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How to Put Together A Business Plan
A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Professional Business Plan That Attracts Lenders, Investors, and Helps You Stay on Track for Growth
Steve Fulmer
May 19, 2025
Table of Contents
Executive Summary:
Creating a business plan is one of the most essential steps for any entrepreneur, start-up founder, or existing business owner aiming to grow or secure funding. This guide offers a clear and actionable roadmap for building a professional, investor-ready business plan. Drawing from years of banking experience and hundreds of successful business funding applications, I break down the process into manageable steps. Learn how to build a living business document that evolves with your goals and increases your credibility with lenders, partners, and stakeholders.
Why Every Business Needs a Living Business Plan
Before I get into the nuts and bolts of the make-up of a business plan, one point I want to make about business planning is that it has no expiry date and it should not be a one-time task. Once you create and commit to a business plan, the final document is never really final and complete. It becomes a dynamic piece of content that you revisit, review, and update on a regular basis.
The 8 Essential Components of a Business Plan
Now, to answer your question about how to put together a business plan, I will outline the 8 key sections you need to include in your business plan template.
Executive Summary
Description of your Company
Outline of your Products and Services
Marketing Plan Operations and Resource Plan
Company Management and Org Chart
Financial Planning
Appendices
How to Build Each Section with Purpose
Once you have created a business plan template, you are now going to carefully complete each individual section. It is also best to work on this plan in the order listed above, as one section links through to the next. For more information about what to write in each of the above sections, you can link through to an earlier article I have published which tells you what information you need to include in a business plan
Funding and Support: Getting Help with Your Business Plan
Writing a business plan takes time, it requires research, and it requires a commitment to the cause. There are many reasons why business planning is so important, but many people will only look at how to put together a business plan when they are looking at the different types of funding that are available to their small business. If you are trying to secure an SBA loan for your business, I have compiled a comprehensive guide that talks about the different types of SBA loans that are available.
Final Thoughts: What this means for SMBs
Creating a business plan isn’t easy. If you need any help writing a business plan or you would like a personal guide and access to business planning resources, then please get subscribe to my newsletter for more help direct from a Banker’s Brain!
💡 Tips & Tricks: How to Use AI to Help You Complete Your Business Plan Faster and Smarter
Let’s face it—writing a business plan can be overwhelming. The good news? You don’t have to do it all alone. With today’s advancements in AI, tools like ChatGPT can help streamline your business planning process and make it easier to put together a polished, professional plan.
