Module 9 of 10 12 min

Business Plans

A one-page plan that forces clear thinking.

Course lessons

Step 1

The lesson

A business plan doesn't need to be 40 pages. For a new business, a one-page plan is often better: it forces you to be clear, and it's easy to update as you learn.

The point isn't to predict the future perfectly. It's to write down your assumptions so you can test them — and notice when one turns out to be wrong.

Step 2

See it

The one-page business plan

Problem
What pain are you solving?
Customer
Who has it most?
Solution
What you offer and why it's better.
Revenue
Price and how customers pay.
Costs
Fixed and variable, plus break-even.
Reaching customers
Your main marketing channels.
Milestones
What you'll accomplish, by when.
Risks
What could go wrong, and your plan B.

Step 3

Real-world example

Marcus's one-page plan

Problem: students' white sneakers get dirty; cleaning them well is hard and shops are far away.
Customer: students who wear white sneakers to events.
Solution: 24-hour cleaning with pickup at school. Revenue: $12 standard, $20 rush, $30/month Clean Club.
Costs: $5 per pair; $300/month fixed. Break-even: 43 pairs/month.
Reaching customers: before-and-after posts, referrals, weekend market.
Milestones: 60 cleans in October; 15 Clean Club members by December.
Risks: summer slowdown; school rules on selling at school. Plan B: partner with a local shop.

Step 4

Knowledge check

Answer each question, then check your answer to see the explanation. Retake it as many times as you like.

Question 1 of 3

Step 5

Summary

A one-page plan covers problem, customer, solution, revenue, costs, reaching customers, milestones, and risks. It turns assumptions into things you can test, and it should be updated as you learn.

Step 6

What you should remember

One page beats forty for a new business.
A plan is a list of assumptions to test.
Include risks and a plan B.
Update it monthly.

Finished the lesson?

Mark it complete to track your progress.