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Apr 26, 2023

Crafting a winning business plan: Your step-by-step checklist for SME

This article guides entrepreneurs through the essential elements of a solid business plan, from identifying the target audience to strategic planning.

When it comes to starting or running a company, crafting a solid business plan is one of the most critical factors in ensuring the success and sustainability of your venture. A comprehensive and well-structured business plan serves as a roadmap for your company's future, guiding you through each stage of growth and helping you make informed decisions.

As an entrepreneur, it is essential to understand the importance of business planning and how it can lead to success. This article aims to provide you with a step-by-step checklist to create a winning business plan that will help your SME achieve its full potential. By understanding your target audience, market, and business needs, you can craft a plan that will serve as a guiding force in your journey to success.

The importance of a well-structured business plan

A well-structured business plan is crucial for several reasons. First, it helps you identify and understand the essential aspects of your business, such as your target audience, market, competition, and potential risks. By having a clear understanding of these factors, you can develop strategies to address them effectively and position your enterprise for success.

Second, a well-crafted business plan serves as a communication tool, allowing you to present your company's vision, mission, and goals to potential investors, partners, and stakeholders. This can help secure funding and support for your venture, as well as establish credibility and trust.

Lastly, a business plan serves as a management tool that enables you to monitor your company's progress, identify challenges, and adjust your strategies accordingly. By continually reviewing and updating your plan, you can ensure that your business stays on track and achieves its goals.

Understanding your target audience and market

First, it is crucial to understand your target audience and market. This information will help you create a plan tailored to your specific audience and industry, ensuring that your strategies are relevant and effective.

Begin by identifying your ideal customer or client, considering factors such as demographics, psychographics, and pain points. This will help you create a clear customer profile and understand their needs, preferences, and challenges.

Next, conduct thorough market research to understand your industry, competitors, and market trends. This information will help you identify opportunities for growth and differentiation, as well as potential threats and challenges. By understanding your target audience and market, you can create a business plan that addresses their unique needs and positions your SME for success.

Business plan checklist

A. company overview.

The company overview is the foundation of your business plan, providing essential information about your organization. Address the following questions in this section:

What is the name of your company, and what does it do?

When was your company established, and who are its founders?

What is your company's mission statement and vision?

What are your company's core values and guiding principles?

What legal structure does your company operate under (e.g., sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation)?

What are your company's primary products or services, and what sets them apart from the competition?

b. Market analysis

In the market analysis section, delve into the specifics of your industry, target audience, and competition. Address these questions:

What is the size and growth rate of your industry, and what are the key market trends?

What is your target market, and what are their demographics, psychographics, and pain points?

Who are your main competitors, and what are their strengths and weaknesses?

What is your competitive advantage, and how will you differentiate your products or services?

What are the barriers to entry in your industry, and how will you overcome them?

c. Marketing and sales strategy

Your marketing and sales strategy outlines how you will attract and retain customers. Consider the following questions:

What are your marketing objectives, and how will you measure their success?

What marketing channels and tactics will you use to reach your target audience?

How will you position your products or services in the market, and what is your unique selling proposition?

What is your pricing strategy, and how does it compare to your competitors' pricing?

What is your sales process, and how will you train and support your sales team?

d. Management and organization

The management and organization section details your company's leadership structure and key personnel. Address these questions:

Who are the members of your management team, and what are their roles and responsibilities?

What is your organizational structure, and how does it support your business objectives?

What are your plans for recruiting, training, and retaining employees?

How will you maintain a positive company culture and promote employee engagement?

e. Financial plan and projections

The financial plan and projections section provides a detailed overview of your company's financial health and future growth. Address these questions:

What are your historical financial statements, including balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements?

What are your financial projections for the next three to five years, including projected revenue, expenses, and profits?

What are your break-even analysis and profitability ratios?

What are your plans for financing your business, and what are the potential sources of funding?

What are the key financial risks and how will you mitigate them

Key elements of a winning business plan

A winning business plan should include the following key elements:

A clear and concise executive summary that provides an overview of your business, its goals, and its strategies.

A detailed company overview that highlights your company's mission, vision, and core values.

A thorough market analysis that demonstrates your understanding of your industry, target audience, and competition.

A comprehensive marketing and sales strategy that outlines your objectives, tactics, and unique selling proposition.

A strong management and organization section that showcases your leadership team and company culture.

A robust financial plan and projections that provide a realistic outlook on your company's growth and profitability.

Tips for crafting an effective business plan

Keep your business plan concise and focused, avoiding unnecessary jargon and fluff.

Use clear and straightforward language that is easy to understand.

Back up your claims with data, research, and evidence.

Be realistic in your projections and assumptions, acknowledging potential challenges and risks.

Regularly review and update yourbusiness plan to reflect changes in your industry, market, or company.

Using business plan templates and resources

Crafting a winning business plan can be a daunting task, especially if you are new to entrepreneurship or unfamiliar with the process. Fortunately, there are many business plan templates and resources available online that can guide you through each step.

Business plan templates provide a framework for your plan, outlining the key sections and questions to address. They can save you time and effort by streamlining the process and ensuring that you cover all the necessary elements.

In addition to templates, there are many resources available online that can help you create a winning business plan. These resources include guides, tutorials, and examples of successful plans. By studying other businesses' plans and learning from their successes and failures, you can develop a more informed and effective plan for your SME.

Seeking professional assistance for business plan creation

While there are many resources available for creating a business plan, some SMEs may benefit from seeking professional assistance. Business consultants, accountants, and lawyers can provide valuable insights and expertise that can help you craft a more effective plan.

Professional assistance can be particularly useful if you are seeking funding from investors or lenders. A well-crafted business plan can make a significant difference in securing funding, and professional assistance can help you create a more compelling and persuasive plan.

Reviewing and updating your business plan regularly

Creating a winning business plan is just the first step in ensuring your SME's success. To achieve your goals and grow your business, you must regularly review and update your plan to reflect changes in your industry, market, or company.

Plan reviews can help you identify potential challenges or opportunities, adjust your strategies, and stay on track to achieve your objectives. By regularly reviewing and updating your plan, you can ensure that your business stays relevant and competitive in a rapidly changing market.

Conclusion and next steps for SMEs

Crafting a winning business plan is a critical factor in ensuring the success and sustainability of your SME. A well-structured plan can help you identify opportunities, mitigate risks, and achieve your goals.

By following the step-by-step checklist outlined in this article and using the available resources and templates, you can create a business plan that positions your SME for success. Remember to keep your plan concise, data-driven, and updated regularly to reflect changes in your industry, market, or company.

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Simple Business Plan Template (2024)

Updated: May 4, 2024, 4:37pm

Table of Contents

Why business plans are vital, get your free simple business plan template, how to write an effective business plan in 6 steps, frequently asked questions.

While taking many forms and serving many purposes, they all have one thing in common: business plans help you establish your goals and define the means for achieving them. Our simple business plan template covers everything you need to consider when launching a side gig, solo operation or small business. By following this step-by-step process, you might even uncover a few alternate routes to success.

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Whether you’re a first-time solopreneur or a seasoned business owner, the planning process challenges you to examine the costs and tasks involved in bringing a product or service to market. The process can also help you spot new income opportunities and hone in on the most profitable business models.

Though vital, business planning doesn’t have to be a chore. Business plans for lean startups and solopreneurs can simply outline the business concept, sales proposition, target customers and sketch out a plan of action to bring the product or service to market. However, if you’re seeking startup funding or partnership opportunities, you’ll need a write a business plan that details market research, operating costs and revenue forecasting. Whichever startup category you fall into, if you’re at square one, our simple business plan template will point you down the right path.

Copy our free simple business plan template so you can fill in the blanks as we explore each element of your business plan. Need help getting your ideas flowing? You’ll also find several startup scenario examples below.

Download free template as .docx

Whether you need a quick-launch overview or an in-depth plan for investors, any business plan should cover the six key elements outlined in our free template and explained below. The main difference in starting a small business versus an investor-funded business is the market research and operational and financial details needed to support the concept.

1. Your Mission or Vision

Start by declaring a “dream statement” for your business. You can call this your executive summary, vision statement or mission. Whatever the name, the first part of your business plan summarizes your idea by answering five questions. Keep it brief, such as an elevator pitch. You’ll expand these answers in the following sections of the simple business plan template.

• What does your business do? Are you selling products, services, information or a combination?
• Where does this happen? Will you conduct business online, in-store, via mobile means or in a specific location or environment?
• Who does your business benefit? Who is your target market and ideal customer for your concept?
• Why would potential customers care? What would make your ideal customers take notice of your business?
• How do your products and/or services outshine the competition? What would make your ideal customers choose you over a competitor?

These answers come easily if you have a solid concept for your business, but don’t worry if you get stuck. Use the rest of your plan template to brainstorm ideas and tactics. You’ll quickly find these answers and possibly new directions as you explore your ideas and options.

2. Offer and Value Proposition

This is where you detail your offer, such as selling products, providing services or both, and why anyone would care. That’s the value proposition. Specifically, you’ll expand on your answers to the first and fourth bullets from your mission/vision.

As you complete this section, you might find that exploring value propositions uncovers marketable business opportunities that you hadn’t yet considered. So spend some time brainstorming the possibilities in this section.

For example, a cottage baker startup specializing in gluten-free or keto-friendly products might be a value proposition that certain audiences care deeply about. Plus, you could expand on that value proposition by offering wedding and other special-occasion cakes that incorporate gluten-free, keto-friendly and traditional cake elements that all guests can enjoy.

3. Audience and Ideal Customer

Here is where you explore bullet point number three, who your business will benefit. Identifying your ideal customer and exploring a broader audience for your goods or services is essential in defining your sales and marketing strategies, plus it helps fine-tune what you offer.

There are many ways to research potential audiences, but a shortcut is to simply identify a problem that people have that your product or service can solve. If you start from the position of being a problem solver, it’s easy to define your audience and describe the wants and needs of your ideal customer for marketing efforts.

Using the cottage baker startup example, a problem people might have is finding fresh-baked gluten-free or keto-friendly sweets. Examining the wants and needs of these people might reveal a target audience that is health-conscious or possibly dealing with health issues and willing to spend more for hard-to-find items.

However, it’s essential to have a customer base that can support your business. You can be too specialized. For example, our baker startup can attract a broader audience and boost revenue by offering a wider selection of traditional baked goods alongside its gluten-free and keto-focused specialties.

4. Revenue Streams, Sales Channels and Marketing

Thanks to our internet-driven economy, startups have many revenue opportunities and can connect with target audiences through various channels. Revenue streams and sales channels also serve as marketing vehicles, so you can cover all three in this section.

Revenue Streams

Revenue streams are the many ways you can make money in your business. In your plan template, list how you’ll make money upon launch, plus include ideas for future expansion. The income possibilities just might surprise you.

For example, our cottage baker startup might consider these revenue streams:

• Product sales : Online, pop-up shops , wholesale and (future) in-store sales
• Affiliate income : Monetize blog and social media posts with affiliate links
• Advertising income : Reserve website space for advertising
• E-book sales : (future) Publish recipe e-books targeting gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
• Video income : (future) Monetize a YouTube channel featuring how-to videos for the gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
• Webinars and online classes : (future) Monetize coaching-style webinars and online classes covering specialty baking tips and techniques
• Members-only content : (future) Monetize a members-only section of the website for specialty content to complement webinars and online classes
• Franchise : (future) Monetize a specialty cottage bakery concept and sell to franchise entrepreneurs

Sales Channels

Sales channels put your revenue streams into action. This section also answers the “where will this happen” question in the second bullet of your vision.

The product sales channels for our cottage bakery example can include:

• Mobile point-of-sale (POS) : A mobile platform such as Shopify or Square POS for managing in-person sales at local farmers’ markets, fairs and festivals
• E-commerce platform : An online store such as Shopify, Square or WooCommerce for online retail sales and wholesale sales orders
• Social media channels : Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest shoppable posts and pins for online sales via social media channels
• Brick-and-mortar location : For in-store sales , once the business has grown to a point that it can support a physical location

Channels that support other income streams might include:

• Affiliate income : Blog section on the e-commerce website and affiliate partner accounts
• Advertising income : Reserved advertising spaces on the e-commerce website
• E-book sales : Amazon e-book sales via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
• Video income : YouTube channel with ad monetization
• Webinars and online classes : Online class and webinar platforms that support member accounts, recordings and playback
• Members-only content : Password-protected website content using membership apps such as MemberPress

Nowadays, the line between marketing and sales channels is blurred. Social media outlets, e-books, websites, blogs and videos serve as both marketing tools and income opportunities. Since most are free and those with advertising options are extremely economical, these are ideal marketing outlets for lean startups.

However, many businesses still find value in traditional advertising such as local radio, television, direct mail, newspapers and magazines. You can include these advertising costs in your simple business plan template to help build a marketing plan and budget.

5. Structure, Suppliers and Operations

This section of your simple business plan template explores how to structure and operate your business. Details include the type of business organization your startup will take, roles and responsibilities, supplier logistics and day-to-day operations. Also, include any certifications or permits needed to launch your enterprise in this section.

Our cottage baker example might use a structure and startup plan such as this:

• Business structure : Sole proprietorship with a “doing business as” (DBA) .
• Permits and certifications : County-issued food handling permit and state cottage food certification for home-based food production. Option, check into certified commercial kitchen rentals.
• Roles and responsibilities : Solopreneur, all roles and responsibilities with the owner.
• Supply chain : Bulk ingredients and food packaging via Sam’s Club, Costco, Amazon Prime with annual membership costs. Uline for shipping supplies; no membership needed.
• Day-to-day operations : Source ingredients and bake three days per week to fulfill local and online orders. Reserve time for specialty sales, wholesale partner orders and market events as needed. Ship online orders on alternating days. Update website and create marketing and affiliate blog posts on non-shipping days.

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6. Financial Forecasts

Your final task is to list forecasted business startup and ongoing costs and profit projections in your simple business plan template. Thanks to free business tools such as Square and free marketing on social media, lean startups can launch with few upfront costs. In many cases, cost of goods, shipping and packaging, business permits and printing for business cards are your only out-of-pocket expenses.

Cost Forecast

Our cottage baker’s forecasted lean startup costs might include:

Gross Profit Projections

This helps you determine the retail prices and sales volume required to keep your business running and, hopefully, earn income for yourself. Use product research to spot target retail prices for your goods, then subtract your cost of goods, such as hourly rate, raw goods and supplier costs. The total amount is your gross profit per item or service.

Here are some examples of projected gross profits for our cottage baker:

Bottom Line

Putting careful thought and detail in a business plan is always beneficial, but don’t get so bogged down in planning that you never hit the start button to launch your business . Also, remember that business plans aren’t set in stone. Markets, audiences and technologies change, and so will your goals and means of achieving them. Think of your business plan as a living document and regularly revisit, expand and restructure it as market opportunities and business growth demand.

Is there a template for a business plan?

You can copy our free business plan template and fill in the blanks or customize it in Google Docs, Microsoft Word or another word processing app. This free business plan template includes the six key elements that any entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a new business.

What does a simple business plan include?

A simple business plan is a one- to two-page overview covering six key elements that any budding entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a startup. These include your vision or mission, product or service offering, target audience, revenue streams and sales channels, structure and operations, and financial forecasts.

How can I create a free business plan template?

Start with our free business plan template that covers the six essential elements of a startup. Once downloaded, you can edit this document in Google Docs or another word processing app and add new sections or subsections to your plan template to meet your specific business plan needs.

What basic items should be included in a business plan?

When writing out a business plan, you want to make sure that you cover everything related to your concept for the business,  an analysis of the industry―including potential customers and an overview of the market for your goods or services―how you plan to execute your vision for the business, how you plan to grow the business if it becomes successful and all financial data around the business, including current cash on hand, potential investors and budget plans for the next few years.

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Krista Fabregas is a seasoned eCommerce and online content pro sharing more than 20 years of hands-on know-how with those looking to launch and grow tech-forward businesses. Her expertise includes eCommerce startups and growth, SMB operations and logistics, website platforms, payment systems, side-gig and affiliate income, and multichannel marketing. Krista holds a bachelor's degree in English from The University of Texas at Austin and held senior positions at NASA, a Fortune 100 company, and several online startups.

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How to Write a Business Plan, Step by Step

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What is a business plan?

1. write an executive summary, 2. describe your company, 3. state your business goals, 4. describe your products and services, 5. do your market research, 6. outline your marketing and sales plan, 7. perform a business financial analysis, 8. make financial projections, 9. summarize how your company operates, 10. add any additional information to an appendix, business plan tips and resources.

A business plan outlines your business’s financial goals and explains how you’ll achieve them over the next three to five years. Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing a business plan that will offer a strong, detailed road map for your business.

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A business plan is a document that explains what your business does, how it makes money and who its customers are. Internally, writing a business plan should help you clarify your vision and organize your operations. Externally, you can share it with potential lenders and investors to show them you’re on the right track.

Business plans are living documents; it’s OK for them to change over time. Startups may update their business plans often as they figure out who their customers are and what products and services fit them best. Mature companies might only revisit their business plan every few years. Regardless of your business’s age, brush up this document before you apply for a business loan .

» Need help writing? Learn about the best business plan software .

This is your elevator pitch. It should include a mission statement, a brief description of the products or services your business offers and a broad summary of your financial growth plans.

Though the executive summary is the first thing your investors will read, it can be easier to write it last. That way, you can highlight information you’ve identified while writing other sections that go into more detail.

» MORE: How to write an executive summary in 6 steps

Next up is your company description. This should contain basic information like:

Your business’s registered name.

Address of your business location .

Names of key people in the business. Make sure to highlight unique skills or technical expertise among members of your team.

Your company description should also define your business structure — such as a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation — and include the percent ownership that each owner has and the extent of each owner’s involvement in the company.

Lastly, write a little about the history of your company and the nature of your business now. This prepares the reader to learn about your goals in the next section.

» MORE: How to write a company overview for a business plan

The third part of a business plan is an objective statement. This section spells out what you’d like to accomplish, both in the near term and over the coming years.

If you’re looking for a business loan or outside investment, you can use this section to explain how the financing will help your business grow and how you plan to achieve those growth targets. The key is to provide a clear explanation of the opportunity your business presents to the lender.

For example, if your business is launching a second product line, you might explain how the loan will help your company launch that new product and how much you think sales will increase over the next three years as a result.

» MORE: How to write a successful business plan for a loan

In this section, go into detail about the products or services you offer or plan to offer.

You should include the following:

An explanation of how your product or service works.

The pricing model for your product or service.

The typical customers you serve.

Your supply chain and order fulfillment strategy.

You can also discuss current or pending trademarks and patents associated with your product or service.

Lenders and investors will want to know what sets your product apart from your competition. In your market analysis section , explain who your competitors are. Discuss what they do well, and point out what you can do better. If you’re serving a different or underserved market, explain that.

Here, you can address how you plan to persuade customers to buy your products or services, or how you will develop customer loyalty that will lead to repeat business.

Include details about your sales and distribution strategies, including the costs involved in selling each product .

» MORE: R e a d our complete guide to small business marketing

If you’re a startup, you may not have much information on your business financials yet. However, if you’re an existing business, you’ll want to include income or profit-and-loss statements, a balance sheet that lists your assets and debts, and a cash flow statement that shows how cash comes into and goes out of the company.

Accounting software may be able to generate these reports for you. It may also help you calculate metrics such as:

Net profit margin: the percentage of revenue you keep as net income.

Current ratio: the measurement of your liquidity and ability to repay debts.

Accounts receivable turnover ratio: a measurement of how frequently you collect on receivables per year.

This is a great place to include charts and graphs that make it easy for those reading your plan to understand the financial health of your business.

This is a critical part of your business plan if you’re seeking financing or investors. It outlines how your business will generate enough profit to repay the loan or how you will earn a decent return for investors.

Here, you’ll provide your business’s monthly or quarterly sales, expenses and profit estimates over at least a three-year period — with the future numbers assuming you’ve obtained a new loan.

Accuracy is key, so carefully analyze your past financial statements before giving projections. Your goals may be aggressive, but they should also be realistic.

NerdWallet’s picks for setting up your business finances:

The best business checking accounts .

The best business credit cards .

The best accounting software .

Before the end of your business plan, summarize how your business is structured and outline each team’s responsibilities. This will help your readers understand who performs each of the functions you’ve described above — making and selling your products or services — and how much each of those functions cost.

If any of your employees have exceptional skills, you may want to include their resumes to help explain the competitive advantage they give you.

Finally, attach any supporting information or additional materials that you couldn’t fit in elsewhere. That might include:

Licenses and permits.

Equipment leases.

Bank statements.

Details of your personal and business credit history, if you’re seeking financing.

If the appendix is long, you may want to consider adding a table of contents at the beginning of this section.

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Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

Here are some tips to write a detailed, convincing business plan:

Avoid over-optimism: If you’re applying for a business bank loan or professional investment, someone will be reading your business plan closely. Providing unreasonable sales estimates can hurt your chances of approval.

Proofread: Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors can jump off the page and turn off lenders and prospective investors. If writing and editing aren't your strong suit, you may want to hire a professional business plan writer, copy editor or proofreader.

Use free resources: SCORE is a nonprofit association that offers a large network of volunteer business mentors and experts who can help you write or edit your business plan. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Development Centers , which provide free business consulting and help with business plan development, can also be a resource.

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SME Strategy Template

What is a SME Strategy?

A SME strategy is a comprehensive plan of action that outlines how a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) can achieve its business goals. It is composed of several focus areas, objectives, key performance indicators (KPIs), and projects that are meant to help a business reach its goals. A well-crafted SME strategy should be tailored to a business's unique needs and resources to ensure success.

What's included in this SME Strategy template?

• 3 focus areas
• 6 objectives

Each focus area has its own objectives, projects, and KPIs to ensure that the strategy is comprehensive and effective.

Who is the SME Strategy template for?

This SME Strategy Template is designed for small and medium-sized enterprises of all sizes and industries. No matter what stage of growth your business is in, this template will provide you with the structure to create a successful strategy that will help you reach your goals.

1. Define clear examples of your focus areas

Focus areas are the broad categories that your objectives and projects will fall under. It is important to define clear examples of focus areas to ensure that your strategy is organized and efficient. Examples of strategic focus areas that could fall under a SME Strategy could be: Increase marketing reach , Increase product sales, and Expand workforce.

2. Think about the objectives that could fall under that focus area

Objectives are specific goals that you want to accomplish within your focus area. Each objective should be measurable, achievable, and relevant to the focus area.  Examples of some objectives for the focus area of Increase marketing reach could be: Increase customer acquisition , and Increase online presence.

3. Set measurable targets (KPIs) to tackle the objective

KPIs are measurable targets that help track the progress of your objectives. Each KPI should have an initial value, a target value, and a unit. Examples of KPIs include “increase organic search traffic” with an initial value of 150, a target value of 250, and a unit of “people”.

4. Implement related projects to achieve the KPIs

Projects, also known as actions, are the steps that you will take to achieve your objectives and KPIs. Examples of projects include improving website SEO and increasing customer feedback. It is important to ensure that each project is relevant to the KPI it is associated with.

5. Utilize Cascade Strategy Execution Platform to see faster results from your strategy

Cascade Strategy Execution Platform helps organizations create and manage their strategies. With Cascade, you can easily track your objectives and projects, and see the results of your strategy faster. With Cascade, you can be confident that your strategy is on track and on target.

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Business plan templates

From competitive analysis to financial projections, business plans give your new business a roadmap for success. Download one of our free business plan templates and take your company to the next level.

Big Data Startup Business Plan Template

Create a professional Big Data Startup business plan with our customizable Startup Business Plan Template.

Virtual Assistant Business Plan

Strategize your way to success with this customizable AI virtual assistant business plan template.

Virtual Reality (VR) Business Plan

Our free virtual reality (VR) business plan helps you customize your document and create a winning strategy to land investors.

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Laundromat Business Plan

Create your success roadmap with a laundromat business plan template, designed to arrange the essentials of the laundry business.

5-Year Business Plan Template

Empower your path to long-term success with our 5-year business plan template.

Car Wash Business Plan Template

Launch and grow your car wash business with our customizable plan template.

Airbnb Business Plan Template

Unlock your path to success with our Airbnb business plan template, made to guide you in structuring the fundamental aspects of your Airbnb business.

Clothing Line Business Plan

Use this free and customizable clothing line business plan to appeal to investors and set up your fashion brand.

Gym Business Plan Template 

The Panda tips in this gym business plan template guide you through the process of researching and presenting information necessary to secure funding and partners for your business.

Handyman Business Plan Template

Start a new handyman business using a well-researched handyman business plan template to meet your goals faster.

Vending Machine Business Plan Template

If you’re starting a new vending machine business, a well-rounded vending machine business plan can improve your chances of success.

Bar Business Plan Template

Create your path to success with our bar business plan template, designed as a valuable tool to help entrepreneurs organize the bar business.

Massage Therapy Business Plan

This massage therapy business plan template helps you cover the basics of starting or expanding a massage business.

Bed and Breakfast Business Plan Template

Use a complete bed and breakfast business plan template to set up your business for growth and success.

Catering Business Plan

Chart your path to success with our catering business plan template designed to help entrepreneurs organize their catering business.

Event Venue Business Plan Template

Launch and grow your event venue with our customizable business plan template.

Event Planning Business Plan 

Prepare your event planning business for success with our ready-to-fill and easily downloadable event planning business plan template.

Rental Property Business Plan

Develop a rental property business plan tailored to serve as a valuable resource for entrepreneurs to organize their rental business.

Coaching Business Plan Template

If you want to grow your new or existing coaching business, use our free coaching business plan template as a roadmap to success.

Lawn Care Business Plan

Use a comprehensive lawn care business plan template that includes guidance and all critical information.

T-shirt Business Plan Template 

Craft a winning T-shirt business plan in a structured business format that attracts investors and funding.

Candle-Making Business Plan Template

Use a candle-making business plan template to get together all of the information you need to ensure that your candle business succeeds.

SBA Business Plan Template

Use our free and fully customizable SBA business plan template to get started when writing a successful proposal for an SBA loan.

Cleaning Business Plan Template

Discover a hassle-free way to document a roadmap for your cleaning business with this free business plan template.

Real Estate Business Plan Template

Start off your new real estate business on the right foot by using a real estate business plan template to ensure your goals, visions, and finances are sorted.

Trucking Business Plan Template

Empower your journey to success with our trucking business plan template, designed as a valuable tool to organize the essentials of your trucking business.

Food Truck Business Plan Template

Find a fully customizable, free food truck business plan template that helps you create an effective proposal for interested investors.

Simple Business Plan Template

This simple business plan template walks you through the stages of establishing a successful business or seeking funding.

Solar Farm Business Plan

Give your solar farm business the best start by creating a professional business plan to keep your company on the right track.

Ecommerce Business Plan Template

This Ecommerce Business Plan Template is tailored particularly to e-commerce companies, and all you require to do is add the elements related to your business.

Accounting Firm Business Plan

Use this Accounting Firm Business Plan to achieve your goals. Accounting firms are comparable to other industries and need the Business Plan to help their development.

Campground Business Plan Template

This PandaDoc Campground Business Plan Template has all the essential information to help you develop a successful business strategy.

Firewood Business Plan

This Firewood Business Plan Template perfectly outlines the company structure of a probable firewood venture. It highlights the budgets needed to start and manage the unique business.

Funeral Home Business Plan

A Funeral Home Business Plan covers detailed data on the courtesies offered by the company, market analysis, administration strategies, personnel procedures, budget and financing plans, and other applicable topics.

Community Center Business Plan

You can use this Community Center Business Plan Template, it is perfect for anyone desiring to open and run a society center. It gives the center’s owner an outline of areas that must be disseminated with the investors to earn an acquisition.

Gas Station Business Plan

Take the first step towards success in the fuel industry with our professionally crafted Gas Station Business Plan template.

Beauty Supply Store Business Plan

This Beauty Supply Store Business Plan Template covers all the appropriate sections needed to invest in a beauty supply store. The template will help you to raise money for your business.

Flower Shop Business Plan Template

The Flower Shop Business Plan Template is organized to help you achieve the awareness of various investors to invest in your company.

Electrical Contractor Business Plan

This Electrical Contractor Business Plan template include information about the services you offer, who your target consumers are, why they should prefer you over your opponents and how much capital you require to get started.

Car Dealership Business Plan

A Car Dealership Business Plan is a detailed plan that will help you take your business to the next level. Use this template to create your plan.

Farm Business Plan

Farm Business Plan gives an overview of the company, including corporation history, owner backgrounds, creations and more. Use this template to quickly develop your farm company plan.

Consultant Business Plan Template

An example of a document outlining your strategy for launching or expanding your consulting firm is a Consultant Business Plan Template. The essential elements include a summary of the company, team, sector, rivals, target audience, and an operations and marketing strategy.

Construction Company Business Plan

The objectives and tactics of a construction company are described in a business plan for a construction company. For the creation of your business plan, use this Construction Company Business Plan Template.

Fashion Business Plan Template

Structural and action plans for a fashion firm are laid out in the fashion business plan template.

Daycare Business Plan

The creation of a business strategy is the first step in starting a daycare. Use this Daycare Business Plan Template to describe your company’s objectives, as well as your target market, potential rivals, and your financing strategy.

Convenience Store Business Plan

Do you need a Convenience Store Business Plan Template? This plan includes all the details and information needed to secure funding for a convenience store.

Startup Business Plan Template

We offer you the steps and the tools to create a fantastic business plan. Attract investors with this sleek and free startup business plan template.

Business Plan Template

This business plan template is a great tool for your startup to customize to reflect your strong qualifications, experienced team, and marketable business idea.

What is a business plan?

A business plan is a document that helps small business owners determine the viability of their business idea. Combining market research and financial analysis, a professional business plan helps startup CEOs and potential investors determine if the company can compete in the target market.

Typically, a good business plan consists of the following:

• Executive summary
• Company description
• Mission statement
• Product and services
• Marketing plan
• Operations plan
• Management organization
• Financial plan
• Conclusion & appendix

Every section involved in a business plan is designed to help startup businesses reach their target market.

A business plan asks founders and entrepreneurs to detail their business strategy in a step-by-step process that makes sense from an operational perspective. This is essential if a startup is seeking a business loan or an investment from a venture capital firm.

However, even small businesses that are already economically viable can benefit from creating a business plan, since it encourages business owners and their management teams to examine their business model and reevaluate the best ways to reach their target customers.

Should I use a business plan template?

Yes.  If you’ve never written one, a business plan can be challenging to write.

Creating a successful plan that you can use to grow your small business can require weeks of market analysis and financial preparation. You may spend time using Microsoft Excel or Powerpoint in order to create documentation which better supports our operational decisions.

However, almost every professional business plan is structured in the same way and most ask for the same information. Because of this, using a business plan template is advisable to save time, money, and effort.

Business plan templates for free

Rather than spending time trying to figure out how to write a business plan , use a free template as a guide to completion.

Business plan templates from PandaDoc can help you reach an effective go-to-market strategy even faster by asking you to provide all the relevant information you need when creating an effective business plan.

Grab a free template to get started!

Frequently asked questions

How many pages should my business plan be.

This depends on the kind of business plan you need to write and how you intend to use the plan that you create.

For example, a plan for a small business seeking potential investors or a business loan will need to provide income statements, cash flow statements, and a balance sheet (usually for a three-year or five-year forecast period).

These financial statements can be omitted if a small business owner isn’t seeking funding and is instead planning to use their business plan as a guiding document for themselves and their management team members.

Some business plans may only run a few pages. Fully-developed business plans can be as long as 50 pages. Much of this depends on the type of business, the operational strategy, and the level of detail that goes into developing the business plan.

Who needs a business plan?

Every business should have a business plan. This is an essential guidance document for any founder or CEO.

Good business plans help a company determine the viability of its place in the market and can help the business develop better strategies for differentiating itself from its competitors.

Business planning also forces business owners to evaluate their marketing strategy, the cost of customer acquisition and retention, and how they plan to grow their business over time.

What is the best business plan template?

Business plans come in all shapes and sizes. The best business plan template for your business is one that you understand and that matches the size and legal structure of your operation.

If you’re a sole proprietor, a business plan template designed for a big corporation probably doesn’t make sense. However, a business plan that helps you build an effective roadmap to grow your business while protecting your intellectual property is a good starting point.

PandaDoc offers specialized business plan templates for common industries along with tips to help you get started with business planning.

Should I hire someone to write my business plan for me?

No. You’ll find freelance writers and business strategy companies out there who are happy to write your business plan for a fee.  These resources can guide you through the process, but you should write (or be heavily involved in) the creation of your business plan.

The reason for this is simple: You know the most about your business, and your business needs you to succeed.

A writer can work with you to make your business plan sound better to investors, and a consultant can help you fill in knowledge gaps — like how to conduct a SWOT analysis — and point out weaknesses in your plan. But, at the end of the day, you need to use the business plan to pitch investors and run your business.

Those ideas and guiding principles aren’t something you can outsource.

Should I use business planning software?

Software isn’t required when creating an effective business plan. Most business planning software is designed to help you navigate the outlining and writing process more effectively.

You don’t need software to write a professional business plan, but a solid template can help you get started. Download a free template from PandaDoc today and take your business to the next level.

Get started with PandaDoc today

Simple Business Plan Templates

By Joe Weller | April 2, 2020

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In this article, we’ve compiled a variety of simple business plan templates, all of which are free to download in PDF, Word, and Excel formats.

On this page, you’ll find a one-page business plan template , a simple business plan for startups , a small-business plan template , a business plan outline , and more. We also include a business plan sample and the main components of a business plan to help get you started.

Simple Business Plan Template

Download Simple Business Plan Template

Word  |  PDF

This simple business plan template lays out each element of a traditional business plan to assist you as you build your own, and it provides space to add financing information for startups seeking funding. You can use and customize this simple business plan template to fit the needs for organizations of any size.

One-Page Business Plan Template

Download One-Page Business Plan Template

Excel  |  Word  |  PDF  | Smartsheet

Use this one-page business plan to document your key ideas in an organized manner. The template can help you create a high-level view of your business plan, and it provides easy scannability for stakeholders. You can use this one-page plan as a reference to build a more detailed blueprint for your business. 

For additional single page plans, take a look at " One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide ."

Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template

Download Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template

Use this fill-in-the-blank business plan template to guide you as you build your business plan. Each section comes pre-filled with sample content, with space to add customized verbiage relevant to your product or service.

For additional free, downloadable resources, visit " Free Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Templates ."

Simple Business Plan for Startup

‌  Download Startup Business Plan Template — Word

This business plan template is designed with a startup business in mind and contains the essential elements needed to convey key product or service details to investors and stakeholders. Keep all your information organized with this template, which provides space to include an executive summary, a company overview, competitive analysis, a marketing strategy, financial data, and more. For additional resources, visit " Free Startup Business Plan Templates and Examples ."

Simple Small-Business Plan Template

Download Simple Small-Business Plan Template

This template walks you through each component of a small-business plan, including the company background, the introduction of the management team, market analysis, product or service offerings, a financial plan, and more. This template also comes with a built-in table of contents to keep your plan in order, and it can be customized to fit your requirements.

Lean Business Plan Template

Download Lean Business Plan Template

This lean business plan template is a stripped-down version of a traditional business plan that provides only the most essential aspects. Briefly outline your company and industry overview, along with the problem you are solving, as well as your unique value proposition, target market, and key performance metrics. There is also room to list out a timeline of key activities.

Simple Business Plan Outline Template

Download Simple Business Plan Outline Template

Use this simple business plan outline as a basis to create your own business plan. This template contains 11 sections, including a title page and a table of contents, which details what each section should cover in a traditional business plan. Simplify or expand this outline to create the foundation for a business plan that fits your business needs.

Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline

Download Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline

Excel  | Smartsheet

This template doubles as a project plan and timeline to track progress as you develop your business plan. This business planning template enables you to break down your work into phases and provides room to add key tasks and dates for each activity. Easily fill in the cells according to the start and end dates to create a visual timeline, as well as to ensure your plan stays on track.

Simple Business Plan Rubric Template

Download Simple Business Plan Rubric

Once you complete your business plan, use this business plan rubric template to assess and score each component of your plan. This rubric helps you identify elements of your plan that meet or exceed requirements and pinpoint areas where you need to improve or further elaborate. This template is an invaluable tool to ensure your business plan clearly defines your goals, objectives, and plan of action in order to gain buy-in from potential investors, stakeholders, and partners.

Basic Business Plan Sample

Download Basic Business Plan Sample

This business plan sample serves as an example of a basic business plan that contains all the traditional components. The sample provides a model of what a business plan might look like for a fictional food truck business. Reference this sample as you develop your own business plan.

For additional resources to help support your business planning efforts, check out “ Free Strategic Planning Templates .”

Main Components of a Business Plan

The elements you include in your business plan will depend on your product or service offerings, as well as the size and needs of your business. 

Below are the components of a standard business plan and details you should include in each section:

• Company name and contact information
• Website address
• The name of the company or individual viewing the presentation
• Table of Contents
• Company background and purpose
• Mission and vision statement
• Management team introduction
• Core product and service offerings
• Target customers and segments
• Marketing plan
• Competitive analysis
• Unique value proposition
• Financial plan (and requirements, if applicable)
• Business and industry overview
• Historical timeline of your business
• Offerings and the problem they solve
• Current alternatives
• Competitive advantage
• Market size
• Target market segment(s)
• Projected volume and value of sales compared to competitors
• Differentiation from competitors
• Pricing strategy
• Marketing channels
• Promotional plan
• Distribution methods
• Legal structure of your business
• Names of founders, owners, advisors, etc.
• Management team’s roles, relevant experience, and compensation plan
• Staffing requirements and training plans
• Physical location(s) of your business
• Additional physical requirements (e.g., warehouse, specialized equipment, facilities, etc.)
• Production workflow
• Raw materials and sourcing methods
• Projected income statement
• Projected cash flow statement
• Projected balance sheet
• Break-even analysis
• Charts and graphs
• Market research and competitive analysis
• Information about your industry
• Information about your offerings
• Samples of marketing materials
• Other supporting materials

Tips for Creating a Business Plan

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the thought of putting together a business plan. Below, you’ll find top tips to help simplify the process as you develop your own plan. 

• Use a business plan template (you can choose from the variety above), or refer to the previous section to create a standard outline for your plan.
• Modify your outline to reflect the requirements of your specific business. If you use a standard business plan outline, remove sections that aren’t relevant to you or aren’t necessary to run your business.
• Gather all the information you currently have about your business first, and then use that information to fill out each section in your plan outline.
• Use your resources and conduct additional research to fill in the remaining gaps. (Note: It isn’t necessary to fill out your plan in order, but the executive summary needs to be completed last, as it summarizes the key points in your plan.)
• Ensure your plan clearly communicates the relationship between your marketing, sales, and financial objectives.
• Provide details in your plan that illustrate your strategic plan of action, looking forward three to five years.
• Revisit your plan regularly as strategies and objectives evolve.
• What product or service are we offering?
• Who is the product or service for?
• What problem does our product or service offering solve?
• How will we get the product or service to our target customers?
• Why is our product or service better than the alternatives?
• How can we outperform our competitors?
• What is our unique value proposition?
• When will things get done, and who is responsible for doing them?
• If you need to obtain funding, how will you use the funding?
• When are payments due, and when do payments come in?
• What is the ultimate purpose of your business?
• When do you expect to be profitable?

To identify which type of business plan you should write, and for more helpful tips, take a look at our guide to writing a simple business plan .

Benefits of Using a Business Plan Template

Creating a business plan can be very time-consuming, especially if you aren’t sure where to begin. Finding the right template for your business needs can be beneficial for a variety of reasons. 

Using a business plan template — instead of creating your plan from scratch — can benefit you in the following ways:

• Enables you to immediately write down your thoughts and ideas in an organized manner
• Provides structure to help outline your plan
• Saves time and valuable resources
• Helps ensure you don’t miss essential details

Limitations of a Business Plan Template

A business plan template can be convenient, but it has its drawbacks — especially if you use a template that doesn’t fit the specific needs of your business.

Below are some limitations of using a business plan template:

• Each business is unique and needs a business plan that reflects that. A template may not fit your needs.
• A template may restrict collaboration with other team members on different aspects of the plan’s development (sales, marketing, and accounting teams).
• Multiple files containing different versions of the plan may be stored in more than one place.
• You still have to manually create charts and graphs to add to the plan to support your strategy.
• Updates to the plan, spreadsheets, and supporting documents have to be made in multiple places (all documents may not update in real time as changes are made).

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Strategic Planning for SMEs: Guide on how to get started as Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise

Discover the key to SME success with strategic planning: understand its importance, tailor strategies for small businesses, and overcome common pitfalls for sustained growth and resilience.

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), strategic planning can often be overlooked in day-to-day business. Yet it is a crucial element for success: research shows that companies with good strategic planning perform better than those without. Strategic planning helps SMEs to focus on their long-term goals, set clear objectives and develop strategies to achieve them. It enables SMEs to identify areas of growth and capitalize on opportunities while avoiding potential pitfalls.

With thoughtful strategic planning, SME owners have a roadmap for success that helps them guide their business through good times and bad.

Table of Contents

Understanding strategic planning for SMEs

Strategic planning is a process that helps SMEs identify and assess their current situation, set goals for the future, and develop strategies to achieve them. This involves understanding the company’s internal and external environment, including its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. In addition, strategic planning takes into account technological changes, customer preferences, industry trends and economic conditions.

How strategic planning differs for SMEs

Strategic planning for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) differs from that for large companies. SMEs typically have fewer resources, a smaller business scope, and a smaller market share than larger companies. Their strategic plans must be tailored to meet these unique challenges. In addition, decision-making processes in most SMEs are more streamlined and efficient due to their small size. This enables faster implementation of strategies that allow SMEs to respond quickly to changing market conditions or competitive threats. Because today’s business environment is changing so rapidly, SME owners must be able to react quickly and adapt their strategies accordingly.

Remember , good strategic planning helps to respond better and faster by providing insight into potential opportunities or risks before they arise.

The current state of Strategic Planning adoption by SMEs

Despite the clear benefits of strategic planning for SMEs, many owners still fail to adopt this vital practice. This is partly due to a lack of time, tools, data, and insights needed to make informed decisions or even access primary data required for good strategic planning. Without these elements, it can be difficult for SME owners to understand their current position and formulate strategies to lead them toward success. As such, they may find themselves stuck in a cycle of reactive decision-making instead of proactive problem-solving.

Learning : Block dedicated time (3 days every year workshop and four hours every month for evaluation), prepare relevant tools (e.g., SWOT analysis), and get data and insights (e.g., Studies, MoreThanDigital Insights )

Strategic Planning should help you answer questions

As an entrepreneur, your goal is always to answer important questions about your business. Strategic planning is like a regular questionnaire about the future and a way to question the progress toward your goals. Some of the questions you should answer as part of the strategic planning process:

• What do you want to achieve? (e.g., vision and mission)
• Who are your competitors? (e.g., direct and indirect)
• What does the market look like? (e.g., growing competition,
• What are my opportunities? (e.g., globalization, new technology)
• What are the threats to my business? (e.g., globalization, resource prices, new market entrants)
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of my business at the moment? (e.g., low digitalization, no real-time data, strong customer relations, loyal partners)

Simple Steps to Create the Basis for Strategic Planning

Especially for SMEs, a fast and straightforward strategic planning process is very helpful. These are the key components of creating a strategic plan and the necessary analysis that will give you a solid foundation for decision-making.

1. Evaluate current resources and infrastructure

Before you begin strategic planning, SMEs should thoroughly evaluate their existing resources and infrastructure. Assess the available staff, technology, capital and time needed to implement a successful plan. Also consider outside experts or consultants who can provide additional support and guidance.

2. Set goals and objectives

Establish clear, achievable goals that define the desired outcome of the strategic planning process. For example, an SME may set a goal to increase sales by 10% or reduce costs by 20% within a specified timeframe. Actionable goals should always be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound); therefore, KPIs should be used to link the goals to something measurable.

Tip : Try to set a maximum of 10-20 KPIs that are regularly updated and evaluated as part of the strategic planning process. If possible, create a dashboard to see your performance in real time.

3. Analyze the internal environment

Conduct a thorough analysis of the SME’s internal environment to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Factors such as organizational structure, culture, operational procedures, and resource availability should be considered.

4. Analyze the external environment

Analyzing macro trends such as industry developments, economic conditions, technological advances, and consumer preferences can help determine the SME’s strategy. For example, a thorough assessment of market needs and competitor offerings can help inform plans for product or service development.

5. Develop a strategic plan

Using information gathered from the internal and external analysis, create a roadmap that includes actionable steps and milestones for implementation. Involve relevant stakeholders in the development of the plan; this way, everyone has an opportunity to provide input. Also, please prepare for and consider potential contingencies.

9 Steps for Implementing the Strategic Plan

Once the plan is finalized, it’s time to implement it. Here are some essential steps to help ensure a successful launch:

• Assign Ownership and Responsibility – Clearly define roles and responsibilities for each task in the strategic plan. Assign an owner or leader for every action item, who will be responsible for driving results and accountable for the implementation.
• Create an Implementation Plan – Develop a realistic timeline and budget for executing the strategic plan, including milestones, personnel assignments, and resources needed to ensure success.
• Communicate with Stakeholders – Ensure that all those involved in the process have been consulted and are kept informed of progress throughout the implementation phase. Think of creating a common space to share all communication with your stakeholders so everyone is “up-to-date”.
• Monitor Progress – Track progress against key performance indicators (KPIs) regularly to identify potential risks or areas for improvement early on in the process.
• Evaluate Performance – Analyze outcomes after completion of each stage to determine whether objectives have been achieved successfully and if any adjustments need to be made in the future.
• Train Employees – Provide adequate training materials so that employees understand how their roles fit into the overall strategy, allowing them to execute tasks required by the strategic plan effectively.
• Celebrate Successes – Make sure to recognize accomplishments along the way, as this will help motivate teams towards achieving objectives.
• Adapt as Necessary – Continuously monitor and respond to external developments that could impact the SME’s plans, adjusting strategies as needed.
• Review & Refine – Take time for regular reviews to identify areas of improvement and refine strategies accordingly to remain competitive and successful over the long term.

Measuring the Impact of Strategic Planning

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are essential for a successful strategic planning process, as they make progress visible and traceable. By regularly tracking and evaluating the most important KPIs, you can monitor progress towards short and long-term goals. It is important that the KPIs are easy to interpret and reflect the company’s goals, strategies and performance (e.g. customer satisfaction or market share).

In SMEs, it is important to select only the most relevant and practicable KPIs for each business case or strategic objective. Common indicators include customer loyalty, sales growth, market share, employee engagement, cost savings and environmental impact.

It is also important to set targets for each KPI in order to track progress and make adjustments where necessary. Setting targets makes it possible to identify gaps between expectations and actual performance.

3 Common Pitfalls and Challenges for SMEs

When it comes to strategic planning, most SMEs face at least one of the following 3 challenges:

• Limited resources – One of the most important issues is “resource constraints.” SMEs often have limited resources and tighter budgets than larger companies. This makes it difficult to implement effective strategies and think strategically. It’s important to be creative and make the most of available resources, so try to set clear goals in your strategy and work with the resources you have. Sometimes a shortage of resources can also help you become more efficient than your competitors.
• Lack of time – Strategic planning can take a certain amount of time that most entrepreneurs don’t have. Good strategic planning can be done in 1-2 weekends and if you get outside help, you may be able to refine your results in another day. So don’t overthink it, start small.
• Lack of experience – Many SME entrepreneurs come from different fields of expertise. As a result, they often lack the experience to develop effective strategies. That’s why it’s important to seek outside help or read articles like this one on how to get started. Try to stick to the basics and start small so you don’t get overwhelmed.
• Changing business needs – The business landscape is constantly changing, making it difficult for SMBs to keep up with the latest trends or emerging technologies. It’s important to stay flexible and adjust your plans accordingly. Use various online resources to at least keep up with the latest trends in your industry, and try to connect with experts in your industry 2-3 times a year to stay current.

Good strategic planning for SMEs requires a basic analysis and sometimes only 3-4 different tools such as a SWOT analysis, a strategic plan and an agenda with strategic action points that can be tracked with the appropriate KPIs.

Companies can increase the impact on their business by assigning responsibilities and accountabilities, creating a detailed implementation plan, communicating regularly with stakeholders, monitoring progress (e.g. through KPIs), training employees on existing strategies, celebrating successes along the way and adjusting as needed when external developments occur – SMEs have all the ingredients needed for successful strategic planning.

You can also use tools like MoreThanDigital Insights, a comprehensive platform that equips you with everything you need to strategically measure your success. It’s free, gives you all the KPIs and questionnaires you need to systematically track your progress, and provides valuable analytics to make sure you’re on the right track.

So don’t wait any longer and start harnessing the power of Strategic Planning for SMEs today!

Benjamin Talin

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7 Proven Principles For A Strong SME Business Plan Blog Business Plan 7 Proven Principles For A Strong SME Business Plan 7 Proven Principles For A Strong SME Business Plan

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Business planning is the backbone of every successful business. Having a strong SME business plan is crucial whether your small or medium enterprise is trying to launch a new product.

Fabricating a business plan for your small or medium enterprise is the prime step that propels a business in the direction of success. As we said previously in our blog , a business plan is a guide . It’s a guide with power to keep your business on the right track during growth and when asking for funding from investors. A business plan is what keeps companies focused on their goals and what moves them through hurdles.

Surprisingly enough, small businesses are still having difficulties in business plan consistency. That is the case for larger markets too, given the fact that more than one-quarter of UK small businesses don’t have a business plan at all. And they’re missing out on a £25bn of revenue in the process.

It doesn’t have to be like that for the small business and enterprise industry. And we’re here to help. Every small business and medium enterprise can develop a strong SME business plan by the following principles:

1. A strong SME business plan has to be easy to read

This one is a general rule of thumb, but it works perfectly for a solid business plan. A business plan must be well designed and easy to comprehend as well. This is the case for the introductory statement as one of the key parts of the business plan, typically in one or two pages. It doesn’t matter if investors are with two decades of industry experience. Your business plan must be written in a straightforward language so everyone can understand what you want to achieve.

2. Present Market Analysis in your business plan

Let’s face it, you probably are not the only one that wants to offer a product in the market . Not just investors, but your potential customers as well want to know what’s in your business plan and how the market will react to your products or services. Even as a small business, you must present research for your target market . By showcasing how you understand your market and what makes your product a market fit, your potential customers will notice the benefits of using your product or service. Because you know, everyone wants to know what’s in it for them. That includes your customers too.

3. A business plan must have a distribution plan too

You have to be exact on how your business can sell and distribute its product or service. The methods that you’re planning to use have to be comprehensibly described in your business plan. You also must describe the number of costs that you need to deliver your product or service in your target customer’s arms. This includes logistics to warehousing and delivering process arrangement.

4. You need to have a unique competitive advantage

This is the part of a business plan where you shouldn’t be modest if you’ve found your advantage in the market. What gives you that competitive edge? You can position yourself by presenting some distinctive traits.

You may have a unique patent, trade secret, copyright, strategic alliance or a brand new technology that you want to showcase to the world. Competitive advantage is one of the main ingredients of a strong SME business plan. Of a strong business plan in general, really.

5. For a strong SME business plan, highlight your team strengths

If your SME includes a management team or other skilled workers that are highly qualified, you need to showcase them too. This will give you a massive advantage when pitching your small business idea to investors. Furthermore, it will further cement the trust that your potential clients have for your business.

Everyone wants to work with experienced experts in their field or have industry experience in general. That’s why it is important to point out what keeps your team in place, and what qualities does your management team own.

6. Provide realistic expectations for your small business

It’s easy to dream of business success. Everyone can do it. But it’s not easy to estimate the necessary stages and timeframe that can map out your business growth.

We should always aim to see and paint the real picture of our businesses if we want a strong SME business plan. When we get realistic, then we can articulate some plausible assumptions. But again, we have to back up those assumptions with some insights to prove that we did a good market research in the first place. Every stage of your business plan must be within reach.

7. Have more versions of your business plan ready

Small businesses and enterprises should develop more versions of their business plans. Because you’ll have different evaluations of your business plan.

For example, you need to construct your business plan in a different manner when you approach the bank for a loan. Bankers want to know what your business stability is, how you secure your business and cash flow. But venture capitalists expect and want to see high returns .

Everyone that wants to invest in your small business or enterprise wants to know your exit strategy too. These people want to know how you are planning to use their funding. You must show that you’re capable of securing their funds and covering their interest in the process.

We certainly hope that the principles described above will help you with a strong SME business plan for your small business or enterprise. We care about small businesses and enterprises and we don’t want to see potential success out of place and focus whether you’re in the UK, USA, and Asia or in other markets. Make sure that you stick to the principles above to makes sure that your business goes in the right direction.

Still don’t have a business plan for your SME? Don’t enter your market without following these 6 steps first .

Having a business plan is important because it will help you set realistic goals for your startup. It will serve as an excellent tool to secure investor funding and to establish the financial forecasts for your business and ROI (Return on Investment). To be a strong candidate for receiving investment funds, you must prove that you thoroughly understand every aspect of your business. And to prove that you know how to create a profit from it.

As a first-time entrepreneur that has a great new idea, we advise you to not jump into business waters without a plan. There are important questions that need to answer first before you even start the company. The BizzBee team of experts is  here for you  to help you answer all those questions and guide you through the process of successful  business planning .

Dancho is a serial entrepreneur, founder & CEO of BizzBee Solutions, proud father of two boys, and a ‘kafana’ enthusiast. He’s also the author of Amazon’s bestseller,  ‘Sweet Leads.’  Dancho believes in building relationships with people and is inspired by growth. His ‘ZZ framework’ and formula for growth have brought 500+ clients the results they sought. Eager to learn more? Follow Dancho on LinkedIn and Facebook.

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Business Plan Template for Small Businesses

This Business Plan template can help you with the following – formulate a clear statement of your business mission and vision, put together a roadmap and timetable for achieving your goals and objectives and clear description of your marketing strategies. (Courtesy: New Discovery Business Solutions)

Your business plan is the blue-print of your business and provides a roadmap for future development. Your business plan holds a clear statement of your business mission and vision and provides a roadmap and timetable for achieving your goals and objectives

Download the Business Plan template to:

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• Help you obtain financing and attract potential investors
• Identify and arrange strategic alliances

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Small and Midsize Enterprise (SME): Definition and Types Around the World

Daniel Liberto is a journalist with over 10 years of experience working with publications such as the Financial Times, The Independent, and Investors Chronicle.

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What Are Small and Midsize Enterprises (SMEs)?

Small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) are businesses that maintain revenues , assets , or a number of employees below a certain threshold. Each country has its own definition of what constitutes a small and midsize enterprise. Certain size criteria must be met, and occasionally, the industry in which the company operates is taken into account as well.

Key Takeaways

• Small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) are businesses that have revenues, assets, or a number of employees below a certain threshold.
• Each country has its own definition of what constitutes a small and midsize enterprise.
• Each country may also set different guidelines across industries to define what a small business is across sectors.
• SMEs play an important role in an economy, employing vast numbers of people and helping to shape innovation.
• Governments regularly offer incentives, including favorable tax treatment and better access to loans, to help keep SMEs in business.

Image by Sabrina Jiang © Investopedia 2020

What Is the Role of SMEs in an Economy?

Though small, SMEs play an important role in an economy . They outnumber large firms, employ vast numbers of people, and are generally entrepreneurial in nature, helping to shape innovation .

Small and midsize enterprises can exist in almost any industry but are more likely to reside within industries requiring fewer employees and smaller up-front capital investments . Common types of SMEs include legal firms, dental offices, restaurants, and bars.

SMEs are segregated from large, multinational companies because they fundamentally operate differently. Large, complex firms may require advanced enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems—for accounting, supply chain management and financial reporting, and interconnectivity across offices around the world—or deeper organizational processes. SMEs, on the other hand, may require fewer systems given their narrower scope of operations.

Small and Midsize Enterprises (SMEs) Around the World

Smes in the u.s..

In the United States, the  Small Business Administration (SBA) classifies a small business according to its ownership structure, number of employees, earnings , and industry .  For example, in manufacturing, an SME is a firm with 500 or fewer employees. In contrast, businesses that mine copper ore and nickel ore can have up to 1,400 employees and still be identified as SMEs. The U.S. distinctly classifies companies with fewer than 10 employees as a micro business.

When it comes to tax reporting , the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not categorize businesses into SMEs. Instead, it separates small businesses and self-employed individuals into one group and midsize to large businesses into another. The IRS classifies small businesses as companies with assets of $10 million or less and large businesses as those with more than $10 million in assets.

The SBA Office of Advocacy reported almost 33.2 million small businesses in the U.S., as of March 2023. Of these, 82% did not have any employees. Within the U.S. economy, small businesses comprise 99.9% of all firms, 99.7% of all firms with paid employees, and 97.3% of exporters.

In the United States, SMEs are disproportionally owned by white males, highlighting the lack of access to financial and entrepreneurial resources across races and genders. For example, a March 2023 report by the SBA found only 19.6% of employer firms were owned by minorities and only 21.7% of employer firms owned by women.

SMEs in Canada

The Canadian government issues Canadian Industry Statistics that define each type of business based on the number of employees it has.

• Micro businesses have 1–4 employees.
• Small businesses have 5–99 employees.
• Medium businesses have 100–499 employees.
• Large businesses have 500+ employees.

In 2023, businesses with fewer than 100 employees accounted for 97.9% of all employer businesses in Canada. Small and micro businesses employed 10.9 million individuals—more than 62% of the total employed workforce.

SMEs in the European Union (EU)

The European Union (EU) offers definitions of what constitutes a small-size company as well. Small-size enterprises are companies with fewer than 50 employees, and medium-size enterprises are ones with fewer than 250 employees. In addition to small and midsize companies, there are micro-companies , which employ up to 10 employees.

As is the case in other countries, SMEs represent 99% of all businesses within the EU. SMEs employ an estimated 100 million individuals and generate more than half of the European Union’s gross domestic product (GDP) .

SMEs in China

China’s system of classifying the size of Chinese companies is complex. In general, companies are defined based on their operating revenue, number of employees, or total assets. The following examples highlight these classifications:

• Chinese retail companies are small to medium if they employ 10 to 49 employees and have annual operating revenue of at least $1 million.
• Chinese real estate developers are small to medium if they have annual operating revenue of $1 million to $10 million and total assets of $20 million to $50 million.
• Chinese agriculture companies are small to medium if their annual operating revenue is $0.5 million to $5 million.

Under the five-year plan from 2021 to 2025, China plans to invest heavily in its small and midsize enterprises. The country is expected to cultivate 1 million SMEs and 100,000 SMEs that feature innovation during this time, according to the Department of Industry and Information Technology.

SMEs in Developing Countries

In developing countries such as Kenya and India, small and midsize enterprises go by the acronym MSME, short for micro, small, and medium-size enterprises. Regardless of criteria, countries share the commonality of separating businesses according to size or structure.

Many people in emerging economies find work in small and midsize enterprises. SMEs contribute roughly 50% of total employment and 40% of GDP in these countries, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCED) .

The World Bank estimates that a majority of formal jobs in emerging markets (seven out of 10 jobs) are generated by SMEs. However, these small businesses often face greater financing challenges compared to their developed-country counterparts. The World Bank estimates that MSMEs in developing countries have unmet financing needs in excess of $5 trillion every year.

The Importance of Small and Midsize Enterprises (SMEs)

A plethora of data demonstrates the massive economic impact that SMEs have on a country’s economy. Specific to the United States, SMEs play a vital role in the success of the nation’s economy by contributing in a variety of ways:

• Small businesses comprise more than 99% of all firms in the U.S.
• Small businesses contribute 43.5% of the entire U.S. GDP.
• Small businesses pay 39.4% of the entire U.S. private payroll.
• Small businesses created 62.7% of new U.S. jobs from 1995 to 2021.

Small businesses also have distinct advantages over larger companies:

• SMEs can often operate more flexibly. Large companies with broader processes touching more employees may find it more difficult to act as nimbly.
• SMEs often garner a stronger sense of community. Slogans such as “shop local” are geared toward supporting SMEs that don’t have branches across the nation.
• SMEs are more likely to financially support their own community. Instead of collecting revenue and investing it in a new store across the country, SMEs are more likely to remain local, sustain local businesses, contribute local tax dollars, and buy from nearby suppliers.
• SMEs may be engrained with a rich history. Larger, complex companies may have a long history as well (especially if they’ve been financially successful). However, SMEs are more likely to carry family traditions, preserve how generations have done things, and pass down the family business.
• SMEs may have a narrower, more direct focus than larger businesses. Think of Apple, for example. Developing iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, accessories, and streaming services requires the staff to support each of these departments. However, an SME with limited staff must limit the scope of what it offers. Instead of attempting to have a broad market presence, successful SMEs often deeply integrate themselves into a smaller target market.

Estimated number of SMEs in the United States, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

What Incentives Are Available to SMEs?

U.S. SMEs can gain access to education programs and coaching help from the Small Business Administration. These insights are meant to help owners make their businesses grow and survive, as well as target high-risk areas and boost tax compliance.

Government Incentives

Life as a small and midsize enterprise isn’t always easy. These businesses generally struggle to attract capital to fund their endeavors and often have difficulty paying taxes and meeting regulatory compliance obligations. Governments recognize the importance of SMEs to their economies and regularly offer incentives, including favorable tax treatment and better access to loans, to help keep SMEs in business. Types of loans include:

• 7(a) loans that guarantee portions of the total amount, cap interest rates, and limit fees
• 504 loans that offer fixed-rate financing over a longer duration for the purchase or repair of assets such as real estate or equipment
• Microloans for up to $50,000 to help an SME get off the ground or expand

SME loans through the SBA can range from $500 to $5.5 million.

Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs)

The Small Business Administration also provides funding to specific small business investment companies (SBICs). These SBICs can then use their expertise to invest private funds in small businesses. SBICs can invest debt, equity, or a combination of both. To garner consideration from an SBIC for funding, a business must meet the following universal requirements at a minimum:

• The business must be a U.S. business. At least 51% of the company’s employees and assets must be within the United States.
• The business must meet the definition of a small business. This qualification refers to the SBA sizing standards.
• The business must reside in an approved industry. Specific industries, including farmland, real estate, and financing, are excluded from receiving funding.

What Does SME Mean?

SME stands for small or midsize enterprise. As opposed to multinational conglomerates with locations around the world, SMEs are much smaller businesses that create a majority of jobs across the world economy.

What Is an Example of an SME?

In 1971, a company called Starbucks opened its first store in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market. At the time, it might have been able to claim to be an SME. But with Starbucks locations now all over the world, the company can no longer make that claim. That option has passed to other coffee shops, such as Lighthouse Roasters, an independent and locally owned coffee roaster. With a single address in Seattle, Lighthouse Roasters is considered an SME.

How Many Employees Are Employed by Small to Midsize Businesses?

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, employer firms with fewer than 500 workers accounted for 45.9% of private-sector payrolls in 2021, while companies with fewer than 100 employees accounted for 32.4%.

What Is the Definition of a Small to Midsize Business?

There is no set definition of a small to midsize business, and it varies by country. In the United States, the definition can also vary by industry. Note that Gartner, the information technology (IT) consulting service, describes small businesses as those with fewer than 100 employees and midsize businesses as those with 100 to 999 employees.

What Is the Percentage of Small to Midsize Businesses in the United States?

The most recent U.S. Census data for SMEs found that there were 6.3 million employer firms in the U.S. in 2021. Firms with fewer than 500 employees made up 99.7% of those businesses. Companies with fewer than 100 employees made up 98.3%.

Small and midsize enterprises play a vital part in many economies around the world. Their innovation, flexibility, creativity, efficiency, and locality all play a part in making them successful. Through conscious consumer behavior, government assistance, and reliance on their communities, SMEs have established themselves as an important part of the broader economy.

U.S. Small Business Administration. " 2023 Small Business Profiles for the States, Territories, and Nation ."

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. " Number of Business Establishments by Size of Establishment in Selected Private Industries ."

Oracle Netsuite. " What Is ERP? A Comprehensive Guide ."

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U.S. Small Business Administration. " Basic Requirements ."

U.S. Small Business Administration. " Table of Small Business Size Standards ." Page 4.

Internal Revenue Service. “ Small Business/Self-Employed Division at-a-Glance .”

Internal Revenue Service. “ Large Business and International Tax Center .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business, March 2023 .” Page 1.

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business, March 2023 .” Page 4.

Government of Canada, Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. " Glossary: Employment Size Category ."

Statistics Canada. “ Analysis on Small Businesses in Canada, Second Quarter of 2024 .”

European Commission. “ SME Definition .”

European Commission. “ Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) .”

China Briefing. “ China Issues Classification Standards for SMEs .”

The State Council Information Office, The People’s Republic of China. “ China Mulls Five-Year Plan for SMEs .”

Republic of Kenya, State Department For Micro, Small And Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development. " About MSMEs: Formation of MSMEs ."

Government of India, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. " About the Ministry ."

The World Bank. “ Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Finance .”

U.S. Chamber of Commerce. " Small Business Data Center ."

U.S. Small Business Administration. " Frequently Asked Questions About Small Businesses 2023 ."

Office of the United States Trade Representative. “ Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Loans .”

Code of Federal Regulations. " Title 13: Chapter 1: Part 107—Small Business Investment Companies ."

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Lighthouse Roasters. “ Contact Us .”

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Gartner. “ Small and Midsize Business (SMB) .”

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70 Small Business Ideas for Anyone Who Wants to Run Their Own Business

Published: September 13, 2024

A good business idea may seem hard to come by, but with some planning and preparation, you can easily launch a small business to supplement your income — or become your own full-time boss.

Maybe you already have an idea of the business you’d like to start. But while you might feel ready for a new venture and passionate about your idea, you might be looking for some direction.

So, what’s the first step to becoming a successful entrepreneur? Finding a business idea that works for you. In this article, you’ll find dozens of small business ideas you can start from home and scale up as your clientele grows.

To help get you started, here's a list of small business ideas separated into a few sections:

Table of Contents:

• What Makes a Good small Business Idea?

Best Small Business Ideas

Best businesses to start with little money, home business ideas, online business ideas, easy businesses to start, business ideas for students, creative small business ideas, how to start a small business at home, starting a small business: faq, getting started with your next small business venture.

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What makes a good small business idea?

Not all small business ideas are made equal.

Some require more effort and funding than others, while some can be launched with few resources — or resources you already have. As a potential small business owner, you’ll want to save as much money as possible on training, rent, supplies, and other necessities.

Let’s quickly go over what makes a good business idea:

• Requires little to no training. A good small business idea will ideally leverage your existing field of expertise and require little to no training. That will not only shorten your time-to-launch, but also lessen your expenses, since training courses can cost a significant amount of money and time. Plus, you’ll be more confident offering services that you feel prepared to deliver.
• Requires low setup costs. Your business should be cheap to start. Maybe you only need to purchase a website domain or buy a desk for your garage.
• Requires little hands-on inventory or supply management. A great business idea needs few supplies and little inventory management. If you want to sell physical goods, you can either try drop-shipping or manually make goods in small batches.
• Is based online. The best small businesses are based online and can be carried out from your personal computer. This will automatically lower your commuting costs and give you greater flexibility over your personal and work life.
• Can sustainably be managed by few people. As a small business owner, you won’t have the funds to hire other people to help you run your business — at least not at first. A good business idea should give you the ability to run your business on your own.

Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky said, “If we tried to think of a good idea, we wouldn’t have been able to think of a good idea. You just have to find the solution for a problem in your own life.”

If you’re like Brian and you’ve already thought about a solution for a problem you encounter in your life — or you’re on the path to doing so — then starting a small business may be in your future. It may also be for you if you dream of clocking out of your nine-to-five job for the last time and becoming your own boss.

Below, I’ve included the best ideas for you to start your small business, with tons of great resources, certification examples, and best-in-class advice to help you get started.

1. Handyman

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Are you always fixing things around the house? Are you often on-call when friends need small projects completed? Create a website, conduct a competitive analysis to determine what your time and expertise are worth, and turn to the friends you’ve helped before for referrals.

A handyman business is a good idea if you’ve already built a robust set of skills to help others fix up their homes. For instance, if you know your way underneath a sink and water system, you might provide sink fixing services to start and then expand your offerings once you earn more skills.

No certifications are needed to become a handyman, and there are no special education requirements. You might need, however, a license if you’re planning to undertake jobs worth more than a certain dollar amount. Some states might not require this license.

To start your handyman business, we recommend the following resources:

• Handyman License Requirements by State
• The Most Requested Handyman Services
• Association of Certified Handyman Professionals

2. Freelance Copywriting and Content Creator

When you’re a freelance copywriter and content creator, you really do get to set your own standards for the work you do and the companies you work with.

To get started, you'll need to build a strong portfolio showcasing your writing skills. This can include samples of your work from previous projects, blog posts, or even creative writing pieces. In my own experience of putting together decks of freelance work (writing, design, or otherwise), I’d say that Canva is definitely the way to go for this part of the job.

Now, freelancing as any sort of content creator will (obviously) be a rollercoaster ride with ups and downs. Be prepared for inconsistent income, contract changes, and shifts in market trends. However, with dedication, hard work, and a love for what you do, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor quickly.

3. Creative Strategist

Got an eye for design, maybe a knack for storytelling? Perhaps you’re quite good at understanding the ins and outs of consumer behavior. If this sounds like you, you may want to consider transforming your talents into a lucrative business as a creative strategist.

By offering strategic guidance on branding , marketing, and consumer engagement , you can help businesses stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Whether it's developing compelling brand narratives, crafting effective advertising campaigns, or designing innovative marketing materials, a creative strategist plays a pivotal role in a brand’s success.

To enhance your credibility in this space, I suggest pursuing certifications in fields like marketing, branding, or design thinking. The American Marketing Association (AMA), Udemy, and Coursera offer free courses that’ll get you started in no time:

• AMA’s Content Marketing Course
• Coursera’s Branding Course
• Udemy’s Creative Advertising Course

4. Sewing and Alteration Specialist

People will always need clothing hemmed and buttons mended — and you could be the person to do it. If you love sewing and have a sewing machine at home, start by offering simple services like those mentioned above and expand your repertoire to dressmaking and design as you build a customer base and demand.

You don’t need a special license or degree to begin a sewing and alterations business, but it’s essential to build your skills so you can take on more complicated projects. High-value clients will want to customize complicated items of clothing such as suits, pants, gowns, and dresses. That’s where you’ll see the highest potential for profits.

Altering these items requires special skills, however. A few courses you might consider include:

• International Open Academy's Tailoring Course for Beginners
• Jackson Sewing Academy’s Basic Alterations Course
• American Bespoke Tailoring Academy’s Programs

You’ll also need to shop for sewing supplies of all colors to accommodate your clients.

5. Freelance Developer

From building websites for other small businesses to providing technical support for certain projects, quality web development is in high demand right now. As a web developer, you‘ll naturally have a technical skill set. Distill your knowledge and expertise so customers who don’t have your experience are able to understand what it is you'll be helping them achieve.

To help with this, test your messaging on friends and family who don’t have a firm understanding of the work you do. If they’re able to summarize what you do, your messaging is likely effective among people outside of your industry. You can start finding your first freelance contracts by visiting different freelance websites.

Unlike a few other options in this list, a freelance developer does need some training to launch a successful business and start taking on projects, but if you’re a beginner, don’t worry. There are plenty of boot camps to get you up to speed with either full-stack or front-end web development. Some of these boot camps are even offered through accredited tech schools.

Some boot camps you might consider include:

• Coding Dojo
• Fullstack Academy
• Georgia Institute of Technology Coding Boot Camp

These courses do vary in price, so be sure to complete lots of extensive research to find one that fits you and your budget.

6. Personal Trainer

Offer in-home consultations, personalized nutrition and exercise regimens, and community boot camps to get the word out. Don’t forget to populate an Instagram feed with inspirational quotes, free exercise videos, and yummy snack ideas as well — it’s a common way for fitness gurus to build their brands in our digital world.

If you choose to go this route, it’s OK to start small at first, then scale up. For instance, MOURfit is a personal training business in Indianapolis that started in a shared gym, then grew to a private gym that offers group fitness, personal training, and nutrition services.

To start a personal training business, you’ll need a certification. If you already earned a degree in an unrelated discipline, I recommend starting with the NASM-CPT certification , which is nationally accredited and only requires a high school diploma or GED. You can also get a Bachelor’s degree in physical and exercise science — here’s one example from Emory & Henry College .

7. Freelance Graphic Designer

Set your own hours, choose your projects, and build a portfolio and business you’re proud of. Sounds amazing, right? From website design to blog graphics and more, many companies seek out experienced graphic designers for support on a variety of projects.

And the good news? There are no special education requirements for becoming a freelance graphic designer. However, I recommend seeking a credential (like SAIC’s graphic design certificate or RISD’s graphic design certificate ) or an Associate’s degree in design so you can confidently present your portfolio and complete your first few projects.

If you’re just starting out with graphic design, try these tips and trick s that are ideal for beginners. If you’re more experienced but need to build your portfolio to attract clients, these prompts will get your creativity flowing in no time. I also recommend reviewing other people’s work on portfolio websites to get a feel for what is “trendy” and receive feedback as you grow your small business.

8. Life/Career Coach

If you have experience navigating career, personal, and social transitions successfully, put it to good use as a life or career coach. Many of us are looking for guidance in our careers — and finding someone with the time to mentor us can be tough.

Life/career coaches don’t come cheap, but they are able to offer clients the intense and hands-on training and advice they need to make serious moves in their personal and professional lives. After all, everyone needs some uplifting advice from time to time.

To start your life/career coaching business with confidence, you can look for a certification program (like the Life Coach School’s or Diane Hudson’s ), then apply your skills as you acquire new clients.

Looking for inspiration? Nariah Broadus has dedicated more than 20 years to helping people create better working environments and navigate change successfully as a career and leadership coach. Check out her story for more inspiration to get started with this small business idea.

9. Resume Writer

Creating a resume, cover letter, and — when required — portfolio for a new job can be tough and time-consuming. That’s why many people hire help. Here’s where you could potentially come in.

As a resume writer, you’d assist clients with tailored resumes, beautifully edited cover letters, and carefully-crafted portfolios that make it impossible for employers to ignore. And if you’re feeling nervous about writing resumes from scratch, you can use the templates below to get started.

A resume writing business is economical, has few overhead costs, and has few educational requirements. Now, I still recommend having an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree and a few resume samples on hand. If you still feel that you need to brush up on your resume writing skills, you can take a course like Coursera’s or LinkedIn Learning’s .

Once you’ve gotten resume writing down, you can expand your business to include cover letter writing and even offer career coaching services in conjunction with these services.

10. Freelance Writer

If you have writing skills , there’s someone out there willing to pay you for them. Write blog posts, magazine articles, and website copy galore — just make sure you have a body of work built up to share with potential clients. Even if you create a few sample pieces to have on hand, they’ll help exhibit your work and attract new business.

To become a freelance writer, it’s essential to choose a specialty. For instance, you might choose to only write for publications in the healthcare industry (maybe because you were previously a healthcare worker) or focus on lifestyle publications. Whatever the case, specializing will help you find your niche market and gain confidence as a new freelancer writer.

There are no educational requirements for freelance writing, but you do need strong writing skills. It also helps to enjoy writing. While certification may be beneficial, getting practice and writing every day is more important. Try these writing prompts to start.

11. Landscaper

Mowing, tree-trimming, and seasonal decor are all neighborhood needs. If you have or can acquire the equipment, a landscaping business could be your next lucrative affair. It’s also a great choice if you enjoy doing it for your own home and have a good eye for landscape design.

The good news is that you can start small. For instance, you could offer your neighbors seasonal planting services and start with a few perennial plants, or simply offer mulching services.

To grow your landscaping business, you should consider taking some formal training. The following organizations offer courses:

• New York Botanical Gardens

After completing a course and getting enough experience, you can apply for a certificate from a landscaping organization. While a certificate isn’t mandatory to work in the field, it can build your credentials and help you make industry connections to take your landscaping business to the next level. The Association of Professional Landscape Designers offers one potential certificate you could pursue.

Some states require licensure, especially if you’ll be using pesticides and fertilizers. Don’t forget to review the requirements for your state.

12. Videographer

Video production requires you to have invested in the equipment up front, which can be quite expensive. But that’s also what makes your services so valuable. Make sure you have a reel of your work to share or create a website with several selections of your work available for interested viewers.

There are no educational or licensure requirements for starting a video production business. As with writing and other creative arts, though, it pays to specialize. Real estate videos differ radically from wedding videos, and wedding videos differ radically from in-studio interviews and testimonials. By assessing what type of videography you want to specialize in, you target a highly specific customer who’ll benefit the most from your services, and you can also skill-up more effectively in one shooting style.

While you can find general classes on videography, you should consider taking a class in the type of videography you’d like to do. For instance, you could take The Complete Wedding Videography Course .

Hot tip: If you’re interested in specializing in video marketing, check out The Ultimate Guide to Video Marketing and download our starter pack below.

13. Photographer

Getting started as a photographer is easier than you think.

First, enlist some family, friends, maybe your pet, for test shoots. As you build a body of work, ask for referrals and reviews. Photography businesses often grow by word of mouth, so create an Instagram or TikTok page where you can tag recent clients (or make your work go viral). Photos where you tag those clients will show up in their friends’ newsfeeds, where they can view your work. But similar to a video production small business, you’ll want to niche down. Will you do product shoots or portraits? How about wedding or fashion photo shoots?

Once you decide what sort of photograph to specialize in, you’ll be able to create a body of work that most accurately represents your strengths.

There are no educational or licensure requirements for starting a small photography business. Still, I recommend investing in a few photography courses, especially if you haven’t used your camera in a while. Some courses you might start with include:

• Cornell’s Digital Photography Certificate Program
• New York Institute of Photography’s Course

From there, seek courses that help you build skills in your chosen specialty. Also, purchasing a good backdrop and lighting kit ( Amazon has great beginner options) are a definite must, too.

14. Bed and Breakfast Owner

This is another business venture that will require you to research the correct licensure from your state, but it will be well worth it to see your dreams come true. Consider what guests will be traveling to your area and create special packages and themed stays that coincide with their interests in your locale.

To start a bed and breakfast business, you’ll need a physical business location and a small staff for maintenance, customer service, and upkeep. For that reason, I recommend it if you have startup funds to start your business. (Don’t have any? Here’s how to start crowdfunding to launch your new business .)

A successful bed and breakfast business will also need an SEO-optimized website with a hotel booking system. If you create your website on the WordPress platform, you can easily create a B&B website using a hotel booking plugin — so there’s no need to code the booking form from scratch.

With Airbnb and hotels stealing market share, the competition is tough in the bed and breakfast space, so I recommend providing a unique angle to the stay. As mentioned, the stays can be themed — maybe your B&B is a vintage home with all original furniture, or maybe you offer traditional fare from your homeland.

15. Clothing Boutique Owner

If you dream of building your own fashion empire, why not start with a local boutique? Build buzz with impressive clothing styles, inspiring social media accounts, and heavy community involvement. While you can open a physical store, you can easily start online — and if that proves profitable, you can open up a local shop.

There are a few ways you can start a clothing boutique. First, you can make the clothes yourself if you already have experience in fashion design or know how to sew, knit, and curate colors and patterns.

Alternatively, you can design certain aspects of the clothing — such as a graphic or a logo — then send it to be printed on-demand at a local print shop when orders come in.

Lastly, you can dropship the items from a warehouse you’ve partnered with. This method is less reliable because there’s less quality assurance for each item, especially if you never visit the warehouses yourself. Regardless of your chosen method, starting a clothing boutique is highly doable, and you don’t need to have a fashion degree (though it certainly helps).

Take some inspiration from Sleep Ova , a luxury loungewear boutique based in Los Angeles, CA.

16. Specialty Food Store Owner

Gourmet foods, cheeses, sake, wine — you name a food, there’s a specialty food store out there for it. Put your passion for exotic olive oils to good use and open a store like American Provisions where you offer the kind of expertise and selection your audience couldn’t dream of getting from their local grocer.

To start your specialty food store, you’ll want to curate and source the items from makers that you love and trust. Ask around your community to find local makers of the food you want to sell, and the makers will likely be open to a partnership, especially if they get a cut of the profits.

When it’s time to sell, you’ll want to find a physical location, but if that investment is too high, you can start by setting up stalls at food festivals and local markets. Or you can go the ecommerce route and sell the products through your website, taking care to carefully pack perishable items.

17. Food Truck Owner

Always dreamt of owning a restaurant but not quite ready to take the plunge? Test out your concepts with a food truck. It’s a great way to become familiar with food and restaurant licensing in your state, see what people like and don’t like, and build a ravenous following before ever opening or investing in a brick-and-mortar location.

Food trucks will require a larger investment, but thankfully, you can rent the truck itself — the Food Truck Group and Roaming Hunger are two potential leasers you could look at. The cost will be high, so I recommend renting one in preparation for an event such as a food festival or concert. There, you’ll get to test out the popularity of your cuisine and see if the food truck business is right for you.

Taco Nganas , a taco truck in Memphis, TN, started with one food truck and expanded to three, building a loyal customer base along the way.

18. Car-detailing Specialist

The devil is in the details, and you can be too. Car-detailing services that travel to the client are convenient for busy people who can’t find the time to run through the car wash. With this business, your clients only have to pay, and the service will be done for them before they know it. Just make sure you have the flexibility, transportation, and equipment to take your business on the road.

There are no educational requirements for car detailing, but you should still take a course such as Auto Finesse’s detailing training to learn core concepts and brush up on your skills.

To get your car detailing business off the ground, you’ll need an SEO-optimized website and a way for customers to book online with you. Before you take that step, however, consider listing your services on websites like Angi , Thumbtack , and even Nextdoor.com so you can get your first local clients.

Don’t have a lot of money to start your business? Check out the ideas below.

1. Translator

Speak a foreign language? Start a translation service. Consider specializing in a specific genre of translation, like medical or financial translation, as you might be able to fill a niche need in your community.

To become a translator, you should have a rock-solid grasp of two languages — ideally, you’ll be near native level for both. You don’t need special credentials to become a translator, but a certification (such as from the American Translators Association ) will legitimize your business and help you get clients.

Prior to gaining a certification, you can also pursue an online certificate, which will teach you the basics of translation. Some providers include:

• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• The University of Arizona
• University of Georgia

2. Garden Designer

Many people have the willingness to do the dirty work in their backyards, but few have the know-how to complete the first part of this process — designing and planning the backyard space. Draw up the designs for your clients’ outdoor spaces and let them do the actual digging.

But you can also offer installation services, or hire your own contractors to fulfill the design.

To become a garden designer, you should seek at least one credential so you’re well-versed in the basics and prevent damage to a client’s landscape. The American Academy of Garden Design offers courses and certificates that start at $450. A cheaper option is New Skills Academy’s Garden Design Certification ($120).

Remember, the goal is to start a business for cheap, and a certification can have a high ROI after you book your first few clients for garden design.

3. Travel Planner

The time of the travel agent might be passing, but people are still looking for those with a flair for more nontraditional travel coordination. If you always plan the perfect vacations complete with beautiful hotels, the ideal location, and a bevy of delicious restaurants lined up for every evening, consider advertising your services as a more modern approach to travel planning.

You don’t have to only plan trips for individuals, either. If you’re experienced enough, you can even start a group travel company, like Art N Soul Escapes .

You can become a travel planner by first volunteering to plan a few trips for your family and friends. Try it and see if you like it. Once you feel like you’ve gotten a good taste, attend a travel planner program and get certified. Some options include:

• The Travel Institute Training & Certification Program
• Penn Foster Travel and Tourism Specialist Diploma

You can also seek employment at a travel agency first, then strike out on your own once you’ve learned the basics.

4. DEI Consultant

Passionate about creating inclusive and equitable spaces? This could be a great foundation for starting a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) consulting business. By offering tailored DEI strategies, workshops, and training programs, you can help organizations cultivate inclusive cultures and foster a sense of belonging.

To get started, consider volunteering with non-profit organizations in your community or joining professional organizations focused on diversity and inclusion. Then, from there, you can continue to enhance your skill set by taking 100% online, 100% free DEI programs, such as:

• Coursera’s ADP DEI Course
• LinkedIn’s LinkedIn Learning DEI Course(s)
• Oregon State University’s DEI Course

5. Personal Chef

We all love to eat, but few of us have the time or energy to cook healthy, delicious meals. Advertise your services to local families and businesses alike. To save on start-up costs, consider scheduling certain groups of clients together — say, vegetarians — so you can cook larger quantities of the same dish.

You can also begin by selling food in batches at local farmer’s markets or via a food truck. Once you’ve generated some awareness, you can begin taking on clients. Alternatively, you can start a delivery meal prep service by cooking 5 to 7 days’ worth of meals for clients.

Chef Paul’s mouth-watering dishes are available to clients across the country. His clientele niche consists of athletes, corporate businesses, and local gyms.

6. Property Manager

Many people maintain properties they don’t live in — often based in different cities or states. As a property manager, you can help a property owner ensure their home is well taken care of, handle small fixes as they arise, and serve as a liaison to renters. It’s helpful if you have a background in real estate.

This option is a great fit if you have stupendous organizational, administrative, and customer service skills. As a property manager, you’ll be handling everything from screening potential tenants to collecting rent.

To become a property manager, you must first complete coursework in your desired state. I recommend working at an existing property management company to get your foot in the door. Once you’ve learned the basics, you can then start your own property management business.

7. Hair Stylist

If you have a flair for creating stunning hairstyles and a genuine love for helping people look and feel their best, becoming a professional hair stylist may be for you.

Firstly, enrolling in a cosmetology school is essential. Most states require a cosmetology license to operate a legitimate hair styling business. That said, look for programs that offer comprehensive training in both basic and advanced styling services. Additional certifications in specific areas like hair extensions, textured hair, or bridal styling can set you apart.

By offering services such as hair cutting, coloring, and styling, you can build a loyal clientele quicker than you like. Start by offering your services to friends and family to gain experience and build a portfolio. You can even consider partnering with local salons chains (like Ulta Beauty or Great Clips ) or photographers to expand your clientele.

Remember: Building a successful hair styling business requires not only technical skills but also strong customer service skills and business acumen.

8. Interior Designer

Similar to landscape design — many people can buy the furniture and home decor they need to fill their rooms, but few know where to start. Building a portfolio might take some time, but documenting your projects and sharing them online can build a fanbase beyond your wildest dreams.

To start an interior design business, we first recommend trying your hand at decorating your friends’ homes and working with their vision and specifications. One big aspect of interior design is providing fantastic customer service and knowing how to fulfill a client’s design vision while employing your interior design expertise.

You can then take an interior design course to round out your knowledge, such as the one offered by The New York Institute of Art and Design .

Need inspiration? Check out Sandra Cavallo’s interior design Instagram account.

9. Nonprofit Owner

If you dream of devoting your life to a cause you believe in, it might be time to start a nonprofit. You’ll need to incorporate your business and file for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status — and then you’ll be required to meet ongoing standards of compliance, but the payoff is making a meaningful impact on a cause you believe in.

The best thing is that you can begin a nonprofit easily from home, even before filing for 501(c)(3) status. First, create a nonprofit website (ideally with a .org top-level-domain). Define your mission and goals and determine how you’ll execute your non-profit activities. For instance, if you’re raising money to buy books for local schools, who will deliver them? Which retailer will you use? Start small, then expand.

After that, apply for exempt status so you’re not taxed like a regular business. The profit margins may be smaller, but the job is endlessly rewarding.

10. Color Grader

Got an eye for color? You might be onto something. Color grading is all about transforming footage from okay to awesome. If you're a visual whiz and love playing around with colors, this could be your ticket to a cool career.

Start by practicing with free editing softwares like CapCut Pro or Video Star , and building a portfolio of your work. Share your creations on Tik Tok or Instagram Reels to get noticed.

While there’s no strict certification path, learning color theory and mastering color grading software like DaVinci Resolve is a must. YouTube tutorials can also be a great starting point.

And hey, don’t be afraid to reach out to established colorists for advice or even an internship. Building relationships in the industry can really help you get your foot in the door.

11. Consultant

If you have significant experience in or knowledge of a specific subject, consider becoming a consultant. Perhaps you’re an expert at hiring practices, have a knack for SEO , or have led multiple sales teams to six-figure success. Identify your expertise, market yourself as a consultant, and charge the going rate.

Some consulting industries are more competitive than others, so be sure to complete your research before starting a small consulting business. One way to find out how competitive a consulting niche is by doing keyword search . If your target niche is highly searched or is already dominated by big companies, you may have a harder time breaking in. You can use keyword research tools to uncover keyword volume and local demand.

If there’s room for you to enter the market, the next step is to land your first clients. Be sure to participate in local networking events covering your niche and reach out to potential prospects through cold calling and emailing. Investing in dedicated sales software can also help measure and improve your emailing strategy, as well as keep track of worthwhile leads.

12. Event Planner

An event planning business is an excellent choice if you have great organizational and interpersonal skills, and it’s relatively cheap to start. You might choose to specialize in a specific type of event — like weddings or company meetings — or set yourself up as an event planner of all trades.

The good news is that event planners are always in demand. It’s not an easily automated job, so this small business idea is set to thrive regardless of the digital landscape. To start, you’ll want to look for a platform that will easily allow you to advertise your availability, such as event planner directories like Eventective and WeddingWire .

If you’re highly organized, detail-oriented, and have experience planning large events, it might be time for others to benefit from your skills.

13. Personal Assistant

Personal assistants help business owners and executives take care of administrative tasks. To launch a freelance personal assistant business, you should leverage networking opportunities on LinkedIn and attend small business events at local chambers of commerce. Most local business owners might not even know they need a personal assistant until you market your services to them.

If you’re an organized, highly-detailed person, the life of a personal assistant might be for you. Don’t want to be tied to one office or person all day, every day? Consider becoming a virtual assistant, which allows you a more flexible work environment.

To become an assistant, choose a niche — will you be helping women business owners specifically? Do you have a specific field of expertise, like bookkeeping? A website can also go a long way, and be sure to print business cards for you to hand out during networking events.

14. Consignment Shop Owner

If you have an eye for style but don’t want to invest in the inventory of a brand-new boutique, consider starting a consignment shop. It will allow you to curate a collection of clothing that matches your goals and aesthetic without the overhead of a boutique selling entirely new garments.

The beauty of a small consignment business is that you can now start one online. You can sign up on a platform such as Poshmark , Depop , and even Etsy , then easily start selling your own used fashion from home.

Once you’ve defined your niche — such as vintage clothing, unique locally made art, or colorful shoes — you can begin sourcing new products from your local stores and thrift shops.

15. Caterer

If the personal chef gig is too restrictive for your schedule, consider catering instead. Pick your projects, work on fewer but larger events, and hone in on your time management skills.

Becoming a caterer is a natural step for those who are used to cooking for large events — for instance, you may have already catered your friend’s wedding or brought a 20-person meal to a potluck (that counts, too!).

It’s essential that you have enough temperature-regulated storage for the meals prior to each event, and that you arrange for reliable, temperature-controlled transportation to and from your home kitchen. Alternatively, you can lower your costs by inviting customers to pick up their order at your home.

16. Nail Technician

This one may be a bit controversial but (regardless of how you feel about it) it’s actually one of the most popular services/businesses to date.

If you’re all about attention-to-detail, exercising tons of creative freedom, and building close-knit relationships with clients, designing beautiful nail sets as an at-home nail tech could be the perfect way to turn your passion into a profitable venture. With the flexibility to set your own hours and work from the comfort of your own home, this career path offers a great balance between work and life.

To get started, you'll need to invest in some essential equipment, such as a manicure table, UV lamp, and a variety of nail polishes and tools. Consider taking a nail technician course ( Empire Beauty School may be a great place to start) to learn the latest techniques and ensure you’re providing top-notch service to your clients.

Additionally, building a strong online presence through social media and a website ( Vagaro is what’s popular these days for independent esthetic businesses) can also help you attract new customers and showcase your skills.

However, with this business idea (just like with most business ideas), you should know that building clientele takes time and effort. I recommend starting off with offering discounted nail sets.

With dedication and hard work, you can 100% turn your at-home nail tech business into a thriving and rewarding career.

17. Boutique Agency Owner

What’s your specialty? Whether it’s marketing, social media, or PR, it might be time to start your own agency. Many other small businesses need this type of help but don’t have the resources or volume to necessitate a full-time position.

To start an agency, you would ideally have worked in your specialty for a number of years. You should also be prepared to interface directly with clients, fulfill their requirements, and temper their expectations (if they want results in an unreasonably short amount of time).

Consider building a small team and learn from other entrepreneurs who’ve successfully started their own agencies, like Duane Brown of Take Some Risk .

18. Coffee Shop Owner

Turn your caffeine addiction into something a little more lucrative. Opening a franchise or buying an existing shop are lower-risk entry points to the coffee game, but they usually require a little more cash upfront. Starting a shop from scratch requires more planning and work — but it also maximizes your earning potential in the future.

A coffee shop is an excellent fit if you already have a full-time remote job and wish to supplement your income with a small business. You can manage the coffee shop as you work at one of the tables, but be sure to have the budget to hire an experienced barista who can pick up the slack.

If you would like to open a coffee shop and run it full-time on your own, you’ll need to undertake barista training, understand worldwide coffee sources, and have excellent customer service skills.

19. Moving Company

A truck, moving equipment, manpower, and the correct permits and insurance are the building blocks of starting your own moving company . Before you buy your first fleet of trucks, however, start small with a moving van and keep your costs low.

Still sound like too much of an initial investment? Consider offering packing services only, which have a much lower financial barrier to entry. You can partner with moving companies and offer to do their packing, or have them refer clients to you.

You could even take a niche approach to the industry as Astro International has by offering international moving services.

20. Home Staging

If you have a flair for interior design, a staging service might serve as your creative outlet and professional calling. You can build a portfolio with little initial investment by staging homes using the owner’s existing furnishings and decor. Most stagers eventually build up an inventory of furniture as they become more established and network with area realtors.

To get your first home staging clients, you should first rely exclusively on networking. Find your local realtors’ association and attend their events with business cards handy. Once you’ve gotten your first clients and built your portfolio, you can begin posting your designs on your home staging website.

If you don’t yet have enough experience, be sure to pursue an interior design course before opening this small business.

Free Business Plan Template

The essential document for starting a business -- custom built for your needs.

• Outline your idea.
• Pitch to investors.
• Secure funding.
• Get to work!

These home business ideas give you a few more business options that are either based at home or online.

Frontend, backend, and every type of code in between, this skill requires no in-person interaction with your clients. But one skill you’ll want to carry over from the in-person world for this type of business is active listening. It can be easy to zone out while building a product, but developing a connection with the client is just as important as developing the code for their website.

If you keep the client top of mind when you can’t be around physically, you can ensure that you’re meeting their development needs with your coding work.

2. Vending Machine Owner

Since 2015, the growth rate for vending machine businesses has increased 1.4%. Even as social distancing restrictions are still in place, this business can still be lucrative if you choose the right locations. High-traffic is key — places like hospitals, schools, and community centers are smart places to start placing your machines to generate enough revenue to cover cost and turn a profit.

3. Social Media Manager

If you're always up-to-date on the latest trends and can whip up an engaging post in two seconds flat, social media management could be your calling.

As a social media manager, you can use your skills to manage the social media accounts for companies and even individuals. Influencer marketing has become more common and many influencers rely on marketing agencies or employees to help them run their social channels.

And let's not forget about AI! It can be a total game-changer for scheduling posts, analyzing audience data, and even generating content ideas.

According to HubSpot’s 2024 Social Media Marketing Report , 51% of marketers say generative AI is most helpful in creating social media posts (i.e., copy, content calendars, etc.), and 58% say that's what they mainly use generative AI for. Check out the chart below for some additional insights that may skew you towards pursuing social media management professionally:

6. Voiceover Artist

Speaking of podcasts and videos, many content creators recognize the value and level of professionalism that great voice talent can bring to a project. There are gigs out there for podcast intros/outros, narration for explainer videos, or even voice work for audiobooks.

7. Dog Walker, Groomer, or Trainer

Licensing and insurance will be the two most important factors in opening a dog walking, grooming, or training business, but your canine colleagues will surely make up for the initial red tape. To test the waters before jumping in, consider walking dogs through companies like Rover. Ready to run your own show? Consider a franchise like Dogtopia .

8. Food/Restaurant Reviewer

Hey… if Keith Lee can do it, you can, too.

If you’re a foodie with a passion for sharing your culinary experiences, starting a food reviewing business could be a delicious way to earn extra income. Whether you want to focus on local restaurants, specific cuisines, or niche food trends, there’s sincerely something for everyone in the world of food reviewing.

To get started, consider building a strong online presence through a blog ( Substack or Medium.com have been hot recently), social media channels ( Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts ), or a dedicated food reviewing website. Share your honest and informative reviews, accompanied by high-quality photos and videos. Then, as you build your audience, engage with them by responding to comments and participating in online food communities.

As you build your reputation, you can explore opportunities for collaborations with restaurants, food brands, and other food influencers. Additionally, you might even consider offering consulting services to restaurants. As a food influencer, the world is really your oyster. All puns intended.

If you want a business idea that you can run entirely online, check out the ones below. These ideas are ideal for those looking for a passive income stream. In other words, you shouldn’t need to do too much manual work to launch these businesses from your home or preferred business location.

1. Become an online reseller.

To become an online reseller, all you need is some business savvy and some funds to invest in product stock from manufacturers — or, of course, the willingness to sell your own used items. Generally, this is a low-touch but high-performance way of creating a passive income online business.

Online resellers usually use a platform, such as Facebook Marketplace or Amazon Sellers, to sell either their own or manufacturers’ stock. The benefit of using Facebook Marketplace is that you can begin today with your own Facebook account, and simply list items that you already own.

Interested buyers typically drive directly to your home for pick-up — but if you’re not interested in human interaction, you can leave it outside and have the buyer pay via an online platform.

But if you’re not too crafty, you don’t need to create full-on journals or beautiful art prints, either; you can create templates for <a href=" https:="" www.canva.com="" creators="" "="" rel="noopener" target="_blank">marketplaces such as Canva. There, folks are able to customize a base design to their specifications, so you don’t have to worry too much about creating something specially beautiful — it’s more about functionality and customizability.

AI can be revolutionary for this small business idea, too. It truly can help you with everything, from creating product descriptions to designing eye-catching graphics. Plus, AI-powered tools embedded in design programs (wink wink, Canva) can help you create designs quickly, without hassle.

If you plan to create digital products that buyers can print at home, think about printing specifications, such as recommended paper size, paper weight, PPI (pixels per inch; a higher PPI results in better print quality), and so on. It’s essential to create a positive customer experience, even if users are ultimately responsible for what the final result looks like.

8. Publish a subscription-based newsletter.

I’ve already discussed becoming an independent author, but if long-form writing, such as novels, seems out of reach, you can always go for something much shorter and simpler: Newsletters. And the best part about paid newsletters is that you typically don’t need to have a separate website and blog; instead, you can sign up on a platform and begin publishing right away.

A website can, of course, benefit you, but the core of your revenue will come from the newsletter itself.

With newsletter monetization platforms such as Substack or even Patreon , you can publish shorter content that features your opinion, experience, and expertise. I recommend pairing this small business idea with a robust social media marketing strategy , where your followers can learn more about you and be swayed to subscribe to a gated newsletter.

Choose a niche you’re passionate about, and this online business idea can feel less like work and more like a profitable hobby.

9. Create an online course.

If you want to monetize your expertise a little further for your online business, then creating an online course is the best choice.

To create a course, you’ll need to sign up on an online course platform such as WordPress or Teachable , sketch out a curriculum, film your lectures, and create worksheets and guides. You can be as hands-on or as hands-off as you’d like, but to make this online business as passive as possible, you’d ideally record all your lectures at once and allow users to access them by paying a premium fee.

If you’d like to try your hand at it first, you can try publishing a course on a platform such as Udemy and see if it feels viable to you. To become an online course teacher, you don’t need a specific level of education, but you should have a strong grasp on the material you’re teaching and a strong set of customer service skills , as well as software to effectively handle inquiries or course refunds.

10. Transcript videos, shows, and podcasts.

A freelance transcription business is an excellent idea for those who speak only one language and are passionate about improving communication. Transcribers listen to speech, write it out — usually verbatim — and deliver it to the original publisher in an organized document.

Oh, and AI can definitely boost your productivity here. It can automatically generate a basic transcript, which you can then clean up and polish. It's like having a super smart assistant to speed up the process. Plus, with AI extension tools like Otter.ai and Riverside , you can handle more projects and earn more money.

This small online business is a good fit for those who are looking for a part-time side business. You should be able to type quickly and have a good listening ear. Indeed has listed the top transcription companies where you can get your foot in the door.

Once you understand how the industry works, you can consider opening your own small transcription business and offering services on freelancer marketplaces such as Fiverr or Upwork .

Whether you’re looking to start your venture today or you simply don’t want to jump through the normal hoops of launching a small business, the below ideas are extremely easy to start — so easy, all you’ll need to do is sign up on a website or tell your friends about your services.

1. Vacation Host

Have you ever used a home-sharing service instead of a hotel? You could make a living by hosting visitors in your own home or renting out a room. Consider becoming a host with companies like Airbnb .

To become a vacation host, you don’t need any special skills except friendliness, courteousness, and agility (in case of guest emergencies or language barriers). A customer service course will prepare you to welcome guests and give them a pleasant stay.

You’ll need to invest in supplies and toiletries, such as new bedding and one-time soaps and toothbrushes, but the overhead is relatively small, and you can stop at any time.

2. Pet Sitter

Do you really, really love pets? Consider becoming a pet sitter. While the pet's owners are away on vacation, either host their pet at your home or make visits to their home. Join a pet sitting service like Wag or Rover to get started.

If you start a pet sitting business, be sure to have some experience with dogs, cats, and other household pets. You should also choose a niche based on timing. For instance, do you prefer long-term arrangements? You can market yourself as an excellent vacation pet sitter. Do you only do single afternoons, or only on weekends? You can pull in clients by telling them you’ll take care of their pets during their dates or weekend trips.

3. Rideshare Driver

If you didn’t know this already, rideshare driving has become a popular way to earn extra income, offering a flexible schedule and the potential for substantial earnings. So, if you're looking for a low-investment business venture that allows you to be your own boss, it might be a great fit.

To get started, you'll need a vehicle that meets the requirements of the rideshare platform you choose (e.g., Uber , Lyft ). You’ll also need to pass a background check and obtain any permits or licenses.

Once you’re approved, you can start picking up passengers, earning money, and experiencing the thrill of the open road.

Just don’t get in any accidents.

If there’s a topic you have a heavy interest in, then there’s an audience out there with a heavy interest in it too. blog %20can%20be%20used%20to%20build%20an%20online%20community%20whose%20engagement%20can%20be%20monetized.%20 Affiliate marketing , sponsored content , and co-marketing are some ways to make money once your blog develops a following.

Blogging is one of the most accessible small businesses to start, and there are countless niches to choose from. That said, because there are many blogs online, you’ll need to learn blog SEO and keyword research to ensure your audience finds you. That way, you actually make money out of your blogging efforts.

The great news is that a small blogging business has a ridiculously low overhead. All you need is a custom domain and your time for writing blog posts. Although finding the right topic ideas and outlining your posts may seem challenging at first, especially if you’re new to writing, you can let a blog ideas generator do most of the grunt work for you.

These tools leverage artificial intelligence to help you brainstorm ideas and set up your content structure. That way, you can kickstart your creative juices and begin writing about what you love right away.

5. Financial Advisor

Becoming a financial advisor could be your next calling, especially if you’re good with numbers and people. Imagine guiding folks towards financial security and helping them achieve their dreams. It's a pretty pleasing gig.

To get started, you'll need a solid understanding of investments, taxes, retirement planning… the works. But building trust with clients is the key here, so strong communication skills are also essential.

Of course, you'll need the right certifications to be a financial advisor. Things like the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation can really boost your credibility. And don't forget about networking! Building relationships with other financial professionals can open doors and help you grow your client base.

6. Ecommerce Store Owner

Do you create, collect, or curate anything special? Consider starting an ecommerce store and turning your hobby into a full-time job. Whether you need somewhere to sell all that pottery you’ve been making, or an excuse to search for the sports memorabilia you love tracking down, an ecommerce store can make it financially viable for you to pursue your passion.

Starting an ecommerce store is simple and easy. You can set up a shop using an ecommerce website builder , all of which start at a minimal monthly subscription (some even start at free). Be sure to take good photos of your products and write descriptive product pages .

If you don’t have inventory, you can always own an ecommerce store by using dropshipping . Instead of creating and shipping your products yourself, you’ll instead partner with a dropshipping website and have them mail out the orders directly to your client.

7. House Cleaner

With a low barrier to entry, house cleaning can be a great way to start doing what you love — soon. Consider advertising to homes in your neighborhood and get more bang for your buck by earning a few small businesses as clients as well. They’ll usually bring in a higher paycheck for a similar amount of work.

To become a house cleaner, you should be prepared to invest in cleaning supplies and accessories, or be willing to use your own. If you plan to serve small businesses, you should buy industrial janitorial supplies so you can get work done more effectively.

Need some inspiration? This small business cleaning service grew virtually overnight on Instagram after their content went viral during the pandemic.

8. Packing Services Facilitator

Moving is always a pain, and many people hire the entire packing process out. As a packing services facilitator, you’ll be going to people’s homes and packing up their smaller items into organized boxes. To start this business, you must be comfortable with face-to-face contact and with manual labor.

You can begin this business by advertising in your own neighborhood. Once you’re ready to expand, consider partnering with a local moving service that will refer new clients to you. That way, you’ll have a steady stream of clients, and you won’t have to invest in a moving truck (the moving service will take care of that for you).

1. Etsy Shop Owner

Creating novelties by hand is a fun and unique way to start a small business, and you can easily sell them via Etsy . Whether you make jewelry, knitted comfort items, or even custom wigs , there’s probably a market for your products and an Etsy buyer who’s ready to purchase.

This idea is excellent if you’re already an expert in the craft you aim to sell. That way, you don’t need to pursue additional education or certification courses. Once you set up your Etsy store, which is free, tap into your audience with creative marketing on social media and optimize your website using keywords that describe the products you make.

2. Tour Guide

Love the local history of your city or state? Consider becoming a tour guide. Sure, you’ll need to conduct plenty of research to be able to do the job well, but that’s half the fun. Set yourself apart by offering tours that speak to a specific niche of your community’s history.

You can start a tour guide business easily. First, decide what your specialty will be. Some tour guides, like the ones at Freedom Trail in Boston , offer historical walking tours of their town’s most haunted spots while others curate guided foodie tours for guests to get a true taste of the city.

Maybe you love the outdoors and are an experienced backpacker — you can then offer hiking tours. To begin, use a platform such as TripAdvisor or Airbnb, where you can sign up as a tour guide provider. Remember to launch a website, and to file for a sole proprietorship status.

3. Online Class Instructor

Tutoring is often done in-person and with one client at a time. But thanks to remote work software, teaching an online class offers more flexibility than ever for folks interested in educating others.

English is a typical subject for online classes because of how many people want to learn it. But anything that you have a mastery over could be translated to a virtual class. From American Sign Language (ASL) to music theory lessons, virtual teaching is an easy way to spread the wealth of knowledge (and to make money while doing it).

4. Small-Batch Goods Seller

Fun fact: There are many products you can learn how to make at home without any preservatives, chemicals, or toxins, and for cheap.

Candles, soaps, shampoos, moisturizers, and other body/home care products are some examples of unique goods you can create and tailor with custom scents.

By offering high-quality, handcrafted products, you can build a loyal customer base and differentiate yourself from competitors.

5. Makeup Artist

Many people prefer to have a professional do their makeup because they lack the proper products or just the skills. It may be for a special occasion, photoshoot, or video shoot, or another event. But as a professional makeup artist, being able to do a variety of different looks will make your business more attractive to more customers.

You should also consider honing in on a specific niche. For instance, you might do wedding makeup exclusively, or even editorial makeup could be your shtick.

To run a successful makeup artist business, you’ll need to be social media savvy . Instagram in particular is an excellent platform to advertise your services and get new clients. Again, Vagaro is also a wonderful place to promote your makeup artistry.

6. Professional Organizer

A lot of people struggle with clutter or disorganization in their homes and offices. It can be a large undertaking to create organized systems and habits. Grab a lot of storage bins and a label maker and get started.

To become an organizer, you’ll first need to have the chops: Is your own home organized? Do you enjoy making order out of chaos? Then, launch a website to market your services locally. Be sure to create local listings to ensure people find your business, including listings on Angi , Houzz , and Thumbtack .

Meg Golightly, founder at Gosimplified , has made this small business idea into a successful career.

When it comes to exploring creative small business ideas, it’s essential to tap into your unique talents, passions, and interests to help your venture stand out in the market.

Creativity is a powerful tool; with the right approach, you can turn your innovative concepts into successful businesses. Finding inspiration in your passions and strengths is crucial to building a business that resonates with your audience.

Look for opportunities to blend your creativity with market demand by offering unique products or services that cater to specific niches. By aligning your passion with market trends and consumer needs, you can carve out a distinctive space for your business and create a meaningful impact in your industry.

I tapped our awesome Trends & Research experts for outside-the-box ideas to inspire your entrepreneurial journey. Here are some data-backed creative small business ideas to get you started:

1. Branding Consultant

Every company, big or small, needs a strong brand identity to stand out. That’s where you come in. As a branding consultant, you’re the architect of a company’s image, shaping how people perceive and feel about them.

The best part? You don't need a fancy office or a huge team to get started. All you really need is a keen eye for design, a deep understanding of marketing, and a knack for storytelling. With a laptop and a solid internet connection, you can start building your client base.

Now, while certifications aren’t strictly needed to start your branding consultancy, they can definitely boost your credibility. Consider courses or certifications in marketing, branding, or design. Places like HubSpot Academy and Skillshare offer a variety of online courses.

Also, building a strong portfolio of your work is crucial. Even if you haven’t worked with paying clients, you can practice by creating brand identities for your favorite companies. This will not only showcase your skills but also help you refine your ideation process.

2. Crochet/Knitwear Designer

Love getting lost in a good crochet or knitting project? Turns out, your hobby could be your next money-maker. If you’ve got the gift of creating individualistic, stylish pieces, you might be onto something.

Designing your own crochet or knitwear and selling your patterns or finished products could be a super rewarding venture. Imagine seeing people wearing something you created… That's pretty cool, right?

Building a following on social media can be a great way to showcase your work and connect with potential customers. Plus, TikTok is a great place to gather free resources on easy patterns and beginner’s best practices, from preserving materials to where to get the best bang for your buck.

3. Tattoo Artist

So, you’re thinking about turning your love of art and ink into a full-time gig? Well, you’re in luck. Tattooing can be a really enjoyable career, both creatively and financially.

First off, there’s a huge demand for tattoos. From stick and pokes to fine line tattoo art, getting a tattoo is becoming as normal as getting a haircut in most major cities. This means there’s a steady stream of potential customers out there. Now, tattoos are indeed a bit of a luxury item, which means people are often willing to pay a premium for good work. That’s where you come in. If you’ve got the skills and can build a solid reputation, you can command some pretty decent rates.

Another cool thing about the tattoo industry is that it’s relatively low overhead compared to other small businesses . Sure, you’ll need supplies and a clean workspace, but you don’t need a huge storefront or a massive inventory. This means more of your earnings go straight to your wallet.

So, is your head buzzing with small business ideas yet? After all that brainstorming, you’ll need a practical plan to get started with your new small business.

Next, let’s talk about how you’ll start your small business, right from your own home.

1. Identify your small business idea.

Whether you choose an option from the list above or have another idea up your sleeve, it’s important to have the experience, training, or skills necessary to be successful.

Want to run a daycare but have never even visited a successful daycare center? Spend time conducting research to learn whether this is really the right fit for your experience, interests, and target audience.

HubSpot’s Business Startup Kit could also be a hassle-free, easy way to begin ideating about your business plan, goals, and how to identify your target market.

2. Start as a side business or hobby.

Can you get your business off the ground as something you do in the evenings or on the weekends (a.k.a. a side job)? This allows you to make some mistakes, test the market, and understand whether your idea has legs before you quit your nine-to-five job and lose your primary income.

3. Decide on your software.

You’ve got a lot of things on your plate when first starting up. But one step that’s critical (and often forgotten by first-time entrepreneurs) is deciding on the software that can help you be more efficient as your business grows.

Every business is different — but almost all companies can use software to help with analytics, project management , accounting, bookkeeping, email marketing , and other basic day-to-day tasks.

One of the most important software tools every small business should utilize is a free all-in-one CRM platform to keep track of important customer information in one central database. It will help align your team and make sure you stay organized as your business grows. Learn how to pick the best CRM for your small business .

Learn more about choosing the right structure for your business from the Small Business Administration.

6. Create a business bank account.

Once you have a legally formed business and have been issued an Employer Identification Number (EIN) , open a bank account specifically for your business. Having a business bank account is essential for keeping your personal and business finances separate which can help you gain an accurate picture of your business’s cash flow and financial health.

Additionally, keeping your personal and business finances separate makes bookkeeping and tax preparation easier.

Many banks offer business checking and savings accounts. Business checking accounts typically do not have a limit on the number of transactions that can take place, and issue a debit card that can be used for making business purchases. However, these checking accounts do (thankfully) not accrue interest.

Business savings accounts typically earn interest over time but have a limited number of transactions that can occur each month. When you’re just starting out, look for a business bank account that does not have a minimum balance requirement so you are not penalized for having low funds as you work to build your business.

7. Determine if your business idea works well from home.

Ask yourself whether your business idea will work well from home. Some businesses simply aren’t suited to be based from home. If you want to run a dog boarding center but live in an apartment without a backyard, you might want to consider a dog walking business instead.

8. Set up an office.

If your business idea is well-suited for being run from home, it’s still important you have a designated workspace. While a home office might not be possible, consider setting aside a corner in your living room or putting a desk in your bedroom for a space that inspires you and creates the conditions for success.

Need a more professional space? If you conduct client-facing work requiring you to be on video calls, no one wants to see your rumpled sheets in the background.

Check out local coworking spaces for memberships that earn you access to conference rooms, desk space, and more. WeWork and PeerSpace are great places to start looking.

9. Get to work!

You’ve put in the hard work, but I’ve got some bad news — it’s only going to get harder. But most entrepreneurs will agree that the payoff of being your own boss, making your own hours, and working on projects that you’re passionate about will pay dividends for the rest of your life.

What are the types of small businesses?

The types of small business structures are sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), and corporations.

• Sole Proprietorship: The simplest type of business structure is a sole proprietorship, which is also the easiest to start. As a sole proprietor, you are personally responsible for the business's liabilities and profits, and you have complete control over your business. If you are a solopreneur, you are automatically considered a sole proprietor.
• Partnership: A partnership is a business model involving two or more individuals who agree to share the business‘s profits and liabilities. Each partner contributes to the business and shares the risks and rewards. It’s essential to have a partnership agreement that defines each partner's roles and responsibilities to ensure clarity and prevent potential misunderstandings.
• Limited Liability Company (LLC): An LLC, or limited liability company, is a common option for small businesses because it protects its owners by separating personal assets from the company's liabilities. To form an LLC, the business owner must file the required paperwork with the state.
• Corporation: A corporation is an independent legal entity distinct from its owners. It provides limited liability protection to its shareholders, who are not held personally accountable for the company's debts. Corporations have formal requirements and often raise capital by issuing stocks or shares.

Which business type is best?

The best business type is a limited liability company (LLC). Operating as an LLC means that your personal assets are separate from your business assets. If your business goes bankrupt, your personal holdings won’t be affected. That said, it’s also one of the costlier types, requiring a fee paid to the state.

The easiest business type to start is a sole proprietorship. The main downside is that there’s no differentiation between you and your business.

It's crucial to seek advice from legal or accounting professionals to determine the best business structure based on your unique needs and objectives. Each structure has advantages, legal requirements, tax implications, and flexibility considerations.

How do I create a business idea?

To create a business idea, determine your skill set, work preferences, startup budget, and available resources. It’s important to strike the right balance between what you can feasibly offer and what you can feasibly afford in the short and long term.

We recommend starting with your skill set so that you can easily determine the niche in which you can effectively compete. For instance, if you have ample experience as a writer, you might consider starting a freelance writing business. But if you know you’d prefer to work with clients face-to-face, you might choose to start a ghostwriting business instead. That’s why it’s so important to take your work preferences into account, as well.

After that, take a look at your budget and determine the type of business you can start based on the resources at your disposal.

For instance, you might not be able to afford a physical office or location, so a location-based business will likely not be a good fit. In that case, starting an online business is your best option.

What resources or tools can I use to refine and validate my business ideas during the brainstorming process?

Online market research tools like Google Trends, Keyword Planner, and SEMrush can provide insights into market demand, competition, and keyword trends related to your business niche. Industry reports and market analyses from reputable sources such as IBISWorld, Gartner, Statista, and industry-specific publications can offer valuable data and trends to inform your decision-making. Ensure you know the industry risk before embarking on your small business venture.

Additionally, joining entrepreneurial communities, forums, and social media groups can provide opportunities to seek feedback, network with like-minded people, and gain insights from experienced entrepreneurs . Finally, consider conducting surveys or interviews with potential customers to gather feedback and validate your business concept before investing significant time and resources.

What are some of the most successful small businesses?

Every small business has the potential to be successful and profitable, provided it’s backed by a strong product-market fit and a robust business plan . These two elements are essential. Maybe postnatal services are one of the most successful small businesses to launch, but if you live in an area with declining population or a large elderly population, then that small business idea won’t yield a high return on investment.

Think carefully about the market where you’re launching your business, and you’ll be more than likely to see lasting success.

What are the top growing small businesses?

The top growing industries are healthcare support, technology, personal care, food preparation, and community and social service. As such, launching a small business in any of these fields is bound to yield a high return on investment, but remember to take your target market into account.

Here are some small business ideas for each of those industries.

Healthcare Support

• In-home care assistant
• In-home elderly care provider
• Psychological care provider
• Prenatal and postnatal support specialist
• Freelance programmer or web developer
• Freelance IT support specialist
• Freelance cybersecurity expert

Personal Care

• Hair stylist
• Nail technician

Food Preparation

• Personal chef
• Food truck owner
• Food delivery

Community and Social Services

• Non-profit owner
• Education specialist

How do I fund a small business?

If you are looking to fund your small business, there are several options you can consider, including:

Bootstrapping

Bootstrapping is building a business from scratch with limited finances, relying on personal savings, borrowing or reinvesting early profits. The main advantage is you have control over your vision and decisions, which allows you to innovate and adapt without being beholden to investors' demands.

Small Business Grants

Small business grants are a great option for smaller companies seeking initial support without the need for traditional venture capital routes. These grants offer modest funding ranging from a few hundred dollars to substantial sums.

They‘re available from government agencies, nonprofits, or corporate social responsibility programs. Unlike loans, grants don’t require repayment, and they also don't entail equity stakes like traditional investors.

Angel Investors and Venture Capital

As an entrepreneur with a great business idea but no financial resources, you can seek funding from angel investors or venture capitalists . Remember to present a compelling business plan to increase your chances of securing funding.

Besides financial support, these investors can offer valuable expertise, industry connections, and resources to help your business grow. Leverage online platforms and networking events to connect with potential investors and achieve your goals.

Bank Loans and Lines of Credit

You can approach banks or credit unions for small business loans or lines of credit, leveraging your business plan and credit history.

You can explore loan programs offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) designed to assist small businesses with financing needs.

Alternative Financing

As a small business owner, you may find securing traditional financing options, such as bank loans, challenging. However, there are other ways to finance your business.

One such option is microlending , where you can borrow money from individual investors through online platforms like Kiva. Another option is crowdfunding , where you can raise funds for your business by asking a large group of people to contribute small amounts of money. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo are good places to start.

What are the best small business grants?

Here are 19 small business grants you can apply to today. Eligibility criteria vary by provider, so make sure your business aligns with the grant's size, industry focus, and target demographics before applying.

How does copyright apply to my small business?

Copyright laws offer legal protection to creators of original works, allowing creators to control the use and distribution of their creations, which can include books, music, artwork, designs, and software. As a small business owner, you‘ll need to be aware of copyright law since you may encounter copyright issues if you create any original content, such as a brand logo, website content, blog posts, videos, or marketing materials. It’s important to ensure that you don't infringe on the copyright of others and to protect your own creative assets.

How can I protect the copyright of my creations?

Though copyright protection is automatic when you create something original, taking additional steps to protect your work is a good idea. Here are a few essential tips:

• Include copyright notices. Adding copyright notices on your creative works (e.g., “Copyright © [Year] [Your Business Name]”) helps deter potential infringers and informs others that your work is protected.
• Register your work. Registering your work with the appropriate copyright office can provide additional legal advantages and may be necessary in certain situations to enforce your rights in court.
• Consider licensing your work. Licensing allows you to permit others to use your work under specific conditions while still retaining your ownership rights. You can create licenses that determine how others can use your creations and even charge licensing fees.

Selecting a small business idea to work on is a personal decision. Money is important, but you’ll need more motivation than that to keep going.

Bounce ideas off your friends and family until you reach the perfect idea that works for your schedule, fulfills your life’s passion, and makes financial sense.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help throughout this process — and remember to have a little fun while you’re putting in the work.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in March 2024 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

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