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400+ Business Plan Examples

To help you write your business plan, we have created a library of business plan examples for almost all industries.

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Ok, so you have a great idea and want to start a business? What is the first thing you will need to start your new startup?

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.

Does a business plan make startup success inevitable? Definitely No.
But great business planning often creates the difference between success and failure. Entrepreneurs should do everything possible and tick all the boxes to set the platform for success.

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

Let’s get started with an important question.
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What is Business Plan Sample?

A sample business plan is a pre-written document that consists of an outline of all sections that you should include in your business plan. It also contains a step-by-step guide and sample text about what you should write in each section of your business plan. And that makes the business plan writing easier and faster.
Business owners often write a business plan to secure investment, but many other entrepreneurs find writing a plan worthwhile, even if they never work with an investor.
You’re already investing time, money, and efforts in planning your business — there’s no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to writing your plan.
Instead, use the properly defined structure and format which is created by other entrepreneurs who have come before you, to build a complete and effective plan.

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.

Why you should refer a business plan example?

A Business plan example will provide you with the complete format and structure for your document, giving you a head start on developing your document so you’re not stuck seeing an empty page working to find out where to start.
Also, it gives you the overall layout of a professional business plan so you understand what goes where and you’re not leaving out anything.
Here are some of the key benefits of using sample business plans:
  • 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.
Creating a business plan will help you define the business goals you want to achieve, and define the strategies to achieve them. This means you can focus your resources and energy on what is important, rather than wasting time on unimportant things.
If you’re working with a team in your company then having a regular brainstorming session is the best way to keep your business on track and your business plan assures you’re all on the same page.

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.

Remember, these sample business plans may not include specific details for potential investors or lenders. If you are writing a business plan to secure investment, verify with your target organizations — may be banks or investors — to understand if they have a particular template or guidelines that you need to attend to maximize your odds of success.
While no two businesses are the same, seeing other entrepreneurs who have come before you often help clarify questions and generate ideas.

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

Every startup and business is different in its way, so avoid copying a sample business plan word for word. It won’t be helpful as your marketing activity, team members, business goals, financing data, etc will be different.
One of the fundamental benefits of writing a business plan is simply going through the process of planning. Filling out your own thoughts will help you catch and include small yet potent details in your business plan that you otherwise might not have noticed.

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

Remember, a business plan is not just a document that you write to attract investors or impress your audience. But it’s your companion on your business journey. Your business plan will help you stay focused on your business goals and help you strategize and plan your efforts to achieve those goals.
Your business plan will help your team to see and visualize your vision and help them to understand what they are working to achieve even if they are working with you or remotely.

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.

For example, you must update your business plan if you secure investment, hire important board members or partners, plan to implement new marketing or sales strategies or add new products to your business. This will help you and your team to plan for the future.

How Business Plan Software can help you?

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

Our business plan builder allows you to write and customize your business plan. Our sample business plans and inbuilt help tips will help you to get started with your writing even if you are no expert. Our business plan sections and charts will make your document visually attractive.

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.

Whether you’re starting or growing your business, after reading your business plan you’ll be ready to take the next step to success.

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

Simplifying Business Planning through AI-Powered Insights.

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Imad Ahmed

Imad Ahmed

Founder, CEO & Lead Scientist at Nanolyse Technologies

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

A sample business plan is a pre-written document that consists of an outline of all sections that you should include in your business plan. It also contains a step-by-step guide and sample text about what you should write in each section of your 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.

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.

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.

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