plan Examples?

Well Everyone, who wants to write a business plan should use these sample business plans. These plans apply to almost all industries.

We have created a library of professional sample business plans from a wide variety of industries to help you start writing your business plan with minimum effort.

Use our Upmetrics — business plan software that offers step by step guide to start writing your business plan , especially if you’re writing an informal business plan to get a bank loan or outside investment.

Our extensive sample business plans library includes  business plan templates  and  business plan examples  for almost all business industries.

Make your plan in half the time & twice the impact with Upmetrics.

How to use Business Plan Examples to write your own?

Having real-life and industry-specific business plan examples by your side can be incredibly resourceful to help you write a business plan from scratch. 

A well-planned structure helps you outline your plan, while content inspiration helps you set the tone for your business document. 

Let’s dive deep and understand how to use these examples effectively to write your business plan.

1. Use examples as a guide

2. understanding the structure.

Traditional business plans generally follow a similar structure. 

It starts with an executive summary followed by a company description, market analysis, product and services, sales and marketing strategies, operational plan, management team, financial plan, and appendix.

Using an example business plan is the best way to understand the structure and outline your plan. 

3. Gaining Inspiration

Reading industry-specific business plan examples can help you gain inspiration for your plan. You can gain insights on presenting your business idea, vision, mission, and values and persuade investors to invest in your idea.

4. Learning Industry-Specific Language

There’s no universal template for business planning that fits all. An industry-specific template can help you learn and understand the business language for your industry and the best way to communicate your message to your investors.

5. Identifying Key Elements

Reading business plan examples of similar businesses can help you identify the key elements and information to include in your plan. You can keep note of these and ensure everything necessary for investors to consider is present in your final draft.

6. Crafting Financial Projections

A financial plan is a critical component of your business plan, and a good business plan example can help you better understand how they project their financials which can be incredibly helpful while forecasting yours.

7. Refining Your Executive Summary

As mentioned earlier, your executive summary is a key factor influencing potential investors and lenders to invest or lend you money. Analyzing free business plan templates can help you optimize your executive summary to make it more brief, persuasive, and attention-grabbing.

8. Realizing What Works and What Doesn’t

Analyzing industry-specific and real-life examples can help you determine what works best and what doesn’t within your industry. Understanding these factors can help you avoid many significant pitfalls.

While business plan examples can be incredibly helpful in writing a plan from scratch, ensure your plan is customized for your business and sends out a unique message. Your business plan must reflect its unique idea, vision, and target market.

Using your Business Plan as a Management Tool

It’s essential to have a business plan, but it’s also crucial to keep it up to date as your business progresses. A business plan is not merely a document that you write once and forget after you get started. It’s a business road map and vision that you should develop as your business progresses and evolves. It’s also important to update your business plan regularly as your business situation and position change.

How Business Plan Software can help you?

We have created Upmetrics — business plan software to simplify the process of business planning.

Our financial forecasting module will create all the essential reports automatically. You just need to enter numbers and the application will do all the math to generate your financial reports. Later you can embed those reports into your business plan.

After completing your business plan, you can download your business plan in PDF or DOC file using Upmetrics. Also, you can share it online with investors or with other important people just by a quick link.

Ready to take the next step?

Now that you have a business idea and you know how to write a business plan, it’s time to go for it . Our business plan software will take you through each step outlined above in more detail so there are no surprises on your journey.

Simplifying Business Planning through AI-Powered Insights.

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After trying Upmetrics, I wish to highly recommend this app to anyone who needs to write a business plan flexibly and to a high standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is sample business plan, how do i write a business plan.

In business plan writing you will need to write the following sections into your business plan. These sections include an Executive Summary, Company Overview, Problem Analysis, The Solution, Market Analysis, Customer Analysis, Competitive Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Marketing Plan, Operations Plan, and Financial Plan.

Check out our article to learn how you can write these sections in detail for your business plan.

How long should my business plan be?

The length of your business plan depends on the type of plan you choose. There are one-page business plans that offer easy and practical planning. Then you have traditional business plans that usually vary from 20 to 50 pages. It’s worth noting that the quality of your business plan matters more than its length.

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

Absolutely No, You as a business owner know all about your business idea, your business goals, target market and audience, and what you want to achieve by writing your plan. Don’t hire someone who doesn’t know what your readers will want, the reason is that, if you intend to raise funds, you are the best person that understands what investors will look out for in your business plan.

Consultants or  business plan writers  definitely can write a business plan but not better than you.

Looking for a faster way to finish your business plan?

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Popular Templates

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• Building Your Business
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Simple Business Plan Template for Entrepreneurs

Follow This Business Plan Outline to Write Your Own

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.

Pros and Cons of Using a Business Plan Template

Do i need a simple or detailed business plan, how to use this business plan template, table of contents, section 1: executive summary, section 2: business/industry overview.

• Section 3: Market Analysis and Competition

Section 4: Sales and Marketing Plan

Section 5: ownership and management plan, section 6: operating plan, section 7: financial plan.

• Section 8: Appendices and Exhibits

Ariel Skelley / Getty Images

Think you have a great idea for a business? The best way to find out whether your idea is feasible is to create a business plan .

A solid, well-researched business plan provides a practical overview of your vision. It can be used to ground your ideas into workable actions and to help pitch your idea to financial institutions or potential investors when looking for funding.

The standard business plan consists of a single document divided into several sections for distinct elements, such as a description of the organization, market research, competitive analysis, sales strategies, capital and labor requirements, and financial data. Your plan may include more or fewer sections to best represent your business.

The template presented here will get you well on your way toward your simple business plan.

Ready-made layouts

Free downloads

Generic, not customized

No financial guidance

Additional skills needed

• Ready-made layouts : Templates offer general guidance about what information is needed and how to organize it, so you’re not stuck looking at a blank page when getting started. Especially detailed templates may offer instructions or helpful text prompts along the way.
• Variations : If you know what type of business plan you need—traditional, lean, industry-specific—chances are you can find a specialized template.
• Free downloads : There are many free business plan templates available online, which can be useful for comparing formats and features, or refining your own.
• Generic, not customized : Templates typically contain just the basics, and there will still be a lot of work involved to tailor the template to your business. For instance, you'll have to reformat, refine copy, and populate tables.
• No financial guidance : You’ll need enough industry knowledge to apply financial models to your specific business, and the math skills to generate formulas and calculate figures.
• Additional skills needed : Some degree of tech savvy is required to integrate charts and graphs, merge data from spreadsheets, and keep it all up-to-date.

A corporate business plan for a large organization can be hundreds of pages long. However, for a small business, it's best to keep the plan short and concise, especially if you're submitting it to bankers or investors . Around 35 to 50 pages should be sufficient, and more allowed for extras, such as photos of products, equipment, logos, or business premises or site plans.  Your audience will likely prefer solid research and analysis over long, wordy descriptions.

An entrepreneur who creates a business plan is nearly twice as likely to secure financing and grow their business compared with those who do not have a plan.

The business plan template below is divided into sections as described in the table of contents. Each section can be copied into a document of your own; you may need to add or delete sections or make adjustments to fit your specific needs.

Once complete, be sure to format it attractively and get it professionally printed and bound. You want your business plan to convey the best possible impression. Make it engaging, something people will to want to pick up and peruse.

Enter your business information, including the legal name and address. If you already have a business logo, you can add it at the top or bottom of the title page.

• Business Plan for "Business Name"
• Business address
• Website URL

If you're addressing it to a company or individual, include:

• Presented to "Name"
• At "Company"
• Executive Summary................................................Page #
• Business/Industry Overview.................................Page #
• Market Analysis and Competition.........................Page #
• Sales and Marketing Plan.......................................Page #
• Ownership and Management Plan.......................Page #
• Operating Plan..........................................................Page #
• Financial Plan............................................................Page #
• Appendices and Exhibits........................................Page #

The  executive summary introduces the plan, but it is written last. It provides a concise and optimistic overview of your business and should capture the reader's attention and create a desire to learn more. The executive summary should be no more than two pages long, with highlights or brief summaries of other sections of the plan.

• Describe your  mission —what is the need for your new business? Sell your vision.
• Introduce your company briefly, sticking to vital details such as size, location, management, and ownership.
• Describe your main product(s) and/or service(s).
• Identify the customer base you plan to target and how your business will serve those customers.
• Summarize the competition and how you will get market share. What is your competitive advantage?
• Outline your financial projections for the first few years of operation.
• State your startup financing requirements.

This section provides an overview of the industry and explains in detail what makes your business stand out.

• Describe the overall nature of the industry, including sales and other statistics. Note trends and demographics, as well as economic, cultural, and governmental influences.
• Explain your business and how it fits into the industry.
• Mention the existing competition, which you'll expand upon in the following section.
• Identify what area(s) of the market you will target and what unique, improved, or lower-cost products and/or services you will offer.

Many business plans cover their products/services in a standalone section to add more detail or emphasize unique aspects.

Section 3: Market Analysis and Competition

This section focuses on the competitive factor of your business and justifies it with financial models and statistics. You need to demonstrate that you have thoroughly analyzed the target market, assessed the competition, and concluded that there is enough demand for your products/services to make your business viable.

• Define the target market(s) for your products/services in your geographic locale.
• Explain the need for your products/services.
• Estimate the overall size of the market and the units of your products/services that the target market might buy. Include forecasts of potential repeat-purchase volume and how the market might be affected by economic or demographic changes.
• Estimate the volume and value of your sales in comparison with any existing competitors. Highlight any key strengths over the competition in easily digestible charts and tables.
• Describe any helpful barriers to entry that may protect your business from competition, such as access to capital, technology, regulations, employee skill sets, or location.  

You may opt to split the target market description and competitive analysis into two separate sections, if either (or both) portray your business especially favorably.

Here's where you dive into profits, giving detailed strategic view of how you intend to entice customers to buy your products and/or services, including advertising or promotion, pricing, sales, distribution, and post-sales support.

Product or Service Offerings

If your products and/or services don't take up a standalone section earlier in the plan, here is where you can answer the question: What is your unique selling proposition? Describe your products and/or services, how they benefit the customer and what sets them apart from competitor offerings.

Pricing Strategy

How will you price your products/services? Pricing must be low enough to attract customers, yet high enough to cover costs and generate a profit. You can base pricing decisions on a number of financial models, such as markup from cost or value to the buyer, or in comparison with similar products and/or services in the marketplace.  

Sales and Distribution

For products, describe how you plan to distribute to the customer. Will you be selling wholesale or retail? What type of packaging will be required? How will products be shipped? If you offer a service, how will it be delivered to the customer? What methods will be used for payment?

Advertising and Promotion

List the various forms of media you will use to get your message to customers (e.g., website, email, social media, or newspapers). Will you use sales promotional methods such as free samples and product demonstrations? What about product launches and trade shows? Don't forget more everyday marketing materials such as business cards, flyers, or brochures. Include an approximate budget.

This section describes the legal structure, ownership, and (if applicable) management and staffing requirements of your business.

• Ownership structure : Describe the legal structure of your company (e.g., corporation, partnership, LLC, or  sole proprietorship ). List ownership percentages, if applicable. If the business is a sole proprietorship, this is the only section required.
• Management team : Describe managers and their roles, key employee positions, and how each will be compensated. Include brief résumés.
• External resources and services : List any external professional resources required, such as accountants, lawyers, or consultants.
• Human resources : List the type and number of employees or contractors you will need, and estimate the salary and benefit costs of each.
• Advisory board : Include an advisory board as a supplemental management resource, if applicable.

The operating plan outlines the physical requirements of your business, such as office, warehouse, or retail space; equipment; supplies; or labor. This section will vary greatly by industry; a large manufacturer, for instance, should provide full details about supply chain or specialty equipment, while a therapist's office can get by with a much shorter list.

If your business is a small operation (like a one-person, home-based consulting firm), you might choose to eliminate the operating plan section altogether and include the operating essentials in the business overview.

• Development : Explain what you have done to date to identify possible locations, sources of equipment, supply chains, and other relevant relationships. Describe your production workflow.
• Production : For manufacturing, explain how long it takes to produce a unit and when you'll be ready to start production. Include factors that may affect the time frame of production and how you'll deal with potential problems, such as rush orders.
• Facilities : Describe the physical location of the business. Include geographical or building requirements; square footage estimates (with room for expansion if expected); mortgage or leasing costs; and estimates of maintenance, utilities, and related  overhead costs . Include zoning approvals and other permissions that are necessary in order to operate.
• Staffing : Outline expected staffing needs and the main duties of staff members, especially the key employees. Describe how the employees will be sourced and the employment relationship (i.e., contract, full-time, part-time) as well as any training needs and how these will be provided.
• Equipment : Include a list of any specialized equipment needed, along with cost, whether it will be leased or purchased, and sources.
• Supplies : If your business is, for example, manufacturing, retail, or food services, include a description of the materials needed, reliable sources, major suppliers, and how you will manage inventory.

The financial plan is the most important section for lenders or investors. The goal is to demonstrate that your business will grow and be profitable. To do this, you will need to create realistic predictions or forecasts.

To avoid inflated expectations, a prudent financial plan underestimates revenues and overestimates expenses.

• Income statements : The income statement displays projected revenues, expenses, and profit. Do this on a monthly basis for at least the first year for a startup business.
• Cash-flow projections : The cash-flow projection shows your monthly anticipated cash revenues and disbursements for expenses. To be considered a good credit risk, it is important to demonstrate that you can manage your cash flow.
• Balance sheet : The  balance sheet  is a snapshot summary of the assets, liabilities, and equity of your business at a particular point in time. For a startup, this would be on the day the business opens.
• Breakeven analysis : Including a breakeven analysis will demonstrate to lenders or investors what level of sales you need to achieve to make a profit.

Section 8: Appendices and Exhibits

The appendices and exhibits section contains any detailed information needed to support other sections of the plan.  

Possible Appendix or Exhibit items include:

• Credit histories for the business owners
• Detailed market research and analysis of competitors
• Résumés of the owners and key employees
• Diagrams and/or research about your products and/or services
• Site, building, or office plans
• Copies of mortgage documents or equipment leases (or quotes)
• Marketing brochures and other materials
• References from business colleagues
• Links to your business website
• Any other material that may impress potential lenders or investors

SCORE. " Business Plan Template for a Startup Business ." Accessed April 28, 2021.

U.S. Small Business Administration. " Write your business plan ." Accessed April 28, 2021.

U.S. Small Business Administration. " SBA Recommended Business Plans and Length ." Accessed April 28, 2021.

Bplans. " Why Plan Your Business? Look at This Data ." Accessed April 28, 2021.

Marketing MO. " Pricing Strategy ." Accessed April 28, 2021.

Incorporate.com. " Write a Business Plan, a Step-by-Step Guide ." Accessed April 29, 2021.

Startup Nation. " The Five Costs You're Most Likely to Underestimate in Your Business Plan ." Accessed April 28, 2021.

10 Simple Tips to Write a Successful Business Plan

"The absolute biggest business plan mistake you can make is to not plan at all." So writes Noah Parsons in his helpful blog post 17 Key Business Plan Mistakes to Avoid in 2023 . But how does one pull together all of the necessary components of a cohesive plan? It can feel overwhelming.

Eric Butow, CEO of online marketing ROI improvement firm Butow Communications Group, has teamed up with Entrepreneur Media to update the second edition of our best-selling book Write Your Business Plan to provide you with a simple, step-by-step process for creating a successful business plan. In the following excerpt, he gives ten tips to gather all of the critical information you will need to succeed.

1. Know your competition.

You need to name them and point out what makes you different from (and better than) each of them. But do not disparage your competition.

2. Know your audience.

You may need several versions of your business plan. For example, you may need one for bankers or venture capitalists, one for individual investors, and one for companies that may want to do a joint venture with you rather than fund you.

3. Have proof to back up every claim you make.

If you expect to be the leader in your field in six months, you have to say why you think that is. If you say your product will take the market by storm, you have to support this statement with facts. If you say your management team is fully qualified to make the business a success, be sure staff resumes demonstrate their experience.

Order Write Your Own Business Plan Now and Get 1 Month of Free Access to Business Planning Software Liveplan Premium

• Easy step-by-step business plan generator
• Built-in financial calculators
• 500+ sample plans and templates

4. Be conservative in all financial estimates and projections.

If you feel certain you'll capture 50 percent of the market in the first year, you can say why you think so and hint at what those numbers may be. But make your financial projections more conservative. For example, a 10 percent market share is much more credible.

5. Be realistic with time and resources available.

If you're working with a big company before you buy a business, you may think things will happen faster than they will once you have to buy the supplies, write the checks, and answer the phones yourself. Being overly optimistic with time and resources is a common error entrepreneurs make. Being realistic is important because it lends credibility to your presentation. Always assume things will take 20 percent longer than you anticipated. Therefore, twenty weeks is now twenty-four weeks.

6. Be logical.

Think like a banker and write what they would want to see.

7. Have a strong management team.

Make sure it has good credentials and expertise. Your team members don't have to have worked in the field. However, you need to draw parallels between what they've done and the skills needed to make your venture succeed. Don't have all the skills you need? Consider adding an advisory board of people skilled in your field and include their resumes.

Write Your Own Business Plan is available now at Entrepreneur Bookstore | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

8. Document why your idea will work.

Have others done something similar that was successful? Have you made a prototype? Include all the variables that can have an impact on the result or outcome of your idea. Show why some of the variables don't apply to your situation or explain how you intend to overcome them or make them better.

9. Describe your facilities and location for performing the work.

That includes equipment you use to create your products and/or services. If you'll need to expand, discuss when, where, and why.

10. Discuss payout options for the investors.

Some investors want a hands-on role. Some want to put associates on your board of directors. Some don't want to be involved in day-to-day activities at all. All investors want to know when they can get their money back and at what rate of return. Most want out within three to five years. Provide a brief description of options for investors, or at least mention that you're ready to discuss options with any serious prospect.

To dig deeper, buy Write Your Own Business Plan and get 1 month of free access to business planning software Liveplan Premium.

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When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

The best business internet service providers

When you're in the market for an internet service provider for your small business, there's a lot more to consider than just download speeds and monthly prices. Reliability is at the absolute top of the list, backed up by service level agreements that clearly spell out what your business has a right to expect. That's followed closely by support, which should be available 24/7 and be knowledgeable enough to quickly handle problems so an outage doesn't take a toll on profits or productivity.

The most difficult part of choosing the best internet provider for your business is figuring out exactly which services are available in your area. For this guide, I've focused on large, well-established internet providers that are available throughout the US. Depending on where your office is located, you might be able to find excellent local and regional options as well. You can and should evaluate those additional providers using the same criteria discussed here.

Also:  The best VPN services

What's the best business internet service provider right now?

After considering all of the well-established internet service providers that cover large parts of the US and have plans dedicated for business use with 24/7 support, my pick for the best business internet service provider is Verizon Business . If that choice seems safe, well, that's the point, isn't it? Your online connection is a critical part of your business infrastructure, and you don't want any surprises that can disrupt your productivity or interrupt your ability to communicate with customers and process transactions. Verizon offers a broad range of services that work for businesses of any size, from sole proprietors to multinational corporations. Read on for the rest of my picks for the best business internet providers available.

The best business internet providers of 2024

Verizon business, best business internet provider overall.

As one of two Tier 1 internet providers in this list (the other is AT&T), Verizon has more control over its network than competitors that have to purchase access from upstream providers. In addition, Verizon boasts that its services are available nationwide, although your location will determine which exact services are available.

Fios Business Internet is Verizon's fastest offering. This fiber-based service is available in nine states, all in the Northeastern US. The company offers four tiers, starting at 200 Mbps and going up to 2048 Mbps, at prices ranging from $69 to $249 per month, with price guarantees that increase with each tier. All plans offer the option of a single digital voice line for your business for $20, and you can get additional discounts for bundling with Verizon Wireless plans for business.

Verizon also offers Internet Dedicated services, at speeds ranging from 1.5 Mbps up to 100 Gbps, with the fastest connection advertised as being suitable for data centers and cloud providers managing multiple simultaneous downloads of very large files. All plans come with strict service level agreements of 100% availability.

If neither of those services is available at your location, you can choose 5G or LTE internet plans. Be aware that these options come with monthly data limits, unlike broadband offerings. 

Unlike some of its competitors, Verizon charges additional fees for equipment and some services, so be sure to include the full list of charges when comparing prices.

AT&T Business Internet

Best customizable business internet provider.

As one of the biggest brands on the internet and a Tier 1 provider, AT&T offers a dizzying array of options, with broadband, wireless, and Dedicated Internet plans available for the choosing. Special terms and pricing are available for government agencies, schools, and libraries.

AT&T Business Fiber is the fastest, most feature-complete option, available in 23 states. (This coverage map  has a full listing, along with an address box to check availability for your business address.) All plans offer equal upload and download speeds, starting at 300 Mbps for $70 per month and maxing out at 5 Gbps for $255 monthly. Additional discounts are available for customers who also have an AT&T wireless plan.

For locations where fiber isn't available, you can choose AT&T Internet Air for Business , which uses the company's 5G and LTE networks. Read the terms of service carefully, as these plans have restrictions that prohibit their use for consumer entertainment, guest Wi-Fi, and web hosting. The Premium plan includes up to 250 GB of high-priority data usage per month for $100 plus fees. 

Dedicated Internet Access offers speeds ranging from 20 Mbps up to 1 Tbps with traffic prioritization over a line not shared with other customers. as well as advanced security options. Although you can start your search online, getting a detailed price quote means filling in an online form or speaking with a sales rep. 

Comcast Business

Best business internet provider for customers with cable infrastructure.

Comcast Business, unlike its consumer cousin, has no data caps, and it offers dedicated, round-the-clock support for business customers. But this is still Comcast, which means many of its products offer upload speeds that are significantly slower than the download speed for that plan. The top-tier Business Internet Gigabit Extra plan, for example, delivers 1.25 Gbps downloads but caps uploads at 200 Mbps, making it less than ideal for use by businesses that need to upload large video or CAD files regularly.

Expect to pay $79 to $210 per month for six different tiers of service, starting at 50 Mbps. Discounts are available for adding mobile service and for signing a two-year agreement.

Comcast offers a slew of add-ons for business customers, including Wi-Fi options to secure your corporate network from the one you allow guests to use. A backup option called Connection Pro provides a 4G LTE modem with battery reserve for up to 8 hours, so you can maintain connectivity in the event of an outage.

If those speeds are too sluggish, you can get Ethernet dedicated internet, with symmetrical download/upload speeds up to 100 Gbps and two permanent IP addresses. Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) router is optional. Be prepared to pay, though.

Spectrum Business

Best business internet provider for low-priced bundles.

As expected from a division of cable giant Charter Communications, Spectrum Business plans are aimed primarily at small, cost-conscious business customers and come with a wide array of prices that vary based on contract length and whether you've bundled phone or TV service with your internet access. Download speeds range from 300 Mbps to 1 Gbps, at prices from $65 to $165 per month with a 12- or 24-month contract. As is typical for cable-based deployments, upload speeds are significantly slower, capped at 35 Mbps for the highest-speed tier.

There are significant discounts for bundling internet service with a mobile line or a TV package. Before signing one of these agreements, be sure to ask what the price will be after the promotional period expires.

All plans include domain name registration and email service for up to 25 accounts, with higher-priced plans bundling voice service as well. Add-ons include a $20-per-month Wireless Internet Backup plan, static IP addresses (1 for $15, up to 29 addresses for $60 monthly), and a variety of Wi-Fi options.

Google Fiber for Business

Best business internet provider for those who want to keep things simple.

Google's Fiber network, which serves home and business customers, operates in over 19 states, mostly in the West and the Southeast. If you live in one of the 38 cities and metro areas that are part of the network, you can expect to pay $100 a month for 1 Gbps service and $250 monthly for the 2 Gbps tier.

On Google Fiber plans, upload and download speeds are identical (equipment permitting) and there are no hidden fees or data caps, nor is a contract required. The monthly price includes installation and required networking equipment, including a Wi-Fi 6 or 6E router, although you're welcome to bring your own router if you prefer.

Because the Google Fiber network is mostly new, it has a reputation for reliability, especially compared with rival cable companies operating over older infrastructure. Support is easy to reach, but don't expect much in the way of hand-holding. If you want to configure additional controls on your Wi-Fi network, for example, Google's support documents suggest that you talk to "your network expert or other IT professional."

What is the best internet service provider for your business?

The most important piece of information you need to answer this question is your business address. Every provider listed here asks you to start by entering this detail, which allows them to determine whether their service is available at your location. For many businesses, only one or two choices are available and should be compared with local service providers.

The following chart is based on off-the-shelf service offerings and does not include Dedicated Internet plans. Note that some high-speed services, including AT&T's 5 Gbps service, are available in limited areas.

Which internet service provider is right for your business?

For most businesses, location is the biggest factor to consider when choosing an internet provider. If your address has access to fiber, it should be at the top of your list, with advantages in speed and reliability. Cable-based providers can also deliver cost-effective high-speed service, while the choice of 5G and LTE wireless networks hinges on whether you can get a consistently strong signal in your business location.

Factors to consider when choosing a business internet provider

Business internet providers offer a feature set that's far richer than what you're likely to get from your local cable company. Not surprisingly, that expanded feature set (and business-class support) typically comes with a higher price than you'd expect with an otherwise comparable consumer service.

Here's what to look for when making your choice:

• Symmetrical transfer speeds:  With this feature active, upload speeds are as fast as download speeds, unlike consumer-based plans that may offer significantly slow upload speeds. This detail matters for any business that routinely uploads or transfers large video and CAD files with online services or remote business partners.
• Dedicated IP addresses: Assigning a fixed address to network devices allows your business to maintain a permanent high-speed connection to a branch office or run your own public-facing server. Neither of those scenarios is possible (or advisable) with a consumer-focused internet plan.
• Security features: A business internet provider might offer a range of add-ons (for an extra cost, naturally) that allow for central management and monitoring of your network to detect and respond to threats in real time. These features are especially valuable for businesses that are subject to strict compliance requirements, such as financial institutions and medical offices.
• Email and phone service: Business internet providers typically offer attractive add-ons like email and phone service for a relatively small surcharge. Don't underestimate the convenience of being able to manage and troubleshoot these features from a single dashboard.

How did I choose these business internet provider services?

For this list, I chose well-established internet service providers that cover large portions of the US. All of them offer plans dedicated for business use, with support staff trained to work with business networks of all sizes. All of these plans include 24/7 support, with options for dedicated IP addresses, email and security add-ons, and symmetrical upload/download speeds.

What type of internet connection is best for businesses?

For most office-based small businesses, a broadband connection over fiber or coaxial cable, with wired Ethernet connections to each PC or Mac in the office, is the best choice; you can easily add wireless connectivity for use in meetings and common spaces. Businesses that are more spread out, with areas that are regularly used by visitors, might prefer an all-wireless option. Be sure to check the terms of service carefully, however, as some providers restrict access to bars, restaurants, hotels, and other establishments that serve the public. If your data needs are especially demanding, with employees routinely transferring large files or doing HD video streaming, a dedicated connection is pricey but probably worth it.

If you work from home, do you need business internet?

Remote employees can use large amounts of data, sometimes enough to exceed data caps that are common with consumer internet plans. But paying for unlimited access is usually still cheaper than signing up for a dedicated business plan. Consider a business plan if you need fast upload speeds (many consumer providers limit uploads to a fraction of download speeds) and a dedicated IP address for persistent connections. A business plan is also appropriate if you need to run your own server, which is prohibited under the terms of service for most consumer plans. Although there are workarounds that allow you to fly under the radar of some consumer providers, you don't want your business-critical server to be unexpectedly cut off from the internet because someone at your ISP discovered its existence.

What internet speed is appropriate for business use?

The service providers in this list offer an extremely wide range of speeds, from as little as 10 Mbps to a blazing 5 Gbps over a dedicated fiber connection.

Each tier of increased speed comes at a higher price, sometimes significantly higher, so it's important to sign up for only as much bandwidth as you need. That calculation is highly dependent on what your business does on a day-to-day basis. In an office with one or two workers doing mostly lightweight tasks (email and basic productivity apps) plus point-of-sale transactions, even the most modest package will probably do. You'll want to expand speeds significantly as you add workers, especially if they routinely transfer large files. Businesses that do intensive work with large files, such as graphic design shops and videographers, should get as much bandwidth as they can afford.

How do you find the best business internet provider for your business?

Start by using the provider's online form to see if service is available at your address. If your business is located in space you rent or lease, you'll need to check with the owner or management company to confirm that you're allowed to do any work required as part of the installation.

We recommend getting a detailed quote that includes all one-time charges as well as a firm estimate of monthly charges, including taxes and fees. If a long-term contract is required, be sure to find out what the monthly charge will be after the contract ends if you stay on a month-to-month basis.

Finally, look at any available add-ons, including business phone service, email, wireless backup, and business Wi-Fi that uses secure authentication rather than a simple password. You might find that those options can provide some extra savings and give you a single point of contact for support. 

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10 episodes

A business podcast for ambitious, Christian entrepreneurs where ambition meets surrender. Your goal? They matter. They aren't there by accident. Your ambition is not annoying. It's beautiful and it's God-given and it's meant to be used for His glory and your good. It's time to stop playing small. It's time to stop white-knuckling. It's time to seek God's will and to trust in His perfect timing and His perfect, wonderful provision. It's time to stop believing the lie that you have to sacrifice kingdom values to reach your goals - or that your goals aren't worth reaching in the first place.

More Than Ambition | A Business Podcast for Kingdom-Minded Entrepreneurs by Dusty Hegge Dusty Hegge | Owner of Caffeinated Sites

• 5.0 • 2 Ratings
• APR 12, 2024

10. Understanding Your Ideal Client (Strategic Plan part 3)

Get your free Simple Strategic Plan Template: dustyhegge.com/strategy Today (despite audio troubles) we are covering the importance of understanding your client avatar or ideal client. There is SO much information available on this topic. That's why today I'm sharing what I believe to be the most important things to understand about your ideal client - so that you don't have to waste your time on things that won't have as big of an impact on your business. Enjoy! If you enjoyed this episode please take a moment to leave a review and rate the show. Your support means so very much to me!! Book a strategy call: dustyhegge.com/consulting Follow on Instagram: instagram.com/dustyhegge

• APR 2, 2024

9. Off the Cup: Juggling multiple projects, pricing, launching, and what we are working on

Today Christina and I chat about projects we are working on in our businesses, some reflections on all that goes into launching, more on finding joy in suffering, and a whole lot more! We hope you enjoy it! ☕️ Get your free strategic plan template: https://dustyhegge.com/strategy CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA: INSTAGRAM | SUBSTACK | HER PODCAST (Magic Like This) CONNECT WITH DUSTY: INSTAGRAM | BOOK A STRATEGY CALL Takeaways It's okay to have multiple projects or ideas, but it's important to prioritize and focus on one at a time. Money is an important aspect of entrepreneurship Building a community around shared interests Accountability and practical strategies in pursuing goals Ethical pricing and serving entry-level clients Simplify website design and focus on clarity and functionality. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates 03:21 Reflecting on Previous Episode 07:33 Edits and Corrections 14:32 Finding Joy in Suffering 29:10 Introduction and Background 29:40 The CS Lewis Podcast 30:25 A Prophetic Word 31:24 The Idea for the CS Lewis Podcast 33:13 Building a Book Club Community 34:08 Building a Course 37:01 Mentoring Others in Writing 38:00 Designing the Course 39:20 Building a Faith-Based Writing Blog 40:46 The Challenge of Writing Course Content 41:45 Launching the Course in Stages 43:19 Accountability and Practical Strategies 45:19 Overcoming Shame and Indulgence 49:30 Ethical Pricing and Serving Entry-Level Clients 55:45 Creating a Small Group Coaching Program 01:01:25 Offering Products and Consulting Services 01:06:37 Mapping Out Strategies for Consulting 01:07:11 Trusting Your Own Approach 01:08:19 Being Different in Your Business 01:09:17 Comparing Yourself to Others 01:10:17 Aligning with God's Calling 01:11:28 Merging Intention and Strategy 01:12:07 Simplified Website Templates 01:13:02 Offering Free Website Templates 01:14:25 Simplicity and Clarity in Website Design 01:15:27 Investing in Copywriting and Brand Photography 01:16:17 The Importance of Words on Your Website 01:18:08 Trusting Your Intuition in Business 01:19:48 The Order of Ideal Client and Product 01:23:14 Trusting Yourself in Alignment with God 01:28:00 Trusting God's Calling and Seeking His Guidance 01:31:10 Trusting Yourself in Union with Christ 01:37:20 Trusting God's Plan and His Glory 01:39:05 The Depth of Union with Christ 01:40:23 The Love and Joy of Children

• 1 hr 34 min
• MAR 25, 2024

8. 7 Simple Ways to Make Your Website More Professional (in less than one hour)

In this episode, Dusty Hegge shares seven simple ways to improve your website in 30 minutes or less. The main focus is on making your website more professional, user-friendly, and effective in serving your audience. GET THE FREE CHECKLIST: https://dustyhegge.com/7-simple-things Get Your Free Strategic Plan: https://dustyhegge.com/strategy FULL SHOW NOTES: https://dustyhegge.com/podcast/8 Dusty on Instagram: https://instagram.com/dustyhegge

• MAR 14, 2024

7. How to write the perfect mission statement for your small business (Part 2 of Strategic Plan Series)

👉🏽 GRAB YOUR FREE SIMPLE STRATEGIC PLAN TEMPLATE: https://dustyhegge.com/strategy In this episode of More Than Ambition, I break down what your mission statement is, what it isn’t, and how to write an actionable mission statement each quarter (yes, each quarter! You’ll see what I mean.) - so you can grow with intentionality and surrender. It’s gonna be fun! There are so many different approaches to mission statements. And my guess is my approach isn’t what you’re thinking it might be. A strategic plan is essential for intentional and sustainable business growth. The mission statement is a short-term goal that directly impacts the success of the business's vision. Brainstorm metrics (to be included within your mission statement) that will help you make your vision a reality. Clearly state why these metrics matter and how they will impact your business. GET BUSINESS CONSULTING: https://dustyhegge.com/consulting FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/dustyhegge

• MAR 12, 2024

6. What's your owner's intent? You’re probably overcomplicating it. (Part 1 of Strategic Plan Series)

Your Owner's Intent isn't the sexy reason you started your business - it's the practical one. It's not your "why" so to speak, but it will impact your "why" and every other aspect of your business. It will influence every aspect of your business. Get clear on what your owner’s intent is (and what it isn’t) and you’ll be able to build a strong business foundation that serves you and your clients. Listen to today's episode to learn more! 👉🏽 GRAB YOUR SIMPLE STRATEGIC PLAN TEMPLATE (it's free!): https://dustyhegge.com/strategy (When you subscribe & get your copy of the simple strategic plan I'll be sharing more of my own story around how exactly my Owner's Intent got me unstuck - and it's a good one!! Get the popcorn ready!) GET BUSINESS CONSULTING: https://dustyhegge.com/consulting FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/dustyhegge __ AI-Generated SUMMARY In this episode, Dusty Hegge introduces the concept of a strategic plan as an alternative to a traditional business plan. She emphasizes the importance of building a strong foundation for a business and provides a free template called the Simple Strategic Plan. Dusty discusses the significance of owner's intent and how it impacts the direction of a business. She encourages entrepreneurs to align their intentions with God's will and emphasizes that success as a Christian entrepreneur is obedience to the Lord. TAKEAWAYS A strategic plan is a foundational blueprint for a business's future direction. Owner's intent is the practical aspect of why a business was started and how it serves the owner. Aligning owner's intent with God's will is crucial for Christian entrepreneurs. Success as a Christian entrepreneur is obedience to the Lord. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 00:29 The Difference Between a Business Plan and a Strategic Plan 01:26 The Importance of a Strategic Plan 02:21 Building a Strong Foundation for Your Business 03:14 The Significance of a Strategic Plan 03:43 Owner's Intent 04:40 Practical Aspect of Owner's Intent 06:03 Aligning Owner's Intent with God's Will 07:02 Different Approaches to Building a Business 08:25 Bringing Owner's Intent to the Lord 09:44 Conclusion

• MAR 7, 2024

5. Welcome to More Than Ambition: A Podcast for the ambitious, kingdom-minded entrepreneur

Get your (free!) Simple Strategic Plan Template Here: https://dustyhegge.com/strategy UM YOU GUYS. To say I'm excited is an understatement. I won't give away too many spoilers here, because this is a short and sweet episode - but things are shifting around here. It's not that I'm changing things, it's that I'm much more aligned with what I believe they were always meant to be. The story of how this all came to be is in the show today. I am eager to hear your thoughts! Find me on Instagram @dustyhegge and shoot me a message to let me know what you think of the new podcast name, cover, and overall refocus. (Seriously so giddy over here!!!) Hey you! Want some fun business and life and faith and probably (definitely) a lot of garden and coffee and parenting content and run-on sentences (clearly) in your inbox? Join the fun here: https://dustyhegge.com/fun And isn't my new website so pretty!!?? https://dustyhegge.com --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Do not be ashamed of your ambition 02:20 - For the Christian, Everything is Ministry 03:18 - Equipping Christian Entrepreneurs 04:37 - Refocusing and Strategic Planning 06:02 - Excitement for the Future ---- EPISODE SUMMARY (AI-Generated) The More Than Ambition podcast aims to inspire Christian entrepreneurs to embrace their ambitions and seek God's will. The host, Dusty Hegge, believes that ambition is a gift from God and should be used for His glory. She encourages listeners to stop playing small and trust in God's timing and provision. Dusty emphasizes that all work, including business, is an opportunity for ministry and worship. She envisions a world where Christian entrepreneurs lead with humility, intentionality, and surrender.

• © Dusty Hegge | Owner of Caffeinated Sites

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Ascensus to Acquire Vanguard Individual 401(k), Multi-SEP, and SIMPLE IRA Plans

Ascensus announced today a definitive agreement to acquire Vanguard’s Individual 401(k), Multiple Participant SEP (Multi-SEP), and SIMPLE IRA Plans business.

Under the transaction, Ascensus will assume recordkeeping and client servicing for Vanguard’s current line-up of SIMPLE, Multi-SEP, and Individual 401(k) retirement plans, and increase its overall retirement plans under administration to nearly 280,000 plans. 

Ascensus will provide custodial and trustee services, recordkeeping, client servicing, transaction processing, tax reporting, and other services, and plan participants will retain access to a diverse lineup of Vanguard mutual funds via the Ascensus platform. Vanguard will continue to offer a one-person SEP IRA for small business owners who do not employ others. This agreement does not include Vanguard’s other retirement solutions.

SIMPLE, SEP, and Individual 401(k) retirement plans are best suited for the needs of small businesses. An Individual 401(k) plan is ideal for owner-only businesses looking for many of the same advantages of larger 401(k) plans. Multi-SEP and SIMPLE IRA Plans offer participants a simplified retirement savings solution with minimal administrative burden for the plan sponsor.

With more than four decades of industry experience, Ascensus is deeply committed to serving the unique needs of small business retirement plans. Already the largest administrator of retirement plans in the U.S., Ascensus extends its leadership position and offer to this key market segment with the acquisition.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024 and the acquired business will operate as part of the Ascensus Retirement line of business.

“This acquisition offers small business employers continued access to Vanguard’s investment strength and the technology, expertise, and operational excellence that clients have come to expect from Ascensus,” said Ascensus President Nick Good. “Plan sponsors and participants also will benefit from Ascensus’ commitment to providing flexible and intuitive digital experiences and sophisticated underlying technology, including a modern account management platform optimized for plan administration.”

“The breadth and nuance of small business plan administration increasingly requires deep specialization, and we believe business owners and their employees will be best served by an organization with significant expertise and scale in serving Multi-SEP, SIMPLE IRA, and Individual 401(k) savers,” said Armond Mosley, Principal, head of Vanguard’s Self-Directed business. “We know that clients in these plans will benefit from Ascensus’ longstanding commitment to helping these small business clients meet their retirement objectives.”

Separately, Ascensus provides recordkeeping and other administrative services for Vanguard’s 529 education savings business serving individual investors.

For specific information on these products, visit ascensus.com/vanguard .  

About Ascensus

Ascensus is a market-leading enabler of tax-advantaged savings—providing technology, services, and expertise that help millions of people save for a better future.

The company is a premier savings program service provider, third-party administrator, and government savings facilitator. Its platforms, industry knowledge, and data-based insights enhance the growth and success of its partners, their clients, and savers through co-branded, private-labeled, and governmental partnerships.

Ascensus offers comprehensive qualified and nonqualified retirement plan solutions, third-party retirement plan administration, 529 education and ABLE savings program administration, corporate- and bank-owned life insurance solutions, and fiduciary and total rewards services.

The company’s brands include Ascensus; Newport, an Ascensus company; and FuturePlan by Ascensus. Ascensus has more than $760 billion in assets under administration and employs more than 5,400 associates as of December 31, 2023.

For more information, visit  ascensus.com  and  newportgroup.com .

About Vanguard

Founded in 1975, Vanguard is one of the world's leading investment management companies. The firm offers investments, advice, and retirement services to tens of millions of individual investors around the globe—directly, through workplace plans, and through financial intermediaries. Vanguard operates under a unique, investor-owned structure where Vanguard fund shareholders own the funds, which in turn own Vanguard. As such, Vanguard adheres to a simple purpose: To take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success. For more information, visit vanguard.com .

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Michael Pollan's deliciously simple meal plan to avoid ultra-processed foods — and where it falls short

Michael Pollan is probably best known for the seven simple words of diet advice he first used to open a New York Times essay in 2007, which later became the backbone of a bestselling book :

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants ."

He knows it's really not so simple.

"We all make compromises," Pollan told Business Insider ahead of the release of his latest documentary, Food, Inc. 2 , out April 12. "We do the best we can, and people pick out the issues they want to deal with, and can deal with."

At home, Pollan tries his best to avoid eating industrial meat, eggs, or any other product from big factory farms.

He and his wife have set up their life to make healthy eating easy and affordable. They keep a stash of well-sharpened knives, ready to chop and cook a rainbow of veggies for dinner most nights. Lately, his table's featured stir-frys and pasta dishes, as well as some wild salmon, since they happen to be running in Alaska this season. Pollan also enjoys cooking a firmer, more protein-rich form of tofu I'd never heard of called yuba, which is essentially a soymilk skin. Hearty stews , perhaps with Indian or Moroccan-inspired spices, are some of the other fan favorites simmering around his kitchen island in Berkeley, California.

It sounds very healthy, very delicious, very aspirational … and pretty impossible. Because it is.

The reality is that Pollan does participate in America's industrialized food system. He's spent the better part of two decades investigating the way food corporations combine chemicals, plants, and animals in some very toxic ways, and as a result he feels "really uncomfortable participating in a system that was so brutal, not just to the animals, but to the workers in it," he told BI. But he knows that, ultimately, if you want to participate in US society, some amount of toxic and unethical food is unavoidable.

"If you had me over to your house and you were cooking a pork shoulder, I wouldn't be rude I would eat it," he said. "I'm not so zealous about it."

Still, he might have some intrusive thoughts while eating store-bought sliced white bread or fruit salad. He worries about the glyphosate that's doused on industrial wheat right before harvest and the harsh pesticides often sprayed on thin-skinned fruits like strawberries (he opts for organic whenever he can, but even that's not a guarantee of safety). "I think that the more you know about food, the more it shapes your diet," he said.

'Plant-based' is just a marketing trick from Big Food

Pollan's new documentary (in select theaters now, and streaming on Amazon Prime) is a follow-up to his Academy Award-nominated 2008 release "Food, Inc." "Food, Inc. 2" focuses on the few mega-companies that dominate our grocery stores and often end up deciding what we put in our mouths.

The film explores what happened at a Tyson meat processing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, during the first days of the COVID-19 outbreak (spoiler alert: it wasn't great.) It also features the voices of tomato pickers in Florida fighting for fair pay, Taco Bell employees asking for the same, one inventive farmer bringing a regenerative gizmo called the "clustercluck " to his cornfields, and Democratic Senator Jon Tester, who (when he's not in Washington) works an organic farm in Montana.

Over 90 minutes, the documentary takes you on a rather bleak journey through time, highlighting the many ways our food system has actually gotten worse since the release of the first Food Inc. 16 years ago.

And yet, it ends on a head-spinningly optimistic note. The shift is so stark it's almost funny. Just before the credits roll, the film encourages viewers to join the "movement" on its website, which encourages us to (surprise, surprise) eat fewer ultra-processed foods, support our local farmers by shopping at their markets when we can, reduce meat and dairy consumption, and then in our spare time, lobby for more antitrust law enforcement against the handful of big food companies that dominate the market for baby formula , meat, cereal, and other staples. Simple.

"The industry has a strong interest in complicating our relationship to food, creating problems that it can then solve — but it's a lot simpler than people think," Pollan says.

Is it though? Speaking to Pollan made me feel even more strongly than before that, even in a best-case scenario , for the thin slice of Americans who have the time, money, plus institutional and cultural support to adopt all of these grand ideas, some of the worst parts about our big, bad food system cannot be avoided. The emulsifiers that may mess with our gut bacteria in weird and poorly understood ways are sorely needed to keep food shelf-stable. And even if we stick to organics, the soil quality ain't what it used to be around here, meaning we derive less nutrients from the foods we eat.

"If you do eat food, not too much, mostly plants, you're going to be fine," Pollan tells me, doubling down on his old phrase.

But even he admits some caveats with his next breath. He's frustrated by the misleading "aura of health" that has sprung up around everything plant-based. That's a whole new game of whack-a-mole we have to play in the grocery store aisles. After all, sugar cane is a plant, and so is the corn that so many of our stabilizers, artificial sweeteners, flavors, and added ingredients come from. Plant-based diets aren't necessarily a beacon of health.

"I don't regard a lot of the stuff in the supermarket as food," he tells me.

But it's what we have.

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