The 1-page business plan (free template)

Your business on one page

Before you spend a dollar or register anything, get the idea onto a single page. If you can't explain it simply, it's not ready yet, and that's useful to know now, not after you've spent the money. One honest page beats a 40-page plan you never finish.

CTA: ⬇ Download the free template (PDF) — No email, no sign-up. It's just there.

The nine questions

Answer these in a sentence or two each. That's your plan. Same nine as the PDF, so you can read here and fill in there.

1. What do you sell?

The actual product or service, in plain words. "I fix blocked drains for homes on the Northern Rivers."

2. Who is it for?

Your one clearest customer. Not "everyone", the specific person with the problem you solve.

3. What problem does it solve?

The annoying thing in their life that goes away when they pay you. If you can't name it, they won't either.

4. What do you charge?

A number. Hourly, fixed, per job, per month. Guess if you have to, then test it on a real customer.

5. What does each sale cost you?

Materials, time, fees, travel. What's left is the bit you live on. If there's no gap, the idea needs reshaping.

6. How many sales a month to be OK?

The number that covers your costs and pays you something. Now you have a target instead of a hope.

7. How will people find you?

Pick three ways and only three, word of mouth counts, so does Google. Not ten channels; the ones you'll actually do.

8. Why you and not the other bloke?

One honest reason. "Cheaper" is a fragile answer, so see if you can find a better one.

9. What has to be true for this to work?

Your assumptions, written down. These are the things to go and check first, before you spend money on them.

Then what?

That's the plan. Sit with it a day, tighten the wording, show it to someone honest. When it reads clearly, you're ready for the next step, making it official.

Next: pick your structure (sole trader or company), then register.

Do it yourself, or hand it over. We'll sit down, shape the plan with you and build the whole thing from it. It's yours either way, in your name, on your accounts.

CTAs: Have us do it → · Back to the playbook