New Venture Lab: Equipping Christian Entrepreneurs

Question

Do you have a business plan template you could recommend for a retail business?

Answer

See the business plan outlines on the VentureContest page and see the business plan template downloads here and here.  In terms of a business plan for a retail business, I would tend to say there is no need for spending a lot of time on anything in the early planning stages except for studying the customer, the market, the competition and the business model (margin, breakeven, etc.).  I would suggest focusing on who the customer is, how they would hear about your product, why they would buy your product, what their alternatives are, what the pricing is, what the resulting margin is, etc. Generally a full business model with all of its component parts is not necessary unless you are seeking outside financing.