HomeCourses › Writing a Business Plan
Start & Grow

Writing a Business Plan

A practical Business Nous course in the Start & Grow track.

14 sessions133 lessons8 hours of study Written lessonsWorkbook includedCertificate

What you'll learn

  • Gathering and Analyzing Information
  • Wrap-Up
  • What is a Business Plan For?
  • A General Business Plan Framework
  • Identifying Your Audience
  • Defining Your Company
  • Getting to Work
  • Creating a Marketing Strategy
  • Creating the Sales Plan
  • Developing Financial Projections

Course content

14 sessions · 133 lessons · ~8 hours · first 2 lessons free

Part 16 lessons
  • Your Velsoft training package contains the following itemsFree2 min
  • A bottle of waterFree2 min
  • Our Top 10 Training Tips2 min
  • Soft ball or object2 min
  • How to Use This Guide2 min
  • What can you do to exploit the competition’s weaknesses and shortcomings?2 min
Session One: Course Overview15 lessons
  • Overview6 min
  • Introductions2 min
  • Some common ground rules include2 min
  • Course Overview2 min
  • Research and analyze the individual components needed for a business plan2 min
  • Describe your marketing, sales, and planning strategies2 min
  • Step One: Choosing Your Path2 min
  • Step Two: Value Identification2 min
  • Step Four: Defining Your Vision2 min
  • Step Five: Defining Your Mission2 min
  • Your moral and ethical beliefs2 min
  • All of the above2 min
  • The marketing plan2 min
  • Distribution channels2 min
  • A market analysis incorporates2 min
Session Five: Gathering and Analyzing Information22 lessons
  • Morning Wrap-Up2 min
  • GO-PARSE15 min
  • Get Organized2 min
  • Preview2 min
  • Use the five W’s and How to help you2 min
  • Where2 min
  • Read2 min
  • Here are some tips for effective reading2 min
  • Draw shapes and arrows2 min
  • Summarize2 min
  • Publisher and publication date2 min
  • Edition number2 min
  • URL and date accessed2 min
  • Incorrect2 min
  • That is2 min
  • Example2 min
  • More tips2 min
  • Evaluate3 min
  • Growth2 min
  • Accounting2 min
  • Foundation2 min
  • Private Company2 min
Day One Wrap-Up3 lessons
  • Activity2 min
  • Debrief60 min
  • Re-Connect: Turning Things Around2 min
Session Two: What is a Business Plan For?1 lesson
  • Getting Down to Business2 min
Session Three: A General Business Plan Framework5 lessons
  • Creating a Framework15 min
  • Other optional and helpful elements can include2 min
  • Defining Our Values2 min
  • Microsoft’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Vision Statement2 min
  • Making Connections2 min
Session Four: Identifying Your Audience2 lessons
  • Defining Yourself2 min
  • Defining the Terms2 min
Session Six: Defining Your Company5 lessons
  • Identifying Your USP15 min
  • Writing Your Company Description15 min
  • What will the impact of this business be on the customer?2 min
  • Example: The Acme Vacuum 10002 min
  • Operations and Your Business Plan2 min
Session Seven: Getting to Work1 lesson
  • Financial projections15 min
Session Eight: Creating a Marketing Strategy13 lessons
  • The Purpose of the Plan2 min
  • What is the buying process?2 min
  • Access: Can you reach the segment through advertising and then distribution?2 min
  • Defend: Can you defend yourself and stand out from the competition?2 min
  • Childless households2 min
  • SWOT Analysis2 min
  • Next Steps2 min
  • Analyzing Distribution Channels15 min
  • Price2 min
  • Promotion2 min
  • Evaluate, Review, and Revise15 min
  • Leveraging Social Media15 min
  • Follow Others2 min
Session Nine: Creating the Sales Plan6 lessons
  • Building Your Sales Force15 min
  • Initiate2 min
  • Build2 min
  • Manage2 min
  • Optimize2 min
  • Some ideas include2 min
Session Ten: Developing Financial Projections27 lessons
  • The Importance of Financial Planning2 min
  • What is Finance?2 min
  • Government agencies, who collect taxes from the business15 min
  • The Income Statement2 min
  • The income statement equation typically looks like this2 min
  • Sample Income Statement2 min
  • Widget Sales2 min
  • Widget Installation2 min
  • Interest Income2 min
  • Total Revenue2 min
  • Rent2 min
  • Utilities2 min
  • Advertising2 min
  • Wages2 min
  • Total Expenses2 min
  • The Balance Sheet2 min
  • Balance Sheet Equation2 min
  • Cash2 min
  • Unearned revenue2 min
  • Cash Flow Statement2 min
  • Add net income for the period2 min
  • Total Retained Earnings2 min
  • Minus dividends paid2 min
  • Retained earnings2 min
  • What Do Projections Include?2 min
  • This is not an easy task, so remember2 min
  • Use the Writing Rules2 min
Session Eleven: Putting It All Together26 lessons
  • Writing the Executive Summary15 min
  • Making a Strong Presentation15 min
  • The Finishing Touches15 min
  • Workshop Wrap-Up2 min
  • In closing2 min
  • Writing a Business Plan2 min
  • Onboarding plan2 min
  • A traditional paper report2 min
  • How do they feel about all of this?2 min
  • A freelancer2 min
  • What can you do to appeal to them?2 min
  • What could the author have done to make your research easier?4 min
  • Where does their involvement end?4 min
  • How do participants feel about these aspects of the sales cycle?3 min
  • I have these resources to help me2 min
  • Recommended Reading List2 min
  • Course Evaluation2 min
  • Course Length2 min
  • Strongly Agree2 min
  • Final Thoughts2 min
  • Post-Course Assessment2 min
  • A glossary2 min
  • Marketing plan2 min
  • Initiate, Build, Manage, Optimize2 min
  • Pre-Course Assessment2 min
  • Personal Action Plan2 min
Exercises & tools1 lesson
  • How to Use the Assessment Tools2 min

About this course

A practical Business Nous course in the Start & Grow track.

Every lesson is written out in full — this is the complete course, not a summary. You read it, watch the narrated video, and do the exercise against your own business. The workbook is yours to download, print and keep. Finish the lessons and you earn a Business Nous certificate.

Who it's for

Small business owners, managers and ambitious employees who want practical know-how rather than academic theory. No prior study is needed — start where you are and work at your own pace.