One-Page Business Plan – Simple Template and Example

A one-page business plan gives you a clear snapshot of your business idea on a single page. Instead of a 20–30 page document, you get a simple one page business plan that focuses on what matters most: who you serve, what you sell, how you make money, and what you want to achieve in the next 12–18 months.

What is a one-page business plan?

A one-page business plan is a condensed version of a traditional business plan that fits on one page and highlights only the most important elements of your business. It borrows ideas from “lean” and one-page planning methods where you summarize your strategy, business model, and key numbers in a brief, easy-to-scan format instead of writing long chapters.

Unlike a full plan, which might include detailed market studies and multi-year financial projections, a one-page business plan focuses on:

• What you sell and who you serve.
• The main problem you solve and how your solution is different.
• How you will make money and what it costs to run the business.
• How you will find customers and measure success.

Because it is short, it is much easier to create, share with partners or mentors, and keep up to date. Many business owners start with a one-page plan or a similar canvas before they invest time into a full business plan.

When a one-page business plan is (and is not) enough

A one-page business plan is perfect when you need clarity and speed more than detail. It works especially well for:

• Early-stage ideas and side hustles. You want to test whether your idea makes sense before you spend money or quit your job.
• Small businesses and solopreneurs. You need something simple that keeps you focused on revenue, costs, and a few key goals.
• Internal alignment. You want your small team to see the big picture without forcing them to read a long report.
• Quick pitches. You need an overview to share with mentors, advisors, or potential partners.

However, a one-page plan is not always enough on its own. Banks, investors, and grant programs often require a more traditional business plan with full projections and supporting documents. In those cases, it is smart to use your one-page business plan as the front-page summary and then expand the same structure into a detailed plan when requested.

Think of the one-page version as your “working map” for daily decisions. If someone needs more information, you can always build a longer plan on top of it, but you do not have to start with a 25-page document just to clarify your idea.

The 9 essential sections of a one-page business plan

Most strong one page business plan templates cover similar content, even if they use slightly different labels. To keep your plan simple but complete, include these nine essentials.

1. Business overview

This is a short description of your business in plain language. In one or two sentences, answer “What does your business do, and for whom?”

• Business name and location: Where you operate.
• Business type: Product, service, or hybrid.
• Stage: Idea, pre-launch, new, or established.

Avoid buzzwords and technical jargon. Someone outside your industry should still understand your overview.

2. Problem (or need) you solve

Next, describe the main problem or need your target customers have. A clear one-page business plan makes it obvious why the business should exist at all.

• The key pain point, frustration, or need your customer feels.
• How they are solving it today and why that is not ideal.
• Any trend or change that makes your solution timely.

One or two short sentences are enough. Save extra background stories or research for a longer business plan if you ever need one.

3. Your solution and offer

Here you explain what you actually sell and how it solves the problem you just described. Focus on the outcome for the customer instead of listing every feature.

• What product or service you offer.
• How it makes your customer’s life better or easier.
• What packages, tiers, or options you provide (if any).

On a one-page plan, one sentence plus 2–3 bullet points is usually enough to explain your offer clearly.

4. Target market and ideal customer

This section explains who you plan to serve. The more specific you are, the more useful your plan becomes for daily choices about marketing, pricing, and product decisions.

• Basic demographics (age, income, role, or industry).
• Key behaviors (where they shop, how they discover products, what they value).
• Whether you are targeting a narrow niche or a broader mainstream market.

If you have more than one audience, focus your one-page business plan on your main segment first. You can describe secondary segments in a longer plan if needed.

5. Value proposition and competitive edge

Your value proposition explains why customers should buy from you instead of alternatives. You do not need a full competitive analysis, but you should highlight what makes you different.

• Your core benefit (faster, easier, cheaper, safer, more convenient, more personal).
• Any special strengths or assets (experience, relationships, technology, location).
• How you compare with one or two main alternatives, including “do nothing.”

Try to capture your value proposition in one strong sentence that you would be comfortable using in conversation with a potential customer.

6. Revenue model and pricing

Even on a one-page plan, you should clearly explain how the business will make money. That means stating what customers will pay for and how you set your prices.

• Your main revenue streams (product sales, subscriptions, services, licensing, commissions, ads).
• Basic pricing approach (premium, mid-range, budget, recurring vs. one-time).
• Any realistic add-ons (upsells, cross-sells, referral fees).

This is not the place for full financial statements, but you should avoid vague phrases like “we will monetize later.” Be as concrete as you can with the information you have today.

7. Marketing and sales channels

This section explains how people will discover your business and how you will convert their interest into sales. It keeps your marketing focused and realistic.

• How customers will find you (search engines, social media, content, referrals, events, platforms, local foot traffic).
• The basic steps in your sales process (visit site, book a call, free trial, quote, contract, etc.).
• Any important partnerships or platforms you rely on (marketplaces, booking sites, delivery apps).

On a one-page document, highlight only the 2–4 channels you can actually execute well over the next 6–12 months instead of trying to be everywhere.

8. Key numbers and financial snapshot

Your one-page business plan should include at least a simple financial snapshot. This helps you see whether your idea has a reasonable path to profit.

• Target monthly or annual revenue at a realistic milestone (for example, in 12 months).
• Estimated monthly operating costs (fixed plus variable).
• Your break-even point or profit target for the first year.

If you plan to use this plan with lenders or investors, you can add a short line about how much you want to raise and what you will spend it on, then keep the detailed projections in a separate spreadsheet.

9. Milestones and success metrics

Finally, describe how you will measure progress. This turns your one-page plan from a static document into a working roadmap you can revisit.

• Three to five milestones for the next 6–12 months (launch, first 10 or 50 clients, first $10,000 in monthly revenue, a key hire, opening a new location).
• Two to four key performance indicators (KPIs) you will track (monthly recurring revenue, average order value, customer retention, lead-to-customer conversion, number of demos per week).
• Target dates for your most important milestones.

Make these metrics specific and realistic. You can adjust them later, but writing them down makes it much easier to manage your business instead of guessing.

Step-by-step: write your one page business plan in under an hour

If you start from a blank page, it is easy to feel stuck. Use this simple process to move quickly from fuzzy ideas to a clear one-page business plan you can actually use.

Step 1: Decide why you need a one-page plan

Before you write anything, clarify your goal. Are you writing this one-page business plan mostly for yourself, to align a co-founder, to show a mentor, or as an initial overview for a bank or investor?

Your audience affects the level of detail. For example, if you plan to show the plan to a lender, make sure your key numbers and milestones are especially clear and grounded in realistic assumptions.

Step 2: Brain-dump ideas for each section

Next, open a blank document or one page business plan template and write quick bullet points under each of the nine sections above. Do not edit yet. The goal is to get your ideas out of your head and onto the page.

For now, ignore the “one page” constraint. It is easier to trim a rough draft than to invent every line perfectly from the start.

Step 3: Trim to the essentials

Once you have a rough draft, start cutting and simplifying. You want your plan to fit on a single page, often around 300–500 words depending on formatting.

• Turn long sentences into short statements.
• Replace paragraphs with bullet points wherever possible.
• Delete jargon, filler, and anything that does not help you decide or explain.

If a sentence does not help a reader understand your business or help you make a better decision, it probably does not belong on the one-page version.

Step 4: Double-check your numbers

Review your key numbers separately in a spreadsheet or calculator. Make sure your pricing, costs, and targets make sense together.

• Are your revenue goals realistic for your market and pricing?
• Have you included the main operating costs you will need to pay every month?
• Does the plan show a credible path to profitability or to the next funding step?

You can keep the detailed math in the spreadsheet and only copy the most important numbers into the one-page document so it stays clean and readable.

Step 5: Walk through a concrete example

To make your plan practical, create a short example that fills out each section for a specific business. This helps you verify that the structure of your plan is clear and complete.

Even though this example is short, it covers all nine sections and tells a clear story. You can use the same pattern for your own one-page plan, whether you run a service business, online store, consulting firm, or local shop.

Step 6: Get feedback and refine your one page business plan

Share your one-page plan with someone who understands business or your industry: a mentor, advisor, or experienced friend. Ask them:

• Is anything confusing or unclear?
• Do the numbers look realistic based on their experience?
• What is missing that would make them more confident in the plan?

Apply useful feedback, but resist the urge to turn the one-page document into a long report. If you need much more detail, you can always create a separate full business plan while keeping the one-page version as your summary.

Step 7: Use your plan—and update it regularly

A one-page business plan is most valuable when you use it as a living tool, not just a file you create once and forget. Refer to it when you make decisions about marketing, new offers, hiring, or expansion.

For many entrepreneurs, reviewing and updating the plan once per quarter is enough. Update your numbers, check your milestones, and adjust your strategy based on what you have learned. The more you use the plan, the more helpful it becomes.

Simple one page business plan template you can copy

Use this simple one page business plan template as a starting point. You can paste it into Google Docs, Word, Notion, or any planning app and customize it. Try to keep each section to one or two sentences or short bullet points so it fits on one page.

If you want a printed one page business plan template, you can simply print this structure and fill it in by hand, or keep it digital so you can update it more easily over time.

Make your one-page business plan actually useful

Creating a one-page plan is a great start, but the real value comes from using it to drive action. Here are a few ways to make sure your plan works for you instead of sitting in a folder.

• Keep it visible. Save your plan where you see it often—pinned in your project management tool, bookmarked in your browser, or printed near your desk.
• Connect it to your calendar. Tie your milestones to specific months or quarters and schedule brief reviews to track progress.
• Link it to your budget. Maintain a simple spreadsheet that reflects the revenue and cost assumptions in your plan so your decisions stay grounded in numbers.
• Adapt it for different audiences. For mentors and team members, the one-page business plan itself may be enough. For lenders or investors, pair it with a more detailed plan and financial projections when requested.
• Update as you learn. Treat your one-page plan as a living draft. As your business model evolves, update the plan so it always reflects reality, not just your original idea.

Most of all, remember that the goal of a one-page business plan is not to be perfect. It is to help you think clearly, act with focus, and communicate your business idea in a way that anyone can understand.