Find Business Plans

Updated: May 16, 2023

Find Business Plans

In the page below you will find examples of successful business plans. Researching your business plan can be a very time-consuming experience, but it is an essential and worthwhile investment. Your business plan will become your most important day to day operating tool. The information resources and strategies in this guide will help you create an effective plan and increase your chances for business success.

Review Sample Plans for Ideas

Most books about starting a business will include examples of business plans, as well as business planning templates. In addition to books, online business resources frequently include sample business plans. Here are a few to get you started.

 

Business Plans

Bplans.com
This site offers a selection of free sample business plans, as well as articles on business planning. Bplans.com also sells business planning software.

 

Business Plans Handbook, Gale Publishing
This is a database of actual business plans written by North American entrepreneurs seeking financing for their businesses. Includes examples of many start-up business ideas. Access is available through many BC public libraries, made possible by a generous donation from the Sutherland Foundation. Affiliates of UBC can start here.

  • Greenland, P. (2022). Custom Cake Baker. In D. Craft (Ed.), Business Plans Handbook (Vol. 54, pp. 31-43). Gale. 
  • Greenland, P. (2020). Baking Lessons Business. In D. Craft (Ed.), Business Plans Handbook (Vol. 48, pp. 1-9). Gale. 
  • Greenland, P. (2018). Cupcake Studio Business. In D. Craft (Ed.), Business Plans Handbook (Vol. 42, pp. 19-24). Gale. 
  • Bread Bakery. (2017). In J. Palmisano (Ed.), Business Plans Handbook (Vol. 39, pp. 35-47). Gale. 
  • Moore, C. (2015). Gluten-Free Bakery. In K. B. Mallegg (Ed.), Business Plans Handbook (Vol. 32, pp. 109-116). Gale.

 

SCORE
SCORE is a non profit association helping small businesses. Their library includes templates for business plans, SWOT analysis, financial projections and more.

 

Futurpreneur

A national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39. Futurpreneur's mentoring program hand matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,400 volunteer mentors.

 

Ontario Business Central

Ontario Business Central supports entrepreneurs and business owners to cultivate ideas and dreams into reality for business start-ups and growth within Canada while providing the easiest, most informative online experience to start a business, whether you are looking at registering or incorporating a business.

 

CanadaStartups

CanadaStartups.org is a private organization dedicated to providing small business owners and entrepreneurs with guidance, tools and resources required to start and launch a business in Canada.

 

Baking Association of Canada (BAC)

BAC is a national trade association representing retail, in-store and commercial baking companies and allied trades. Their page on Starting a Bakery Business provides a great starting point for information to include in your business plans

 

Business Plan Template And Cash Flow Forecasting Tool
Our friends at Small Business BC provide two valuable tools in one download: the first is a well-structured business plan template that will help communicate what you plan to do, and how you plan to do it, while the second is a spreadsheet you can fill in to, among other things, project costs and expenses using common line items. These tools will set you on your way to being able to present your business plan to funders. 

 

Marketing Plans

Marketing Plan Outline from Government of Canada |This Government of Canada page reviews the components of a marketing plan and why a marketing plan is necessary for your small business. 

BDC Marketing Plan Template | This comprehensive marketing plan template from BDC is for Canadian entrepreneurs specifically and includes all the important sections of a marketing plan, including an executive summary, identification of your target customer, and how you'll measure your sales.

Small Business BC - How to Write a Marketing Plan
This guide shows you how to develop a marketing plan that includes details like how you intend to meet your customers’ needs and communicate the benefits of your products or services to them. When making any decisions about market positioning, pricing, promotions, and sales, your customers should always be top of mind.