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Business Plan Writing Service

Maximize your chances of getting funded

Our business plan writers develop plans that can help you win funding.

What you can expect working with our Team:

Business planning pros

You’ll work with a professional plan writer who will build a custom business plan for your unique industry

The #1 planning tool

Get free access to LivePlan software, which makes it easier to share and update your plan

A winning format

Our unique business plan format has helped over 1 million businesses

Expert business plan writers for any type of business

Business plans for startups

• Establish milestones to achieve success.
• Outline accurate startup costs.
• Fully establish the vision for your business.

Pitching to investors

• Plans are formatted to meet lenders' expectations.
• Ensures your projected financials are realistic.
• Be prepared with a strong plan to back up your pitch.

Retail, eCommerce, restaurants and other popular industries

• Plan writers with experience and expertise in your industry.
• Insights into what details are vital to succeed in your industry.
• Develop a strong value proposition to stand out from the competition.

What makes our business plan writing services different?

Our business plan format has helped companies raise millions.

Our writers use a business plan structure that has been tested and refined over the past 20 years. So when you hire a LivePlan business plan writer, you'll be maximizing your chances of securing a loan or investment.

Business plan writers trusted by top business schools across the U.S.

Since 1988, Palo Alto Software—the creator of LivePlan—has helped over a million entrepreneurs achieve success. Our business plan structure is even taught at top universities, such as Princeton and Rice.

Get matched with a business plan writer who knows your industry

Our writers are experienced professionals who have written hundreds of business plans. That means there will most likely be someone on our team who has experience in your specific industry.

The best decision I could have made to launch my business in the right direction. I definitely recommend these services to entrepreneurs and future small business owners.

Melinda Holden

Elite Liason Consulting

Maximize your chances of securing funding

Hire a LivePlan business plan writer today

How the process works:

Research and discovery

We first gain an in-depth understanding of your business. Then, we begin market research and examine your growth drivers.

Plan Writing

Once our research is complete, we'll write the body of your business plan and provide you with a draft to review.

Financial modeling

We'll turn your financial assumptions into forecasts that include everything lenders and investors need to see.

Design and review

You'll get a polished business plan with a design that matches your brand. You can then print the plan or share it online with a unique and private link.

Thanks for your interest in Services offered by LivePlan.

At this time, we are only accepting requests from the united states and canada..

My plan writer was responsive, and understood my vision from our first communication. I now have a living document that I can use and manipulate as needed going forward.

Marcus Flowers

TimeOut Sports Bar & Grill

Frequently Asked Questions

Business plan writing help and services for hire, will you review my plan and make changes.

Our review-only service just includes feedback, but if you decide you'd like to engage in our full plan writing service after participating in a review, we'll give you a discount.

What if I already started writing my plan?

If you have a partially completed plan, we can work with that. In fact, it helps the plan writing process go faster because we'll have to ask fewer questions, but you'll want to choose the full business plan writing service.

Do you do market research? What does that include?

Yes, we do market research. We have access to industry reports for most industries and we will use them to lend more credibility to your plan and validate the assumptions we are making in your financials.

What is included with the full plan writing service?

When it's all said and done, you'll have a full, lender or investor ready business plan, a one page pitch, and a free year of LivePlan so you can make changes to your plan as well as use our cash flow and business management tools to stay on track.

Can you guarantee that my business will get funded?

There are a lot of factors that go into the decision making process for lending that are beyond our control, like your personal credit. What we can say is that it is very difficult to get funding without a solid business plan and we make solid business plans.

Will you share my information?

We take your privacy very seriously and will not share your information.

How long will it take to finish my plan? / Do you offer an expedited service?

The average business plan completes in 3-6 weeks, depending on your responsiveness to your writer and our work load. We offer expedited services if you are in a rush.

Yes, we can deliver an expedited plan in as little as two weeks for an additional $1,000.

Does my business plan include financials?

What formats do you deliver in.

We deliver in PDF format, Word and we also give you access to edit your plan in a free LivePlan account.

How many pages is the average business plan?

We subscribe to the lean business planning method so we try to keep your plan short and to the point. Depending on the complexity of your business, your finished plan can end up being anywhere from 25-50 pages.

Pricing and Options

How much does this service cost.

The full plan writing service cost can vary depending on your needs. Book a call with us to request a quote. We also offer a lower cost business plan review service and a forecasting service.

Do you offer a la carte services?

We offer a review service (feedback only, no edits), forecast only service or full business plan writing service. If you have a partially completed plan, we can work with that, but you'll want to choose the full business plan writing service.

Do you offer a review service?

Yes. One of our business planning experts can review your plan and financials line by line and give you critical and constructive feedback to help improve your plan and increase your confidence when it comes time to deliver.

Do you offer an expedited service?

What if i don't like my plan.

You'll have the opportunity to review and leave feedback after each draft. We recommend taking the time to be thorough and thoughtful in your feedback as that is your chance to help mold your plan into something that really resonates with you.

Expert Plan Writers and Consultants

Who writes my business plan.

You will be paired with one dedicated individual from our small team of highly trained and experienced business planning professionals. Each one is a uniquely qualified business planning expert who can translate your ideas into a business plan that will appeal to your audience.

Is my plan writer an expert in my industry?

Our business plan writers are experts specifically in business plan writing. We've worked with every industry imaginable so the likelihood that they have some familiarity with your industry is high, but if you are looking for a business consultant this may not be a good fit.

What kind of background will my writer have? Are they outsourced from other countries? Have they been writing business plans for very long?

We are a small team of well educated business planning experts. Each writer's background varies but they all have financial or business education as well as years, small business management or consulting and business plan writing experience. They are all well vetted and really good at what they do, which is write plans that help you get funded.

Small Business Definitions

What is a business plan.

In its simplest form, a business plan is a guide—a roadmap for your business that outlines goals and details how you plan to achieve those goals. At its heart, a business plan is just a plan for how your business is going to work, and how you're going to make it succeed. Read our full article on "What is a business plan" here.

What is in a business plan?

The executive summary is an overview of your business and your plans. It comes first in your plan and is ideally only one to two pages. Most people write it last, though.

The opportunity section answers these questions: What are you actually selling and how are you solving a problem (or "need") for your market? Who is your target market and competition?

In the execution chapter of your business plan, you'll answer the question: how are you going to take your opportunity and turn it into a business? This section will cover your marketing and sales plan, operations, and your milestones and metrics for success.

Investors look for great teams in addition to great ideas. Use the company and management chapter to describe your current team and who you need to hire. You will also provide a quick overview of your legal structure, location, and history if you're already up and running.

Your business plan isn't complete without a financial forecast . We'll tell you what to include in your financial plan, but you'll definitely want to start with a sales forecast, cash flow statement, income statement (also called profit and loss), and your balance sheet.

If you need more space for product images or additional information, use the appendix for those details.

Read our full article "How to Write a Business Plan — the Comprehensive Guide" for more information, here.

Why is a business plan important?

There are many reasons why it is important to have a business plan. A business plan is essential if you're seeking a loan or investment, can help you make big spending decisions with confidence and is a solid foundation for ongoing strategic planning and prioritization. Read our full article on "8 Reasons Having a Business Plan is Important" here.

What is a business plan writer/consultant?

A business plan writer/consultant is a business and financial expert who can help guide you through the process of creating a business plan and do much of the labor involved in creating it. They will work with you to understand your business model, do market research, create financial projections and offer guidance as all of those pieces are brought together in a full business plan document.

How to pick a business plan writer/consultant?

Picking a business plan writer or business plan consultant is an important decision — you'll want to find someone dedicated to your success, with experience in your industry or field and that is in it for the long haul. Read our full article on "Things to Look for When Hiring a Business Plan Writer" here.

Why should you pay someone to write your business plan?

You don't have time. Starting a business is time consuming. Oftentimes people have to juggle a regular 9-5 job while working on starting their business. That doesn't leave a lot of time for a big writing project. Hiring a professional to write your business plan can help you give you time to focus on the tasks that are critical to getting your business off the ground.

You want to make sure it is done right, the first time. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Hiring a professional to write your plan for you can give you the peace of mind that your plan is the best it can be when you present it to potential lenders or investors.

Business Plan Experts helps you grow your business.

Business plans.

• Immigration

Unsecured Business Loans

• First-time Buyers
• Foreign Investor
• Construction
• Corporation Registration
• Bookkeeping
• Business Taxes
• Personal Taxes

Why Choose Business Plan Experts?

Experts - first rate custom plans.

Our team of 30+ skilled specialists ready to assist you, right away.

Multilingual - 7 Languages, All in House

English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Russian, and Italian for your choosing.

Responsive - Quality Work Great Timing

We have the fastest delivery time in the industry, we’ve got you covered.

Trusted - 900+ Partners

We operate on trust and create value through quality and meaningful work.

Experienced - Proficient Across Industries

We can help you, no matter the industry, we have expertise in over 120.

Customer Focused - 97% Customer Satisfaction

We value our relationships by focusing on what matters, our customers.

About Business Plan Experts

Business Plan Experts is the most reliable business consulting solutions provider in North America with offices located in Miami and Toronto. Our unique advantage and benefit for our clients is in the fact that we are preparing all of the professional documentation for financing, immigration, and any other purposes. 

Business Plan Experts By the Numbers

$million in funding secured, companies financed, trusted partners, years of experience.

Your Expert Business Plan Consultant

Call Us Today at:

800-216–3710

What Makes Growthink Unique

Customized business plans.

We work closely with you to understand and improve your business model, target market, plans for securing funding and increasing sales, and other aspects of your unique vision to build a custom business plan and financial plan that will help you reach your company goals.

Experienced Consultants

Growthink’s business planning team has world-class academic, entrepreneurial, and financial backgrounds, including experience starting, financing, and growing businesses and working as angel, venture capital, and private equity investors.

Vast Client Experience

We have developed business plans for clients worldwide in hundreds of industries across every organizational type – startups, small businesses, mid-sized companies, large corporations, nonprofit and government organizations.

Better Strategic Planning

We don’t just document your business ideas on paper. Our business plan consultants conduct market research and collaborate with you to create strategies for you to succeed in both today’s environment and over the long term.

$5+ Billion in Funding Raised

We are in constant contact with investors, lenders, and other funding sources. This enables our consultants to develop business plans and pitch decks that raise capital. Growthink clients have raised billions of dollars in debt and equity funding.

Expert Market Research

We have access to several market research databases to help you better understand the emerging trends in your industry and better identify your target markets, potential risks, and growth opportunities to develop a truly comprehensive business strategy.

What the Media Says

Based on Growthink’s track record and leadership, the media constantly contacts us for advice and information on business planning and capital raising. In fact, multiple media sources refer to us as the “Business Plan Experts.”

Growthink has been featured in over 500 media sources including the following:

We are also proud to have been selected as one of America’s Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes Magazine and Statista.

Speak With a Growthink Business Plan Consultant

Who we serve, early stage entrepreneurs, small businesses, mid-sized to larger companies, fortune 500 companies, nonprofit and government organizations, representative clients, sample clients who have entrusted growthink with developing their business plans include:.

See what our clients have said about Growthink’s quality business plan consulting services:

Client success stories.

I was very impressed with how quickly Growthink grasped our unique industry and business.

In a short period of time, they completed research, a beautiful pitch deck and financial projections that we used in our Series A round, which closed successfully.      

I worked with the team at Growthink to accelerate the development of the original Integreon business plan.

They are a sharp, creative, and results-focused group. I recommend them highly to companies of all sizes looking to turbo-charge the development of their strategic business plans and their businesses.

We really appreciated working with you! The team you assembled, the quality of your work and the process you took us through really helped us in our thinking. It wasn’t just the meetings and reports you created, but also the structured process that forced us to really think through our target customers, our marketing process, our onboarding process, what technology we must deliver and when – all of that was super helpful.

V Starr Interiors

I loved working with Growthink.

The staff are passionate about their work and committed to what they do in a way that can only be achieved when you love what you do. They helped keep us on track to achieve our planning goals.

I am looking forward to continued success working with everyone from Growthink in the future.

I absolutely loved working with Growthink!

They listened to our objectives and truly understood what our mission was prior to beginning our project. They hit all their milestones on-time and on-point. They ultimately delivered a very valuable tool that will have tremendous use to us in our growth plan.

I highly recommend Antonio and the Growthink team.

Our Story & Mission

In 1999, Growthink co-founders Dave Lavinsky and Jay Turo graduated with their MBAs from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. They conceived Growthink from their deep and abiding passion and curiosity for business. As Turo says, “The work we do at Growthink is what Dave and I would just naturally do whenever we got together – talking about businesses we love and how to make them better.”

Growthink’s mission is to help executives and entrepreneurs grow their businesses so they can create jobs, offer customers better products and services, realize personal satisfaction and wealth, and fund programs that make the world a better place.

Speak with a Growthink business plan consultant today

What it’s like to work with a professional business plan consultant, our business plan consulting methodology, management interviews, strategic market research, draft plan & financial modeling, review & revise, package & finalize.

• Management Interviews : In this first phase, we collect and document your “verbal” growth plan, including your vision, key accomplishments to date, challenges and opportunities, business objectives and goals, and growth strategies. In this phase we also identify and refine key research questions, and work to define and communicate an effective “story” for the business plan. Your “story” is what’s going to appeal to investors and lenders.
• Strategic Market Research : In this phase, we size the relevant market place, analyze competitors, profile existing and prospective customer groups, and perform our due diligence to identify opportunities to grow your own business. Growthink also conducts “benchmarking research” — this involves identifying other companies that have succeeded and/or failed with similar businesses and/or initiatives.
• Executive Summary
• Company Analysis
• Customer and Market Analyses
• Industry and Competitive Analyses
• Development, Operations and Marketing Plans
• Management Team

We will also deliver your complete financial model at this time , including the financial projections .

• Review and Revise : In this phase, we review the draft plan with you and discuss the focus, wording, and flow of the document. We incorporate any necessary revisions and refinements, and prepare the revised plan.
• Package and Finalize : The final stage involves creating a clean, professional document, with graphical enhancements, that is copy-edited, formatted, and ready to be presented to stakeholders and investors.

Business Plan Consulting FAQs

A business plan consultant helps small business owners, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and established businesses develop business plans that will help them raise bank loans, equity funding and other forms of funding for their businesses. A quality business plan advisor will also ensure the business’ growth strategy is solid. We are the industry experts in helping many entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives create professional business plans that are well thought out to point your business in the right direction and powerful tools to convince potential investors to fund your project or lend you money.

Every business is unique, so there’s no cookie-cutter business plan. Every business owner has different strengths and weaknesses they bring to the table. We want our clients to get the most out of their business plan by solving problems, leveraging strengths, and highlighting new business opportunities for growth – all while taking it one step at a time.

Growthink starts with what’s important to you: What are your current challenges? What do you hope this business will achieve? Our business planning advisors are there to help make your vision a reality – whether through helping improve your day-to-day operations or providing the strategic planning necessary for companies on an upwards trajectory. Whatever stage you’re at in your company’s life cycle, our business plan consulting firm can help judge the needs of your business and provide solutions based on our years of experience working with companies in a variety of industries.

Read more about  Our Business Planning Process & Methodology .

Growthink’s business plan consultants can produce a custom business plan in as little as seven days, but it may vary depending on the complexity of the business.

The cost for professional business plan development services varies depending on the complexity of the company.

Business Plan Consultants Case Studies

Fathead is the leading brand in sports and entertainment wall graphics with hundreds of officially licensed products. The Company’s product line-up includes Fathead Tradeables, Fathead Jr., Fathead Skins, Furniture for Fans, and of course, our “Real.Big®” Fathead, the officially licensed, life-size, hi-def wall graphics of professional athletes, animated heroes, entertainment characters, team helmets, and logos. Growthink was engaged to analyze trends within the market and create the Company’s strategic business plan. Since working with Growthink, Fathead was acquired by a leading conglomerate of sports and entertainment properties.

Cardio Quick Systems

Porsche Design

Porsche Design Group is a majority-owned subsidiary of Porsche. The company’s activities are focused on the business areas of Porsche Design, Porsche Design Driver’s Selection, and the Porsche Design Studio. Growthink was retained to design and draft a business plan to extend the Porsche unique male luxury brand positioning into the retail arena — specifically sunglasses, leather goods, golf, and electronic products. The business plan and findings were presented directly to the Porsche family, which fully backed it. The Porsche Design Group has since grown dramatically and now operates in many retail locations in the United States and worldwide.

Integreon is a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm that offers a wide range of knowledge and legal support  services  to professionals. Growthink was retained to develop Integreon’s business plan, which focused on raising capital and scaling the business. Since working with Growthink, Integreon has raised over $50 million in venture capital, grown from 12 to 2,000 employees, and is now one of the largest BPO firms in the world.

GET A FREE CONSULTATION

Let growthink's business plan consultants help you.

We are very proud of our business plan consultancy services and are confident we can help you raise money and grow your business. Call us today or fill out our form to get started.

Home Business Plan Consulting

• Business Plan Consulting

Strategic Business Plan Consultants

Our team of experienced business consultants provide you with one-on-one consulting and strategic advisory to grow and scale your business.

Strategize the Launch & Growth of Your Business

We specialize in providing high-quality, comprehensive strategic plans that outline your short-term and long-term growth goals. We provide you with strategic recommendations for marketing, operations, and financials and also partner with you every step of the way to implement each strategy. 

• Business.com's #1 Business Plan Company (2016-2022)
• Trusted by 12,000+ Clients within 150 Industries
• Five-Star Rating Across All Review Platforms

Create Your Roadmap for Success

Our team consists of strategic advisors, business consultants, marketing and branding experts, financial analysts, and operational masterminds. We start by learning about your current operations and challenges. Then, we collaborate with you to establish a tactical roadmap to grow revenue, increase profitability, and maximize operational efficiency. 

Get Your Free Business Plan Consulting Proposal

What you'll get:.

• Business Plan Content Advice
• Market Research Advice
• Business Plan Review
• Our Business Plan Process
• Custom Marketing Advice
• Custom Funding Advice
• Why We Are The Best Choice
• What We Charge

Experienced Business Plan Experts & Advisors at Your Service

Our Proven Engagement Process

Interviews with management team.

Our team will start by learning about your business model, historical performance, and current challenges to identify the key points of emphasis to address during our engagement together.

Market & Opportunity Assessment

We will conduct strategic market research to analyze the viability of your potential growth strategies and gather business intelligence on the competitive landscape.

Strategic Recommendations

Supported by industry leading market research and financial analysis, our team will provide you with recommendations on your business model, marketing strategies, operational process, and overall financial growth strategy.

Strategic Plan Documentation

Once we define your growth strategy, we will create a business plan that provides you with a tactical roadmap that defines the step-by-step milestones needed to reach your company’s growth goals.

Management Team Review Call

Plan editing & final delivery, expect the absolute best, experienced consultants.

We partner you with a team of senior consultants who have helped entrepreneurs in over 100 industries. No salespeople, junior analysts, or outsourced vendors.

Strategic Advisory Process

We don’t just document your ideas onto paper. As your consultants, we brainstorm, research, and recommend the best strategies to launch and grow your business.

Fully Customized. No Templates.

No templates or long questionnaires. We work with you to strategize your business and build a customized plan to represent your unique vision.

Cost Effective & Results Driven

We understand that time is money. We guarantee the highest quality work at the most competitive price, handling all business plan writing and research so you have more time to focus on launching and growing your business.

Over $1 Billion in Funding Raised

We understand the requirements of financial institutions, angel investors, and institutional capital partners. Our clients also get access to our investor and bank network, that we have built over multiple years.

Growth Strategy Implementation

The business plan is just step one in our process. We can help you through every stage of growth. Including creating a website, generating leads, implementing effective marketing campaigns, bookkeeping, and a lot more.

Market Research Access

We have access to more than 15 reputable market research databases at our disposal, including IBISWorld, Euromonitor, Hoovers, Mintel, Statista, Freedonia, Frost & Sullivan, Forrester, and First Research.

Best Quality, Competitive Pricing

We offer professionally developed business plans at competitive prices. We provide the highest quality business plans in the industry at rates that are half of the price that some of our competitors charge.

Award Winning Service

Our clients are our #1 priority.

Katharine Walker

Kendra Hendricks

Ronkot Design

What You'll Get In Your Free Proposal

• Business Plan Review​

Get Started with America’s Best Rated Business Plan Writing Service.

Schedule your consultation and see why thousands of small business owners trust Go Business Plans with their business planning.

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Fully Customized Business Plans – No Templates

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Business Plan Development

Masterplans experts will help you create business plans for investor funding, bank/SBA lending and strategic direction

Investor Materials

A professionally designed pitch deck, lean plan, and cash burn overview will assist you in securing Pre-Seed and Seed Round funding

Immigration Business Plans

A USCIS-compliant business plan serves as the foundation for your E-2, L-1A, EB-5 or E-2 visa application

Customized consulting tailored to your startup's unique challenges and goals

Our team-based approach supports your project with personal communication and technical expertise.

Pricing that is competitive and scalable for early-stage business services regardless of industry or stage.

Client testimonials from just a few of the 18,000+ entrepreneurs we've worked with over the last 20 years

Free tools, research, and templates to help with business plans & pitch decks

Business plan development that works for you

Collaborate with skilled consultants, researchers, financial modelers, and writers so that you can concentrate on achieving business success., trusted by 18,000+ entrepreneurs worldwide.

The team that helps you design a feasible and fundable business plan , your way.

Increase funding prospects and establish research-based goals by building a customized plan..

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Manage your time for maximum entrepreneurial effect

Eliminate all obstacles and organize your planning efforts with a unified team. Bring together consultants and collaborators, swiftly build and develop to provide financiers and other stakeholders with a sound business plan.

"The bank and potential investors were completely blown away by my presentation and business plan from Masterplans."

Travis Grappo Director of Operations, Metro Diner

Bring team members together to build business success

Effectively collaborate throughout the enterprise to generate materials that incorporate all seven business systems. Stay informed through personal correspondence and alerts.

“I see a business plan as a living document, not something you use once and put on a shelf. When it comes to strategic planning, Masterplans has become an arm of my organization."

Ty Cross CEO, CLJI Worldwide

Stay on track to reach your goals faster

Streamline your organization's communication with the materials you need, when you need them. Deliver a powerful elevator pitch, a persuasive executive summary, and flawless presentations and financial predictions.

“Working with Masterplans really helped me see aspects of my business that I had not yet considered. The only thing I wish I had done different is enlist the services of Masterplans sooner."

Bruce Temmis Founder, F.A.S.T. Academy

Everything you need for your business and funding scenario

Easily develop your ideal materials stack with the communication tools you need. .

Transform ideas into action. Collaborate with a team that interacts from every perspective, ensuring that you have a thorough business plan that encompasses the seven major business systems and demonstrates your seriousness to stakeholders.

Learn More »

In a pitch, you have less than twenty minutes to make your case and draw attention. Get experienced copy, research, coaching, and design to create a high-level, strategic pitch deck that drives your fundraising initiatives.

Communicate with an eye toward investors. Your executive summary must express your business model, how you intend to generate revenue, and how investors will profit by participating in your company. We assist you in doing this work properly.

Demonstrate responsible spending throughout the startup stages. Early on, you must determine and convey your burn rate budget , which is your fully burdened cost per person, including rent, user licenses, insurance and more.

Develop a concise pitch that investors cannot ignore. The maxim "less is more" is never more applicable than in an elevator pitch . Reduce your pitch to 300 words that address the who, the why, the opportunity, and the why now.

Certain situations necessitate a simple, streamlined lean plan that focuses on the basics. Work with a team to distill a strategy, tactics, OKRs, and cash flow into fewer than 10 pages of important information for financiers.

Full-suite business planning and investor documents development to help execute startup, early stage, acquisition and growth initiatives. 

The 7 elements of business planning.

Our customized "scientific" method for conveying information about your organization's seven core systems.

It is essential for founders to understand how investors evaluate firms. Your executive communications, such as your elevator pitch, pitch deck, and executive summary, must deliver pertinent facts vital to financier decision-making in a succinct and persuasive manner.

It is vital — and sometimes forgotten early on — that your intellectual property stack, capitalization, and incorporation are all effectively communicated to your stakeholders.

Financiers want to know "why" you do what you do, but new organizations tend to focus on "what" they do. It's important to explain how your products and services help customers get jobs done and solve problems.

"Knowledge is power" is never more true than it is in a business plan. Investors want to know the potential of your organization, and if you understand the trends, competitors, and industry facts that affect your business.

Sales and marketing are the lifeblood of your business, and you should have a plan for the methods and models you'll use to bring in, keep, and grow customer lifetime value.

Organizations are made up of people, so you need to be clear about who will run your business and how, and show that you have a plan for hiring, training, and guiding your team.

Our skilled financial modelers assist you in creating a realistic and informed pro forma financial model. They will help you to understand which line items you need to show, and how to show them.

Supporting your growth every step of the way

Our development teams are only a phone call away, so you can focus on leading your organization without limits. .

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An award-winning firm. Loved by clients. 

Based on 18,000+ client plans created, deliver your best with masterplans.com, free 30-minute consultation .

Schedule a 30-minute meeting so we can better understand your objectives, advise you on next steps, and develop a scope-of-work for your business plan project.

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How to Write a Business Plan: Step-by-Step Guide + Examples

Noah Parsons

24 min. read

Updated May 7, 2024

Writing a business plan doesn’t have to be complicated. 

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to write a business plan that’s detailed enough to impress bankers and potential investors, while giving you the tools to start, run, and grow a successful business.

• The basics of business planning

If you’re reading this guide, then you already know why you need a business plan . 

You understand that planning helps you: 

• Raise money
• Grow strategically
• Keep your business on the right track 

As you start to write your plan, it’s useful to zoom out and remember what a business plan is .

At its core, a business plan is an overview of the products and services you sell, and the customers that you sell to. It explains your business strategy: how you’re going to build and grow your business, what your marketing strategy is, and who your competitors are.

Most business plans also include financial forecasts for the future. These set sales goals, budget for expenses, and predict profits and cash flow. 

A good business plan is much more than just a document that you write once and forget about. It’s also a guide that helps you outline and achieve your goals. 

After completing your plan, you can use it as a management tool to track your progress toward your goals. Updating and adjusting your forecasts and budgets as you go is one of the most important steps you can take to run a healthier, smarter business. 

We’ll dive into how to use your plan later in this article.

There are many different types of plans , but we’ll go over the most common type here, which includes everything you need for an investor-ready plan. However, if you’re just starting out and are looking for something simpler—I recommend starting with a one-page business plan . It’s faster and easier to create. 

It’s also the perfect place to start if you’re just figuring out your idea, or need a simple strategic plan to use inside your business.

Dig deeper : How to write a one-page business plan

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• What to include in your business plan

Executive summary

The executive summary is an overview of your business and your plans. It comes first in your plan and is ideally just one to two pages. Most people write it last because it’s a summary of the complete business plan.

Ideally, the executive summary can act as a stand-alone document that covers the highlights of your detailed plan. 

In fact, it’s common for investors to ask only for the executive summary when evaluating your business. If they like what they see in the executive summary, they’ll often follow up with a request for a complete plan, a pitch presentation , or more in-depth financial forecasts .

Your executive summary should include:

• A summary of the problem you are solving
• A description of your product or service
• An overview of your target market
• A brief description of your team
• A summary of your financials
• Your funding requirements (if you are raising money)

Dig Deeper: How to write an effective executive summary

Products and services description

This is where you describe exactly what you’re selling, and how it solves a problem for your target market. The best way to organize this part of your plan is to start by describing the problem that exists for your customers. After that, you can describe how you plan to solve that problem with your product or service. 

This is usually called a problem and solution statement .

To truly showcase the value of your products and services, you need to craft a compelling narrative around your offerings. How will your product or service transform your customers’ lives or jobs? A strong narrative will draw in your readers.

This is also the part of the business plan to discuss any competitive advantages you may have, like specific intellectual property or patents that protect your product. If you have any initial sales, contracts, or other evidence that your product or service is likely to sell, include that information as well. It will show that your idea has traction , which can help convince readers that your plan has a high chance of success.

Market analysis

Your target market is a description of the type of people that you plan to sell to. You might even have multiple target markets, depending on your business. 

A market analysis is the part of your plan where you bring together all of the information you know about your target market. Basically, it’s a thorough description of who your customers are and why they need what you’re selling. You’ll also include information about the growth of your market and your industry .

Try to be as specific as possible when you describe your market. 

Include information such as age, income level, and location—these are what’s called “demographics.” If you can, also describe your market’s interests and habits as they relate to your business—these are “psychographics.” 

Related: Target market examples

Essentially, you want to include any knowledge you have about your customers that is relevant to how your product or service is right for them. With a solid target market, it will be easier to create a sales and marketing plan that will reach your customers. That’s because you know who they are, what they like to do, and the best ways to reach them.

Next, provide any additional information you have about your market. 

What is the size of your market ? Is the market growing or shrinking? Ideally, you’ll want to demonstrate that your market is growing over time, and also explain how your business is positioned to take advantage of any expected changes in your industry.

Dig Deeper: Learn how to write a market analysis

Competitive analysis

Part of defining your business opportunity is determining what your competitive advantage is. To do this effectively, you need to know as much about your competitors as your target customers. 

Every business has some form of competition. If you don’t think you have competitors, then explore what alternatives there are in the market for your product or service. 

For example: In the early years of cars, their main competition was horses. For social media, the early competition was reading books, watching TV, and talking on the phone.

A good competitive analysis fully lays out the competitive landscape and then explains how your business is different. Maybe your products are better made, or cheaper, or your customer service is superior. Maybe your competitive advantage is your location – a wide variety of factors can ultimately give you an advantage.

Dig Deeper: How to write a competitive analysis for your business plan

Marketing and sales plan

The marketing and sales plan covers how you will position your product or service in the market, the marketing channels and messaging you will use, and your sales tactics. 

The best place to start with a marketing plan is with a positioning statement . 

This explains how your business fits into the overall market, and how you will explain the advantages of your product or service to customers. You’ll use the information from your competitive analysis to help you with your positioning. 

For example: You might position your company as the premium, most expensive but the highest quality option in the market. Or your positioning might focus on being locally owned and that shoppers support the local economy by buying your products.

Once you understand your positioning, you’ll bring this together with the information about your target market to create your marketing strategy . 

This is how you plan to communicate your message to potential customers. Depending on who your customers are and how they purchase products like yours, you might use many different strategies, from social media advertising to creating a podcast. Your marketing plan is all about how your customers discover who you are and why they should consider your products and services. 

While your marketing plan is about reaching your customers—your sales plan will describe the actual sales process once a customer has decided that they’re interested in what you have to offer. 

If your business requires salespeople and a long sales process, describe that in this section. If your customers can “self-serve” and just make purchases quickly on your website, describe that process. 

A good sales plan picks up where your marketing plan leaves off. The marketing plan brings customers in the door and the sales plan is how you close the deal.

Together, these specific plans paint a picture of how you will connect with your target audience, and how you will turn them into paying customers.

Dig deeper: What to include in your sales and marketing plan

Business operations

The operations section describes the necessary requirements for your business to run smoothly. It’s where you talk about how your business works and what day-to-day operations look like. 

Depending on how your business is structured, your operations plan may include elements of the business like:

• Supply chain management
• Manufacturing processes
• Equipment and technology
• Distribution

Some businesses distribute their products and reach their customers through large retailers like Amazon.com, Walmart, Target, and grocery store chains. 

These businesses should review how this part of their business works. The plan should discuss the logistics and costs of getting products onto store shelves and any potential hurdles the business may have to overcome.

If your business is much simpler than this, that’s OK. This section of your business plan can be either extremely short or more detailed, depending on the type of business you are building.

For businesses selling services, such as physical therapy or online software, you can use this section to describe the technology you’ll leverage, what goes into your service, and who you will partner with to deliver your services.

Dig Deeper: Learn how to write the operations chapter of your plan

Key milestones and metrics

Although it’s not required to complete your business plan, mapping out key business milestones and the metrics can be incredibly useful for measuring your success.

Good milestones clearly lay out the parameters of the task and set expectations for their execution. You’ll want to include:

• A description of each task
• The proposed due date
• Who is responsible for each task

If you have a budget, you can include projected costs to hit each milestone. You don’t need extensive project planning in this section—just list key milestones you want to hit and when you plan to hit them. This is your overall business roadmap. 

Possible milestones might be:

• Website launch date
• Store or office opening date
• First significant sales
• Break even date
• Business licenses and approvals

You should also discuss the key numbers you will track to determine your success. Some common metrics worth tracking include:

• Conversion rates
• Customer acquisition costs
• Profit per customer
• Repeat purchases

It’s perfectly fine to start with just a few metrics and grow the number you are tracking over time. You also may find that some metrics simply aren’t relevant to your business and can narrow down what you’re tracking.

Dig Deeper: How to use milestones in your business plan

Organization and management team

Investors don’t just look for great ideas—they want to find great teams. Use this chapter to describe your current team and who you need to hire . You should also provide a quick overview of your location and history if you’re already up and running.

Briefly highlight the relevant experiences of each key team member in the company. It’s important to make the case for why yours is the right team to turn an idea into a reality. 

Do they have the right industry experience and background? Have members of the team had entrepreneurial successes before? 

If you still need to hire key team members, that’s OK. Just note those gaps in this section.

Your company overview should also include a summary of your company’s current business structure . The most common business structures include:

• Sole proprietor
• Partnership

Be sure to provide an overview of how the business is owned as well. Does each business partner own an equal portion of the business? How is ownership divided? 

Potential lenders and investors will want to know the structure of the business before they will consider a loan or investment.

Dig Deeper: How to write about your company structure and team

Financial plan

Last, but certainly not least, is your financial plan chapter. 

Entrepreneurs often find this section the most daunting. But, business financials for most startups are less complicated than you think, and a business degree is certainly not required to build a solid financial forecast. 

A typical financial forecast in a business plan includes the following:

• Sales forecast : An estimate of the sales expected over a given period. You’ll break down your forecast into the key revenue streams that you expect to have.
• Expense budget : Your planned spending such as personnel costs , marketing expenses, and taxes.
• Profit & Loss : Brings together your sales and expenses and helps you calculate planned profits.
• Cash Flow : Shows how cash moves into and out of your business. It can predict how much cash you’ll have on hand at any given point in the future.
• Balance Sheet : A list of the assets, liabilities, and equity in your company. In short, it provides an overview of the financial health of your business. 

A strong business plan will include a description of assumptions about the future, and potential risks that could impact the financial plan. Including those will be especially important if you’re writing a business plan to pursue a loan or other investment.

Dig Deeper: How to create financial forecasts and budgets

This is the place for additional data, charts, or other information that supports your plan.

Including an appendix can significantly enhance the credibility of your plan by showing readers that you’ve thoroughly considered the details of your business idea, and are backing your ideas up with solid data.

Just remember that the information in the appendix is meant to be supplementary. Your business plan should stand on its own, even if the reader skips this section.

Dig Deeper : What to include in your business plan appendix

Optional: Business plan cover page

Adding a business plan cover page can make your plan, and by extension your business, seem more professional in the eyes of potential investors, lenders, and partners. It serves as the introduction to your document and provides necessary contact information for stakeholders to reference.

Your cover page should be simple and include:

• Company logo
• Business name
• Value proposition (optional)
• Business plan title
• Completion and/or update date
• Address and contact information
• Confidentiality statement

Just remember, the cover page is optional. If you decide to include it, keep it very simple and only spend a short amount of time putting it together.

Dig Deeper: How to create a business plan cover page

How to use AI to help write your business plan

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can speed up the business plan writing process and help you think through concepts like market segmentation and competition. These tools are especially useful for taking ideas that you provide and converting them into polished text for your business plan.

The best way to use AI for your business plan is to leverage it as a collaborator , not a replacement for human creative thinking and ingenuity. 

AI can come up with lots of ideas and act as a brainstorming partner. It’s up to you to filter through those ideas and figure out which ones are realistic enough to resonate with your customers. 

There are pros and cons of using AI to help with your business plan . So, spend some time understanding how it can be most helpful before just outsourcing the job to AI.

Learn more: 10 AI prompts you need to write a business plan

• Writing tips and strategies

To help streamline the business plan writing process, here are a few tips and key questions to answer to make sure you get the most out of your plan and avoid common mistakes .  

Determine why you are writing a business plan

Knowing why you are writing a business plan will determine your approach to your planning project. 

For example: If you are writing a business plan for yourself, or just to use inside your own business , you can probably skip the section about your team and organizational structure. 

If you’re raising money, you’ll want to spend more time explaining why you’re looking to raise the funds and exactly how you will use them.

Regardless of how you intend to use your business plan , think about why you are writing and what you’re trying to get out of the process before you begin.

Keep things concise

Probably the most important tip is to keep your business plan short and simple. There are no prizes for long business plans . The longer your plan is, the less likely people are to read it. 

So focus on trimming things down to the essentials your readers need to know. Skip the extended, wordy descriptions and instead focus on creating a plan that is easy to read —using bullets and short sentences whenever possible.

Have someone review your business plan

Writing a business plan in a vacuum is never a good idea. Sometimes it’s helpful to zoom out and check if your plan makes sense to someone else. You also want to make sure that it’s easy to read and understand.

Don’t wait until your plan is “done” to get a second look. Start sharing your plan early, and find out from readers what questions your plan leaves unanswered. This early review cycle will help you spot shortcomings in your plan and address them quickly, rather than finding out about them right before you present your plan to a lender or investor.

If you need a more detailed review, you may want to explore hiring a professional plan writer to thoroughly examine it.

Use a free business plan template and business plan examples to get started

Knowing what information to include in a business plan is sometimes not quite enough. If you’re struggling to get started or need additional guidance, it may be worth using a business plan template. 

There are plenty of great options available (we’ve rounded up our 8 favorites to streamline your search).

But, if you’re looking for a free downloadable business plan template , you can get one right now; download the template used by more than 1 million businesses. 

Or, if you just want to see what a completed business plan looks like, check out our library of over 550 free business plan examples . 

We even have a growing list of industry business planning guides with tips for what to focus on depending on your business type.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

It’s easy to make mistakes when you’re writing your business plan. Some entrepreneurs get sucked into the writing and research process, and don’t focus enough on actually getting their business started. 

Here are a few common mistakes and how to avoid them:

Not talking to your customers : This is one of the most common mistakes. It’s easy to assume that your product or service is something that people want. Before you invest too much in your business and too much in the planning process, make sure you talk to your prospective customers and have a good understanding of their needs.

• Overly optimistic sales and profit forecasts: By nature, entrepreneurs are optimistic about the future. But it’s good to temper that optimism a little when you’re planning, and make sure your forecasts are grounded in reality. 
• Spending too much time planning: Yes, planning is crucial. But you also need to get out and talk to customers, build prototypes of your product and figure out if there’s a market for your idea. Make sure to balance planning with building.
• Not revising the plan: Planning is useful, but nothing ever goes exactly as planned. As you learn more about what’s working and what’s not—revise your plan, your budgets, and your revenue forecast. Doing so will provide a more realistic picture of where your business is going, and what your financial needs will be moving forward.
• Not using the plan to manage your business: A good business plan is a management tool. Don’t just write it and put it on the shelf to collect dust – use it to track your progress and help you reach your goals.
• Presenting your business plan

The planning process forces you to think through every aspect of your business and answer questions that you may not have thought of. That’s the real benefit of writing a business plan – the knowledge you gain about your business that you may not have been able to discover otherwise.

With all of this knowledge, you’re well prepared to convert your business plan into a pitch presentation to present your ideas. 

A pitch presentation is a summary of your plan, just hitting the highlights and key points. It’s the best way to present your business plan to investors and team members.

Dig Deeper: Learn what key slides should be included in your pitch deck

Use your business plan to manage your business

One of the biggest benefits of planning is that it gives you a tool to manage your business better. With a revenue forecast, expense budget, and projected cash flow, you know your targets and where you are headed.

And yet, nothing ever goes exactly as planned – it’s the nature of business.

That’s where using your plan as a management tool comes in. The key to leveraging it for your business is to review it periodically and compare your forecasts and projections to your actual results.

Start by setting up a regular time to review the plan – a monthly review is a good starting point. During this review, answer questions like:

• Did you meet your sales goals?
• Is spending following your budget?
• Has anything gone differently than what you expected?

Now that you see whether you’re meeting your goals or are off track, you can make adjustments and set new targets. 

Maybe you’re exceeding your sales goals and should set new, more aggressive goals. In that case, maybe you should also explore more spending or hiring more employees. 

Or maybe expenses are rising faster than you projected. If that’s the case, you would need to look at where you can cut costs.

A plan, and a method for comparing your plan to your actual results , is the tool you need to steer your business toward success.

Learn More: How to run a regular plan review

Free business plan templates and examples

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How to write a business plan FAQ

What is a business plan?

A document that describes your business , the products and services you sell, and the customers that you sell to. It explains your business strategy, how you’re going to build and grow your business, what your marketing strategy is, and who your competitors are.

What are the benefits of a business plan?

A business plan helps you understand where you want to go with your business and what it will take to get there. It reduces your overall risk, helps you uncover your business’s potential, attracts investors, and identifies areas for growth.

Having a business plan ultimately makes you more confident as a business owner and more likely to succeed for a longer period of time.

What are the 7 steps of a business plan?

The seven steps to writing a business plan include:

• Write a brief executive summary
• Describe your products and services.
• Conduct market research and compile data into a cohesive market analysis.
• Describe your marketing and sales strategy.
• Outline your organizational structure and management team.
• Develop financial projections for sales, revenue, and cash flow.
• Add any additional documents to your appendix.

What are the 5 most common business plan mistakes?

There are plenty of mistakes that can be made when writing a business plan. However, these are the 5 most common that you should do your best to avoid:

• 1. Not taking the planning process seriously.
• Having unrealistic financial projections or incomplete financial information.
• Inconsistent information or simple mistakes.
• Failing to establish a sound business model.
• Not having a defined purpose for your business plan.

What questions should be answered in a business plan?

Writing a business plan is all about asking yourself questions about your business and being able to answer them through the planning process. You’ll likely be asking dozens and dozens of questions for each section of your plan.

However, these are the key questions you should ask and answer with your business plan:

• How will your business make money?
• Is there a need for your product or service?
• Who are your customers?
• How are you different from the competition?
• How will you reach your customers?
• How will you measure success?

How long should a business plan be?

The length of your business plan fully depends on what you intend to do with it. From the SBA and traditional lender point of view, a business plan needs to be whatever length necessary to fully explain your business. This means that you prove the viability of your business, show that you understand the market, and have a detailed strategy in place.

If you intend to use your business plan for internal management purposes, you don’t necessarily need a full 25-50 page business plan. Instead, you can start with a one-page plan to get all of the necessary information in place.

What are the different types of business plans?

While all business plans cover similar categories, the style and function fully depend on how you intend to use your plan. Here are a few common business plan types worth considering.

Traditional business plan: The tried-and-true traditional business plan is a formal document meant to be used when applying for funding or pitching to investors. This type of business plan follows the outline above and can be anywhere from 10-50 pages depending on the amount of detail included, the complexity of your business, and what you include in your appendix.

Business model canvas: The business model canvas is a one-page template designed to demystify the business planning process. It removes the need for a traditional, copy-heavy business plan, in favor of a single-page outline that can help you and outside parties better explore your business idea.

One-page business plan: This format is a simplified version of the traditional plan that focuses on the core aspects of your business. You’ll typically stick with bullet points and single sentences. It’s most useful for those exploring ideas, needing to validate their business model, or who need an internal plan to help them run and manage their business.

Lean Plan: The Lean Plan is less of a specific document type and more of a methodology. It takes the simplicity and styling of the one-page business plan and turns it into a process for you to continuously plan, test, review, refine, and take action based on performance. It’s faster, keeps your plan concise, and ensures that your plan is always up-to-date.

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

A business plan covers the “who” and “what” of your business. It explains what your business is doing right now and how it functions. The strategic plan explores long-term goals and explains “how” the business will get there. It encourages you to look more intently toward the future and how you will achieve your vision.

However, when approached correctly, your business plan can actually function as a strategic plan as well. If kept lean, you can define your business, outline strategic steps, and track ongoing operations all with a single plan.

Noah is the COO at Palo Alto Software, makers of the online business plan app LivePlan. He started his career at Yahoo! and then helped start the user review site Epinions.com. From there he started a software distribution business in the UK before coming to Palo Alto Software to run the marketing and product teams.

Table of Contents

• Use AI to help write your plan
• Common planning mistakes
• Manage with your business plan
• Templates and examples

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Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Simple Business Plan

By Joe Weller | October 11, 2021

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A business plan is the cornerstone of any successful company, regardless of size or industry. This step-by-step guide provides information on writing a business plan for organizations at any stage, complete with free templates and expert advice. 

Included on this page, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to writing a business plan and a chart to identify which type of business plan you should write . Plus, find information on how a business plan can help grow a business and expert tips on writing one .

What Is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a document that communicates a company’s goals and ambitions, along with the timeline, finances, and methods needed to achieve them. Additionally, it may include a mission statement and details about the specific products or services offered.

A business plan can highlight varying time periods, depending on the stage of your company and its goals. That said, a typical business plan will include the following benchmarks:

• Product goals and deadlines for each month
• Monthly financials for the first two years
• Profit and loss statements for the first three to five years
• Balance sheet projections for the first three to five years

Startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses all create business plans to use as a guide as their new company progresses. Larger organizations may also create (and update) a business plan to keep high-level goals, financials, and timelines in check.

While you certainly need to have a formalized outline of your business’s goals and finances, creating a business plan can also help you determine a company’s viability, its profitability (including when it will first turn a profit), and how much money you will need from investors. In turn, a business plan has functional value as well: Not only does outlining goals help keep you accountable on a timeline, it can also attract investors in and of itself and, therefore, act as an effective strategy for growth.

For more information, visit our comprehensive guide to writing a strategic plan or download free strategic plan templates . This page focuses on for-profit business plans, but you can read our article with nonprofit business plan templates .

Business Plan Steps

The specific information in your business plan will vary, depending on the needs and goals of your venture, but a typical plan includes the following ordered elements:

• Executive summary
• Description of business
• Market analysis
• Competitive analysis
• Description of organizational management
• Description of product or services
• Marketing plan
• Sales strategy
• Funding details (or request for funding)
• Financial projections

If your plan is particularly long or complicated, consider adding a table of contents or an appendix for reference. For an in-depth description of each step listed above, read “ How to Write a Business Plan Step by Step ” below.

Broadly speaking, your audience includes anyone with a vested interest in your organization. They can include potential and existing investors, as well as customers, internal team members, suppliers, and vendors.

Do I Need a Simple or Detailed Plan?

Your business’s stage and intended audience dictates the level of detail your plan needs. Corporations require a thorough business plan — up to 100 pages. Small businesses or startups should have a concise plan focusing on financials and strategy.

How to Choose the Right Plan for Your Business

In order to identify which type of business plan you need to create, ask: “What do we want the plan to do?” Identify function first, and form will follow.

Use the chart below as a guide for what type of business plan to create:

Is the Order of Your Business Plan Important?

There is no set order for a business plan, with the exception of the executive summary, which should always come first. Beyond that, simply ensure that you organize the plan in a way that makes sense and flows naturally.

The Difference Between Traditional and Lean Business Plans

A traditional business plan follows the standard structure — because these plans encourage detail, they tend to require more work upfront and can run dozens of pages. A Lean business plan is less common and focuses on summarizing critical points for each section. These plans take much less work and typically run one page in length.

In general, you should use a traditional model for a legacy company, a large company, or any business that does not adhere to Lean (or another Agile method ). Use Lean if you expect the company to pivot quickly or if you already employ a Lean strategy with other business operations. Additionally, a Lean business plan can suffice if the document is for internal use only. Stick to a traditional version for investors, as they may be more sensitive to sudden changes or a high degree of built-in flexibility in the plan.

How to Write a Business Plan Step by Step

Writing a strong business plan requires research and attention to detail for each section. Below, you’ll find a 10-step guide to researching and defining each element in the plan.

Step 1: Executive Summary

The executive summary will always be the first section of your business plan. The goal is to answer the following questions:

• What is the vision and mission of the company?
• What are the company’s short- and long-term goals?

See our  roundup of executive summary examples and templates for samples. Read our executive summary guide to learn more about writing one.

Step 2: Description of Business

The goal of this section is to define the realm, scope, and intent of your venture. To do so, answer the following questions as clearly and concisely as possible:

• What business are we in?
• What does our business do?

Step 3: Market Analysis

In this section, provide evidence that you have surveyed and understand the current marketplace, and that your product or service satisfies a niche in the market. To do so, answer these questions:

• Who is our customer? 
• What does that customer value?

Step 4: Competitive Analysis

In many cases, a business plan proposes not a brand-new (or even market-disrupting) venture, but a more competitive version — whether via features, pricing, integrations, etc. — than what is currently available. In this section, answer the following questions to show that your product or service stands to outpace competitors:

• Who is the competition? 
• What do they do best? 
• What is our unique value proposition?

Step 5: Description of Organizational Management

In this section, write an overview of the team members and other key personnel who are integral to success. List roles and responsibilities, and if possible, note the hierarchy or team structure.

Step 6: Description of Products or Services

In this section, clearly define your product or service, as well as all the effort and resources that go into producing it. The strength of your product largely defines the success of your business, so it’s imperative that you take time to test and refine the product before launching into marketing, sales, or funding details.

Questions to answer in this section are as follows:

• What is the product or service?
• How do we produce it, and what resources are necessary for production?

Step 7: Marketing Plan

In this section, define the marketing strategy for your product or service. This doesn’t need to be as fleshed out as a full marketing plan , but it should answer basic questions, such as the following:

• Who is the target market (if different from existing customer base)?
• What channels will you use to reach your target market?
• What resources does your marketing strategy require, and do you have access to them?
• If possible, do you have a rough estimate of timeline and budget?
• How will you measure success?

Step 8: Sales Plan

Write an overview of the sales strategy, including the priorities of each cycle, steps to achieve these goals, and metrics for success. For the purposes of a business plan, this section does not need to be a comprehensive, in-depth sales plan , but can simply outline the high-level objectives and strategies of your sales efforts. 

Start by answering the following questions:

• What is the sales strategy?
• What are the tools and tactics you will use to achieve your goals?
• What are the potential obstacles, and how will you overcome them?
• What is the timeline for sales and turning a profit?
• What are the metrics of success?

Step 9: Funding Details (or Request for Funding)

This section is one of the most critical parts of your business plan, particularly if you are sharing it with investors. You do not need to provide a full financial plan, but you should be able to answer the following questions:

• How much capital do you currently have? How much capital do you need?
• How will you grow the team (onboarding, team structure, training and development)?
• What are your physical needs and constraints (space, equipment, etc.)?

Step 10: Financial Projections

Apart from the fundraising analysis, investors like to see thought-out financial projections for the future. As discussed earlier, depending on the scope and stage of your business, this could be anywhere from one to five years. 

While these projections won’t be exact — and will need to be somewhat flexible — you should be able to gauge the following:

• How and when will the company first generate a profit?
• How will the company maintain profit thereafter?

Business Plan Template

Download Business Plan Template

Microsoft Excel | Smartsheet

This basic business plan template has space for all the traditional elements: an executive summary, product or service details, target audience, marketing and sales strategies, etc. In the finances sections, input your baseline numbers, and the template will automatically calculate projections for sales forecasting, financial statements, and more.

For templates tailored to more specific needs, visit this business plan template roundup or download a fill-in-the-blank business plan template to make things easy. 

If you are looking for a particular template by file type, visit our pages dedicated exclusively to Microsoft Excel , Microsoft Word , and Adobe PDF business plan templates.

How to Write a Simple Business Plan

A simple business plan is a streamlined, lightweight version of the large, traditional model. As opposed to a one-page business plan , which communicates high-level information for quick overviews (such as a stakeholder presentation), a simple business plan can exceed one page.

Below are the steps for creating a generic simple business plan, which are reflected in the template below .

• Write the Executive Summary This section is the same as in the traditional business plan — simply offer an overview of what’s in the business plan, the prospect or core offering, and the short- and long-term goals of the company. 
• Add a Company Overview Document the larger company mission and vision. 
• Provide the Problem and Solution In straightforward terms, define the problem you are attempting to solve with your product or service and how your company will attempt to do it. Think of this section as the gap in the market you are attempting to close.
• Identify the Target Market Who is your company (and its products or services) attempting to reach? If possible, briefly define your buyer personas .
• Write About the Competition In this section, demonstrate your knowledge of the market by listing the current competitors and outlining your competitive advantage.
• Describe Your Product or Service Offerings Get down to brass tacks and define your product or service. What exactly are you selling?
• Outline Your Marketing Tactics Without getting into too much detail, describe your planned marketing initiatives.
• Add a Timeline and the Metrics You Will Use to Measure Success Offer a rough timeline, including milestones and key performance indicators (KPIs) that you will use to measure your progress.
• Include Your Financial Forecasts Write an overview of your financial plan that demonstrates you have done your research and adequate modeling. You can also list key assumptions that go into this forecasting. 
• Identify Your Financing Needs This section is where you will make your funding request. Based on everything in the business plan, list your proposed sources of funding, as well as how you will use it.

Simple Business Plan Template

Download Simple Business Plan Template

Microsoft Excel |  Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF  | Smartsheet

Use this simple business plan template to outline each aspect of your organization, including information about financing and opportunities to seek out further funding. This template is completely customizable to fit the needs of any business, whether it’s a startup or large company.

Read our article offering free simple business plan templates or free 30-60-90-day business plan templates to find more tailored options. You can also explore our collection of one page business templates . 

How to Write a Business Plan for a Lean Startup

A Lean startup business plan is a more Agile approach to a traditional version. The plan focuses more on activities, processes, and relationships (and maintains flexibility in all aspects), rather than on concrete deliverables and timelines.

While there is some overlap between a traditional and a Lean business plan, you can write a Lean plan by following the steps below:

• Add Your Value Proposition Take a streamlined approach to describing your product or service. What is the unique value your startup aims to deliver to customers? Make sure the team is aligned on the core offering and that you can state it in clear, simple language.
• List Your Key Partners List any other businesses you will work with to realize your vision, including external vendors, suppliers, and partners. This section demonstrates that you have thoughtfully considered the resources you can provide internally, identified areas for external assistance, and conducted research to find alternatives.
• Note the Key Activities Describe the key activities of your business, including sourcing, production, marketing, distribution channels, and customer relationships.
• Include Your Key Resources List the critical resources — including personnel, equipment, space, and intellectual property — that will enable you to deliver your unique value.
• Identify Your Customer Relationships and Channels In this section, document how you will reach and build relationships with customers. Provide a high-level map of the customer experience from start to finish, including the spaces in which you will interact with the customer (online, retail, etc.). 
• Detail Your Marketing Channels Describe the marketing methods and communication platforms you will use to identify and nurture your relationships with customers. These could be email, advertising, social media, etc.
• Explain the Cost Structure This section is especially necessary in the early stages of a business. Will you prioritize maximizing value or keeping costs low? List the foundational startup costs and how you will move toward profit over time.
• Share Your Revenue Streams Over time, how will the company make money? Include both the direct product or service purchase, as well as secondary sources of revenue, such as subscriptions, selling advertising space, fundraising, etc.

Lean Business Plan Template for Startups

Download Lean Business Plan Template for Startups

Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF

Startup leaders can use this Lean business plan template to relay the most critical information from a traditional plan. You’ll find all the sections listed above, including spaces for industry and product overviews, cost structure and sources of revenue, and key metrics, and a timeline. The template is completely customizable, so you can edit it to suit the objectives of your Lean startups.

See our wide variety of  startup business plan templates for more options.

How to Write a Business Plan for a Loan

A business plan for a loan, often called a loan proposal , includes many of the same aspects of a traditional business plan, as well as additional financial documents, such as a credit history, a loan request, and a loan repayment plan.

In addition, you may be asked to include personal and business financial statements, a form of collateral, and equity investment information.

Download free financial templates to support your business plan.

Tips for Writing a Business Plan

Outside of including all the key details in your business plan, you have several options to elevate the document for the highest chance of winning funding and other resources. Follow these tips from experts:.

• Keep It Simple: Avner Brodsky , the Co-Founder and CEO of Lezgo Limited, an online marketing company, uses the acronym KISS (keep it short and simple) as a variation on this idea. “The business plan is not a college thesis,” he says. “Just focus on providing the essential information.”
• Do Adequate Research: Michael Dean, the Co-Founder of Pool Research , encourages business leaders to “invest time in research, both internal and external (market, finance, legal etc.). Avoid being overly ambitious or presumptive. Instead, keep everything objective, balanced, and accurate.” Your plan needs to stand on its own, and you must have the data to back up any claims or forecasting you make. As Brodsky explains, “Your business needs to be grounded on the realities of the market in your chosen location. Get the most recent data from authoritative sources so that the figures are vetted by experts and are reliable.”
• Set Clear Goals: Make sure your plan includes clear, time-based goals. “Short-term goals are key to momentum growth and are especially important to identify for new businesses,” advises Dean.
• Know (and Address) Your Weaknesses: “This awareness sets you up to overcome your weak points much quicker than waiting for them to arise,” shares Dean. Brodsky recommends performing a full SWOT analysis to identify your weaknesses, too. “Your business will fare better with self-knowledge, which will help you better define the mission of your business, as well as the strategies you will choose to achieve your objectives,” he adds.
• Seek Peer or Mentor Review: “Ask for feedback on your drafts and for areas to improve,” advises Brodsky. “When your mind is filled with dreams for your business, sometimes it is an outsider who can tell you what you’re missing and will save your business from being a product of whimsy.”

Outside of these more practical tips, the language you use is also important and may make or break your business plan.

Shaun Heng, VP of Operations at Coin Market Cap , gives the following advice on the writing, “Your business plan is your sales pitch to an investor. And as with any sales pitch, you need to strike the right tone and hit a few emotional chords. This is a little tricky in a business plan, because you also need to be formal and matter-of-fact. But you can still impress by weaving in descriptive language and saying things in a more elegant way.

“A great way to do this is by expanding your vocabulary, avoiding word repetition, and using business language. Instead of saying that something ‘will bring in as many customers as possible,’ try saying ‘will garner the largest possible market segment.’ Elevate your writing with precise descriptive words and you'll impress even the busiest investor.”

Additionally, Dean recommends that you “stay consistent and concise by keeping your tone and style steady throughout, and your language clear and precise. Include only what is 100 percent necessary.”

Resources for Writing a Business Plan

While a template provides a great outline of what to include in a business plan, a live document or more robust program can provide additional functionality, visibility, and real-time updates. The U.S. Small Business Association also curates resources for writing a business plan.

Additionally, you can use business plan software to house data, attach documentation, and share information with stakeholders. Popular options include LivePlan, Enloop, BizPlanner, PlanGuru, and iPlanner.

How a Business Plan Helps to Grow Your Business

A business plan — both the exercise of creating one and the document — can grow your business by helping you to refine your product, target audience, sales plan, identify opportunities, secure funding, and build new partnerships. 

Outside of these immediate returns, writing a business plan is a useful exercise in that it forces you to research the market, which prompts you to forge your unique value proposition and identify ways to beat the competition. Doing so will also help you build (and keep you accountable to) attainable financial and product milestones. And down the line, it will serve as a welcome guide as hurdles inevitably arise.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Wisebusinessplans is a top business plan writing service that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create professional and customized business plans. We have expert writers with industry knowledge and experience. We offer various services, such as market research, financial projections, SWOT analysis, marketing strategies, operational plans, and executive summaries. We work with the clients to understand their needs and goals. We deliver high-quality and attractive business plans with presentation and pitch decks. We ensure confidentiality, security, and satisfaction. 

Wisebusinessplans charges different prices for different types of business plans, depending on the complexity and scope of the project. The prices start at $2,200 for a bank-ready business plan or $3,500 for an investor-grade business plan. The prices include market research, financial projections, content writing, editing, formatting, design, presentation, pitch deck (optional), and unlimited revisions. The prices do not include any additional fees or taxes.

Wisebusinessplans has a fast and efficient process for completing a business plan. The process consists of four steps: discovery call, first draft delivery, revision process, and final delivery. The discovery call is a 30-minute phone call where the writer gathers information about the client’s business idea, goals, expectations, and preferences. The first draft delivery is within 10 to 14 business days after the discovery call. The revision process is where the client reviews the first draft and provides feedback or requests changes. The writer makes the necessary revisions and sends the second draft within 7 to 10 business days after receiving the feedback. The final delivery is where the client approves the second draft and receives the final version of the business plan in PDF format along with the presentation and pitch deck in PowerPoint format

Wisebusinessplans has several ways for clients to contact them. We have a toll-free phone number (1-800-496-1056) that is available from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm EST. We also have an email address ( [email protected] ) that is available 24/7. 

MBA education: Wise Business Plans writers have MBA degrees from reputable universities and colleges. We have studied various aspects of business administration, such as accounting, finance, marketing, management, strategy, and entrepreneurship. We have also developed analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills that are essential for writing effective business plans.

If you’re asking whether a business plan writer will review your plan and make changes, the answer is yes. We will create a specific business plan for your particular industry and make sure it is prepared to satisfy lender requirements.

We can work with a partially finished plan that you have. In reality, it speeds up the plan writing process because there will be less questions to answer.

By the end of the service, you will have a comprehensive business plan that is ready for presentation to a lender or investor. Additionally, you will receive a one-page pitch and a year of free access to Wisebusinessplans, which allows you to make modifications to your plan and use helpful tools for managing cash flow and business operations.

While there are factors that are beyond our control, such as personal credit, we can confidently say that having a solid business plan is crucial for securing funding. We specialize in crafting strong business plans and believe that this greatly increases the chances of receiving funding, however, guaranteeing funding is not within our power.

Yes, we take your privacy very seriously and guarantee that your information will not be shared.1

We offer PDF and Word formats, as well as the option to edit your plan through a complimentary Wisebusinessplans account.

Our approach to business planning is focused on being succinct and concise. We follow the lean business planning method, so the length of your plan will depend on the intricacy of your business. Typically, the finished plan ranges from 25-50 pages.

In case you are not satisfied with your plan, you can review it and provide feedback after each draft. We suggest that you take your time and give careful consideration to your feedback as it is your chance to shape your plan into something that truly speaks to you.

You will work closely with a dedicated individual from our team of highly skilled and experienced business planning professionals. Each team member is a qualified expert in business planning and will be able to effectively translate your ideas into a compelling business plan that resonates with your target audience.

Yes, our expedited service can deliver the plan in just two weeks for an additional cost of $1,000.

Yes, we provide three distinct services: a review service (providing feedback only without making any changes), a forecast only service, and a complete business plan writing service. If you have a partially completed plan, we can collaborate with you on that, but we suggest opting for the full business plan writing service.

Our team of business plan writers are specialized in crafting top-tier business plans. They have experience working with a diverse range of industries, making it highly probable that they have some familiarity with your specific industry. However, if you are in need of a business consultant, this may not be the best fit for you.

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Hire the Top 3% of Freelance Business Plan Consultants

Toptal is a marketplace for top business plan consultants and experts. Top companies and startups hire freelance business plan consultants from Toptal for their mission critical projects.

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Hire Freelance Business Plan Consultants

Trevor Davis

Trevor is an experienced entrepreneur and banker with a background in business plan development, financial modeling, M&A, capital raising, and business valuation. He has worked and advised clients across many industries. Trevor has worked on over $5 billion of M&A and financing transactions and has advised clients ranging from early-stage startups to multi-billion dollar businesses.

Andon Baltakov

Andon is a fractional CFO and a fundraising expert for clients of Toptal. Most recently, he devised a novel business plan and a financial model for a sports information company. He also provided advisory services to launch a new social, digital business. Currently, he is working with the CFO of an entertainment enterprise to structure a business model and expand a side video project into a multimillion-dollar film business. Andon is a seasoned strategy executive who worked at the AP, CNN.

Aaleem Jiwa

As a Deloitte consulting manager, Aaleem led the creation of a business plan and financial model for a city-owned real estate firm that enabled them to develop 50 properties in 10 years. He has helped owners of small companies and executive teams at multi-billion dollar entities optimize their businesses through financial analysis. Aaleem travels extensively, and freelancing allows him to deliver value to companies from any city in the world.

Wen helped a French multimillion-euro food startup build its equity story and manage potential acquirers (Danone). She has project experience with private equity funds, venture capital, and industrial groups in France, Belgium, China, Africa, and the US. She is skilled in financial analysis and modeling, investor deck, and market research. Wen freelances to help advise startups and corporates on business strategy, investor relations, and fundraising projects.

Alan has 30 years of experience as a consultant, including leadership roles at KPMG & KPMG Consulting and EY. He has executive operational experience as the COO of a venture capital-funded company. Alan is skilled in project management with a record of delivering on time and on or under budget. He is also experienced in business planning, process improvement, curriculum design, IT security, and logical and physical architecture. Freelance work lets Alan focus on client needs and projects.

Swapnil Manish

Swapnil is a finance expert with 16 years of experience and an MBA in finance. He has advised on M&A transactions, fundraising, and valuations worth $13 billion at bulge bracket investment banks (BNP Paribas and SMTB). He is also the co-founder of two startups, and he has advised other SME entrepreneurs at the intersection of business planning, fundraising, and scaling up through M&A and organic growth. Swapnil enjoys interacting with entrepreneurs and helping them maximize business value.

Monica Ioannidou Polemitis

With 20+ years of experience in strategic advisory, Monica has led multiple engagements across sectors. She's facilitated the valuation of new business ideas and secured financing from private and public sources, including extensive work with private equity funds and European Union financial instruments such as the EU and European Investment Bank. Recently, Monica has launched Hybrid ConsulTech, a company offering comprehensive digital transformation solutions across Europe and the Middle East.

Alex is a business intelligence and customer insight expert who helped raise over $200 million in funding as VP of marketing and sales at a venture-backed startup which eventually went public. He has broad experience developing business plans, market research, product development and deployment in mobile telecoms, advertising, and digital collaboration platforms. Alex loves freelancing because of the freedom and opportunity to cooperate on exciting projects worldwide and across industries.

Nick Fookes

Nick is a CFA with a 28-year track record spanning 40+ countries in M&A, finance, strategy, and policy. He's supported executive decisions in 60 high-stake projects, including M&A transactions ($46 billion), radio-spectrum auctions and trades ($3.5 billion), public policy advocacy, government contract bids (worth $1 billion), go-to-market strategies, and raises for small caps and tech startups. Independent since 2001, Nick has enjoyed working in diverse markets, sectors, and cultures.

Isaac Prada y Nogueira

Isaac is a former Formula One engineer with over ten years of management consulting experience, applying the management method he learned in F1 (mainly Minimum Viable Testing) to growth strategy, innovation strategy, and optimization of tech startups and SMBs. He has developed a proprietary growth strategy for tech companies called Competitive Manager and has doubled revenues for some of his clients. Isaac seeks projects where he can put in the same energy that took him to F1.

Stella Canivenc

Stella brings leadership, go-to-market, and tech solutions design skills developed over a 23-year international career as a serial entrepreneur and seasoned executive at Fortune 500 companies. She enjoys freelancing because it allows her to work with focused leaders and help them launch and scale their businesses globally.

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Toptal's screening and matching process ensures exceptional talent are matched to your precise needs.

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Our clients frequently pair these additional services with our freelance Business Plan Consultants.

A Hiring Guide

Guide to hiring a great business plan consultant.

Business plan consultants have the industry knowledge and expertise to develop a business plan that maximizes your company’s potential and attracts investors. This guide to hiring business plan experts offers insight into best practices, skill requirements, job description tips, and interview questions and answers to help you identify the best candidate for your needs.

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How do I hire a Business Plan Consultant?

To hire the right business plan consultant, it’s important to evaluate a candidate’s experience, technical skills, and communication skills. You’ll also want to consider the fit with your particular industry, company, and project. Toptal’s rigorous screening process ensures that every member of our network has excellent experience and skills, and our team will match you with the perfect business plan consultants for your project.

What do I need to look for when I choose a business plan consultant online?

Do not hire a business plan consultant online without interviewing them at least once, ideally via video conference so you can evaluate your rapport with them. It’s critical to ask them questions about your industry, their industry-specific experience, and their thoughts on current trends—all elements you can’t gauge from an online résumé. In addition to evaluating their experience and knowledge, it’s important to validate it through examples of work products and references.

How do I choose between two quality business plan consultant candidates?

When you have two highly qualified consultants vying for an engagement with your company, compare their skills with your internal capabilities and select the consultant who best complements the skills you and your team have. You’ll also want to consider their interpersonal skills and general fit with your preferred ways of working. Your objective should be to hire the consultant who rounds out the most capable team you can create to develop your business plan.

Do I need to hire a business plan consultant?

You should strongly consider hiring a business plan consultant. Business plan professionals offer significant benefits through their expertise and unbiased point of view. They’ll stress-test your current plans, identify potential risks and growth opportunities, provide a market analysis and industry insights, and ensure that your business plan is credible, positioned to maximize your company’s potential, and appealing to investors.

Who are business plan consultants and how do they add value?

A business plan consultant is a highly qualified individual who combines the skills of a management consultant and a CFO to advise and assist management teams of businesses of all sizes. Beyond creating business plans, they can assist with a number of projects, including market sizing; go-to-market and customer acquisition strategies; pricing and monetization planning; and fundraising strategy. Additionally, they can help you produce a pitch deck, board presentations and presentation materials, research and market reports, financial models, analyses, forecasts, and more.

How are Toptal business plan consultants different?

When you hire a business plan consultant with Toptal, you’ll always work with world-class, custom-matched business plan consultants ready to help you achieve your goals.

By Nicholas Piscani

Nicholas is a corporate strategy and FP&A expert who works with businesses to optimize their operations and execute high-priority strategic initiatives. He has helped entrepreneurs raise more than $600 million.

Previously at

How to hire business plan consultants, every company needs an effective business plan to maximize its potential.

A comprehensive business plan details a company’s present and expected future status and needs in order to guide strategic decisions and resource requirements. Research has shown that, historically, companies with business plans have grown 30% faster than those without them and that companies with business plans have been nearly twice as likely to receive funding. That’s because potential investors and investment banks often won’t take your business seriously without a comprehensive business plan.

While business plans are proven to maximize potential at all stages of maturity , many business leaders fail to develop or execute them. They may believe it isn’t worth the investment, or they may be overwhelmed by the number of steps involved and the amount of information required to get started. Other business owners may attempt to develop such plans without external assistance.

However, many company owners do recognize that specialized skills are required to maximize the impact of a business plan and to develop a complementary pitch deck for potential investors. These executives typically hire a business plan consultant to guide them through the entire strategic and business planning process. This hiring guide offers insights into how to select and hire a business plan consultant who can advise and collaborate with you to deliver the business plan you need.

What attributes distinguish quality Business Plan Consultants from others?

Above all else, quality business plan consultants have business planning and industry-specific experience. Typically, more experience equals more expertise, but don’t get caught up in thinking about experience only in terms of years. Once a professional business plan consultant has five or more years of experience, other factors, such as the number of business plans written and the number of successful funding rounds they’ve been involved in, are more important.

When selecting a business plan advisor, it’s important to find someone who develops complete business plans frequently, has a strong track record of success, and has specialized industry experience relevant to your business. For example, the core components of business plans in healthcare and construction may be similar, but industry-specific knowledge adds significant credibility when detailing the organization’s strategic direction, financial plans and models, and resource requirements.

Quality business plan professionals provide clear and concise guidance, and work with you and your management team to develop primary and contingency strategies. The consultant should be able to collaborate effectively during the planning process and illuminate potential shortcomings and pitfalls of an existing or new plan. While they may use a standardized template for creating business plans, the consultant should be willing and able to customize the plan to meet your organization’s specific needs.

How can you identify the ideal Business Plan Consultant for your business?

The ideal business plan consultant will possess a mix of hard and soft skills across multiple business areas so that they can skillfully craft a successful plan and pitch deck. The best business plan consultants have these complementary skills:

Industry knowledge – The business plan consultant best suited to help your organization will have solid industry knowledge and significant experience working with other companies in your sector. Understanding the industry, its competitive landscape, significant trends, and market segments is critical to developing an effective business and marketing plan.

Market research and analysis – This skill is required to establish accurate estimates of the total market, total addressable market, serviceable market, and obtainable markets. Business plan consultants need to gather and analyze significant amounts of data, interpret the results, and derive target markets and market-share goals for your company.

Financial modeling and forecasting – In addition to validating existing financial plans, the business plan consultant should be able to provide insight into current and alternative pricing strategies for revenue growth, understand whether capital and resource assumptions are valid given industry-average and best-in-class capital efficiencies, and confirm that margin expectations are reasonable given other operating assumptions. In-house financial analysts may be able to help fill this need with guidance from the expert business plan consultant you hire.

Data analysis and visualization – A quality business plan consultant should be able to compile and analyze all the inputs your organization provides and use them to create the components of the plan. This should include a go-to-market strategy that highlights your value proposition, identifies how you’ll reach your target market(s), and convinces investors that your organization has significant growth potential.

Presentation skills and storytelling ability – An underrated but essential value that a business plan consultant can bring is the ability to take all the individual components of the plan and weave them together into a compelling, original story that creates stakeholder buy-in and investor interest.

In addition to the aforementioned important capabilities, the best business plan consultant for your company should demonstrate the following soft skills:

Communication – The consultant should be able to distill complex ideas into accessible concepts to ensure understanding among stakeholders, investors, and employees. They should also be willing and able to ask hard questions and challenge assumptions.

Organization – The business plan expert needs to gather, analyze, and organize extensive data and other inputs from multiple sources. This requires impeccable organization and attention to detail.

Critical and strategic thinking – A quality business plan professional can consider threats, present alternatives, and stress-test the business plan to ensure it is sound and considers all possibilities.

A business plan advisor who possesses these complementary soft skills is more likely to be highly effective and deliver a plan that generates a high ROI.

What criteria can hiring managers use to match Business Plan Consultants to their specific industry or business needs?

Hiring managers should consider these three critical criteria when matching business plan professionals to their specific industries and needs:

• Industry experience – Each industry has a unique environment, with unique relationships between the hiring company and its customers, suppliers, competitors, etc. Navigating different compliance requirements and barriers to entry requires specific knowledge. While there is no set requirement for years of industry-specific experience, three years is a sufficient minimum threshold.
• Financial acumen – The consultant should be able to build detailed, dynamic financial models that drive the business plan. Experience with three-statement modeling is ideal, as the consultant will need to understand how investment and operating plans impact cash flow, the balance sheet, and the income statement. The hiring manager should prioritize credentials such as advanced degrees and certifications pertaining to corporate finance, valuation, and modeling financial projections when evaluating candidates.
• Leadership experience – Hiring managers should look for a consultant with a demonstrated history of leading teams and stakeholders through strategic initiatives. At a minimum, consultants should have reached a managerial level with a focus on strategy and business planning. Director- and VP-level experience, along with a track record of successful consulting engagements, becomes more important as the scope and scale of the project at hand increases.

How to Write a Business Plan Consultant Job Description for Your Project

First, define the use case for the business plan and identify the industry in which your company operates. Clearly identifying the sector will help candidates self-select, minimizing the number of irrelevant résumés to review.

Next, specify the experience and any specializations you require. Some technical expertise may be optional: For example, it may not be as important for your business plan consultant to have in-depth financial modeling expertise—as long as that’s a strength of your internal team. On the other hand, your business plan consultant must have extensive knowledge about your industry and market segments.

Your job description should also take into account how far along your organization is in the strategic and business planning process. If you have many of the pieces in place and simply need a business plan professional to ensure you have a cohesive and compelling plan to present, you’ll require a different skill set than if you need a business plan expert to research, analyze, define, and document the strategic path forward.

What are the most important Business Plan Consultant interview questions?

As you prepare to interview your top candidates, you should already have a basic understanding of their experience and skills. During the interviews, it’s important to ask questions that get to the heart of what your organization needs and whether the consultant has the expertise to deliver an effective plan. These questions will help you evaluate and select the best business plan consultant for your situation:

How would you approach this project?

With this question, you’re looking for the consultant to explain how they would use internal and external resources to gather relevant information and craft the story that the business plan will tell as it relates to your specific case. Ideally, the consultant can identify external resources that will provide industry, competitor, and market insights, including potential environmental, regulatory, or legal hurdles and risks.

Can you share your thoughts on the industry’s current state and future outlook?

The consultant you hire should be well versed in your industry, its present state, and the key factors influencing its future. The success of a business strategy hinges on the quality of the market information, data, and insights the expert has access to, and how they will use that information to guide the plan. A qualified business plan professional will be able to discuss total market size, growth rates, key competitors, and significant trends. Their answer should leave you confident that the candidate has the industry experience and knowledge you require.

Can you share specific examples of successful business plans you’ve developed?

The answer to this question should demonstrate how the candidate has applied their expertise in previous engagements or corporate roles. Although the consultant may be able to effectively explain their approach, specific examples will confirm they have the experience and capabilities to deliver what you need. Ask them to define the qualities of a successful engagement to be sure your expectations are aligned.

How do you ensure that a business plan is adaptable and remains relevant?

The last thing you want to do is lead your business down a path that reduces or eliminates agility. The consultant should highlight specific tools, such as scenario and sensitivity analyses, that can be used to develop contingency plans should the primary strategy shift because of changes in the market. The most qualified consultants should be able to identify gaps and trends in the market and suggest potential strategies and technologies to address them.

Additional questions to ask include how the consultant would communicate with you and your internal teams, how they handle disagreements among principals about the strategic direction the organization should pursue, and what, if any, special research and analysis they might perform for this engagement.

A well-rounded business plan consultant will answer your questions in ways that leave you feeling confident in their ability to successfully execute the project and deliver an effective custom business plan that maximizes your company’s potential and attracts investors.

How can a hiring manager ensure the confidentiality and security of sensitive information during the hiring process, especially when sharing business plans or proprietary data with candidates?

Hiring managers and recruiters can take decisive actions to protect their company’s confidential information during the hiring process. These include:

• Requiring candidates to sign nondisclosure agreements before they receive sensitive materials.
• Conducting thorough background checks to verify candidates’ credibility, trustworthiness, and adherence to data security protocols.
• Using secure document-sharing platforms or virtual data rooms with access controls, encryption, and audit trails.
• Using secure communication channels, such as encrypted email services or secure messaging platforms, when sharing sensitive information.

Why do companies hire Business Plan Consultants?

Business plan experts can deliver tremendous value to companies that are developing business plans to guide strategic decisions or pursue funding. While founders and employees may have a significant grasp of the company, its strategic direction, and its business goals, they may not have the expertise to craft a compelling business plan and pitch deck that attracts investors.

One of the quickest ways to lose the interest of potential investors and partners is by presenting a business plan that comes across as disorganized and fragmented. Business plan advisors with extensive experience dealing with investors solve this problem for their clients. They have the well-rounded business background and skill set to contribute and add value to the entire strategic planning process. They have the capability to propel a business forward by weaving a company’s market data, industry trends, business strategy, business goals, and resource requirements into a compelling story for stakeholders and potential investors.

While many business owners develop business plans without external assistance, hiring a business plan consultant can significantly increase the quality and credibility of a business plan, its likelihood to maximize business success, and its ability to attract investors.

Featured Toptal Business Plan Publications

5 Key Tips for Smarter Sales and Operations Planning Implementation

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Top Business Plan Consultants Are in High Demand.

Business Plan Consultants. Real World Experience.

You have just one chance to nail your first impression with investors and lenders.

A compelling pitch deck, business plan, and financial forecast are all essential tools.

Our business plan consultants have hands-on experience founding, funding, and scaling ventures. Think of us as your co-founder for the duration of our project.

We understand your situation. Let us guide you.

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Pitch Decks

The key to generating interest and then closing a deal is a compelling pitch deck. Whether you’re pitching friends and family, a pitch competition, an angel group, or venture capitalists on Sand Hill Road, we can help you get the job done. Let our writers and artists help you shine!

Financial Forecasts

Why choose cayenne nine great reasons.

Get Investors to Notice

Most entrepreneurs can’t get investors to return their calls. A majority of our clients secure meetings with potential funders. Our team’s efforts have contributed to over $4.3 billion in financing!

Get it Right the First Time

Funding is a binary event: either you succeed or you fail. If you fail, most investors won’t give you a second glance. Why take chances?

No Salespeople

Deal directly with your senior business plan consultant from Day One – not a commissioned salesperson who will hand you off to a junior writer. Personal relationships matter, and you need to know exactly who you’re dealing with.

Fully Customized

Some business plan writers charge extremely low fees because they have a cookie-cutter, assembly-line approach. You get what you pay for. We work from scratch to represent your unique vision, not somebody else’s.

Avoid Costly Mistakes

We know what works, and, more importantly, what doesn’t. A single mistake can render your plan unfundable. We wrote the original and often-cited article on Why Business Plans Don’t Get Funded .

Work With True Experts

We’ve walked in your shoes and we understand what you’re going through. Many of us have advanced degrees from institutions like Harvard , Wharton , CalTech , Cornell , Columbia , Stanford , Yale , Dartmouth , MIT , and Chicago .

Save Money - Really!

We’re not cheap, but about half of our clients came to us after a business plan prepared by a less qualified business plan consultant did not work out. Why not get it right the first time and save money?

Develop a Winning Strategy

Most so-called “business plan consultants” take whatever you tell them and type it into software. We go much deeper and help develop a viable strategy for success, which we then express in a compelling business plan.

Ongoing Support

We don’t stop when the business plan is complete. We have a talented team ready to help you implement it as well, either on a retained basis as interim members of your founding team or on a project basis, as needed.

What Do Our Clients Say?

Aaron at Cayenne had my best interest from start to finish. He took the time to understand my business, identify the problem areas and make specific recommendations on both the operations and finances. They provided us a solid assessment of our business and a turnaround plan to restructure the company. He also worked with us to refer a new financing source to help recapitalize the business and get us back on the right track.

The materials that Cayenne created for us enabled us to ultimately close several large rounds of financing and reach where we are today.

Cayenne’s financial model was a critical tool in our fundraising process. It helped us understand the financial management and operational challenges we would face as a start-up. At the same time, it allowed us to communicate to our investors that we clearly understood those challenges and had thought them through. We are very pleased with Cayenne’s services.

Jennifer showed her quick adaptation and the ability to facilitate and assist in defining our product offerings… Calls and emails were returned immediately. The ability to meet our timeline while demonstrating flexibility with our changing needs is a real testament to your staff… We were thoroughly pleased with all components of this collaborative effort. The highly polished plan allowed us to fast track our financing…

Cayenne helped our company craft an incredible business plan and pro-forma financials. I consider [the consultant] to be the very best all-round business planning specialist I’ve had the pleasure of working with in my ten years as a business owner. I have recommended him to other CEOs growing their businesses.

We were amazed by how little effort was required on our part to have Cayenne prepare these materials. We exchanged a few phone calls and e-mails, and they handled the rest. The results were clear, professional, and persuasive, and the investors and advisors who have seen the materials loved them. They know what investors want, and they delivered.

Cayenne took the time to understand the business and what we were trying to do, and created a fantastic business plan that was versatile to use for a number of different purposes. Cayenne is the company I’m calling when I need a business consultant. Three years after Cayenne completed a brand new, thorough business plan for DigitGlobal, the Board of Directors is still basing key decisions off of it.

I see five to ten business plans a week. Frankly, most aren’t ready for the big leagues. Cayenne’s work, on the other hand, is consistently excellent. They figured out the formula. They make it easy for investors to quickly see the value in a company. Now that startup activity is picking up, investors have more to choose from. It’s more important than ever for a business plan to make the right first impression.

I'd Like a Quote!

If you'd like an assessment of your needs and a fee estimate, please let us know how to reach you:

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• Write Your Business Plan | Part 1 Overview Video
• The Basics of Writing a Business Plan
• How to Use Your Business Plan Most Effectively
• 12 Reasons You Need a Business Plan
• The Main Objectives of a Business Plan
• What to Include and Not Include in a Successful Business Plan
• The Top 4 Types of Business Plans
• A Step-by-Step Guide to Presenting Your Business Plan in 10 Slides
• 6 Tips for Making a Winning Business Presentation
• 3 Key Things You Need to Know About Financing Your Business
• 12 Ways to Set Realistic Business Goals and Objectives
• How to Perfectly Pitch Your Business Plan in 10 Minutes
• Write Your Business Plan | Part 2 Overview Video
• How to Fund Your Business Through Friends and Family Loans and Crowdsourcing
• How to Fund Your Business Using Banks and Credit Unions
• How to Fund Your Business With an SBA Loan
• How to Fund Your Business With Bonds and Indirect Funding Sources
• How to Fund Your Business With Venture Capital
• How to Fund Your Business With Angel Investors
• How to Use Your Business Plan to Track Performance
• How to Make Your Business Plan Attractive to Prospective Partners
• Is This Idea Going to Work? How to Assess the Potential of Your Business.
• When to Update Your Business Plan
• Write Your Business Plan | Part 3 Overview Video
• How to Write the Management Team Section to Your Business Plan
• How to Create a Strategic Hiring Plan
• How to Write a Business Plan Executive Summary That Sells Your Idea
• How to Build a Team of Outside Experts for Your Business
• Use This Worksheet to Write a Product Description That Sells
• What Is Your Unique Selling Proposition? Use This Worksheet to Find Your Greatest Strength.
• How to Raise Money With Your Business Plan
• Customers and Investors Don't Want Products. They Want Solutions.
• Write Your Business Plan | Part 4 Overview Video
• 5 Essential Elements of Your Industry Trends Plan
• How to Identify and Research Your Competition
• Who Is Your Ideal Customer? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself.
• How to Identify Market Trends in Your Business Plan
• How to Define Your Product and Set Your Prices
• How to Determine the Barriers to Entry for Your Business
• How to Get Customers in Your Store and Drive Traffic to Your Website
• How to Effectively Promote Your Business to Customers and Investors
• Write Your Business Plan | Part 5 Overview Video
• What Equipment and Facilities to Include in Your Business Plan
• How to Write an Income Statement for Your Business Plan
• How to Make a Balance Sheet
• How to Make a Cash Flow Statement
• How to Use Financial Ratios to Understand the Health of Your Business
• How to Write an Operations Plan for Retail and Sales Businesses
• How to Make Realistic Financial Forecasts
• How to Write an Operations Plan for Manufacturers
• What Technology Needs to Include In Your Business Plan
• How to List Personnel and Materials in Your Business Plan
• The Role of Franchising
• The Best Ways to Follow Up on a Buisiness Plan
• The Best Books, Sites, Trade Associations and Resources to Get Your Business Funded and Running
• How to Hire the Right Business Plan Consultant
• Business Plan Lingo and Resources All Entrepreneurs Should Know
• How to Write a Letter of Introduction
• What To Put on the Cover Page of a Business Plan
• How to Format Your Business Plan
• 6 Steps to Getting Your Business Plan In Front of Investors

How to Hire the Right Business Plan Consultant While they will cost you time and money, some experts believe strongly in the utility and value of hiring outside help to craft your business plan.

By Eric Butow Oct 27, 2023

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

This is part 3 / 8 of Write Your Business Plan: Section 6: Getting Your Business Plan to Investors series.

Businesspeople tend to fall into two camps when it comes to consultants. Some believe strongly in the utility and value of hiring outside experts to bring new perspectives and broad knowledge to challenging tasks. Others feel consultants are overpaid yes-men brought in only to endorse plans already decided upon or to take the heat for unpopular but necessary decisions.

Related: Find an Entrepreneur-verified expert to help you write your plan

Who's right? Both are, depending on the consultant you hire and your purpose for hiring one. Most consultants are legitimate experts in specific or general business areas. And most consultants can be hired to help with all or part of the process of writing a business plan.

Related: The Benefits and Risks of Writing a Business Plan

The downside is you have to spend a lot of time on communication before and during the process of working with a consultant. Be sure you have fully explained, and the consultant fully understands, the nature of your business, your concept and strategy, your financial needs, and other matters such as control, future plans, and so on. Refer to these important issues throughout the process—you don't want to pay for a beautifully done plan that fits somebody else's business, not yours. And when the work is done, debrief the consultant to find out if there's anything you can learn that wasn't included in the plan.

If you decide to hire a consultant to help you prepare your plan, take care that you select the right person. Here are the guidelines:

• Get referrals. Ask colleagues, acquaintances, and professionals such as bankers, accountants, and lawyers for the names of business plan consultants they recommend. A good referral goes a long way to easing concerns you may have. Few consultants advertise anyway, so referrals may be your only choice.
• Look for a fit. Find a consultant who is an expert in helping businesses like yours. Ideally, the consultant should have lots of experience with companies of similar size and age in similar industries. Avoid general business experts or those who lack experience in your field.
• Check references. Get the names of at least three clients the consultant has helped to write plans. Call the former clients and ask about the consultant's performance. Was the consultant's final fee in line with the original estimate? Was the plan completed on time? Did it serve the intended purpose?
• Get it in writing. Have a legal contract for the consultant's services. It should discuss in detail the fee, when it will be paid, and under what circumstances. And make sure you get a detailed, written description of what the consultant must do to earn the fee. Whether it's an hourly rate or a flat fee isn't as important as each party knowing exactly what's expected.

The Lowdown on Consultants

A good consultant should provide the following:

• They should lay out expectations. In any working relationship, you need to know exactly what is expected of whom you are hiring.
• The consultant should only make promises they can keep. Hold them to their word. Business is about making and keeping promises.
• All plans should be made in advance and make promises that were inherently discussed beforehand. Without a concrete plan a consultant can "wing it," leaving you without any way to look at milestones and keep tabs on her progress.
• A consultant should provide regular, specific updates. You need to set up a schedule and a means of regular communication. You want to know—specifically— what she is doing, and this means regular ongoing communication, which is an integral part of a healthy business relationship.
• They should not have a personal agenda. If the consultant is not acting in the best interest of your company, then they are not doing the job ethically. Make sure anyone you're hiring is working for your needs, not theirs.

Related: 12 Reasons You Need a Business Plan

What Does It All Mean?

In the end, consultants can only help you know what it is you're looking to accomplish with your business. Business plan competitions can give you a leg up on the competition, but you will then need to use that edge wisely by putting your award-winning plan into the right hands. SCORE and other organizations can benefit you in the business planning process, if you are ready to listen, learn, and ask questions.

Remember, though, there is no magic formula for success. Your business plan should lay down the foundation from which you will do everything you can to build and sustain a successful business. It should tell the story of your business going forward and help you think hard about every aspect of your business. It should help you make the key decisions as you proceed. It should also keep you thinking about all of the possibilities.

Related: How to Write a Business Plan

Writing a business plan is not easy, but neither is starting and running a successful business. Many new businesses (as well as older ones) fail every year. Some have no concrete plan, others have drifted from the plan, and many have lost the motivation to grow and change to keep pace with the changing marketplace. Complacency stops many businesses from taking the next steps.

A business plan means what you want it to mean. It can be a way of guiding you through the process, a means of getting investors, a way of finding advisors, a document to help lure new talent, or all of the above. It is not something that you finish and forget to look at, but instead something you can go back to, just as you would do with a blueprint of a house or a building as you plan to add on a new room or rewire the facility.

Of course, the business plan is worthwhile only if you are honest in what you put on paper, meaning being honest to yourself. If you are writing down an idealized version of what you'd like to see without including well-researched facts and forecasts that are based on due diligence, then your business plan will simply lead you to disappointment. Therefore, as you write the plan, stop and look at it periodically to make sure you are being realistic and have other people you know and trust read it to confirm that you are being forthright and not overly optimistic.

Related: How to Create a Business Plan Investors Will Love

The real optimism of a business plan is creating something that you can accomplish and make successful over time. It's fine to use the business plan to shoot for the stars—but start with one star at a time.

More in Write Your Business Plan

Section 1: the foundation of a business plan, section 2: putting your business plan to work, section 3: selling your product and team, section 4: marketing your business plan, section 5: organizing operations and finances, section 6: getting your business plan to investors.

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Tips for Choosing the Right Business Plan Consultant

Free Business Plan Template

• June 24, 2024

Find yourself staring at the blank screen while writing your business plan? Well, every entrepreneur feels that once in their business journey. This is where a business plan consultant comes into the picture.

Think of a business plan consultant as your strategic partner who helps you craft the plan and create strategies that help you with funding.

But the tricky part is: How do you choose the right business plan consultant? Because there are a lot of options that will confuse you.

Worry not, here are the tips for choosing the right business plan consultant through which you can examine and select the right one for your business.

But before that let us understand why it’s important to hire a consultant.

Why do I need a business plan consultant?

A business plan consultant works closely with you and understands your business thoroughly. They help you achieve your goals like expanded market share, cost reduction, enhanced customer experience, and more.

Consultants have experience in various industries and expertise in fields like marketing, strategic planning, and more. So, having a consultant by your side will lead you to a successful business.

So, as we know why we need a business plan consultant, let’s move ahead to the tips.

8 Tips for choosing the right business plan consultant

Are you too facing the issues in choosing the right business plan consultant ? Well, there are many options online and offline for a consultant, so let’s see how to choose “the one” for your business:

1. Experience and expertise

First, look into which industries the business plan consultant has experience in. Also, consider their expertise, and see if it is relevant for your business.

Go for industry-specific experience, as this ensures familiarity with the unique problems and opportunities related to the industry.

Also, see if they have any successful track record in similar projects in the same industry. Lastly, review their portfolio for detailed strategic plans customized for a business like yours.

2. Check qualifications

Before finalizing the business plan consultant, ensure they have the qualifications that you’re looking for. Go for a solid educational background, such as degrees in business, finance, or related fields, which is necessary for your industry.

Also, check if the consultants have any additional training and memberships in any professional organizations.

3. Review ratings and feedback

Explore recommendations and reviews of the consultant, before you finalize them. If you have word-of-mouth referrals from other businesses then it is a plus, as they come authentically.

Also, scan online reviews and get to know about the consultant’s methodology. All of these combined act as evidence of the consultant’s past work, process, and credibility.

4. Consider compatibility

Look for a consultant who not only has the necessary skills and expertise but communicates effectively. A compatible consultant will be able to offer personalized advice that resonates with your vision, ultimately leading to a more successful output.

5. Verify their process

Understanding the approach of the consultant is essential to ensure a successful outcome. It’s important to verify that their process includes comprehensive research, data analysis, and a clear strategic plan.

Requesting a detailed outline of the process along with the expected timeline can help you understand their method and set clear expectations.

6. Discuss fees and contracts

Discussing fees and contracts before hiring a consultant maintains transparency. You need to clearly understand their fee structure and what it covers.

Apart from that, make sure the contract clearly states what you’ll get, when you’ll get the plan, and how much you’ll have. This clarity helps prevent misunderstandings and potential disputes later on.

7. Review sample plans

Request sample business plans from the consultant to evaluate their work. This will help you know their writing style, attention to detail, and overall professionalism.

By going through their past work, you can consider whether their process syncs with your expectations and requirements.

8. Know their knowledge

Here you should get to know about the consultant’s knowledge by asking certain specific questions from the industry like:

• How do you update yourself with all the industry changes and trends?
• Can you please explain a complex concept of the business and how you plan to apply the same in my business?
• What metrics or KPIs are the most important for you and which you will use for my business?

Also, look into if they can provide you with in-depth replies to your questions.

That’s it guys! I hope following the above tips will help you choose the right business plan consultant for your business.

But, if you don’t want to go to and for for your business plan, you can write it on your own with the help of a business planning software like Upmetrics .

This tool helps you with business planning, creating financial forecasts, strategic planning, and a lot more.

So, why not write your business plan on your own? Start planning today.

Sample Business Plan Library

Explore over 400 real-world business plan examples from a wide variety of industries.

One Page Business Plan Template

Use this simple one-page business plan template to immediately get started on your plan.

Free Startup Business Plan Template

Use this simple startup business plan template to immediately get started on your plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a business plan consultant help with funding.

Yes, a business plan consultant helps you with writing engaging business plans which ultimately supports you in attracting investors and banks for funds.

How long does it take to complete a business plan?

It might take around weeks, months, or even more for a business plan consultant or a writer to create a business plan for your business. However, with the AI-powered business planning tool like Upmetrics, you can write your plan in days.

Should I pay someone to write my business plan?

Paying someone or not depends on your budget and requirements. But you can write your business plan professionally for just as low as $7 with Upmetrics.

What kind of information do I need to provide to the consultant?

You need to provide the history of your business, product or services, target market, competitors, marketing strategies, financial projections, operational details, legal requirements, and more—for them to understand your business.

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

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

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• Small Business

These 5 Business Types Have the Highest Odds of Success in 2024

Updated June 24, 2024 - First published on June 23, 2024

By: Dana George

• No business is guaranteed success, but some are in a better position than others to survive.
• Look for a business that people will care about in 10 years.
• The ideal business marries your passion with a practical idea.

Check out our pick for the best cash back credit card of 2024

Starting a business is a huge undertaking. Anyone who goes into business would like assurances that theirs will be a huge success. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees, no matter what type of business a person starts. 

1. Technology businesses

Why they're likely to succeed: Despite recent layoffs, the tech sector will continue to grow. Rapid advancements fuel the need for professionals who can do everything -- from teaching others how to make the most of their technology to teaching professionals how to make repairs.

Business ideas

• Artificial intelligence (AI) expert: If you have a deep knowledge of AI and have always wanted to develop AI-driven products or services, now may be your time as more businesses open their wallets to invest in AI.
• Software as a Service (SaaS) professional: The introduction of AI has not cooled the need for those who can provide software solutions for businesses and individuals.
• Technology consultant: A consulting business would allow you to charge companies for your tech expertise. The good news is that technology is not going anywhere, and once you get it established, your business is likely to be around for decades.
• Cybersecurity expert: Now that nearly all businesses count on technology to keep their businesses up and running, there's a greater need for experts who can help protect digital assets and corporate privacy.

2. Janitorial services

Why they're likely to succeed: For hundreds of years, there's been a demand for people who can efficiently clean a building or residence. The cleaning equipment may be different, but a top-notch cleaning company can easily fill their business bank account with cash. 

• Home cleaning expert: Given the number of people who don't have time to clean their homes, a dependable home cleaning expert could scale their small business rather quickly. Fortunately, it doesn't take much capital to start a home cleaning service.
• Business cleaning professional: Offices will always need to be cleaned, and businesses will always be on the lookout for cleaning professionals they can trust to get the job done. While start-up costs may be a bit higher for those who choose to clean businesses, it's still inexpensive compared to other types of businesses.

3. Renewable energy experts

Why they're likely to succeed: The Earth is heating up, and everything, from weather patterns to air turbulence, has been impacted. In response to the warming planet, the global focus has shifted to creating renewable energy and reducing carbon footprints.

• Environmental consultant: An environmental consultant provides businesses with a step-by-step plan to reduce their operations' environmental impact. If your background is in environmental science, you may have the expertise needed to help guide businesses as they do their part to fight global warming and waste.
• Solar and wind energy sales: Any business that helps provide clean energy alternatives has a good chance of success, especially after it has earned a reputation for providing energy alternatives that fit a customer's needs and budget.

4. Pet care services

Business credit card comparison.

Consider these business credit cards that offer a convenient and efficient way to separate personal and business expenses, simplifying accounting and tax reporting.

Additionally, business cards can provide valuable perks such as rewards points, cashback, and expense tracking tools, enhancing financial management and the potential to help save money in the long run.

• Pet walker: Pet walkers allow pet owners to work without worrying about whether the dogs are getting the exercise they need. On average, pet walkers earn $20 for a 30-minute walk, and it's an entirely scalable business. That may mean walking several dogs at one time or continually taking on new clients.
• Pet groomer: While everyone wants their pets to look their best, not everyone has the talent to groom them. That's where a good pet groomer is worth their weight in gold. Building a long list of faithful clients is possible, whether you're an experienced groomer or plan to be trained.
• Pet trainers: If you always have well-behaved animals at home and you know how to make your training techniques work for others, your expertise is a skill plenty of frustrated pet owners would be happy to pay for.

5. Online businesses

Why they're likely to succeed: The shift toward online shopping and learning means you have a larger pool of potential customers than ever.  

• E-commerce business owner: E-commerce business owners operate entirely online. You're responsible for everything, from purchasing inventory to marketing and shipping.
• Dropship business owner: When you dropship, you advertise products owned by other companies. You set a high enough price to make a profit, make the sale, and collect the money. You then pay the dropshipping company the asking price for the product and give it the customer's mailing address. If you want happy customers, though, you'll need to dedicate yourself to only working with drop shippers who guarantee fast shipping.
• Online tutoring: Whether your special skill is speaking Norwegian or advanced mathematics, there are people willing to pay you to tutor them or their children. Like the Zoom video meetings conducted during the pandemic, your classroom is totally online. 

Often, a business's success comes down to customer demand and satisfaction. To fill customer demand, research the business you're considering to ensure customers need your goods or services. If you want a business to thrive, focus on making your customers so happy with your service that they'll recommend you to others. 

Finally, the magic ingredient that helps any business succeed is passion. If you're passionate about what you do, it's sure to show. 

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Dana is a full-time personal finance writer, with more than two decades of experience. Her focus is on helping readers feel less alone as they navigate their personal finances and offering actionable insights.

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Elon Musk's AI-driven plan for news on X is like 'old Twitter on steroids,' expert says

• Elon Musk recently suggested the future of news may be AI-powered.
• The billionaire said AI could aggregate social media posts into a real-time news feed.
• Experts say the model could quickly spread misinformation.

Elon Musk has a new vision for AI-powered journalism.

Speaking at the Cannes Lions event on Wednesday , he suggested the world was heading to a new model of newsgathering that would be "better than conventional journalism."

In short, Musk thinks social media posts can be aggregated into a real-time news feed using AI.

"What we're doing on the X platform is we are aggregating — we're using AI to sum up the aggregate input from millions of users," he said during an interview with Mark Read, the CEO of advertising group WPP.

"I think this is really going to be the new model of news, which is to gather information from people who are at the scene, who are experts in the field, and summarize the experts," Musk said, adding that this content should be aggregated into a "real-time news feed."

The suggestion aligns with Musk's continued championing of "citizen journalism," which relies on members of the public collecting, disseminating, and analyzing information.

However, using AI to curate a real-time news feed could come with some serious risks.

'Old Twitter on steroids'

Nic Newman, of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, told Business Insider the model was reminiscent of pre-Musk Twitter .

"It's just old Twitter on steroids," he said. "Some of the citizen journalism can be relied on and gives you things, but aggregating stuff when you're not sure how true it is not going to necessarily help human understanding or take us any further than old Twitter did."

According to Musk, X "very quickly" corrects itself when misinformation is spread on the platform.

However, Newman said his recent research had found the opposite was true.

Related stories

The 2024 Digital News report from the Reuters Institute found X and TikTok to be the least trustworthy sources in terms of users' ability to differentiate fact from falsehoods. The report notes that both platforms have hosted misinformation or conspiracy theories around the Isreal-Hamas conflict and the Princess of Wales's health.

"The real issue that people have is they feel overwhelmed and confused by what's happening, and they don't have enough understanding. I can't see how this really helps that in any way," Newman said.

The idea that Twitter gets things wrong, but is never wrong for long, is something experts were talking about "over a decade ago," according to Newman.

"What we've discovered in that time period is that it can actually be very, very damaging because the falsehood goes around the world before the truth has time to catch up," he said.

Amplifying incorrect information can be dangerous unless platforms have a better way of correcting themselves and letting people know when they've viewed misleading content, Newman added.

Misleading 'experts'

According to Musk, AI and the internet are already "aggregating the wisdom of the people."

When looking to the future of newsgathering, the billionaire emphasized the importance of "experts in the field" and "first observers" over traditional reporters.

Musk has been somewhat hostile to news media since taking over X. He removed a policy that allowed journalists to get blue checkmarks and temporarily suspended several from the platform.

However, Musk's renewed focus on listening to "experts" contradicts some of these decisions. By removing the blue checkmark verification system, the billionaire has arguably made it more difficult to identify the very people he wants aggregated.

"When you're using AI to sort of sift through millions and millions of tweets or posts on X, it can be hard to tell if someone is just saying they're an expert or claiming to be an expert," social-media consultant Matt Navarra told BI.

Compensation questions

"X is probably one of the worst platforms in terms of being able to trust what you're reading," he added. "So if you're using a tool like AI to go through all of these tweets and posts, it gives rise to concern around if it will actually reflect and summarise factual, verifiable information."

Newman said the suggestion to aggregate experts on the platform also raised questions about compensation.

"If you're aggregating experts, people who really know what they're talking about, what is the payment model behind that? Many of those experts may protect their own IP and write Substack newsletters or do podcasts or do things that they can monetize," he said.

X did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Watch: 5 ways Elon Musk shook up Twitter as CEO

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Hidden Stashes: Keeping Money Secrets From a Loved One

People hide money for a variety of reasons, from nefarious to romantic. But financial experts say such secrets can erode a basic pillar of relationships: trust.

By Lisa Rabasca Roepe

Ric Shahin wanted to surprise his wife with a special trip for their 10th wedding anniversary, so he set up a secret bank account and began depositing $50 from his paycheck every two weeks. But he soon realized that although he had two and a half years to save for the trip, he wouldn’t have enough, so he increased the deposit to $150.

“This went on for a while before my wife noticed that there seemed to be money from my paycheck unaccounted for,” Mr. Shahin said. That was 25 years ago, and the couple were working as teachers in the same Midland, Mich., school district. So his wife, Martha Shahin, knew how much he was paid and how much was deducted.

“I was wondering if they hadn’t calculated his paycheck correctly,” Ms. Shahin said. She began asking to see his pay stub, but Mr. Shahin always had an excuse — he didn’t know where it was, he must have left it at work.

Mr. Shahin, now 66, finally confessed that he was depositing money into a secret travel fund. He expected his wife to be pleased with his romantic gesture. Instead, she was irritated.

“He wanted to do this really nice thing, but I was also angry because he knows I don’t like surprises,” Ms. Shahin, 60, said.

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The Biden admin has no firm plan to call out domestic disinformation in the 2024 election

The Biden administration has no firm   plans to alert the public about deepfakes or other false information during the 2024 election unless it is clearly coming from a foreign actor and poses a sufficiently grave threat , according to current and former officials.

Although cyber experts in and outside of government expect an onslaught of disinformation and deepfakes during this year’s election campaign, officials in the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security remain worried that if they weigh in, they will face accusations that they are attempting to tilt the election in favor of President Joe Biden’s re-election.

Lawmakers from both parties have urged the Biden administration to take a more assertive stance .

“I’m worried that you may be overly concerned with appearing partisan and that that will freeze you in terms of taking the actions that are necessary,” Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with the Democrats, told cybersecurity and intelligence officials at a hearing last month.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., asked how the government would react to a deepfake video. “If this happens, who’s in charge of responding to it? Have we thought through the process of what do we do when one of these scenarios occurs?” he asked. “‘We just want you to know that video is not real.’ Who would be in charge of that?”

A senior U.S. official familiar with government deliberations said federal law enforcement agencies, particularly the FBI, are reluctant to call out disinformation with a domestic origin.

The FBI will investigate possible election law violations, the official said, but does not feel equipped to make public statements about disinformation or deepfakes generated by Americans.

“The FBI is not in the truth detection business,” the official said.

In interagency meetings about the issue, the official said, it’s clear that the Biden administration does not have a specific plan for how to deal with domestic election disinformation, whether it’s a deepfake impersonating a candidate or a false report about violence or voting locations being closed that could dissuade people from going to the polls.

In a statement to NBC News, the FBI acknowledged that even when it investigates possible criminal violations involving false information, the bureau is unlikely to immediately flag what’s false.

“The FBI can and does investigate allegations of Americans spreading disinformation that are intended to deny or undermine someone’s ability to vote,” the statement said. “The FBI takes these allegations seriously, and that requires that we follow logical investigative steps to determine if there is a violation of federal law. Those investigative steps cannot be completed ‘in the moment.’”

The bureau added that it will “work closely with state and local election officials to share information in real time. But since elections are administered at the state level, the FBI would defer to state-level election officials about their respective plans to address disinformation in the moment.” 

A senior official at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the federal entity charged with protecting election infrastructure, said state and local election agencies were best placed to inform the public about false information spread by other Americans but would not rule out the possibility that the agency might issue a public warning if necessary.

“I won’t say that we wouldn’t speak publicly about something. I would not say that categorically. No, I think it just depends,” the official said.

“Is this something that’s specific to one state or jurisdiction? Is this something that’s happening in multiple states? Is this something that’s actually impacting election infrastructure?” the official said.

CISA has focused on helping educate the public and train state and local election officials about the tactics employed in disinformation campaigns, the official said.

“At CISA, we certainly have not stopped prioritizing this as a threat vector that we take very seriously for this election cycle,” the official said.

The late-breaking deepfake

Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, a pro-democracy group that has been urging states to criminalize political deepfakes, said that the current federal approach is a recipe for chaos.

The biggest fear, he said, is a late-breaking deepfake that reflects poorly on a candidate and could influence the outcome of an election. Right now, government bodies — from county election boards to federal authorities — have no plans to respond to such a development, he said.

“If political operatives have a tool they can use and it’s legal, even if it’s unethical, they are pretty likely to use it,” Weissman said. “We are foolish if we expect anything other than a tsunami of deepfakes.”

Disinformation designed to keep people from voting is illegal, but deepfakes mischaracterizing the actions of candidates are not prohibited under federal law and by the laws of 30 states.

The Department of Homeland Security has  warned election officials across the country that generative artificial intelligence could allow bad actors — either foreign or domestic — to impersonate election officials and spread false information, something that has happened in other countries around the world in recent months.

At a recent meeting with tech executives and nonpartisan watchdog groups, a senior federal official in cybersecurity acknowledged that fake videos or audio clips generated by AI posed a potential risk in an election year. But they said that CISA would not try to intervene to warn the public because of the polarized political climate.

Intelligence agencies say they are closely tracking false information spread by foreign adversaries, and officials  said  recently they are prepared if necessary to issue a public statement about certain disinformation if the author of the false information is clearly a foreign actor and if the threat is sufficiently “severe” that it could jeopardize the outcome of the election. But they have not clearly defined what “severe” means.

At a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing last month on the disinformation threat, senators said the government needed to come up with a more coherent plan as to how it would handle a potentially damaging “deepfake” during the election campaign.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the committee’s chair, told NBC News that the threat posed by generative AI is “serious and rampant” and that the federal government needed to be ready to respond.

“While I continue to push tech companies to do more to curb nefarious AI content of all varieties, I think it’s appropriate for the federal government to have a plan in place to alert the public when a serious threat comes from a foreign adversary,” he said. “In domestic contexts, state and federal law enforcement may be positioned to determine if election-related disinformation constitutes criminal activity, such as voter suppression.”

How other countries respond

Unlike the U.S. government, Canada has published an  explanation  of its decision-making protocol for how Ottawa will respond to an incident that could put an election at risk. The government website promises to “communicate clearly, transparently and impartially with Canadians during an election in the event of an incident or a series of incidents that threatened the election’s integrity.”

Some other democracies, including Taiwan, France and Sweden, have adopted a more proactive approach to disinformation, flagging false reports or collaborating closely with nonpartisan groups that fact-check and try to educate the public, experts said.

Sweden, for example, set up a special government agency in 2022 to combat disinformation — prompted by Russia’s information warfare — and has tried to educate the public about what to look out for and how to recognize attempts to spread falsehoods.

France has set up a similar agency, the Vigilance and Protection Service against Foreign Digital Interference, known as Viginum, which regularly issues detailed public reports about Russian-backed propaganda and false reports, describing fake government websites, news sites and social media accounts.

The European Union, following the lead of France and other member states, has set up a center for sharing information and research between government agencies and nonprofit civil society groups that track the issue.

But those countries are not plagued by the same degree of political division as in the United States, according to David Salvo, a former U.S. diplomat and now managing director of the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund think tank. 

“It’s tough, because the best practices tend to be in places where either trust in government is a hell of a lot higher than it is here,” he said. 

Discord derailed U.S. effort

After the 2016 election in which Russia spread disinformation through social media, U.S. government agencies began working with social media companies and researchers to help identify potentially violent or volatile content. But a federal court ruling in 2023 discouraged federal agencies from even communicating with social media platforms about content.

The Supreme Court is due to take up the case as soon as this week, and if the lower court ruling is rejected, more regular communication between federal agencies and the tech firms could resume.

Early in President Joe Biden’s term, the administration sought to tackle the danger presented by false information circulating on social media, with DHS setting up a disinformation working group led by an expert from a nonpartisan Washington think tank. But Republican lawmakers denounced the Disinformation Governance Board as a threat to free speech with an overly vague role and threatened to cut off funding for it. 

Under political pressure, DHS  shut it down  in August 2022 and the expert who ran the board, Nina Jankowicz, said she and her family received numerous death threats during her brief tenure. 

Even informal cooperation between the federal government and private nonprofit groups is more politically fraught in the U.S. due to the polarized landscape, experts say. 

Nonpartisan organizations potentially face accusations of partisan bias if they collaborate or share information with a federal or state government agency, and many have faced allegations that they are stifling freedom of speech by merely tracking online disinformation.

The threat of lawsuits and intense political attacks from pro-Trump Republicans have led many organizations and universities to pull back from research on disinformation in recent years. Stanford University’s Internet Observatory, which had produced influential research on how false information moved through social media platforms during elections, recently laid off most of its staff after a spate of legal challenges and political criticism.

The university on Monday  denied  it was shutting down the center because of outside political pressure. It does, however, “face funding challenges as its founding grants will soon be exhausted,” the center said in a statement.

Given the federal government’s reluctance to speak publicly about disinformation, state and local election officials likely will be in   the spotlight during the election, having to make decisions quickly about whether to issue a public warning. Some already have turned to a coalition of nonprofit organizations that have hired technical experts to help detect AI-generated deepfakes and provide accurate information about voting.

Two days before New Hampshire’s presidential primary in January, the state attorney general’s office put out a  statement  warning the public about AI-produced robocalls using fake audio clips that sounded like Biden telling voters not to go to the polls. New Hampshire’s secretary of state then spoke to news outlets to provide accurate information about voting.

Dan De Luce is a reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit. 

Ken Dilanian is the justice and intelligence correspondent for NBC News, based in Washington.

Money blog: World's best airlines ranked

Welcome to the Money blog, your place for personal finance and consumer news and advice. Let us know your thoughts on any of the topics we're covering using the comments box below.

Wednesday 26 June 2024 10:53, UK

• Qatar Airways voted world's best airline this year - see where the others ranked
• Quorn to start blending meat into some products
• Popular energy supplier ranked worst for customer service - in big reversal from last year

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The "Oscars of the aviation industry" has taken place and Qatar Airways has come out on top. 

Qatar Airways was named the overall winner, as well as first in the business class, business class lounge and Middle East categories, at Skytrax's World Airline Awards last night. 

It's the eighth time it has been awarded the best in class. 

Last year's winner, Singapore Airlines, came second, followed by Emirates, ANA All Nippon Airways and Cathay Pacific. 

British Airways was the highest-ranking UK airline in 13th place.

Europe's best airline was named as Turkish Airlines, while the continent's top low-cost airline was Spanish company Volotea. 

The rankings are based on airline passenger satisfaction surveys across more than 100 countries between September 2023 and May 2024. 

Other notable names to make the top 100 were: Ryanair (63), easyJet (66), Jet2.com (68) and Tui Airways (83).

These are the airlines that made the top 20: 

1. Qatar Airways 2. Singapore Airlines 3. Emirates 4. ANA All Nippon Airways 5. Cathay Pacific Airways 6. Japan Airlines 7. Turkish Airlines 8. EVA Air 9. Air France 10. Swiss International Air Lines 11. Korean Air 12. Hainan Airlines 13. British Airways 14. Fiji Airways 15. Iberia 16. Vistara 17. Virgin Atlantic 18. Lufthansa 19. Etihad Airways 20. Saudi Arabian Airlines. 

By James Sillars , business reporter

Two issues are dominating the behaviour of investors at the moment: US inflation and the snap parliamentary election in France.

Uncertainty over the two has been driving a topsy-turvy performance on stock markets as any scrap of evidence over the potential timing of a US interest rate cut is seized upon.

A sticky inflation picture across the pond – as we have witnessed here – has pushed back Federal Reserve and therefore market expectations for a reduction in borrowing costs.

The next big number awaited is the latest personal consumption expenditures price index, a closely watched inflation indicator at the US central bank.

A weaker than expected number could see a boost for shares globally after a volatile few weeks.

Following a 0.4% decline yesterday, the FTSE 100 opened 0.4% up at 8,285. 

Among the wider shares doing well were those of AO World, up more than 3%.

The online electricals retailer raised growth targets for its current financial year after profits over the 12 months to the end of March beat market expectations.

The pound and dollar have benefitted amid struggles for the euro over the past couple of weeks.

Much of that has been down to election speculation in France where Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) is leading first-round polling.

The election was called by President Emmanuel Macron after RN's strong gains in the recent European elections, sparking a renewed market focus on the French economy and the potential knock-on effects for the euro area.

France has a debt to GDP ratio of 110%, meaning its debt is more than the value of its annual output.

There is a budget deficit of 5%. EU rules allow for just 3%.

The market's worry, according to analysts, is that if the far-right RN were to win big in the first round, then voters may take a tactical turn to the left in the second.

It is a concern for France and the wider euro, they said, because a left-wing alliance influence in government would seek even greater public spending commitments than RN has made.

French government borrowing costs have soared since the election announcement.

Earlier this month, the risk premium France pays for its debt on top of Germany's neared levels last seen in 2012.

Quorn has been known for decades as a producer of meat-free alternatives - but in a new venture, it will be blending actual pork sausages with fake meat. 

The company has said it wants to reach consumers who are cutting down on their meat consumption but who are not going entirely vegetarian or vegan, according to a report in The Grocer . 

The new products include burgers and sausages, and will contain Quorn's mycoprotein blended with meat. 

They will be available by the end of the year within the NHS and from some food service operators. 

Marco Bertacca, Quorn's chief executive, told the publication that appealing to meat eaters "represents the majority of people, and so it is a massive opportunity to decarbonise part of the food system and improve public health".

"Once upon a time we were effectively competing with the meat industry – only making products that were alternatives to theirs, and encouraging people to switch," he said.

"There have been attempts in the past to make products like burgers and sausages with a blend of meat and plant-based ingredients like soya and pea protein, but the products have not delivered for consumers."

It told Sky News that it is still in the development stages of its catering partnerships but it has had "fantastic" feedback on the quality of the products and impact on sustainability targets so far. 

Livestock farming accounts for about 15% of global greenhouse emissions, according to FAO data. 

Every Wednesday we ask Michelin chefs to pick their favourite Cheap Eats where they live and when they cook at home. This week we speak to the highly celebrated Shaun Rankin from Michelin-starred Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall - who won the Great British Menu dessert course in 2009.

Hi Shaun , c an you tell us your favourite places in North Yorkshire  where you can get a meal for two for less than £40?

North Yorkshire is bountiful in its selection of brilliant places to dine and we're incredibly lucky to have so many eateries on our doorstep.

My first recommendation would be the Blue Lion , a traditional country pub nestled within the picture-perfect village of East Witton in the Yorkshire Dales. Enjoy a scenic walk through the surrounding countryside before stopping off for lunch – their light lunch menu includes personal favourites such as croque madame with a rocket salad and Black Sheep-battered fish and chips.

If you're heading in to explore the characterful charm of Ripon, a trip to Oliver's Pantry is a must. They do great coffee alongside a delicious all-day brunch, an array of sweet treats and their seasonal lunch menu packed with fresh homemade dishes.

What's your go-to cheap meal at home?

Chicken pesto pasta with mushrooms and broccoli - a delicious, easy dish to prepare and packed with nutrients.

My tip for this dish is to buy a whole chicken and roast it whole – it's so much more cost-effective than buying chicken breast or thigh, and you can enjoy several meals from just the one bird. With the leftovers I'll prepare a simple soup by making a chicken stock from the carcass, or perhaps a comforting bowl of chicken egg fried rice with the meat, so nothing is wasted. 

We've spoken to lots of top chefs and bloggers - check out their cheap eats from around the country here...

Those looking to drive to polling stations can park for free this general election.

JustPark are offering drivers 30 minutes of free parking near polling stations on 4 July.

They will need to pre-book online or via the JustPark app, however. 

"We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to vote, but know that on the day it isn't always that straightforward," Mary Corrie, managing director of Just Park UK, said.

"By offering free parking on election day, we hope to make it easier for all voters, especially those with mobility issues or who are short on time, to find a place to park near their polling station. 

"This is the second time we have offered this service, following its great success in the 2019 election, and we are confident it will help to get people to the polls once again."

EDF and Utilita have been ranked the worst suppliers for customer service, as ratings across the industry reached their lowest point, according to Citizens Advice .

One of the highest-scoring suppliers this time last year, EDF fell to the very bottom of the table after its average call waiting times jumped from just under a minute to more than five minutes.

Average customer ratings between January and March for all firms fell by 10.5% compared with the same period in 2021.

"Citizens Advice has long called for Ofgem to be given stronger powers to hold suppliers to account on customer service. That must include tackling the complaints backlog before next winter," said Citizens Advice chief executive Dame Clare Moriarty.

At the bottom of the table, both Utilita and EDF scored 2.1 out of five stars, followed closely by British Gas on 2.4.

Dale Vince's Ecotricity topped the rankings with 3.8, followed by Outfox the Market and Ovo Energy, both scoring 3.3.

Among the other big suppliers, E.ON Next scored 3.0, Scottish Power 2.9 and Octopus 2.5.

An EDF spokeswoman said: "We recognise our call answer times haven't been up to the high standards we set ourselves and we're committed to doing better."

The company has recruited and trained more people at its Sunderland, Brighton and Exeter offices, she said.

She added EDF were nearing the end of a "complex transfer of our residential customers to a new IT system, resulting in more customers getting in touch as we navigate this process".

Utilita said: "We must not underestimate how savvy consumers are today. They will realise the star rating contradicts other market-wide supplier assessments – including those of Ofgem, Trustpilot and Which? – where Utilita performs consistently well.

"As such, we look forward to ongoing dialogue to close the gap between the perception the Citizens Advice star rating gives, and the reality other rankings provide."

Two Bristol-based start-ups are trialing whether urine passed at Glastonbury festival can be used as eco-friendly fertiliser, reports The Times .

Peequal, which provides the UK's largest music festival with female urinals, and NPK Recovery have developed a way to recover nutrients that encourage plant growth from waste, such as nitrogen and potassium.

This week, Peequal will collect thousands of litres of festival-goers' urine to be processed at NPK's lab, before it is administered to plants in a greenhouse.

Premier League clubs raked in a record £6bn in revenues in 2022-23, but their combined losses grew too - by 16%.

Deloitte's Sports Business Group report found pre-tax losses for the top-flight clubs of £685m over the period.

Wages and costs associated with player transfers were blamed for the red figure.

Read more here ...

Thames Water is not in line for nationalisation should Labour win the election, its shadow business and trade secretary has said.

"I wouldn't want to see a nationalisation. I think there should be a solution that falls short of that," said Jonathan Reynolds in a Bloomberg TV election debate.

Thames Water has been plunged into crisis, with representatives of its multinational syndicate of shareholders refusing to inject the billions of pounds of funding required to bail it out.

Just one week ago, Nvidia became the world's most valuable company.

The chipmaker - whose shares had risen nine-fold since the end of 2022 -  overtook Microsoft  as its stock market valuation reached $3.34trn (£2.63trn).

Since then, the shares have fallen by 13%, declining in each of the last three trading sessions.

That has been enough to clip more than $500bn (£394bn) from  Nvidia's  stock market valuation.

So what's going on?

Read my analysis here ...

Amazon has announced another Prime Day sale next month. 

The discount event, which is only available to Prime members, will be held on 16 and 17 July. 

It typically takes place twice a year - once in July and again in October, with deals dropping regularly on a range of products. 

Based on last year's event, Which? expects the online giant to offer discounts across most of its departments, including electronics, kitchen appliances, baby products and health and personal care.

The consumer website predicts an Amazon Fire TV Cube, Ring Stick Battery Cam, Instant Pot Vortex 4-in-1 air fryer and Shark cordless vacuum could be some of the big ticket items on sale. 

If you aren't already a Prime member, you might be able to sign up for a free trial before the sales begin, and then cancel it before you get charged. 

To do this, you should cancel within 30 days, or you'll be switched automatically onto a regular membership, which is £8.99 a month.

If you're a student, you can get six months for free. You'll need to prove your course enrolment by providing Amazon with your university email address. 

A major buy now, pay later platform has collapsed into administration.

Payments have been suspended for Laybuy users, who number in the hundreds of thousands, according to savings platform Raisin UK.

The lender has disabled its website and app, with customers unable to create accounts or receive and make payments.

"At present, the administrators are not accepting any new transactions for Laybuy; however, it is critical that customers continue to make their repayments as normal," warned Kevin Mountford, Raisin UK founder.

If administrators can sell the business, customer debt would be sold on and they would be expected to have made all their payments, he said.

"This news will be incredibly frustrating for their customers across the globe and will be unsettling news for the thousands of users in the UK who have used Laybuy for purchases from leading retailers like Amazon, Marks & Spencer and Next."

He called for buy now, pay later platforms to face better regulation to protect customers, especially given they contribute to credit scores.

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40 Facts About Elektrostal

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 01 Jun 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy , materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes , offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development .

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy , with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

Elektrostal's fascinating history, vibrant culture, and promising future make it a city worth exploring. For more captivating facts about cities around the world, discover the unique characteristics that define each city . Uncover the hidden gems of Moscow Oblast through our in-depth look at Kolomna. Lastly, dive into the rich industrial heritage of Teesside, a thriving industrial center with its own story to tell.

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A subreddit for those who enjoy learning about flags, their place in society past and present, and their design characteristics

Every Russian city/town flag that has an atom in it.

Agidel, the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Desnogorsk, Smolensk Oblast.

Dubna, Moscow Oblast.

Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai.

Zelenogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai.

Krasnokamensk, Zabaykalsky Krai.

Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk Oblast.

Novouralsk, Sverdlovsk Oblast.

Obninsk, Kaluga Oblast.

Seversk, Tomsk Oblast.

Tryokhgorny, Chelyabinsk Oblast.

Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast.

Shchukino District of Moscow. This is not a city, but it looks funny, so I had to include it.