Finding Business Plan Examples Online

Elements Of Successful Business Plans
The best business plans provide overarching directions for startups as well as financial particulars.  Your business plan starts with an executive summary that explains why your business is essential in today’s market.  This summary covers a broad spectrum of topics including your geographical location, number of employees, and current investors.  The executive summary should also include highlights since the company’s origins including increased profits, new products, and growth in new customers.  Most importantly, your executive summary should explain why all the fine details within are important to the reader.  Every executive summary should explain the future goals of the business to show the ambitions of managers and investors. 

This summary is only the beginning of a successful business plan.  Your market analysis will look at comparable products on the market including prices, sales figures, and differences with your product.  Business plans feature flow charts of organizational structures as well as definitions of working groups and job responsibilities.  Your business plan should also contain an entire section on your financial situation including current assets, debts, and investments.  Owners often include appendices with charts, graphs, and product information that are referenced in their business plans.  To see these elements in action, you should start with a handful of business plan examples from online sources. 

Business Resource Software Inc.®

Business Resource Software Inc.® (http://www.brs-inc.com/) is a great starting point for new business owners trying to complete their plans.  This software company also co-hosts the annual MOOT CORP® Competition at the University of Texas at Austin.  This competition brings together simulated pitches by MBA students throughout the United States to venture capitalists.  This competition has yielded a rich library of free business plans available through the company’s website. 

Each of the free business plans at Business Resource Software Inc.® won or was a finalist in this competition.  You can narrow your choices by selecting the Best of the Best, the Best Executive Summary, and other filters.  The website also breaks down free business plans into categories like Services, Internet Services, and Products.  In addition to the company name, you can also read a brief summary of each business plan to find a template that fits within your market sector.  

Bplans.com®

Business owners of all experience levels can plan their ventures with Bplans.com® (http://www.Bplans.com).  This one-stop resource for business planning and development has everything needed for new ventures.  You can learn about trends in the business world as well as successful business pitches through the website’s blogs and articles.  The Pitch Center at Bplans.com® allows business owners to share their pitches to investors as a service to first-time owners.  You can also head to the Resources section at Bplans.com® for business calculators, market analysis reports, and webinars.  Your business plan can get off on the right foot with a free sample from the Sample Plans section. 

Free sample business plans at Bplans.com® cover fields including restaurants, IT consultancies, and salons.  You can draw from more than 500 business plans broken down into 28 categories ranging from airlines to wholesalers.  Bplans.com® makes it easy to pick through these free samples with the Search Plans tool.  The Business Plan Pro sold through Bplans.com® allows you to download each of these plans for easy use while you write your business plan.  With the resources offered at Bplans.com®, you can complete your business plan and accompanying documents well before the first products leave the assembly line. 

Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center

The Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center (http://misbtdc.org/) is headquartered at Grand Valley State University.  This business training center works with local businesses to train employees on new computers, software, and machinery.  Visitors to the center’s website can also find resources for new and existing businesses.  These resources include financing checklists, online counseling, and a virtual incubator to help new businesses grow.  As you develop your business plan, you can find business plan samples published by the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center. 

These business plan samples are free to the public and cover every type of business in the market.  You can organize your business plan for a limited liability company (LLC) by looking at the Bouncy Kids Child Development Center sample.  The business plan sample for Sam’s Fast Foods, Inc. offers a template for business owners interested in incorporating their ventures.  For experienced business owners, the Finale Sports Bar & Grille plan sample is a great blueprint for any venture with high-growth potential.  Each business plan through the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center is available in a printer-friendly PDF format. 

Entrepreneur®

Business owners, investors, and industry experts alike learn about the market through Entrepreneur® (http://www.entrepreneur.com/).  This monthly magazine covers the latest trends in business development ranging from marketing strategies to employment practices.  The Entrepreneur® website allows users to read articles and follow the stock markets without subscribing to the magazine.  This informative website features new content daily for business owners who cannot wait for the next issue to arrive.  You can write your business plan after looking through the free samples at Entrepreneur®. 

The database of free sample business plans at Entrepreneur® can be broken down to free and premium content.  Visitors discover that the website features more than 500 business plans.  Of the full business plan content, Entrepreneur® makes 60 of these plans available at no charge.  You can scroll down the A to Z list of sample business plans to find a plan within your market sector.  Users with multiple ventures starting at the same time may want to invest in Business Plan Pro.  This premium account allows a user to access all 500 business plans maintained by Entrepreneur®.  At the very least, you can get started on your business plan with free content.