A business plan can help you obtain financing by highlighting the characteristics lenders use to assess borrowers. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Melissa Houston covers financial issues that affect women in business. Creating a successful business starts with a strong plan.

The purpose of an executive summary Common mistakes to avoid The first part of your plan that anybody will see, after the title page and table of contents, is the executive summary. This could be ...

You’re set on becoming a franchisee. You may think it’s time to call a franchisor, tell them you’re interested, and get funding from your local bank, right? Wrong. If you’re considering buying a ...

Our step-by-step guide outlines what to include in your company's business growth plan and features expert advice from ...

Boost efficiency and accuracy in logistics, data analysis, forecasting, and more Elysse Bell is a finance and business writer for Investopedia. She writes about small business, personal finance, ...

Gina Baker is an experienced content strategist, SEO enthusiast, editor, and writer focused on empowering and educating agents and brokers. Before joining HousingWire, she was the site lead at The ...

Matt Webber is an experienced personal finance writer, researcher, and editor. He has published widely on personal finance, marketing, and the impact of technology on contemporary arts and culture.

The purpose of a business plan is to communicate the vision and operating plan for your business. In this guide, we’ll look at how to write a strong business plan to guide your business decisions, get ...