Free Business Plan Resources

Reports
Calculators/Tools
Sample Business Plans
Directories
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Business Plan Reports

Growthinks 2006 Business Plan Guide shows how to prove the feasibility of your venture, best layout your business strategy, and how to prepare your plan to convince investors that your company is right for them.

The Guide highlights each of the key sections of the business plan and how to complete them. It identifies key factors to include in your business plan such as highlighting past accomplishments, proving barriers to entry and showing a clear understanding of customer needs.

Growthinks Essential Business Plan Handbook is a must-have tool to assist you on the journey of the creation of your business plan.  This informative compilation of over forty Growthink articles will prove invaluable for the business planning process, from identifying and assessing opportunities, to expertly completing your business plan, to raising capital.
  

Growthinks Top Business Plan Mistakes reports identifies the top nine mistakes to avoid in your business plan.

For instance, not including successful companies in the competitive analysis section and stressing first mover advantage, can unnecessarily detract from your business plan's credibility. This report identifies the top nine business plan mistakes so you can be sure to avoid them.

Market Research in the 21st Century is a report that Growthink developed to provide companies with techniques to empower entrepreneurs to uncover new market and profit opportunities, better understand their customers and prospective customers, and respond to and overcome competitive challenges and threats.

The report highlights the key tools to utilize, and pitfalls to avoid, in 21st century market research.

  Calculators/Tools

Start-Up Cost Calculator
What does it cost to start a business? This simple start-up cost calculator will help you estimate.
 

Cash Flow Calculator
This cash calculator shows you how business-to-business sales, carrying inventory, and rapid growth can absorb a business money. Use this tool to ensure that you have enough cash on hand to grow your business.

Investor Offering Calculator
When investors provide capital to ventures, they typically take an equity position. Their goal is to sell their equity stake in the future for considerable profit. This tool shows you how much equity you might have to offer investors based on your ventures valuation and the investors expected/desired Return on Investment.

Discounted Cash Flow Calculator
Analysts use discounted cash flow to explore the "time value of money". Essentially, money today is worth more than the same amount of money tomorrow. This calculator allows you to see how much future earnings that your company generates are worth today.

Break Even Calculator
Break Even Analysis is an expected component of most business plans, especially for start-up companies. This calculator shows how much revenue you need to cover both fixed and variable costs.

Financial Plan (in Excel)
This file walks you through the assumptions and financial figures that need to be added into your financial model and then creates your full financial forecasts.

Slide Presentation Software
This free online business plan presentation and outline compiler allows ventures to easily create an outline business plan with a linked slide presentation.

Business Plans from Bplans.com
Bplans.com presents sixty free business plans on its website ranging from auto parts stores to car washes to regional airlines businesses. Each business plan includes the following seven sections: Executive Summary, Company, Services, Market Analysis, Strategy and Implementation, Management and Financial Plan.

MOOT CORP Competition Business Plans from BusinessPlans.org
Business Resource Software offers over 25 sample business plans used in the The University of Texas at Austin's MOOT CORP business plan competition. Sort by "Best of the Best," "Best Executive Summary," "Best Business Concept," "Best Proposed Offer," and "Best Financial Tables."

Top Venture Capital Firms

National Venture Capital Association (NVCA): This link provides a list of the 475 venture capitalists who are members of the NVCA.

Angel Investor Networks

Angel Capital Association: Directory of over 200 angel investor groups throughout the United States.

Angel Investor News: Articles on angel investing and profiles of prominent angel investors.

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)

United States Small Business Administration: This link provides contact information for all Small Business Development Centers in the United States.

Free Course on Starting or Growing Your Business
MyOwnBusiness.com offers this free 14 session online course that covers the key topics for anyone starting or growing their business. Sessions include "Deciding on a Business," "The Business Plan" and "Buying a Business or Franchise" among others.

National Calendar of Entpreneur Events
This online calendar from Netpreneur.org allows you to search entrepreneur events by various criteria such as geography and events focused on funding and finance.