startup business plan template pdf free

startup business plan template pdf free

Startup Business Plan Template

1. Introduction

OpenProj is an ideal tool for a start-up business as it is cost effective and easy to use. The software is a desktop replacement of Microsoft Project and users can save a considerable amount of money (more than $500 per user) compared to purchasing Microsoft Project. OpenProj is also open-source so it can be downloaded and used for free and comes with no enterprise pricing and no risk of additional costs later on. This is a huge benefit compared to other popular project management software that have costly monthly fees. OpenProj has a familiar user interface and can be easily learned to allow the team to quickly get started on planning and execution of business tasks. This is particularly useful for a start-up business in the professional/technical industry, as this tool looks and feels like the Microsoft Project software that is widely used at this type of company. High functionality is a key requirement for the team’s project management and OpenProj delivers on that as it performs well, plus there are no issues with importing simple Microsoft Project plans or training materials.

Business software can be expensive and complicated. One alternative to consider is OpenProj, an open-source alternative to expensive commercial project management tools. Recommendations and benefits are described below.

In the current performance-driven environment, starting a new business is not easy and can be quite challenging. Entrepreneurs are often faced with the dilemma of finding resources to help manage time and maximize productivity as their business evolves. Consider the case of a start-up professional services firm with a team of three that needs affordable and easy to use software to help manage the company.

2. Executive Summary

At year two, we will seek to add a customer service position and an additional sales/marketing position. Coming into the third year, we will be working with project managers in production/development and the marketing will require two more sales/marketing positions and a marketing manager. At this stage, we will be moving the original owner to a CEO position and seeking an administrative assistant for the CEO and a company manager.

This plan is written as a guide for starting and managing this new business and will also serve as the basis for a separate, detailed marketing plan. During the startup phase, the owner of the company, Trevor Holgate, will be creating two part-time administrative and five part-time production/development jobs. At company launch and before the end of year one, this will increase by two full-time admin and sales/marketing positions and between three and five full-time production/development positions.

Our company is a small business aimed at development, promoting, and marketing of various products and services. Our product has self and mainstream appeal. The key to success with our product and business is the tight focus on target markets – conservative and evangelical Christians and their supporters. Apart from these groups, there has been little other exposure to our type of work.

3. Market Analysis

In this section, describe the potential customer for your product as it relates to your business. Include the following: who will buy the product, how many of them are there, and how will your product create value for these customers? It may be beneficial to classify your customers as per “job,” “ease of use,” “performance under fire,” “undesired outcomes,” “the buyer,” and economic buyer. These segment descriptions should seek to identify the underserved needs within your target market. After you have established your customer segments, select the ones that you wish to target with your MVP. For each segment and for your product as a whole, assess the following using quantitative data where possible: estimated total available market size (customers * price), your expected % market share, and current value chain. This information should be summarized in a table for easy future reference. Next, analyze industry competition and the effect of the value of your product on the industry. To do this, visualize your product as a “value improvement” over the current solutions. Where value can be classified as the ratio of (quality + desirability) / cost. Using this method, quantify the value of your product versus customer switching costs on a simplified 2-dimensional axis. Create value may be value creation within existing customers (retention) or new customer acquisition. It is important to understand that your product’s value must be dramatically higher than existing solutions for customers to adopt it and for you to steal customers from competitors. Finally, specify any possible channel strategy changes by analyzing what level of gross margin is required for success in your venture, whether this is attainable within the current value chain, and whether changes to the channel strategy can provide a competitive advantage.

4. Business Strategy

Revenue streams are the ways that you will actually make your money. This can be through selling actual products, a percentage from referrals, ad revenue, or a subscription fee, among others. The best way to explain this is how the company Actualize Learning will make money. We will develop a network of sites and blogs dedicated to learning and the community of learners. Over time, our primary revenue stream will be contextual, text, and display advertisements. These will not be distracting or detrimental to the site or community. They are low in cost and do not overstep the bounds of influencing the viewer’s and learner’s opinions. However, initially while building traffic, our primary revenue stream will be the use of Google AdSense and marketing ads through web hosting services such as Google AdWords. We will also use affiliate marketing through Amazon Associates, referring good books and materials to our users. This will also be minimally intrusive to the community. Wherever possible, our ads will be targeted to users based on cookies data of internet search history. In particular, the user’s recent searches of educational content and self-improvement. This will allow relevant advertisements to actually benefit our users, bringing in added value to our revenue.

Revenue Model – Your business has to make money. Explain how it will do so here.

Business Strategy: Describes the company’s business and revenue model. How will you accomplish your vision? This is the plan you have to make money. This section will be of great interest to potential investors.

5. Financial Projections

The income statement is a big picture snapshot of your business’ performance over a period of time. The income statement can be projected to determine one or three years. Revenue or sales entry will be the engine pull on entries on this table. The goal of every income statement is to generate a net income. The company always wishes to reach a net income rather than breaking even. Breaking even is an option for companies in financial problems. It is defined with sales/revenue volume at a point where the net income becomes greater than the beginning the same in which you established your business. This table will identify the trend of the company with the total net income. This entry will help in problem recognition and what is expected from a product or service at a given point.

Financial projections are a necessity when trying to explain to your investors (be they angels, venture capitalists, or institutional [i.e. a bank]) that you are a worthy investment. Financial projections will help to put a concrete way of thinking about implementing your operating and marketing plans. It is also a tool used to estimate what your business is worth today. Financial projections can estimate one, three, and five years with the approach of what is sought, expected, and what is maximally achieved. These projections will help start-up businesses in problem recognition early on.