Wednesday Wisdom - How to Write Your First Business Plan on One Page

Streamline your vision, focus your efforts, and start taking action today

Introduction

A business plan doesn’t need to be a 40-page dissertation filled with jargon. A concise, one-page plan gives you the clarity to prioritise, the direction to execute, and the confidence to adapt as you learn. In under an hour, you can map out your offering, your audience, the way you’ll reach them, your pricing strategy, and your first milestone.

The Problem

Many founders freeze at the thought of drafting a lengthy business plan.

• Overwhelm: Fifty pages of projections and market analysis can bury your core idea.

• Procrastination: Waiting to “perfect” each section means you never launch.

• Lost Focus: Long-winded documents dilute the most critical decisions, what you sell and who will buy it.

Common Mistake to Avoid Trying to cover every scenario before you’ve even sold one product.

The Simple Fix

Swap the epic business book for a one-page snapshot.

Key Sections of Your One-Page Plan

1. What You Sell

   • Why It Matters: Sharpens your value proposition.

   • Mistakes to Avoid: Vague descriptions like “quality artisan goods.”

   • Tailoring Tips:

      • Product business (e.g., candles): Specify the unique scent, materials, or packaging.

      • Service business (e.g., consultancy): Define your niche expertise and deliverables.

2. Who It’s For

   • Why It Matters: Drives targeted marketing and product development.

   • Mistakes to Avoid: Saying “everyone” or “all small businesses.”

   • Tailoring Tips:

      • E-commerce brand: Pinpoint demographics, interests, online habits.

      • Local service: Identify geography, budget range, and pain points.

3. How They’ll Find You

   • Why It Matters: Allocates your marketing budget and time effectively.

   • Mistakes to Avoid: Listing every social platform without a plan.

   • Tailoring Tips:

      • Consumer goods: Combine Instagram ads, Etsy SEO, pop-up markets.

      • B2B services: Leverage LinkedIn outreach, referrals, niche podcasts.

4. What You’ll Charge

   • Why It Matters: Ensures profitability and positions your brand.

   • Mistakes to Avoid: Undercharging to “get your first customer.”

   • Tailoring Tips:

      • Physical products: Factor in cost of goods, shipping, margins.

      • Hourly services: Include prep time, revisions, and overheads.

5. Your First Goal

   • Why It Matters: Creates momentum with a measurable target.

   • Mistakes to Avoid: Setting an unrealistic or vague goal.

   • Tailoring Tips:

      • Retail: “Sell X units in month one.”

      • Consulting: “Book Y discovery calls by week four.”

     
     

The Results

With a one-page plan you’ll…

• Make decisions faster - no more debating sections that don’t move the needle.

• Launch sooner - focus on real-world tests instead of endless planning.

• Iterate with clarity - each version of your plan highlights what worked and what needs tweaking.

For example, our candle business sold 25 eco-friendly candles in month one by targeting gift buyers on Instagram and testing two price points. A freelance UX consultant landed three paid projects in six weeks by refining her niche and sharing case studies on LinkedIn.

Why It Works

• Cognitive Simplicity: A single page reduces mental load and keeps priorities front and center.

• Action Orientation: You move from planning straight into execution - no detours.

• Flexibility: As you learn what resonates, you can adjust one line on your page rather than rewrite 30.

Quick Action Checklist

✅Clarify your core offering in one sentence.

✅Define your ideal customer persona with three specific traits.

✅Select two marketing channels where that persona already engages.

✅Calculate your price to cover costs and target profit margin.

✅Set a concrete first milestone with a deadline.

✅Review and revise weekly based on real feedback.

Bullet Points: Key Takeaways

• One page forces you to focus on essentials.

• Specificity in product, audience, channel, price, and goal drives better results.

• Common pitfalls include vagueness, overplanning, and unrealistic targets.

• Tailor each section to your business model, product, service, or hybrid.

• Use your one-page plan as a living document: revisit, refine, and relaunch.

A one-page business plan is your north star when the day-to-day grind starts pulling you in fifty directions. Fill in each section, test your assumptions, then watch how clarity and momentum transform ideas into salesand stress into strategy.

Planning is essential for any business, make it simple,