Business Plans

This guide provides an introduction to resources related to the writing and development of business plans. Resources include print guides, online business plan toolkits, and related databases.  Users are encouraged to consult other business research guides for additional information on business and company research.

A business guide is a formal, written document which includes both a financial and market analysis of the business. These plans are frequently developed as part of the loan application or as a means of formally analyzing the business enterprise. Typical elements in a business plan include:

• Description of Product or Service
• Business History
• Market Analysis
• Competition Analysis
• Management
• Financial Information
• Strengths and Weaknesses
• Growth Potential