Focus on the core aspects of your business using a one-page business plan.
Updated September 22, 2023
Written by Josh Sainsbury | Reviewed by Brooke Davis
A One-Page Business Plan is a concise and summarized version of a comprehensive business plan. It captures the essential elements of a business idea or proposal on a single page, serving as a high-level overview of its vision, objectives, strategies, and action points.
The brevity of a one-page plan makes it especially useful for quickly conveying a business idea without overwhelming the reader.
A one-page business plan is a simplified version of a complete business plan. Although the plan is shorter, it still outlines the basics of your future company. It follows the same structure as the standard version but with less detail.
The one-page plan allows you to condense and present the information in an easy-to-read format.
Similar plans like a lean business plan or executive summary also allow you to present your business in a condensed format.
However, an accurate one-page business plan must fit on one page. It must also use a legible font size of 11 or 12 points.
A one-page business plan would be best when ready to present your ideas to others, such as potential investors. Instead of filling out an extensive business plan, you can start small to get started.
This lets you present your ideas cogently.
You should use a one-page business plan template to:
One-page business plans aren’t limited to just one type of business; they can be used in a multitude of scenarios, including:
A one-page business plan is ideal for building a quick overview for people and businesses still brainstorming ideas. A simple plan allows it to be amended and updated as the concept is developed and keeps all the ideas on a single page.
When you start, you will want to constantly refer back to your business plan to ensure you stick to your goals and core objectives. A traditional business plan doesn’t quite fit into an agile startup because it can be time-consuming to update and tweak as you grow and learn.
Using a one-page plan means you can edit it easily and either create a traditional plan down the line or, if you’ve already made one, fully update it once you feel more concrete with your goals.
A one-page business plan isn’t limited to new and developing businesses. Established companies can take advantage of adding a one-page plan to their business strategy.
You can share your existing strategy internally and externally in a snapshot that will be easily understood by all, helping everyone to get on board with your goals.
Writing a one-page business plan is simple, mainly when you use a template to help you get started. A one-page business plan should cover the following sections:
It would be best if you discussed essential facts about your business and its identifying information, such as:
Makes It Easy to Read: Use a legible and professional font that is easy to read and the right size. Be sure to format your document so it flows well. A template one-page business plan can help with this.
You need to identify who your customers are and where they are located. This section should also address how many potential customers are available in your business’s geographical area.
This should also include whether you will engage in primarily business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-business (B2B) transactions.
A description of your business model should consist of information like:
This section could quickly become lengthy. Focus on the critical components of your business for the single-page business plan.
Focus on Your Strengths: This short plan is likely a pitching tool to investors. Lead with the winning aspects of your business that set you apart from the rest—your value proposition.
This section should outline critical financial metrics like cash flow, profit and loss, and a sales forecast. This part is often difficult to condense, but you should focus on standard business ratios that help you get the point across.
You can always provide further details if you receive a request for financial projections.
This final section should detail each team member’s names, roles, and responsibilities.
Keep It Short: Keep each section short and to the point. Sections should be limited to 1 or 2 sentences or between 3 and 4 bullet points.
You can download a free one-page business plan template below, in Word or PDF format:
All types of business plans have their benefits and their drawbacks, including a one-page business plan:
Now that you’re ready to create your one-page business plan, here are a few tips to get you started:
A one-page business plan should include the important details about your business. It should contain brief information about the following:
Yes, you can create your one-page plan. Just download the template and start building your business strategy’s big picture.
Alternatively, you could use our document builder, the fastest and easiest way to create your single-page business plan.
Start building your one-page business plan today!
