Business Plan Toolkit

VerticalResponse and Palo Alto Software have teamed up to create this business plan resources toolkit. It includes everything you need to design and create an effective business plan for your new or existing enterprise.

Articles, Business Plan Outlines & Templates

• What is a business plan? A business plan is any plan that works for a business to look ahead, allocate resources, focus on key points, and prepare for problems and opportunities. You need to make the contents of your plan match your purpose. Don’t accept a standard outline just because it’s there. (more...)
• Writing an executive summaryThe executive summary section of a business plan is a summary of the highlights of your business plan. Even though the topic appears first in the printed document, most business plan developers leave the writing of the executive summary until the end. (more...)
• Break-even analysis The Break-even Analysis lets you determine what you need to sell, monthly or annually, to cover your costs of doing business—your break-even point. (more...)
• A standard business plan outline While everybody should have planning to help run a business, not everyone needs to develop a complete formal business plan suitable for submitting to a potential investor, or bank, or venture contest. If you have the main components, the order doesn’t matter that much, but here’s the order outline I suggest for a business plan. (more...)
• Business plan template This business plan template is in a format preferred by banks and the SBA. Use it as a guideline to help write your own business plan. (more...)

Business Calculators

Starting Costs Calculator Calculate the start-up costs of your new business before you get going. This calculator helps you evaluate how much capital you'll need to start your business.

Cash Flow Calculator This cash calculator shows you how business-to-business sales, carrying inventory, and rapid growth can absorb a business' money.

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.

Investment Offering & Investor ROI Calculator Use this calculator to view both sides of the investment table. See what an investor gets, and what a company gives up all in one easy tool.