Alright, so here’s the deal—most business plans feel like they were written to impress investors or professors. Big words, long paragraphs, and graphs nobody understands. But when you’re actually trying to start something? That kind of plan isn’t much help.
If you’re running a real-world business—or trying to—you need a plan that keeps things clear, simple, and practical. Something you’ll actually check again after writing it.Let’s talk about how to make that kind of business plan. One that’s rough around the edges but works where it matters.
🤷♂️ Wait, Do I Even Need a Plan?
Short answer? Yeah. But not the kind where you stress about formatting or fancy charts.
It’s more like:
- Getting your ideas out of your head
- Figuring out what’s worth doing and what’s not
- Making fewer random decisions
- Not panicking every time something unexpected happens
You don’t need 30 pages. You just need enough not to feel totally lost.
🧩 So What Should You Actually Include?
Skip the textbook stuff. Here’s what actually helps when you’re starting or growing a business, especially if you’re doing most of it yourself.
1. What’s the Problem You’re Solving?
Every business solves something. If it doesn’t, it won’t last.
Think about:
- What annoys people?
- What do they keep complaining about?
- What keeps getting ignored by other businesses?
Do not think too much about this. Just say the thing out loud.
“People don’t know how to manage their money.”
“New freelancers waste hours chasing small payments.”
“Home-cooked food is hard to find after 9 pm.”
That’s enough.
2. Who Actually Needs This?
Forget “target audience” for a second. Just picture the kind of person who’s dealing with the problem you picked.
- Where do they live?
- What do they do all day?
- What? Are they already trying to solve this?
It could be:
“Working professionals in Bangalore who eat out every night but are tired of the cost.”
“Artists who want a website but don’t want to touch code.”
The more clearly you picture them, the better your entire plan gets.
3. What Are You Offering?
Here’s where you explain what you’re actually selling.
Keep it boring if you need to. Clarity > creativity.
“I’ll design one-page websites for small businesses.”
“I’ll sell ready-to-cook meal kits that take less than 15 minutes to make.”
If you’re offering a service, explain what’s included. If it’s a product, describe how it works.
4. How’s the Money Going to Work?
If this part stresses you out, don’t worry—it does for everyone.
Just ask:
- What will people pay?
- What does it cost you to deliver?
- What’s left over for you?
That’s your margin.
Then think:
- How many sales do I need to cover my basic monthly needs?
“If my kit sells for ₹300 and costs ₹120 per unit to make, the profit earned by me is ₹180 each. So if I want to hit ₹20,000 in a month, I need about 112 orders.”
Even a messy estimate is better than nothing.
5. How Will People Even Hear About You?
This is where most people get stuck. The truth? You don’t need to be everywhere.
Just think:
- Where is your audience already hanging out?
- What kind of stuff do they look at or search for?
Maybe it’s:
“Posting daily reels on Instagram using relatable humor.”
“Asking friends to forward my menu on their WhatsApp groups.”
“Listing on Google Maps and getting real reviews.”
Try only one or two methods at a time. If it works, you can continue to build from there.
6. Who Else Is Doing This?
Don’t say, “I have no competition.” That’s never true.
Just look around:
- Who’s doing something similar?
- What are they doing well?
- Where are they slipping up?
Now figure out what makes you stand out. Price? Flexibility? Speed? Personality?“
Other tiffin services don’t let people customize portions.”
“Web design agencies charge a lot, but they ignore people who only want one simple page.”
You don’t have to be wildly different. Just clearly different.
7. What Will This Cost You?
This is about basic setup, not investor-ready spreadsheets.
Make a list (rough is fine):
- What do you need to buy before launching?
- What’s your monthly cost to keep things running?
- How many sales cover all of that?
“Startup costs: ₹18,000 (website, containers, ingredients). Monthly: ₹6,000. If I make 40 sales a month at ₹300, I’m covered.”
Again, ballpark is fine. The point is knowing where you stand.
8. How’s the Day-to-Day Stuff Going at Work?
You’d be surprised how many people forget this.
Just write down:
- Where are you working from?
- Are you doing everything or getting help?
- How are you handling deliveries, calls, messages, and payments?
“I’ll take orders by 8 PM, prep meals in the morning, deliver via Dunzo, and track payments in Google Sheets.”
You don’t need a perfect system. You just need something that works and doesn’t melt your brain.
9. What’s the Goal Here?
What are you aiming for in the next few months and down the road?
Break it into chunks:
In 1–3 months:
- Launch a simple version
- Serve the first 10 paying customers
- Ask for feedback
In 6–12 months:
- Get 50 regular users
- Improve packaging/delivery
- Earn enough to quit a part-time job
In 2 years:
- Expand to 2 more areas
- Hire part-time help
- Build out the second product line
Don’t write what sounds impressive. Write what makes sense for you.
📌 Final Notes (Keep It Scrappy)
- Don’t try to make the “perfect” business plan. You’ll just delay getting started.
- This plan is for you, not for a bank, not for a judge panel, not for LinkedIn.
- Keep it rough. Keep it short. Rewrite it when you learn something new.
- And if something feels off? You’re allowed to change it.
That’s the whole point.
✅ What to Include in Your Plan (Quick Recap)
Just make sure you’ve written down:
- The problem
- Who’s dealing with it
- What you’re offering
- How the money works
- How you’ll get noticed
- Who else is in the space
- Your rough expenses
- How you’ll run things daily
- What are your next few goals?
If you’ve got those, you’ve got a real plan. It doesn’t matter if it’s written in a doc, on sticky notes, or in your notes app.