free business plan checklist

Small Business Trends

How to create a business plan: examples & free template.

Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or launching your very first startup, the guide will give you the insights, tools, and confidence you need to create a solid foundation for your business.

Table of Contents

How to Write a Business Plan

Executive summary.

It’s crucial to include a clear mission statement, a brief description of your primary products or services, an overview of your target market, and key financial projections or achievements.

Our target market includes environmentally conscious consumers and businesses seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. We project a 200% increase in revenue within the first three years of operation.

Overview and Business Objectives

Example: EcoTech’s primary objective is to become a market leader in sustainable technology products within the next five years. Our key objectives include:

Company Description

Example: EcoTech is committed to developing cutting-edge sustainable technology products that benefit both the environment and our customers. Our unique combination of innovative solutions and eco-friendly design sets us apart from the competition. We envision a future where technology and sustainability go hand in hand, leading to a greener planet.

Define Your Target Market

Market analysis.

The Market Analysis section requires thorough research and a keen understanding of the industry. It involves examining the current trends within your industry, understanding the needs and preferences of your customers, and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.

Our research indicates a gap in the market for high-quality, innovative eco-friendly technology products that cater to both individual and business clients.

SWOT Analysis

Including a SWOT analysis demonstrates to stakeholders that you have a balanced and realistic understanding of your business in its operational context.

Competitive Analysis

Organization and management team.

Provide an overview of your company’s organizational structure, including key roles and responsibilities. Introduce your management team, highlighting their expertise and experience to demonstrate that your team is capable of executing the business plan successfully.

Products and Services Offered

This section should emphasize the value you provide to customers, demonstrating that your business has a deep understanding of customer needs and is well-positioned to deliver innovative solutions that address those needs and set your company apart from competitors.

Marketing and Sales Strategy

Discuss how these marketing and sales efforts will work together to attract and retain customers, generate leads, and ultimately contribute to achieving your business’s revenue goals.

Logistics and Operations Plan

Inventory control is another crucial aspect, where you explain strategies for inventory management to ensure efficiency and reduce wastage. The section should also describe your production processes, emphasizing scalability and adaptability to meet changing market demands.

We also prioritize efficient distribution through various channels, including online platforms and retail partners, to deliver products to our customers in a timely manner.

Financial Projections Plan

This forward-looking financial plan is crucial for demonstrating that you have a firm grasp of the financial nuances of your business and are prepared to manage its financial health effectively.

Income Statement

Cash flow statement.

A cash flow statement is a crucial part of a financial business plan that shows the inflows and outflows of cash within your business. It helps you monitor your company’s liquidity, ensuring you have enough cash on hand to cover operating expenses, pay debts, and invest in growth opportunities.

Tips on Writing a Business Plan

4. Focus on your unique selling proposition (USP): Clearly articulate what sets your business apart from the competition. Emphasize your USP throughout your business plan to showcase your company’s value and potential for success.

FREE Business Plan Template

To help you get started on your business plan, we have created a template that includes all the essential components discussed in the “How to Write a Business Plan” section. This easy-to-use template will guide you through each step of the process, ensuring you don’t miss any critical details.

What is a Business Plan?

Why you should write a business plan.

Understanding the importance of a business plan in today’s competitive environment is crucial for entrepreneurs and business owners. Here are five compelling reasons to write a business plan:

What are the Different Types of Business Plans?

Using Business Plan Software

Upmetrics provides a simple and intuitive platform for creating a well-structured business plan. It features customizable templates, financial forecasting tools, and collaboration capabilities, allowing you to work with team members and advisors. Upmetrics also offers a library of resources to guide you through the business planning process.

Business Plan FAQs

What is a good business plan.

A good business plan is a well-researched, clear, and concise document that outlines a company’s goals, strategies, target market, competitive advantages, and financial projections. It should be adaptable to change and provide a roadmap for achieving success.

What are the 3 main purposes of a business plan?

Can i write a business plan by myself, is it possible to create a one-page business plan.

Yes, a one-page business plan is a condensed version that highlights the most essential elements, including the company’s mission, target market, unique selling proposition, and financial goals.

How long should a business plan be?

What is a business plan outline, what are the 5 most common business plan mistakes, what questions should be asked in a business plan.

A business plan should address questions such as: What problem does the business solve? Who is the specific target market ? What is the unique selling proposition? What are the company’s objectives? How will it achieve those objectives?

What’s the difference between a business plan and a strategic plan?

How is business planning for a nonprofit different.

Business Plan Checklist

Whether it’s for a bank, investors, validation, and/or a roadmap, your company needs a written business plan to convert your ideas into an organized, professional document. 

The business plan format will change depending on why you’re writing it and who you’re writing it for. If you’re seeking validation, it’s best to start with a simple one-page pitch. On the other hand, if you’re pursuing funding, you’ll need a professional, formal business plan. 

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

  Regardless of the intentions behind your business plan, having a checklist of what needs to be included is helpful to make sure you’re effectively getting your ideas and strategies down on paper. 

As a baseline, your business plan should include these 10 sections:

Executive Summary

• Company Overview

Industry Analysis

• Customer Analysis

Competitive Analysis

Marketing plan, operations plan, management team, financial plan, the essential business plan checklist.

Here, I will explain the different elements you need to include in each section. Use this resource as a business plan questions checklist and mark them off as you go.

Your executive summary should explain the problem you are solving and how you intend to solve it. When reviewing your business plan, address the following:

• The function of your business
• Competitors
• Target customers
• Key financial highlights
• Key members of your team
• Business goals

Essentially, you want to ensure that your executive summary introduces your business in a detailed yet concise form, explaining the key parts of your business and the market.   

Company Overview 

Here, you will give a brief summary of your company as a whole and how it functions. Be certain to include:

• Company history
• Founding members
• Milestones you have achieved
• The legal structure of your business

    Finish Your Business Plan Today!

Your industry analysis will provide a summary of your market research. After doing your research, include answers to the following questions in your business plan:

• How big is the market?
• Where is the market currently: growing or declining? 
• Who are some of the key competitors? 
• What is influencing the industry? 

Customer Analysis 

In your customer analysis, you will explain the audience you are targeting and expect to serve. Be sure to focus on your target customers and the customer needs. It should explain the:

• Demographic profile of your target market
• Customer segments within that market

Your competitive analysis will address your competition in the market. It should have three subsections as follows:

• Direct Competitors: other businesses in your market (example: if you own an ice cream shop, other ice cream shops are direct competitors)
• Indirect Competitors: other businesses that may not specifically be in your business’s market, but provide similar results to that of your company (example: if you own an ice cream shop, grocery stores that sell ice cream are indirect competitors)

For each competitor, identify both their strengths and weaknesses. Be sure to address the following:

• What features do they offer?
• What is their pricing? 
• Who are their customers?
• What are they good at? 
• What are their weaknesses?

Describe your competitive advantages or what your business will do better. Here, provide answers to the following questions:

• Will you offer more or better features?
• Will you ensure better results for your users?
• Will you offer better pricing?
• Will your customer service be more efficient?

Be sure that your competitive analysis describes just how your business will succeed and stand out in its competitive market.   

Your plan should include the following marketing plan sections:

• Product : detail the specific features of your business’s product
• Price : identify your business pricing and if there will be different pricing levels (e.g., free, premium) and what exactly those levels will be
• Place : name where your business will be located
• Promotions : how you will attract customers to your business (social media advertising, pay-per-click advertising, magazine advertising, public relations, etc.)

Here, you will describe how your company will effectively meet the goals you identified in the earlier sections of your business plan. Your operations plan should have two sections:

• Every day short-term processes: all necessary daily operations completed simply for the function of your business (providing customer service, writing code, fixing bugs, etc.)
• Long-term goals: milestones you hope to achieve (reaching $X in sales, having Y amount of employees, etc.)

It is essential to have a strong management team for the function and success of your business. Be sure to include the following:

• Management team: highlight your key players’ backgrounds and describe their skills and talents
• Management team gaps: any experience that you think your business will need in order to succeed 
• Board members 

Your financial plan will document your 5-year financial projections , broken down in monthly or quarterly projections for the first year, and then annually thereafter. Your focus here is to show how much money you need, how much income you will earn, and when you will be profitable. 

Your financial plan should include:

• Profit & Loss statement 
• Cash flow statement
• Balance sheet
• Sales forecast
• Personnel plan
• Break-even analysis

To provide evidence to your numbers, include supporting documentation in your financial plan. 

Your appendix will provide any and all other documentation or information that you believe supports your business plan. If necessary, your appendix can include: 

• Resumes of key management, blurbs on other management members
• Job descriptions/titles
• Copies of forms
• Copies of licenses
• Personal and business tax returns (if applying for a loan)
• Marketing materials 

To ensure that your business plan effectively portrays the mission and potential success of your business, go through this checklist and make sure you have included each concept mentioned. A fill in the blank business plan also includes each of these key sections and can help you quickly and easily complete your business plan.  

Business Plan Checklist FAQs

How do i make a business plan checklist.

We’ve completed the hard work for you! You can download this Business Plan Checklist PDF for quick reference as you complete your business plan.

What are the 10 Components of a Business Plan?

Read our article detailing the 10 Key Components of the Business Plan .

Finish Your Business Plan in Just 1 Day!

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

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

Click here to finish your business plan today.

A Complete Business Plan Checklist - Key Points to include in your Business Plan and Track Progress

Creating an effective business plan requires addressing specific strategic and tactical questions with a high level of detail.

After you complete writing your business plan, how will you make sure that your business plan is complete and you did not miss any important details?

The best and easy way is to check your business plan with a standard business plan checklist.

Business plan checklist is the list of most important sections of the business plan that you should include into your business plan in the same order.

This checklist will guide you through the step-by-step process of writing an effective and successful business plan for your startup.

Business Plan Checklist

Please check the sections that you have included in your business plan from below list and track your  business plan progress .

Explore our 400+ sample business plans prepared for a wide variety of industries to help you start writing and planning your business plan.

Business plan checklist will also help you to write your business plan table of contents and outline of your business plan.

This business plan checklist is a general guideline for any standard business plan. But you should also keep in mind the purpose of your business plan and include specific details accordingly.

For Example, if you are writing a business plan for a loan from a particular bank, you should learn about their mandatory or specific criteria and must include that details into your business plan.

This business plan checklist prepared here will help you to think through your business and document it in a way that investors and other readers fully understand about your business.

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

Let's Track Your Business Plan Progress

• Business Plan Checklist

The Business Plan Checklist is a comprehensive guide to help entrepreneurs create an effective business plan. It covers a range of topics, from the basics of business plans to detailed information on each section. It includes a simple set of questions to help entrepreneurs assess if their business plan is complete. Additionally, it provides tips and suggestions for improving the plan and contains links to additional resources. It's an invaluable tool for anyone starting a business or revising their existing business plan. It's easy to follow, and can help entrepreneurs create a plan that meets their needs and get the most out of their business.

• Executive Summary: Provide a concise overview of your business plan..
• Business Description: Describe the nature of your business, including the products or services you offer, the target market, and the competitive advantages you possess..
• Market Analysis: Identify and analyze your target market and assess the potential for your business..
• Organization and Management: Describe the organization of your business, including its legal structure, ownership, management team and key personnel..
• Products and Services: Describe the products and services you offer, how they are priced, and how you will promote them..
• Marketing Plan: Describe your marketing strategy, including how you will attract and retain customers..
• Financial Plan: Provide an overview of your financial projections, including your income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, and break-even analysis..
• Funding Request: Outline your funding needs and how you plan to use the funds..
• Appendix: Include any additional information or supporting documents that you believe are necessary..

Checklist Category

• Startup Essentials

You may be also interested in

• Startup Funding Checklist
• Strategic Planning Checklist
• Business Model Canvas Checklist
• Financial Planning Checklist
• Market Research Checklist
• SWOT Analysis Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a business plan, a business plan is a written document that outlines a company's goals, plans and strategies for achieving them. it is typically created by the company's founders or management team and outlines the company's vision, mission, financial projections, and other important considerations., what information should be included in a business plan, a business plan should include a detailed description of the business, its product or service, its target market, its competitive advantage, its financial projections, and its management team. it should also include a detailed timeline for achieving the goals outlined in the plan., how do i create a business plan, the best way to create a business plan is to start by outlining the company's objectives and goals. from there, you can develop a detailed strategy for achieving those goals. finally, you can include financial projections and other details to help support the plan., when should i review my business plan, business plans should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that they remain effective and up-to-date. it is important to review the plan on a regular basis to ensure that it is still in line with the company's goals and objectives..

How To Write A Business Plan (2024 Guide)

Updated: Apr 17, 2024, 11:59am

Table of Contents

Brainstorm an executive summary, create a company description, brainstorm your business goals, describe your services or products, conduct market research, create financial plans, bottom line, frequently asked questions.

Every business starts with a vision, which is distilled and communicated through a business plan. In addition to your high-level hopes and dreams, a strong business plan outlines short-term and long-term goals, budget and whatever else you might need to get started. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to write a business plan that you can stick to and help guide your operations as you get started.

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Drafting the Summary

An executive summary is an extremely important first step in your business. You have to be able to put the basic facts of your business in an elevator pitch-style sentence to grab investors’ attention and keep their interest. This should communicate your business’s name, what the products or services you’re selling are and what marketplace you’re entering.

Ask for Help

When drafting the executive summary, you should have a few different options. Enlist a few thought partners to review your executive summary possibilities to determine which one is best.

After you have the executive summary in place, you can work on the company description, which contains more specific information. In the description, you’ll need to include your business’s registered name , your business address and any key employees involved in the business. 

The business description should also include the structure of your business, such as sole proprietorship , limited liability company (LLC) , partnership or corporation. This is the time to specify how much of an ownership stake everyone has in the company. Finally, include a section that outlines the history of the company and how it has evolved over time.

Wherever you are on the business journey, you return to your goals and assess where you are in meeting your in-progress targets and setting new goals to work toward.

Numbers-based Goals

Goals can cover a variety of sections of your business. Financial and profit goals are a given for when you’re establishing your business, but there are other goals to take into account as well with regard to brand awareness and growth. For example, you might want to hit a certain number of followers across social channels or raise your engagement rates.

Another goal could be to attract new investors or find grants if you’re a nonprofit business. If you’re looking to grow, you’ll want to set revenue targets to make that happen as well.

Intangible Goals

Goals unrelated to traceable numbers are important as well. These can include seeing your business’s advertisement reach the general public or receiving a terrific client review. These goals are important for the direction you take your business and the direction you want it to go in the future.

The business plan should have a section that explains the services or products that you’re offering. This is the part where you can also describe how they fit in the current market or are providing something necessary or entirely new. If you have any patents or trademarks, this is where you can include those too.

If you have any visual aids, they should be included here as well. This would also be a good place to include pricing strategy and explain your materials.

This is the part of the business plan where you can explain your expertise and different approach in greater depth. Show how what you’re offering is vital to the market and fills an important gap.

You can also situate your business in your industry and compare it to other ones and how you have a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Other than financial goals, you want to have a budget and set your planned weekly, monthly and annual spending. There are several different costs to consider, such as operational costs.

Business Operations Costs

Rent for your business is the first big cost to factor into your budget. If your business is remote, the cost that replaces rent will be the software that maintains your virtual operations.

Marketing and sales costs should be next on your list. Devoting money to making sure people know about your business is as important as making sure it functions.

Other Costs

Although you can’t anticipate disasters, there are likely to be unanticipated costs that come up at some point in your business’s existence. It’s important to factor these possible costs into your financial plans so you’re not caught totally unaware.

Business plans are important for businesses of all sizes so that you can define where your business is and where you want it to go. Growing your business requires a vision, and giving yourself a roadmap in the form of a business plan will set you up for success.

How do I write a simple business plan?

When you’re working on a business plan, make sure you have as much information as possible so that you can simplify it to the most relevant information. A simple business plan still needs all of the parts included in this article, but you can be very clear and direct.

What are some common mistakes in a business plan?

The most common mistakes in a business plan are common writing issues like grammar errors or misspellings. It’s important to be clear in your sentence structure and proofread your business plan before sending it to any investors or partners.

What basic items should be included in a business plan?

When writing out a business plan, you want to make sure that you cover everything related to your concept for the business,  an analysis of the industry―including potential customers and an overview of the market for your goods or services―how you plan to execute your vision for the business, how you plan to grow the business if it becomes successful and all financial data around the business, including current cash on hand, potential investors and budget plans for the next few years.

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How To Start A Business In Louisiana (2024 Guide)

Julia is a writer in New York and started covering tech and business during the pandemic. She also covers books and the publishing industry.

Business growth

Business tips

Business startup checklist: How to launch a startup step by step

Checklist for starting a business

1. Write a business plan

Parts of a business plan.

Depending on the complexity of your business idea, a business plan can be as short as a page or as big as a thick, data-packed document. No matter how simple or complex, every business plan should have at least a few key parts:

An executive summary , or a top-level outline of everything in the business plan.

A market analysis that evaluates where your business stands in relation to competitors, target customers, and industry trends.

A description of your products or services.

Financial projections like pricing and sales strategy, profit goals, and investor details.

An operational overview laying out the logistical "how"s of your business, including logistics, distribution, and production plans.

Business planning software

If you have any basic business experience or know-how, you can probably get through writing a business plan on your own, but if you're feeling totally lost or if you just want something to help move you through the steps more efficiently, business plan writing software might be the way to go. 

2. Estimate your startup costs

Calculating your startup costs will help you appeal to investors and estimate when your new business will start to become profitable. 

Types of startup costs

To begin, you'll need to calculate your exact startup costs. These may include:

One-time startup costs: state business registration fees, lease deposits, etc.

Labor costs: your salary plus worker salaries

Overhead costs: monthly office rent, utilities, taxes, computer equipment, production costs 

Start saving

Just like homeowners need an emergency fund for when the roof starts leaking, you also need an emergency fund for your new business. How much you need depends on the size of your operation and whether you're keeping your current job or going all-in on your new endeavor. It takes most startups at least a few months (and usually more) to become profitable, so if your startup is going to be your main source of income, you'll need at least a few months of operating expenses plus your own living expenses stashed away.

Find funding

3. register your business.

Even if your company is fairly small, there may be specific requirements in your state or county that aren't covered here. No matter what, make sure you do your own research with local and state governments or consult with a lawyer to determine the legal requirements that apply to you.

Pick a business structure

Business structures boil down to four main types: sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations. For legal and tax purposes, decide which type you'll operate under—though you can always switch to a different business type as your company grows.

Sole proprietorships: This is the simplest type of business to start and run. It means that you are the company, and all assets and debts of the company are yours too. This also means you'll be personally liable for all business obligations like lawsuits or unpaid debts, so this is the riskiest business structure. 

Partnerships: These are like sole proprietorships, except there's more than one owner. Co-owners typically structure their business relationship with partnership operating agreements. Partners split the company's legal and financial obligations and also share in the profits.

Limited Liability Companies and Partnerships (LLCs and LLPs): When you form an LLC or LLP, you work as a "member" of the company, along with any company partners. If the company goes into debt or gets sued, your personal assets are protected. Compared to corporations, there's less paperwork and smaller startup costs.

Corporations: When you incorporate, you create a separate legal entity that owns all of the assets and liabilities for the company. Corporations are usually more attractive to outside investors—you can "go public" with an initial public offering (IPO) and raise money through selling stock in the company. 

Choose a business name

If you plan to register a trademark on your business's name, keep in mind what can't be trademarked:

Any person's name who hasn't given expressed permission

Swears or other offensive content

Government flags and insignia

Your name also needs to meet the U.S. Trademark Office's requirements for "distinctiveness," which just means your trademark needs to be unique enough to avoid confusion between yourself and other similarly named businesses.

Register your company

All businesses except sole proprietors with no employees must register with the IRS and obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN). This is your company's federal tax identification, which you'll use when paying taxes, opening a bank account, applying for business licenses, and hiring employees. 

4. Open accounts and obtain permits

With your business plan in hand, it's time to lay the operational and financial groundwork to get your company off the ground. 

Open a company bank account

Get licenses and permits.

Common licenses and permits include:

Occupational license: Ensures that certain professions (e.g., doctors, lawyers, accountants) have the necessary qualifications and training

Health permit: Ensures businesses meet health and safety regulations, particularly in the food and hospitality industries

Liquor license: Allows the sale of alcoholic beverages

Sign permit: Regulates the placement and size of business signage

Zoning permit: Ensures the business is located in an area zoned for its type of activity

Find out if you need a sales tax permit

If you sell physical products and you operate in a state that collects sales taxes, you likely need to register for a sales tax permit. Most states administer these permits for free or for a nominal fee.

5. Set up a financial accounting system

Money can get complicated very quickly, so you want to have an automated system for financial accounting, budgeting, and documentation before you start making any sales. 

Basic bookkeeping 101

Income statements

Balance sheets

Cash flow statements

Bills and invoices

Quarterly financial statements

Tax returns

Understand your tax liability

If you have employees, you'll also need to keep in mind that employee taxes are paid to the government by the employer. If you've ever looked at your own pay stubs, you'll know that each includes a record of what taxes were taken out of your paycheck. Those taxes aren't taken by the government directly—they're taken out by the employer, who is then responsible for sending employees' taxes to the IRS.

6. Buy business insurance

As soon as you hire employees, open a physical location, or begin to scale your business, you'll need liability insurance of some sort. General liability insurance covers you in case someone is injured on your property or as a result of your company's activities.

Additional policies that are common for new businesses include:

Professional liability: Covers you in case an error or omission on your part costs your clients money.

Workers' compensation: Covers medical expenses and lost wages for employees who are injured while working. 

Business interruption insurance: Helps replace lost revenue if your business is forced to close temporarily due to a natural disaster or other event.

Property insurance: Covers your physical property, from company equipment to office or warehouse space.

7. Create a management system

For a single-person business, a management system can be as simple as a set of to-do lists for keeping track of budgets and schedules. Larger businesses will need to formalize processes for managing workflows, finances, schedules, team organization, and more.

Management setup

When getting your management system up and running, focus on the essentials. At a minimum, you'll need a structure for managing:

Calendars and scheduling

Customer communications

Budgets, invoices, and other financial documents

Industry-specific KPIs

Purchasing and order fulfillment

Invest in branding and marketing

The fun part, of course, comes at the very end of all the operational logistics. Take some time to think through your marketing strategy before launching your business. At a minimum, you'll need to start with a website, a logo, and social media accounts.

Establishing a brand identity

Consistency is far more important than trying for fancy, versatile, or expensive branding. A company with a simple, casual tone and one or two brand colors and basic designs will do far better than a company that tries out a different tone with each social post.

What's needed to start a business

Related reading:

This article was originally published in October 2016 by Melanie Pinola and has also had contributions from Allisa Boulette. The most recent update was in July 2024.

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Amanda Pell

Amanda is a writer and content strategist who built her career writing on campaigns for brands like Nature Valley, Disney, and the NFL. When she's not knee-deep in research, you'll likely find her hiking with her dog or with her nose in a good book.

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Business Plan Checklist

Write a Business Plan, a detailed outline of what you plan to do and how you plan to achieve it, and one of the most important documents for your new venture. You’ve had this amazing, and you’re finally ready to take the big step to start a new business.

Before you do anything, you need to write a business plan. A business plan aims to determine the probability that a business idea will be successful in the marketplace.

Why write a business plan?

A place to set out your business proposition, identify the market you are aiming for, who your potential customers are and research of competitors in the market.

A business plan helps clearly identify the opportunity, what success will look like, and what you need to make it happen, and it can also be key document when talking to investors like angels, banks, and venture capitalists.

Ask yourself lots of questions:

• How will you make this new business succeed?
• How will you generate revenue?
• What will the overheads be?
• Industry standards or certifications needed?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses within the plan?
• Will you need staff?
• Who are your competitors?
• How will you stand out from the crowd? What makes you a better choice?
• How much potential profit could you make?

Important elements of a business plan like goals, strategies, marketing and sales, financial forecasts and management structure.

Writing and documenting your business plan on a computer or simply with a pen to paper can help identify problems you hadn’t previously considered. Identify priorities for launch and stages where additional ideas would start to be implemented to achieve the goals and objectives.

Define business goals, objectives and strategies

A business plan defines the business’s goals, objectives and strategies for achieving them.

Research has shown the writing a business plan makes your startup more likely to succeed .

Successful start-ups created their business plan a year to six months before starting their business. According to them, “writing a plan in this timeframe increased the probability of venture viability success by 8%.”

Business plans can identify “Where you are now?” “Where you want to get to?” and “How are you going to get there?”

It also gives you a great way of explaining your business idea to others especially potential investors.

Define and map out your products and services.

What differentiates your products or services from competitors.

Understand the market, potential market size and share and what competitive advantage to you have over competitors.

Competitive Analysis: How are you going to succeed despite established competitors?

Market analysis: Why will you succeed in this market?

Identify who, what and where you will find your target market.

Right mentor to provide much-needed business advice.

Written document that describes your core business objectives.

Outline how you’ll execute the plan.

What needs to be done and when.

Map out business milestones or goals.

Set the plan tactics into practical milestones. Milestones are what you use to convert your business strategy and tactics into action. Example include launch dates.

Overview of the most important points about your company.

Planning out and working on your company’s financial projections enables you budget for your new business.

Your new business will have specific costs. Having an idea of the cost of running a the business is fundamental.

Set Up Your Business Structure.

Deciding on which formal business structure to use and register.

Writing a business plan can give you a clear idea of the stages of your business’ journey over a timeframe.

Now think about Marketing a New Business Basics.

Why is a Checklist Important?

Does the running of your business include several repetitive tasks? If there’s no guidance or procedure in place, it’s possible for some of the steps in the process to get forgotten. This is why checklists are important.

People get distracted, and when something gets forgotten, it’s much harder to recover than if they’d completed the task right in the first place.

Guidance every step of the way makes sure something is completed perfectly every time.

Read More: Why is a Checklist Important?

Checklist To Reduce Mistakes

We all carry enormous knowledge and experience that we want to apply effectively, but we are all prone to make mistakes. There’s only so much we can store in our heads without forgetting something. How to maximise our use of knowledge?

The simple answer to this problem is to use checklists.

Read More:  Power Of A Simple Checklist To Reduce Mistakes

What types of checklist are there?

How many types of checklists are there? Two. What are the two types of checklists? Read-Do and Do-Confirm checklists are about how you use checklists.

Read More: Types of checklist: What are the two most powerful Checklist Types?

Checklist Software

A checklist is a way to document each step needed to complete a task. A detailed set of instructions, a guide of how something is done. 

Checklist software allows you to document every step of a process to be used over and over again.

Read More: Checklist Software

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Free Business Startup Checklists

By Joe Weller | May 26, 2022

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We’ve collected the top free business startup checklist templates to ensure you account for every detail when launching your next venture. Use these checklists to track each phase of your startup so you don’t overlook any aspect. 

Included on this page, you’ll find a free business startup checklist template , a construction project startup checklist template , and a restaurant startup checklist template .

Business Startup Checklist Template

Download Business Startup Checklist Template Microsoft Excel | Adobe PDF | Smartsheet

When you have a clear checklist for your startup, you help ensure your venture is successful. This template comes pre-filled with sample sections for research, business relationships, finance, development, and other startup tasks, but you can customize the checklist to reflect the needs of your startup. Download this checklist template to help track all of the important steps in your pre-launch startup plan.

Visit our complete collection of free startup plan, budget, and cost checklists to account for all finance-related aspects of your startup.

Construction Project Startup Checklist Template

Download Construction Project Startup Checklist Template Microsoft Excel | Smartsheet

A construction startup checklist can help ensure that your project moves smoothly through every business phase. Use this customizable checklist to track progress and monitor every detail of your construction project startup. Enter required project elements and assign responsible parties for each task along the way. 

Download additional free startup business plan checklists , and find example plans to use as a reference.

Restaurant Startup Checklist Template

Download Restaurant Startup Checklist Template Microsoft Excel | Adobe PDF

Improve your restaurant startup launch with this comprehensive checklist, which prompts you to track design, finance, operations, administration, marketing, and personnel needs. Add categories to meet your specific needs, assign team members to tasks, add target completion dates, and track task status with this template. 

To learn more about budgeting for your startup, download free business startup budget templates .

Launch Your Startup with Smartsheet for Small Businesses

Discover a better way to connect your people, processes, and tools with one simple, easy-to-use platform that empowers your team to get more done, faster.

With Smartsheet, you can align your team on strategic initiatives, improve collaboration efforts, and automate repetitive processes, giving you the ability to make better business decisions and boost effectiveness as you scale. 

When you wear a lot of hats, you need a tool that empowers you to get more done in less time. Smartsheet helps you achieve that. Try free for 30 days, today .

Connect your people, processes, and tools with one simple, easy-to-use platform.

Powerful business plan templates

Plan for the future, no matter what your business plans are or the size of your business with these designs and templates. whether it's just one big project or an entire organization's worth of dreams, these templates will keep you and your company on track from ideation to completion..

Put your ideas to work with simple templates for every business plan

Every successful business took a lot of planning to get there, and these templates will be cornerstones of your future success. Whether you're looking to attract new business, pitch your services or reimagine your company, with these simple, customizable templates at your fingertips you can turn complexity into something tangible. These templates can become marketing assets or simply remain internal touchpoints for your team. And as your dreams change, you'll always have this template to refer to – it's easy to change what exists on paper. If you're a small business, focusing on your niche can help you dominate in your field, and you can forge a plan to figure out exactly what that niche might be and how to target your ideal customer . When it's time to share your vision with stakeholders, craft a presentation that outlines your plan succinctly and with style. Let these templates from Microsoft Designer be your partner in business strategy for years to come.

Business Startup Checklist—Free Download

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How to Create a Business Plan to Succeed in 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

As a small business owner, you’re no stranger to goal setting. Bolster your business for an even better year by preparing a sound business plan to help you achieve greater success in 2024.

What Is a Business Plan?

A business plan lists your company’s objectives and the steps you’ll take to achieve your short- and long-term goals. It’s an invaluable tool you shouldn’t be without.

Why Should You Have One?

Having a business plan is crucial to preparing for the future. Indeed, according to a Harvard Business Review study , 16% of entrepreneurs who develop formal business plans are more likely to have viable companies. 

Without question, a business plan can help you better target the right customers and identify the specific ways you’ll go about reaching them. A business plan can also prove invaluable when you need to access capital to keep your business going strong.

Achieve Objectives

Your business plan is a way to document your company goals for the year in one place. It’s a benchmark you can use to track the progress of your business activities, by individual departments and as a whole. Refer back to this document when you consider how certain investments may (or may not) contribute to the goals you’ve set forth.

Assess the Market and Industry

While you likely have a broad view of your target customers, dig deeper to identify what’s going on in your market and industry and include this information in your business plan. Research your competitors and better pinpoint your ideal clientele .

Outline Your Marketing Plan

Your business plan is a place to document what promotional avenues and methods you’ll leverage to reach your target customers. It’s also where you can notate the budget you anticipate and can afford to spend. Refer back to this periodically to make sure you haven’t veered off course.

Access Financing and Attract Investors

Whether you’re a new or established business, there comes a time when you need a boost of funds to get your company where you want it to be. Lenders, investors and potential partners will want to look at your business plan to determine if it’s worthwhile to invest in your venture. 

See Your Loan Options

When Should You Develop a Business Plan?

You should develop a business plan when you have a vision of where you want to take your company and could benefit from plotting a map to guide you toward that destination. A business plan can prove beneficial whether you’re a business owner who’s been running your operation for years or a startup entrepreneur beginning a new venture.

With the start of a new year, there will undoubtedly be new opportunities you’ll want to take advantage of. Creating a business plan can help set your business in the right direction. 

Keep in mind, as your business changes and grows, you’ll want to adjust accordingly.

What Information Should Be Included?

While business plans can vary in format, one thing’s for sure, lenders and investors will want to see several key details. 

This information provides insight as to where your business is today, how it got there and where it’s heading in the future: 

• Industry overview and forecasts
• Breakdown of customer segments
• Summary of the competition 
• Current business and sales data
• Business forecasts for your company
• Business performance over the past 2 years
• Comparison of business performance to upcoming year’s projections

Ready to start planning? Get our Business Plan Checklist .

How Do You Write a Business Plan?

When you’re drafting your business plan, you’ll want to address these elements. Be sure to create a compelling and detailed summary of your efforts to date and your anticipated trajectory.

1. Executive Summary

Think of this section as a book summary. In a few paragraphs, briefly touch on what you will cover in each section of your business plan. 

2. Company Overview

In this section, discuss your business history and the role of your company.

3. Mission and Goals

Clue investors, lenders and your team into why you started your business and where you see your business going. 

4. Market and Competitive Analysis

In this section, detail what’s happening in your industry, including market fluctuations, historical performance and projections. Also, identify your competition. Who are you up against for a share of the market you’re in? 

5. Operations and Management Plan

Explain how components of your company will contribute to your overall business plan objectives. 

6. Products and Services

Use this section to introduce your business’s product or service offering in detail. What do you sell and what customer pain point(s) does it address?

7. Marketing and Sales Plan

Detail how your marketing and sales plan will help you reach the goals you’ve set for the year. 

8. Financial Information

• Profit-and-loss statements
• Balance sheet  
• Cash-flow statement
• Expected expenses 
• Budget for anticipated expenses
• Best-case projections 
• Worst-case projections

Be sure your business plan projections can be supported by research or proven results.

9. Additional Supporting Documentation

Create an appendix for any relevant information not included elsewhere, such as charts, contracts, patents and permits. 

When Should You Use a Business Plan?

A business plan is an informative tool to map out a company’s growth strategy. It’s also an important resource owners and management can reference before making major business decisions. 

Additionally, it’s a critical document investors and lenders review when considering whether to provide a small business with capital for business development or expansion.   

Keep in mind, a business plan is not meant to be a static document. Adjust it as needed to reflect the evolution of your business. Here’s to your success!

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• Business Plan Checklist

Introduction to Business Plan Checklist:

Small Business Economics  found that  entrepreneurs that take the time to turn their idea into a structured plan are 152 percent more likely to start their business.

Are you bursting with ideas and eager to get the ball rolling on your business venture?

If so, you have come to the right place. 

This business plan checklist will help you transform all of those brilliant ideas into a coherent, organized, and professional business plan. 

Having a business plan will add legitimacy to your idea and will guide you in taking the appropriate steps to enable your business to blossom. 

Writing a business plan shouldn’t be complicated and we are here to help with the whole process.

Before you get stuck in, here is a little bit about us:

Process Street is super-powered checklists. It’s the easiest way to manage your recurring tasks , procedures, and workflows.

Create a checklist template and run individual checklists for each member of your team. You can check tasks off as you work through them, set deadlines, add approvals , assign tasks , and track each team member's progress .

You can also connect to thousands of Apps through Zapier and automate your workflows even more.

Let's get started. 

Complete the following tasks in a step-by-step fashion and you will see how quick (and easy) it is to write a professional business plan. 

Enter your basic information

Update this plan on a Q uarterly Basis. If you are running this checklist as a result of a drastic change within your business then run the checklist as though you are creating a new business plan from scratch. 

Having an up-to-date business plan is CRITICAL for the smooth running of any business. 

We recommend running through this checklist every few months and updating it whenever a change of plan occurs. 

Even if you haven't made any changes it is important to consistently check-in with your mission, values, and goals.  

The following tasks help to keep a record of who is editing the plan and how often. 

One-Page-Pitch:

A One-Page-Pitch is the simplest business plan you can write. 

Think of it as a one-page executive summary of your business. 

It is a great way to sort through all of your thoughts and get them down on paper before you begin writing a standard plan (this comes later in this business plan checklist). 

If you already have a One-Page-Pitch then upload it in the following task.

If not then no worries, just follow the checklist below.

Prepare one-page-pitch

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown below. 

If you have not yet created a OPP then create a document on your computer or on Google Docs. Then follow the subtasks below when creating the OPP.

• 1 Describe your business in one sentence
• 2 Describe the problem your potential customers have
• 3 Describe your solution to the problem
• 4 Explain who your target market/ ideal customer is
• 5 Describe your competitive advantage
• 6 Describe how you will sell to your customers
• 7 Describe what marketing activities you will use to attract customers
• 8 Detail your business model, what are your revenue streams
• 9 List your startup costs
• 10 List your primary goals and milestones that you want to accomplish over the next few months
• 11 Outline whether you wish to run the business alone or with a team/ freelancers
• 12 List any partners and resources you need to help you launch.

Whether you have just created a OPP or you already had one, upload it to this checklist for safe keeping.

Link OR Upload One-Page-Pitch below:

Standard Business Plan:

Why create a Standard Business Plan alongside a One-Page-Pitch?

Whilst a One-Page-Pitch is GREAT for getting your ideas on paper it lacks the components that make a business plan actionable. 

The Standard Business Plan delves deeper into the ways you plan on making your business happen. Most importantly, this plan is what investors and banks will expect to see. 

Are you ready to legitimize and set the infrastructure for your business? 

Remember to follow the tasks in a linear  fashion. 

Let's build your business. 

Define the opportunity

Use the opportunity section of your business plan to demonstrate what sets your product or solution apart from the crowd .

Explain the problem that you’re solving, your solution, who you plan to sell to, and how your product or service fits into the existing competitive landscape.

This section will also give you the opportunity to identify future plans and the vision for your business. 

Determine your mission

Bear all of your previous answers in mind and write a brief mission statement.

Consider the problem you are solving; the customer's needs; your solution to the problem; and how you will benefit. 

Identify future plans

A  vision statement determines the current and future objectives and plans of your business.

A business's vision guides your business in making decisions that should align with its values and goals.  A good vision statement  is short, simple, specific to your business, and leaves nothing open to interpretation. 

Use this section to validate your ideas and identify your future plans.

Prepare your vision statement

Now, briefly summarize your idea, future plans, and what you wish to accomplish with a vision statement. 

Write the Market Analysis:

A target market is a set of individuals sharing similar needs or characteristics that you and your business intend to serve. 

Because markets are constantly changing we have created sub-tasks within this section that allow you to quickly update the marketing analysis of your business plan. 

If this is your first time completing this checklist select:  first run-through from the dropdown menu below. 

If you have already completed this checklist but your business has witnessed big changes then run the checklist from scratch: as though it were the first time. 

Alternatively, select  check-in from the dropdown menu for any recent changes. This selection will save time and will not require you to go through the entire list of tasks within this section. 

• 1 First time

Identify customers

Pinpoint who your customers are.

The first step in ascertaining your place within your target market is forming a relationship with your future customers.

Like any relationship, the more you know about someone the more likely you are to know what they want and how they want it. 

Get personal , picture your future customer in detail:

How old are they? What sex do they identify themselves as? What are their tastes? What are their spending habits? 

There are lots more questions you can ask to REALLY get to know your target market.

Remember, the more questions you ask, the closer you get to identify your customer's wants and needs. 

Do some research, then tick each of the boxes once you have the data: 

• 1 Do you know how old your customers are?
• 2 Do you know what sex they identify as?
• 3 Do you know their tastes?
• 4 Do you know their spending habits?

Highlight competitors

Establish your place within the industry. 

Before you embark on your venture you need to know what industry your business falls into; who your competitors are; and where you and slot into the mix. 

Unsure of your industry or your place within it?

A thorough Google search should provide plenty of information for your market analysis. There are websites for business analysis, financial statistics, demographics, trade associations, and just about everything you'll need to complete this checklist and your business plan. 

This section of your business plan requires regular updating. All industries are fluent, ever-changing, and growing. Good business management involves consistent industry analysis. To stay on top of the game you need to know who the key players are. 

Consider what buying factors make a difference in the success or failure of your competitors:

Is it price? Product features? Service? Support? Website? Branding? Online presence? Delivery dates?

Establish keys to success

Consider all the data you have gathered in relation to your customers and your competitors. 

Given the data, what do you think are the vital components in ensuring your business's success? Ideally, you will have between four and six keys to success (KTS).  

Struggling to narrow down your ideas? Here are a couple of examples:

• Excellent product and service that will build and maintain customer loyalty.

• A commitment to continuous improvement and total quality services.

Calculate TAM SAM SOM

TAM – Your total addressable market refers to the overall demand for the products or services your company provides.

SAM – Your serviceable available market refers to the segment of your TAM which you can reach.

SOM – Your serviceable obtainable market is kind of like your actual goal. This is how much of the market in your location you can realistically reach.

For more information on this topic check out this Process Street blog post: What is TAM SAM SOM? How to Calculate and Use It in Your Business.

Use the form fields below to record TAM SAM SOM data.

Risk Assessment:

“A major lesson in risk management is that a 'receding sea' is not a lucky offer of an extra piece of free beach, but the warning sign of an upcoming tsunami.” ―  Jos Berkemeijer

Business risk can be understood as the factors and events that can impact a company's operational and financial performance.

From tsunamis to employees quitting; to pandemics and system failure. Risks can occur at any time and at varying degrees of disastrousness. 

In fact, a lack of risk management strategies causes over 50% of startups to fail within their first four years.

However, all is not lost. 

A thorough risk assessment of the environment surrounding your business is vital in mitigating risks. 

By considering possible risks you develop short and long-term plans that promote the steadfastness of your business. 

Consider any external risks

There are three main components of risk assessment:

• Identifying the specific risks that your business faces.
• Determining the potential impact of each type of risk identified. This is done by comparing the likelihood of occurrence vs. the extent of consequences faced.
• Evaluating how your current resources and expertise can deal with the most significant risks you face 

External factors

Economic Risk: Remember the financial crisis of 2007/8? That is the type of thing you consider when assessing economic risks, along with all changes in the market.

Natural Risk: Think of the tsunami example, this is a natural risk. Natural risk factors include natural disasters that affect normal business operations.

Political Risk: The 2010 crisis in Venezuela shows how political decisions take by governmental leaders can influence your business. Think taxes; currency valuation; trade tariffs or barriers; investment; wage levels; labor laws; environmental regulations and development priorities, can affect your business conditions and profitability.

For guidance on managing risk click here

Consider any internal risks

Internal risks.

Internal risks happen from within your organization.

Human-factor Risk:  All things relating to you or your staff and your ability to work.

Human-factor risks include:

Union strikes

Dishonest employees

Ineffective management or leadership

Failure within the production and supply streams

Failure to pay by clients/customers

Technological risk:  unforeseen changes in the manufacturing, delivery, or distribution of a company's product or service.

Technological risks include:

Failure of systems

Lack of skilled IT staff

Software and server problems

Dated technology and systems

Physical risk: is simply the loss or damage of assets  belonging to a company. 

Market and risk check-in

Consider any changes or developments  within your target market or risk enviroment.

Be sure to consider the following questions. 

• 1 Who are my potential customers?
• 2 What are their buying and shopping habits?
• 3 How many of them are there?
• 4 How much will they pay?
• 5 Who is my competition?
• 6 What have their challenges and successes been?
• 7 What are the internal and external risks?

Accessing the Target Market:

Complete the marketing strategy.

A quick note on the difference between marketing strategy and marketing plan: The marketing strategy informs the marketing plan, which is a document that details the specific types of marketing activities your business conducts.

Get out there. 

You've established who your target market is and who your key competitors are. The next move is to establish how you plan to reach your customers.

What is a marketing strategy? Y our business's game plan  for reaching your target market. 

A marketing strategy contains:

Value proposition: how your product or service solves/improves problems, what benefits customers can expect, and why customers should buy from you over your competitors.

Key brand messaging:  refers to conveying the value proposition and the language used in your content. It’s what makes buyers relate to your brand. 

• Nike : Just do it.
• Subway : Eat fresh.
• Levis : Quality never goes out of style.

Once you have determined your marketing strategy , complete the form fields below.

Data on target customer demographics:  we touched on this when researching the target market. Demographics are subsets of a target market that share particular attributes.

Understand the marketing plan

A marketing plan is operational and outlines a detailed advertising strategy. It details how your business plans to reach customers.

The plan includes details on promotional campaigns you plan to run and how you plan to monitor the effectiveness of these initiatives.

Whilst the following tasks cover the most important steps for a marketing plan there is a lot more you can do to increase your outreach. If you wish to delve deeper into the realm of marketing and planning then click here .

Components of a marketing plan:

• Market research to support pricing decisions and new market entries.
• Platform selection for connecting with customers and promoting your product or service.
• Tailored messaging that targets the demographics within your market.
• Metrics that measure the results of marketing efforts and their reporting timelines.

Plan how to communicate with customers

"The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits them and sells itself." - Peter Drucker, These 10 Peter Drucker Quotes May Change Your World.

Be creative in determining how to communicate with your customers. Think online, digital, radio, trade magazines, blogs, newsletters.

If you are looking for inspiration then have a read through this blog : 

Or this one .. . 

This is also interesting

Definitely check this out.  

*that'll do* 

Once you feel suitably inspired, fill out the tasks below.

• 1 Instagram
• 4 Telephone

Consider tailored messaging

Consider your value proposition and take the same tone that you did when deciding your brand messaging. 

Ever had something tailor-made? Remember the effort that went into customizing that item to be your perfect fit. 

This is what you want to do for each and everyone one of your customers, make them feel as though  you are the perfect fit for them. 

A tailored message is customized for each and every customer. They are great for creating a personal connection with customers and generating new business. 

Identify milestones

Milestones make your business plan specific, and concrete.

Milestones are dates, deadlines, tasks, and budgets.

Examples of milestones:

• When you launch the product/service.
• Open the new store.
• Hire a new person (or expand in general).
• Change locations online or offline.
• Start a new marketing campaign.

Milestones list and categorize what’s supposed to happen—and when it’s supposed to happen.

They include launch dates, review dates, prototype availabilities, advertising, social media, website development, and programs to generate leads and traffic.

The milestones set the plan tactics into practical, concrete terms with real budgets, deadlines, and management responsibilities. They are the building blocks of strategy and tactics. They are essential to  your ongoing plan-vs-actual management and analysis,  which is what turns your planning into management.

As you need tactics to execute strategy, so too you need milestones to execute tactics. Normally you’ll look for a close match between tactics and milestones.

You develop your milestones by thinking through strategy, tactics, and actions you need to take. 

Once you have determined your milestones, use the form fields below to record them. 

Identify metrics

Metrics are performance measurements that you track as part of your regular planning process. 

They are numbers that you gather to analyze and compare. 

The most obvious metrics are in financial reports: sales, cost of sales, expenses, and so on.

Understanding and managing financial reports and numbers closely helps to build accountability in your business.

Identify Product Details:

Input data concerning your product or service.

Hopefully, by this stage in your business plan, you know what your product or service is. In which case the following steps should be self-explanatory. 

Use this section to outline the details of your product.

Write sourcing strategy

When considering where you are going to source your products it is  really important  that you consider three things:

• Delivery time
• Quality control

Another thing to consider is  sustainability.

Climate conscious brands are becoming increasingly popular. Being a sustainable brand means that you can positively influence the environment whilst growing your business at the same time! 

Determine pricing strategy

Pricing strategy  refers to the method you use to  price  your products or services.

A good approach to take is to base the price of your product on production, labor, and advertising expenses and then add on a certain percentage so that you can make a profit.

Use the form field below to input your pricing strategy.

Indicate location and facilities

Consider where your business is based:

• Will your business have an online presence?
• Will you require the use of any extra facilities?
• How do you plan to distribute your product?

Establish Your Financials:

Assess your financial needs. 

What do you need to get your business off the ground? 

The following tasks feature checklists that guide you in getting your finances planned, documented, and organized. 

Remember to upload the final document to this checklist so that everything is stored securely in one place. 

Establish funding requirements

Use the form fields below to determine your business's financial needs.

Complete projected balance sheet

If you already have a projected balance sheet then upload it below and move on to the next task.

If not then follow this checklist to create your Balance Sheet Statement and upload the final document:

Determine your cash flow planning process

If you already have a cash flow then upload it below and move on to the next task.

If not then follow this checklist on The Financial Planning Process and upload/link the final document:

Legalize your business

The legal requirements for launching a business vary depending on your location, the size of the business, the number of employees you have, and so on. 

Research the specific requirements for your business and considering the following: 

• 1 Appropriate licenses and permits
• 2 Sales tax permit
• 3 Business License
• 4 Accounting and record-keeping system
• 5 Insurance

Write the Executive Summary:

Remember the One-Page-Pitch you wrote, this is a re-draft of that. 

Take everything that you have inputted thus far into account when writing your executive summary. 

Talk about the problem you are solving, what your solution is (your product or service usually), the market, the competition, and some key financial highlights. 

Prepare executive summary

Use this task to guide you in preparing your executive summary.

Utilize the subtasks below to ensure you include all of the required information. 

• 1 A summary of my business.
• 2 A summary of my products/services.
• 3 Your mission statement.
• 4 Your vision statement.
• 5 Summary of your organizational structure.
• 6 Summary of your target market and ideal customer.
• 7 Evaluation of the external and internal risks.
• 8 Summary of the future of my business and my industry.
• 9 Summary of my financial data and projections.
• 10 Summary of legalities.

Upload your executive summary in the appropriate form field below. 

Your Standard Business Plan:

Create a standard business lan.

Create a document either in Google Docs or on your computer.

Input the following headings into the document to organize your business plan:

Opportunity

Market analysis, risk assessment, marketing strategy and plan, product details, executive summary.

The following steps will gather all the data from this checklist. Copy and paste the data from each of the sections into your document.

Then upload or link the document. 

Basic Information

{{form.Your_name}}

{{form.Role_within_the_business}}

{{form.Today's_date}}

{{form.Problem_to_be_solved}}

{{form.Unmet_customer_needs}}

{{form.Customer_benefits_of_solving_problem}}

{{form.Proposed_solution_to_the_problem}}

{{form.Business_benefits_of_solving_the_problem}}

{{form.Mission_statement}}

{{form.Validate_idea_2}}

{{form.Identify_future_plans_2}}

{{form.Four_things_to_accomplish}}

{{form.Vision_statement}}

{{form.Potential_customers_2}}

{{form.Customers_buying_habits}}

{{form.Amount_of_customers_in_your_target_market}}

{{form.Amount_customers_are_willing_to_pay}}

{{form.Your_industry}}

{{form.Current_size_of_your_industry_2}}

{{form.Competitors_within_your_industry_2}}

{{form.Identify_lead_competitors_2}}

{{form.Competitors_challenges/successes}}

{{form.Buying_factors_within_your_industry}}

{{form.Calculate_TAM}}

{{form.Calculate_SAM}}

{{form.Calculate_SOM}}

{{form.Identify_KTS}}

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Office Relocation Checklist: Tips & Tricks for Stress-free Office Moving

Is your business moving to a new office? Office moving can sometimes feel like brain surgery — being a meticulous process that requires careful planning and precision. 

Just as a neurosurgeon wouldn’t operate without thorough preparation, you can’t move an entire office without a well-laid-out plan.

First, you will need to assess what you have and what needs changing or upgrading. Then, you will also visualize how the new layout will support productivity with minimal business downtime.

However, creating a detailed office relocation checklist keeps things on track and ensures nothing slips through the cracks. 

With that in mind, let’s guide you on how to create the perfect checklist that would be specific to your needs, and of course,  help make your move stress-free and faster.

Plan Early and Create a Timeline

Early planning is everything when it comes to having a stress-free office move. 

You should begin at least three to six months before your intended moving date. When you start depends on the size of your office and the complexity of the move. 

For instance, you can have a relatively small office space, but the equipment, furniture, and general office setup require specialized handling. It means you will need to start making plans early enough to have those features and fixtures moved to your new location.

Having a well-thought-out timeline will help you throughout this process. You can start by:

• Deciding on a moving date that minimizes disruption to your business operations. Consider weekends or holidays if your business can’t afford the downtime.
• Appoint a project manager or an in-office moving team to oversee the move. Assign specific tasks to team members so every aspect gets covered.
• Break down the move into smaller, manageable tasks. This includes everything from finding a commercial moving company to packing up each department.

Decide on a Moving Company and Set a Budget

Choosing the right moving company can significantly affect the ease and success of your office relocation. 

Professional movers experienced in commercial moves understand the unique challenges of moving office equipment and can help ensure everything arrives safely.

Look for companies that specialize in office relocations. Read reviews of moving companies and look out for professional accreditations and licensing.

When it comes to budgeting, many companies offer free quotes for office relocation. It helps to contact at least three moving companies to compare prices and services. This way, you have a fair idea of the costs of moving and set your budget accordingly.

Note: Ensure the moving company offers adequate insurance coverage for your office equipment. Doing this protects your assets in case of damage or loss.

Assess Your Current Office Inventory

Before packing a single box, take a thorough inventory of your current office . Doing this helps you understand what you have, need, and can get rid of. 

Arrange your office items into categories such as furniture, electronics, office supplies, and personal items. 

Determine which items are essential and need moving to the new office. Consider the condition, usefulness, or relevance of each item.

Plan to sell, donate, or recycle items that won’t be part of the moving office with you. For instance, you can recycle outdated electronics and donate old furniture to charities. 

Office sales can be handy at times like this. You can sell off what you no longer need and get extra cash to cushion your moving expenses.

Backup and Secure Important Data

Regardless of the nature of your business, chances are high that you require some form of digital presence. 

Before moving offices, take extra precautions to back up and secure all your important data, whether it’s stored digitally or in physical form.

Suppose it’s digital data; back up all important files and data using cloud storage solutions or external hard drives. Secure important physical documents in labeled boxes or file cabinets.

Note: Also ensure that your preferred digital cloud or drive backup is secure and unbreachable.

Plan the Layout of Your New Office

Before officially moving in, take the time to inspect the new office thoroughly. It will help you to ensure that everything is ready and there are no surprises on moving day. 

A part of your new office inspection involves considering the layout . Here’s a fact: a well-thought-out office layout can significantly impact your team’s productivity.

Before moving in, plan the layout of your new space to maximize efficiency and create a comfortable work environment. Think about how different departments will interact and place them accordingly. 

For example, place the sales team near the marketing team for easy collaboration. Also, consider the placement of desks, meeting rooms, common areas, and storage. 

Designate spaces for break rooms. 

Note: Involving your team can provide valuable input on what works and what doesn’t. It ensures the new office meets everyone’s needs.

Coordinate IT and Utility Setup

An essential part of your office relocation checklist is the setting up of IT infrastructure and utilities. 

Do this ahead of move day for a smooth transition. The setup should handle everything from internet and phone lines to heating, cooling, and electricity.

Moreover, it would help to have a contingency plan in case of delays or issues with IT and utilities. It could be having a backup internet solution or temporary workspaces.

Pack Smart and Label Everything

Packing up an office involves more than just putting things in boxes. 

To ensure a smooth unpacking process, it’s essential to pack smart by clearly labeling everything.

• Your office moving checklist should highlight how items should get packed — it could be either by department or function. Doing this makes it easier to unpack and set up each area in the new office.
• Label boxes clearly to indicate their contents. Color-coding by department or using a number system can also be helpful. Consistency across departments is essential for a more efficient moving process.
• Pack a separate box with essentials. It should include office supplies, chargers, and important documents.

Notify Stakeholders and Update Your Contact Information

It’s easy to get lost in the maze of office relocation, but communication is key when moving offices. 

Remember; it’s essential to inform all stakeholders about the move well in advance to avoid confusion and ensure a seamless transition.

• Send formal notifications to your clients and partners via email, newsletters, and social media. The notification should include the new address and the date the new office will be operational. 
• Change your address on your website and other online directories.
• Notify banks, tax agencies, insurance companies, suppliers, and other relevant service providers of your new address. Doing this will help you avoid any service interruptions.

Key Takeaway — Creating the Office Relocation Checklist

Keeping your team informed about the components of your office relocation checklist is a must-do for every business. 

Get the team involved by sending out regular updates on the progress of the move or holding team meetings before the move to discuss the plan and address any concerns. 

The goal is to ensure everyone knows their role and what to expect on move day.

Once the move is complete, help your team settle in and get back to work. A smooth settling-in process ensures everyone feels comfortable and ready to tackle the next tasks. 

Pro Tip: Encourage feedback from your team about the new space so you can identify any issues and make adjustments.

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Corporate Mergers: Legal Checklist

A thorough legal checklist is vital for successful corporate mergers, complying with antitrust laws, securities regulations, and intellectual property protection. Pre-merger planning involves conducting due diligence, evaluating cultural and organizational fit, and developing financial projections. Companies must also examine potential competitive effects, obtain regulatory approvals, and prepare required documents. A meticulous review of employee benefits, labor issues, and intellectual property portfolios is necessary. To facilitate a seamless integration, a detailed post-merger integration plan should be established, addressing stakeholder communication, synergy analysis, and IT system consolidation. By meticulously following this legal checklist, companies can realize the full potential of their merger.

Table of Contents

Pre-Merger Planning and Preparation

In the lead-up to a corporate merger, companies must meticulously lay the groundwork by conducting thorough due diligence, identifying potential synergies, and establishing a clear integration strategy to facilitate a smooth handover. This critical phase sets the tone for the entire merger process, and its successful execution is contingent upon the effective collaboration of the Deal Team. Comprising representatives from both parties, the Deal Team is responsible for overseeing the due diligence process, analyzing financial data, and developing Financial Projections that outline the combined entity's future performance.

A comprehensive review of the target company's financial statements, contracts, and operational infrastructure is essential to identify areas of potential cost savings, revenue growth, and operational efficiencies. The Deal Team must also assess the cultural and organizational fit between the merging entities, ensuring that the integration strategy aligns with the overall business objectives. By conducting a thorough and methodical pre-merger planning and preparation phase, companies can mitigate potential risks, ensure a seamless transition, and lay the foundation for long-term success.

Antitrust Law Compliance Review

Concurrently with the pre-merger planning and preparation phase, companies must conduct a thorough Antitrust Law Compliance Review to verify that the proposed merger does not violate relevant competition laws and regulations. This review is vital to identify potential compliance risks and guarantee that the merger does not restrict competition or create a monopoly in the market. A detailed review involves an in-depth market analysis to assess the competitive landscape and potential impact of the merger on the market.

The Antitrust Law Compliance Review should cover the following key aspects:

• Market definition : Define the relevant market and identify the key players, market share, and competitive dynamics.
• Competitive effects analysis : Analyze the potential competitive effects of the merger, including horizontal, vertical, and conglomerate effects.
• Compliance risks assessment : Identify potential compliance risks and develop strategies to mitigate them.
• Regulatory approvals : Determine the necessary regulatory approvals and notifications required for the merger.

Securities Regulations and Filings

During the pre-merger planning phase, companies must also navigate the complex landscape of securities regulations and filings, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations to avoid potential legal and financial repercussions. This involves preparing and filing proxy statements, registration statements, and other required documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Companies must also comply with reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including filing periodic reports such as Form 10-K and Form 10-Q.

In addition, companies must navigate regulatory hurdles, including obtaining necessary approvals and clearances from regulatory agencies such as the SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Failure to comply with securities regulations and filings can result in significant legal and financial consequences, including fines, penalties, and reputational damage. Therefore, it is essential for companies to carefully plan and execute their securities filings and compliance strategy to ensure a successful merger transaction. By doing so, companies can minimize the risk of regulatory issues and ensure a smooth transition.

Due Diligence and Disclosure

Beyond compliance with securities regulations and filings, a thorough due diligence process is critical to uncovering potential liabilities, risks, and opportunities that can substantially impact the success of a merger transaction. This process enables the acquiring company to gain a thorough understanding of the target company's business, assets, and liabilities.

In conducting due diligence, the parties typically enter into Confidentiality Agreements to safeguard sensitive information exchanged during the process. The acquiring company will then submit Information Requests to the target company, seeking detailed data on various aspects of its business.

Key areas of focus in due diligence include:

• Financial due diligence : Review of financial statements, tax returns, and accounting practices.
• Legal due diligence : Review of contracts, litigation, and regulatory compliance.
• Operational due diligence : Assessment of business operations, management, and organizational structure.
• Commercial due diligence : Analysis of market position, competition, and customer relationships.

A detailed due diligence process helps identify potential deal-breakers, informs the negotiation of transaction terms, and facilitates post-merger integration planning.

Employee Benefits and Labor Issues

During corporate mergers, employee benefits and labor issues emerge as critical considerations. The integration of benefit plans and addressing union representation issues are key aspects that require careful attention to facilitate a smooth handover. Effective management of these complexities is vital to maintaining employee morale, minimizing disruptions, and achieving post-merger success.

Union Representation Issues

As corporate mergers involve the integration of two or more companies, union representation issues emerge as a critical concern, particularly concerning the preservation of employee benefits and labor rights. The merging companies must address the potential impact on existing collective bargaining agreements, union dues, and employee representation.

To navigate these complex issues, companies should consider the following key factors:

• Determine the applicability of existing collective bargaining agreements : Identify which agreements will remain in effect and which may need to be renegotiated or terminated.
• Assess the impact on union dues : Clarify how union dues will be collected and allocated, and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
• Evaluate the representation rights of employees : Determine which employees will be represented by a union and which will not, and ensure that their rights are protected throughout the merger process.
• Develop a plan for union communications and negotiations : Establish a clear plan for communicating with union representatives and negotiating any necessary agreements or modifications.

Benefit Plan Integration

In the context of a corporate merger, integrating benefit plans poses significant challenges, particularly in reconciling disparate employee benefits and labor issues that may have far-reaching implications for the merged entity. The integration process requires a thorough analysis of the plans in place, including health, retirement, and other welfare benefits, to identify potential conflicts and areas of inconsistency.

A key consideration is Plan Consolidation, which involves combining the benefit plans of the merging entities into a single, unified plan. This process requires a careful assessment of the terms, conditions, and administration of each plan to confirm compliance with relevant laws and regulations. A thorough Risk Assessment is also vital to identify potential liabilities and areas of exposure, such as disparate treatment of employees or inconsistent plan administration.

To mitigate these risks, it is vital to develop a detailed integration plan that addresses the complexities of benefit plan integration, including plan design, funding, and administration. This plan should also consider the potential impact on employee morale, retention, and overall business operations. By taking a proactive and strategic approach to benefit plan integration, merging entities can minimize disruption, confirm compliance, and create a unified benefits program that supports the success of the merged entity.

Intellectual Property Protection

Comprehensive protection of intellectual property is crucial for companies involved in corporate mergers to prevent the unauthorized use, disclosure, or theft of valuable assets such as patents, trademarks, and trade secrets . Intellectual property protection is vital to safeguard the competitive advantage and reputation of the merged entity.

During the merger process, it is essential to conduct a thorough review of the intellectual property portfolios of both companies to identify potential risks and opportunities. This includes:

• Patent valuation : Assessing the validity, scope, and potential value of patents held by each company to determine their potential impact on the merged entity.
• Trademark clearance : Conducting thorough searches to identify potential trademark infringement risks and ensuring that all trademarks are properly registered and protected.
• Trade secret protection : Implementing measures to safeguard confidential information and trade secrets, including non-disclosure agreements and access controls.
• Licensing and assignment : Reviewing and updating licensing agreements and assignments of intellectual property rights to ensure they are properly transferred to the merged entity.

Post-Merger Integration Planning

Post-merger integration planning is a critical phase that requires meticulous attention to guarantee a seamless consolidation of the merged entities. This process involves aligning the merger strategy with the overall business objectives, integrating the cultures of the combining organizations, and consolidating IT systems to eliminate redundancy and enhance operational efficiency. Effective planning in these key areas is vital to realizing the anticipated synergies and long-term success of the merged entity.

Merger Strategy Alignment

How do companies guarantee that their merger strategy remains aligned with their overall business objectives during the complex and often tumultuous post-merger integration process? Maintaining strategic alignment is vital to realizing the anticipated benefits of the merger. A well-planned merger strategy alignment involves a thorough review of the company's objectives, identification of areas that require integration, and a clear understanding of the expected outcomes.

To achieve this alignment, companies should:

• Conduct a synergy analysis : Identify potential cost savings, revenue enhancements, and operational efficiencies that can be achieved through the merger.
• Establish a clear communication plan : Confirm that all stakeholders, including employees, customers, and suppliers, are informed about the merger and its objectives.
• Obtain stakeholder buy-in : Engage with key stakeholders to secure their support and cooperation throughout the integration process.
• Develop a detailed integration roadmap : Outline the key milestones, timelines, and resources required to achieve the merger objectives.

Cultural Integration Plan

A seamless cultural integration plan is vital for fostering a unified corporate identity, as it enables the merging entities to reconcile their diverse values, norms, and work practices. This plan should address potential Communication Barriers that may arise from differences in language, cultural nuances, and communication styles. Effective Change Management is critical in mitigating the risks associated with cultural integration, ensuring that employees adapt to the new organizational structure and processes.

| Training and Development | Inadequate skills, knowledge gaps | Training programs, knowledge sharing, and talent development initiatives

IT System Consolidation

As cultural integration takes hold, the merging entities must turn their attention to consolidating IT systems to create a unified technology infrastructure that supports the newly formed organization's operations and strategic objectives. This critical phase of post-merger integration planning involves harmonizing disparate systems, applications, and data to drive efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance competitiveness.

To achieve a seamless IT system consolidation, the following key steps should be taken:

• Conduct a thorough IT system assessment : Identify redundant systems, applications, and infrastructure to determine what can be retired, consolidated, or integrated.
• Develop a unified system architecture : Design a cohesive system architecture that aligns with the organization's strategic objectives and supports future growth.
• Plan and execute data migration : Migrate data from legacy systems to new platforms, maintaining data integrity, security, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Implement change management and training programs : Educate employees on new systems, processes, and procedures to facilitate a smooth shift and minimize disruption to business operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the tax implications of a cross-border merger?.

In a cross-border merger, tax implications arise from conflicting jurisdictions, potentially leading to double taxation. Achieving tax neutrality is vital, as it guarantees that the merger is not deterred by taxation, and requires careful planning to navigate complex international tax laws.

Can a Merger Be Undone if It Doesn't Meet Expectations?

In the event of a merger not meeting expectations, exit strategies can be employed to mitigate losses. Damage control measures, such as divestiture or restructuring, may be implemented to unwind the transaction, minimize losses, and restore operational efficiency.

How Do You Handle Confidential Information Leaks During Negotiations?

During negotiations, handling confidential information leaks requires swift action to mitigate Data Breaches and Insider Threats. Implementing robust access controls, encryption, and monitoring for suspicious activity can help prevent and detect leaks, ensuring sensitive information remains protected.

What Is the Ideal Timeline for a Merger Announcement?

When planning a merger announcement, an ideal timeline is vital. A strategic communications strategy should be developed 6-12 weeks in advance, considering stakeholder expectations and regulatory requirements, to facilitate a seamless and well-coordinated public disclosure.

Can a Merger Be Structured as a Tax-Free Reorganization?

A merger can be structured as a tax-free reorganization under Section 368 of the Internal Revenue Code, providing tax benefits to the parties involved, contingent upon meeting specific reorganization strategies and regulatory requirements.

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