A Business Plan is crucial for starting and running your business successfully. Sound business plans can help you get a loan, keep you on track toward your goals, and provide a reference for benchmarking, reviewing results and making adjustments in your business. Don’t forget to check out the great free or low-cost training opportunities, plus free professional business counseling, from your local Small Business Development Center!
Get Your Free Business Plan from our alphabetized business plan list below!
How to Write a Business Plan
- How to Prepare a Business Plan- In partnership with SBA, by bplans.com founder Tim Berry
- SBA Podcast- Creating a Plan -Transcript
- SBA Videos & Other Training- many different videos covering many topics including business planning
- Stategic Planning & Executing- Kutztown SBDC, PA
- Developing a small business plan – Kutztown SBDC, PA
- The Business Plan Explained- My Own Businesstm
- Developing Successful Business Plans- Palo Alto Software
- Business plans in detailed outline format – PlanWrite.com- An extremely detailed outline of what business plans should include, section by section.
- Guide to Business Plans – Pacific Islands SBDC
- Why Business Plans Don’t Get Funded – great article on common problems entrepreneurs run into when looking for funding.
Where to Find a Business Plan
- Growthink.com- If you need help developing your plan, please consider Growthink’s writers or its simple templates for business plans
- Bplans.com- Bplans.com contains the largest single collection of free sample business plans online, according to them. In addition to that, it has helpful tools and know-how for managing your business. Bplans.com includes practical advice on planning, interactive tools, and a panel of experts who have answered more than 1,400 questions from people like you.
- Cayenne Consulting – good resource for business entrepreneurs including a start-up valuation calculator, resource directory, and a very popular blog for entrepreneurs.
- VFinance- View hundreds of real business plans in pdf format.
- Business Owners Toolkit Sample business plans and information on how to create a plan.
- PlanWare Business Planning software and information.
- Virtual Business Plan Walk through the design of a business plan.
- SBA Business Planning Guide – Careful business planning is fundamental to success. The Small Business Planner includes information and resources that will help you at any stage of the business lifecycle.
- Small Business Advancement Center
- Sample Business Plan General Business planning guide created by the Canadian Business Service Center.
- Business Plans Index- A subject guide to sample business plans and profiles for specific business types from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
Business Plan Templates – an Alphabetized List
Clicking on each of the templates below will open up a draft for your business that can help you get started. The vast majority of our Sample Business Plans Come from Palo Alto Software, the Makers of Business Plan Pro, whose generosity helps make it possible for you to receive free small business advice and counseling from your local small business development center.
A
- Aircraft Equipment Maker
- Aircraft Rental Instruction
- Artificial Flowers Import
- Auto Parts Store
- Auto Repair Service
B
- Bakery
- Bar and Tavern
- Beauty Salon
- Bed & Breakfast(Canadian) (pdf format)
- Bed and Breakfast
- Bee Keeper (Canadian)
- Benefits Administration
- Beverage Machine Rental
- Bike Shop Business Plan from BPlans.com
- Bike Shop Business Plan from Maine SBDC
- Bike Shop Business Plan from MoreBusiness.com
- Bookstore, Retail(Canadian) (pdf format)
- Brewery
- Business Cooperative
C
- Cafe Bistro
- Coffeehouse
- Car Wash
- Charter School
- Charter School 2
- Chicken Broiler Producer (Canadian)
- Child Day Care Services
- Children’s Play Program
- Children’s Website
- Cleaning Services
- Clothing E-commerce Site
- Clothing Retail
- Clothing Retail 2
- Coffee Distribution
- Coffee Export
- Coffee Kiosk
- Coffeehouse
- Computer Hardware Reselller
- Computer Software Development Company
- Computer Software Reseller
- Computer Consulting
- Construction Firm
- Construction Firm, Small
- Consulting Service (Canadian) (pdf format)
- Convenience Store
- Convenience Store Gas Station
D
- Dairy Operation (Canadian)
- Day Spa
- Decorative Pottery
- Dessert Bakery
- Dinner Theater
- Dog and Cat Kennel
- Drapery Fabricator
- Driving School
E
F
- Fine Dining Restaurant
- Formwork Construction
- Funeral Home
- Furniture Manufacturer
- Farming - Ginseng Producers (Canadian) (pdf format)
- Fast Food Restaurant
G
- Gas Station
- General Freight Trucking
- Gourmet Food Store
- Grains & Seeds Producer (Canadian)
- Graphic Design
- Graphic Artist
- Greenhouse Floriculture (Canadian)
- Greenhouse Vegetables (Canadian)
H
- Hair Salon
- Health Club
- Health Plan Administration
- Heavy Equipment Maker
- High-Tech Marketing
- Home-based
- Home healthcare
- Horse Reseller
I
- Inline Skating Products
- Insurance Industry Support Services
- International Travel Agency
- Internet Cafe
- Irish Pub Bar
- Internet Service Provider
- Building an ISP
- International IT Consulting
- Italian Restaurant
- Ice Cream Parlor
- Ice Cream Shop
J
L
M
- Machine Tooling
- Magazine Publisher
- Mail Order Returns
- Manufacturing, Furniture (Canadian)(pdf format)
- Maternity Clothing
- Medical Billing
- Medical Equipment Developer
- Mexican Restaurant
- Microbrewery
- Mortgage Broker
- Motel – Hunting Lodge
- Multi Sport Complex
N
- Nightclub
- Nightclub Saloon
- Nightclub, Dance Classes
- Nonprofit Food Bank
- Nonprofit Food Bank 2
- Nonprofit Business Plans (several)
- Nonprofit Trade Association
O
P
- Painting Contractors
- Pallet Manufacturer
- Personal Event Planning
- Personal Shopping Services
- Pet Photography
- Photography Studio
- Physical Therapy Massage
- Pizzeria
- Pizzeria Franchise
- Plastics Recycling
- Print Services Broker
- Online Print Shop
- Publishing, Magazine (Canadian)(pdf format)
R
- Real Estate Brokerage
- Real Estate Property Management
- Recycling Enterprises: Plastics, Glass, or Rubber
- Regional Airline
- Religious Coffeeshop
- Restaurant
- Restaurant Business Plan List (Several types)
- Retail Tennis Shop
S
- Salsa Manufacturer
- Sandwich Shop (non-franchise)
- Sandwich Shop (franchise)
- Scrapbooking Store
- Self-Storage
- Shaved Ice Beverage
- Singles Bar
- Software Publisher
- Specialty Baker
- Sports Bar
- Sports Equipment Cafe
- Sports Medical Equipment
- Steak Buffet Restaurant
T
U
V
W
Y
