biography for business plan

What more do you need to know?

Ian doesn't take his bio too seriously but uses every character to highlight everything about him.

He includes his skills as a marketer and podcast host, who he is outside work as a dad, and what he can help you do. His smiles also give the bio a sense of humor and realness.

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How To Write a Business Bio

Table of Contents

If you could use three words to explain your personality to someone, which words would you use? Maybe all that popped into your head was “I’m a person” or “Need a job.” If so, you’re in the right place. Writing a bio isn’t easy; it’s always a challenge to define yourself in only a few words. But don’t worry–you can do it! Not only is thinking about who you are a great writing exercise, but it’s also a powerful form of personal development. Here are some tips on how to write a business bio.

How to Write a Short Bio

Think about online bios; what comes to mind? Most people think of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Each of these platforms has a place for a short description of yourself, who you are, and what you do. It’s important to make the most of the few lines you’re afforded! You should keep your social media bios short and sweet, and remember to only include things that you’d want a stranger to know about you. This usually consists of your name, your current role, your ultimate goal, and your biggest achievement.

How to Write a Professional Bio

There are many professional sites out there, including AngelList, LinkedIn, and event sites. Each of these has space for a bio or summary section. What’s important to include in a professional bio is a mid-length description of your current role, professional goals, and noteworthy achievements. On LinkedIn especially, professional bios allow for more detail than social media bios. Here’s what you should include:

• First and last name
• Professional tagline or current role
• Personal brand or company
• Professional goals and aspirations
• A few of your most noteworthy achievements
• One fun fact about you (depending on the website)

What to Include in a Bio for Work

If you’re writing a bio for your company’s website, Slack interface, or HR system, you’ll want to share both your personality and your professional expertise. Allow your coworkers to get a glimpse of who you really are!

Anything you would put into a professional bio is also appropriate in a bio for your company. The difference is that in a bio for your company, you don’t need to shy away from personalization with personal details. You can mention a favorite hobby, the last book you read, or a person you look up to. This way, your coworkers can get a sense of who you are even if they haven’t yet worked with you.

What to Include in a Bio for Your Personal Website

If you’ve ever tried to write the “About” section for your personal website, then you know it can be a hassle. After creating a whole website about yourself, it’s time yet again to write a description of who you are.

But don’t worry; your website bio doesn’t need to be too complex. All it requires is context regarding who you are and what you’ve done. A personal website bio is a larger, open space where you can list several accomplishments and explain exactly why they’re important. It’s also nice to add a brief paragraph mentioning who you are outside of work. With this type of bio, it’s wise to add a contact form or email information so that any prospective collaborators, clients, or employers can easily get in touch. If you do include this, remember to add a clear call to action that will convince readers to contact you.

A Bio Template to Use and Customize

Even now, after reading about various types of bios, it can still be challenging to write a business bio. The words might not be flowing just yet, you might not be sure about where and how your professional bio will be used and displayed, or you may feel completely stuck. In any case, this bio template should be helpful, and variations of it can be used on any site.

• Brand or company
• Current position or function
• Overall goals or values
• Top accomplishments/milestones of your career
• Personality/hobbies outside of work
• Contact information

Bio Example

The informative short bio: heather heying’s twitter.

Heather’s Twitter bio describes her career and hobbies while also promoting her book. It also includes links to her professional websites in case any followers wish to contact her or find additional information.

Four Tips for a Great Bio

We’ve given you lots of info on how to write a bio, but that doesn’t make it easy to write about yourself. Remember, even the most confident people can struggle with self-promotion! Luckily, there are a few tips to keep in mind that should be helpful for your “about me” writing.

1. Don’t think too much.

Most bios follow a formula, and that’s totally fine. In the case of most LinkedIn summaries, professional bios, and speaker bios for events, it’s not really necessary to stray from the norm. Simply including an adjective that gives readers a clue about your personality or mentioning a fascinating achievement can make your bio fun and different. 

2. Know your worth.

Writing a bio on a huge social media platform can be understandably daunting–there is a crazy amount of people and bios out there already! But don’t fall into the comparison trap. Remember this: You’re the only one who gets to tell your story in this way, and you have inherent value. As long as you remain authentic and sincere, there’s no need to be concerned about anyone else!

3. Feel free to borrow.

We’ll admit it: Bios are often tedious and repetitive. If you discover a structure you like that stands out, then feel free to borrow it! Avoid copying someone’s bio–that’s their story, not yours–but you can absolutely mimic its structure. 

4. Get help.

You’re not the only one who is trying to create a bio that stands out from the crowd. Asking friends for feedback or using online grammar software can help you write the perfect business bio and make it one of a kind!

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How to write a professional bio (with examples and templates)

• Rebecca Strehlow
• 11 min read

Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain →

Which three words would you use to describe yourself? Most of us have been asked this question, and many of us have fumbled through it awkwardly.

Coming up with a personal description can be daunting. But there are times when it’s essential - whether we’re updating our LinkedIn profiles, blogging for Medium or creating a business website of our own.

In this post, we’ll go over how to write a bio, step by step. To help guide you, we’ve also included a handy template, along with some professional bio examples for your inspiration. With these resources, you’ll find that writing a bio, as part of making a website , is much easier than you might think.

What is a bio?

Before you learn how to write a bio, you should have a clear understanding of what it is and why you need it.

In the world of literature, a personal biography can span the length of an entire novel, like Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom or Malala Yousafzai’s I Am Malala . In the online world, however, a bio is a short paragraph in which you introduce yourself. Typically, people place bios on the About Us page of their professional website, as well as on their social media pages and other networking platforms.

What to include in a bio

Depending on your audience and goals, your bio can highlight your personal interests, your professional achievements or a mix of both. Here are some of the elements a bio might include:

Job title or workplace

University degree and other qualifications

Hometown or city of residence

Personal or professional goals

Mission statement and values

Skills and expertise

Interests and hobbies

The goal of writing a bio is to provide people with a snapshot of who you are. This is important for a variety of reasons, whether it’s drawing people toward your personal website or promoting your blog, attracting clients and business partners to your brand, or highlighting your achievements for job interviews.

How to write a short bio

The most effective online bios are both professional and concise. Here’s how to write a short professional bio that suits your website or brand:

Introduce yourself

State your company or brand name

Explain your professional role

Include professional achievements

Discuss your passions and values

Mention your personal interests

01. Introduce yourself

Begin your bio by stating your first and last name. If you’re writing in the third person, these should be the first two words of the paragraph. This makes your name easy for your audience to identify and remember. Your bio is a huge part of your personal branding efforts, and should start with a strong intro to make a positive impact.

02. State your company or brand name

Think about whether you want your bio to represent yourself on a personal level, or whether you’d like it to come across as more professional. If you have a personal brand or business - for example, a blog, freelance business or eCommerce site - be sure to mention your brand name at the beginning of your bio. Don’t be afraid if the name sounds simple or redundant. It’s perfectly fine, for instance, to say Mary Smith is the founder and CEO of Smith Digital.

Likewise, feel free to mention the name of another company or brand that you work for if you’d like to associate it with your professional accomplishments - e.g., Mary Smith is a consultant at Google and the founder and CEO of Smith Digital.

03. Explain your professional role

Next, briefly explain your current position. This is relevant whether you’re the founder of a company, a high-level specialist or a beginner in your field, and it can be similar to the description you have on your resume. Your website visitors won’t necessarily know what your job involves, so elaborating on your primary responsibilities helps paint a picture of who you are and what you have to offer. This can also be used, if needed for employment and recruitment opportunities. If you're a freelancer a strong bio can make all the difference in how successful sourcing work can be.

04. Include professional achievements

In addition to explaining what your job entails, highlight milestones that make you stand out. Even if you haven’t won an award or gained external recognition, you can discuss ways in which you’ve contributed to your professional role and touch on new ideas or approaches that you bring to the table.

05. Discuss your passions and values

Once you describe what you do and how you contribute to your role, you’ll need to explain the why . This is one of the most important elements to focus on as you consider how to write a bio.

Think about the values and passions underlying your work, as well as your professional philosophy. What gets you up in the morning? What’s the driving force behind what you do?

You can also think of this part of your professional bio as a kind of mission statement. Perhaps your mission is to serve others, contribute to society, grow your expertise or learn new skills. Whatever your reasons, expanding upon these ideas can help your audience get a better understanding of what truly matters to you. Don't be afraid to deploy storytelling in this part of creating your bio. Explore your narrative and then convey it.

06. Mention your personal interests

The most effective short bios will not only focus on your professional experience, but will also touch on what you like to do in your spare time. Consider mentioning:

Your family

Your hometown

Your hobbies

Side projects you’re working on

Transitioning to a more casual discussion of who you are outside of work is a great way to conclude your bio. This will present you as a more well-rounded person while making you relatable for your audience.

Professional bio template

As you go through the steps on how to write a bio, this handy template will help you get started:

Sentence 1: [Name] is a [job title] who [job description].

E.g., Lisa Green is an English teacher who teaches beginning to advanced literature courses for 10th and 11th grade students at Bloomfield High School.

Sentence 2: [Name] believes that [why you do the work you do].

E.g., Lisa believes that written and analytical skills are not only a fundamental part of academic excellence, but are also the building blocks of critical thinking in high school and beyond.

Sentence 3: [Name/pronoun] has [mention your achievements].

E.g., In addition to managing the English curriculum for the school, she runs an after school program where she works one-on-one with students.

Sentence 4: [Name/pronoun] is a [mention any relevant awards, training or honors].

E.g., She has also been nominated Teacher of the Year for two consecutive years.

Sentence 5: [Name/pronoun] holds a [insert degree] in [field of study] from [university].

E.g., Lisa holds a BA in Creative Writing and a Master’s Degree in Teaching from the University of Michigan.

Once you’ve filled in this template, put it all together into a single paragraph to create an initial framework for your professional biography. Note that you can shorten or expand upon this bio according to your unique needs.

Professional bio examples

Now that you know the basics of writing a professional bio, here are some short bio examples to inspire you. You can use these examples as additional templates for guidance as you craft your own personal biography.

Like the creators of these examples, you can place your bio on your personal or professional website and, later, revise the structure for other online platforms.

01. Bristol Guitar Making School

Of all the professional bio examples, Alex Bishop’s content exudes passion. Strategically placing the bio on the About page of his small business website , he highlights his skills and explains why he finds his work meaningful. In particular, we love his description of why he chose to pursue guitar making:

“​My passion as a guitar maker comes from a life-long obsession with making things. From a young age I have always tried to manipulate objects and materials in order to create something entirely different. I find that working with wood is a way for me to connect with nature. The simple act of shaping wood to make something functional or beautiful brings me endless satisfaction.”

He also lists his accomplishments and awards, adding credibility to his business and building trust among prospective clients.

02. Alexandra Zsigmond

As someone who has served as art director for both The New York Times' opinion section and The New Yorker , it's no surprise that Alexandra Zsigmond's bio is thorough and detailed. Providing statistics or reflections on the things she achieved in her career is a clever way to demonstrate her value without saying so directly. As she explains:

"She has collaborated with a roster of over 1000 artists worldwide and art directed over 4000 editorial illustrations. She is known for greatly expanding the range of visual contributors to the Times, drawing equally from the worlds of contemporary illustration, fine art, animation, and comics."

03. Amanda Shields Interiors

Amanda Shields provides us with another effective bio example on her interior design website. Importantly, she spices up her bio by explaining how home decor aligns with her personal life and why it’s so close to her heart as a mother and entrepreneur:

"After working as a product designer for numerous retailers over the years, and after I had my first child, I decided to take the plunge and start my own home staging business…. Coincidentally, a month later I discovered I was pregnant with my second child. I loved the new challenges I faced as a new entrepreneur and mom and it didn't take long for me to discover that this was my calling…. I felt the need to expand my business and launch Amanda Shields Interiors as its own entity to focus specifically on residential interiors and design."

By placing this content on her website’s About page, she provides potential clients with insights into her expertise and professional experience. She expands upon the choices she made along her career path, strategically making note of her achievements and acquired skills along the way.

Tips for writing a bio

As you write your bio using the professional template above, make sure to keep the following tips in mind:

Keep it concise: Your bio should be sufficiently explanatory, but it should also be short and to the point. A good rule of thumb is to keep each element of your bio - from your job description to your mission statement and hobbies - to about 1-2 sentences. That way, you’ll end up with a brief paragraph that holds your readers’ attention without rambling on.

Consider your audience: The voice and tone you choose for your biography largely depends on your audience and personal goals. If you’re looking for a job and are writing primarily for recruiters, you’ll want to use a serious, professional tone. On the other hand, if you’re creating an Instagram bio , consider using more casual, conversational language that reflects your personality.

Add humor: Relatedly, consider adding humor when appropriate. This is especially valuable if you’ve founded your own business or created your own website , as it can give you a distinct brand identity while helping your audience build a stronger sense of connection with your brand.

Link to your website: When writing a bio for a platform other than your own website - a social media page, another company page, or a guest blog or publication - remember to include a link to your website. This will help you promote your website while highlighting your professionalism and authority.

Adapt for different platforms: You’ll most likely need to adapt the length and writing style of your biography to suit different platforms. For example, you may place a longer bio on your website’s About page and a shorter one on your LinkedIn page. In these cases, use the same main principles for writing a bio while scaling down the most important elements.

By following these tips, you can create a powerful bio that helps you stand out in your field and allows your audience to get to know you better.

How to write a bio in four sentences or less

Really need to create a super short bio? We'd suggest following some of the tips above, just condensing them into less word for a short bio that still makes impact.

But if we really had to choose we'd say focus on - you, your professional role and company. That condenses everything that matters for bio into three sentences. Humor, creativity and uniqueness still all matter - just use fewer words to convey them.

Creating a bio for your website

As we’ve noted in the examples above, one of the most strategic places to put your bio is on your website - so be sure to consider it within your web design plans. Whether the goal of your site is to start and promote your business , showcase your design portfolio or display your resume, including a bio gives your audience a glimpse into the person behind your content. It can also kickstart your professional growth . Show the world what you do, how you do it and why it matters, and people will be drawn to your passion and inspired by your experience.

Pro tip: You can add a bio to many different types of websites, so using templates can help you create yours faster. For example, if you're creating a portfolio website , explore portfolio website templates to help you get started.

Creating a bio for social media

Crafting a professional bio for social media is vital as it introduces you or your brand, and it builds credibility and trust. A well-written bio establishes your expertise, attracts the right audience, and fosters engagement. It helps maintain a consistent brand image, optimizes search and discovery, and opens doors to networking and career opportunities. A compelling bio delivers a concise, informative snapshot of who you are, what you do, and the value you bring, leaving a lasting impression on visitors and potential collaborators alike.

You may need to edit your bio depending on which social media platform you plan to use it on. Some of the most popular ones include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Focus on getting your bio right on the platforms you plan to focus your personal or brand social media marketing efforts on.

Writing a bio with AI

If you're looking to write your bio fast while creating your website, consider using an AI text generator to build your draft. You'll still need to make sure it goes through. an intensive editing process, so that it really captures the essence of who you are and your professional skills. A bio is about much more than just basic information, so don't forget to include the storytelling too. Build a website with Wix and you can make use of the in-built AI text generator within its Editor .

Why good bios are important for a professional

In a world where first impressions matter, a well-crafted bio can make a significant impact in establishing trust and credibility with potential clients, employers or collaborators. It also offers insight into your personality and values, helping to forge authentic connections with your audience. It acts as a powerful tool for personal branding, allowing you to differentiate yourself in a competitive landscape and leave a memorable impression.

A strong bio also serves as a gateway to opportunities, whether it's securing new clients, landing job interviews or establishing partnerships. It acts as a professional introduction, allowing you to showcase your expertise. A polished and impactful bio is essential for you to effectively communicate your professional identity and stand out in your field.

Writing a bio without experience

Writing a bio when you don't yet have experience can be challenging, but it's an opportunity to showcase your potential and aspirations.

Begin by highlighting your educational background, skills and any relevant coursework or projects you've completed. Focus on your passions, interests and personal qualities that make you unique. Consider including volunteer work, internships or extracurricular activities that demonstrate your commitment and initiative. Emphasize your eagerness to learn and grow in your chosen field and express your future goals and aspirations. Don't be afraid to be honest about your current stage and your willingness to gain experience and develop professionally.

If you don't know what to write in your bio, start by brainstorming your key experiences, achievements, skills and personal attributes. Consider what sets you apart and what you want others to know about you. Look for inspiration from other bios or profiles in your field, and consider seeking feedback from friends, mentors or colleagues. Don't hesitate to highlight your passions, interests and goals, as well as any unique experiences or perspectives you bring to the table. Remember to keep it concise and engaging, and don't be afraid to revise and refine your bio until it accurately represents you.

How to write a bio FAQ

What is a short bio.

A short bio, short for biography, is a concise summary of a your life or professional background. It provides a brief overview of your key achievements, qualifications, experiences, and relevant details. Typically written in the third person, a short bio is often used in various contexts, such as professional profiles, social media accounts, introductions for speaking engagements, author descriptions, and other situations where a brief introduction is required. The length of a short bio can vary, but it's generally kept to a few sentences or a short paragraph to provide a snapshot of the person's background and expertise.

How do I write a bio about myself?

What should i include in a short bio, how do you write a fun bio for work, how do i make my bio stand out, related posts.

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The 25 Best Business Biographies For Entrepreneurs 2024

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Entrepreneurs and founders must constantly adapt and learn from every possible source, and books are no exception.

This is especially true for business biographies, as they tend to be personally written by the most powerful and game-changing people in the business world.

Below there’s a list of the best 25 business biographies, carefully picked to satisfy everyone’s taste.

25 Best Business Biographies

1) alibaba: the house that jack ma built.

Name of book : Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built

Description of the book : This excellent entrepreneur biography tells the ultimate story about the world-famous Chinese entrepreneur and founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma. 

The author, Duncan Clark, was an early advisor to Jack Ma in early 1999 when Alibaba was founded. You can read everything about Jack Ma, his breakthrough idea, and the impact it made in the e-commerce sector.

Entrepreneurs can also read about the humble beginnings of Alibaba, how Jack overcame his Silicon Valley rivals, and the story of Alibaba’s domination, with 80% of the market share. 

Author : Duncan Clark

Length : 304 pages

‍Notable quote : “Customers first, employees second, and shareholders third.”

2) Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul

Name of book : Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul

Description of the book : Onward is an excellent entrepreneur biography that presents the story of the popular coffee brand Starbucks and how they managed to stay on ‘top of their game’ during the 2008 crisis. 

The former CEO Howard Schultz describes his return after 8 years and the methods he implemented afterward. 

The biography offers a deep look at how Howard overcame all odds during the most challenging economic times in history and how Starbucks saved its soul and regained its profitability without sacrificing anything.

Author : Howard Schultz and Joanne Gordon

Length : 350 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “Beverages have to be created. And they’re created by looking at what trend is in, say, the fashion industry – what color’s hot right now.”

3) Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography

Name of book : Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography

Description of the book : Steve Jobs is a well-presented entrepreneur autobiography regarding one of the most influential founders ever. The book is based on over 40 interviews with Steve Jobs, his family members, and colleagues. 

You can see how Steve Jobs got his ideas and how he rose above the challenges throughout time. Walters shows how Jobs revolutionized multiple industries, including music, animated movies, phones, and tablet computers.

As an entrepreneur, you will undoubtedly find this book quite helpful as it shows Steve's methods and work ethic during his journey and how to maintain your sanity during extreme times.

Author : Walter Isaacson

Length : 627 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “You should never start a company with the goal of getting rich. Your goal should be making something you believe in and making a company that will last.”

4) Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE

Name of book : Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

Description of the book : Nike’s CEO and founder Phil Knight decided to open up and tell his story behind one of the most iconic brands today, Nike. 

His idea to sell high-quality and cheap-priced shoes imported from Japan was born in 1962. Knight shares all details from his journey, including obstacles he overcame, risks he took, and the sacrifices made for Nike to become what it is today.

You can also read plenty about the first partners and relationships with his employees, proving to us that everything is possible through teamwork and loyalty.

Author : Phil Knight

Length : 400 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “Let everyone else call your idea crazy... just keep going. Don’t stop. Don’t even think about stopping until you get there, and don’t give much thought to where ‘there’ is. Whatever comes, just don’t stop.”

5) Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Name of book : Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Description of the book : Have you ever wondered how Rockefeller gained his reputation and wealth? Well, award-winning biographer Ron Chernow explored that subject and wrote a book about it, too. 

Titan shows the impressive story behind the most controversial family in the US and their place in history. Chernow tells us a detailed story about John D. Rockefeller, Sr, and his ruthless methods and ethics that made him the world’s first billionaire.

You can clearly see how Rockefeller founded the most powerful and feared monopoly in American history, Standard Oil , all the way to his demise at the behest of President Teddy Roosevelt.

Author : Ron Chernow

Length : 832 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “Success comes from keeping the ears open and the mouth closed”

6) Made in Japan: Akio Morita and Sony

Name of book : Made in Japan: Akio Morita and Sony

Description of the book : Made in Japan takes you on a journey behind Sony Corporation , from its co-founder, Akio Morita. 

As one of the best entrepreneur biographies, you can take a deep look at Japan’s business techniques and methods and how the Japanese think, which can be priceless information for founders.

The story narrated by the authors is centered on how Sony was built, from its humble beginning after World War II to its meteoric post-war rise as the most influential company for music entertainment, and multimedia.

Author : Akio Morita , Edwin M. Reingold and Mitsuko Shimomura

Length : 352 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “Curiosity is the key to creativity.”

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7) The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon

Name of book : The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon

Description of the book : The Everything Store is the definitive biography of Amazon and its founder, Jeff Bezos. Brad Stone narrates the story of Jeff Bezos’s corporate culture and the methods he implemented at Amazon . 

You will read what it took for Jeff to build this company and how he changed how we shop and read... Forever!

Author : Brad Stone

Length : 384 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “Some of these investments will pay off, others will not, and we will have learned another valuable lesson in either case.”

8) Sam Walton: Made in America

Name of book : Sam Walton: Made in America

Description of the book : This is considered one of the greatest entrepreneur biographies because it describes the origin story of Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart and Sam’s Club . You will read how Sam founded the biggest retail stores in history and the largest private employer in the world. 

The authors clearly state what it took for Sam to create Walmart and what techniques he used in that process. Also, you will read about all methods regarding the planning and hiring process that attracted many workers. Today, Walmart is the largest corporation in terms of revenue.

Author : Sam Walton and John Huey

Length : 346 pages

‍Notable quote : “Great ideas come from everywhere if you just listen and look for them. You never know who’s going to have a great idea.”

9) Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future

Name of book : Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future

Description of the book : Ashlee Vence presents the detailed life of Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX . It gives you a deep look into Musk’s ideas and innovations about the future he envisioned. Everything changed when Elon sold PayPal and shifted his focus on future investments, like clean automobiles and space programs.

Musk’s story is used to explore the question: can inventors still compete in today’s fierce global competition?

Author : Ashlee Vence

Length : 392 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “Good ideas are always crazy until they’re not.”

10) The Snowball; Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

Name of book : The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

Description of the book : The Snowball presents the story of Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors in history and the founder of Berkshire Hathaway Holdings.  

Alice Schroeder narrates this well-read CEO biography about the life of Warren Buffett and the idea to create a holding company that owns stocks in multiple famous corporations like Coca-Cola, American Express, and Apple.

As an entrepreneur, you will find important information about Warren’s secrets despite living in privacy for most of his life.

Author : Alice Schroeder

Length : 960 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “Time is the friend of the wonderful business, the enemy of the mediocre.”

11) Morgan: American Financier

Name of book : Morgan: American Financier

Description of the book : One of the best business biographies, Morgan gives you a never-before-seen insight about J. Pierpont Morgan, one of the greatest investors in US history. 

In this book, you will read how Morgan reorganized the nation’s railroad and appointed himself as a one-man central bank. The author also guides the reader into Morgan’s life outside his business.

Author : Jean Strouse

Length : 816 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “No problem can be solved until it is reduced to some simple form. The changing of a vague difficulty into a specific, concrete form is a very essential element in thinking.”

12) Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles

Name of book : Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles

Description of the book : Here, There and Everywhere is one of the best business biographies regarding The Beatles chief engineer, the man responsible for their unique sound. 

Geoff Emerick describes his journey from the start of The Beatles in 1962, all the way to their meteoric rise to the top. In the book, you will find out how Geoff pioneered innovative recording techniques and how he achieved the sound of their most famous songs that changed rock music forever.

As an entrepreneur, you can learn that starting at a young age can be the best move you can make - just like Geoff did when he was 15 years old!

Author : Geoff Emerick

‍ ‍Notable quote : “It was down to me—not George Martin, not anyone else—to turn the Beatles’ new vision into a reality.”

13) Bloomberg by Bloomberg

Name of book : Bloomberg by Bloomberg

Description of the book : Bloomberg by Bloomberg is the origin story of Michael R. Bloomberg, the founder of Bloomberg L.P. 

Written by Michael himself, this book takes us deep into Bloomberg’s life and his idea of creating his own company after he got fired at the age of 39.

Throughout the book, readers will learn more about his creative mind and the challenges he faced at Wall Street , all the way up to founding the fastest-growing media empire on Earth.

Author : Michael R. Bloomberg

Length : 272 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : If you're going to succeed, you need a vision, one that's affordable, practical, and fills a customer need. Then, go for it.”

14) Carnegie

Name of book : Carnegie

Description of the book : Carnegie takes us on a journey into the life of Andrew Carnegie, one of the major figures in American history. 

Peter Krass describes the origin story of the titan who made his fortune through the steel industry and how he used the wealth upon his retirement.

The readers can take a look at how Andrew influenced the world’s political stage and the way he founded the largest and the most profitable steel industry on the planet. As a founder, you will learn how Andrew became one of the biggest philanthropists in the world, despite his notorious reputation.

Author : Peter Krass

Length : 612 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “The poor enjoy what the rich could not before afford. What were the luxuries have become the necessities of life. The laborer has now more comforts than the landlord had a few generations ago.”

15) Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company

Name of book : Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company

Description of the book : Every manager must understand that eventually everything changes. This is the critical point in Only the Paranoid Survive by former Intel CEO Andrew Grove. 

The charismatic innovator narrates his story in Intel and how he helped the company to remain the largest chip producer. Readers will discover the strategic inflection points or SIPs Andrew faced in his career and how he beat the Japanese competition.

Only the Paranoid Survive can be the ultimate lesson about leadership skills, which you can benefit almost instantly.

Author : Andrew S. Grove

Length : 224 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “Only the Paranoid Survive.”

16) iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It

Name of book : iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It

Description of the book : Take a deep look into the creation of Apple and the first personal computer, brought to you by the charismatic Steve Wozniak. 

In iWoz , you will read about the early starts for Wozniak and the idea behind Apple . Narrated by Steve himself, he presents details about his personal life like never before and describes his groundbreaking idea to combine the first real personal computer named Apple I . 

Authors : Steve Wozniak and Gina Smith

Length : 313 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “The world needs inventors--great ones. You can be one. If you love what you do and are willing to do what it really takes, it's within your reach. And it'll be worth every minute you spend alone at night, thinking and thinking about what it is you want to design or build. It'll be worth it, I promise.”

17) My Life and Work: Autobiography of Henry Ford

Name of book : My Life and Work; Autobiography of Henry Ford

Description of the book : Published in 1922, this entrepreneur autobiography gives you the slightest details regarding Ford’s beginnings, the strategies he used to revolutionize the automotive industry, and how he got into the business.

Henry Ford guides the reader through his history and his own business philosophy used to create Ford Motor Company. 

Author : Henry Ford

Length : 204 pages

‍Notable quote : “There is no disgrace in honest failure; there is disgrace in fearing to fail

18) Commodore: The Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt

Name of book : Commodore: The Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt

Description of the book : This is the detailed story about Cornelius Vanderbilt, the forefather of modern American business. 

Readers will find out how Cornelius built his fortune and his vision to turn New York into the financial capital we see today. This book sheds light on Cornelius’s private life from previously unreleased articles.

Author : Edward J. Renehan Jr.

Length : 364 pages

‍Notable quote : “Never tell anyone what you are going to do till you have done it.”

19) Jack: Straight from the Gut

Name of book : Jack: Straight from the Gut

Description of the book : Many readers would agree that this book is one of the best business biographies. The authors will introduce you to the life of former General Electrics Chairman and CEO Jack Welch. 

You will find out how Jack managed to run one of the biggest corporations of our time in a robust economic era in the US.

Authors : Jack Welch , John A. Byrne , and Mike Barnicle

Length : 496 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : "There is no straight line to anyone's vision or dream."

20) Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose

Name of book : Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose

Description of the book : Written directly by former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, this entrepreneur biography contains detailed information and tips on how to manage your company. 

Entrepreneurs and founders will read about Tony’s early start and learn the creativity he used to run Zappos to the top of its industry.

Author : Tony Hsieh

Length : 246 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “I had decided to stop chasing the money, and start chasing the passion.”

21) Iacocca: An Autobiography

Name of book : Iacocca: An Autobiography

Description of the book : Let’s dive into the automotive world once again. Lee Iacocca, the former legendary President at Ford and Chairman at Chrysler, is the man behind this book . 

In this entrepreneur biography, Lee guides the reader from his humble beginnings and working at Ford and how he saved Chrysler Corporation from bankruptcy during the 1980s. 

Lee presents his vision and how he came up with the idea to create the Mustang , one of Ford’s famous models.

Authors : Lee Iacocca and William Novak

Length : 357 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “Get all the education you can then go out and do something - do anything.”

22) American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company

Name of book : American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company

Description of the book : American Icon gives us a magnificent story about Ford Motors and its turnaround of the leadership from its CEO Alan Mulally. 

The book explains how Alan managed to save the company in the 2008 crisis, upon rejection of financial help from the government. 

Alan implemented the methods he used in Boeing , reorganized Ford’s management, and turned the corporation into the largest automotive producer during those difficult times.

Entrepreneurs can read this book and see what plans Alan used to prevent Ford’s collapse.

Author : Bryce G. Hoffman

Length : 432 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “You have to expect the unexpected, and you have to deal with it.”

23) The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Rev olution

Name of book : The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution

Description of the book : The Man Who Solved the Market is a best-selling book about mathematician Jim Simons and his pioneering algorithm-driven approach to investing. 

The book follows Simons’s path to success, starting with his early years, education at MIT and work at IBM, and finally, his late-life acclaim as the founder of Renaissance Technologies. 

The is a great entrepreneur biography for those wanting to learn more about finances, teamwork, and professional collaboration.

Author : Gregory Zuckerman

Length : 359 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “Any time you hear financial experts talking about how the market went up because of such and such—remember it’s all nonsense.”

24) The Animated Man: A Life Of Walt Disney

Name of the book : The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney

Description of the book : Michael Barrier is the man behind one of the best business biographies, the origin story of Walt Disney. In this book, readers will discover important details from Walt’s life and how he got the idea to make cartoons.

Michael recorded countless interviews with Disney’s partner and friends to write this book.

You will see what challenges Walt overcame and how he battled out of the disaster that occurred in 1941.

Author : Michael Barrier

Length : 393 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : "I am not a literary person. As far as realism is concerned, you can find dirt anyplace you look for it. I'm one of those optimists. There's always a rainbow. The great masses like happy endings. If you can pull a tear out of them, they'll remember your picture.”

25) I’d Like the World to Buy a Coke: The Life and Leadership of Roberto Goizueta

Name of the book : I’d Like the World to Buy a Coke: The Life and Leadership of Roberto Goizueta

Description of the book : I’d Like the World to Buy a Coke takes us on a journey in the life of Roberto Goizueta, one of the longest-serving and highest-paid CEOs in history. 

The book explains Roberto’s arrival from Cuba in the 1960s and his rise while working in Coca-Cola. You will find out how Roberto reorganized Coca-Cola, the leader in the soft-drink industry, and his marketing strategies that made Coke the most popular beverage on Earth. 

Author : David Greising

Length : 334 pages

‍ ‍Notable quote : “Not to take risks is the biggest risk.”

What Business Biographies Did We Miss?

So there you have it!

25 of the best entrepreneur biographies out there that can undoubtedly give you some sort of inspiration as you prepare yourself for the next ‘big’ step. 

All of these biographies are written with the purpose of helping entrepreneurs, as many of them come from groundbreaking founders and investors that reshaped the business world. 

Just like always, if we missed any biography that deserves a spot on our pretty list , don’t forget to send us an email - we’re more than happy to update our list with more and more entrepreneur biographies.

Questions About Business Biographies

What are business biography books.

Business biography books tell the behind-the-scenes stories of the greatest minds in the business industry, including Walt Disney, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos.

What Are The Best Business Biographies?

The best business biographies are Alibaba, by Duncan Clark, Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson, and Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight.

What Are The Best CEO Biographies?

CEO biographies are a segment of business biographies, which share the stories of the CEOs of the biggest companies. Only the Paranoid Survive, by Andrew Grove, Jack, by Jack Welch, and Delivering Happiness, by Tony Hsieh, are the best CEO biographies.

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How to Write a Business Bio that Stands Out

Whether you’re a business owner or working for someone else, you find yourself in need a business bio on the regular… .

It’s important to know how to write a business bio that shows who you are, what you do, and what sets you apart in a concise and memorable way. 

You may find yourself needing: 

• A LinkedIn bio
• A bio to be read at workshops and speaking engagements 
• A bio for when you’re a podcast guest 
• A bio for your About Page on your website 
• A way to share about yourself on social media without feeling like you’re just blabbing on about yourself! 

Especially when you’re working to increase your visibility, the time will come when you need to write about yourself.

I know, it’s weird, right? 

This blog will help make it easier for you to write about yourself and show you how to write several versions of a business bio to help you shine as the magical human you are. 

To begin, let’s get into WHY it’s important to remind people of who you are and what you do. We have to talk about yourselves consistently, and in a way that’s clear, understandable, and creates a connection between us and who we’re sharing with. 

I have a connection online, a fellow service provider, who in my mind did one thing and one thing only. 

In my defense, she talks about this one thing often. She has it as her descriptor line on LinkedIn and Instagram. Recently, she reached out to me letting me know that if I came across people looking for XY-Zed, she could deliver. Now, this was actually quite helpful to me because I encounter people often that are looking for XY-Zed and I don’t offer it in a way that works for everyone all the time. I’m often looking for someplace to refer them too and this was helpful information for me. All this time, I THOUGHT she only did XY, I had no idea about the Zed piece. And I told her so. 

She realized she didn’t talk about the Zed piece anywhere online, and others were probably confused and didn’t know either! So, she re-introduced herself and made a commitment to do it more regularly. 

I was in the same boat recently too. Someone I hadn’t seen in awhile asked me what I was doing for a “living” ((I think she was under the illusion that I was only doing my podcast??)) and I had to spell it out for her that I’m a Content Copywriter . Honestly, not even sure my mom knows that, so I cut this friend some slack. But it sparked in ME a reminder to talk about myself and make a post about who I am and what I do . 

This is why it’s so important to talk about ourselves. 

It might feel uncomfortable to you but remember that people are busy and moving fast. They’re not always paying attention. We have to consistently remind them of who we are and what we do. It’s not annoying – it’s clear messaging. 

For some people, this may be their first encounter with us. They truly don’t KNOW us yet and we have to welcome them in and tell them who we are and what we do! 

Places to share a business bio and remind people of what you do: 

• Your About page on your website
• Your LinkedIn, Facebook Page, Instagram, and other social media bios 
• Before you get brought on stage or on Zoom as a speaker
• When you’re introducing yourself in a workshop
• In podcast episodes you do on your own (solocasts)
• In podcast episodes you’re a guest on 
• In person at networking events, family parties, and on the sidelines at soccer games ((we’ll touch on that another time)) 

So how do you write a solid business bio? That talks about YOU in a comfortable way and takes into account who you’re talking to?

The next few sections will give you the basics. If you want to dive in deeper, download my FREE Bio Builder here. ((Note: I threw this together as a resource for YOU. There’s no elaborate optin sequence to follow it and it’s not fancy yet. But I wanted to be sure you had it so you could get pen to paper and start writing your business bio ASAP))

The Number One Key to Writing a Business Bio is to Show You Care. 

Anytime we’re talking about ourselves – whether verbally or writing a business bio, we’re building a bridge. A bridge between who we’re talking to and ourselves. We create a connection when we give them a reason to care and also show that WE care about them too. 

Questions to Ask Before Writing Your Business Bio 

#1) What do you do? 

This seems like the easy part. And for some, this is an easy answer. (ie. “travel agent”, “writer”, “nutrition coach”, “website designer”, “painter”, etc.). Simple. My 8 year old nephew Max could understand and refer you. There are others who are majorly overcomplicating what you do or creating too much vaguery around it. 

Examples I’ve seen: Embodiment Guide, Authenticity Coach, Creative, Time Management Diva, Creator of Fun, Transformational Coach, etc. 

These are slightly hard to understand, because it’s just not that clear. In some instances, we don’t even know what the words mean, or they’re used so frequently they’ve lost their meaning. If what you do comes out along those lines, how can you clarify and simplify it just a tad bit? You can bring in the fun tagline later, but how can you say it in a way that even kid can understand what you do right away.

#2) Who do you work with? 

For this question, I want you to think about not just who you work with, but who you LOVE working with. You don’t need to nail down one single client avatar. ((I know that’s what you hear in many places)), but you can share your love in working for different types of people, at different times and in different ways. So for the purposes of this exercise, I’d list them all out. When you write your business bio, I’d recommend choosing one or two or creatively weaving them together with a common thread. 

For me, here are FOUR I speak to specifically because of common denominators I’ve identified: 

• Interior Designers 
• Website Designers  
• Podcasters 
• Women Entrepreneurs with service-based businesses 

I work with people outside those areas, but those are the four I most often speak to. 

Who do you work with? Who have been your favorite clients and WHY? 

#3) What do you do? 

Again with a caveat, let’s focus on what you most love to do. You don’t have to list all your services and you don’t have to list the ones you don’t particularly want to draw attention to. 

Rather than list out website copy, blog writing, social media content banks, welcome packets, business bios, etc. etc. etc. I often will simply say, “I take the writing in your business off your plate entirely!” or “I guide people in how to create content for themselves with simplicity and ease.” 

Just make sure to include the type of work you REALLY want. 

#4) What makes you unique and different? What sets you apart from others in your industry? 

Don’t let yourself sink into being generic here. Try not to lean too heavily on your extensive educational experience, but really think about what makes you different. 

• Is it your process? 
• Your focus on the numbers? 
• Your strategic brain? 
• Your empathy? 
• Your intution? 
• Your impeccable attention to detail? 

If you struggle to determine what sets you apart, look at what your clients say you they love about you in testimonials. 

Maybe your years of experience are a piece of what set you apart, maybe your education is beyond what others in your industry have, or the specific niche or the specific type of project you offer is something not many others do – weave that in too, but I do recommend looking at the human characteristics that set you apart from the noise. 

Even if you’re a “brand” you have human characteristics. 

#5) What gets you out of bed in the morning? 

Think beyond the coffee pot and too full bladder here. ((you might wanna’ sit with this one)) What really gets you excited for the day ahead? 

Here are some of my answers: 

CONNECTION with others and the natural world around me

The question, “WHAT CAN I LEARN TODAY?” 

My FAMILY and FRIENDS

My fingers twitching because they have no choice but to WRITE and CREATE 

WORD GAMES and puzzles and all the #brainnerdnerdbrainthings

The beautiful routine and JOY of my simple life

And of course, in addition to all of that, a full bladder and coffee.

What is it for you? Your kids? Clients?  

Time to put it together to write your business bio! 

We’ve answered our four questions: 

• What do you do? 
• Who do you work with? 
• What do you like to do most in your business? 
• What sets you apart? 
• What gets you outta’ bed in the morning? 

You can start taking these answers and writing down your business bio messy and sloppy. Make it weird. Just get it down on paper. 

Then, you can tidy it up using these tips: 

• With every version you create, pretend you’re writing your business bio for just one person. Speak to them directly. 
• A few social posts
• A 50-75 word version first person
• A 150 word version first person
• A 50-75 word version third person
• A 150 word version third person
• A “What Sets Me Apart” section with bulleted points 
• Consider a hook, if you want. I’m not a wild fan of hooks, but I’ve seen some that are catchy. If that’s your style, go for it!
• Add in a fun fact or two – what you do in your free time, any pets you have, etc. You can also share a boring fact if you’re life is devoid of fun ones. Something that humanizes you and makes you uniquely you. 
• Be as specific as possible. The more specific you are the better. Don’t say “Everyone who…” or “Anyone who…”. Write in specifics. 

"The more specific we are, the more universal something can become. Life is in the details. If you generalize, it doesn't resonate. The specificity of it is what resonates." - Jacqueline Woodson Tweet

Keep this reminder mind when writing your business bio: 

YOU are a one of a kind human and you work with other one of a kind humans. Writing a great bio and talking about yourself, bridges these two together in the very best of ways. 

More resources on how to write a business bio that helps you stand out: 

Download my FREE Bio Builder 

Get My Bio Spruce Up Service (three versions of your bio for $175 + LinkedIn suggestions) 

Listen to the Content with Character episode How to Write About Yourself where I dive into this even more! 

[email protected]

Emily Aborn is a Content Copywriter for women entrepreneurs, Podcast Host of Content with Character and She Built This. She’s been an entrepreneur since 2014 and has experience in running brick-and-mortar as well as online businesses. She’s worked with over 98 different industries in their marketing and loves helping businesses increase their visibility, connect with their clients, and bring their dreams and visions to life. For fun, Emily enjoys nerdy word games and puzzles, reading, listening to podcasts, and tromping about in the woods with her husband, Jason, and their dog, Clyde.

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An entrepreneur shares the exact template she used to craft an attention-grabbing professional bio

• Jen Glantz is an entrepreneur and founder of the company  Bridesmaid for Hire.
• When it comes to writing a professional bio, Glantz says there are four important topics to cover.
• Include mentions of your unique expertise and add a few personal details to help your bio shine.

After I started my first professional bridesmaid business over six years ago and officially became an entrepreneur, I found it quite challenging to talk about myself. When people asked questions about who I was and what I was working on, I often found myself stumbling over my words and answering with incomplete sentences. 

In addition to the questions, so many people — from business professionals to journalists — asked me for a bio, and I didn't have one. All I had was an outdated cover letter and resume from applying to jobs years before but I didn't have anything current that showcased a brief, but comprehensive summary, of my journey, passions, and overall professional mission. 

That's when I realized I needed to craft a bio that could be ready for inquiries from press, investors, brands who wanted to partner with me, and a long list of other people curious for an inside look at my background. Since then, I've perfected multiple versions of my bio for every situation over the years.

It takes a certain level of preparation, skill, and strategy to summarize your personal story and share it with an audience. For an entrepreneur, the art of showcasing your background, your current work, and your overall purpose can feel extremely hard to do, especially when you're trying to condense it all into a few short and concise paragraphs.  

Whether you're writing your story for the about page on your website, a press release, a speaker's packet for a conference, or to pitch future investors, creating the perfect bio should be high up on your to-do list. Here's where to start, what you should include, and what you can leave out.

1. Start with a summary

The first paragraph of your personal bio should capture people's attention, pull them into your story, and give them an overview of who you are. Think of it this way: If they only read the first paragraph, would they be able to understand a glimpse of who you are, what you do, and what makes you unique?

Consider this first paragraph as your tagline or personal brand statement. It should be short and clear — you'll dive deeper into what you're currently working on and your professional background later on.

Here's an example you can use to get started by filling in the blanks. You can change around the information based on your experience and background, but stick to the brevity of length and the summarized format of your personal details.   

[Your name] is the founder of [name of company], which provides [services or offerings], to [who is your audience or industry]. [Your name] has [experience, background, skills, etc.] and a passion for [describe your purpose]. 

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2. Explain what you're working on

Whether you're running your own company, expanding a side hustle, or brainstorming your next project or business, spend a paragraph sharing a handful of details on what you're currently working on.

Begin with what you are spending your time doing, who you want to impact or influence, what problems you want to solve with your business or project, and what makes what you are doing unique, timely, or unusual.

The template below can be easily adapted to fit your personal experience. Make this paragraph as detailed as you'd like and change what you write here based on who will receive this bio.

For example, you might want to add more details and metrics for investors and remove some of those details for a panel or guest appearance.  

[Your name] is currently working on [describe the business, project, idea, life transition, etc.], with the goal of [what's the reason you're working on this, who do you want to impact]. [Your name] noticed [describe the problem you want to solve or how you want to disrupt or change the industry you are in] and decided to [explain what you created, built, or did to help solve this problem and touch on what makes it different or unique from what is out there].

3. Share your background and expertise 

When people are reading your story, they want to understand a bit about your past experience and work history. Here, you should spotlight your background and any specific professional skills, strengths, or expertise. 

Highlight past jobs, careers, courses, degrees, curiosities, volunteer work, and anything else that relates to your purpose and story. Below is a template you can add, edit, and make work for you and your background.

[Your name] has spent [share years of experience, past careers] and has mastered [share skills or strengths]. [Your name] has also [share any additional information on your background, experience, work history, skills, courses, degrees, and more].

4. Provide additional details 

When we're writing our bio, we might shy away from adding in details that don't directly correlate to what we are working on. However, it's perfectly OK to add in a few lines about hobbies and passions that might not relate to your business — these details are often extremely memorable and help your bio stand out and sound more like you.

Feel free to add in details about what you enjoy doing in your free time, what past hobbies you've done, and what other things you enjoy on a personal level.

[Your name] can be found spending time [talk about hobbies, passions, weekend to-do's, etc.] and is also known to enjoy [add in any additional details here]. 

Watch: Designer Alexander Wang explains how he balances the business and creative sides of his global fashion empire

• Main content

16 Best Business Bio Examples

Study these 16 business bio examples to learn how to write an effective one for your marketing needs.

A business bio is a chance for business professionals to showcase who they are and what they bring to the table for potential employers or clients. It also gives the business professional a chance to show off some of their personality. The internet has created an atmosphere where the professional bio becomes an integral part of a person’s brand. Some important elements that most professional bios will include are:

• Educational background
• Work history
• Professional accomplishments or awards
• Contact information

How a person presents that information is what makes a bio effective. In addition, some bios will include keywords or tags for SEO purposes, and it provides the chance to showcase some of the person’s personality. Often, it will include a call to action to encourage the reader, whether a recruiter or a potential client, to contact the person to work with them.

Writing your bio can be challenging. In some ways, it can feel like bragging about listing your accomplishments, and many writers find it challenging to write about themselves. Yet a compelling bio is essential to your branding and marketing goals. Studying other people’s bios that work is an excellent place to start as you write your own. You can find business bio examples on company websites, social media pages, LinkedIn profiles, and personal websites.

To learn how to write one effectively, study these short bio examples and see what effective marketers are doing to showcase their accomplishments appealingly and effectively.

1. Lena Axelsson: Therapist

2. rebecca bollwitt: writer, 3. lisa quine: creative consultant, 4. alberto beto perez: zumba fitness co-founder, 5. megan gilmore: food blogger, 6. ann handley: writer and marketer, 7. van jones: podcast host, 8. corey wainwright: blogger, 9. mark levy: branding professional, 10. audra simpson: professor, 11. audra simpson: anthropologist, 12. tim cook: apple ceo, 13. alex bishop: guitar maker, 14. michael siemsen: author, 15. marie mikhail: recruiter, 16. wonbo woo: producer.

Lena Axelsson is a marriage and family therapist who writes for Psychology Today. In the bio she created for the magazine’s website , she does not provide traditional biographical information. Instead, she introduces her core belief. Instead of a personal statement, she shows how her beliefs impact her work with people suffering from trauma. This approach is effective in her goal of reaching potential clients with her professional skills because it showcases how she would choose to help them, rather than simply stating her educational background and years of experience as a therapist.

In her Instagram profile , Rebecca Bollwitt gives a great example of using social media platforms to create compelling bios. These platforms have specific word or character limits; thus, they can’t contain all your details. Rebecca lists her pronouns, a few accomplishments, and her Instagram handle. What makes this Instagram bio so effective is its use of emojis. Emojis are part and parcel of the Instagram experience, and showing a stack of books shows that she is an avid writer. In addition, the heart emoji followed by her husband’s Instagram tag shows her as a real person with a family life of her own.

Lisa Quine has an effective business bio on her portfolio website. This website showcases her creative work by stating what she focuses on for her art. She also has a list of clients she worked with in the past, and she lists her professional accomplishments. This bio will grab the reader’s attention because it discusses all aspects of her creative work. As a freelancer, she has been commissioned to work on a wide range of projects around the globe and has won awards for her craft. The bio ends with some personal information about Lisa to add that personal touch and show that she is human.

In his LinkedIn summary , Alberto Beto Perez writes like he is writing a short story. He starts with his first work experience as a teenager and shows how he created Zumba as an exercise option through a happy accident. The bio ends with a statement about the success of Zumba as a dance and exercise form today. This LinkedIn bio works well because it is an engaging read. Most people have heard of Zumba, and it walks the reader through the creation of the exercise regime. In the end, the reader is cheering for the success of the hardworking young man who rose from a busy teenager to a successful entrepreneur.

Megan Gilmore masterfully uses her Instagram profile to showcase what she does, creating real food recipes that help people detox. She also markets her cookbook using words and emojis. At the bottom of the bio, Gilmore directs the reader to her website link with a finger pointing down the URL. This visual effectively increases the traffic to her site, which is the ultimate goal of her Instagram page. You find also find these about us page examples helpful.

On her personal website bio , Ann Handley skips the temptation of bragging about her excessive number of accomplishments. Instead, she weaves those accomplishments into a short bio that leaves the reader feeling inspired. In her bio, she focuses on the challenges, not her accomplishments. However, she shows how her accomplishments can be used to help the reader overcome those challenges. Ultimately, readers are left inspired to believe Ann can help them with their writing and marketing needs.

Van Jones is a Podcast host for CNN. In his Twitter bio , he uses the character limit well. Rather than posting a job description, he posts the tagline for his podcast, the Twitter handles for CNN, and some of the other pages he works for. In addition, he adds the new podcast schedule and highlights his accomplishment as a New York Times bestseller. What makes this particular bio so appealing is that the first thing he lists is not one of his jobs or accomplishments. Instead, it is his role as “dad.” So, again, the bio tells us that he is, first and foremost, a human being.

In her business bio for Hubspot, Corey Wainwright does not have much room to write. Thus, she must capture the reader’s attention without many words, and she does so marvellously. The bio tells about her interest in Bruce Springsteen and her role in content marketing, and it also includes a shoutout to Hubspot’s products. Wainwright’s ability to weave some personality into a bio that’s just two sentences long is what makes it such a practical example of a business bio. The reader knows a little about who she is and what she does, and that’s all they need from this particular bio platform.

Mark Levy owns a small business that helps people increase their fees with better branding. His About Us page has two biographies, which is an interesting take. His first biography is the short version, which lists credentials and uses bullet points to get to the bottom line quickly. In the long bio, he writes a story. He uses humor and tells how he went from a shy high school student to a successful entrepreneur. His use of copywriting shows why he has been so successful in his work with personal brand marketing, which adds to the appeal of this professional bio.

Audra Simpson is a professor at Columbia University. She uses her bio on the school’s website to succinctly list her research interests and professional background. It is written in the third person, and in some areas, it simply lists accomplishments in list form, not paragraph form. This biography includes a short, two-sentence bio that specifically discusses her research and work. Because the website lacks space, it does not get into personal biographical information but focuses entirely on the teacher’s teacher’s professional work. It also includes her office hours and contact information to make it easy for students to reach out.

Audra Simpson is a political anthropologist who has a compelling  bio on her personal website.  However, even though it is on a personal website, she uses the third person to keep the biography professional. The first half of this biography shows why she does her work. The second half of the bio shows some of her accomplishments, including awards she won and books she published. Readers get a complete picture of who she is and what she brings to the table when they read this short biography.

Tim Cook’s bio on the apple company website is more professional and less personal than some others on this list, making sense as he is the CEO of a large and successful tech company. It starts by stating his job title and role in the company, then shows how he got to that role within the company.

At the end of the biography, Cook tells his other jobs that led him to his work with Apple. Finally, it ends with his educational information. This top-down format shows how he worked his way up in the company step by step until he came to the leadership role he holds today. It is simple, straightforward, and effective at conveying the information a reader needs to put a face and some accomplishments behind the name.

If you are looking for creativity in a bio example, then the bio on Alex Bishop’s website is a great one to look at. It starts with an engaging video that draws in the website visitor; then it opens with stories from his childhood. This moves into telling about his journey to becoming a guitar maker. This bio stands out because it uses first-person voice rather than third-person. It still maintains a professional tone, even directly from the writer. Readers feel they connect with Bishop as they read about his journey to the success he has today.

Author bios can often be found on book-selling websites, with Amazon being one of the biggest. An author’s bio needs to share some of his work and personal information, and Michael Siesmen’s Amazon bio does this well. Even though it is just a few lines long, Siesman’s bio states the number of books he wrote, where he lives, and what some of his interests are. It also includes links to his website and social media pages. Thus, if someone is reading this bio and wants to contact him, they can.

Marie Mikhail has a compelling  LinkedIn bio  with all the essential elements. In the first sentence, she states her job title while also stating her passion for it. Then she ushers the reader into a story of her background. In the story, she weaves in some of her accomplishments. She then links to some LinkedIn articles to help with her personal branding goals. It is short, but it effectively conveys everything a reader would want to know to decide if they will work with Mikhail.

Wonbo Woo is the executive producer of the video content for WIRED. Because of his long list of accomplishments, his  website bio had to carefully choose what he would highlight.

To grab the reader’s attention, he starts with one of the most important and impressive awards he received, his Emmy Award and his Nieman Fellowship from Harvard. This grabs the reader’s attention and sends them into a narrative outlining more of his accomplishment. He also presents a wide variety, helping the reader see how well-rounded he is as a content producer. Unlike many of the bios here, it simply focuses on his content and accomplishments, but it works because these are the most important facets of his career.

Looking for more? Check out our guide on how to write a bio for work !

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

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Home / AI Writing / 8 Creative Company Bio Examples That You Need To Use (Templates + Free tool inside)

8 Creative Company Bio Examples That You Need To Use (Templates + Free tool inside)

Whether you’re a large company or a small one, new or established – it’s not uncommon to get stuck over the bio. It’s hard to write about yourself. A quick way to get around this block and write a bio for your brand is to simply answer the question, “ What does your business do? ” If this still seems like a huge task, don’t worry we’re here to tell you how to make this a lot easier.

We have created all the essential pointers you need to know to create a solid company bio. In the end, we’ll look at creative company bio examples and discuss handy tips!

What Is a Company Bio, And How Do You Write One?

Clients like to know who they’re doing business with. Your business’s bio – whether it’s on the “About Us” page of your website, in your press kit, or in other marketing materials – is an opportunity for you to bring people to your brand. The bio explains who you are and what you can do for your clients.

Tone of Voice for a Company Bio

If you’re not sure what tone to adopt in your business bio, imagine you’re having a discussion with your ideal client or customer. Make a list of how you’d explain everything to them. You can always dictate to someone else or have Simplified’s copy AI bio generator create one for you.

Bonus: Try Bio Generator for Free

How Long Should Your Bio Be?

While it’s essential to offer a lot of useful information in summary form, you don’t want the reader to lose interest due to endless scrolling. When it comes to creating your company bio, it’s critical to be concise. While there is no standard length for a company bio, it should cover all relevant facts without going into excessive detail.

Bonus: 12 Free Instagram Caption Generators To Boost Your Reach

5 Things To Remember for a Social Media Bio

Here are key pointers to remember for your social media bio –

• Keep it short – Depending on the platform, your company’s bio should be no more than a few lines or words.
• Add the essentials – The bio should contain just enough information to educate people about what you do, where you are located, and any services you offer.
• Draw your audience in – You can put a link to your “About Us” page on these sites.
• Mind your language – To appear professional, use whole phrases, correct grammar, and vocabulary that can be understood by a middle school student.
• Add relevant info – Be engaging and intriguing, and only provide information that is pertinent to your business.

Bonus:  Create viral Reels with our AI-powered Instagram Reels Maker Tool

What Should You Include in a Company Bio?

No matter what business bio template you use, you should include the following:

• Your company’s official name, as well as any DBAs
• Any company locations, as well as the headquarters if you have more than one
• What your company does, the industry in which it operates, and the items or services it provides
• When your business was established, as well as a brief history of how it came to be
• Any accolades your firm has received, as well as any notable clients or customers with whom it has worked
• Achievements and milestones for the company.
• Sponsorships and community events.
• Your company’s goal statement and values.
• Name changes, business relocation, mergers, acquisitions, and significant branch openings.

Bonus:  Grow Your Business with the Instagram Scheduler for Posts and Stories

Why is a Good Bio Important for Businesses?

If you’re wondering, “How many people actually read company bios?” The answer is – a lot. And there’s no way of knowing who the bio is going to reach. It may catch a few people outside your target audience, but you always want it to be  ready for when the right people find it . So it makes the right impression.

While your CV is only beneficial when you’re actively seeking certain jobs, your professional bio is marketing your company all the time. Business bios may be found on your LinkedIn page, company website, guest blog articles, speaker profiles, Twitter bio, and a variety of other sites.

A well-written company bio quickly tells your customers what you do well. This goes a long way in persuading them to engage with your company.

A good company bio should:

• Capture your values – More and more, customers are looking beyond products and services to the values each brand holds. They are more likely to stay loyal to a brand that shares their values.
• Connect with your customers: People remember relatable content. Whether it’s a joke, a shared problem, or a belief, including a note that connects with your audience impacts recall.
• Stand out from the crowd: Competition is getting fiercer in nearly every field, and there’s tremendous pressure to differentiate your brand from the rest. With a bio, you can explain how your brand does this and why customers will benefit from coming to you.

Bonus:  Design Stunning Instagram Stories in Seconds using our AI-powered Stories Maker Tool

Some Common Types of Company Bios

A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work with company bios, so you have a free reign to create what you like. As long as it achieves your purpose, of course. Here are a few common outlines of company bios :

Quick & Concise

What your company does and stands for, is condensed into a nutshell. These convey the highlights of the company.

Outline a story

The origin story of your company. This storytelling method is a great way to draw an audience in and take them on the journey you’ve been on.

Client first

What can your company do for a client? This type of bio focuses on this information. Often, it provides solutions to a common customer problem.

The company’s team bio

This type of bio is about making the brand more human and relatable. People like to picture who they’re dealing with, and this type of bio includes team expertise and puts faces to names.

Impact of a company

With concern for the environment and social awareness only increasing, customers are looking for more ethically leaning brands. So if your brand was founded with a strong ethical commitment, outlining your social impact and initiatives in your bio is a good idea!

Highlight innovation

A different way of doing something is an excellent USP. If your company is truly forging new paths in a particular sector or industry, this is a great place to showcase it.

Value-driven bio

Similar to the social impact bios, a value-driven bio draws attention to the founding and working principles of your brand. It could showcase your commitment to transparency, social impact, and more.

Highlight the expertise in your industry

When your target audience is restricted to those within your industry, you can use specific jargon to draw attention to your niche expertise.

Partnership or collaborative bios

They’re often used between sister brands or by the charitable wings of some well-known established brands. This type of bio explains the purpose of the organization and highlights the partnerships it has.

Fun, humorous bios

Lighthearted and warm, these bios help clients associate a type of personality with your brand. They usually make potential clients smile and leave a lasting impression.

8 Creative Bio Examples of Businesses

1. short and engaging.

Lifestyle influencer and entrepreneur Whitney Graham is well-known and has a strong online community. She needs little introduction, so her bio on Instagram is quick and goes straight to the point. It tells potential followers what they can expect if they choose to subscribe to her content.

2. Real and Authentic

On Trinity Mouzon’s professional website, there is more room to elaborate. She chooses to stay real, and trace her entrepreneurial journey from the very beginning. Besides telling us about her company, she is honest about patches of difficulty and how she worked through them, which makes her very relatable. Offering resources to other budding entrepreneurs is a big plus!

3. Light and Crisp

Corey Wainwright’s HubSpot bio is upbeat and clearly states her strengths. Injecting a hint of humor to her bio suggests that she is self-assured in her skills which, in turn, inspires confidence in potential clients.

4. Personality Reflection with Professionalism

In the limited space offered by an Insta bio, Jenna Kutcher’s profile packs a punch! It’s off to a strong start with an accolade, offering clients an easy, immediate, and accessible way to connect with her. It also outlines her other interests, and she rounds it off nicely with a quick peek into her personality. ‘Where the Woo Meets Work’ indicates that despite clearly being a powerhouse in her field, she has a lighter, cheerful side.

5. The Story of Your Business

Some entrepreneurial journeys are incredible stories of overcoming huge odds to make it. Alberto Perez, co-founder of Zumba Fitness, chooses to take his audience through his inspirational story. And this puts a name and a face to the international fitness phenomena that we’ve all come across but hadn’t really thought about until now.

6. Humor + Dogs

This is a formula that is almost a surefire hit. The number of doggy profiles on social media has grown exponentially. A profile like We Rate Dogs fosters a strong community of both doggy profiles and those who like to subscribe to doggy profiles.

7. Straightforward and simple – great for an established brand

Brandon Stanton’s series Humans Of New York didn’t really set out to conquer the internet. He just wanted to share stories. It has now become a brand of its own, and since he’s not actively trying to add to his community, his bio is barefaced and encapsulates the brand perfectly.

8. Highlight the USPs

This TV personality and comedian needs little introduction. So the YouTube description of his show highlights what people may not know about Seth Meyers. It outlines where his content is available – an important CTA and gives new viewers a quick idea of what to expect – A-List celebrity guests, memorable comedy, and musical talent.

Related: 15 Creative Personal Bio Examples You Need

How to Generate a Creative Company Bio Using Simplified’s Free AI Tool?

Learn how Simplified can help you generate ideas for your company bio copy in an instant. Create your own bio template with these creative bio examples and watch traffic flow to your site!

1: Simplified- Design and AI Copy Platform

Enter company details to generate a solid bio in seconds!

2: Robinhood- Investment Platform

3: VirusShield- Antivirus Software

4: Lonely Ghost- Clothing Brand

5: Yum- Food Chain Brand

6: Pet Zone – a brand that sells products for pets and their owners

7: All Smiles – a dentistry for children

8: Bloom – a plant nursery for native and exotic plant species. Based in NY.

9: The Dough Knot -A cafe with a bakery attached. Fresh bread every day with a range of coffee roasts.

10: The Reading Nook – A bookstore combined with a library, they have a large collection of travel books.

11: Mural – An art gallery for contemporary artists

Simplified’s human touch in its copy AI is a game-changer. Use it to spread your bio on multiple social media channels. Moreover, use it for emails, newsletters, blogs, ads, and more to see how your customer base responds.

Check out the video below to get a clear understanding of how Simplified’s company bio copywriting tool works before creating one for your brand. Moreover, seamlessly learn how to use all our copy AI & design features on Simplified Academy.

How to write an effective bio for your company

The bio section of your business website is a great place for you to showcase your brand. It’s an opportunity for you to tell prospective customers who you are, what you do, and why they should buy from you. Moreover, a solid bio will help build trust and confidence in your company. And our bio generator can help you do just that!

Create an engaging company bio in seconds with the Simplified Company Bio Generator!

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Enchanting Marketing

Writing advice for small business

How to Make a Rip-Roaring First Impression, With Only a Few Words

by Henneke | 95 enchanting opinions, add yours? :)

Even if you don’t need a short bio right now, writing one is a great exercise. You learn how to say more with fewer words. You learn how to position yourself and how to make a big impression from the get go.

But last week, when I started preparing this post, I made a big mistake.

I looked for inspiration on Twitter.

I scrolled through hundreds of Twitter bios, and I almost gave up on this post because most Twitter bios are utterly dull. And they say almost nothing, like this:

If you try to explain a lot about yourself in a few words, you end up saying nothing. No personality. No big impression. No sense of connection. You sound the same as everyone else.

So, I decided to look for inspiration elsewhere. How do fiction writers introduce their characters in a few words?

4 examples of saying a lot with a few words

I skimmed through the books I’ve read recently to look for powerful descriptions of people.

For instance, here’s how William Kent Krueger typifies an FBI agent in “Boundary Waters:”

How powerful is that comparison to a pit bull! In only 11 words, Krueger gives us a picture of an aggressive guy who’s persistent, too.

It made me wonder, if I were a dog, what dog would I be?

Here’s a longer example by the same author, from “Iron Lake:”

Why is this description powerful? Because the author focuses on one aspect of the person and he gives specific examples. The description is visual, so we can picture this guy sparking fires, tying knots and shooting arrows.

The description may be a little long, but you can cut it easily by 50% and still make a strong first impression.

Here’s a shorter character description from “Force of Nature” by Jane Harper:

Three specific details (jogging, yoga, deep-conditioning her hair) help us visualize Breanne, and we can imagine how she glows even in the unflattering office light.

And here’s one last example, from “The Keeper of Lost Things” by Ruth Hogan:

Again, three specific details express a lot: Prozac, Pinot Grigio, and pretending things weren’t happening. The words even alliterate for extra flair.

When you focus on one character trait or skill, you make a strong first impression and you invite readers to learn more. In contrast, if you try to say too much too quickly, a description of a person falls flat and nobody gets a feel of who they really are.

Choose what to tell in your professional bio

Of course, the fiction examples above are different—you wouldn’t write about Prozac in a professional bio.

But the principles of what makes a good bio remain the same. Choose what to tell and, even more importantly, what to leave out. You can’t cram your whole resume into one sentence. You have to be ruthless.

Twitter bios, for instance, are so short, you can only communicate one or two things. That’s it.

The Twitter bio of Unbounce’s Twitter bio explains what their software can do for you plus invites you to try it for free:

Casa Collective’ s bio is similar:

If you Tweet as a person rather than a company, I like bios that show personality, like this one from Haemin Sunim :

Or this bio from John Espirian :

Or this bio from Kitty Kilian is one of my favorites (the original is in Dutch, I’ve translated it):

A Twitter bio is super short, and you can only make a strong impression if you choose carefully what to write.

The 3-step professional bio

If you have three sentences, for instance for an author bio, then you can say a little more. But be careful, the same rule applies as with the one-sentence Twitter bio. Keep it short to make a strong first impression.

For a three-sentence bio, consider these three objectives:

• Tell readers who you are and what you do
• Reveal a glimpse of your personality
• Encourage readers to find out more

For instance, my author bio is:

In three sentences, I explain what I do (writing), what I’m passionate about (stamping out gobbledygook), and I invite you to join my course so you can learn how to write more persuasively.

Jessica Blanchard’s bio follows a similar pattern:

And Ry Schwartz’ bio:

Ry’s call to action isn’t very strong, but “More reclusive than J D Salinger on a rainy day” is a superb way to sketch a personality in a few words.

How to write a short professional bio

Want to make a big impression with only a few words?

Communicate less instead of more:

• Start with answering the question “What do you do for your clients?” or even better, finish this sentence suggestion from Mark Schaefer : “Only I …”
• Think about an adjective describing you well; Ry Schwartz uses “reclusive,” John Espirian uses “relentlessly helpful” and I use “irreverent” to present a quick glimpse of who we are
• Consider a metaphor to communicate more with fewer words, such as the “pit bull” or “delicate as a hand grenade”
• If you have space, have a clear call to action

In short, communicate what makes you different, and tell clients what you can do for them.

Because a professional bio is not only about you.

It’s about your clients, too.

Books mentioned in this post:

Recommended reading on writing about yourself:

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Reader Interactions

Leave a comment and join the conversation cancel reply.

October 31, 2022 at 6:47 am

I love the way you gave perspective from books you read. Very relative and helpful. You keep giving me hope. Thanks.

October 31, 2022 at 11:56 am

Thank you, Andrea. Happy writing!

April 12, 2022 at 4:47 pm

Thank you! You helped me make mince-meat out of a project I always dread – writing about myself. I did a quick search for “how-to write a short bio” and found my favorite writing coach.

April 12, 2022 at 4:52 pm

Wow. So, great when Google delivers exactly what you need 🙂

And thank you also for your lovely compliment, Amy.

April 28, 2021 at 6:50 am

Yet another comment, after reading close to a couple of your blogs. l was asked for a CV today.

Definitely l had to make a search. These days whether its something about writing or not, l first input the search topic with Enchanting marketing.

Sometimes , l don’t really get anything but when l do like today, l get so thrilled like a 5 yr old with a favourite toy.

Let me stop gaping at your writing talent and get on with this CV. Thank you & Cheers Henneke.

April 28, 2021 at 3:14 pm

Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Emily. I’m happy to read that Enchanting Marketing has become your #1 source for writing advice. Good luck with your CV!

April 18, 2021 at 2:34 am

I just landed a new job and it asked or a bio. Google search presented me this page. What an inspiration… I am awestruck with all the wisdom in such a simple article, yet as mentioned in several of the conversations below, writing something in a couple of sentences is far from easy. I admire your patience in responding to every individual comments. I have to get to work in crafting something, which is creative and succinct.

April 18, 2021 at 2:40 pm

I’d say clarity is more important for a bio than being creative. Being creative is a bonus but not a requirement. Have fun!

September 17, 2020 at 4:17 pm

Thanks so kindly, Henneke. This is quite helpful. How does this sound? …a necessity entrepreneur, an avid supporter of women entrepreneurs, helping small business owners fall in love with their business.

September 17, 2020 at 6:38 pm

I don’t know what a necessity entrepreneur is. But maybe your potential clients know what it means? That’s more important than that I understand it.

Also, it’s unclear whether you help women entrepreneurs or all small business owners. Better to focus on one option instead of risking confusion.

May 23, 2020 at 2:17 pm

If you are guest posting, and the host allows for a much larger word count, do you include more information about yourself? Or do you include more about your results? Or maybe 50/50? Or do you keep with the short version and resist the temptation to change it any? I’ve revisited all mine and realize how many I’ve written, each one different. I did not even notice until now, so thanks for that! Also, I totally missed this post when it first came out and I love the tulips! 🙂

May 25, 2020 at 5:54 pm

I’m glad you enjoyed the tulips!

The bio I used for guest posts is the one I’ve quoted above—it’s relatively short: Henneke Duistermaat is an irreverent writer on a mission to stamp out gobbledygook. Get your free 16-Part Snackable Writing Course for Busy People and learn how to enchant your readers and win more business.

Even if the host allowed a longer word count, I haven’t made the bio longer because I was always afraid people might lose interest. Also, they’ve already read a whole blog post so I’ve already built up some credibility with the advice shared in the blog post. But this is not something I’ve tested. It’s mainly based on gut feeling.

May 26, 2020 at 2:20 pm

Thanks! I think you’re right!

January 24, 2020 at 7:46 am

Am still kind of confused but am sure I will get the hang of it. And thanks a lot.

January 24, 2020 at 10:54 am

What are you confused about?

January 9, 2020 at 1:28 am

Wow! I stumbled upon this article and you have successfully provided the unique kind of ideas I was looking for : ) Thank you Henneke

January 9, 2020 at 7:17 pm

Great 🙂 That makes me happy. Have fun writing your bio!

November 29, 2019 at 5:40 am

Oh my goodness! marvellous bio! Thanks.

Thank you so much, Henneke.

November 29, 2019 at 10:02 am

Thank you, Abhinav. Happy writing!

November 12, 2019 at 3:01 pm

You play a dangerous game when you automatically assume the author who used the pit bull reference intended to self describe as aggressive. Pit bulls are smart, loyal, and most of all affectionate. People like you spread bullshit and add fuel to the stereotype of pit bulls being aggressive. I highly suggest you educate yourself before making a blanket statement about an entire breed of animal. Do better.

November 13, 2019 at 12:24 pm

The example you refer to is from the book Boundary Waters, a thriller, in which the author describes one of the characters as a pit bull. He’s an FBI agent who comes as aggressive in the remainder of the book—a fighter.

April 2, 2019 at 8:06 pm

Hey, Henneke

Really amazing content. You’re right a bio define a person and about their profession. So, it’s really important to write an awesome bio.

I will surely use your tips to write a bio of my social media accounts.

March 11, 2019 at 4:15 am

Marketer ExtraOrdinaire, like a stick of dynamite, I blow up old ways of doing things, bringing fresh ideas. The pink bunny can’t keep up with me.

September 13, 2018 at 2:21 pm

Indeed, First impression last. Making an impressive bio needs to convey both professional status and personality in just one or two sentences which creates a great impact to the clients. I sometimes say or write too much and with no idea where I was going or how to make the points I wanted to make. It felt like I was writing in circles, as a result, I was saying nothing. Now I know what to do. Great tips, Henneke.

September 16, 2018 at 1:10 pm

I sometimes write in circles, too, as I don’t always know exactly what I want to say. The writing (even when it seems to lack purpose at first) somehow brings clarity.

Thank you for stopping by to leave a comment, Rebecca 🙂

September 4, 2018 at 11:12 am

September 4, 2018 at 11:33 am

My pleasure 🙂

September 1, 2018 at 10:08 am

I like this. Always playing around with my Short bio for social platforms. What do you think of my twitter bio? @davidgcant Could be improved? Give it your best shot..

A risk savvy health and safety consultant extraordinaire. Cuts through the red tape (with a safety blade of course).

September 2, 2018 at 10:09 am

I like it! I’d be tempted to shorten it a little: A health and safety consultant who cuts through the red tape (with a safety blade of course).

(To me the phrase “risk savvy” doesn’t add a lot as it feels kind of obvious that a health and safety consultant would be risk savvy; that’s what the job is about.)

September 2, 2018 at 4:04 pm

That reads much better. I was thinking of replacing risk savvy with refreshingly practical. What do you think? Or is that too much?

September 2, 2018 at 7:06 pm

The idea of cutting through the red tape already indicates that you’re a practical person rather than a rigid you-must-follow-the-health-and-safety-bible type of person. So, I’d say adding “refreshingly practical” doesn’t really add anything new as you’re already telling me you’re practical—you understand client’s objections to health and safety, plus you have a sense of humor.

August 30, 2018 at 11:44 pm

Succinct and thereby excellent, Henneke. Have to say that I’ve read words of many copywriters down through the years – some good, some not so, even if near-legendary. In my view your writing surpasses most. Please keep it up because I’ve learned more from your posts than I have from anyone else’s. Thanks.

August 31, 2018 at 6:27 pm

Thank you for your lovely compliment, Paul. I appreciate it! 🙂

August 25, 2018 at 5:37 am

Helpful post, as always, but I really just wanted to say I love that drawing of Henrietta with the tulips, on a grey cold day like this it warms the brain. Not that I can complain about the greyness, NSW where I live is 100% in drought. I hope the clouds are not just teasing. Best wishes.

August 26, 2018 at 6:09 pm

Thank you for your lovely compliment on my drawing, Susan. That means a lot to me! I hope the rain will soon ease the drought.

August 22, 2018 at 11:16 pm

Hi Henneke, Thank you for a great article. I remember when I first came across your website (last year, I think), I was impressed with your bio and made a note to myself to use that as inspiration for mine. Of course that mental note was long forgotten! This time I’ve already made a first attempt for my social media profiles. I’ve been a longtime lurker, this is my first comment and is well overdue. Thank you, I can hands down say I learn and apply something useful from each of your articles.

August 23, 2018 at 9:27 pm

That is a lovely compliment. Thank you so much, Sonna.

My own default position is also as a lurker. I appreciate you stepped out of the shadows to leave a comment. Have fun with writing your bio! 🙂

August 22, 2018 at 5:19 pm

Insightful and incisive Love the bonus recommended reading 😉

August 22, 2018 at 5:59 pm

Thank you, Hendel. I started adding the bonus reading recommendations recently as I was asked so often 😉

August 22, 2018 at 9:54 pm

Henneke: Few weeks back, I came across your blog and book.. I not only like the content and but also the presentation style… I really enjoyed reading this article and response to the many comments. I drafted by first short Bio.. could you please review.

Chandra is a Meditation teacher who conducts group meditation sessions in-person and on-line. Her Smile and her energy is contagious. Her mission is to encourage many human beings e discover their SacredSpace with in them through powerful meditations. To know more about her journey visiti https://cvelpula.wixsite.com/mysite/blog/journey-of-discover-sacredspace-within-you

August 23, 2018 at 9:05 pm

I’m glad you enjoyed this blog post, Chandra.

Great start on your bio! You may want to consider tightening it a little as you use the phrase “meditation” three times which is usually a sign that you can make it more concise. Also, what is the ultimate aim of your clients? Do they want to discover their SacredSpace or is their a deeper purpose? This depends on who you’re targeting.

August 22, 2018 at 4:07 pm

Henneke, this was very helpful. I always have trouble writing shorter than longer. Thanks.

August 22, 2018 at 4:19 pm

I find it hard, too. And it takes more time than writing longer!

Thank you for stopping by, Anita. It’s always good to see you 🙂

August 22, 2018 at 11:38 am

Now this is powerful stuff Henneke and thanks to Lisa for sharing.

My bio is not more than 2 sentences but this post just gives me a lot of meat.

I hope you are having a great week

August 22, 2018 at 1:46 pm

I’m glad you found it useful, Enstine! Thank you for stopping by.

August 22, 2018 at 11:12 am

Hi Henneke – I hadn’t thought about writing my bio until I read your article. I’ll certainly follow your excellent advice when the time comes. All the best from sunny Sydney

I hope you’ll have fun writing your bio, Paul!

Still cloudy here 🙂

August 22, 2018 at 1:43 am

Ooh! Henneke, I love this post. And who is Henrietta’s new friend? (or did I miss a post?) I love these smart, smooth, silky, bio’s and would love to add my own. I dream♡ This is my first attempt. Your comments would be sooooo valued. Thanks for all your gorgeous posts Henneke.

Like Columbo shelling his morning egg Joan reveals you to yourself; then helps you delete what no longer serves you and install what does. Joan is an NLP Master Practitioner and Professional Coach working with coaches and service professionals. …… this would be followed with a short CTA

August 22, 2018 at 1:43 pm

Henrietta’s puppy is called Arthur. He’s been around for ages, but often I’m too lazy to draw him! 🙂

You can probably take one step further with your bio, by defining the real benefit of what you do. You can find the real benefit by finishing the sentence: she helps you delete what no longer serves you and install what does, so ….. What is it your clients really want to achieve?

August 23, 2018 at 2:20 am

Thanks, Henneke, that helps. I did add that initially but thought it made it too long – I wrote – “so that you can make a difference and make money as you grow your Lifestyle-Biz.”

I’ll keep playing with it. Now I’m thinking the Columbo piece sounds a bit ‘cheesy’.

August 23, 2018 at 9:33 pm

I’m not sure the Columbo reference adds a lot. I do like the phrase “reveal you to yourself.” I also like “make money as you grow your Lifestyle-Biz” as it’s a true benefit and it’s also specific to your audience. “Making a difference” is a little abstract. So, I’d be tempted to leave that out, or to make it more specific (but that might make it even longer).

August 23, 2018 at 11:26 pm

Terrific, just leave that Columbo piece out. I’ll play with the rest of it. Thanks for the extra input Henneke. ♡

August 21, 2018 at 11:28 pm

The short takes are never easy. How to sum up Hetty in 3 sentenceso ha! So…. Easy going until taken for granted. Lover of stationery, determined to be a success in business. Express your thoughts in our Ankara Fabric Covered Notebooks

August 22, 2018 at 1:41 pm

Great start on your bio, Hetty. It makes me wonder what’s special about your notebooks and why are you passionate about them?

August 21, 2018 at 6:14 pm

Brilliant and enchanting as usual! Thanks for confirming how difficult it can be to engagingly summarize one’s life in two sentences. I get to put a short bio on most of the articles I write for magazines and I am so disappointed in the various versions I have come up with over the years. Now I see why, I conveniently left out my real personality. Shoot.

August 21, 2018 at 8:58 pm

Don’t beat yourself up over it, Thea. Most people leave their personality out of their bios. It IS a tough challenge.

Thank you for your lovely comment. I appreciate it! 🙂

August 21, 2018 at 5:33 pm

To be honest, I skimmed your initial email the first time and, because my day is the usual crazy, didn’t click through initially. But I’m so glad I made the time to do it now. This was an absolutely genius post—and the examples were outstanding! I’ve added a note to do some brainstorming on my bio next week. As always, thank you for the inspiration and the easily digestible and actionable advice!

August 21, 2018 at 8:56 pm

You know, it really humbles me when you make time on a crazy busy day to not only read my post but also leave a comment. You’re a star. Thank you 🙂

August 21, 2018 at 4:41 pm

Thank you for the valuable insights.

August 21, 2018 at 4:47 pm

Thank you, Mohsin. Was there anything in particular you found valuable?

August 21, 2018 at 3:43 pm

Hi Henneke:

For me the fight to find the perfect bio is unending…seems like I’m forever tweaking. Also, in my constant state of evolving (or is it experimenting?) I’ve taken to changing my bio for different places I publish! Oh Henneke, why can’t I just do one perfect one like you and it’s everywhere!!! Geez. P.S. But, don’t forget you need to add “illustrator” to yours!!! Bi Oh My!! Take care, Sue-Ann

August 21, 2018 at 4:43 pm

I don’t have one perfect bio either. I don’t think the perfect bio exist. Unless you’re Andy Murray whose Twitter bio simply says: “I play tennis.” How brilliant is that? Unfortunately, that doesn’t work for mere mortals like you and me.

And you see … you already mention “illustrator,” but somehow it didn’t feel right. Also, I have a different bio on Instagram because I mainly share my drawings there. My Insta bio is: I play with words and colored pencils.

Perfection doesn’t exist. Experimentation is what life is about, isn’t it?

August 22, 2018 at 8:34 am

Ha ha! I always laugh at Murray’s twitter bio as it’s so deceptively simple yet at the same time understated. I like how he doesn’t feel the need to list out all his achievements. By the way, I missed my flight home from NYC in 2012 to see him win the US Open, which was amazing.

Anyway, back on topic, trying to do a short About section for my new “personal branding photography” landing page. Trying to work in something like my “hobbit-like stature and tenacity”, along with being eco-friendly and helping businesses save time by creating images for their online content. It’s still a work in progress.

August 22, 2018 at 1:45 pm

Murray’s bio is brilliant. I love how understated it is. And lucky you for seeing him play (and win!) live!

I like “hobbit-like tenacity” 🙂

August 21, 2018 at 3:02 pm

Thanks, Henneke. I’m honoured to get a mention here – much appreciated!

I hate it when all those letters, spaces and punctuation marks don’t amount to anything meaningful.

August 21, 2018 at 4:51 pm

It was rather demotivating to read through all those Twitter bios!

Thank you for stopping by, John.

August 21, 2018 at 2:33 pm

Great post and I loved the examples you gave.

I find writing bios very hard. I have this instinct to look at what others in my field are writing and try to find something that would work for me. It’s insane! I know it’s wrong, I know it’s useless and yet, I’m attracted to it.

What’s with the copycatting? I have a strong identity, I know what I want and who I am. Why does it all go to smoke when writing things like bios on social media?

I’m going to get to work in a dark room with no phones or internet and write away. Well, scratch the dark room part. You know what I mean. 😀

August 21, 2018 at 4:38 pm

I think most of us look at what others in our niche are doing, and there’s nothing wrong with trying to learn from others. I’ve found it’s often easier to look outside our own niche for inspiration.

And out of all the different writing tasks, writing a bio is probably one of the most difficult. Play for a while, then let it simmer for a while, and then play a little more. Have fun!

Thank you for stopping by, Elfin!

August 21, 2018 at 2:16 pm

You’re inspired me! Awesome post – and glad you said it took weeks to come up with your bio. These examples make it look easy.

August 21, 2018 at 4:36 pm

Writing so often looks easy, but we don’t see how much effort has gone into it. For me, the biggest challenge was to decide what I wanted to say. I was just starting out and I hadn’t figured out my positioning yet.

Thank you for stopping by, Cathy. I appreciate it 🙂

August 21, 2018 at 2:08 pm

Great advice Henneke! I took notes and will check out some of your examples!

August 21, 2018 at 4:34 pm

Yay! Happy bio writing, Kim 🙂

August 21, 2018 at 1:59 pm

Hi Henneke,

Thank you for this post. It came just in time as I am currently trying to re-do my website about page and social profiles.

Here’s what I came up with after reading your post. What do you think? Storytelling is my superpower, so I thought to highlight that. So how’s this for a try:

Enamored with writing. I spin engaging stories about your brand so your clients don’t have to shop elsewhere. Just call me your Fairy Wordmother.

August 21, 2018 at 4:45 pm

I’m glad this post came at the right time, Zika 🙂

Using a positive is often stronger rather than a negative. So, for instance, instead of “so your clients don’t have to shop elsewhere,” you could have: “so your clients fall in love with your brand.”

August 21, 2018 at 4:57 pm

Thank you so so much, Henneke.

August 21, 2018 at 1:38 pm

I read your post not for my own bio actually but because I need help writing one and two sentence introductions for 40 – 50 historical puzzle pages. And it works for that! Where yesterday I was plodding through it like an elephant in quick sand this morning I’m inspired to have more fun with my project. Especially love the suggestion to use metaphors. That would make a whole blog on its own. Maybe you already have?

August 21, 2018 at 4:33 pm

Yay! I’m so glad you feel inspired, Patty 🙂

I wrote about metaphors here and here . But I could probably write another one 🙂

August 21, 2018 at 1:37 pm

Brilliant and not boring bios. That draw you in.

Excellent article Henneke.

August 21, 2018 at 4:31 pm

Thank you, Ray. I appreciate your comment 🙂

August 21, 2018 at 1:26 pm

I’ve rewritten my Twitter bio using this post as inspiration! It originally said;

#Blogger & #copywriter for #software & #tech (esp #IoT). Loves #design, productivity & mindfulness. Newcastle upon Tyne. Ravenclaw. INTP. Chocoholic.

I was clearly so very guilty of trying to say as much as possible in a short space of time. Now it says this;

Chocoholic copywriter LJ enjoys making tech sound fun, not scary. She’s also as subtle as a sledgehammer and wants to help startups build brilliant blogs. Start here; http://eepurl.com/cS8g99

My dad is the one who describes me as being as subtle as a sledgehammer 😉

I love the changes you’ve made! 🙂

I wonder whether you can connect “subtle as a sledgehammer” somehow to building blogs. Something like: Subtle as a sledgehammer, she helps startups build blogs that rip through online noise. Maybe not quite, but it’d be great if you could show the advantage of being like a sledgehammer 🙂

What do you think?

August 21, 2018 at 1:23 pm

One of your best Henneke!

I’ve long felt the same about “elevator speeches” — the reason they don’t work is we try to jam too much information into what should be a single thought-provoking nugget.

August 21, 2018 at 4:27 pm

Yep, I agree with you. The idea of elevator speeches makes me roll my eyes. But that’s silly because a good elevator speech is fab. As you say, you need just one thought-provoking nugget, something to connect with your audience.

August 21, 2018 at 1:16 pm

Great tips and examples Henneke!! It’s awesome to see examples that are different from the norm. Love the visuals.

You’ve inspired me to improve my byline. What do you reckon?

Cynthia is a copywriter powered by chai lattes, rockclimbing, and remedial massages. She’s on a mission to draw out personable, reputable, small health and fitness businesses from the shadows. Grab her free guide on how to sound intelligent by writing in plain English.

August 21, 2018 at 4:25 pm

I like it. You can probably still improve the second sentence a little more. Try to find a stronger phrase than “draw out from the shadows”—something that sounds more positive, and reduce the number of adjectives as “personable, reputable, small health and fitness businesses” is quite a mouthful.

I love the idea of a free guide on sounding more intelligent 🙂

September 11, 2018 at 5:38 am

Thanks for the feedback. I find it tough to keep it simple sometimes! 🙂

How about this version? Cynthia is a copywriter powered by chai lattes, rockclimbing, and remedial massages. She’s on a mission to help small health and fitness businesses connect with clients through writing that sticks in their reader’s minds. Grab her free guide on how to sound intelligent by writing in plain English.

September 12, 2018 at 2:09 pm

Yes, I like it. If you like, you can consider making your mission more specific to your audience. For instance: help small health and fitness businesses inspire their clients to lead a more healthy lifestyle.

August 22, 2018 at 1:53 am

I like it! And Henneke’s suggestions.

August 21, 2018 at 12:27 pm

Hi Henneke, Another great of your posts here. The goal of every writer is to have their target audience read through to the last word. That said, it is genius to be artistic if a writer has to stand out of the crowd. This is where you have touched best ~ Use of a BIO ~ and a captivating bio for that matter. Most of the time readers will look at the bio of an author before they could dedicate their time to read the author’s article. You nailed it as always. I always read your articles to enrich my knowledge Keep doing what you do BEST 🙂

August 21, 2018 at 12:43 pm

Thank you for your lovely comment, Tony. A dash of creativity can definitely make a bio more captivating.

August 21, 2018 at 12:23 pm

‘More reclusive than J D Salinger on a rainy day,’ >> yes! Jealous of that.

And thanks for including me 😉 Interesting that the second sentence translates from 6 words in Dutch to 11 in English – usually it’s the other way round.

August 21, 2018 at 12:42 pm

Yes, I found it also weird that I ended up with more words. I somehow couldn’t make it shorter and it doesn’t feel as good as the Dutch version (probably because that one is shorter).

I love “delicate as a hand grenade,” too! 🙂

August 21, 2018 at 12:18 pm

Henneke, I love this one: “Because a professional bio is not only about you. It’s about your clients, too.” We have to think more like our own client to help us create a catchy bio that will work and answer “what’s in it for me?” Thanks for the info and the great examples here Henneke. I’ll be playing around with mine in the coming days.

August 21, 2018 at 12:40 pm

“Playing around” is a good phrase for writing a bio!

I can’t remember how long I played around with mine, but it was weeks rather than days (and writing this post makes me wonder whether I have to revisit my Twitter bio again!).

Happy playing, Lisa, and thank you for stopping by.

August 22, 2018 at 10:48 am

Oh yes, I try to update my Twitter bio every month or so. Things change, you know? You are most welcome. Love your mugs by the way as I’ve seen them via Sue-Ann.

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I never saw myself as a writer, but in my early forties, I learned how to write and discovered the joy of writing. Now, I’d like to empower you to find your voice, share your ideas and inspire your audience. Learn how I can help you

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5 Tips for Writing a Small Business Owner's Biography

• Small Business
• Online Business
• Home Business
• Entrepreneurship
• Operations & Success

Alyssa Gregory is an entrepreneur, writer, and marketer with 20 years of experience in the business world. She is the founder of the Small Business Bonfire, a community for entrepreneurs, and has authored more than 2,500 articles for popular small business websites.

Most professionals, small business owners included, can benefit from having a well-written and professional biography. The main goals of a professional biography are to give the reader an accurate sense of who you are and what you do, establish expertise and credibility, and qualify your experience and background. An interesting biography that accomplishes all of these things can help you develop trust in you and your brand, making it a powerful tool for your business.

There are many ways a small business owner can use a biography. Some ideas include:

• Incorporating it into your marketing materials
• Providing it to clients with proposals
• Submitting it with speaking, presenting, and teaching applications
• Posting it on your website and blog
• Including it in any books, e-books, reports, or professional documents you create

While you may have several different versions of your bio that you use in the different outlets listed above, all versions start with one well-written, comprehensive summary of who you are, where you came from and what you do. In fact, you should have three versions of your bio to start — short (one to two sentences), medium (one to two paragraphs) and long (three to four paragraphs).

To get you started, here are some tips for writing a biography that you can use in your small business over and over again.

Include the Basics

One of the great things about a well-written bio is flexibility. You can include as much or as little information as you want. Typically, though, there are some universal elements you will usually want to include in your bio. For example, most bios include:

• Current job, business or professional experience
• Publications or presentations you have completed
• Educational background
• Professional memberships you currently hold
• Awards, honors, and certifications you have received
• Your contact information

Grab the Reader's Attention

Remember that most people who will be reading your bio are strangers who know very little about you. Start by introducing yourself and using an attention-grabber to draw the reader in and make them want to learn more about you. Using a conversational voice throughout will also make it easier for your readers to follow along.

Write It In Third Person

Many professional bios are written in the third person, using "he/she/they" instead of "I." Presenting your bio as if someone else wrote it for you provides a distinction between you and the writer (even if it is understood that it is the same person). The third person also enhances professionalism and makes people more willing to trust what is being said.

Get a Little Personal

Don't be afraid to include some personal or unique information about yourself in your bio. Consider including a headshot of yourself, quotes or testimonials from clients , and links to examples of your work. You may also want to mention whether or not you're married with children and where you reside. Depending on the outlet, you may even want to add a sentence or two about your favorite hobbies or pastimes.

Update It Frequently

Your experience and qualifications change, so your bio should not be viewed as a static document. You should modify and update it periodically to reflect changes and to keep it fresh. And make sure you're using the most recent version whenever you pull a copy to use in your business.

As a small business owner, a bio gives you an opportunity to summarize your qualifications, highlight some interesting facts about yourself, and inject a little of your personality. Start by writing a draft using the tips above, then hand it off to a friend or colleague for review. Use the feedback you receive to fine-tune your bio and create a few different versions. Before you know it, you will have a very powerful tool to use in your small business.

How to write better bios

by Margot Lester | Dec 10, 2012 | E'ship , Writing/How to Write

Updated June 2023

Originally posted as part of a series for national write a business plan month..

Many just use standard bios when we're asked for one, giving the requester information they could just as easily (maybe even more easily) get from Linkedin . Sure. OK. Fine. But investing just a little time will yield a better bio. Here's how. Use this strategy whether you're writing you own bio or crafting one for someone else.

A strategy for better biographical sketches

For each bio, create a context for the credentials. Of course list experience, degrees, etc., but explain how those skills complement other team members’. Then explain why this person – as opposed to anyone else with similar skills and experience – is on the team. I use the Position-Rationale-Proof Strategy™ for this:

• What you think: Your opinion
• Why you think it: Your reasoning
• How you know:  The proof points (evidence, examples, explanation)

Here’s one I did for someone we’ve just added to our team to work on a specific project:

To write the bio, I worked across and down the organizer, making complete sentences from my notes. Here’s the resulting draft:

Caroline provides a unique perspective and background the project team needs. A senior at UNC, her experience as a recruitment counselor for the Panhellenic Council enables her to create authentic messaging designed to increase college student attendance. Her domestic and international network of 18- to 24-year-olds provides excellent access to our target market. She comes to the project with knowledge and understanding of global affairs and innovation issues, gleaned from coursework in her major, global studies. Pursuing a minor in journalism, Caroline’s covered innovative medical research at the university. Her major and minor give her the experience and context to research and write promotional and educational materials for the conference without a lot of training and staff resources. Caroline is a strong writer with direct experience interviewing international sources and working in a deadline-driven environment. She blogged her study-abroad experience; was a weekly reporter for The Odyssey, a student publication; filed weekly publication-quality features for class; and has experience interviewing medical researchers and international sources. A bonus: Carolina is fluent in French, the language spoken by 115 million people in 31 African nations, many of which are involved in the conference.

[Another example: How to write a recommendation with the PRP ]

The whole process took about 15 minutes , but I did this on my own. You might want to gather your team and/or advisers to complete a What-Why-How for each member together. Use the organizer to take notes, then pull the most relevant Whys and Hows to use in the narrative.

Action Items:

• Add story-telling to the management team section to create meaningful context for investors.
• Use the Position-Rationale-Proof to build out your bios. Download the how-to deck and blank organizer .

Related Content:

• How to frame your business plan
• Tips for entrepreneurs
• Write better reports with the PRP

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How to Write a Business Bio – A Detailed Guide

Definition of a business bio.

A business biography is a biography that gives the reader a sense of who you are and what you do, shows your expertise and credibility, and demonstrates your experience and background. Every working person needs to know how to make a business biography correctly, and what information should be indicated in it. This task does not appear so often, but it is better to familiarize yourself in advance with the rules on how to write a business bio to clearly understand which scheme to adhere to when writing a document.

Aim of a Business Bio

It is important to know the aim if you want to learn how to write a business biography. The main purpose of the business bio is not to demonstrate your company achievements and the story of important career moments. Here is another task – show your professionalism, work experience, and what your company does. The reader should learn from the bio what career advancement your company has already reached, and what your company potential is.

Peculiarities of a Business Bio

In addition to the achievements in business activities, it is necessary to provide information about additional work that was conducted during the company’s existence. It is worth paying attention to such important points as the goals of the company. It is recommended to display the true state of affairs concisely and delicately.

Business Bio Writing Steps

• Introduce the company and its owner. Composing a business bio begins from basic information: introduce the owner – write the name, indicate the year of birth, and from introducing the company – write the name of the company, and indicate the year it was founded.
• Review the services and products. After you introduce the owner of the company and the company itself, it is desirable to immediately indicate information about services and products that the company offers.
• Speak about awards and accomplishments. It is necessary to give information about promotions, awards, positive changes in the company, and accomplishments.
• Mention the publications and recommendations. Your company will be valued more if it has publications and recommendations.
• Write the contact information. Write the main address of the company, and the name of a person who can be contacted.
• Write in the third person.
• Publish the business biography. Before you publish it, don’t forget to proofread the paper.

Here is an infographics you can use as a crib note while writing your email.

Business Bio Template Analysis

After reading the analysis of a business biography sample, you will have an idea according to which scheme the biography is written, but it is necessary to specify the information taking into account your particular case. When composing a bio, you should read through the following analysis of a business biography template. Check also other business bio examples written by our writers.

Click the images to see their full size.

Business Biography Writing Tips

• There are no strict requirements for writing a business biography, but it is necessary to know the general rules for its compilation, because this paper belongs to the category of business documentation.
• An autobiography should be capacious and concise, and the optimal size of the document is 1-2 sheets. In practice, it has been proved that voluminous bios are not fully read and do not reveal the author’s virtues – they lead to the opposite effect.
• The form of presentation of information is business style. The business bio should be written without errors, since when reading the document, the first impression will be made not according to the written text, but in the form of the presentation. Therefore, literacy and “easiness” of perception will give good scores to your company.
• During the compilation of a business bio, chronological order should be adhered to – the text should be composed consistently and logically.
• An important point – all the information that you personally indicate in your business bio must be true. Any unreliable information, in the case of detection of deceit, will create certain problems for you, up to the point of a damaged business image. Wrong information in the bio can be a serious obstacle to obtaining success to your company.

Mistakes in Writing a Business Biography

• Grammatical and stylistic errors, clerical errors, and unstructured text. A business bio abounding with such “bloopers” is the main contender for the trash can. No self-respecting person will end up reading a text with errors. Nobody will be interested in an illiterate business bio.
• Unformatted text. It is very difficult to read a business bio in which the text is written without paragraphs, highlights, and clarifications. Personnel staff, as a rule, do not read the whole text they professionally know, and instead read “diagonally,” looking for the most important phrases for them personally in the bio. It is recommended to clearly distinguish headings and subtitles; it is forbidden to use a different font, colored markers for highlighting, and other decorations. No more than two different fonts should be used in one document, and bold highlights and underlining in paragraphs and titles are not allowed. A bio is an official document, not a love letter.
• Template bios are similar to hundreds of others. Biography clones will not be considered in respectable companies as well, arguing that a company will not be able to competently follow the course of a developing company.
• Inaccurate start and end dates. Such a fuzziness of chronological dates reveals a company that is lying and not purposeful.
• No aim is indicated. What is the purpose of the business bio? The answers to these questions largely determine the structure of the biography and its content.
• Inclusion in the business bio of the entire list of work biographies. If the work experience is more than ten years, it is not recommended to specify in detail all the facts of company development.

Now, you can begin writing a biography, as our guide explains how to write a business bio. We’ve tried to describe all important points for writing. This kind of help can be offered not only for those who write bios – you can also find guides for other business papers on our blog. Our guides are the best option for preparing high-quality business papers.

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18 Best Business Biographies to Read in 2024

You found our list of top business biographies .

Business biographies are narratives that tell the stories of entrepreneurs and the birth and growth of influential companies. These works deal with topics such as childhood influences, education and early career, business founding, and the evolution of entrepreneurial empires. The purpose of these books is to provide further context and insight into the personal factors that contributed to the creation of companies, and to inspire and educate current and future entrepreneurs.

These works are a subset of business books and are similar to entrepreneur books and CEO books .

This list includes:

• autobiographies of business founders
• biographies of business leaders
• entrepreneur biographies
• business biographies about women

Here we go!

List of business biographies

Here is a list of biographies of business leaders that shed light on how to launch and nurture legacies and empires.

1. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Shoe Dog is one of the most popular autobiographies of business founders of all time. This memoir has received endorsements from the likes of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.

In his own words, Nike founder Phil Knight recounts the journey of founding the sneaker company and its ascent into a top athletic wear brand. Knight gives a peek into his early life and influences, as well as insights into his leadership and business philosophy. Shoe Dog is a masterful illustration of tenacity, vision, and the business lifestyle.

Notable Quote: “Beating the competition is relatively easy. Beating yourself is a never-ending commitment.”

Read Shoe Dog .

2. Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire by Brad Stone

Amazon Unbound is Brad Stone’s followup to the bestselling book, The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon. This latest biography about the founder of Amazon charts the company’s rise to global titan status and chronicles Bezos’ evolution as a leader within the past decade. The work includes the company’s development of cloud technology, Alexa, and Prime Video, as well as acquisitions of Whole Foods and The Washington Post . The book continues the narrative of the story of Amazon and its founder and lays forth the next chapter in the saga of the e-commerce giant.

Notable Quote: “Jeff is master of ‘this isn’t working today, but could work tomorrow.’ If customers like it, he’s got the cash flow to fund it.”

Read Amazon Unbound .

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3. Iacocca: An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca

Iacocca: An Autobiography is a firsthand account of the life of the legendary auto executive. Lee Iacocca’s life is a prime example of the American dream– raised by immigrants, he rises up the ranks in corporate America and dominates the auto world. In the course of this journey, Lee Iacocca revolutionized the automobile industry and earned icon status. The autobiography traces the highlights of Iacocca’s illustrious career, from his part in creating the Mustang and ascent to president of Ford, to saving the Chrysler brand, and defeating hurdles along the way. Iacocca: An Autobiography is a motivational read and a rallying call for resilience.

Notable Quote: “In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product, and profits. People come first. Unless you’ve got a good team, you can’t do much with the other two.”

Read Iacocca: An Autobiography .

4. Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow

Titan  traces the life of legendary businessman John D Rockefeller. This biography aims to examine Rockefeller through a new lens. Many other accounts either overly-glorify Rockefeller as a hero or condemn him based on The Standard Oil Company’s later scandals. Ron Chernow angles to lift the veil on and gain insight into the notoriously private Rockefeller by compiling a comprehensive account of his full life. The book follows John Rockefeller Sr from his childhood to death. In doing so, the author not only recounts the moves and deals that helped build a business and charity empire, but also shares stories and quotes that more thoroughly flesh out the figure behind the great deeds.

Notable Quote: “Rockefeller equated silence with strength: Weak men had loose tongues and blabbed to reporters, while prudent businessmen kept their own counsel.”

Read Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

5. The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution by Gregory Zuckerman

The Man Who Solved the Market is a bestselling book about Jim Simons, the mathematician who pioneered an algorithm-driven approach to investing that achieved unheard-of market returns. The book unpacks Simon’s backstory by tracing the codebreaker’s early adolescence, education at MIT, early career, and finally the late-life acclaim and founding of Renaissance Technologies. Gregory Zuckerman connects Simons’ story to the broader current climate and notes the influences the discovery had on the wider world. The Man Who Solved the Market also holds lessons about teamwork and professional collaboration.

Notable Quote: “Scientists and mathematicians are trained to dig below the surface of the chaotic, natural world to search for unexpected simplicity, structure, and even beauty”

Read The Man Who Solved the Market .

6. How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big is equal parts amusing and profound. In this book, Dilbert comic creator Scott Adams traces his career, paying special attention to the flops, setbacks, and disappointments. By focusing on failure, Adams explains how he was able to transform losses into lessons and eventual opportunities. The author’s signature wry sense of humor elevates the underdog narrative beyond motivational fluff and into actionable advice.

While telling his own tale, Adams drops tidbits such as:

• Goals are for losers. Systems are for winners.
• The most important metric is to track your personal energy.
• Conquer shyness by being a huge phony (in a good way.)

While this book is structured more like a self-help guide than a traditional biography, it is full of personal anecdotes that provide a much more rounded picture of the famous cartoonist.

Notable Quote: “Failure always brings something valuable with it. I don’t let it leave until I extract that value.”

Read ​​ How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big .

7. The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder

The Snowball provides a personal portrait of the Oracle of Omaha. In this exclusive biography, Warren Buffet allows Alice Schroeder and the readers intimate access into his inner life by way of years of one-on-one interviews with the author. The book reveals previously non-public details about Buffet’s childhood, career, and relationships, and sheds light on the investor’s inner-drivers, values, and areas of personal growth. The Snowball shows Warren Buffet’s human side and gives extra context to the magnate’s extraordinary accomplishments.

Notable Quote: “Intensity is the price of excellence.”

Read The Snowball .

8. Pappyland: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last by Wright Thompson

Pappyland is a tale of familial entrepreneurial duty and legacy preservation. The book tells the tale of Julian Van Winkle III’s battle to save his father and grandfather’s lifework and the reputation of the family whiskey business. The work chronicles Van Winkle’s early struggles to keep the business afloat in leaner years to the eventual rise to several-hundred-dollar-a-bottle prestige, and the resulting need for innovation and reinvention that stayed true to the company’s roots. Few entrepreneur biographies touch so heavily on themes of family devotion and obligation, making Pappyland a moving and relatable read as well as a practical business study.

Notable Quote: “That’s the work of adulthood. Sorting out the good and bad within.”

Read Pappyland .

9. The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger

The Ride of a Lifetime is a self-penned profile of Disney executive Robert Iger. The book recounts Iger’s rise from entry-level employee at ABC to head of the most powerful media company in the world. Iger reflects on the industry changes that he saw and had a hand in during his long and lucrative career, and highlights the keys to his professional success. While the book is not strictly a memoir, Iger structures this guide with personal details that give context to his business behaviors. The Ride of a Lifetime provides a direct look at the philosophies of the man behind the mouse.

Notable Quote: “Ask the questions you need to ask, admit without apology what you don’t understand, and do the work to learn what you need to learn as quickly as you can.”

Read The Ride of a Lifetime .

10. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson’s official profile on Steve Jobs ranks as one of the best biographies of business leaders. Drawing on over 40 interviews with Jobs and hundreds more with family and friends, colleagues, and rivals, Isaccson weaves a thrilling account of the icon’s life. The result is a comprehensive collection of life events that shaped the subject told from multiple perspectives. From childhood to college, inventions and product launches, collaborations and clashes, career setbacks and redemptions, and roller-coaster relationships, Steve Jobs paints an appropriately complex portrait of a larger than life figure with undeniable human flaws.

Notable Quote: “One way to remember who you are is to remember who your heroes are.”

Read Steve Jobs .

11. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance

Ashlee Vance’s Elon Musk is a profile of a monumental current businessman. This biography retells Musk’s extraordinary story of overcoming childhood adversity in South Africa only to become one of the most influential figures in Silicon Valley and modern industry. The book touches on Musk’s early pursuits in PayPal, the founding of Tesla, as well as the eventual decision to set sights on space and enter the aerospace frontier. The book is an exploration of Musk’s character and vision, charting his life through his innovations and ideas.

Notable Quote: “Good ideas are always crazy until they’re not.”

Read Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future .

12. Sam Walton: Made In America by Sam Walton

Sam Walton: Made in America is the story of Walmart and the man who made Walmart the behemoth that it is today. This autobiography reveals how Walton grew a single dime store into a retail giant. The book explores how Walton built his foundations, structured his business, grew the company, bounced back from missteps, and kept control over his mission even as his empire expanded around the country and the world. Sam Walton: Made in America is a book about big business world ambition paired with small-town values, and is a distinctly American tale of commercial success and the achievement of a distinct vision.

Notable Quote: “Great ideas come from everywhere if you just listen and look for them. You never know who’s going to have a great idea.”

Read Sam Walton: Made In America .

13. Empire State of Mind: How Jay Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office by Zack O’Malley Greenburg

Empire State of Mind is a love letter to Jay Z’s business acumen. This biography recounts the rapper’s meteoric rise from ghettos to boardrooms. The book highlights some of the key points in Carter’s career, including the inception of Roc-a-Fella records, marriage to Beyoncé, birth of Roc Nation, and expansion into the streetwear, alcohol, and streaming spaces. Viewing Jay-Z as a businessman above all and hailing his hustler mindset, Empire State of Mind spins a tale of entrepreneurship, self-creation, and re-invention.

Notable Quote: “One of the main reasons for this success is Jay-Z’s ability to build and leverage his personal brand. As much as Martha Stewart or Oprah, he has turned himself into a lifestyle.”

Read Empire State of Mind .

14. Authentic: A Memoir by the Founder of Vans by Paul Van Doren

Authenti c is one of the final projects of Vans founder Paul Van Doren. The memoir tells the tale of how a high school dropout went on to helm one of the most beloved shoewear brands in the world. This autobiographical account charts Van Doren’s journey of working in a rubber factory as a teenager to creating the renowned skateboard shoe company, to preserving the legacy throughout the decades. The book examines the decisions that made the foundations of the empire and the elements that rocketed the company to fame. The story also deals with the personal and professional obstacles that threatened and informed the work. Authentic is a parable for following passions and staying true to style and vision even in the face of change.

Notable Quote: “What I’ve accomplished comes down to one thing: my knack for identifying and then solving problems. What I do better than anything else is cut out distractions. If a system isn’t working efficiently, I can see where it’s jammed, eliminate the problem, and find a way to keep everything moving forward.”

Read Authentic: A Memoir by the Founder of Vans .

15. Believe IT: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable by Jamie Kern Lima

Believe IT tells the life story of Jamie Kern Lima, founder of IT Cosmetics and waitress-turned-entrepreneur who overcame the odds to build a company worth a billion dollars and to become the first female CEO of a L’Oreal brand. The book lays out defining events such as Lima learning of her adoption in early adulthood, and shows how the authors’ life hardships prepared her to face the adversity of a beauty industry that constantly told her she would not succeed. Believe IT is part manifesto and part memoir, and full-throttle motivational read.

Notable Quote: “How we react to times of uncertainty, and whether we make decisions based in love or fear, can change the course of our life. Champions aren’t made when the game is easy. In any area of life.”

Read Believe It: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable .

16. The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It by Tilar J Mazzeo

The Widow Clicquot is a historical business biography, and is one of the most fascinating business biographies about women. The book tells the tale of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, a businesswoman who gained control of her family’s business and revolutionized champagne. The biography describes how Clicquot Ponsardin turned misfortune into fortune and made a mark on the world at a time when opportunities for women were limited. The Widow Clicquot is an empowerment message and fascinating historical story wrapped into one riveting account.

Notable Quote: “Widowed at the age of twenty-seven, with no formal business training and no firsthand experience, Barbe-Nicole transformed a well-funded but struggling and small-time family wine brokerage into arguably the most important champagne house of the nineteenth century in just over a decade.”

Read The Widow Clicquot .

17. Losing My Virginity: How I’ve Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way by Richard Branson

Losing My Virginity is billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson’s first autobiography. The book pinpoints the most essential events and influences in Branson’s life. As most business biographies do, the work starts with the executive’s upbringing and moves through his life chronologically. Branson’s many adventures include professional forays into the music and airline industries, as well as personal exploits such as trying to circle the globe in a hot air balloon. Alongside his colorful stories, the businessman shares his personal and professional philosophies, chiefly the belief of working hard yet having passions and wins beyond work. Losing My Virginity advocates for living a full and rounded life and taking control in both personal and business spheres.

Notable Quote: “I can honestly say that I have never gone into any business purely to make money. If that is the sole motive then I believe you are better off not doing it. A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.”

Read Losing My Virginity .

18. Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built by Duncan Clark

Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built is a striking profile of the founder of one of the most expansive eCommerce companies in China and the world at large. The book highlights Ma’s humble beginnings as an English teacher as well as his late start to the world of entrepreneurship, and explores how the businessman rapidly climbed from running a company out of an apartment to securing a record-setting multi-billion dollar IPO. Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built provides a comprehensive history of Jack Ma’s life and professional journey and Alibaba’s evolution.

Notable Quote: “Today is brutal, tomorrow is more brutal, but the day after tomorrow is beautiful. However, the majority of people will die tomorrow night.”

Read Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built .

Founders, CEOs, and industry leaders are so often mythologized and painted as larger-than-life, that it can be easy to forget that these figures are humans with backstories and deeply personal lives. Business biographies provide perspective and additional insight into the motivations and influences of these legends and help flesh out more fully-formed profiles of these grand personas. These memoirs also portray the history of major companies and can paint fuller portraits of organizations’ origins and growth. By reading biographies on business leaders, professionals can be more mindful and in-control of their own work aspirations.

For more reading recommendations, check out this list of books on leadership or these business books by women .

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FAQ: Business biographies

Here are answers to common questions about business biographies.

What are business biographies?

Business biographies are narrative nonfiction works that follow the lives of industry leaders and chart the launch and growth of important organizations. These books often draw from interviews and mix facts and history with philosophy.

What are the best business biographies?

The best business biographies include Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, The Snowball by Alice Schroeder, and Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

Author: Angela Robinson

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Business Plan: What It Is + How to Write One

Discover what a business plan includes and how writing one can foster your business’s development.

What is a business plan? 

Think of a business plan as a document that guides the journey to start-up and beyond. Business plans are written documents that define your business goals and the strategies you’ll use to achieve those goals. In addition to exploring the competitive environment in which the business will operate, a business plan also analyses a market and different customer segments, describes the products and services, lists business strategies for success, and outlines financial planning.  

How to write a business plan 

In the sections below, you’ll build the following components of your business plan:

Executive summary

Business description 

Products and services 

Competitor analysis 

Marketing plan and sales strategies 

Brand strategy

Financial planning

Explore each section to bring fresh inspiration and reveal new possibilities for developing your business. Depending on your format, you may adapt the sections, skip over some, or go deeper into others. Consider your first draft a foundation for your efforts and one you can revise, as needed, to account for changes in any area of your business.  

1. Executive summary 

This short section introduces the business plan as a whole to the people who will be reading it, including investors, lenders, or other members of your team. Start with a sentence or two about your business, development goals, and why it will succeed. If you are seeking funding, summarise the basics of the financial plan. 

2. Business description 

You can use this section to provide detailed information about your company and how it will operate in the marketplace. 

Mission statement: What drives your desire to start a business? What purpose are you serving? What do you hope to achieve for your business, the team, and your customers? 

Revenue streams: From what sources will your business generate revenue? Examples include product sales, service fees, subscriptions, rental fees, licence fees, and more. 

Leadership: Describe the leaders in your business, their roles and responsibilities, and your vision for building teams to perform various functions, such as graphic design, product development, or sales.  

Legal structure: If you’ve incorporated your business, include the legal structure here and the rationale behind this choice. 

3. Competitor analysis 

This section will assess potential competitors, their offers, and marketing and sales efforts. For each competitor, explore the following: 

Value proposition: What outcome or experience does this brand promise?

Products and services: How does each solve customer pain points and fulfill desires? What are the price points? 

Marketing: Which channels do competitors use to promote? What kind of content does this brand publish on these channels? What messaging does this brand use to communicate value to customers?  

Sales: What sales process or buyer’s journey does this brand lead customers through?

4. Products and services

Use this section to describe everything your business offers to its target market. For every product and service, list the following: 

The value proposition or promise to customers, in terms of how they will experience it

How the product serves customers, addresses their pain points, satisfies their desires, and improves their lives

The features or outcomes that make the product better than those of competitors

Your price points and how these compare to competitors

5. Marketing plan and sales strategies 

In this section, you’ll draw from thorough market research to describe your target market and how you will reach it. 

Who are your ideal customers?   

How can you describe this segment according to their demographics (age, ethnicity, income, location, etc.) and psychographics (beliefs, values, aspirations, lifestyle, etc.)? 

What are their daily lives like? 

What problems and challenges do they experience? 

What words, phrases, ideas, and concepts do consumers in your target market use to describe these problems when posting on social media or engaging with your competitors?  

What messaging will present your products as the best on the market? How will you differentiate messaging from competitors? 

On what marketing channels will you position your products and services?

How will you design a customer journey that delivers a positive experience at every touchpoint and leads customers to a purchase decision?

6. Brand strategy 

In this section, you will describe your business’s design, personality, values, voice, and other details that go into delivering a consistent brand experience. 

What are the values that define your brand?

What visual elements give your brand a distinctive look and feel?

How will your marketing messaging reflect a distinctive brand voice, including tone, diction, and sentence-level stylistic choices? 

How will your brand look and sound throughout the customer journey? 

Define your brand positioning statement. What will inspire your audience to choose your brand over others? What experiences and outcomes will your audience associate with your brand? 

7. Financial planning  

In this section, you will explore your business’s financial future. Suppose you are writing a traditional business plan to seek funding. In that case, this section is critical for demonstrating to lenders or investors you have a strategy for turning your business ideas into profit. For a lean start-up business plan, this section can provide a valuable exercise for planning how to invest resources and generate revenue [ 1 ].  

Use past financials and other sections of this business plan to begin your financial planning, such as your price points or sales strategies. 

How many individual products or service packages do you plan to sell over a specific period?

List your business expenses, such as subscribing to software or other services, hiring contractors or employees, purchasing physical supplies or equipment, etc.

What is your break-even point or the amount you must sell to cover all expenses?

Create a sales forecast for the next three to five years: (No. of units to sell X price for each unit) – (cost per unit X No. of units) = sales forecast

Quantify how much capital you have on hand.

When writing a traditional business plan to secure funding, you may append supporting documents, such as licences, permits, patents, letters of reference, resumes, product blueprints, brand guidelines, the industry awards you’ve received, and media mentions and appearances.

Business plan key takeaways and best practices

Remember: Creating a business plan is crucial when starting a business. You can use this document to guide your decisions and actions and even seek funding from lenders and investors. 

Keep these best practices in mind:

Your business plan should evolve as your business grows. Return to it periodically, such as quarterly or annually, to update individual sections or explore new directions your business can take.

Make sure everyone on your team has a copy of the business plan, and welcome their input as they perform their roles. 

Ask fellow entrepreneurs for feedback on your business plan and look for opportunities to strengthen it, from conducting more market and competitor research to implementing new strategies for success. 

Start your business with Coursera 

Ready to start your business? Watch this video on the Lean approach from the Entrepreneurship Specialisation on Coursera: 

Article sources

Inc. “ How to Write the Financial Section of a Business Plan ,   https://www.inc.com/guides/business-plan-financial-section.html.” Accessed April 15, 2024.

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How to Write a Business Plan for Your Biotech Startup

Last Updated on 

August 9, 2022

Do you always need a written business plan? Keeping track of every part of your business in your head is an impossible task, and the components of cash flow–sales, costs, expenses, assets, liabilities, capital, and profits–are much easier to understand and manage when laid out in an organized way.

Not only that, having everything documented will help show others that you have a good idea on your hands, one worthy of investment—whether that be labor or capital.

There are many different types of business plans, however, each type generally falls under one of two categories: traditional or lean startup. Whichever you choose, writing a business plan can give you a roadmap, guiding you through each stage of starting and managing your company, and can help convince people to invest in or lend to you.

That said, does a business plan guarantee success? Sadly, it does not. If all you needed to succeed was a business plan, then everyone with a business plan would be successful. Nonetheless, it is an excellent exercise and decision-making tool, and will help you flesh out a solid business strategy. In fact, scientific studies have shown that many successful businesses planned ahead.

In this article, we’ll review the traditional business plan format used to outline the company’s mission statement, structure, products or services, growth strategy, and more—information that will all be necessary if you’re going to secure outside investment, such as investor funding and business loans. Furthermore, we’ll provide a few examples of business plan templates we stand behind.

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How Does a Business Plan Help?

If you’e starting a small business, your business plan can be a highly useful tool to help you run your business. It can be the blueprint for how you structure, run, and grow your company.

They’re also an excellent way to flesh out key elements of your company, such as capital needs, product-to-market fit, competition, marketing plans, and potential to make a profit. Documenting all this will give you a much better grasp on your chances for success.

Most importantly, traditional business plans are an essential part to securing funding or bringing on new business partners. By providing in-depth detail on how you plan to operate your business, you make it that much more attractive to prospective investors or lenders.

This is because any investor is more likely to put their money and resources into someone who has made the effort to think out and document how the business will run—the business owner is more likely to be viewed as committed, thoughtful, and strategic.

Furthermore, creating a business plan lets you spot opportunities and challenges as you grow. This is due, in large part, to the fact that business plans have become less static.

(It used to be the case that many business plans were long, formal, and static documents that did not change much.)

Nowadays, many business owners revisit and revise their business plan as the company grows, as they gather new and different information and experience, and as the market changes. This allows for more flexibility and strategic planning and pivoting.

Now, some people may see writing a business plan as a chore or necessary “evil” required to attract financing or investors.

It may be seen as a chore, but it should also be seen as a low-cost—if not free—way to explore the viability of your potential business and avoid costly mistakes. At the end of the day, it’s not just about funding, it’s about the process.

By writing a plan out, you show not only yourself but those around you that you have a good idea on your hands, one worthy of time, effort, and money.

What Does Your Business Plan Need to Include?

Traditional business plans, or standard business plans, are highly detailed and provide a comprehensive look at the inner workings of your business.

These types of plans are necessary when requesting funding from an prospective investor or lender. They can be dozens of pages long, and usually take more time to write than other types of business plans, such as a lean startup plan.

Lean startup plans are typically shorter, focusing on key elements from a high-level. They are useful tools for measuring performance regularly and tracking your financials and milestones against what you projected so you can respond to opportunities and react to challenges quickly.

This type of business plan is faster to write, but doesn’t always provide enough information to potential investors or lenders. Nonetheless, it is a great option for startups looking to move quickly and decisively.

When writing a traditional business plan, the outline should include these topics:

Executive summary

Company description.

• Company structure & management
• Products or services
• Market analysis
• Sales & marketing plan
• Funding request
• Financial plan & projections

The order in which the topics are included is not incredibly important. The level of detail is what investors are looking at. Let’s briefly review each section.

This is one of the most important sections of your business plan, as many investors will make a decision to invest in your business based on this summary.

Often, these investors won’t read the rest of the business plan unless your executive summary is convincing enough. It shouldn’t be longer than one page, and should provide a high-level overview of your business idea that persuades an investor to continue reading.

Your executive summary should include every section described below, but condensed to include the most important information so a busy reviewer can get the idea quickly.

This is where you’ll go into detail about your business concept and company, explaining what you do, why you do it, and the problems you plan to solve.

You should include information regarding your business’s structure, goals and objectives, as well as the consumers or businesses you plan on serving. You can also include your cultural philosophy, principles, and ideals.

All this should be written to explain why your business is a good investment bet.

Company Structure & Management

If you plan on raising money from investors, they will want to know how you structure your business and who runs it. This means determining how your business is structured legally, and including that information in your business plan.

State whether or not you are or plan to incorporate as a C-corporation, S-corporation, or limited liability company (LLC), and show who will be running each part of the business and describe how each member will contribute to the company..

Documenting the legal structure and management team in your business plan regardless of fundraising strategies will ultimately be helpful, as you will have all your business entity information recorded for any future needs.

Products or Services

Explain what you plan to sell and why. How will it benefit your customers or the businesses you plan to serve? In the life sciences sector, sharing how you plan to handle intellectual property is incredibly important.

If you’re performing research and development, you’ll want to include comprehensive details.

Market Analysis

Many investors will want to know an analysis of your target market, the size and growth of that market, and why you’re targeting it.

Market research—specifically, researching your competitors—should give you a good idea of what your target industry and market looks like. It will show you what other businesses are doing and whether or not it’s working.

This type of competitive analysis will also help you understand their strengths and weaknesses, and how you can position yourself.

Looking for themes and trends can help you get an idea of what successful companies do, why they do it, and how you can improve on it. Including this information in your business plan will help investors see how your business fits into the target market, and whether or not you have any competitive advantages.

Sales & Marketing Plans

Creating these two documents is extremely important because it will define how exactly you will market to customers, as well as how you will convince them to purchase the product or service you’re offering.

While sales strategies and marketing strategies are somewhat different, they are often talked about together, as sales and marketing departments work closely to achieve business goals.

Although there is no single way to approach creating a marketing strategy, there are some best practices that many entrepreneurs in various industries typically follow. These best practices include:

Include your marketing and sales strategy in your business plan by outlining your current marketing plan. Explain what your ideal customer demographics are and why, show how your strategy fits that actual or potential customer, and include your value propositions. Incorporate how you plan to attract and retain their business as well.

As well, this section should also describe how you’ll actually make a sale. Refer back to this section when describing your financial projections.

Funding Requests

If you’re looking for outside investments to fund or finance your company, you’ll need to include a funding request section. If you’re not planning to ask, you can skip this section entirely.

Although investors are an excellent resource (large cash injections, wide network to leverage), there are other ways to fund your business without using investors.

Use this section to include important information on your business’s funding needs, as well as future financial plans and projections.

Include how much funding you may need and when you’ll need it, whether you prefer equity or debt, the terms you’d like, and the length of time this request will cover. Furthermore, describe how you’ll use your funds.

Specify whether it’s for hiring and salaries, equipment and supplies, or bills that need to be paid. (It could be for all of these.)

Include a description of your future financial plans. It should include any loan repayment schedules and plans to sell the business. You’ll also want to include your exit strategy , letting investors know how they will be able to exit the deal should they wish.

An exit strategy can be a number of things, from initial public offering (IPO) or merger and acquisition (M&A) to a management buyout.  

Financial Plan & Projections

The financial plan section is used to illustrate your projected financial position, as well as a number of financial statements.

It can be used to supplement your funding request and should show your company’s stability.

You’ll want to include the most important views of your financials, to showcase your business’s financial health. If you have income statements , balance sheets , and cash flow statements you can provide, make sure you do.

Depending on your audience, it may also be helpful to provide a financial forecast for the next five years. Include projected income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and capital expenditure budgets, and describe your projected cash-flow statement.

It can identify gaps or negative cash flow, helping you adjust your operations accordingly. Lastly, match these projections with your requested funding so investors understand why you’re requesting that specific amount.

Business Plan Template Examples

You can use a business plan template to write an effective business plan. These templates typically provide step-by-step instructions, or enough detail about each section, to help guide you through the process.

We’ve gone ahead and collected a few resources we believe in, and have provided them here for you:

• USBA Business Plan Template
• Bplans Business Plan Template for Small Business and Entrepreneurs
• Shopify Free Business Plan Template
• My Own Business Free Business Plan Template
• Score Business Plan Template for Startup Businesses

In conclusion

As tedious as it may sound, writing a great business plan can help convince others that you have a viable business idea on your hands.

With an excellent business plan, you’ll likely have an easier time getting people to work with you, whether as a fellow founder, an employee, or as an investor.

Lastly, even if you’re not actively seeking out funding, it’s an excellent exercise that will leave you understanding your business inside and out.

These articles are designed to be informational and do not represent legal advice. Before making any legal or financial business decisions, you should consult with a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

Business Plan Organization and Management: How to Write Guide .

Sep 17, 2023 | Business Consulting , Business Plan , Organization and Management , Organizational Development , Strategy

Writing the Business Plan Organization and Management Section

It provides critical information for those looking for evidence that your staff has the necessary experience, skills, and pedigree to realize the objectives detailed in the rest of your business plan.

What Is the Organization and Management Section in a Business Plan?

The organization and management section of your business plan should provide details about your business structure and team. This section typically comes after the executive summary. However, some people have it further in the document after the market analysis section.

This section generally is separated into two parts. The first concerns the organization as a whole. It gives readers an overview of the company structure, which is an excellent opportunity for the reader to lift the roof off your office and peer into its inner workings. For your legal design, you may set up as a limited liability company (LLC) or nonprofit/ charity or form a partnership. It’s crucial to include this section. However, suppose you’re starting a home business or have an already operating business where you’re the only person involved. In that case, you can skip this section or show the company registration details from either the company’s house or the awarding .gov.

The second part focuses specifically on your management team and introduces readers to each member — your chance to impress them with the many accomplishments pinned to your organization’s management team.

This section may seem less important than some of the other parts of your business plan, but the truth is that your people are your business. If they’re highly competent and accomplished, the implication is that so is your business.

Of course, if you’re a sole proprietor with no management structure or any employees, this section is unnecessary other than to talk about yourself and your achievements.

The section on organization and management should outline the hierarchy, individual roles, and corresponding responsibilities. It should also highlight each person’s strengths and qualifications for their positions.

Business Plan Organization Section

The organizational section of your business plan outlines the hierarchy of individuals involved in your business, typically in a chart format. This section identifies the President or CEO, CFO, Director of Marketing, and other roles for partnerships or multi-member LLCs. If you’re a single-person home business, this section is straightforward as you are the only person on the chart.

Although this section primarily focuses on owner members, you can include outsourced workers or virtual assistants if you plan to hire them. For example, you may have a freelance web admin, marketing assistant, or copywriter. You may even have a virtual assistant who coordinates with your other freelancers. While these individuals are not owners, they hold significant responsibilities in your business.

There are various business structures, such as sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations.

Detail the Legal Structure within the Business Plan Organization and Management Section

Here is an indicative list of business structures. It would help if you talked to your accountant and legal advisors to determine which legal form is the best for your business proposition.

Sole Proprietorship

When embarking on a business venture, it’s essential to consider the various structures available. A sole proprietorship is a structure whereby the business is not regarded as separate from its owner’s finances. The owner retains complete control and responsibility for the company. However, they are unable to sell stocks or bring in new owners. The business becomes a sole proprietorship if not registered under any other structure.

Partnership

When forming a partnership, it can either be a limited partnership (LP) or a limited liability partnership (LLP). One partner assumes most liability in a limited partnership (LP). In contrast, the other partners have limited liability and control over the business. Alternatively, in a limited liability partnership (LLP), all partners have limited liability from debts and actions of other partners, and there is no general partner.

Limited Liability Company

A limited company (LTD) or limited liability company (LLC) is a mixture of business structures that mixes aspects of partnerships and corporations. It offers limited personal liability to the owner and passes profits through to their tax returns.

Corporation

There are various types of corporate structures. A C-corporation enables the issuance of stock shares, pays corporate taxes instead of personal returns, and provides the highest level of personal protection from business activities. On the other hand, nonprofit corporations are similar to C corporations. However, they do not aim to make profits and are exempt from state or federal income taxes.

More information on company legal structures is available on UK.Gov and USA.SBA websites.

Describe Your Company’s Organizational Structure

This first step illustrates the positions in your organization’s employee hierarchy and how they all relate to each other.

This is usually done graphically as a guide, using an organizational chart, or “org chart” for short. People use a Microsoft tool, i.e., PowerPoint or Excel, to help.

Organization Charts typically follow a top-down hierarchy, starting with your CEO/ Managing Director in the top box at the top of the page. Lines extend down from that person’s name to boxes containing the terms of the CEO’s direct reports.

We have included an example organizational chart below for guidelines only.

Identify your business organization structure and list your team members’ strengths and skills.

Those managers then have lines extending to those who report to them, and so on, down to your lowest staff positions.

This section will give your readers a quick understanding of your management and governance structure, the size of your organization, and your lines of control and communication.

Describe your Team in your Business Plan Organization and Management Section

In your business plan’s Organization and Management section, please provide a detailed description of your team. Y ou will discuss the company’s management team, starting with the owners.

This section highlights who is involved in the running of your business and who are the support professionals. It also includes the roles and responsibilities of managers.

Suppose the company structure is a multi-owner arrangement or some other multi-owner arrangement. In that case, you’ll want to include information for every member and their percentage of ownership and ongoing involvement in the company.

It’s important to discuss how ownership interests are split, their responsibilities, what they did before securing their current position, and how they came to be involved with the company.

Here, it would help if you talked about some of your critical team members. These people are directly responsible for large portions of your business operations.

Owner/Manager/Members

Within your business o rganization and management section, y ou should introduce the team and talk about their experience, qualifications, previous companies and achievements, role in the company, and any special skills they bring with them. Please provide the following details for each owner, manager, or member of the business within your business plan:

• Percentage of ownership (if applicable)
• Level of involvement (active or silent partner)
• Type of ownership (e.g., stock options, general partner)
• Position in the company (CEO, CFO, etc.)
• Responsibilities and Duties
• Educational background
• Relevant experience and skills
• Previous employment history
• Skills that will benefit the business
• Awards or recognition received
• Compensation structure
• How each individual’s skills and experience will complement and contribute to the business’s success

Perhaps they’re an entrepreneur, business coach, exclusive advisor, or industry specialist to help you grow.

This is an ideal opportunity for companies with an Executive Board of Directors, Governance Structure, or Advisory Board to introduce them to your readers.

Executive Board

Having a board of directors is essential for your management team. Without one, you may be missing out on crucial information. This section includes details similar to those found in the ownership and management team sub-section, such as the names, areas of expertise, positions (if applicable), and involvement with the company of each board member.

Strategic Advisors

Suppose you’re looking for funding for your business or to fill a gap in your knowledge, or you may not have the funds to hire an executive board. In that case, you must inform potential partners and investors that you have a team of professionals assisting you. This includes lawyers, accountants, and any freelancers or contractors you may be working with. When listing these individuals, include their name, title, educational background, certifications, services they provide to your business, and their relationship with you (i.e., hourly rates, projects, retainer, as-needed, regular). Additionally, highlight their skills and experience that make them an asset to your team you need

Does anything else make them stand out as quality professionals (awards, past working with credible brands)?

Spotlight on the Wider Team Structure

Now, you’ve showcased the management team in its entirety. You can provide brief bios for hiring team needs or secondary members and talk at length about how the team’s combined skills complement each other and how they amplify the team’s effectiveness.

It’s also important to point out any gaps in the knowledge your team is currently suffering. Your readers will likely be savvy enough to pick up on existing holes.

Therefore, you’ll want to get ahead of these criticisms and demonstrate that you’re already aware of the positions and complementary skill sets your management team still requires and how you plan to address the knowledge gaps with future hires.

Do you need help writing your business plan o rganization and management section ? 

Every successful business plan should include the organization and management section, helping you communicate your legal structure and team.

Writing a business plan can seem overwhelming, especially when starting a small, one-person business. However, it can be a reasonably simple task. This section of the plan should be updated if there are any changes to the organization structure or team members, such as additional training, awards, or other resume changes that benefit the business.

Creating your comprehensive business plan takes planning, research, time, and a herculean effort. If, at any point, the work becomes too much to handle, we can step in to assist.

Do you want an expert “second opinion” before creating your business plan or financial forecasts? Let’s talk !

Get in Touch

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Contact Noirwolf Consulting today using the website contact form or by emailing [email protected] or call us at +44 113 328 0868.

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More From Forbes

Building A Legacy: Key Steps To A Profitable And Enduring Business

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Creating a business isn't just about turning a profit; it's about building a legacy that resonates with values, impacts the community positively, and stands the test of time. For many entrepreneurs, this journey intertwines personal achievements with broader contributions to society.

Establishing a business that stands the test of time requires more than just strategic acumen and industry expertise. It involves having a legacy mindset from the outset. This means crafting a strong, adaptable business plan and fostering a culture of innovation and resilience.

Let’s explore the steps to building a business that not only makes money but leaves a lasting legacy.

1. define your vision and mission.

The foundation of a legacy-driven business is a clear, powerful vision and mission. Your vision should outline what you hope to achieve in the long run, serving as a constant source of inspiration. Your mission, on the other hand, should detail the practical approach you will take to achieve that vision. For example, if your vision is to empower young women in technology, your mission might involve providing scholarships, training, and mentorship programs.

2. Identify Your Core Values

Values are the heart of your business’s identity. They guide your decisions and behaviors, and they resonate with your customers, often on a personal level. Consider what values are most important to you—integrity, service, innovation, inclusivity? Embed these values deeply into your business operations and culture. This alignment of values and actions not only builds trust with your stakeholders but also contributes to a lasting reputation.

Billionaire Mark Cuban Issues Post-Halving Bitcoin Warning Amid ‘Unprecedented’ Crypto Fee Price ‘Chaos’

Aew dynasty 2024 results winners and grades as swerve makes history, who is david pecker why he s testifying against trump in hush money trial, 3. conduct thorough market research.

Understanding your market is crucial. This involves identifying potential customers, understanding their needs, analyzing competitors, and recognizing trends within the industry. Market research will help you refine your product or service to better serve your target audience, position your business strategically, and maximize profitability.

4. Develop a Scalable Business Model

A scalable business model is vital for long-term success. It should provide clear pathways for growth and adapt to changes in the market without losing its core essence. Whether you’re starting a service-based consultancy or a product-oriented tech company, ask yourself how your business can expand its offerings, customer base, and operational capabilities over time.

5. Build a Strong Brand

Your brand is more than your logo or company colors; it's the emotional and psychological connection you establish with your customers. A strong brand communicates your values, differentiates you from competitors, and creates a memorable impression. Consistent messaging and visuals, authentic storytelling, and quality engagements across all platforms are essential strategies to build a powerful brand.

6. Focus on Community and Social Impact

Businesses that leave a legacy often do so by making a significant positive impact on their communities. Consider how your business can contribute socially or environmentally. Initiatives could range from sustainable practices and sourcing locally to supporting charitable causes aligned with your business goals. These efforts not only enhance your brand's image but also foster a deep sense of loyalty and community around your business.

7. Plan for Financial Sustainability

While passion drives many entrepreneurs, financial health is critical to a business’s longevity. This includes prudent financial planning, securing appropriate funding, managing cash flow efficiently, and reinvesting profits to fuel growth. Regular financial analysis and adapting to economic changes can safeguard your business against unforeseen challenges.

8. Invest in People

Your team can make or break your business. Investing in the right people—those who share your vision and values—helps ensure that your business operations align with your legacy objectives. Provide training, foster a collaborative culture, and support leadership development. Remember, a motivated and valued team is instrumental in driving your business forward.

9. Leverage Technology

In today's digital age, leveraging technology can significantly enhance your business’s efficiency and reach. From automation tools that streamline operations to digital marketing strategies that expand your audience, technology is a critical asset in building a modern, sustainable business.

10. Keep Learning and Adapting

The business world is dynamic, and successful entrepreneurs must be resilient and adaptable. Continually seek knowledge, be open to feedback, and be willing to pivot strategies as necessary. Staying informed and flexible allows you to navigate challenges and seize opportunities as they arise.

The bottom line is that building a business that leaves a legacy is a journey of dedication and purpose. As you embark on this path, remember that the most enduring legacies are those that positively impact the lives of others. Whether through innovation, community engagement, or inspiring leadership, your business can be a beacon of influence and inspiration for generations to come.

Melissa Houston, CPA is the author of Cash Confident: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Creating a Profitable Business and the founder of She Means Profit . As a Business Strategist for small business owners, Melissa helps women making mid-career shifts, to launch their dream businesses, and I also guide established business owners to grow their businesses to more profitably.

The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to

replace any professional or expert accounting and/or tax advice whatsoever.

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