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.

Writing a business plan is a serious and exciting endeavor. Whether you're launching a new business or making changes to a company you already own, a business plan is where your hopes and dreams ...

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Writing a business plan is like the architectural plan for a home or a brick-and-mortar building. You need to know what materials you ...

Business plans vary in content according to their intended purposes, but the basic format remains the same. It consists of three elements: First, discuss the business model and describe your products ...

According to Small Business Trends, a third of small businesses get started with less than $5,000, and 58% got started with less than $25,000. 26% of business owners started because they were willing ...