BusPlan Template Guide

Business Plan Template
Note to students: Answer the following questions to build and improve upon
your business plan.
Your Business Idea

1. Describe your business idea.
2. What is the name of your business?
3. Explain how your idea will satisfy a consumer need.
4. Provide contact information for each owner.
5. If there is more than one owner, describe how the business ownership will be shared.
Economics of One Unit

1. Do you intend to pay yourself a salary, wage, dividend, or commission? Explain.
2. What type of business are you starting?
3. Calculate the Economics of One Unit for your business.
Manufacturing Business: unit =
Selling Price per Unit: $

Labor Cost per Hour: $
No. of Hours per Unit: $
Materials per Unit: $
Cost of Goods Sold per Unit: $ $
Gross Profit per Unit: $
Wholesale Business: unit =

Cost of Goods Sold per Unit: $
Retail Business: unit =
Business Plan Template (Workbook Version) 1

Service Business: unit =

Supplies per Unit: $
Labor Costs per Hour: $
Cost of Goods Sold per Unit: $ $
Return on Investment
Business Goals:
1. What is your short-term business goal (less than one year)? What do you plan to invest to
achieve this goal? What is your expected ROI?
2. What is your long-term business goal (from one to five years)? What do you plan to invest to
achieve this goal? What is your expected ROI?
Personal Goals:
1. What is your career goal? What do you plan to invest to achieve this goal? What is your expected
ROI?
2. How much education will you need for your career?
3. Have you tried to get a part-time job related to your chosen career?
Opportunity Recognition
1. What resources and skills do you (and the other owners of your business) have that will help
make your business successful?
2. Perform a SWOT analysis of your business.
Type of Business:
Strengths (Entrepreneur’s abilities and contacts)

Weaknesses (The problems the entrepreneur faces, from lack of money or training to lack of time
or experience.)
Opportunities (Lucky breaks or creative advantages the entrepreneur can use to get ahead of the
competition.)
Threats (Anything that might be bad for the business, from competitors to legal problems.)
Core Beliefs
1. Describe three core beliefs you will use in running your company.
2. Choose a motto for your company.

Supply and Demand
1. What factors will influence the demand for your product or service?
2. What factors will influence the supply for your product or service?
Product Development
How do you plan to protect your product/trademark/logo? (Check one, and explain.)
Patent
Copyright
Trademark
Explain:
Competitive Advantage
1. What is your competitive advantage?
2. How will your business help others? List all organizations to which you plan to contribute. (Your
contribution may be time, money, your product, or something else.)
Operating Costs
1. List and describe your monthly fixed costs.
2. List and describe your monthly variable costs.
3. Re-calculate your economics of one unit, allocating as many variable costs as possible. (Revise
the table as needed for your business.)
__________________ Business: unit = $___________

[list costs of goods sold] $
$
Total Cost of Goods Sold per Unit: $ $
Other Variable Costs per Unit: $
[list other variable costs] $
$
Total Other Variable Costs per Unit: $ $
Total Variable Costs per Unit: $ $
4. Add a cash reserve that covers three months of fixed costs.
Marketing
1. Describe the Four P’s for your business.

Product—Why will your product meet a consumer need?
Place—Where do you intend to sell your product?
Price—What price do you plan to sell your product for, and why?
Promotion—How do you plan to advertise and promote your product?
2. Fill out a marketing plan for your business. You may also use the form on page 408 of your
workbook.
Methods Description Target Market Amount to be

Spent
Brochures
Business Cards
Posters
Special Events
Promotional Items
Flyers
Phone Sales
Sales Calls
Mailings
Newspaper/Radio/TV
E-mail
Web site
Other
3. Do you intend to publicize your philanthropy? Why or why not? If you do, explain how you will
work your philanthropy into your marketing.

Market Research
1. Research your industry and display the results in a one-page report that includes pie charts and
bar or line graphs. Describe your target market within the industry.
2. Describe your market segment and the results of your research on this market segment.
Record Keeping
1. Describe your record-keeping system.
2. List all bank accounts you will open for your business.
Projected Income Statement

1. Complete a monthly projected budget and one-year income statement for your business. (Use the
appropriate Philippine Accounting Standard)
MONTHLY INCOME STATEMENT

Name of Business Date:
# Units Unit Price
Revenue: $ $
Cost of Goods Sold: $ $
Other Variable Costs $
$ $
Total Variable Costs: $
Gross Profit: $
Fixed Operating Costs
Utilities: $
Salaries: $
Advertising: $
Insurance: $
Interest: $
Rent: $
Depreciation: $
Total Fixed Operating $ $

Costs:
Pre-Tax Profit: $

Taxes (estimated %): $
Net Profit: $
YEARLY INCOME STATEMENT

Name of Business Date:
# Units Unit Price
Revenue: $ $
Cost of Goods Sold: $ $
Other Variable Costs $
$ $
Total Variable Costs: $
Gross Profit: $
Fixed Operating Costs
Utilities: $
Salaries: $
Advertising: $
Insurance: $
Interest: $
Rent: $
Depreciation: $
Total Fixed Operating $ $

Costs:
Pre-Tax Profit: $
Taxes (estimated %): $
Net Profit: $
2. Use your projected one-year income statement to calculate:

Projected ROI for one year:
Projected ROS for one year:

Financing Strategy
1. What legal structure have you chosen for your business? Why?
2. List the cost of the items you will need to buy to start your business.
3. Add up the items to get your total start-up capital.
Item Where will you buy this? Cost
Estimated Total Start-Up Costs: $

4. Add a cash reserve of one-half your total start-up capital.
5. List the sources of financing for your start-up capital. Identify whether each source is equity,
debt, or a gift. Indicate the amount and type for each source.
Source Equity Debt Gift

Personal savings
Relatives
Friends
Investors
Grants
Other
Subtotal
Total Equity + Total Debt + Total Gift = Total Financing
If you use equity financing, what percentage of ownership will you give up?
If you use debt financing, what is the maximum interest rate you will pay?
6. What is your debt ratio? What is your debt-to-equity ratio?
7. What is your payback period? In other words, how long will it take you to earn enough profit to
cover start-up capital?
Negotiation
Describe any suppliers with whom you will have to negotiate.
Buying Wholesale
1. Where will you purchase the products you plan to sell, or the products you plan to use to
manufacture the products you will be selling?
Name of Supplier/Item Price

$
$
$
$

$
$
2. Have you applied for a Tax Identification Number (TIN)?
Your Competitive Strategy

1. Use the following charts to define your business, analyze your competitive advantage, and
determine your tactics.
Business Definition Question Response

The Offer—What products and services will
be sold by the business?
Target Market—Which consumer segment

will the business focus on?
Production Capability—How will that offer

be produced and delivered to those
customers?
Competitive Advantage Question Response

The Offer--What will be better and different
about the products and services that will be
sold by the business?
Target Market--Which customers should be

the focus of the business, to make it as
successful as possible?
Production and Delivery Capability--What
will be better or different about the way that
offer is produced and delivered to those
customers?
Tactical Question Issues Solutions

Sales Plan--Where and how will you sell to How to identify
your customers? prospects and
convert them to
sales.
Market Communications--How will you How to make
communicate with your customers and customers aware
make them aware of your business offer? of your offer; how
to attract them to
the business.
Operating Plan--How will you manage How to make the
your internal operations? business go, and
determine who
will perform the
tasks.
Budget--How do you plan to manage your What are the
revenues and expenses? sources of
revenue? What
are the items that

have to be
purchased?
2. Describe your strategy for outperforming the competition.
3. What tactics will you use to carry out this strategy?
4. Write a mission statement for your business in less than three sentences that clearly states your
competitive advantage, strategy, and tactics.
Your Marketing Mix
Step One: Consumer Analysis

1. Describe your market segment.
2. Describe your target consumer:
Age:
Gender:
Income:
Step Two: Market Analysis

1. How will you look at location, population, personality, and behavior when you analyze your
market segment?
2. Use your market analysis method to describe your market segment. Roughly how many
consumers are in this segment?
3. Explain how your marketing plan targets your market segment.
4. What percentage of your market do you feel you need to capture for your business to be
profitable?
5. Who are the potential customers you plan to approach in the first two months of business?
Step Three: The Marketing Mix

1. Describe The Four P’s for your business.
Product—How will your product meet a consumer need?
Price—Are your prices competitive? Do a comparison. What price do you plan to sell your product
for, and why? What is your pricing strategy?
Place—Describe your business location and its competitive advantages.
Promotion—How do you plan to advertise and promote your product?
2. Fill out the following marketing plan for your business, or use the form on page 421 of your
workbook.
Methods Description Target Market Amount to be

Spent
Brochures
Business Cards
Posters
Special Events

Promotional Items
Flyers
Phone Sales
Sales Calls
Mailings
Newspaper/Radio/TV
E-mail
Web site
Other
Advertising and Publicity

1. What is your business slogan?
2. Where do you intend to advertise?
3. How do you plan to get publicity for your business?
4. Are you planning to use cause-related marketing?
5. Write a sample press release for your business.
Break-Even Analysis
Perform a break-even analysis of your business.
Break-Even Units per Month for your business =
Selling
1. Describe the features and benefits of the product (or service) your business will focus on selling.
Features Benefits
2. Choose three ways you will sell your product or service. Explain why you think these methods
will work.
3. Write a sales pitch for your product (or service).
4. Describe three customers you intend to pitch.

Customer Service
Create a customer database for your business. Include name, e-mail, phone, fax, address, last
contact, and/or last purchase. What five questions will you ask every customer?
(This is merely a suggested format, you are highly encouraged to add further details, e.g. social
media account)
Name E-mail Phone Fax Address Last Last
contact purchase
Questions:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Business Math
Double-check all of the math and financial information in your business plan to be sure it is
accurate.
Business Communication
1. Which of these business communication tools will you use?
Phone:
Voice mail:
Fax:
E-mail:
Text messaging:
Other (describe):
2. Have you designed a letterhead for your business?
Legal Structure
1. What is the legal structure of your business?
Sole Proprietorship:
Partnership:
Corporation:
2. Why did you choose this structure?
3. Who will be the partners or stockholders for your company?
4. Have you registered your business?
5. Have you applied for a tax identification number?

Manufacturing
1. What are the zoning laws in your area? Does your business comply?
2. Do you intend to manufacture your product? If so, describe the manufacturing process you will
use. If not, describe how your product is manufactured.
Production/Distribution Chain
1. How do you plan to distribute your product to your target market?
2. Fill in the production/distribution channel information for your own business below, and show
the markups at each point in the chain.
Manufacturer: Name:
Contact information:
Markup: $ Markup: %
Wholesaler: Name:
Markup: $ Markup: %
Retailer (You): Name:

Name:
Markup: $ Markup: %
3. What is the estimated time between your placing an order with your supplier and the product’s
availability to your customers?
Quality
1. How will you deliver a high-quality product (service) to your customers? Describe your quality
control procedure.
2. Write a motto for your business that will remind you to stay focused on quality.
Human Resources
1. Fill out a PERT/Gantt Chart for your business.
Sample PERT Chart (Time Frame in Weeks)

Task 1 2 3 4 5 6
Writing Business Plan
Financing
Developing a Product
Finding Location
Hiring Workers
Setting Up Office
Other

2. Will you be hiring employees? If so, describe what their qualifications should be, what you
intend to pay them, and how they will help your business.
3. Provide contact information for your accountant, attorney, banker, and insurance agent.
Accountant:
Attorney:
Banker:
Insurance Agent:
4. What are your policies toward employees? How do you plan to make your business a positive
and rewarding place to work?
5. Create an organizational chart for your business. Use separate paper if you need to draw your
chart by hand.
Technology
1. Which technology tools will you use for your business, and why?
Tool Yes No Why?/Why not?

Computer
Home Page (Web site)
Calculator
Electronic Organizer
Accounting Software
Mail-Order Software
Online Service
Instant Investment News
E-mail and Newsgroups
Print, Audio, and Video
Brochures
Mailing Lists
Electronic Storefront
Business Plan Software
Computerized Visuals
24-Hour Banking
Tax-Preparation Software
Other
2. Write a memo explaining how you will access this technology.

Raising Capital
1. Describe financing sources that might be willing to invest in your business in exchange for
equity.
Friends and family:
”Angels”:
Financial Intermediaries:
2. What other financing sources would be willing to invest in your business in exchange for equity?
Your Balance Sheet

1. Create a Projected Balance Sheet for your business for one year.
(Use the appropriate Philippine Accountring Standard)
BALANCE SHEET
Assets Liabilities
Cash: $ Short-Term Liabilities: $
Inventory: $ Long-Term Liabilities: $
Capital Equipment: $
Other Assets: $ Owner’s Equity: $
Total Assets: $ Total Liabilities + OE: $
2. Create a pie chart showing your assets, short-term liabilities, long-term liabilities, and owner’s
equity.
3. What is your debt ratio?
4. What is your debt-to-equity ratio?
Contracts
1. What is the most important contract you will need to run your business?
2. Describe any additional contracts you have, or plan to secure.
3. Who is your attorney?
Socially Responsible Business

1. Choose three of the ways below you would use to run a socially responsible business.
Recycling paper, glass, and plastic.
Donating a portion of profits to a nonprofit.
Not using animals to test products.
Offering employees incentives to volunteer in the community.
Establishing a safe and healthy workplace.
Other.
2. What cause-related marketing do you intend to use? How will this support and reinforce your
competitive advantage?
Small Business and Government

What laws—such as minimum wage and age requirements, health and safety regulations, or anti-
discrimination laws—will affect your business?

Building Good Personal and Business Credit
1. My personal credit history is:
Bad
Good
Not yet established
Describe how you plan to establish good personal credit.
2. My business credit history is:

Bad
Good
Not yet established
Describe how you plan to establish good business credit.
Cash Flow
1. Use the cash flow chart to create a projected cash flow statement for your business for one year.
(Use the appropriate PFRS/PAS)
NFTE Cash Flow Statement
Business: Date:
Beginning Cash $
Balance:
Cash Inflow
Investment: $
Sales: $
Total Cash Inflow: $ $
Cash Outflow
Inventory: $
Variable Costs: $
Fixed Costs: $
Equipment: $
Other Outflow: $
Total Cash Outflow: $ $
Net Cash Flow: $
Ending Cash Balance: $
2. Use your projected balance sheet to calculate your working capital.
Intellectual Property
1. Describe any intellectual property you are developing for your business.
2. How do you intend to protect your intellectual property? Explain why it qualifies for this
protection.

Ethical Business Behavior
1. Describe the corporate governance plan for your business. It should include five policies (rules)
that will be the backbone of your company’s ethics.
2. Provide information on each of your mentors or advisors. If there will be a board of advisors, list
each member and describe his or her commitment to the business.
Taxation
Which tax forms will you have to fill out for your business? Check all that apply.
Insurance
1. What types of insurance will your business need? Explain.
2. Describe the premium, deductible, and payout for each policy you plan to carry.
Franchising and Licensing

Do you plan to franchise your business, or license any of your products? Explain.
International Opportunities
1. Are there customers for your business in other countries? How do you plan to reach them?
2. Describe any international competitors you have found who may be able to access your
customers. How do you intend to compete?
Investment Goals and Risk Tolerance

1. I plan to save ______ % of my net income to achieve personal financial goals.
2. My primary financial goal is:
3. My investment risk tolerance is:
Exit Strategy
1. Describe your exit strategy.
2. Why will this exit strategy be attractive to potential investors?

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Business Plan Template

Your Business Idea

Economics of One Unit

Economics of One Unit

Manufacturing Business: unit =

Selling Price per Unit: $

Economics of One Unit

Wholesale Business: unit =

Selling Price per Unit: $

Economics of One Unit

Retail Business: unit =

Business Plan Template (Workbook Version) 1

Economics of One Unit

Service Business: unit =

Selling Price per Unit: $

Strengths (Entrepreneur’s abilities and contacts)

Business Plan Template (Workbook Version) 2

Economics of One Unit

__________________ Business: unit = $___________

Selling Price per Unit: $

Business Plan Template (Workbook Version) 3

Methods Description Target Market Amount to be

Business Plan Template (Workbook Version) 4

Projected Income Statement

MONTHLY INCOME STATEMENT

# Units Unit Price

Cost of Goods Sold: $ $

Other Variable Costs $

Total Variable Costs: $

Fixed Operating Costs

Total Fixed Operating $ $

Business Plan Template (Workbook Version) 5

YEARLY INCOME STATEMENT

# Units Unit Price

Cost of Goods Sold: $ $

Other Variable Costs $

Total Variable Costs: $

Fixed Operating Costs

Total Fixed Operating $ $

Taxes (estimated %): $

2. Use your projected one-year income statement to calculate:

Business Plan Template (Workbook Version) 6

Item Where will you buy this? Cost

Estimated Total Start-Up Costs: $

Source Equity Debt Gift

Name of Supplier/Item Price

Business Plan Template (Workbook Version) 7

Your Competitive Strategy

Business Definition Question Response

Target Market—Which consumer segment

Production Capability—How will that offer

Competitive Advantage Question Response

Target Market--Which customers should be

Tactical Question Issues Solutions

Business Plan Template (Workbook Version) 8

Your Marketing Mix

Step One: Consumer Analysis

Step Two: Market Analysis

Step Three: The Marketing Mix

Methods Description Target Market Amount to be

Business Plan Template (Workbook Version) 9

Advertising and Publicity

Business Plan Template (Workbook Version) 10

________ Business: unit = $_