Basic Business Plan Format

  1. Describe in detail the 3 main problems that you are trying to solve with your business idea and why this is important to society
  2. Describe existing alternatives to your idea that are trying to solve the issue described above or are trying to mitigate any of its potential adverse effects (describe your competitor if you have one and/or practices that aim to solve this problem even if it is not you’re a direct competitor to you)
  3. Describe potential inefficiencies or areas of opportunity related to existing alternatives to solve or mitigate the problems described above
  4. Describe your solution and how it works in very simple terms
  5. Establish why your solution or business idea is unique or why it would be very difficult to copy it or acquire it somewhere else
  6. Describe your business model or social return model (how do you make money or how do you finance the operation if it is a non-profit initiative)
  7. Describe briefly the profile of your potential customers or users, make a list of the characteristics of your ideal customers or early adopters that you are going to tackle during the first 2 years of operations (it has to be a type of customer or specific market segmentwhere you want to commercialize your product first or the population that you want to serve first with your social enterprise)
  8. Describe how do you plan to reach these early customers (social or electronic media campaign, e-mail lists for interest groups, TV ads, expositions, etc.)
  9. Describe in detail or make a spreadsheet about your initial costs (opening costs, capital expenses and operating costs during the first 2 or 3 years of your company)
  10. Describe your expected revenues and/or expected income from any source (sales, licensing, finance rounds, donations, grants, etc.)
  11. Describe your business team and how these people have complementary skills that could be useful when creating a startup. You need at least a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a Chief Operating Officer (COO), a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and someone in charge of marketing and sales. Other team members like the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) or Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) are optional.
  12. Describe who would be in your board of advisors (university professors, business leaders, entrepreneurs that already led a startup, community leaders related to your social venture, etc.). This group of people would act as a legislative body within your startup, but they can only advise. Investors view this board as their insurance that the business is serious and that resources would be used properly and in good faith.
  13. Do a process map of your key activities and milestones for the next 2 or 3 years, like founding your startup, launching date of first product and/or service, first grant application file date (for a NGO or social venture), etc.
  14. Compile the main highlights of your business and invite investors or foundations to invest in your startup.
  15. Make an executive summary of your business proposition and place itimmediately after the cover of your business plan

Recommendation: Your business plan should be brief (no more than 25 pages). Add tables and figures at the end of the document