Plain-spoken guides to writing a business plan
The Basics · The complete guide
How to write a business plan for a small business: each section in order, what goes in it, how long it should be, example lines and a final checklist.
Continued inside: How to Write a Business Plan, Step by Step →Money Matters · Formulas and example
Break-even analysis explained: the break-even point formula in units and sales dollars, an example, margin of safety and how to show it in a business plan.
Continued inside: Break-Even Analysis for a Business Plan: Formula and Example →The Basics · Side by side
Business plan vs business proposal: what each is for, who reads it and what goes in it, with a comparison table, short examples and how government RFPs work.
Continued inside: Business Plan vs Business Proposal: What's the Difference? →Canadian Desk · Free templates compared
Free business plan templates for Canada from BDC, Futurpreneur, FCC, RBC, TD and governments, compared, plus the Canadian details US templates leave out.
Continued inside: Business Plan Template Canada: 7 Free Templates Compared →Money Matters · Template inside
How to make a cash flow forecast for a business plan: cash vs profit, the five rows, a 12-month example, fixing a cash gap and a free template.
Continued inside: Cash Flow Forecast: How to Make One for Your Business Plan →Canadian Desk · Checklist inside
How to write a business plan for a Canada Small Business Financing Program loan: program rules, what lenders look for and a checklist of documents.
Continued inside: Business Plan for a CSBFP Loan: What Canadian Lenders Want to See →Section by Section · Template inside
How to write an executive summary for a business plan: what to include, how long to make it, a fill-in template and two complete executive summary examples.
Continued inside: Business Plan Executive Summary: Template and Two Examples →Money Matters · Worked example inside
How to make financial projections for a business plan: sales forecast, income statement, cash flow, balance sheet and break-even, with a worked example.
Continued inside: Financial Projections for a Business Plan: Steps and Example →Canadian Desk · Ages 18 to 39
How to write a Futurpreneur business plan and 24-month cash flow: who qualifies for a Futurpreneur loan, how much you can borrow, the templates and a checklist.
Continued inside: Futurpreneur Business Plan: How to Write One for the Loan →Section by Section · Full example inside
How to write the market analysis in a business plan: industry analysis, target market, TAM, SAM and SOM math, competitors, free data sources and a full example.
Continued inside: Market Analysis for a Business Plan: How to Write One (Example) →Money Matters · Worksheet inside
How to estimate startup costs for a business plan: one-time vs ongoing costs, a startup cost worksheet to copy, a café example, contingency and working capital.
Continued inside: Startup Costs: How to Estimate Them for Your Business Plan →Section by Section · Template inside
How to do a SWOT analysis for a business plan: questions for each quadrant, two worked SWOT analysis examples, a TOWS strategy table and a blank template.
Continued inside: SWOT Analysis for a Business Plan: Examples and Template →The Basics · Start here
What is a business plan and why is it important? A plain definition, what it's used for, who reads it, the main types compared, and when you need one.
Continued inside: What Is a Business Plan? Definition, Uses and Types →The Basics · Prompts inside
How to write a business plan with ChatGPT or Claude: what AI does well, what it gets wrong, 10 copy-paste prompts and a fact-check list.
Continued inside: How to Write a Business Plan With ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini →