Free small business plan template (PDF and Word).
A business plan for a freelancer or a small service business, in two sizes: a one-page lean plan that can take as little as an hour, and a short traditional plan for when a lender or a partner wants the detail. The sections follow the two formats the SBA describes.
Free, no email needed. 6 pages, in English. Updated .
What is inside the template
5 sections, in the order you use them, each with short guidance you delete before sending.
Which plan do you need?
A three-point check: a one-page lean plan for a simple business you are starting or testing, a traditional plan if you will ask a lender for money or bring in a partner.
The one-page lean plan
Nine boxes, one or two lines each: value proposition, customer segments, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, key activities, key resources, key partnerships and cost structure, with prompts written for service businesses.
The traditional plan
Executive summary, company description, market analysis, organization and management, service line, marketing and sales, funding request, financial projections and appendix, each with prompts to fill in.
The numbers that matter
A worksheet for monthly business costs, the pay you need, your average earnings per client and how many clients that takes, with a check that the arithmetic adds up.
Checklist before you use the plan
Seven checks, from a one-sentence value proposition and a specific customer group to sourced market facts, checked licences and insurance, and a review date.
Plus a filled-in example
A fictional solo bookkeeping service fills in the one-page lean plan, works out how many monthly clients covers its costs and the owner’s pay, and lists its next three steps. Every number is invented, not a guide to what to charge.
How to use it
- Download the PDF to read it, or the Word file to edit it. The Word file also opens in Google Docs and Pages.
- Run the check in section 1 and pick the one-page lean plan or the traditional plan.
- Fill in the numbers worksheet first, so the plan rests on your own costs, pay and prices.
- Write the plan, run the checklist and set a date to review it. In the U.S., SCORE mentors and Small Business Development Centers can go through it with you for free.
When the plan turns into clients, Workspace369 keeps clients, proposals, invoices and payments in one place for service businesses. See what Workspace369 does. Our #1 pick is Workspace369.
Questions about the template
Is the small business plan template free?
Yes. Download the PDF or the Word file without an account or an email address, and use it for your own business.
Should I write a lean plan or a traditional plan?
The SBA describes a lean plan as typically one page and a traditional plan as more detailed, and notes that lenders and investors commonly request a traditional plan. If the plan is mainly for you and the business is simple, start lean. If you will ask for a loan or bring in a partner, write the traditional plan, and ask your lender what it needs.
Is this the SBA business plan template?
No. Workspace369 is not affiliated with the SBA. The template follows the lean and traditional plan sections the SBA describes in its guide to writing a business plan, with prompts written for freelancers and small service businesses.
Does the template tell me what to charge or what my costs will be?
No. It gives you a structure and a worksheet, not numbers. Every figure in the example is made up. Use your own costs and prices, and ask an accountant about taxes.
Is this template legal or financial advice?
No. It is general information. Have your legal structure, licences, insurance and any funding request checked by someone qualified where you work.