Business startup template
Simple business plan guide
Build a simple business plan covering your vision, customer, offer, market, operations, and money without writing a long consultant-style document.
What this template is for
Use this guide when you need a stronger overall business plan than a one-page action plan. It helps you explain where the business is going, who it serves, how it will operate, and how it will make money.
Who should use it
- Entrepreneurs starting a new business or formalising one that already exists.
- Business owners preparing for grants, loans, partnerships, or support programmes.
- People who need one document that explains the business clearly to others.
Before you start
- Decide what your business is trying to achieve over the next 6 to 12 months.
- Gather basic information about your costs, customers, competitors, and the support you already have.
- Keep your writing practical and specific. Avoid promises you cannot measure or deliver.
The template
Use the sections below as a worksheet. You can print this page or copy the headings into a notebook, document, or spreadsheet.
Vision and business summary
Start with the short story of the business and the result you want to create.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Business idea | What does the business do? | |
| Vision | What do you want the business to become in the next 1 to 3 years? | |
| Short summary | How would you explain the business in a few clear sentences? |
Customer and market
Explain who the business serves and what makes demand real.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main customer groups | Who are your main customers? | |
| Market need | What need, problem, or demand are you responding to? | |
| Competitors or alternatives | Who else provides something similar and how are you different? |
Offer and pricing
Show clearly what you sell and how the business makes money.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main products or services | What are your main offers? | |
| Unique selling point | What makes people choose you? | |
| Pricing approach | How do you price your products or services? |
Operations and delivery
Explain how the business actually works day to day.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Business location or delivery method | Where will the business operate and how will customers receive the service or product? | |
| Equipment, materials, or suppliers | What do you need to operate? | |
| Team and responsibilities | Who is involved and what does each person do? |
Marketing and growth
Show how the business will attract customers and build momentum.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main marketing channels | How will people hear about your business? | |
| Growth goal | What growth target do you want over the next 6 to 12 months? | |
| Partnerships or support | Are there schools, NGOs, shops, churches, or community groups that can help? |
Money and next steps
End with the practical money picture and the actions that come next.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Start-up or growth costs | What money is needed and for what? | |
| Income expectation | How will the business earn money each month? | |
| Next actions | What are the first 3 things that must happen after this plan is written? |
Example for a Dzaleka small business
Tisunge Learning Hub is a tutoring and digital skills support. A small education business offering after-school tutoring, English support, and beginner digital lessons for young people and adults.
Vision and market
- Vision: become a trusted learning support centre for students and job seekers in Dzaleka.
- Main customers are secondary students, exam candidates, and youth seeking basic digital skills.
- Need: affordable tutoring and practical skills support outside formal school hours.
Offer and operations
- Offers include English tutoring, CV support, and computer basics.
- Classes run in the evening and on Saturdays using shared laptops and printed materials.
- One lead tutor teaches while a second helper manages attendance and follow-up.
Growth and money
- Marketing uses WhatsApp groups, school contacts, and posters near learning centres.
- Growth goal is 40 regular learners within 6 months.
- Next steps are to secure a teaching venue, confirm lesson prices, and publish a simple timetable.