A business plan that gets funded or approved isn't the longest one — it's the most honest one. This guide shows you what to include, what to skip, and how to make each section convincing.
One page. What you do, who it's for, why you win, and what you need. Write this last, even though it goes first.
If your executive summary takes more than 60 seconds to read, it's too long.
Describe the specific problem with evidence (data, quotes, your own experience). Then explain your solution and why it's better than what exists.
Most founders describe their solution before proving the problem exists. Don't.
Total Addressable Market (TAM), Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM), and your realistic target (SOM). Use bottom-up calculations, not top-down percentages.
'We only need 1% of a $10B market' is the most dangerous sentence in a business plan.
How do you make money? Pricing, revenue streams, unit economics. Include CAC, LTV, and gross margin estimates.
If you can't explain your business model in one sentence, you don't understand it yet.
How will you acquire your first 100 customers? Be specific — channels, tactics, budget, timeline. 'Social media and word of mouth' is not a strategy.
Your first channel should be one you can do yourself, for free, starting tomorrow.
Who are your competitors? What do they do well? Where do they fall short? What's your genuine differentiation?
Saying 'we have no competitors' tells investors you haven't done your research.
3-year revenue, expense, and cash flow projections. Show your assumptions. Be conservative — then explain what happens if you're right.
Investors know your projections are wrong. They're evaluating whether your assumptions are reasonable.
Here's how Brutally.ai improves a weak executive summary
Original Executive Summary (submitted)
"We are building an AI-powered platform that helps businesses optimise their supply chain operations using machine learning and real-time data analytics to reduce costs and improve efficiency."
"We help mid-size UK manufacturers (£5M–£50M revenue) reduce raw material waste by 15–25% using AI demand forecasting — replacing the spreadsheet-based guesswork that costs the average manufacturer £180K/year in excess inventory."
Paste your business plan (or any section of it) and get honest, structured feedback — what's working, what's weak, and exactly what to improve.
A business plan should include: executive summary, problem and solution, market size analysis, business model and unit economics, go-to-market strategy, competitive analysis, team overview, and financial projections. The most important sections are the problem/solution and unit economics — everything else supports those.
For most purposes, 10–15 pages is ideal. Investors rarely read beyond the executive summary and financials unless the first page hooks them. A one-page business plan (sometimes called a 'lean canvas') is often more useful for early-stage validation.
You need to have thought through what a business plan covers — but you don't necessarily need a formal document. The thinking matters more than the format. That said, if you're seeking investment or a bank loan, a formal plan is usually required.
AI can help structure and draft a business plan, but the core inputs — market research, customer interviews, financial assumptions — must come from you. Brutally.ai can review your plan and identify weaknesses before you present it to investors or lenders.
Investors look for: evidence of market demand (customer interviews, pre-sales), realistic unit economics, a clear go-to-market strategy, and a team that can execute. A polished document with weak fundamentals won't get funded. A rough document with strong fundamentals will.