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13 steps on how to start a business (2024).

Starting your own business can be an exciting and rewarding opportunity. With careful planning and the proper legal considerations, it can be a straightforward process. This is especially true if you have an entrepreneurial mindset, a positive attitude, persuasive communication skills, and self-motivation. You’ll also need the right information to set you up for success. In this article, we’ll discuss how to start a business in 13 steps.

Key Takeaways 

• Your business idea should have unlimited earning potential.
• Competitor research helps you determine product viability.
• A business plan can help you acquire funding or partners.
• Your business structure has tax, legal, and liability implications.
• You’ll need a business bank account, EIN, registered business name, and business number.
• Use business tools to help streamline your processes and simplify tax time.

Table of Contents 

• Determine Your Business Idea
• Research Competitors and Market Trends
• Build Your Business Plan
• Select Your Business Structure
• Register Your Business and Get Licenses
• Set Up a Business Account for Your Business
• Secure Funding for Your Venture
• Obtain a Business Credit Card
• Prepare for Tax Obligations
• Get Business Insurance
• Invest in the Right Business Tools
• Market Your Business
• Make Your Business Scalable

1. Determine Your Business Idea 

To start your own business, you need to have an idea. Your idea creates the foundation for the business. The more you expand on the concept, the stronger your base is. 

Your idea must have earning potential. It can be a one-time project, like developing an app or an invention you plan to sell. But in most cases, it should have unlimited earning potential and be something people will pay for. 

Your business idea should be something you have some skill at or a strong interest in. One of the top markers of a successful entrepreneur is motivation and determination. Your business is unlikely to succeed if you lose interest or faith in your product. 

Ask yourself if your business idea solves a problem. You are more likely to succeed if there’s a market gap that your business can fill. A diluted market drives down the value and increases your marketing overhead.

While you’re developing your idea, keep an open mind. Review and critique your idea often and ask for feedback from friends and trusted experts in the field.

A great business idea is the cornerstone of how to start a successful business. Take your time with this step and think it through carefully.

2. Research Competitors and Market Trends

A critical step in how to start a company is performing due diligence. Start with primary research by exploring the market. Connect with your potential market and perform interviews. Use social media or footwork to conduct surveys about consumer interest. Observe how the lack of your product impacts your market or how consumers use similar products. Utilize focus groups and contract research services, if applicable.

Move on to secondary research by collecting and analyzing existing data. Find and examine any competitors, including variations on your theme. Note their price point, marketing scheme, delivery methods, storefronts, and locations in your market area. Review all their iterations, versions, color options, size choices, flavors, and other options that might reflect their market research. Read their customer and peer reviews, where applicable. 

Run a thorough SWOT analysis by exploring your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Use your primary and secondary research to support your results. This data can help you focus your idea and make the necessary adjustments before settling on a concept. 

Complete a financial viability analysis to determine if you can produce the product in a way that allows for continuity and reasonable profit. Consider supply chain issues (shipping, flights, trains, etc.), resource trends (lumber, steel, gold), and common staffing issues. Many people assume it’s easy to find employees, but the reality can be different in many markets.

Perform a minimum viable product (MVP) test. This means you create a prototype or simplified version of your product and launch it to a select group of potential clients. Observe whether they find it valuable, how they use it, and whether or not it fills the market gap. 

3. Build Your Business Plan 

Writing a business plan is often the most overwhelming of the steps to starting a business. It is a key document used to attain financing, stakeholders, and partners. Even if you don’t want partners or need a loan, your business plan acts as a written foundation. 

If you were thorough during steps 1 and 2, creating a business plan is easier than you think. In many cases, it’s as simple as filling in the blanks with the data you’ve already collected. Follow this outline for the key components of a business plan:  

• Executive Summary: This is a short overview of the main aspects of your business. It’s meant to capture attention and interest in your project. 
• Company Description: Use this section to describe your company. Give an overview of your vision and answer the five W’s—what, where, when, why, and how. You’ll have a chance to go into detail later. Keep it concise. 
• Market Analysis: In this section, you’ll distill your market research into key points. Demonstrate that you’ve completed a thorough market analysis without going into too much detail about your process. 
• Management and Organization: Outline your organization structure and business type. Include how and who will make decisions and an organizational chart if it’s relevant.
• Products and Services: List your products and or services in detail, including descriptions and pricing.
• Customer Segmentation: Divide your customer base into segments with shared characteristics or preferences.
• Marketing Plan: Include your marketing plan in detail. How to create a marketing plan is discussed later in this article. 
• Logistics and Operations Plan: Add a section that discusses how you’ll achieve the end product.
• Financial Plan: Include a detailed financial plan. It’s likely to be the most scrutinized section if you’re applying for funding or seeking partners.
• Appendix: Include any other detailed information on the aspects you outlined earlier in the business plan, particularly about your logistics and market research. 

4. Select Your Business Structure 

Many small businesses start as sole proprietorships 1 IRS. “ Sole proprietorships ” Accessed on March 20, 2024 2 IRS. “ Business structures ” Accessed on March 20, 2024 for the ease of establishment and financial benefits. Sole proprietorships don’t require legal consultation to establish, they’re easy to dismantle, have fewer upfront fees, and reporting taxes is as simple as completing a personal tax return. You also don’t need to share the profits.

The major drawback to a sole proprietorship is personal liability. Your business is not registered as a separate, legal entity, so you have no protection against lawsuits and tax implications. 

Partnerships 3 IRS. “ Partnerships ” Accessed on March 20, 2024. are a business structure type that’s suitable if you choose to work with one or more other people. Partnerships include general, limited, or limited liability partnership (LLP) structures. In a general partnership, all parties share the profits, debts, and liabilities. A limited partnership combines both structures in that one person takes on the liability while the other remains a silent partner. An LLP is common among doctors and lawyers who share a practice. Personal assets are siloed against liability in an LLP. 

In a partnership, both parties can pool labor and resources. They can act as sounding boards for each other, helping to bring new ideas to life. However, with a partnership comes the opportunity for disagreement or mismanagement, additional debts or liabilities, and increased difficulty in selling or dissolving the business.   

A corporation is a legal entity of its own. 4 IRS. “ Incorporating ” Accessed on March 20, 2024 It separates the individual business owner, shareholders, and board members from any legal liability and business assets . Starting a corporation involves a significant amount of paperwork and ongoing annual filings. 

It’s easier for an incorporated business to raise capital, sell shares, and divest ownership. While corporations can enjoy decreased tax rates, you are essentially taxed twice, first as a corporate entity on profits, then personally on your dividend income and capital gains. 

Small businesses that start as sole proprietorships can always scale up to a partnership, corporation, or limited liability entity.

5. Register Your Business and Get Licenses

This step in starting a small business has a lot of variation. As a sole proprietor, you don’t need to register a business name if you do business under your own name. You also don’t need an employer identification number (EIN) if you don’t have employees, but it helps when it comes time to open a business bank account and pay taxes. Visit the IRS website to register for an EIN 5 IRS. “ Apply for an employer identification number online ” Accessed on March 20, 2024 when and if you decide to hire employees.

You will need to register your business and apply for a license or permit depending on your state and the nature of your business. A state tax ID can also help protect sole proprietorships against identity theft. 6 SBA. “ Get federal and state tax ID numbers ” Accessed on March 20, 2024 Visit your local municipal, state, or county website for more information. 

To stand out as a business entity, it’s important to choose the right business name. Research other businesses with similar names to see if your name infringes on their registered identity. The US Small Business Administration (SBA) can help you determine if you need to register your name with the local, state, and federal government. 

6. Set Up a Bank Account for Your Business

Setting up a business bank account 7 SBA. “ Open a business bank account ” Accessed on March 20, 2024 can make managing your business finances much simpler. A business bank account can also help you remain legally compliant. It’s easier to attain a business credit card and merchant services with a business checking or savings account. You receive limited personal liability protection and better purchasing power. 

Shop around for a bank with lower fees, introductory offers, and good benefits. When you’ve made your choice, you’ll need your social security number (SSN) or employer identification number (EIN), business license, ownership agreement, and proof of business address. If you are incorporated, you’ll need your articles of incorporation and proof of address for the named director.

7. Secure Funding for Your Venture 

Acquiring funding is one of the most important steps in how to start a small business. This financial decision can affect your business structure and the operation of your business. Draw on the financial section of your business plan to determine how much funding you’ll need. 

Self-funding through personal investments, mortgages, and family or personal loans can ensure you remain in control of the business. Speak to your mortgage advisor and financial planner about all the risks associated with leveraging your real estate assets or tapping into your retirement investments to fund a business venture. You take on all the risks with self-funding.

Venture capital from investors offers upfront financing for a share in the business and participation in the business decisions. It’s not a loan but an exchange for equity. It can also change your business structure.

Crowdfunding is another option that requires low risk for the reward. Crowdfunders donate or give money to your business in return for an acknowledgment rather than a share of your company.

A small business loan from a bank or professional lender is the perfect opportunity to pull out the business plan you worked so hard on. Be prepared to shop around for the best rates and terms for your loan. You’ll likely use the same bank or credit union for your business bank account and credit card.

You can also double your odds with a US SBA-guaranteed loan. Lender Match can pair you with a partner bank that offers SBA-guaranteed loans.

The US SBA also offers several investment programs 8 SBA. “ Fund your business ” Accessed on March 20, 2024 , including the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC), the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. Each program offers funding to specific small businesses.

8. Obtain a Business Credit Card 

A business credit card helps establish lines of credit with your suppliers and for large purchases required for product development. Getting a business credit card is difficult without an adequate credit history. 

Some banks will put you on a probation period with a business-secured card that acts like a credit card but needs to carry a balance to make purchases. As you regularly make work-related purchases and payments to the card, the bank reports your history to various credit bureaus. It’s a good way to build credit history for your business when you are just starting out.

Credit card companies require the same information the bank asks for when you open your business account. And, just like with your bank and loan, you’ll want to shop around for a good rate, terms, and benefits.

9. Prepare for Tax Obligations

Small business owners operating general partnerships or sole proprietorships have the same tax responsibilities as regular taxpayers. You are responsible for filing your tax returns and paying your taxes owed on time—failure to do so results in penalties.

A corporation or LLC business structure will have additional obligations, including filing annual reports. However, corporations can file in calendar years or fiscal years. 

Filing your taxes as a small business owner can be easy with the right support. You’ll want to get as much for each deduction as possible. Tracking your expenses, billable hours, and invoices is easier with expense-tracking software .

10. Get Business Insurance

Business insurance 10 SBA. “ Get Business Insurance ” Accessed on March 20, 2024 offers protection against unforeseen costs like natural disasters, lawsuits, death, and accidents. 

Some types of business, loan, bank, and lease agreements require insurance. If you have employees, you are federally required to have Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment, and Disability Insurance. Other insurance requirements vary by state.

Common types of business insurance include:

• General Liability Insurance : Suitable for any business, general liability covers financial loss from settlements, judgments, bodily function loss, libel, slander, medical expenses, and property damage.
• Product Liability Insurance : This type of insurance protects businesses that manufacture, wholesale, distribute, or retail a product from financial loss resulting from a defective product.
• Professional Liability Insurance : Suitable for service businesses, this insurance protects against financial loss from malpractice, negligence, and errors.
• Commercial Property Insurance : This type of insurance protects businesses with property and physical assets from loss and damage resulting from weather, vandalism, and riots.
• Home-Based Business Insurance : This is a rider added to home insurance for business owners who operate out of their homes.
• Business Owner’s Policy : This policy suits all small business owners and combines other typical coverages into one convenient, low-cost option. 

Not all business owner’s policies cover everything. Your business location can also influence your coverage and rates. Carefully read your proposed policy and discuss the details with your provider before purchasing.

11. Invest in the Right Business Tools

Investing in business tools can streamline your small business administration and processes, leaving you more time to focus on aspects of your life you can’t automate, like self-care.

Accounting Software 

Accounting software can help streamline your financial processes. FreshBooks accounting software is cloud-based for your convenience. It offers industry-standard double-entry accounting, invoicing, bookkeeping features, and expense tracking. 

Project Management Software 

Utilize project management software to create professional documents, RFPs, SOWs, and project plans. FreshBooks project management software includes templates, collaboration tools, and web-based centralized file storage.

Payment Processor 

Payment processors allow you to take online and in-person payments for invoices and services. FreshBooks Payments can do all that and more, integrating with multiple payment providers and making it easier for clients to pay for your products or services. Send invoices directly from the FreshBooks app or your online account. Invoices contain links and one-click payment options to streamline the process for your clients. 

CRM Software 

Client/Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software combines all your client data into one cloud-based location. FreshBooks software offers multiple CRM integration partners to make collaboration and customer management easy.

Scheduling Software 

Scheduling software can save time and streamline your small business administration. You can manage shifts, clock in and out, assign salaries and permission, and more. FreshBooks integrates with several top-rated scheduling products to help simplify your business processes.

Inventory Software

Inventory software helps you to track incoming and outgoing inventory, identify weaknesses in production, and streamline production efficiency.

12. Market Your Business 

In this digital age, there are more ways of marketing your new business than ever before. Start by developing your brand package. It can be as simple as selecting a font and colors for your business name. Your brand will be the most recognized feature of your online presence. It’s worth taking the time to consult a professional to develop a brand package. Professionally developed brand packages should include original logos in digital and print-ready format. 

When it comes to an online presence, at a minimum, you should have a Facebook page or website. These platforms allow you to inform people about your services, hours of operation, and contact information. Facebook offers step-by-step instructions on how to set up your page and best practices to maximize the platform.

When creating a website, you get what you pay for. Some companies offer free websites but charge you to unlock features like using your own domain name and adding payment options. 

You can also use social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to put your brand in front of prospective buyers. Paid social media advertising can ensure customers in your preferred demographic see your product by utilizing data mining and algorithms.

Advanced online marketing techniques use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. These methods use keyword and phrase strategies to boost your position in browser searches.

Analog marketing includes talking about your product at service groups, church functions, and other public speaking opportunities. Print advertising in specialized or location-specific magazines can provide long-term visual exposure, depending on the display location.

13. Make Your Business Scalable 

A common mistake small businesses make is failing to plan for success. Breaks in production or delays in promised services can cause the consumer to move on to other options. Design your new business so that you can expand production, add partners to help manage workload, or develop collaborative relationships with other creators that give you options when you need to pivot.

Your upscale plan should include tools that help your growing small business administration needs.

Introducing your products in phases is another way to scale your business, rather than rushing all your products to market at once. 

You can also expand your marketing plan in phases to allow you to reach broader markets as your brand gains recognition.

How To Start a Business With No Money 

Starting your own new business can seem like a fantasy when finances are tight or in a deficit. But before you give up hope, know there are ways to do it. 

The first recommendation is to keep your current job. It provides you with an income while you get your business plan together. Another step is evaluating your financial needs and what it will take to make your entrepreneurial dreams come true. For example, you might need to take out a small business loan.  

Don’t forget the power of experience. Talk to someone who’s succeeded in small business ownership, knows about money lending and leveraging capital, or has experience in the field of business you want to get into, or all three. 

Finally, get out into the community and meet people. Networking with the right people can open doors you may not know about.

You can learn more in our article on How to Start a Business with No Money . It outlines the steps to starting your own business and explores which businesses are the cheapest to start. 

Launch Your Business Dreams 

Small business ownership can put you in control of your destiny. With careful planning and the proper support, starting a small business can be an exciting and rewarding endeavor. Follow the steps outlined in this article to begin your entrepreneurial journey. 

Set yourself up for success by utilizing tools designed for small businesses. FreshBooks business suite of software tools offers features, integrations, and solutions for small business owners.

Article Resources

• IRS. “ Sole proprietorships ” Accessed on March 20, 2024
• IRS. “ Business structures ” Accessed on March 20, 2024 
• IRS. “ Partnerships ” Accessed on March 20, 2024.
• IRS. “ Incorporating ” Accessed on March 20, 2024
• IRS. “ Apply for an employer identification number online ” Accessed on March 20, 2024
• SBA. “ Get federal and state tax ID numbers ” Accessed on March 20, 2024
• SBA. “ Open a business bank account ” Accessed on March 20, 2024
• SBA. “ Fund your business ” Accessed on March 20, 2024
• IRS. “ Filing and paying your business taxes ” Accessed on March 20, 2024
• SBA. “ Get Business Insurance ” Accessed on March 20, 2024

Sandra Habiger, CPA

About the author

Sandra Habiger is a Chartered Professional Accountant with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington. Sandra’s areas of focus include advising real estate agents, brokers, and investors. She supports small businesses in growing to their first six figures and beyond. Alongside her accounting practice, Sandra is a Money and Life Coach for women in business.

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How to Write a Business Plan: Step-by-Step Guide + Examples

Noah Parsons

24 min. read

Updated April 10, 2024

Writing a business plan doesn’t have to be complicated. 

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to write a business plan that’s detailed enough to impress bankers and potential investors, while giving you the tools to start, run, and grow a successful business.

• The basics of business planning

If you’re reading this guide, then you already know why you need a business plan . 

You understand that planning helps you: 

• Raise money
• Grow strategically
• Keep your business on the right track 

As you start to write your plan, it’s useful to zoom out and remember what a business plan is .

At its core, a business plan is an overview of the products and services you sell, and the customers that you sell to. It explains your business strategy: how you’re going to build and grow your business, what your marketing strategy is, and who your competitors are.

Most business plans also include financial forecasts for the future. These set sales goals, budget for expenses, and predict profits and cash flow. 

A good business plan is much more than just a document that you write once and forget about. It’s also a guide that helps you outline and achieve your goals. 

After completing your plan, you can use it as a management tool to track your progress toward your goals. Updating and adjusting your forecasts and budgets as you go is one of the most important steps you can take to run a healthier, smarter business. 

We’ll dive into how to use your plan later in this article.

There are many different types of plans , but we’ll go over the most common type here, which includes everything you need for an investor-ready plan. However, if you’re just starting out and are looking for something simpler—I recommend starting with a one-page business plan . It’s faster and easier to create. 

It’s also the perfect place to start if you’re just figuring out your idea, or need a simple strategic plan to use inside your business.

Dig deeper : How to write a one-page business plan

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• What to include in your business plan

Executive summary

The executive summary is an overview of your business and your plans. It comes first in your plan and is ideally just one to two pages. Most people write it last because it’s a summary of the complete business plan.

Ideally, the executive summary can act as a stand-alone document that covers the highlights of your detailed plan. 

In fact, it’s common for investors to ask only for the executive summary when evaluating your business. If they like what they see in the executive summary, they’ll often follow up with a request for a complete plan, a pitch presentation , or more in-depth financial forecasts .

Your executive summary should include:

• A summary of the problem you are solving
• A description of your product or service
• An overview of your target market
• A brief description of your team
• A summary of your financials
• Your funding requirements (if you are raising money)

Dig Deeper: How to write an effective executive summary

Products and services description

This is where you describe exactly what you’re selling, and how it solves a problem for your target market. The best way to organize this part of your plan is to start by describing the problem that exists for your customers. After that, you can describe how you plan to solve that problem with your product or service. 

This is usually called a problem and solution statement .

To truly showcase the value of your products and services, you need to craft a compelling narrative around your offerings. How will your product or service transform your customers’ lives or jobs? A strong narrative will draw in your readers.

This is also the part of the business plan to discuss any competitive advantages you may have, like specific intellectual property or patents that protect your product. If you have any initial sales, contracts, or other evidence that your product or service is likely to sell, include that information as well. It will show that your idea has traction , which can help convince readers that your plan has a high chance of success.

Market analysis

Your target market is a description of the type of people that you plan to sell to. You might even have multiple target markets, depending on your business. 

A market analysis is the part of your plan where you bring together all of the information you know about your target market. Basically, it’s a thorough description of who your customers are and why they need what you’re selling. You’ll also include information about the growth of your market and your industry .

Try to be as specific as possible when you describe your market. 

Include information such as age, income level, and location—these are what’s called “demographics.” If you can, also describe your market’s interests and habits as they relate to your business—these are “psychographics.” 

Related: Target market examples

Essentially, you want to include any knowledge you have about your customers that is relevant to how your product or service is right for them. With a solid target market, it will be easier to create a sales and marketing plan that will reach your customers. That’s because you know who they are, what they like to do, and the best ways to reach them.

Next, provide any additional information you have about your market. 

What is the size of your market ? Is the market growing or shrinking? Ideally, you’ll want to demonstrate that your market is growing over time, and also explain how your business is positioned to take advantage of any expected changes in your industry.

Dig Deeper: Learn how to write a market analysis

Competitive analysis

Part of defining your business opportunity is determining what your competitive advantage is. To do this effectively, you need to know as much about your competitors as your target customers. 

Every business has some form of competition. If you don’t think you have competitors, then explore what alternatives there are in the market for your product or service. 

For example: In the early years of cars, their main competition was horses. For social media, the early competition was reading books, watching TV, and talking on the phone.

A good competitive analysis fully lays out the competitive landscape and then explains how your business is different. Maybe your products are better made, or cheaper, or your customer service is superior. Maybe your competitive advantage is your location – a wide variety of factors can ultimately give you an advantage.

Dig Deeper: How to write a competitive analysis for your business plan

Marketing and sales plan

The marketing and sales plan covers how you will position your product or service in the market, the marketing channels and messaging you will use, and your sales tactics. 

The best place to start with a marketing plan is with a positioning statement . 

This explains how your business fits into the overall market, and how you will explain the advantages of your product or service to customers. You’ll use the information from your competitive analysis to help you with your positioning. 

For example: You might position your company as the premium, most expensive but the highest quality option in the market. Or your positioning might focus on being locally owned and that shoppers support the local economy by buying your products.

Once you understand your positioning, you’ll bring this together with the information about your target market to create your marketing strategy . 

This is how you plan to communicate your message to potential customers. Depending on who your customers are and how they purchase products like yours, you might use many different strategies, from social media advertising to creating a podcast. Your marketing plan is all about how your customers discover who you are and why they should consider your products and services. 

While your marketing plan is about reaching your customers—your sales plan will describe the actual sales process once a customer has decided that they’re interested in what you have to offer. 

If your business requires salespeople and a long sales process, describe that in this section. If your customers can “self-serve” and just make purchases quickly on your website, describe that process. 

A good sales plan picks up where your marketing plan leaves off. The marketing plan brings customers in the door and the sales plan is how you close the deal.

Together, these specific plans paint a picture of how you will connect with your target audience, and how you will turn them into paying customers.

Dig deeper: What to include in your sales and marketing plan

Business operations

The operations section describes the necessary requirements for your business to run smoothly. It’s where you talk about how your business works and what day-to-day operations look like. 

Depending on how your business is structured, your operations plan may include elements of the business like:

• Supply chain management
• Manufacturing processes
• Equipment and technology
• Distribution

Some businesses distribute their products and reach their customers through large retailers like Amazon.com, Walmart, Target, and grocery store chains. 

These businesses should review how this part of their business works. The plan should discuss the logistics and costs of getting products onto store shelves and any potential hurdles the business may have to overcome.

If your business is much simpler than this, that’s OK. This section of your business plan can be either extremely short or more detailed, depending on the type of business you are building.

For businesses selling services, such as physical therapy or online software, you can use this section to describe the technology you’ll leverage, what goes into your service, and who you will partner with to deliver your services.

Dig Deeper: Learn how to write the operations chapter of your plan

Key milestones and metrics

Although it’s not required to complete your business plan, mapping out key business milestones and the metrics can be incredibly useful for measuring your success.

Good milestones clearly lay out the parameters of the task and set expectations for their execution. You’ll want to include:

• A description of each task
• The proposed due date
• Who is responsible for each task

If you have a budget, you can include projected costs to hit each milestone. You don’t need extensive project planning in this section—just list key milestones you want to hit and when you plan to hit them. This is your overall business roadmap. 

Possible milestones might be:

• Website launch date
• Store or office opening date
• First significant sales
• Break even date
• Business licenses and approvals

You should also discuss the key numbers you will track to determine your success. Some common metrics worth tracking include:

• Conversion rates
• Customer acquisition costs
• Profit per customer
• Repeat purchases

It’s perfectly fine to start with just a few metrics and grow the number you are tracking over time. You also may find that some metrics simply aren’t relevant to your business and can narrow down what you’re tracking.

Dig Deeper: How to use milestones in your business plan

Organization and management team

Investors don’t just look for great ideas—they want to find great teams. Use this chapter to describe your current team and who you need to hire . You should also provide a quick overview of your location and history if you’re already up and running.

Briefly highlight the relevant experiences of each key team member in the company. It’s important to make the case for why yours is the right team to turn an idea into a reality. 

Do they have the right industry experience and background? Have members of the team had entrepreneurial successes before? 

If you still need to hire key team members, that’s OK. Just note those gaps in this section.

Your company overview should also include a summary of your company’s current business structure . The most common business structures include:

• Sole proprietor
• Partnership

Be sure to provide an overview of how the business is owned as well. Does each business partner own an equal portion of the business? How is ownership divided? 

Potential lenders and investors will want to know the structure of the business before they will consider a loan or investment.

Dig Deeper: How to write about your company structure and team

Financial plan

Last, but certainly not least, is your financial plan chapter. 

Entrepreneurs often find this section the most daunting. But, business financials for most startups are less complicated than you think, and a business degree is certainly not required to build a solid financial forecast. 

A typical financial forecast in a business plan includes the following:

• Sales forecast : An estimate of the sales expected over a given period. You’ll break down your forecast into the key revenue streams that you expect to have.
• Expense budget : Your planned spending such as personnel costs , marketing expenses, and taxes.
• Profit & Loss : Brings together your sales and expenses and helps you calculate planned profits.
• Cash Flow : Shows how cash moves into and out of your business. It can predict how much cash you’ll have on hand at any given point in the future.
• Balance Sheet : A list of the assets, liabilities, and equity in your company. In short, it provides an overview of the financial health of your business. 

A strong business plan will include a description of assumptions about the future, and potential risks that could impact the financial plan. Including those will be especially important if you’re writing a business plan to pursue a loan or other investment.

Dig Deeper: How to create financial forecasts and budgets

This is the place for additional data, charts, or other information that supports your plan.

Including an appendix can significantly enhance the credibility of your plan by showing readers that you’ve thoroughly considered the details of your business idea, and are backing your ideas up with solid data.

Just remember that the information in the appendix is meant to be supplementary. Your business plan should stand on its own, even if the reader skips this section.

Dig Deeper : What to include in your business plan appendix

Optional: Business plan cover page

Adding a business plan cover page can make your plan, and by extension your business, seem more professional in the eyes of potential investors, lenders, and partners. It serves as the introduction to your document and provides necessary contact information for stakeholders to reference.

Your cover page should be simple and include:

• Company logo
• Business name
• Value proposition (optional)
• Business plan title
• Completion and/or update date
• Address and contact information
• Confidentiality statement

Just remember, the cover page is optional. If you decide to include it, keep it very simple and only spend a short amount of time putting it together.

Dig Deeper: How to create a business plan cover page

How to use AI to help write your business plan

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can speed up the business plan writing process and help you think through concepts like market segmentation and competition. These tools are especially useful for taking ideas that you provide and converting them into polished text for your business plan.

The best way to use AI for your business plan is to leverage it as a collaborator , not a replacement for human creative thinking and ingenuity. 

AI can come up with lots of ideas and act as a brainstorming partner. It’s up to you to filter through those ideas and figure out which ones are realistic enough to resonate with your customers. 

There are pros and cons of using AI to help with your business plan . So, spend some time understanding how it can be most helpful before just outsourcing the job to AI.

Learn more: 10 AI prompts you need to write a business plan

• Writing tips and strategies

To help streamline the business plan writing process, here are a few tips and key questions to answer to make sure you get the most out of your plan and avoid common mistakes .  

Determine why you are writing a business plan

Knowing why you are writing a business plan will determine your approach to your planning project. 

For example: If you are writing a business plan for yourself, or just to use inside your own business , you can probably skip the section about your team and organizational structure. 

If you’re raising money, you’ll want to spend more time explaining why you’re looking to raise the funds and exactly how you will use them.

Regardless of how you intend to use your business plan , think about why you are writing and what you’re trying to get out of the process before you begin.

Keep things concise

Probably the most important tip is to keep your business plan short and simple. There are no prizes for long business plans . The longer your plan is, the less likely people are to read it. 

So focus on trimming things down to the essentials your readers need to know. Skip the extended, wordy descriptions and instead focus on creating a plan that is easy to read —using bullets and short sentences whenever possible.

Have someone review your business plan

Writing a business plan in a vacuum is never a good idea. Sometimes it’s helpful to zoom out and check if your plan makes sense to someone else. You also want to make sure that it’s easy to read and understand.

Don’t wait until your plan is “done” to get a second look. Start sharing your plan early, and find out from readers what questions your plan leaves unanswered. This early review cycle will help you spot shortcomings in your plan and address them quickly, rather than finding out about them right before you present your plan to a lender or investor.

If you need a more detailed review, you may want to explore hiring a professional plan writer to thoroughly examine it.

Use a free business plan template and business plan examples to get started

Knowing what information to include in a business plan is sometimes not quite enough. If you’re struggling to get started or need additional guidance, it may be worth using a business plan template. 

There are plenty of great options available (we’ve rounded up our 8 favorites to streamline your search).

But, if you’re looking for a free downloadable business plan template , you can get one right now; download the template used by more than 1 million businesses. 

Or, if you just want to see what a completed business plan looks like, check out our library of over 550 free business plan examples . 

We even have a growing list of industry business planning guides with tips for what to focus on depending on your business type.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

It’s easy to make mistakes when you’re writing your business plan. Some entrepreneurs get sucked into the writing and research process, and don’t focus enough on actually getting their business started. 

Here are a few common mistakes and how to avoid them:

Not talking to your customers : This is one of the most common mistakes. It’s easy to assume that your product or service is something that people want. Before you invest too much in your business and too much in the planning process, make sure you talk to your prospective customers and have a good understanding of their needs.

• Overly optimistic sales and profit forecasts: By nature, entrepreneurs are optimistic about the future. But it’s good to temper that optimism a little when you’re planning, and make sure your forecasts are grounded in reality. 
• Spending too much time planning: Yes, planning is crucial. But you also need to get out and talk to customers, build prototypes of your product and figure out if there’s a market for your idea. Make sure to balance planning with building.
• Not revising the plan: Planning is useful, but nothing ever goes exactly as planned. As you learn more about what’s working and what’s not—revise your plan, your budgets, and your revenue forecast. Doing so will provide a more realistic picture of where your business is going, and what your financial needs will be moving forward.
• Not using the plan to manage your business: A good business plan is a management tool. Don’t just write it and put it on the shelf to collect dust – use it to track your progress and help you reach your goals.
• Presenting your business plan

The planning process forces you to think through every aspect of your business and answer questions that you may not have thought of. That’s the real benefit of writing a business plan – the knowledge you gain about your business that you may not have been able to discover otherwise.

With all of this knowledge, you’re well prepared to convert your business plan into a pitch presentation to present your ideas. 

A pitch presentation is a summary of your plan, just hitting the highlights and key points. It’s the best way to present your business plan to investors and team members.

Dig Deeper: Learn what key slides should be included in your pitch deck

Use your business plan to manage your business

One of the biggest benefits of planning is that it gives you a tool to manage your business better. With a revenue forecast, expense budget, and projected cash flow, you know your targets and where you are headed.

And yet, nothing ever goes exactly as planned – it’s the nature of business.

That’s where using your plan as a management tool comes in. The key to leveraging it for your business is to review it periodically and compare your forecasts and projections to your actual results.

Start by setting up a regular time to review the plan – a monthly review is a good starting point. During this review, answer questions like:

• Did you meet your sales goals?
• Is spending following your budget?
• Has anything gone differently than what you expected?

Now that you see whether you’re meeting your goals or are off track, you can make adjustments and set new targets. 

Maybe you’re exceeding your sales goals and should set new, more aggressive goals. In that case, maybe you should also explore more spending or hiring more employees. 

Or maybe expenses are rising faster than you projected. If that’s the case, you would need to look at where you can cut costs.

A plan, and a method for comparing your plan to your actual results , is the tool you need to steer your business toward success.

Learn More: How to run a regular plan review

Free business plan templates and examples

Kickstart your business plan writing with one of our free business plan templates or recommended tools.

Free business plan template

Download a free SBA-approved business plan template built for small businesses and startups.

Download Template

One-page plan template

Download a free one-page plan template to write a useful business plan in as little as 30-minutes.

Sample business plan library

Explore over 500 real-world business plan examples from a wide variety of industries.

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How to write a business plan FAQ

What is a business plan?

A document that describes your business , the products and services you sell, and the customers that you sell to. It explains your business strategy, how you’re going to build and grow your business, what your marketing strategy is, and who your competitors are.

What are the benefits of a business plan?

A business plan helps you understand where you want to go with your business and what it will take to get there. It reduces your overall risk, helps you uncover your business’s potential, attracts investors, and identifies areas for growth.

Having a business plan ultimately makes you more confident as a business owner and more likely to succeed for a longer period of time.

What are the 7 steps of a business plan?

The seven steps to writing a business plan include:

• Write a brief executive summary
• Describe your products and services.
• Conduct market research and compile data into a cohesive market analysis.
• Describe your marketing and sales strategy.
• Outline your organizational structure and management team.
• Develop financial projections for sales, revenue, and cash flow.
• Add any additional documents to your appendix.

What are the 5 most common business plan mistakes?

There are plenty of mistakes that can be made when writing a business plan. However, these are the 5 most common that you should do your best to avoid:

• 1. Not taking the planning process seriously.
• Having unrealistic financial projections or incomplete financial information.
• Inconsistent information or simple mistakes.
• Failing to establish a sound business model.
• Not having a defined purpose for your business plan.

What questions should be answered in a business plan?

Writing a business plan is all about asking yourself questions about your business and being able to answer them through the planning process. You’ll likely be asking dozens and dozens of questions for each section of your plan.

However, these are the key questions you should ask and answer with your business plan:

• How will your business make money?
• Is there a need for your product or service?
• Who are your customers?
• How are you different from the competition?
• How will you reach your customers?
• How will you measure success?

How long should a business plan be?

The length of your business plan fully depends on what you intend to do with it. From the SBA and traditional lender point of view, a business plan needs to be whatever length necessary to fully explain your business. This means that you prove the viability of your business, show that you understand the market, and have a detailed strategy in place.

If you intend to use your business plan for internal management purposes, you don’t necessarily need a full 25-50 page business plan. Instead, you can start with a one-page plan to get all of the necessary information in place.

What are the different types of business plans?

While all business plans cover similar categories, the style and function fully depend on how you intend to use your plan. Here are a few common business plan types worth considering.

Traditional business plan: The tried-and-true traditional business plan is a formal document meant to be used when applying for funding or pitching to investors. This type of business plan follows the outline above and can be anywhere from 10-50 pages depending on the amount of detail included, the complexity of your business, and what you include in your appendix.

Business model canvas: The business model canvas is a one-page template designed to demystify the business planning process. It removes the need for a traditional, copy-heavy business plan, in favor of a single-page outline that can help you and outside parties better explore your business idea.

One-page business plan: This format is a simplified version of the traditional plan that focuses on the core aspects of your business. You’ll typically stick with bullet points and single sentences. It’s most useful for those exploring ideas, needing to validate their business model, or who need an internal plan to help them run and manage their business.

Lean Plan: The Lean Plan is less of a specific document type and more of a methodology. It takes the simplicity and styling of the one-page business plan and turns it into a process for you to continuously plan, test, review, refine, and take action based on performance. It’s faster, keeps your plan concise, and ensures that your plan is always up-to-date.

What’s the difference between a business plan and a strategic plan?

A business plan covers the “who” and “what” of your business. It explains what your business is doing right now and how it functions. The strategic plan explores long-term goals and explains “how” the business will get there. It encourages you to look more intently toward the future and how you will achieve your vision.

However, when approached correctly, your business plan can actually function as a strategic plan as well. If kept lean, you can define your business, outline strategic steps, and track ongoing operations all with a single plan.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Noah is the COO at Palo Alto Software, makers of the online business plan app LivePlan. He started his career at Yahoo! and then helped start the user review site Epinions.com. From there he started a software distribution business in the UK before coming to Palo Alto Software to run the marketing and product teams.

Table of Contents

• Use AI to help write your plan
• Common planning mistakes
• Manage with your business plan
• Templates and examples

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How to Start an Assignment

Last Updated: January 29, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD . Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. She received her MA in Language Arts Teacher Education in 2008 and received her PhD in English from Georgia State University in 2015. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 105,612 times.

Getting started on an assignment or homework can often times be the hardest step. Putting off the assignment can make the problem worse, reducing the time you have to complete the task and increasing stress. By learning how to get started and overcome the urge to procrastinate, you can get your assignments done on schedule and with less stress, opening up more free time.

Restructuring Your Assignment

• For example, you might research areas of a report that you find most interesting before moving on to other areas.
• If your math assignment has different types of questions, try doing those that you enjoy the most before moving on to the others.
• You might also try tackling smaller or easier tasks first so you can cross a few items off your list. Seeing that you've already made progress may help you feel motivated to continue.

• Promise yourself that you will meet your goal of working for five minutes on the assignment.
• Once you get started, you may find that you don't want to stop working. Otherwise, you can take a break and come back to the assignment, knowing you're at least five minutes closer to finishing than you were before.

• Try to set reasonable periods of time that you know you can meet. For example, you might set aside two hours on a Friday to dedicate to your assignment. If you don't have that much time all at once, try to carve out a few 20- or 30-minute blocks.
• You may or may not wish to continue working after your time limit has gone by.
• Have a realistic understanding of how fast you can write and plan your schedule accordingly.

• It can help to read the assignment as soon as you get it and then ask any questions you might have.
• If you're not sure if you understand the assignment, try rewriting it in your own words or explaining it to someone else. If you find you can't or have a lot of questions, you may need more information.
• You should have an overview of the assignment, understand the main task, and understand the technical and stylistic requirements.
• Look for important words in the instructions to understand the assignment. These words might include define, explain, compare, relate, or prove.
• Keep your audience in mind and write a paper that would best deliver information to them.

• Goals that are too big or not well defined can be difficult to start working towards.
• Smaller and well defined goals can seem easier to achieve than larger ones.
• For example, you could break a research paper down into several smaller tasks: 1) do preliminary research, 2) write an outline, 3) draft an introduction, 4) draft body paragraphs, 5) write conclusion, 6) revise. Each of these is much more do-able on its own.

Changing Your Focus

• You might want to go for a quick walk after working for a set amount of time.
• Try reading a website or book that you enjoy for a few minutes after working.
• Alternatively, try a quick burst of exercise before setting to work. Exercise releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins and can also help boost your memory. [8] X Research source

• Instead of dreading your work, focus on how good it will feel to make progress. You won't have it hanging over your head. You can actually enjoy the weekend instead of feeling guilty.
• Keeping your eye on long-term rewards can help you stay motivated to finish your assignment.

• Avoid moving your workspace constantly.
• Don't get lost on tangential research.
• Don't take constant breaks to get a snack.

• For every hour you waste procrastinating, you can limit how much television you watch that night.
• If you waste too much time procrastinating, you might deny yourself a favorite snack later on.

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• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/solving-unsolvable-problems/201408/4-steps-stop-procrastinating
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/friendship-20/201405/the-surefire-first-step-stop-procrastinating
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/procrastination/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/understanding-assignments/
• ↑ https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/ab22ff64-3358-4387-9761-8c58878a6b84/resource/3ee38320-17e4-46f9-b24f-c95f9f345eb9/download/ipp7.pdf
• ↑ http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/07/how-exercise-can-help-us-learn/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/happy-life.html

About This Article

To start an assignment, try working on the most enjoyable or easiest parts of the assignment first to get the ball rolling. Even if no part of the assignment seems enjoyable or easy, set a timer and try to make yourself work for at least 5 minutes, which is usually enough time to build momentum and overcome procrastination. You can also try breaking your assignment up into smaller, more manageable tasks and scheduling yourself regular breaks so it doesn't seem as overwhelming. To learn how to stay positive and avoid procrastination while working on your homework, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Blog Business

How to Write Business Proposal (Examples + Free Templates)

By Aditya Sheth , Jan 25, 2024

The great Mark Cuban once said, “Sales cure all.” If a business doesn’t sell, it doesn’t make money and by extension the business fails. That’s why you need to write business proposals .

A well-written business proposal can often mean the difference between winning or losing a prospective client.

In this in-depth guide to creating business proposals, we show you how to close more deals, make more sales and crush your business goals — all by using easy-to-edit professional business proposal templates .

Here’s what this guide will cover (click to jump ahead):

What is a business proposal, what are the components of a business proposal.

• How to write a business proposal step by step

What should you include in a business proposal?

What are the types of business proposals, more business proposal examples + writing and design tips.

• FAQs about business proposals

Looking for a shortcut? Watch this quick video for an overview of everything to include in your business proposal:

A business proposal is a document designed to outline a business plan to convince potential client, investor or partner to engage in a business agreement with you or your company. It’s basically a sales pitch in writing to persuade potential clients to show them benefits of working with you or your company for their business success.

A business proposal outlines what your business does and what you can do for your client . It can be general like this business proposal example:

Or it can be more specific, like this business proposal template which focuses on proposing a project for the Newton Center Rail:

Or this business proposal sample, which presents a plan for a social media strategy and campaign:

To design a business proposal that holds the client’s attention, identify their pain points . Then provide your buyer with the right solution to alleviate those frustrations.

Working on a new project? These project proposal examples might come in handy for you.

The components of a business proposal can change depending on the field, company size and client needs. While details may differ, strong proposals typically introduce your company, explain the problem, offer a solution and its benefits, highlight your team’s skills, and outline timeline, cost and next steps.

How to write a business proposal step by step

Before you start creating your business proposal template, you need to understand the business proposal format. At a high level, your effective business proposal should include the following:

• Create a compelling business proposal title
• Build a table of contents
• Craft the executive summary
• Write a detailed problem statement
• Propose your solutions
• Showcase your team’s expertise
• Create a realistic timeline
• Present your payment structure
• Specify the terms and conditions
• Receiving the decision

Below, you can see business proposal examples that demonstrate how to include these 10 sections.

1. Create a compelling business proposal title

A compelling title could mean the difference between someone reading your proposal or ignoring it in favor of a competitor’s . 

What makes a good title page? Here are the essential elements to include: 

• Your name along with your company’s name
• The name of the prospect (or their business) 
• The date you’re submitting the proposal

The gray business consulting proposal template above contains all the details a prospect would want to know. The title also offers a strong tangible benefit to the prospective buyer. Honestly, “Who doesn’t want to grow their business?”

2. Build a table of contents

The table of contents is a fundamental part of every winning business proposal template. It makes your proposal scannable and easy to read.

The people you will be pitching to are usually C-level executives. These are busy people who don’t have time to read your entire proposal in one go.

That’s why most of the business proposal examples in this list include a table of contents.

Adding a table of contents to your document makes it easy for them to go through it at their own pace. They can also skim through parts of the proposal that they deem more important. You can see how this abstract business proposal template uses the table of contents:

You can also make your business proposal template easier to navigate by adding hyperlinks to the document, particularly in the table of contents. This way your clients can jump to specific sections without having to scroll through the entire document. 

It’s easy to add hyperlinks in the Venngage editor. Select the text you’d like to turn into a link, then click the link icon in the top bar. From there, select the page you want to link to! Then download your completed design as an Interactive PDF .

3. Craft the executive summary

The executive summary is a staple in all kinds of annual reports , leadership development plan , project plans and even marketing plans . It is a concise summary of the entire contents of your document. In other words, write a business proposal outline that is easy to glance over and that highlights your value proposition.

The goals of your executive summary are:

• Introduce your company to your buyer
• Provide an overview of your company goals
• Showcase your company’s milestones, overall vision and future plans
• Include any other relevant details

This gray business proposal example has a detailed yet short executive summary including some social proof in the form of clients they’ve worked with:

Take note of how precise this business proposal example is. You want to keep your executive summary concise and clear from the get-go. This sets the right tone for the rest of your proposal. It also gives your buyer a reason to continue reading your proposal.

Crafting an executive summary and keeping it concise and compelling can be challenging. but you can use an AI summarizer online to generate an executive summary. Such tools are trained on relevant AI models that can extract core points from a given text. You can get such a point either in bullet form or in abstract summary form.

Pro Tip: Try to write an executive summary such that, even if your prospective client doesn’t read the entire proposal (with a good executive summary, they most likely will), they should have a clear idea about what your company does and how you can help them.

4. Write a detailed problem statement

The point of writing a business proposal is to solve a buyer’s problem. Your goal is to outline the problem statement as clearly as possible. This develops a sense of urgency in your prospect. They will want to find a solution to the problem. And you have that solution.

 A well-defined problem statement does two things: 

• It shows the prospect you have done your homework instead of sending a generic pitch
• It creates an opportunity for you to point out a problem your prospect might not be aware they had in the first place. 

This bold business proposal template above clearly outlines the problem at hand and also offers a ray of hope i.e. how you can solve your prospect’s problem. This brings me to… 

5. P ropose your solutions

The good stuff. In the proposed solution section, you show how you can alleviate your prospective buyer’s pain points. This can fit onto the problem statement section but if you have a comprehensive solution or prefer to elaborate on the details, a separate section is a good idea.

Spare no details regarding the solution you will provide. When you write a business proposal, explain how you plan to deliver the solution. Include an estimated timeline of when they can expect your solution and other relevant details.

For inspiration, look at how this business proposal template quickly and succinctly outlines the project plan, deliverables and metrics :

6. Showcase your team’s expertise

At this point, the prospect you’re pitching your solution to likes what they’re reading. But they may not trust you to deliver on your promises. Why is this?

It’s because they don’t know you. Your job is to convince them that you can fix their problem. This section is important because it acts as social proof. You can highlight what your company does best and how qualified your team is when you write a business proposal for a potential client.

This free business proposal template showcases the company’s accolades, client testimonials, relevant case studies, and industry awards. You can also include other forms of social proof to establish yourself as a credible business. This makes it that much more likely that they will say yes!

Pro Tip: Attaching in-depth case studies of your work is a great way to build trust with a potential client by showcasing how you’ve solved similar problems for other clients in the past. Our case study examples post can show you how to do just that.

7. Create a realistic timeline

To further demonstrate just how prepared you are, it’s important to outline the next steps you will take should your buyer decide to work with you.

Provide a timeline of how and when you will complete all your deliverables. You can do this by designing a  flow chart . Or add a  roadmap  with deadlines. Pitching a long-term project? A timeline infographic would be a better fit.

If you look at this abstract business proposal template below, even something as simple as a table can do the trick.

The timeline is not always set in stone, rather it’s an estimation. The goal is to clarify any questions your potential client might have about how you will deliver for the underlying B2B sales process.

8. Present your payment and terms

On this page, you can outline your fees, payment schedule, invoice payment terms , as well as legal aspects involved in this deal. You can even use the  Excel Invoice Template  to create professional-looking invoices (including brand logo and other elements) and add them to this page.

The key to good pricing is to provide your buyer with options. A  pricing comparison table can help with this. You want to give your client some room to work with. Make sure you’re not scaring off your client with a high price, nor undervaluing yourself. 

Breaking up your pricing in stages is another great way to make sure your potential client knows what he’s paying for. Look at how this simple business proposal template does this:

The legal aspects can slot right into the terms and conditions section. Alternatively, you can add them to the signature section of the proposal to keep things simple.

9. Specify the terms and conditions

Summarize everything you have promised to deliver so far. Include what you expect from your prospective buyer in return.   Add the overall project timeline from start to end, as well as payment methods and payment schedule, incorporating these details into an online digital project management tool. This way, both of you will be clear on what is being agreed on.

This step is very important as it outlines all the legal aspects of the deal. That is why the terms and conditions section of your proposal needs to be as clear as possible.

I recommend consulting a lawyer or your legal team when working on this section of the business proposal. If you’re a business veteran and understand the legalities of your business, you can use the same terms and conditions across all your proposals.

10. Receiving the decision

The final step of this whole process. Your client has read your business proposal and they want to buy what you have to offer.

Add a small section at the end of your proposal to get the necessary signatures. This way, you and your client can sign the proposal and the partnership becomes official.

Be sure to also include your contact information in your business proposal template. It acts as a gentle prompt to your client to contact you in case they have any questions. A professional way of doig that would be to include an e-business card with your contact details, email i.d and any other social links you want to share. You can go through this article for the best digital business cards .

A business proposal usually aims to answer the following questions: 

• Who you are and what your company does
• The problem your buyer is facing
• The solution your company offers to alleviate the problem
• How your company will implement this solution effectively
• An estimate of resources (time, money, etc) required to implement the solution

You can see how this sample business proposal template covers the above points.

Notice how this proposal template addresses the same project like in one of the previous templates, but uses a completely different design style (more retro, while the previous business proposal template is more modern and minimalistic).

Generally, there are three types of business proposals:

1. Formally solicited 

A formally solicited business proposal is made when you respond to an official request to write a business proposal.

In this scenario, you know all the requirements and have more (if not all) information about a prospective buyer. You simply need to write the business proposal for your buyer to evaluate so you can begin the sales process .

2. Informally solicited 

Informally solicited business proposals are written when there isn’t an official request for a proposal. A prospective buyer is interested in your services and asks for a proposal so they can evaluate it.

An informally solicited proposal requires a lot more research from your end. These types of proposals are usually created out of informal conversations. They are not based on official requests which often contain more detail.

3. Unsolicited 

Think of this as a marketing brochure or a cold email . Unsolicited business proposals will often take a generic, one-size-fits-all approach to business proposals. Unsolicited proposals lack any understanding of the buyer or their requirements.

But with additional  market research , personalization and identifying customer pain points , you can propose a customized solution based on your buyer’s needs. This can be a very persuasive approach, such as in this business proposal example:

Now that you know how to write a business proposal, let’s look at how you can optimize your proposal to deliver results!

Below you’ll find some winning business proposal templates and examples to get you started. I’ve also included some design tips to keep in mind when you’re creating your next business proposal: 

1. Know your audience 

If you have some clarity on who your ideal buyer is — their pain points, their budget, deadlines, among other things — you’ve already won half the battle.

If you are a business that helps clients with everything from running giveaways or helping grow their blog , identify which customers to pitch. This is a sure-shot way to close the deal.

Mapping user personas  for your ideal buyer can help bring some clarity. It will also help you position your business proposal correctly. This improves the chance of your buyer moving your business proposal to the “Yes!” pile.

2. Put your brand front and center

If your company follows certain brand guidelines, incorporate them in your business proposal templates. Consider how business proposal examples like the one below highlight brand identity :

From the color palettes to the company logos , everything follows their brand guidelines. The result: a business proposal that’s consistent across the board.

Pro Tip: Switching this template to match your brand assets is actually pretty easy. Venngage’s My Brand Kit feature allows you to import your color palettes, logos as well as font choices. Any Venngage template can now be your template.

You can also consider this sample business proposal template:

App design companies sure do know their design. They did a phenomenal job keeping their brand colors consistent while opting for a black design. This unique color scheme also makes their white logo prominent throughout the proposal.

3. Try less text, more visuals

Have you ever read a proposal and thought to yourself, “Wow, this is all text and has no images, I love it!”? Yeah, me neither.

The free business proposal template below is a perfect example of the “less is more” principle. It does a phenomenal job of communicating what it needs to. By substituting some of the text with icons and visuals, you get a clean business proposal that’s much more scannable.

Want to keep things strictly professional? Instead of icons, you can always add your team’s headshots. This shows your buyer exactly who they’ll be working with.  

Check out this formal business proposal format for some inspiration:

4. Switch up your business proposal designs

It doesn’t hurt to go above and beyond once in a while. Jazz up your business proposal template with some extra colors. This helps make your business proposal more engaging. It also helps your buyers retain information faster.

The business proposal example alternates between black, white and grey backgrounds. It still manages to maintain consistency in its branding . Just switching up your backgrounds once in a while can also bring in some variety to an otherwise standard business proposal.

This SEO business proposal sample proves that it’s possible to switch up the colors in every other page. But it still maintains the same color scheme across the entire proposal just like a professionally designed website : 

Pro Tip: Not a color expert? Our guide on picking colors can help you pick the right color scheme for your proposals.

FAQ about business proposals

What is the purpose of a business proposal.

A business proposal aims to streamline the B2B sales process (which is often complex ) between you as a seller and a buyer.

It does this by serving the dual purpose of acting as a source of information. The proposal also acts as a sales pitch aimed at convincing your buyer why they should buy what you have to offer.

What are the best practices for business proposal design?

• Do a thorough spell-check. The goal of your business proposal is to convince your buyer why you’re the perfect person for the job. A proposal with typos or grammatical errors communicates the opposite. A thorough spell-check before you send your proposal is a must.
• Keep things clear and readable: Clarity is an important aspect that you have to ensure in your business proposal. If you want your proposal to hit home and make an impact on the buyer, you have to write it in an understandable way. To keep things clear and readable, there are a couple of things that you can do. You can, for one, take care to use easy wording and segmented sentences from the get-go. You can also try paraphrasing the hard parts of your proposal once you are done writing it.
• Let your brand shine. As discussed before, writing a business proposal is all about knowing your ideal buyer and focusing on their pain points. But that doesn’t mean your business proposal template has to be boring. Demonstrate how different you are compared to other companies. You can do this through your brand guidelines , by using more visuals, switching up your proposal design or showing off your personality in your writing . 
• Create a business proposal PDF. Downloading your business proposal in PDF format allows you to attach other collaterals with your business proposal. These can include a company explainer video or case studies showcasing the work done with past clients. Also, who doesn’t love saving paper?

How long should your business proposal be? 

The length depends on the scope of the work as well as the complexity of the project. Here is a one-page business proposal template:

Can your business proposal template really be one page? Yes, as long as you understand who your buyer is and their pain points. You should also have the ability to communicate everything your ideal buyer needs to know about your business in a succinct manner.

Or if you’re feeling adventurous how about just two pages? Often, clients prefer if you go straight to the point and avoid all the fluff.

For example, this green modern marketing proposal template wastes no time in getting down to brass tacks:

Need more inspiration? Check out this blog on the 5 marketing proposal examples that’ll help elevate your business.

There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to deciding how many pages you should include in your business proposal template. And at the end of the day, “the only rules are the ones you set for yourself”.

At the end of the day, writing winning business proposals that sell is all about you understanding your buyer, their potential pain points and positioning yourself as someone who can alleviate those pain points. 

Now that you know how to write compelling business proposals, what are you waiting for?

Take action and start creating your own business proposals to close more deals and grow your business today!

More business communications templates + writing tips you might be interested in…

• 31 Consulting Proposal Templates to Close Deals
• 20+ Professional Business Letterhead Templates + Branding Tips
• How to Write a White Paper [Tips & Templates]

Business Model Canvas: Explained with Examples

Got a new business idea, but don’t know how to put it to work? Want to improve your existing business model? Overwhelmed by writing your business plan? There is a one-page technique that can provide you the solution you are looking for, and that’s the business model canvas.

In this guide, you’ll have the Business Model Canvas explained, along with steps on how to create one. All business model canvas examples in the post can be edited online.

What is a Business Model Canvas

A business model is simply a plan describing how a business intends to make money. It explains who your customer base is and how you deliver value to them and the related details of financing. And the business model canvas lets you define these different components on a single page.   

The Business Model Canvas is a strategic management tool that lets you visualize and assess your business idea or concept. It’s a one-page document containing nine boxes that represent different fundamental elements of a business.  

The business model canvas beats the traditional business plan that spans across several pages, by offering a much easier way to understand the different core elements of a business.

The right side of the canvas focuses on the customer or the market (external factors that are not under your control) while the left side of the canvas focuses on the business (internal factors that are mostly under your control). In the middle, you get the value propositions that represent the exchange of value between your business and your customers.

The business model canvas was originally developed by Alex Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur and introduced in their book ‘ Business Model Generation ’ as a visual framework for planning, developing and testing the business model(s) of an organization.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Business Model Canvas

Why do you need a business model canvas? The answer is simple. The business model canvas offers several benefits for businesses and entrepreneurs. It is a valuable tool and provides a visual and structured approach to designing, analyzing, optimizing, and communicating your business model.

• The business model canvas provides a comprehensive overview of a business model’s essential aspects. The BMC provides a quick outline of the business model and is devoid of unnecessary details compared to the traditional business plan.
• The comprehensive overview also ensures that the team considers all required components of their business model and can identify gaps or areas for improvement.
• The BMC allows the team to have a holistic and shared understanding of the business model while enabling them to align and collaborate effectively.
• The visual nature of the business model canvas makes it easier to refer to and understand by anyone. The business model canvas combines all vital business model elements in a single, easy-to-understand canvas.
• The BMC can be considered a strategic analysis tool as it enables you to examine a business model’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges.
• It’s easier to edit and can be easily shared with employees and stakeholders.
• The BMC is a flexible and adaptable tool that can be updated and revised as the business evolves. Keep your business agile and responsive to market changes and customer needs.
• The business model canvas can be used by large corporations and startups with just a few employees.
• The business model canvas effectively facilitates discussions among team members, investors, partners, customers, and other stakeholders. It clarifies how different aspects of the business are related and ensures a shared understanding of the business model.
• You can use a BMC template to facilitate discussions and guide brainstorming brainstorming sessions to generate insights and ideas to refine the business model and make strategic decisions.
• The BMC is action-oriented, encouraging businesses to identify activities and initiatives to improve their business model to drive business growth.
• A business model canvas provides a structured approach for businesses to explore possibilities and experiment with new ideas. This encourages creativity and innovation, which in turn encourages team members to think outside the box.

How to Make a Business Model Canvas

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a business canvas model.

Step 1: Gather your team and the required material Bring a team or a group of people from your company together to collaborate. It is better to bring in a diverse group to cover all aspects.

While you can create a business model canvas with whiteboards, sticky notes, and markers, using an online platform like Creately will ensure that your work can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. Create a workspace in Creately and provide editing/reviewing permission to start.

Step 2: Set the context Clearly define the purpose and the scope of what you want to map out and visualize in the business model canvas. Narrow down the business or idea you want to analyze with the team and its context.

Step 3: Draw the canvas Divide the workspace into nine equal sections to represent the nine building blocks of the business model canvas.

Step 4: Identify the key building blocks Label each section as customer segment, value proposition, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, key resources, key activities, and cost structure.

Step 5: Fill in the canvas Work with your team to fill in each section of the canvas with relevant information. You can use data, keywords, diagrams, and more to represent ideas and concepts.

Step 6: Analyze and iterate Once your team has filled in the business model canvas, analyze the relationships to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. Discuss improvements and make adjustments as necessary.

Step 7: Finalize Finalize and use the model as a visual reference to communicate and align your business model with stakeholders. You can also use the model to make informed and strategic decisions and guide your business.

What are the Key Building Blocks of the Business Model Canvas?

There are nine building blocks in the business model canvas and they are:

Customer Segments

Customer relationships, revenue streams, key activities, key resources, key partners, cost structure.

• Value Proposition

When filling out a Business Model Canvas, you will brainstorm and conduct research on each of these elements. The data you collect can be placed in each relevant section of the canvas. So have a business model canvas ready when you start the exercise.  

Let’s look into what the 9 components of the BMC are in more detail.

These are the groups of people or companies that you are trying to target and sell your product or service to.

Segmenting your customers based on similarities such as geographical area, gender, age, behaviors, interests, etc. gives you the opportunity to better serve their needs, specifically by customizing the solution you are providing them.

After a thorough analysis of your customer segments, you can determine who you should serve and ignore. Then create customer personas for each of the selected customer segments.

There are different customer segments a business model can target and they are;

• Mass market: A business model that focuses on mass markets doesn’t group its customers into segments. Instead, it focuses on the general population or a large group of people with similar needs. For example, a product like a phone.  
• Niche market: Here the focus is centered on a specific group of people with unique needs and traits. Here the value propositions, distribution channels, and customer relationships should be customized to meet their specific requirements. An example would be buyers of sports shoes.
• Segmented: Based on slightly different needs, there could be different groups within the main customer segment. Accordingly, you can create different value propositions, distribution channels, etc. to meet the different needs of these segments.
• Diversified: A diversified market segment includes customers with very different needs.
• Multi-sided markets: this includes interdependent customer segments. For example, a credit card company caters to both their credit card holders as well as merchants who accept those cards.

Use STP Model templates for segmenting your market and developing ideal marketing campaigns

Visualize, assess, and update your business model. Collaborate on brainstorming with your team on your next business model innovation.

In this section, you need to establish the type of relationship you will have with each of your customer segments or how you will interact with them throughout their journey with your company.

There are several types of customer relationships

• Personal assistance: you interact with the customer in person or by email, through phone call or other means.
• Dedicated personal assistance: you assign a dedicated customer representative to an individual customer.  
• Self-service: here you maintain no relationship with the customer, but provides what the customer needs to help themselves.
• Automated services: this includes automated processes or machinery that helps customers perform services themselves.
• Communities: these include online communities where customers can help each other solve their own problems with regard to the product or service.
• Co-creation: here the company allows the customer to get involved in the designing or development of the product. For example, YouTube has given its users the opportunity to create content for its audience.

You can understand the kind of relationship your customer has with your company through a customer journey map . It will help you identify the different stages your customers go through when interacting with your company. And it will help you make sense of how to acquire, retain and grow your customers.

This block is to describe how your company will communicate with and reach out to your customers. Channels are the touchpoints that let your customers connect with your company.

Channels play a role in raising awareness of your product or service among customers and delivering your value propositions to them. Channels can also be used to allow customers the avenue to buy products or services and offer post-purchase support.

There are two types of channels

• Owned channels: company website, social media sites, in-house sales, etc.
• Partner channels: partner-owned websites, wholesale distribution, retail, etc.

Revenues streams are the sources from which a company generates money by selling their product or service to the customers. And in this block, you should describe how you will earn revenue from your value propositions.  

A revenue stream can belong to one of the following revenue models,

• Transaction-based revenue: made from customers who make a one-time payment
• Recurring revenue: made from ongoing payments for continuing services or post-sale services

There are several ways you can generate revenue from

• Asset sales: by selling the rights of ownership for a product to a buyer
• Usage fee: by charging the customer for the use of its product or service
• Subscription fee: by charging the customer for using its product regularly and consistently
• Lending/ leasing/ renting: the customer pays to get exclusive rights to use an asset for a fixed period of time
• Licensing: customer pays to get permission to use the company’s intellectual property
• Brokerage fees: revenue generated by acting as an intermediary between two or more parties
• Advertising: by charging the customer to advertise a product, service or brand using company platforms

What are the activities/ tasks that need to be completed to fulfill your business purpose? In this section, you should list down all the key activities you need to do to make your business model work.

These key activities should focus on fulfilling its value proposition, reaching customer segments and maintaining customer relationships, and generating revenue.

There are 3 categories of key activities;

• Production: designing, manufacturing and delivering a product in significant quantities and/ or of superior quality.
• Problem-solving: finding new solutions to individual problems faced by customers.
• Platform/ network: Creating and maintaining platforms. For example, Microsoft provides a reliable operating system to support third-party software products.

This is where you list down which key resources or the main inputs you need to carry out your key activities in order to create your value proposition.

There are several types of key resources and they are

• Human (employees)
• Financial (cash, lines of credit, etc.)
• Intellectual (brand, patents, IP, copyright)
• Physical (equipment, inventory, buildings)

Key partners are the external companies or suppliers that will help you carry out your key activities. These partnerships are forged in oder to reduce risks and acquire resources.

Types of partnerships are

• Strategic alliance: partnership between non-competitors
• Coopetition: strategic partnership between partners
• Joint ventures: partners developing a new business
• Buyer-supplier relationships: ensure reliable supplies

In this block, you identify all the costs associated with operating your business model.

You’ll need to focus on evaluating the cost of creating and delivering your value propositions, creating revenue streams, and maintaining customer relationships. And this will be easier to do so once you have defined your key resources, activities, and partners.  

Businesses can either be cost-driven (focuses on minimizing costs whenever possible) and value-driven (focuses on providing maximum value to the customer).

Value Propositions

This is the building block that is at the heart of the business model canvas. And it represents your unique solution (product or service) for a problem faced by a customer segment, or that creates value for the customer segment.

A value proposition should be unique or should be different from that of your competitors. If you are offering a new product, it should be innovative and disruptive. And if you are offering a product that already exists in the market, it should stand out with new features and attributes.

Value propositions can be either quantitative (price and speed of service) or qualitative (customer experience or design).

What to Avoid When Creating a Business Model Canvas

One thing to remember when creating a business model canvas is that it is a concise and focused document. It is designed to capture key elements of a business model and, as such, should not include detailed information. Some of the items to avoid include,

• Detailed financial projections such as revenue forecasts, cost breakdowns, and financial ratios. Revenue streams and cost structure should be represented at a high level, providing an overview rather than detailed projections.
• Detailed operational processes such as standard operating procedures of a business. The BMC focuses on the strategic and conceptual aspects.
• Comprehensive marketing or sales strategies. The business model canvas does not provide space for comprehensive marketing or sales strategies. These should be included in marketing or sales plans, which allow you to expand into more details.
• Legal or regulatory details such as intellectual property, licensing agreements, or compliance requirements. As these require more detailed and specialized attention, they are better suited to be addressed in separate legal or regulatory documents.
• Long-term strategic goals or vision statements. While the canvas helps to align the business model with the overall strategy, it should focus on the immediate and tangible aspects.
• Irrelevant or unnecessary information that does not directly relate to the business model. Including extra or unnecessary information can clutter the BMC and make it less effective in communicating the core elements.

What Are Your Thoughts on the Business Model Canvas?

Once you have completed your business model canvas, you can share it with your organization and stakeholders and get their feedback as well. The business model canvas is a living document, therefore after completing it you need to revisit and ensure that it is relevant, updated and accurate.

What best practices do you follow when creating a business model canvas? Do share your tips with us in the comments section below.

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

FAQs About the Business Model Canvas

• Use clear and concise language
• Use visual-aids
• Customize for your audience
• Highlight key insights
• Be open to feedback and discussion

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Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

23+ Free Entrepreneur Lesson Plans (Projects, Worksheets, etc.)

By: Author Amanda L. Grossman

Posted on Last updated: December 14, 2022

Need free entrepreneurship curriculum, lesson plans, and projects? Here's entrepreneur lesson plans for high school, middle school, and elementary.

So, you’re looking for entrepreneur lesson plans to help turn your kids or students into the innovators of tomorrow.

And not just to make them into entrepreneurs, but to benefit your kids and students with the following results of teaching entrepreneurship :

• Improved academic performance
• Increased problem-solving and decision-making capabilities
• Improved interpersonal relationships
• Higher self-esteem

But, exactly how are you supposed to teach entrepreneurship?

Entrepreneurs, among other qualities, need to be able to recognize opportunities in the marketplace. This means finding a need, and figuring out how to solve that need in a profitable way.

This can be as simple as a kidpreneur/kidpreneurship (or kidpreneur-in-the-making) opening a lemonade stand on a smoldering July day near a construction site, and as complicated as creating a machine knob specifically for tea growers in Japan.

And having this ability doesn't have to result in a person starting their own business; it works equally as well for your child if they work for someone else in the form of more merit raises, one-time bonuses for one-off projects, promotions, leverage in salary negotiations, etc.

In fact, the skill of recognizing an opportunity, and seizing it by writing my own job description resulted in me snagging my first job out of college (worth an awesome $40,000 + benefits to me at the time). More on that in a bit.

What are the other skills a child needs to learn to help them as an entrepreneur?

Psst: you'll also want to check out my resource list of youth entrepreneurship programs , entrepreneur biographies for kids , kid entrepreneur kits , and full review of the Teen Entrepreneur Toolbox . 

Article Content

How Do You Teach Entrepreneurship?

Teaching entrepreneurship is a bit trickier than, say, teaching algebra. With algebra, the equations come out with the same solutions, every time. But with entrepreneurship?

There are an endless number of variables that go into it, and an endless number of outcomes that can come out of it.

How are you supposed to teach for that?

One of the best ways to teach entrepreneurship is to choose entrepreneurial projects, activities, and lesson plans that aim at nurturing these entrepreneur skills:

• Ability to identify opportunities
• Self confidence
• At least basic knowledge of business finances/financial literacy
• Knows how to take measured risk
• Vision and creativity

Elementary School Entrepreneurship Curriculum

Excited to start teaching your elementary school-aged kids about entrepreneurship? Let me share some entrepreneurship lesson plans, resources, and curriculum with you.

Also, check out these 3 kid business plan examples .

1. Venture Lab

Who It’s For : Grades 1-12

Financial Aid : ( Free for non-commercial use ) Curriculum that organizations can purchase to use with students

Length of Program : 90-minute lessons

Location : N/A

Venture Lab offers a curriculum suited for 1st – 12th graders (curriculum is divided into lower elementary, upper elementary, and middle school/high school.) This is a course in a box with all of the lesson plans already completed and is meant to be utilized as part of regular coursework, after school programs, or camps.

Its focus is on teaching girls components of entrepreneurship such as STEAM concepts and design thinking.

2. Money Monsters Start their Own Business

Who It’s For : 4th – 8th grade

Students will read through the Money Monsters Start their Own Business book (PDF provided – 51 pages), and then play a game that has them experience the ups and downs of starting a business.

I love how a Toy Store Income Tracker is included so that each student can track their own earnings and see the numbers for themselves.

Psst: you'll also want to check out Federal Reserve Bank's webinar on teaching kids entrepreneurship , which will give you some lesson plan ideas. 

Starting a Business Lesson Plans for Middle School

Do you want to teach your middle school kid (or student) how to start a business, and you need a lesson plan? I’ve actually created a Take Your Child to Work Day printable which will give you lots of ideas for your starting a business lesson plan.

More middle school business lesson plans for how to start a business (all free):

• Federal Reserve Bank's Jay Starts a Business (Grades 3-6; comes with teacher's manual with lesson plans)
• Free Kid Business Plan Templates
• Biz Kid’s Crash Course on Entrepreneurship for Middle School
• EverFI’s Venture Entrepreneurial Expedition (for grades 7-10).
• Small Business Administration’s Young Entrepreneurs course
• Foundation for Economic Education’s Booms and Busts , What is Entrepreneurship? , What is the Entrepreneur’s Role in Creating Value? , etc. (students can earn a Certificate of Achievement)
• TeenBusiness’s Entrepreneur Lesson Videos series
• Parade of Entrepreneurs Lesson Plan
• Lemonade Stand Worksheets , and my best Lemonade Stand Ideas

Psst: Try holding a market day in your class. Here are 22 things for kids to make and sell , 17 boy crafts to sell , and help pricing their products in this market day lesson plan .

Teaching Entrepreneurship to High School Students – Free Entrepreneurship Curriculum

There are some great curriculum and materials out there for teaching entrepreneurship in high school, many of which include entrepreneur worksheets for students.

Psst: you also might want to check out these 5 business books for teens , and 11 business games for students .

1. Alison’s Entrepreneurial Skills Path

Who It’s For : Business students, and people interested in learning about creating a business

Financial Aid : Free

Length of Program : 6 lessons, each between 1 and 3 hours

Alison is a free, online platform with tons of courses, and one of the paths you can go down is an entrepreneurial skills one.

Teachers of the courses include venture capitalists, professors at Harvard, and professional entrepreneurs.

Lessons include:

• Characteristics of the Successful Entrepreneur
• Critical Skills for Entrepreneurs
• Creating an Entrepreneur’s Checklist for Success
• Entrepreneurship – Creating the Business
• Key Elements of Entrepreneurial Success
• Why Entrepreneurs Should Think Big

2. Youth Entrepreneurs

Who It’s For : Students

Financial Aid : Schools pay for this program, with the cost based on how many students get free and reduced lunches

Length of Program : 1 year

With this program, students first focus on economics, then they focus on starting their own businesses.

3. Diamond Challenge Business Curriculum

Who It’s For : Kids and teens

Length of Program : 14 modules

Looking for a video business curriculum with instructional guides? The Diamond Challenge’s program covers the following:

• What is Entrepreneurship?
• Opportunity Recognition
• Opportunity Screening
• Types of Businesses
• Building a Business like a Scientist
• Using a Business Model Canvas

They also offer a Social Curriculum track that’s 6 video modules long, including:

• What is Social Entrepreneurship?
• Wicked Problems and Grand Challenges
• Social Entrepreneurship Processes and Challenges

4. INCubateredu

Who It’s For : 10th and 12th graders

Financial Aid : Free (at schools where it’s available)

Length of Program : 1 year (followed by acceleratoredu for the 2nd year)

Through Uncharted Learning’s program, 10 th to 12 th graders develop their own business, pitch their idea ta a shark-tank style event, and even have a chance at receiving funding.

5. JA BE Entrepreneurial®

Who It’s For : Grades 9-12

Financial Aid : Free for students

Length of Program : 7, 45-minute sessions

Location : Anywhere

Through your child’s school, they can take Junior Achievement’s Entrepreneurial program. The course teaches students how to create a business plan, plus how to start a venture.

Lessons covered include:

• What’s My Business?
• Who’s My Customer?
• What’s My Advantage?
• Competitive Advantages
• Ethics are Good for Business
• The Business Plan

6. JA Company Program Blended Model

Length of Program : 13 classes (2 hours/class), or as a 1-year program with 26 classes (1 hour/class)

Location : Anywhere (online course)

This is an online program that teaches high schoolers how to solve a problem/fill a need in their community through entrepreneurship.

• Start a Business
• Vet the Venture
• Create a Structure
• Launch the Business!
• Run the Business

7. The Mint's Be Your Own Boss

Who It’s For : Teens

Length of Program : 3 lessons

Starting with the Be Your Own Boss Challenge , The Mint takes your teen through the following three lesson:

• Planning Your Business
• Money & Your Business
• The Law & Your Business

8. Wharton High School's Entrepreneurship

Who It’s For : High School students

Length of Program : 50+ lesson plans

These lesson plans go through the following:

• Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurial Opportunities
• Global Markets
• Business Plans

9. YE$ Youth Entrepreneurship

Who It's for : high school students

Cost : Free

Location : Anywhere (it's a PDF)

Here's a free PDF with tons of entrepreneur lesson plans and research done for educators, that is meant to go along with a 4-H program. You'll find some nuggets in here, plus, it's free!

Now let’s take a look at entrepreneurial projects that can teach your kids and teens all about starting a business with hands-on experiences.

10. Build a Business Plan

Who It's For : Middle School and High School

Location : Anywhere (online)

Check out this plug n' play business plan creator! You could send your students to this page to work through a business idea of theirs.

Then, at the end, they can print out their business plan!

Questions they'll need to answer include:

• Your big idea
• Who will buy
• How you'll spend and make money

Entrepreneur Worksheets for Students

While I would recommend taking on one of the projects below, or one of the hands-on lesson plans from above, there are also entrepreneur worksheets students can use to learn about businesses.

Here's a few of my favorites (all free):

• Lemonade Stand Free Printables (here's my best lemonade stand ideas , too)
• Lemonade Stand Worksheets
• Family Guide to Getting a Family Business Going (kid-centered)
• Small Business Administration's Lean Startup Business Plan
• Take your students through the DECA Idea Challenge (you'll need to pick your own everyday item to challenge students with, as the competition has ended for the year)
• Take your students through the DECA Entrepreneur of Tomorrow Challenge (again, the competition is over, but the PDF is still available for you to set up your own)

Psst: you might want to check out my review on the Teen Entrepreneur Toolbox .

2 Entrepreneurial Projects – What is an Entrepreneurial Project?

Entrepreneurial projects are a smart way to teach entrepreneurship to kids, because, as with any project, it gives them a chance to dive deeper into a topic that interest them (all under the guise of teaching them how to start and run a business).

Entrepreneur Project #1: Winter Beverage Outdoor Tasting Contest

It’s soooooo easy to sit inside all winter long and slowly accumulate cabin fever (plus a few pounds). That's why you've got to look for fun things to do in the winter.

Well today? We’re going to switch things up. I’ve created a family date night for you ( family winter activities !) that has both an indoor AND an outdoor component.

But don’t worry – with this fun winter activity we’ll keep things toasty throughout.

So, what’s the game plan? Each of your kid(dos) will make (rather,  create ) a warm winter beverage recipe  indoors . Then here's the twist: you’re going to host a family taste testing contest around your fire pit in the backyard.

Not only will this make a fun family memory, but your kid(dos) will actually walk away with more money knowledge in the process centered around the all-important lesson of how to make a profit!

Psst: Now that’s a money lesson I could have used as a kid, specifically as I’ve gone into biz for myself as an adult.

Host a Winter Beverage Outdoor Taste Testing

Finding fun things to do in the winter doesn't have to mean you're freezing your tootsies off. There's nothing better to keep you warm outdoors in the wintertime than a toasty drink. Well, a toasty drink around a roaring fire.

Here’s how it’s going down:

Step #1: Choose an Event Date

Build the anticipation for your family by choosing a date 1 to 2 weeks out (so that there’s time for you guys to complete the rest of the prep work).

Fill out the invitation on Page 1 of the free printable, and display prominently on your family’s bulletin board/gathering center in the kitchen so everyone knows the date of the big event.

Set the stage for the competition by having your family read their mission out loud. Other cool factors you can add in: make it a Friday or Saturday family date night, under the stars. Let the kids stay up a little past bedtime to complete.

Step #2: Your Kid(dos) Research Hot Drink Ideas to Enter into the Competition

Your kids are the ones entering the competition. They’ll be in the driver seat of actually creating their own recipe from scratch (with some inspiration from below).

There are lots of toasty, kid-friendly drink recipe ideas to get them started:

• Hot caramel apple cider
• Vanilla steamer with cinnamon
• Harry Potter Warm Butterbeer

They’ll get lots of help not only from looking up recipe examples on sites like Pinterest, but also from the worksheet in the free printable (Page 2).

Step #3: Shop for the Ingredients

Once your budding restaurant consultant has determined possible ingredients they’ll need for their signature drink, they’ll need you, Mama Bear, to purchase them.

Take the list your kid(dos) have created and go to the store (solo, or with them) to make the purchases.

Having trouble coming up with a pool of possible ingredients to buy? Use the lists below for inspiration of what to pick up (a few of these ingredients you probably already have at home) and let your kids create what they can from it:

• Bases : hot cocoa, apple cider, chai tea, milk
• Flavors : cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, flavor syrups
• Sweeteners : sugar, brown sugar, caramel
• Creamers : milk, half & half, almond milk, heavy cream, etc.
• Top-offs : whipped cream, caramel sauce, orange peels for zesting

Save your store receipt, as your kid(dos) will need this information to price their drinks later on.

Step #4: Your Kid(dos) Tinker + Perfect their Drink

Using the purchased ingredients as well as anything in your home they can find, host a kitchen lab session where your kid(dos) tinker with ingredients and perfect their super-secret, signature recipes (talk about fun things to do in the winter inside!).

They’ll write down the exact portion sizes to each ingredient that they use as they go along, which is important for the next step.

Step #5: Your Kid(dos) Figure Out the Profit Margin of their Signature Drink

Remember, the goal is to create a new drink for this restaurant that not only costs less than $5, but has at least a 60% profit margin for the owner.

Ahem: between you and me, that means their cost needs to come in under $2.00.

So, as your kid tinkers with ingredients, they need to keep price in mind.

Note: this step can seem a bit unwieldy, but is SO important for the whole process. Just know – I’m outlining both how to do this all by hand, as well as giving you shortcuts to online calculators where your kid(dos) will still learn the process by setting up the inputs and thinking through how it all fits together.

Of course, we’re not talking about the cost of the entire ingredient that you’ve purchased. After all, it’s unlikely they’ll use an entire carton of milk to create one drink. We’re talking about the small portion size that they used of the product.

In other words, they’re not going to get the cost of a single drink they’ve created from your grocery store receipt as it is now. They need to do some calculating based on the measurements of each ingredient that goes into each drink.

You need to know how much it costs to create just ONE of your super-secret signature drinks so that you can calculate the profit margin.

What’s a profit margin? It’s the percentage of what you keep as profit from each $1.00. For example, a 20% profit margin means that we earn $0.20 on every dollar. That means that the other 80% or $0.80 are expenses. Remember that Jack, the man from The Yeti Slide, needs a 60% profit margin, or $0.60 on each dollar in profit after expenses are taken out.

Step #1: Write down your ingredients + quantities.

Step #2: Convert each quantity in your recipe to the quantity on the product label.

Divide your ingredients up by dry ones (like cocoa powder), and wet ones (like heavy cream or vanilla extract).

Then use the appropriate table below to convert the amount in your recipe to the amount that’s found on the ingredient’s product label (front of package).

For example, if you used 3 teaspoons of cocoa powder (dry ingredient), then your conversion is to a ½ ounce (the cocoa powder can is in ounces). Or if you used 2 tablespoons of almond milk, you find on the Wet Conversion table that you used 1 fl. Oz. (the almond milk carton is in Fl. Oz.).

Hint: Can’t find the conversion or a little confused? You can plug the exact quantity of your ingredients into  this liquid converter  or  this dry converter calculator  online and convert it into the measurement found on your product label).

Conversion tables:

Dry Conversions

Liquid Conversions:

Step #3: Calculate the cost of each quantity of ingredient used.

Now you need to price each converted quantity of ingredient by figuring out how much each ounce or fluid ounce costs, and then multiplying it by the amount you’ve used.

Hint: A good estimate to use for dashes of spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg is $0.05.

• Write down the overall price of each ingredient used.
• Write down the converted amount you used of it.
• Divide the total amount in the product package by its price to find what each ounce or fluid ounce costs.
• Then multiply that by the converted amount you used.
• Write down the cost. Then add all of the individual ingredient costs to get your total expense to create the drink.

Example: I used 1 tablespoon (tbsp.) of heavy cream. One 8 fl. oz. container of heavy cream at the store costs $2.99. That is $0.37/ounce. I look at the conversion chart below, and see that 1 tbsp. converts to ½ ounce. So, I divide $0.37/2 ounces, and see that this ingredient for just one drink costs $0.186 (you can round up to $0.19).

Ingredient Cost:   $2.99 _ Converted Amount Used:  ½ fl. Oz.  Total Product Amount:  8 fl. Oz.   Cost per ounce:  _$0.37/fl. Oz.  Cost of Ingredient Used:  $0.37 X ½ = $0.186 .

Looking for a shortcut?  Here’s a free online tool for pricing out beverages . You’ll need the converted amounts.

Step #4: Calculate Your Profit Margin

Figure out how high your profit margin is if you sell the drink for $5.00.

Profit on Drink: $5.00 –  total drink cost  = _ $ _________.

Profit Per Dollar:  Your answer from above  \  Cost drink is sold for ($5.00)  =  $ Profit

Profit Margin:  $ Profit  X 100 =  Profit Margin%

Step #6: Taste Judging Begins

By now you’ve set the scene for some fun things to do in the winter outdoors – think a crackling bonfire out in the backyard (or in your fire pit. Heck, you can de-hibernate the grill for some winter outdoor cooking/heating), plus a table/flat surface where your kids can place their super-secret signature creations.

Bust out some blankets, cover straw bales with table cloths…you get the idea. (And if you’re in Houston like we are? Well, a hoodie should suffice).

Have your kid(dos) place their drinks on the tasting mat, as well as fill in how much their drink costs and what the profit margin is (all calculations they’ll be guided through on the free printable).

Now they get to take a break, while the parents taste + score each one!

Included in the printable are both a tasting mat as well as a score card with specific criteria, such as inventiveness, taste, and profit margin.

Step #7: Declare the Winners

There are winners in a variety of categories, and then an overall drink that is chosen for The Yeti Slide's Yeti Roasts:

• Most Inventive
• Best Money-Maker
• Newest Yeti Slide Signature Drink

Looking for fun things to do in the winter? This two-part activity for your child that will leave them understanding profit margins like a pro, plus give your family an awesome family date night under the stars on a winter evening when you might otherwise be watching tv.

What could be better than that? If nothing else, you’ll have created quite the memory.

Entrepreneur Project #2: A System for Your Child to Identify a Need in Your Home + Propose a Solution

We want to encourage your child to come to you with things they see that could use improvement, and ways they could add value or provide a solution for you.

Let's go through how to do this.

Step #1 : Discuss with your child the idea that people need things + services.

Here's a conversation outline for you with a few blanks to fill in (where underlined) :

“People need things and services in their lives. They need things to maintain their health, they need things to make life more enjoyable. They need parts to make repairs to their belongings. They need really cool items to buy as gifts for others. They need better systems or processes to make things work more efficiently, which just means taking less time and less money and getting the same (or better) results. All over the world, people need things. In my own life, three needs that I've satisfied through purchasing something include  X ,  Y , and  Z . By purchasing them, they made my life easier because  <<FILL IN SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR EACH EXAMPLE YOU GAVE>> . Generally, when people need something, they are willing to pay money for the solution. That's why there are so many companies, all which provide products + solutions for people's needs.”

Pssst: MAN I wish I could go back 17 years and give myself this talk! Would've saved me several adult years of banging my head against the wall trying to understand how to make money.

Step #2 : Task your child with identifying a need around the house/property/car.

What could this look like?

A Few Examples for you + your kiddo :

• Find a more efficient way to organize the “command center” in your home.
• Use Google Maps or another program to find a more efficient route for your commute.
• Organize the wood pile + create newspaper logs that are fireplace-ready.
• Find a better way to organize/clean/maintain the video game center in your home.
• Clean out your car (I used to do this for my parents!) + add a car trash can to the back area so that in the future the kids can just use that instead of throwing things on the ground.
• Introduce a better laundry system for the family's clothes so that they actually  all  end up in the laundry room, sorted, and ready to be washed.

The possibilities are endless, and specific to what needs your child sees in your family life.

Step #3 : Once they've identified a need and come to you with it, you must decide if it's worth it to you to move forward. Don't be afraid if, after they've told you a need they  think  you have but that you don't  actually  have, to tell them that it isn't a current need of yours. Hey, the road to success is paved with failed products! This is excellent feedback so that they start to understand their “customer” and dig deeper. Perhaps they'll even start to ask YOU what you want from them!

Step #4 : What are both of your expectations for this job so that you know when the job is completed correctly?

Let them tell you what they propose to accomplish and what that would look like.

Then you share what you, as a paying customer, expect in results. Hash this out if need be (just like a real negotiation between a biz and their potential client).

This includes a deadline.

Step #5 : Now you need to ask them for a price.

I know, I know. You might be wondering, “why on earth am I going to let my child choose how much I'm willing to pay them for something they want to do around the house? Isn't it MY money?”

I totally get that. But remember that the nature of this lesson is to ignite that entrepreneurial spirit in them. Instead of you offering what you're willing to pay, have them go through the exercise of pricing their efforts. Then the negotiations start.

This sets them up for good negotiation + valuation skills in the future.

Determine the market price you'll pay, which is where their price (the supplier) and your price (based on how much you need what they're offering + a dash of several other things) meets. $__________.

Step #6 : Your child completes the work + notifies you.

Step #7 : Using the checklist you both created, provide oversight and see if everything is as it was supposed to be.

Step #8 : Pay the agreed upon rate once everything is up to par. And if they don't quite complete the project + deliver what they promised, it's up to you whether you want to make a partial payment, or not pay at all (satisfaction guaranteed could be added to this lesson as well).

If your child makes it through this process, then they will have successfully figured out a “market” need, fulfilled it, and gotten paid from their initiative. This is something that will no doubt shape their futures.

And if they don't quite succeed? Well the lessons are vast for all entrepreneurs as they traverse through the mistakes, failures, and successes.

It's really a win-win situation.

Let me show you what I mean, with an example in my own life.

How I Used this Skill Set to Write My Own First Job Offer Worth $40,000 + Benefits

While some of my dorm mates were floundering around trying to find employment, I was busy enjoying my last two months of college before entering the “real world”.

Why is that? Because I had a job waiting for me. And the only reason why I had that job was I spotted a need in a local company, and wrote my way into it.

I had interned for an organization in my small college town, and they ended up building a start-up company set to open its doors sometime around when I was due to graduate. One day I asked them if I could have a full-time job there come June. The director looked at me, and said, “go ahead and write up a job description of what you propose you would do here. Then we'll see.”

So I went back to my college dorm and worked on a job description. I thought about what the company was trying to achieve, and tied this into what I wanted to do with my life (at least what I thought I wanted to do at the time).

I wish I had saved a copy of the actual job description, but my sharp memory tells me it went something like this:

“Amanda L. Grossman will be the International Marketing & Sales contact at Chesapeake Fields. The International Marketing & Sales Person is responsible for researching new markets around the world where Chesapeake Fields' products would be well received. Primary responsibilities include understanding these markets, making contact with potential wholesalers and distributors, sending samples, and being the brand ambassador for Chesapeake Fields within these markets.”

With one minor change − they put sales in front of marketing in my job title − I got an offer from them for $40,000 + benefits to do just that. Within the one year I worked there, I ended up negotiating an initial container load of $27,000 worth of our product to a major food retailer in Taiwan.

Unfortunately, my job AND that company went under not long after my first and only year there. But writing my way into a company right out of college based on a need I saw that I could fill? Well that was enough to impress future employers who then hired me.

See how lucrative learning this skill could be for your child? I'd love to hear below what needs (perceived or actual ones) your child comes up with to fulfill.

• Latest Posts

Amanda L. Grossman

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Thursday 8th of June 2017

Uh, I totally love this post! My hubby and I are both entrepreneurs and want to instill the same in our children... definitely going to use these tips!!

Friday 9th of June 2017

*Squee*! Thanks, Lauren. I'd love to hear what your kiddos come up with:).

70 Small Business Ideas for Anyone Who Wants to Run Their Own Business

Published: March 19, 2024

A good business idea may seem hard to come by, but with some planning and preparation, you can easily launch a small business to supplement your income — or become your own full-time boss.

Maybe you already have an idea of the business you’d like to start. But while you might feel ready for a new venture and passionate about your idea, you might be looking for some direction.

To help get you started, here's a list of small business ideas separated into a few sections:

• What makes a good small business?

Best Small Business Ideas

Best businesses to start with little money, home business ideas.

• Online Businesses Ideas

Easy Businesses to Start

Business ideas for students, creative small business ideas, how to start a small business at home, starting a small business: faq.

The first step to becoming a successful entrepreneur is finding a business idea that works for you. In this article, you’ll find dozens of small business ideas you can start from home and scale up as your clientele grows. Let’s get started.

What makes a good small business idea?

Not all small business ideas are made equal: Some require more effort and funding than others, while some can be launched with few resources — or resources you already have. As a potential small business owner, you’ll want to save as much money as possible on training, rent, supplies, and other necessities.

Let’s go over what makes a good business idea:

• Requires little to no training . A good small business idea will ideally leverage your existing field of expertise and require little to no training. That will not only shorten your time-to-launch, but also lessen your expenses, since training courses can cost a significant amount of money. Plus, you’ll be more confident offering services that you feel prepared to deliver.
• Requires low setup costs. Your business should be cheap to start. Maybe you only need to purchase a website domain or buy a desk for your garage.
• Requires little hands-on inventory or supply management . A great business idea needs few supplies and little inventory management. If you want to sell physical goods, you can either try drop-shipping and manually make goods in small batches.
• Is based online . The best small business ideas are based online and can be carried out from your personal computer. This will automatically lower your commuting costs and give you greater flexibility over your personal and work life.
• Can sustainably be managed by few people . As a small business owner, you won’t have the funds to hire other people to help you run your business — at least not at first. A good business idea should give you the ability to run your business on your own.

Free Business Startup kit

9 templates to help you brainstorm a business name, develop your business plan, and pitch your idea to investors.

• Business Name Brainstorming Workbook
• Business Plan Template
• Business Startup Cost Calculator

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Airbnb Co-founder, Brian Chesky, said, “If we tried to think of a good idea, we wouldn’t have been able to think of a good idea. You just have to find the solution for a problem in your own life.”

If you’re like Brian and you’ve already thought about a solution for a problem you encounter in your life — or you’re on the path to doing so — then starting a small business may be in your future. It may also be for you if you dream of clocking out of your nine-to-five job for the last time and becoming your own boss.

Below, we include the best ideas for you to start your small business — with resources and examples to help you get started.

1. Handyman

8. Life/Career Coach

If you have experience navigating career, personal, and social transitions successfully, put it to good use as a life or career coach. Many of us are looking for guidance in our careers — and finding someone with the time to mentor us can be tough.

Life/career coaches don’t come cheap, but they are able to offer clients the intense and hands-on training and advice they need to make serious moves in their personal and professional lives. After all, everyone needs some uplifting advice from time to time.

To start your life/career coaching business with confidence, you can look for a certification program (like the Life Coach School’s or Diane Hudson’s ), then apply your skills as you acquire new clients.

A resume writing business is economical, has few overhead costs, and has few educational requirements. We still recommend having an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree and a few resume samples on hand. If you still feel that you need to brush up on your resume writing skills, you can take a course like Coursera’s or LinkedIn Learning’s .

Once you’ve gotten resume writing down, you can expand your business to include cover letter writing and even offer career coaching services in conjunction with these services.

10. Freelance Writer

If you have writing skills , there’s someone out there willing to pay you for them. Write blog posts, magazine articles, and website copy galore — just make sure you have a body of work built up to share with potential clients. Even if you create a few sample pieces to have on hand, they’ll help exhibit your work and attract new business.

To become a freelance writer, it’s essential to choose a specialty. For instance, you might choose to only write for publications in the healthcare industry (maybe because you were previously a healthcare worker) or focus on lifestyle publications. Whatever the case, specializing will help you find your niche market and gain confidence as a new freelancer writer.

There are no educational requirements for freelance writing, but you do need strong writing skills. It also helps to enjoy writing. While certification may be beneficial, getting practice and writing every day is more important. Try these writing prompts to start.

11. Landscaper

Mowing, tree-trimming, and seasonal decor are all neighborhood needs. If you have or can acquire the equipment, a landscaping business can be a lucrative affair. It’s also a great choice if you enjoy doing it for your own home and have a good eye for landscape design.

The good news is that you can start small. For instance, you could offer your neighbors seasonal planting services and start with a few perennial plants, or simply offer mulching services.

To grow your landscaping business, you should consider taking some formal training. The following organizations offer courses:

• New York Botanical Gardens

After completing a course and getting enough experience, you can apply for a certificate from a landscaping organization. While a certificate isn’t necessary to work in the field, it can build your credentials and help you make industry connections to take your landscaping business to the next level. The Association of Professional Landscape Designers offers one potential certificate you could pursue.

Some states require licensure, especially if you’ll be using pesticides and fertilizers. Be sure to review the requirements for your state.

Learn some of the basics now with this video on landscape design from Lowe’s:

12. Videographer

Video production requires you to have invested in the equipment up front, which can be quite expensive. But that’s also what makes your services so valuable. Make sure you have a reel of your work to share or create a website with several selections of your work available for interested viewers.

There are no educational or licensure requirements for starting a video production business. As with writing and other creative arts, though, it pays to specialize. Real estate videos differ radically from wedding videos, and wedding videos differ radically from in-studio interviews and testimonials. By specializing, you target a highly specific customer who’ll benefit the most from your services, and you can also skill-up more effectively in one shooting style.

While you can find general classes on videography, you should consider taking a class in the type of videography you’d like to do. For instance, you could take The Complete Wedding Videography Course .

Hot tip: If you’re interested in specializing in video marketing, check out The Ultimate Guide to Video Marketing and download our starter pack below.

13. Photographer

Start by conducting photo shoots for your family and friends. As you build a body of work, ask for referrals and reviews. Photography businesses often grow by word of mouth, so create a Facebook page where you can tag recent clients. Photos where you tag those clients will show up in their friends’ newsfeeds, where they can view your work. You can also ask them to leave reviews on your Facebook business page.

Like with a video production small business, you’ll want to specialize. Will you do product shoots or portraits? How about wedding or fashion photo shoots? Once you specialize, you’ll be able to create a body of work that most accurately represents your strengths.

There are no educational or licensure requirements for starting a small photography business. Still, we recommend investing in a few photography courses, especially if you haven’t used your camera in a while. Some courses you might start with include:

• Cornell’s Digital Photography Certificate Program
• New York Institute of Photography’s Course

From there, seek courses that help you build skills in your chosen specialty.

If you’re not sure where to start with freelance photography, take a look at Erica Clayton’s journey into the business below. Her advice? Give yourself a firm deadline to turn a profit.

14. Bed and Breakfast Owner

Some consulting industries are more competitive than others, so be sure to complete your research before starting a small consulting business. One way to find out how competitive a consulting niche is by doing keyword search . If your target niche is highly searched or is already dominated by big companies, you may have a harder time breaking in. You can use keyword research tools to uncover keyword volume and local demand.

12. Event Planner

An event planning business is an excellent choice if you have great organizational and interpersonal skills, and it’s relatively cheap to start. You might choose to specialize in a specific type of event — like weddings or company meetings — or set yourself up as an event planner of all trades.

The good news is that event planners are always in demand. It’s not an easily automated job, so this small business idea is set to thrive regardless of the digital landscape. To start, you’ll want to look for a platform that will easily allow you to advertise your availability, such as event planner directories like Eventective and WeddingWire .

If you’re highly organized, detail-oriented, and have experience planning large events, it might be time for others to benefit from your skills.

13. Personal Assistant

Personal assistants help business owners and executives take care of administrative tasks. To launch a freelance personal assistant business, you should leverage networking opportunities on LinkedIn and attend small business events at local chambers of commerce. Most local business owners might not even know they need a personal assistant until you market your services to them.

If you’re an organized, highly-detailed person, the life of a personal assistant might be for you. Don’t want to be tied to one office or person all day, every day? Consider becoming a virtual assistant, which allows you a more flexible work environment.

To become an assistant, choose a niche — will you be helping women business owners specifically? Do you have a specific field of expertise, like bookkeeping? A website can also go a long way, and be sure to print business cards for you to hand out during networking events.

14. Consignment Shop Owner

If you have an eye for style but don’t want to invest in the inventory of a brand-new boutique, consider starting a consignment shop. It will allow you to curate a collection of clothing that matches your goals and aesthetic without the overhead of a boutique selling entirely new garments.

The beauty of a small consignment business is that you can now start one online. You can sign up on a platform such as Poshmark , Depop , and even Etsy , then easily start selling your own used fashion from home.

Once you’ve defined your niche — such as vintage clothing, unique locally made art, or colorful shoes — you can begin sourcing new products from your local stores and thrift shops.

15. Caterer

If the personal chef gig is too restrictive for your schedule, consider catering instead. Pick your projects, work on fewer but larger events, and hone in on your time management skills.

Becoming a caterer is a natural step for those who are used to cooking for large events — for instance, you may have already catered your friend’s wedding or brought a 20-person meal to a potluck (that counts, too!).

It’s essential that you have enough temperature-regulated storage for the meals prior to each event, and that you arrange for reliable, temperature-controlled transportation to and from your home kitchen. Alternatively, you can lower your costs by inviting customers to pick up their order at your home.

16. Gym Owner

Kickboxing gyms, yoga studios, CrossFit, oh my! Turn your passion for fitness into a community for others by creating your own gym — start one from the ground up, become an affiliate, or open a franchise location.

Available franchise opportunities include Anytime Fitness, Orangetheory Fitness, Pure Barre, Planet Fitness, Crunch Fitness, and more. Be prepared to take out a loan to finance your franchise — most agreements start with fees upward of $20,000. But the payoff can be tremendous due to brand recognition. You’ll have no trouble recruiting new members as long as you use local marketing strategies .

Alternatively, you can create a local studio, but ideally, it should be for a specific activity instead of general fitness. Yoga, pilates, bootcamp-style gyms, and martial arts perform well as independent fitness studios.

17. Boutique Agency Owner

What’s your specialty? Whether it’s marketing, social media, or PR, it might be time to start your own agency. Many other small businesses need this type of help but don’t have the resources or volume to necessitate a full-time position.

To start an agency, you would ideally have worked in your specialty for a number of years. You should also be prepared to interface directly with clients, fulfill their requirements, and temper their expectations (if they want results in an unreasonably short amount of time).

Consider building a small team and learn from other entrepreneurs who’ve successfully started their own agencies, like Duane Brown of Take Some Risk .

18. Coffee Shop Owner

Turn your caffeine addiction into something a little more lucrative. Opening a franchise or buying an existing shop are lower-risk entry points to the coffee game, but they usually require a little more cash upfront. Starting a shop from scratch requires more planning and work — but it also maximizes your earning potential in the future.

A coffee shop is an excellent fit if you already have a full-time remote job and wish to supplement your income with a small business. You can manage the coffee shop as you work at one of the tables, but be sure to have the budget to hire an experienced barista who can pick up the slack.

If you would like to open a coffee shop and run it full-time on your own, you’ll need to undertake barista training, understand worldwide coffee sources, and have excellent customer service skills.

19. Moving Company

A truck, moving equipment, manpower, and the correct permits and insurance are the building blocks of starting your own moving company . Before you buy your first fleet of trucks, however, start small with a moving van and keep your costs low.

Still sound like too much of an initial investment? Consider offering packing services only, which have a much lower financial barrier to entry. You can partner with moving companies and offer to do their packing, or have them refer clients to you.

You could even take a niche approach to the industry as Astro International has by offering international moving services.

2. Vending Machine Owner

Since 2015, the growth rate for vending machine businesses has increased 1.4%. Even as social distancing restrictions are still in place, this business can still be lucrative if you choose the right locations. High-traffic is key — places like hospitals, schools, and community centers are smart places to start placing your machines to generate enough revenue to cover cost and turn a profit.

3. Social Media Manager

Do you have a knack for social media? As a social media manager, you can use your skills to manage the social media accounts for companies and even individual people. Influencer marketing has become more common and many influencers rely on marketing agencies or employees to help them run their social channels.

Online Business Ideas

If you want a business idea that you can run entirely online, check out the ones below. These ideas are ideal for those looking for a passive income stream. In other words, you shouldn’t need to do too much manual work to launch these businesses from your home or preferred business location.

1. Become an online reseller.

To become an online reseller, all you need is some business savvy and some funds to invest in product stock from manufacturers — or, of course,the willingness to sell your own used items. Generally, this is a low-touch but high-performance way of creating a passive income online business.

Online resellers usually use a platform, such as Facebook Marketplace or Amazon Sellers, to sell either their own or manufacturers’ stock. The benefit of using Facebook Marketplace is that you can begin today with your own Facebook account, and simply list items that you already own.

Interested buyers typically drive directly to your home for pick-up — but if you’re not interested in human interaction, you can leave it outside and have the buyer pay via an online platform.

Blogging is one of the most accessible small businesses to start, and there are countless niches to choose from. That said, because there are many blogs online, you’ll need to learn blog SEO and keyword research to ensure your audience finds you. That way, you actually make money out of your blogging efforts.

The great news is that a small blogging business has a ridiculously low overhead. All you need is a custom domain and your time for writing blog posts.

5. Home-Baked Goods Seller

Warehouse-made, store-bought chocolate chip cookies will never compare to a batch made with love in someone’s home. Simple desserts can be easily baked and packaged to sell at local events or around your neighborhood. Use custom labels and watch the word spread about your goods!

You can begin a baked goods business easily by opening a Facebook and Instagram profile. Facebook and Instagram are both excellent platforms to market your goods, show pictures of your previous baked products, and even showcase happy clients.

Build a loyal following slowly, and save on costs by asking clients to drive to your home to pick up their order. Choosing a niche can be helpful here, or baking in a specific style that can’t be found at grocery store bakeries. The overhead can be especially low if you already have most essential baking supplies.

6. Ecommerce Store Owner

Do you create, collect, or curate anything special? Consider starting an ecommerce store and turning your hobby into a full-time job. Whether you need somewhere to sell all that pottery you’ve been making, or an excuse to search for the sports memorabilia you love tracking down, an ecommerce store can make it financially viable for you to pursue your passion.

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Starting an ecommerce store is simple and easy. You can set up a shop using an ecommerce website builder , all of which start at a minimal monthly subscription (some even start at free). Be sure to take good photos of your products and write descriptive product pages .

If you don’t have inventory, you can always own an ecommerce store by using dropshipping . Instead of creating and shipping your products yourself, you’ll instead partner with a dropshipping website and have them mail out the orders directly to your client.

7. House Cleaner

With a low barrier to entry, house cleaning can be a great way to start doing what you love — soon. Consider advertising to homes in your neighborhood and get more bang for your buck by earning a few small businesses as clients as well. They’ll usually bring in a higher paycheck for a similar amount of work.

To become a house cleaner, you should be prepared to invest in cleaning supplies and accessories, or be willing to use your own. If you plan to serve small businesses, you should buy industrial janitorial supplies so you can get work done more effectively.

Need some inspiration? This small business cleaning service grew virtually overnight on Instagram after their content went viral during the pandemic.

2. Interactive Cooking Classes

Do you love to cook? Then you're in luck. The global market size for online cooking classes was valued at $252M in 2021 and is expected to reach approximately $480M by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 11.3% during the forecast period. With the growing popularity of cooking and culinary experiences, consider offering interactive cooking classes in person or online.

You can tailor your classes to cater to the needs of different audiences, such as those with dietary restrictions or food allergies, those who want to learn niche cuisines, or those who want to master specific cooking techniques. You can create courses on e-learning platforms like Teachable or Udemy or use Zoom or Google Meet to host live.

3. Private Dog Park Rental

As the trend of shrinking houses and yards continues, some dog owners are searching for private dog parks where their furry friends can play and exercise. This demand has led to the rise of Sniffspot , a platform that connects pet owners with spacious yards for off-leash play at a reasonable rate, averaging around $10-$15 per hour. With over 100,000+ app downloads , Sniffspot has quickly gained traction, earning rave reviews from satisfied customers.

While Sniffspot sets the standard for private dog parks, you can capitalize on the demand by scouting and managing locations for private dog parks and charging higher rates for additional amenities. Use Google Maps to find vacant plots and large yards, reach out to owners, sign them up, and manage their rentals for a fee. Throw in a splash pool and doggy obstacle course on each site, and you can charge $35+/hour.

Whether or not you have a dog of your own, if you're a landowner, you can benefit from this trend by opening your private yards to dog owners for off-leash play. This requires minimal effort and can be a hassle-free income stream. It doesn’t get much easier than hosting dogs, as a landowner told The New York Times : “Literally, I do nothing. We have a hose.” However, it's essential to consider how to ensure safety and maintain a positive environment for both dogs and yourself.

Remember, the entrepreneurship journey is rewarding and filled with learning experiences and opportunities for growth. Embrace your creativity, stay open to new ideas, and have confidence in your abilities to bring your vision to life.

Is your head buzzing with small business ideas yet? After all that brainstorming, you’ll need a practical plan to get started with your new small business.

• Identify your small business idea.
• Start as a side business or hobby.
• Decide on your software.
• Create a business plan.
• Decide whether you'll be an LLC or sole proprietorship.
• Create a business bank account.
• Determine if your business idea works well from home.
• Set up an office.
• Get to work!

1. Identify your small business idea.

Whether you choose an option from the list above or have another idea up your sleeve, it’s important to have the experience, training, or skills necessary to be successful.

Want to run a daycare but have never even visited a successful daycare center? Spend time conducting research to learn whether this is really the right fit for your experience, interests, and target audience.

2. Start as a side business or hobby.

Can you get your business off the ground as something you do in the evenings or on the weekends (a.k.a. a side job)? This allows you to make some mistakes, test the market, and understand whether your idea has legs before you quit your nine-to-five job and lose your primary income.

3. Decide on your software.

You’ve got a lot of things on your plate when first starting up. But one step that’s critical (and often forgotten by first-time entrepreneurs) is deciding on the software that can help you be more efficient as your business grows.

Every business is different — but almost all companies can use software to help with analytics, project management , accounting, bookkeeping, email marketing, and other basic day-to-day tasks.

One of the most important software tools every small business should utilize is a free all-in-one CRM platform to keep track of important customer information in one central database. It will help align your team and make sure you stay organized as your business grows. Learn how to pick the best CRM for your small business .

4. Create a business plan.

No business plan? No business. Particularly if your small business idea requires investors, you'll need to draft up a business plan to provide an overview of your market positioning, your financial projections, and your unique competitive advantages. You can download HubSpot's free business plan templates for free to get started.

Learn more about choosing the right structure for your business from the Small Business Administration.

6. Create a business bank account.

Once you have a legally formed business and have been issued an Employer Identification Number (EIN), open a bank account specifically for your business. Having a business bank account is essential for keeping your personal and business finances separate which can help you gain an accurate picture of your business’s cash flow and financial health.

Additionally, keeping your personal and business finances separate makes bookkeeping and tax preparation easier.

Many banks offer business checking and savings accounts. Business checking accounts typically do not have a limit on the number of transactions that can take place, and issue a debit card that can be used for making business purchases. However, these checking accounts do not accrue interest.

Business savings accounts typically earn interest over time but have a limited number of transactions that can occur each month. When you’re just starting out, look for a business bank account that does not have a minimum balance requirement so you are not penalized for having low funds as you work to build your business.

7. Determine if your business idea works well from home.

Ask yourself whether your business idea will work well from home. Some businesses simply aren’t suited to be based from home. If you want to run a dog boarding center but live in an apartment without a backyard, you might want to consider a dog walking business instead.

8. Set up an office.

If your business idea is well-suited for being run from home, it’s still important you have a designated workspace. While a home office might not be possible, consider setting aside a corner in your living room or putting a desk in your bedroom for a space that inspires you and creates the conditions for success.

Need a more professional space? If you conduct client-facing work requiring you to be on video calls, no one wants to see your rumpled sheets in the background. Check out local coworking spaces for memberships that earn you access to conference rooms, desk space, and more.

9. Get to work!

You’ve put in the hard work, but I’ve got bad news — it’s only going to get harder. But most entrepreneurs will agree that the payoff of being your own boss, making your own hours, and working on projects that you’re passionate about will pay dividends for the rest of your life.

What are the types of small businesses?

The types of small business structures are sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), and corporations.

• Sole Proprietorship — The simplest type of business structure is a sole proprietorship, which is also the easiest to start. As a sole proprietor, you are personally responsible for the business's liabilities and profits, and you have complete control over your business. If you are a solopreneur, you are automatically considered a sole proprietor.
• Partnership — A partnership is a business model involving two or more individuals who agree to share the business‘s profits and liabilities. Each partner contributes to the business and shares the risks and rewards. It’s essential to have a partnership agreement that defines each partner's roles and responsibilities to ensure clarity and prevent potential misunderstandings.
• Limited Liability Company (LLC) — An LLC, or limited liability company, is a common option for small businesses because it protects its owners by separating personal assets from the company's liabilities. To form an LLC, the business owner must file the required paperwork with the state.
• Corporation — A corporation is an independent legal entity distinct from its owners. It provides limited liability protection to its shareholders, who are not held personally accountable for the company's debts. Corporations have formal requirements and often raise capital by issuing stocks or shares.

Which business type is best?

The best business type is a limited liability company (LLC). Operating as an LLC means that your personal assets are separate from your business assets. If your business goes bankrupt, your personal holdings won’t be affected. That said, it’s also one of the costlier types, requiring a fee paid to the state.

The easiest business type to start is a sole proprietorship. The main downside is that there’s no differentiation between you and your business.

It's crucial to seek advice from legal or accounting professionals to determine the best business structure based on your unique needs and objectives. Each structure has advantages, legal requirements, tax implications, and flexibility considerations.

How do I create a business idea?

To create a business idea, determine your skill set, work preferences, startup budget, and available resources. It’s important to strike the right balance between what you can feasibly offer and what you can feasibly afford in the short and long term.

We recommend starting with your skill set so that you can easily determine the niche in which you can effectively compete. For instance, if you have ample experience as a writer, you might consider starting a freelance writing business. But if you know you’d prefer to work with clients face-to-face, you might choose to start a ghostwriting business instead. That’s why it’s so important to take your work preferences into account, as well.

After that, take a look at your budget and determine the type of business you can start based on the resources at your disposal. For instance, you might not be able to afford a physical office or location, so a location-based business will likely not be a good fit. In that case, starting an online business is your best option.

What resources or tools can I use to refine and validate my business ideas during the brainstorming process?

Online market research tools like Google Trends, Keyword Planner, and SEMrush can provide insights into market demand, competition, and keyword trends related to your business niche. Industry reports and market analyses from reputable sources such as IBISWorld, Gartner, Statista, and industry-specific publications can offer valuable data and trends to inform your decision-making. Ensure you know the industry risk before embarking on your small business venture.

→ Download Now: Market Research Kit [Free Download]

Additionally, joining entrepreneurial communities, forums, and social media groups can provide opportunities to seek feedback, network with like-minded people, and gain insights from experienced entrepreneurs. Finally, consider conducting surveys or interviews with potential customers to gather feedback and validate your business concept before investing significant time and resources.

What are some of the most successful small businesses?

Every small business has the potential to be successful and profitable, provided it’s backed by a strong product-market fit and a robust business plan . These two elements are essential. Maybe postnatal services are one of the most successful small businesses to launch, but if you live in an area with declining population or a large elderly population, then that small business idea won’t yield a high return on investment.

Think carefully about the market where you’re launching your business, and you’ll be more than likely to see lasting success.

What are the top growing small businesses?

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How to Write a Perfect Assignment: Step-By-Step Guide

Table of contents

• 1 How to Structure an Assignment?
• 2.1 The research part
• 2.2 Planning your text
• 2.3 Writing major parts
• 3 Expert Tips for your Writing Assignment
• 4 Will I succeed with my assignments?
• 5 Conclusion

How to Structure an Assignment?

To cope with assignments, you should familiarize yourself with the tips on formatting and presenting assignments or any written paper, which are given below. It is worth paying attention to the content of the paper, making it structured and understandable so that ideas are not lost and thoughts do not refute each other.

If the topic is free or you can choose from the given list — be sure to choose the one you understand best. Especially if that could affect your semester score or scholarship. It is important to select an  engaging title that is contextualized within your topic. A topic that should captivate you or at least give you a general sense of what is needed there. It’s easier to dwell upon what interests you, so the process goes faster.

To construct an assignment structure, use outlines. These are pieces of text that relate to your topic. It can be ideas, quotes, all your thoughts, or disparate arguments. Type in everything that you think about. Separate thoughts scattered across the sheets of Word will help in the next step.

Then it is time to form the text. At this stage, you have to form a coherent story from separate pieces, where each new thought reinforces the previous one, and one idea smoothly flows into another.

Main Steps of Assignment Writing

These are steps to take to get a worthy paper. If you complete these step-by-step, your text will be among the most exemplary ones.

The research part

If the topic is unique and no one has written about it yet, look at materials close to this topic to gain thoughts about it. You should feel that you are ready to express your thoughts. Also, while reading, get acquainted with the format of the articles, study the details, collect material for your thoughts, and accumulate different points of view for your article. Be careful at this stage, as the process can help you develop your ideas. If you are already struggling here, pay for assignment to be done , and it will be processed in a split second via special services. These services are especially helpful when the deadline is near as they guarantee fast delivery of high-quality papers on any subject.

If you use Google to search for material for your assignment, you will, of course, find a lot of information very quickly. Still, the databases available on your library’s website will give you the clearest and most reliable facts that satisfy your teacher or professor. Be sure you copy the addresses of all the web pages you will use when composing your paper, so you don’t lose them. You can use them later in your bibliography if you add a bit of description! Select resources and extract quotes from them that you can use while working. At this stage, you may also create a  request for late assignment if you realize the paper requires a lot of effort and is time-consuming. This way, you’ll have a backup plan if something goes wrong.

Planning your text

Assemble a layout. It may be appropriate to use the structure of the paper of some outstanding scientists in your field and argue it in one of the parts. As the planning progresses, you can add suggestions that come to mind. If you use citations that require footnotes, and if you use single spacing throughout the paper and double spacing at the end, it will take you a very long time to make sure that all the citations are on the exact pages you specified! Add a reference list or bibliography. If you haven’t already done so, don’t put off writing an essay until the last day. It will be more difficult to do later as you will be stressed out because of time pressure.

Writing major parts

It happens that there is simply no mood or strength to get started and zero thoughts. In that case, postpone this process for 2-3 hours, and, perhaps, soon, you will be able to start with renewed vigor. Writing essays is a great (albeit controversial) way to improve your skills. This experience will not be forgotten. It will certainly come in handy and bring many benefits in the future. Do your best here because asking for an extension is not always possible, so you probably won’t have time to redo it later. And the quality of this part defines the success of the whole paper.

Writing the major part does not mean the matter is finished. To review the text, make sure that the ideas of the introduction and conclusion coincide because such a discrepancy is the first thing that will catch the reader’s eye and can spoil the impression. Add or remove anything from your intro to edit it to fit the entire paper. Also, check your spelling and grammar to ensure there are no typos or draft comments. Check the sources of your quotes so that your it is honest and does not violate any rules. And do not forget the formatting rules.

with the right tips and guidance, it can be easier than it looks. To make the process even more straightforward, students can also use an assignment service to get the job done. This way they can get professional assistance and make sure that their assignments are up to the mark. At PapersOwl, we provide a professional writing service where students can order custom-made assignments that meet their exact requirements.

Expert Tips for your Writing Assignment

Want to write like a pro? Here’s what you should consider:

• Save the document! Send the finished document by email to yourself so you have a backup copy in case your computer crashes.
• Don’t wait until the last minute to complete a list of citations or a bibliography after the paper is finished. It will be much longer and more difficult, so add to them as you go.
• If you find a lot of information on the topic of your search, then arrange it in a separate paragraph.
• If possible, choose a topic that you know and are interested in.
• Believe in yourself! If you set yourself up well and use your limited time wisely, you will be able to deliver the paper on time.
• Do not copy information directly from the Internet without citing them.

Writing assignments is a tedious and time-consuming process. It requires a lot of research and hard work to produce a quality paper. However, if you are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty understanding the concept, you may want to consider getting accounting homework help online . Professional experts can assist you in understanding how to complete your assignment effectively. PapersOwl.com offers expert help from highly qualified and experienced writers who can provide you with the homework help you need.

Will I succeed with my assignments?

Anyone can learn how to be good at writing: follow simple rules of creating the structure and be creative where it is appropriate. At one moment, you will need some additional study tools, study support, or solid study tips. And you can easily get help in writing assignments or any other work. This is especially useful since the strategy of learning how to write an assignment can take more time than a student has.

Therefore all students are happy that there is an option to  order your paper at a professional service to pass all the courses perfectly and sleep still at night. You can also find the sample of the assignment there to check if you are on the same page and if not — focus on your papers more diligently.

So, in the times of studies online, the desire and skill to research and write may be lost. Planning your assignment carefully and presenting arguments step-by-step is necessary to succeed with your homework. When going through your references, note the questions that appear and answer them, building your text. Create a cover page, proofread the whole text, and take care of formatting. Feel free to use these rules for passing your next assignments.

When it comes to writing an assignment, it can be overwhelming and stressful, but Papersowl is here to make it easier for you. With a range of helpful resources available, Papersowl can assist you in creating high-quality written work, regardless of whether you’re starting from scratch or refining an existing draft. From conducting research to creating an outline, and from proofreading to formatting, the team at Papersowl has the expertise to guide you through the entire writing process and ensure that your assignment meets all the necessary requirements.

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Assignment on Business Management: Quick Guide

What is Business Management Assignment

College curriculums are loaded with unfamiliar subjects, and students often feel lost. The first assignments are usually the hardest to get done, and a little help would be nice. If you are a beginner facing this challenge and are asking all around 'what is business management' or how it differs from business administration, you have come to the right place. This quick guide will explain the basics of the management of business and will provide topics of business management essays.

To put it simply, business management is a process of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling the organizational resources to achieve the company's objectives. While business administration concentrates on the organization's day-to-day operations, business management focuses on the overall process.

Business management is vital for a successful business. A business manager's job is to make strategic decisions, allocate resources, hire the best employees, and ensure the company meets its business objectives.

A business management assignment helps students demonstrate their ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real scenarios and prepare them for future challenges. While the structure of the assignment is not foreign to experienced students, it covers a wide range of topics. It could involve operations management, financial and human resources management, organizational behavior, etc.

In the following chapters, you will find useful tips, a formal structure, and a general outline of a business management essay. Down below, there is a list of essay topics you could write a magnificent essay about. To clarify things, here is a business assignment sample essay. Our college essay writing services will provide a business essay crafted to meet the highest standards of your university.

How to Write a Business Assignment: Helpful Tips

Even though every essay structure and general outline resembles one another for each type, there are still many intricate details that you should consider when writing a business management assignment.

Let's move on to discuss constructing an impressive business paper without wasting time making mistakes. The following guide will save you the trouble of extensive research on how to polish an academic paper and help you reach the academic success you deserve.

If you don't have much free time on your hands, our exceptional custom essay writing service is also a great option. Let us know what is due, and we will deliver unforgettable reports on business management.

Choose Relevant Business Management Topics

Start by implementing a general to a specific approach. Think about the areas of your expertise and how it links with the business assignment. A topic you feel comfortable writing will help you construct a high-quality and meaningful research paper.

Writing about the topics of business you feel passionate about will make the process more engaging and enjoyable. Consider your audience, and make the topic meet their needs. This will help you write an informative and engaging paper. Be relevant. Stay up to date with trending topics of business management. Choose a topic about an important issue and provide new perspectives or even a solution. Filling in the existing gaps will help your essay stand out.

Narrowing down the scope is always a good idea. The specific topic will make your work more manageable and keep you focused. A broad topic is always difficult to cover, but narrowing it down too much can limit your research options. Thus, balance is the key!

Maintain Your Management Assignment Structure

Maintaining the structure of the assignment is crucial. Make sure to keep your ideas coherent and your essay easy to follow. Whether you are writing about international business management or organizational structure, the most important thing is simply communicating your ideas to the readers.

Start by following the course guideline. Make sure you understand every component. Usually, professors give out this kind of map to determine the structure, format, and length of the management of business assignments.

Before you start writing, create an outline. Organize your thoughts and ideas and stay on track. Use headings and subheadings to break up your assignment into sections. Start with a strong introduction and an easy-to-digest thesis statement. Follow it with comprehensive body paragraphs. Here you can provide your arguments, show other people's work, and communicate with the audience about the problems you've discovered. Use transitional sentences to connect your ideas and eventually to the bigger picture. Finally, write a powerful conclusion that ties everything up. Showcase your ability to link various arguments to one another.

Following our guidelines will bring clarity and coherence to your writing. Well-structured and easy-to-follow essays always get positive feedback from their readers.

Analyze Topics of Business, Don't Repeat

Analyzing business paper topics can get tricky, especially for beginners who have to develop their writing style. Chances are you will repeat the same argument several times to make it look more convincing. But answering the question 'what is business management' several times with different words will only make your paper look unprofessional.

It's tricky, but there are ways to avoid repeating the arguments. Do the prior research. Acquiring knowledge will expand your horizon, and you won't feel the need to repeat the same sentence couple of times. Create the general outline. Knowing the order of your essay elements will help you avoid restating the same information twice.

Besides the general outline, it's a good idea to list all the key points and prioritize them. This way, you will cover every important detail in your essay. Last but not least, consider alternative perspectives. If you incorporate opposing viewpoints, you will enrich the paper and show off your writing skill level.

Provide Rationale for Your Business Assignment

It is trivial, but for safety reasons, let's point out: an argument without supporting evidence is not valid. The same goes for the topics of business management essay. You must provide a rationale for every stage of the essay.

Being able to provide supporting evidence demonstrates strong research abilities. Writing a well-reasoned essay requires thorough research. Providing rationale and citing sources in the assignment shows that the writer has done their best. Besides looking professional, it will be easier to convince the reader about the credibility of your argument if they can see the reasoning behind it. If you can explain why you think what you think, it shows that you have considered opposing viewpoints. Critical thinking is one of the most important aspects of the writing process.

Writing essays about the management of business takes extensive research. If the deadline is too close and there is not enough time to master the art of writing, you can go to the website and check out our custom research papers writing service . Our team of professional writers is always here to help you.

Use Formal Language in Your Business Assignment

In business, academia, or any other professional setting, we use formal language. It strictly adheres to the rules of grammar, tone, and vocabulary.

Formal language helps to establish a professional tone in A management assignment which supports creating a positive impression on the reader. Using formal language also increases the clarity of the arguments. Formal language is more precise, which can help avoid ambiguity and confusion.

No matter which business management topic assignment you write, having a respectful relationship with your audience is crucial. Formal language and correctly chosen vocabulary can take you a long way. It shows respect to the reader and the topic also.

Thus, you must avoid using slang, vocabulary unsuitable for the audience, contractions, and other unprofessional language or tone forms. And if you are reading all these, you are thinking, 'why can't somebody else write an essay for me ,' visit our website, and your wish will become a reality in no time. Get top-notch essays tailored to your specific requirements.

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Business Management Topics

Mastering the art of constructing an impressive essay is only one-half of the job. First of all, you need an engaging topic. Our team has prepared a comprehensive list of business management topics to write about. From operations to business process management, explore a list of topics covering a wide range of fields, choose the one that excites you the most, and start implementing the freshly acquired knowledge.

International Business Management Topics

Our experienced writers have gathered the 20 most engaging topics about international business management. Explore the list and find the most attractive one:

• Exploring management concepts in international business
• Cross-cultural challenges in achieving Organizational goals
• The challenges of the first line managers in international organizations
• Key strategies for managing international business operations in an efficient and effective manner
• Maximizing international business success through effective human resource management strategies
• Navigating global business challenges through effective management of cultural intelligence
• Effective leadership strategies for international business management
• Cross-cultural communication as an essential part of international business management
• The link between happy employees and successful international business management
• Maximizing global business performance through effective staff managers
• Leveraging various resources for competitive advantage
• Understanding the universal phenomenon of cross-cultural communication challenges
• Foreign direct investment and risks for international businesses
• Sustainability in international business
• Challenges of corporate governance in international businesses
• The role of ethical leadership as an essential part of international business management
• Developing a high degree of cross-cultural competence
• Managing global value chains: integrating all the activities in international business management
• The importance of cultural awareness in international business management
• The role of self-confidence in international business management

Operations Management Assignment Topics

Below you will find the most relevant and moderns operations management assignment topics:

• Enhancing Organizational Performance through Effective Operations Management and Managerial Skills
• The role of organizational chart in effective operations management
• The impact of executive functions on operations management
• The role of operations management in achieving success at a shareholder meeting
• The importance of understanding human behavior in operations management
• Leveraging consumer insights based on market research
• Optimizing group dynamics in operations management
• Leadership and strategies of general managers in operations management
• Planning effectively: best practices for operations management
• Tools, techniques, and approaches for a good knowledge base in operations management
• How to manage an organization effectively: operations management strategies
• The role of operations management in organizational development
• Achieving efficiency and productivity through simple form and process
• The role of independent decision-making in operations management
• Management theories: How to plan effectively toward organizational success
• Optimizing human activities for the entire organization's success
• Streamlining operations management for a particular job: important strategies for effectiveness
• From plans decided to action implemented: the importance of effective operations management
• Provide guidance for upper management: strategies for leadership and direction
• Balancing technology and human beings for global success

Business Process Management Topics

Explore 20 more topics about business process management:

• Strategies for implementing effective business process management principles across the entire organization
• The role of human effort and organizational structure in achieving operational excellence
• How successful managers utilize basic principles for achieving operational excellence
• Interplay between management principles and executive function in driving business process
• Achieving synergy between top management and other employees for improved operational efficiency
• The crucial role of company leadership in aligning objectives and strengthening decision making
• A critical analysis of management theories: exploring the role of functional managers in achieving goals
• Optimizing the management process to achieve organizational goals
• Effective business process management consists of strategic allocation for company growth
• How to manage challenges created by leadership and top management
• Optimizing business process management through collaborative efforts between top managers and the best employees
• Crucial managerial skills: Optimizing processes through nurturing talent and celebrating human efforts
• The role of the functional manager in talent acquisition and optimizing human resource management
• Why business process management involves determining the journey, not just the destination
• Aligning employee decision-making with business objectives
• How process-centered leadership empowers organizations to manage change
• Process improvement through agile methodologies
• The evolution of process management thought
• The role of information technology in business process management
• The impact of business process management on customer satisfaction and retention

Additional Interesting Topics of Business

If you can choose from a wide range of topics, this list is for you. Impress your professor with an intriguing topic assignment:

• Measuring the ROI: Key metrics and techniques for demonstrating value to stakeholders
• Effective change management: how to implement and adapt
• Digital transformation in business management
• Strategies for handling and overcoming business crises
• Strategies for reducing environmental impact and promoting social responsibility
• Best practices and emerging trends for effective online branding
• Strategies for driving innovation and creating a culture of creativity
• Managing human resources in small business
• Strategies for managing cash flow, budgets, and investments
• The importance of market research and analysis for effective business management
• Using game mechanics to improve employee performance and engagement
• Strategies for effective time management and priorities in a busy workplace
• Strategies and tactics for successful business deals
• Emerging trends in remote work, automation, and AI
• Benefits and best practices for reducing stress and improving productivity
• Creating a workplace culture that fosters happy employees
• How understanding human behavior can inform business decision making
• Is servant leadership a new paradigm for effective business management?
• Techniques for handling uncertainty and complexity in an organization
• The role of entrepreneurial mindset and creativity in business success

Business Assignment Sample Essay

In the next section of the article, you will find a sample business management essay to help you understand how to structure and write a successful business assignment. Read through it carefully and take notes on the techniques used.

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Related Articles

How To Write A Solid Assignment Introduction

By: Derek Jansen | December 2017

I’ll kick off this post by making a bold assertion:

The introduction chapter of your assignment is the single most important section in your entire assignment.

Yip. Not the analysis chapter. Not the recommendations chapter. The introduction chapter. Yip, that short 200/300/400-word chapter that so many students rush through to get to the meatier chapters.  Why do I say this? There are a few reasons:

It creates the first impression.

Apart from the executive summary (which some assignments don’t have), the introduction creates the very first impression on your marker. It sets the tone in terms of the quality of the assignment.

It introduces your industry.

You might have decades of experience in your industry – but your marker won’t. This means that the simplest concepts can be misunderstood (and thereby cost you marks) if not explained right at the beginning of your assignment. A good introduction lays the foundation so that the marker can understand your upcoming arguments.

It defines and justifies your topic.

The introduction, if developed correctly, clearly outlines what the assignment will be about (and what it won’t) and why that’s important (i.e. a justification). In other words, it makes it clear what the focus of the assignment will be about, and why that is worth investigating. This clarity and justification of the topic are essential to earning good marks and keeping you focused on the purpose of the assignment.

It clarifies your approach.

Beyond the what and why, a good introduction also briefly explains how you’ll approach the research, both from a theoretical and practical perspective. This lays a clear roadmap both for the marker and for yourself. For the marker, this improves the readability and digestibility of the document (which is essential for earning marks). And for you, this big-picture view of the approach keeps you from digressing into a useless analysis.

In short, a good introduction lays a solid foundation and a clear direction for the rest of your assignment. Hopefully, you’re convinced…

The 5 essential ingredients.

In this post, I’ll outline the key components of a strong introduction chapter/section. But first, I want to discuss the structure.

Some assignment briefs will provide a proposed structure which combines the introduction and analysis chapters. I always encourage my clients to split this up into two chapters, as it provides a clearer, more logical structure. You’ll see why once I discuss the core components.

#1 – The Four Ws

A logical starting point is to assume the marker knows nothing about your business . Make sure you cover the basics:

• Who – what is the name of the business? If its multiple words, you should take the opportunity to introduce an acronym here. Then, stick to the acronym throughout the rest of the assignment. It’s also good practice to provide a list of acronyms in the appendix.
• What – explain what the business does, in simple English. Avoid industry jargon and explain the basic operating model of the business.
• Where – explain where the business operates from and where its customers operate. If you have multiple offices and serve multiple markets, a visual representation can save you some words.
• When – mention the age of the business, and how many staff it employs. You can also note the ownership structure (private company, listed entity, JV, etc).

If you’re only going to focus on one country/branch/department, make mention of this now. Also, be sure to justify why you’re focusing on that (for example, due to limited access to data).

If done right, you will have now painted a very clear (but concise) picture of the organisation for the marker. The next step is to discuss the context that the business operates in.

#2 – A brief discussion of the context.

Now that you’ve introduced the business, you need to move towards identifying the key issue(s) that will form the focus of the assignment. To do this, you need to lay a context, which will then lead to the issue(s). This will vary between assignments, and could be something like:

• The entry of new competitors resulting in reduced market share (STR, SM)
• A merger leading to a culture clash and poor performance (MP)
• A corporate scandal resulting in reputation damage (R&R)
• Changing regulation leading to the opening of a new potential country market (IB)

In other words, you need to present a (brief) story of how the key issue(s) or opportunity has arisen – X has lead to Y, which caused Z.

#3 – Identification of the key issue and research question(s).

With the context set, you need to clearly state what the key issue(s) or opportunity is, and why this is worth investigating (for example, due to the financial impact if left unresolved). This is pretty straightforward, but it is a critical step often missed by students, and results in the marker questioning the quality of the entire assignment.

With the key issue identified, its time to lay out your research question(s). In other words, state in question format, what question(s) your assignment will seek to answer.

For example:

• “What has changed in Organisation X’s competitive context, and how should it best respond to ensure sustainable competitive advantage?”
• “Should Organisation X internationalise to Country Y?”
• “What segments exist within Industry X and which segment should Organisation Y target?”
• “Which digital business model should Organisation X adopt?”

By stating your research question(s) up front, you are providing a very clear, focused direction for your assignment, thereby reducing your risk of getting distracted by the shiny objects that will invariably pop up along the way. You are stating clearly what you will and won’t focus on, and ring-fencing the assignment to a manageable breadth. This is critically important for earning marks, as it allows you to go deep into a highly relevant set of theories and develop meaningful insights, rather than superficially fluttering with numerous less-relevant ones.

What’s critically important is that you achieve alignment between the context, the issue(s) and the research question(s). They should all flow in a logical fashion, as shown below. 

If you achieve this alignment, you have a rock-solid foundation for your assignment, and your marker will be crystal clear regarding your direction, and why you chose that direction.

#4 – A brief outline of your theoretical approach.

Now that you’ve made it clear what your assignment is aiming to achieve (i.e. what research question(s) it wants to answer), it is very good practice to briefly mention:

• How you will approach the analysis.
• What key theory you will draw on.

In other words, you should give the marker an indication of how you approached the analysis, and on what theoretical basis. For example:

“The report begins by briefly looking at the organisation’s broader strategy, as well as values using Schwartz’s model (1994). It then reviews stakeholders using Mitchell et al.’s framework (1997) and identifies a key group with which reputation needs to be managed to achieve strategic alignment. It then analyses antecedents, reputation, and outcomes of the said group using Money et al.’s (2012) RELATE framework. This is followed by proposed strategic actions.”

As you can see, this excerpt clearly outlines how the analysis was approached, and what key theory was used in the relevant sections. This gives the marker a big-picture view of the assignment, which aids the digestibility of the document.

#5 – A brief outline of your fieldwork.

Now that you’ve communicated the approach, structure and underpinning theory, it’s best practice to make a quick mention of your fieldwork. Yes, you’re typically supposed to collect some primary data (for example, undertake some semi-structured interviews or a survey), as well as secondary data (for example, review industry reports, company data, etc), for your assignments – especially in Stage 2 and 3 of the program. 

In this final section, you should very briefly outline what you did in this respect so that the marker can rest assured that your assignment is not an opinion piece. A quality assignment draws on multiple data sources to make well-informed, data-backed arguments. Show that you’ve done this, and be sure to refer the reader to the appendices for evidence of this work (for example, interview transcripts, survey results, etc.).

Lastly, make mention of your relationship with the business, and your broad responsibilities. Remember to keep this in third-person language. For example:

“The author is employed as the [INSERT YOUR TITLE] and is responsible for X, Y and Z.”

Let’s recap.

In this article, I’ve hopefully convinced you of the critical importance of writing a strong introduction chapter. I’ve also presented 5 essential ingredients that you should bake into your intro in every assignment. By incorporating these ingredients (ideally, in this order), you will set the foundation for a strong assignment.

To recap the 5 essentials:

• A (plain language) explanation of the organisation.
• A brief discussion of the context.
• Identification of the key issue and research question(s).
• A brief outline of your theoretical approach.
• A brief outline of your fieldwork and your professional position.

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Informative and easy to apply advice…tx D

You’re welcome, Rishen 🙂

It is a very useful and understandable explanation of writing a research paper. Thank you so much for the sharing free such a useful example.

Yours sincerely Tara

This is really good, thank you.

Thanks for the feedback, Paul. Best of luck with your Henley MBA.

Very useful guide for the MBA. You mention that it’s good practice to use a range of sources to support arguments. If an assignment task isn’t that strategic (e.g. reviewing a process for a particular team within the business), can the assignment be supported purely by ‘fieldwork’ and models/theory? Thank you.

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Assignments.

The assignments in this course are openly licensed, and are available as-is, or can be modified to suit your students’ needs. Answer keys are available to faculty who adopt Waymaker, OHM, or Candela courses with paid support from Lumen Learning. This approach helps us protect the academic integrity of these materials by ensuring they are shared only with authorized and institution-affiliated faculty and staff.

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Salty Pawz Assignments and Discussions

Half of the written assignments and discussions (32 in total) are based on a case study, whose focus is a fictional dog-treats business called “Salty Pawz.” Many of these assignments take the form of asking students to give Wanda, the company’s inexperienced owner, advice about how she can run her business more effectively. Lighthearted in tone, the Salty Pawz case study and associated assignments create a common framework for applying knowledge and skills developed through the course, encouraging students to demonstrate mastery of the content through real-world tasks and work products.

Alternate Assignments and Discussions

The other half of the written assignments and discussions (32 in total) use a variety of approaches, depending on the subject and learning outcome being assessed; many ask students to go beyond course content to form connections between research topics and what they’ve learned in class.

Using Assignments

We recommend assigning  one discussion OR one assignment per chapter , rather than all of them.   Some instructors prefer to stick with the Salty Pawz theme throughout the course; others like to use some of the alternates along the way. You can view any assignments or discussions below or throughout the course.

Rubrics for Written Assignments and Discussion Posts

For faculty using the assignments or discussions included here, there are also sample rubrics to assist you in grading. Instructors may download and modify these guidelines or use their own.

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Written Assignment Rubric

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Home / Blog / 15 foolproof tips for writing a great assignment

15 foolproof tips for writing a great assignment

15th Aug 2015

Student advice

If you’re the kind of person that only has to hear the word “assignment” and immediately has flashbacks to stuffy classrooms, ticking clocks and staring a blank page for hours….DON’T PANIC.

Our 15 foolproof tips for writing a great assignment will guide you to success.

Before you start…

1. do your reading.

Your course or module will have a reading list; make sure you actually use it! Your tutors choose texts to specifically help with your assignments and modules, and you’ll gain some valuable insights into the topic that are sure to make writing your assignment easier.

Expert tip:  If you have the time, do some reading from other sources not on your list to back up your argument.

2. Check the deadline

There’s nothing worse than scheduling time to sit down and write then glancing at the calendar and realising you’ve only got a few days left. Double-checking the deadline means you’ll have no nasty surprises.

Expert tip:  There are many apps out there that can add a ‘countdown’ to your phone or tablet. Use these to keep your assignment deadline front of mind.

3. Plan your time

Finding time to write is easier said than done, but if you break your time down into manageable chunks you’ll find it’s much easier to keep on top of your workload. Try scheduling mini-deadlines along the way (e.g. aim to have the first section done by a certain day) to keep your momentum going.

Expert tip:  Be realistic about the time you have spare, and the time you’re willing to give up. If you schedule a writing session at 9 p.m. on Friday evening when you’d rather be relaxing, chances are you won’t get anything done.

4. Ask for help (if you need it)

If there’s any doubt in your mind about the question or the requirements of the assignment, ask your tutor. It’s better to start right than have to re-write in the last few days.

Expert tip:  Remember, your tutor wants you to do well. He or she will not be annoyed if you need to ask a few questions.

5. Plan your assignment structure

Before you start, it can help to create a basic assignment structure. This can be as detailed as you like but the basic structure should contain your introduction points, your key arguments and points, and your planned conclusion.

Expert tip:  Try writing out your plan on sticky notes. These will allow you to rearrange your arguments and points easily as your plan develops.

As you’re writing…

6. introduction.

You wouldn’t start a conversation without introducing yourself; your assignment is the same. Your first paragraph should introduce your key argument, add a bit of context and the key issues of the question, and then go on to explain how you plan to answer it.

Expert tip:  Some people find it easier to write their introduction after they’ve finished the rest of their assignment. Give it a try!

7. Structure your argument

As you write the body of your assignment, make sure that each point you make has some supporting evidence. Use statistics or quotes you gathered during your reading to support your argument, or even as something to argue against.

Expert tip:  If you’re using a lot of different sources, it’s easy to forget to add them to your reference list. Make things easier for yourself by writing it as you go along.

8. Conclusion

Your conclusion is your final chance to summarise your argument and leave a lasting impression with your reader. Make sure you recap the key points and arguments you made in your assignment, including supporting evidence if needed.

Expert tip:  Make sure that you don’t introduce any new ideas in your conclusion; this section is purely for summarising your previous arguments.

9. Getting over writer’s block

Struggling to write? There’s nothing more frustrating than putting aside time to write and then just staring at a blank page. Luckily, there are lots of thing to try to get you inspired : a change of scenery, putting on some music, writing another section of the essay or just taking a short break.

Expert tip:  If you find yourself unable to write, try to use your time to read ahead or re-read what you’ve already written.

10. Make sure you use your ‘essay voice’

While each university, school or each college will probably have its own style guide, you should always use a neutral and professional tone when writing an assignment. Try to avoid slang, overly-familiar phrases and definitely don’t use text-speak!

Expert tip:  If you’re not sure about a phrase or word, search for it online to see what other publications use it. If it’s in a dictionary or used by a national newspaper it’s probably OK to use in your assignment.

After you finish…

11. get a little distance.

If you’ve got time (and you should have if you managed to stick to your schedule!), put your first draft aside for a day or two before re-reading it. This will give you time to step back and read your assignment objectively, making it easier to spot mistakes and issues.

Expert tip:  If you find it easier to review on paper, print out your assignment with double-line spacing to accommodate your notes and corrections.

12. Make sure you’ve answered the question

As you’re reading through your first draft of your assignment, check that all your points are relevant to the original question. It’s easy to drift off on a tangent when you’re in mid-flow.

Expert tip:  Read each paragraph and consider it on its own merit as to whether it answers the question, and also to check that it contributes to your overall argument.

13. Don’t be afraid to cut text out

Sometimes, when you’ve struggled to reach a word count it can be hard to remove text that you’ve slaved over. But if a piece of text isn’t supporting your argument then it doesn’t have a place in your assignment.

Expert tip:  With word processing software, the ‘Track Changes’ feature allows you to edit text without losing it forever. And if you realise later that you’ve made a mistake, just reject the change.

14. Check and double-check your spelling

Nothing can give a bad impression as quickly as a spelling mistake. Errors are distracting, look unprofessional and in the worst case they can undermine your argument. If you’re unsure about the correct use of a word, look it up online or use an alternative that you’re more comfortable with.

Expert tip:  While you’re running your spell-checker, check your word count too. You’re usually allowed to deviate by 10% above or below the assignment word count, but check with your institution’s guidelines.

15. Cite your sources

References and creating a bibliography are key skills that you unfortunately have to master when writing an assignment. Check your institution’s guidelines before you start to make sure you’re including all the information you need.

Expert tip:  Some eBooks have a citation feature that automatically collates all the information you need for your bibliography.

Wondering how you can apply these skills? Download a prospectus to choose your course today!

Our Experts Tell How to Start an Assignment

As most students will agree, knowing how to start an assignment is already half of the challenge solved because it helps to set the scene for writing and create an outline. No matter what type of essay may be requested, it has to achieve three primary goals: to catch the reader’s attention, introduce research topic, provide strong thesis. Most assignments encountered through academic life will always include specific structure, yet once student understands the importance of each academic writing element separately, essay structure will any longer seem challenging. Still, before drafting an outline, students should start with selection of a good topic, which will help decide on a type of an essay, sources, length, and argumentation style. If creating an assignment is hard for you, then buy assignment service in a few clicks. 

How to Start Work On Your Assignment

Before learning how to write an introduction for an assignment , it’s crucial to conduct a  preliminary topic research with the analysis of available sources. When an average college student wonders how to write an assignment fast and without hassle, they often forget about completing a plan where all key ideas and counter arguments should be written down. Coming up with a good outline helps keep within academic structure, format, and word count. 

• Select Relevant & Unique Topic – always start by looking through several ideas. Even if there is already a topic specified, it is still possible to extend it by focusing on a particular detail. Main argumentation in each assignment should relate to the thesis, which is placed at the end of an introductory paragraph. Many university professors recommend choosing a theme based on thesis a student already has in mind. 
• Conduct Preliminary Research – once there is a particular idea that sounds right, it’s high time to explore the subject by turning to related research works and journals. If there is a lack of available information, think about changing the topic or focusing on what can be used as a reliable source. If there is an idea that is not common knowledge or a personal opinion, it must be supported with a reliable reference. 

• Choose Peer-reviewed Sources – this is where most students get stuck as they try to meet initial instructions and find sufficient peer-reviewed materials. If there are online sources, social media, video blogs or slideshows, it should be crucial to consult with your professor to ensure that such list is acceptable. An example of unacceptable reference for most educational institutions is Wikipedia. 

If you need help with HND assignments , write to our Support team or make an order.

• Read Grading Rubric Instructions – Take time to read through the scoring rubric once again. Make sure to pay attention to numbers and pages, if there are any. It is often the case when students find only one example when indeed several examples were requested. The same is with English literature tasks that may ask for  allegories, metaphors, alterations, among other literary devices. Missing even one of them may result in the final grade being decreased, therefore, remember to check instructions twice! 
• Create Future Paper Outline – when students ask for help, sending messages like “ write my assignment ” or “Help me, I’m stuck with my homework!”, the most frequent assignment part they miss is starting with a proper outline. Even if no outline is required by the instructor, its importance should not be underestimated. When creating an outline you should think about topic sentences for each body paragraph , list of sources, explore contrary opinions, and learn important formatting rules. 

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How to Structure Assignment Introduction

Writing a good introduction is just as important as completing a strong appendix in an essay , meaning that most readers always focus on the beginning and end of a paper with all supplementary information. But there is no universal introduction for assignment that would work for all academic essays, there are obligatory elements that will be met in almost every paper structure. When composing your paper introduction, think over the hook sentence . This is usually the claim that catches reader’s attention by providing unusual fact, making an interesting statement, showing statistical data or starting an essay with controversial information. The choices depend on required type. 

Next step is transition information with brief topic introduction , which should tell readers about why chosen subject is important and relevant. Another goal of this part is to help an audience make a logical transition towards the thesis, which acts as an argumentative conclusion of an assignment introduction paragraph. 

Final part is thesis statement . It’s the heart of each essay paper, representing main argument or a strong claim. Conclusion sentence supports assignment’s thesis , briefly explaining research purpose in your own words . 

Useful info: Assignment help by TOP Writers

Get Inspired by Our Introduction Examples

Here are a couple of samples that may help you to start an assignment

Example of Introduction for Assignment for Contrast and Compare Essay: 

“Two Voices” 

As a person moves through Belgian countryside, it’s easy to notice major differences between Flanders and Wallonia. What strikes traveller’s eye is not only architecture, costumes or different language, but the pace of daily life. The Dutch-speaking people instantly impress strangers with their accuracy and directness, while French-speaking population leads a laid-back style of life where everything happens in due time with no fuss or hurry. These differences have a long history and important reasons that lie in religious upbringing of each region. As most Belgians agree, it is the same country, only two different voices that express their thoughts differently. Comparing both cultures, it’s hard to believe that they belong to virtually the same legislation and the rules, despite the language and traditions being different. Built upon contrasts and an endless list of cultural differences, Belgium is an example of peaceful co-existence in turbulent times. 

Assignment Introduction Example for Argumentative Essay: 

“Social Media Promotes Teen Depression”  

Social media help connect people from all over the world, provides important platform for delivery of urgent news, assists in emergency situations or political protests, yet there are also darker sides. One of them is depression caused by  excessive social media use, cyberbullying, and emotional burden of keeping personal image popular. Even though there are counter opinions claiming that social media is a key to popularity and high self-esteem, it’s only based upon mass following and virtual isolation. An inner side of popularity forces modern teenagers seek to constant support in faceless followers, causing burnouts and anxiety. From the other side, there are those who could not become popular on social platforms like Facebook or Instagram. Aiming for success, falsely defined by others, such people lose their individuality. A temporary arena for popularity, social media influences depression, keeping teenager permanently attached to what is considered popular.  

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Tips for Writing a Business Assignment

Introduction:.

The assignment is the piece of work that is assigned to you to bridge the gap between learning in school and at home. A particular task or topic is assigned to you to provide awareness and knowledge about the subject. Writing assignments will help you to boost your writing skills. Besides, there are a lot more advantages of writing an assignment. The assignment is proved to be an advantage for students. These assignments carry enough marks to lift your grade, whether it is your statics assignment or accounting assignment. A student starts to gather instructions about the business assignment sample if a business assignment is assigned to him. While writing a business assignment, there is an array of tips you should be aware of. In this blog on business assignment, our assignments experts will provide you with a guideline on writing an engaging business assignment. Let’s begin with tips for writing a competitive business assignment.

GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A BUSINESS ASSIGNMENT:

Format the matter:.

Create a simple list of details with different sections. Add goals, requirements, case studies, and reports or any other data you need to tell in your business assignment writing. This is the first big step because you have to seek the attention of the reader in this section. Give an overview of all topics; you will be discussing in the assignment.

EXPLAINING THE CONCEPT:

For explaining your concepts or plans, you must know every minor detail of your project or ideas. Understanding the concepts, you are going to write in your assignment will make a positive impact on assignment, and it will provide you with a rise of confidence.

RESEARCH CONTENT:

Researching content, comparing, matching the reports, and the article makes the best of your assignment. You have to dig deep to find the content that covers your business assignment writing. The more you research the material, the more you will be able to write.

EVALUATION OF STRATEGIES:

Include an assessment of different types of strategies directions available to business or organization. This helps you to define, include, or excludes the organization. Our assignments experts have a keen knowledge of writing strategies.

This could be a very assignment expert formulation of understanding about the fundamentals of strategy-based business management.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT:

The purpose of any organization is to achieve goals. These goals are to be completed most efficiently and professionally. Describe the goals/performance of any business in business assignment writing that will lead your assignment to be on top of others.

Define the role of your organization, adding points to be focused on the development of an organization would be a significant step to support your business assignment writing.

BUSINESS LAW CASE STUDIES:

Using business law case studies will analyze your assignment in such a way that a well-documented business assignment sample looks like. Adding business law case studies will make your paper a piece of work with evidence.

You will have to deal with real-life evaluation and imaginary situations of a particular organization. Exploring the theoretical base of business and management will be focused in this section.

GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION:

Add graphs to reports and facts to give a better impression to the grader, as diagrams help in understanding the story more appropriately. Charts help you in summarizing the report. You can easily define data more accurately with setting-up tables in your assignment.

REFERENCES/CITATION:

Do as much research you want to do. It will significantly help assistance to help, but provide references at the end of your assignment. Adding recommendations meant to credit the information to the writer, from whom you borrowed the content or idea.

Our  assignment expert ‘s priority is to avoid plagiarism. They provide you with plagiarism-free content. There are different plagiarism checkers available to cop up with plagiarism. Use citation methods according to your teacher preferences to get high grades.

STRUCTURED CONTENT:

Make an appropriate structure to show your assignment in such a way that it covers all the aspects and explanations. Comparing different reports on the same topic concerning different times would be a plus point in your assignment.

Comparing will lead you to define the development and changes that are caused in previous years. To make a better impression on the grader, you should know how to link up the reports, data, and information. Business Assignment Writing data is linked up to each other in a sequence. Aligned and linked information will attract the eye of the reader.

RECHECK BEFORE SUBMIT:

Before submitting your assignment, it is essential to check the content you have written. The longer time you spent in reviewing, the better it is for your assignment. Things you should check are typical spelling and grammar mistakes, word count, sentence structure, references used in the paper, facts, and figures.

Break longer sentences into smaller ones. Your marks can increase by up to 20% if you recheck your assignment multiple times.

CONCLUSION:

Writing an assignment with proper alignment of details which covers all the report and aspect of the given topic is the primary step and for writing a well-documented business assignment, make sure you follow all the guidelines provided above.

Summarizing your content and defining or describing your content must be done with proper explanation and proper timings to provide a synthesized assignment. Provide a sense of closure to your piece. You can also use our assignment writing service provided by our assignment experts.

3 thoughts on “ Tips for Writing a Business Assignment ”

It’s impressive that you are getting ideas from this piece of writing as well as from our dialogue made here.

Important tips and easy to apply for business assignment writing task. Keep writing more like this.Thank You so much.

This type of informative content take a very big part to solve the issues of business students in their assignment, as well as this is more knowledgeable for all visitors like me, i want you write some according to academic assignment writing?? can you please ??

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6 tips on how to start your assignment

Sarah Crossing

Mar 11, 2024

We all know the feeling when someone mentions the word ‘ assignment ’ and dread sweeps over you. Maybe you put it aside for now. After all, the due date is three whole weeks away.

Sound familiar?

Don’t sweat, it’s all about how you approach it. Doing an assignment is a process, these tips might help get you started and hopefully avoid last-minute stress and struggles.

1. Set realistic goals and reminders

Make goals for your study - how many days do you have, and what will you get done each day or each week? Today, will you get your plan done? Two hundred words finished? Break it down into achievable chunks. Be realistic and update your plan as you go. Things change, you might have to make room for a family dinner, holiday, or another assignment.

When’s the due date? Put it on a calendar. Put another reminder a week before that. And also a reminder the week before that. Don’t put pressure on your memory. You’ve got other things to remember. Make that date and your goals visible.  If you're prepared, it won't sneak up on you. You can always use our quick and simple free calculator tool, too.

>> Check out our free Assignment Calculator

2. Start when you're feeling fresh

Make it easier on yourself - start when you’re fresh and focused. This might be different for everyone. Some people are fresher after soccer practice or after dinner, and some prefer early mornings. Find the best time and make it regular. Recent studies suggest that it’s better to do work in short blocks (say 50 minutes), more often. This will help you stay fresh and work productively. 

3. Clarify what is required

Make sure you start by understanding the question. Break it down and circle or highlight the key words. Identify the key concepts and ideas in your topic and if you're unsure or anything, ask someone - a teacher, your parents, a friend or an expert . Knowing what is required right from the start - even reading the question out loud - will help you source the right research material, feel more confident, and form your own ideas and work.

4. Be flexible and learn as you go

Are you keeping the assignment question in mind? As you start your research and re-read texts, you might discover new things that change what you think about the answer to the question. You can’t change evidence, but you can change your point of view, or acknowledge a different perspective. 

5. Get something on paper

If you're really stuck and just can't get that first sentence out, start by writing notes and ideas down. Here are some creative tasks that might help you start:

Take notes under common headings and find themes in your notes

Brainstorm your ideas on paper around keywords in the question

Write ideas on notecards and group them into piles or columns to create your assignment structure and paragraphs

• Read the question, then read your planned responses out loud as if answering someone in front of you.

6. Get feedback

 Once you've got something written down, get feedback early and often. Log into your Studiosity account, via your institution's student portal, and upload your draft. You'll get fast feedback on your critical thinking, structure, language, spelling and grammar, and referencing, which you can apply to your work before submitting it. Getting feedback is an integral part of your learning journey, and you will see your confidence flourish, the more you receive and apply to your own work. 

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How to Start an Online Courses Business

Online courses are offered for many types of learning. Global Industry Analysts, Inc. reported the global, online, eLearning industry was over US $107 billion in revenues during 2015 . There are plenty of opportunities to make money with an online courses business.

Online courses may lead to earning a degree, getting certification and/or completing legal requirements. Online courses are popular for corporate training, continuing education purposes, self-improvement, learning foreign languages, hobbies, and “how-to” instructions for a variety of projects.

You may also be interested in additional online business ideas .

Learn how to start your own Online Courses Business and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services .

Start an online courses business by following these 10 steps:

• Plan your Online Courses Business
• Form your Online Courses Business into a Legal Entity
• Register your Online Courses Business for Taxes
• Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
• Set up Accounting for your Online Courses Business
• Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Online Courses Business
• Get Online Courses Business Insurance
• Define your Online Courses Business Brand
• Create your Online Courses Business Website
• Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your online courses business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What will you name your business?

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?

How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Online Courses Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability .

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your online courses business?

Business name generator, what are the costs involved in opening an online courses business.

For level one self-directed online courses the costs are to create the course materials, build a website, and create an online marketing campaign with enough funds to attract students.

A typical budget for a sophisticated course offering would be about $21,000 consisting of these expenses:

• Creation of Course Materials - $10,000
• Website - $5,000
• Internet Marketing - $500 per month ($6,000 per year)

For level two self-directed online courses with live chat help, this would be the $21,000 above plus live chat support for a total budget of around $24,000. Live chat support can be outsourced for prices starting at $199 per month for 24/7 monitoring and response. There are many companies providing these services. 

For level three online courses guided by instructors, you will need video conferencing capabilities, good lighting, and a good quality webcam. Also, the instructors will earn US$30 per hour on average. Your small startup budget would be about $25,000 and depend on the hours of instruction you plan to offer at inception.

What are the ongoing expenses for an online courses business?

The ongoing expenses are:

• A high-quality Internet connection that allows for a fast response and large bandwidth for web hosting. Allow $1,000 per month for an average operation that is successful.
• For Internet marketing, allow a minimum of $500 per month for the most basic advertising. Successful online courses businesses spend $5,000 per month on marketing or more.
• To pay instructors, allow $30 per hour for their class teaching time.
• For course content creation, allow a minimum of $1,000 to $2,000 per new course created.

Who is the target market?

Contracting with an organization(s) to create online training courses for new employees, and continuing educational courses for existing employees, is an excellent way to achieve continual business.

For online courses taken by individuals, the best customers are those who have a need or desire to complete a course and prefer the convenience of taking such a course online.

How does an online courses business make money?

There are two ways to make money with online course offerings. They are, charge each student a participation fee or contract with an organization to provide these services for a fee.

Level one and level two self-directed courses start at around $9.99 and go up to about $499 if certification is the goal. Video conferencing courses may be charged per hour and students pay $10 per hour up to $30 per hour depending on the number of other students participating at the same time. One-on-one tutoring is usually around $30 per hour. Specialty courses by industry experts can sell for thousands of dollars.

How much profit can an online courses business make?

Some people are comfortable making a few hundred dollars profit per month. Others make hundreds of thousands of profit per year. The largest companies in this industry sector make many millions in profit annually.

Here are some resources to use to generate ideas for online courses that are likely to be profitable:

• Jeanne Blackwell’s system and free webinar
• Fementrepreneur’s system that encourages women to try this business
• Take this course that is offered on Udemy about creating a profitable online course

How can you make your business more profitable?

Continue to offer new and exciting courses to past customers. Sell materials related to the course content. Expand from teaching individuals to getting contracts to provide training for the entire workforce of major organizations.

Set up an affiliate program that gives commissions to those who find new customers for your online courses. Expand operations to include multiple languages and market your courses in other countries.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC) , and corporation .

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your online courses business is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services . You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website . If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history , which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate an online courses business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

In addition, certain local licensing or regulatory requirements may apply.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .

Other Considerations

The nature of legal requirements in distance education is ever changing, especially in regards to copyright laws. Here is a frequently updated resource, which can help keep you aware of the legal requirements .

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Online Courses Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Online Courses Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market an online courses business

It is important to use the best practices for search engine optimization (SEO) to make sure you have the highest ranking possible on the search engine results page (SERP). This will increase the organic (non-paid) search engine traffic to your website.

It is easier to market a course that offers very special content that is highly valuable and not available elsewhere.

Experts attract high-paying students when they share specialized information that they know with a select group. The most effective way of attracting these students is to give free introductory webinars to discuss the course content in such a way that motivates the participants to sign up for the online courses.

Social media is an excellent way to attract customers by interacting with others who have similar interests. Distributing free introductory e-books helps create interest in taking the full, online courses.

How to keep customers coming back

The quality of the course materials and the good experience of past students, who give positive course ratings and testimonials, will help attract customers. Adding new course content that is of interest to past students helps make them into repeat customers.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

• All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
• Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
• Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .

Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Online courses are created by people with a considerable amount of expertise and experience in the field they wish to teach. As such, having a niche skill makes it easier to offer desirable courses. These businesses require a considerable amount of time when they are the live video-conference style.

Online courses can be more difficult to teach than standard classes as students typically need lots of interaction with the teacher. A high-quality computer and speedy internet connection are essential when teaching online courses if you intend to offer live, video-conference style courses.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at an online courses business?

The activities differ, depending on the type of online courses offered.

For level one self-directed courses, most of the processes are automated. As the business owner, you will be highly focused on marketing efforts to find students who will take the courses. You will spend most of your time creating online marketing campaigns and/or supervising those who you hire to help you do this marketing effort. You will spend some of your time creating or supervising the creation of materials for new courses in order to expand your online course offerings. A smaller part of your time will be checking the existing course materials to make sure they are up-to-date with current information.

For level two self-directed courses with live online chat, you will have similar responsibilities as for level one, with the addition that you will participate in the live text chatting with students and/or oversee the live text chats for quality control purposes.

For level three live real-time video conferencing online courses, in addition to the responsibilities of level one and level two, you will spend part of the day preparing for your online lectures and part of the day giving the lectures to students on a regular schedule.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful online courses business?

It helps if you have expert knowledge in a specific niche or if you can hire those who have this expertise to help you.

For level one self-directed courses, you will need to prepare the course materials and then market them on the Internet. The course materials may come from your professional efforts and be an extension of them. For example, if you are a great chef, you can create an online cooking course to teach some of your best techniques in preparing recipes.

Some courses require a teaching certification. For example, if you want to teach English as a second language using the video conference method, you should have a teaching certification of TEFL or TESOL . There are many choices for how to get these certifications. One company, ESL Certified , offers both courses online.

Another example is the extensive certification process offered by Microsoft for software programmers and developers.

What is the growth potential for an online courses business?

Depending on the market niche, the potential for growth is excellent. Examples of very successful businesses that offer online courses include these top-ten selected by the eLearning Industry for 2016:

• Allen Interactions
• Pulse Learning
• Designing Digitally
• Learnnovators
• CommLab India

BusinessWire reports that TutorGroup is worth $1 billion . TutorGroup is the largest English language online education platform in the world.

The Training Industry provides an annual top twenty list for various types of corporate online training companies.

Not sure if an online courses business is right for you? Try our free Business Idea Generator and find your perfect idea.

TRUiC's YouTube Channel

For fun informative videos about starting a business visit the TRUiC YouTube Channel or subscribe to view later.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor.

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting an online courses business?

Take advantage of the easy-to-use software tools and templates like those offered by eLearning Brothers to more easily create your online courses. A great resource for online teachers is the Online Learning Consortium .

Starting a brand new, independent website may not be the best option because the classes will be much harder to market. Udemy and Teachable offer course-hosting websites with lots of existing web traffic of people looking for courses to take. Udemy and Teachable offer a great opportunity to reach a large group of customers, though these companies take a percentage of profits.

One way to start a business of this type might be starting with a class hosted through Udemy or Teachable, and then, if your course develops enough of a following and a good reputation you can create your own website to expand the business, thereby capturing all the profits.

How and when to build a team

This is the type of business where it is possible to start as a sole owner/operator. However, if you get enough traction and have enough students you will want to add staff for administrative support, staff (either in-house or freelance) to help increase marketing efforts, and additional instructors if you offer video conferencing courses that have sufficient student demand.

Useful Links

Industry opportunities.

• Udemy, a website offering online classes, where individuals can sign up and create their own classes
• A similar resource to Udemy, Teachable
• Learn about more Online Business Ideas
• Online Learning Consortium, a resource for online instructors

Real World Examples

• Jose Portilla’s Python Bootcamp, wherein students learn to program using Python

Further Reading

• How-to guide on starting an online courses business

Have a Question? Leave a Comment!

8 Step-By-Step Guide On How To Start An Assignment

Students get many types of assignments in college and university. And they have to complete it on time. But for many students, writing an effective assignment can be challenging. 

The reason behind this is they don’t have enough resources, lack knowledge and some students don’t know how to write it.

If students have a better understanding of how to get started with academic assignments, then they can complete their assignments within the given deadline. 

And if you don’t know how to start an assignment, then don’t worry! In this blog, I have provided the best steps to write an effective assignment. So, let’s get started. 

Importance Of Assignments In Students Academic Life

Table of Contents

• At the time of their academic career, students have to complete various assignments. Students are required to complete these assignments within short deadlines. That’s why the majority of the students many times ask the same question: how to start an assignment? 
• There is no doubt in it; human growth is dependent on the use of the brain. Thus, if students do both hard & smart work, it will increase their scope of knowledge. Academic writings may become very useful for students to learn new facts. And improve their writing skills. So we can say that assignment writing is very helpful for improving students’ abilities. 
• If you want to excel in any work, then regular practice is required for you. No doubt, continuous practice is necessary to improve one’s skills to complete a particular task efficiently. Thus, assignment or homework writing plays an important role in students’ entire academic careers. 

Step-By-Step Guidance On How To Start An Assignment

As we already discussed, students have to complete various assignments during their academic life. But sometimes, students seem confused about the Steps of assignment writing. Even some students don’t even know how to start an assignment introduction. If you are also one of the students, then don’t worry. Here we have mentioned Step-by-step guidance on how to start an assignment:-

Understand The Assignment Question Clearly

Before start writing your assignment, you should understand the question of your assignment because If you have a better understanding of the question, then you can quickly answer it in your assignment. If the assignment question is complex, then break it down. 

To make it easy, you can use the circle to highlight the key points. Still, suppose you have any confusion regarding the assignment question. In such a situation, you should concern with your teacher only after clarifying what is required for your assignment and start working on your assignment.

Gather Resources

This is one of the most important steps for you because without relevant information you can’t write a good assignment and you can also get low marks from your professor. So gather the best and most relevant information for your assignment. And it’s also important to start writing an assignment by identifying the types of sources that will be useful for your topic when gathering resources for an assignment.   

Here are some common types of sources:

• Scholarly articles
• Government documents
• News articles

Create An Plan

After gathering relevant resources, you should follow this step. In this step, you should create a plan or outline for an assignment because it will help you organize your thoughts and ideas. Make ensure that your assignments are well-structured, clear, and focused. 

Here is an example of a basic outline for an assignment on the topic of “ MARKETING STRATEGIES for a Small Business ”:

Set A Schedule

Setting a schedule for writing an assignment is important to step because it helps us to stay organized and on track. So, set a schedule for your assignment. And if you don’t know how to make it, then here are some tips to create an effective schedule:

• Set deadlines
• Prioritize the tasks based on their importance
• Create a calendar or a to-do list
• Must take regular breaks to avoid burnout
• Keep track of your progress by regularly checking off tasks on y our to-do list

Creating a schedule is a great way to keep yourself organized and focused while working on an assignment, and it can help you meet deadlines and submit quality work.

Make sure to start writing with a fresh mind

To write a perfect assignment, you need to be focused and fresh-minded. It might be different from person to person. Someone can feel fresher after playing football or after practicing volleyball. Some people can feel fresher in the early morning, on the other hand, some people can prefer late night. So always make sure to start writing a new assignment when you feel fresh-minded and focused. 

According to some recent studies, if humans take some break within a longtail task. So you should choose the right time for writing and make it continuous. Then they can complete it more effectively and efficiently.

Be flexible during your entire assignment writing

Are you continuously observing the question of your assignment in your mind? when you start researching your assignment topic and read up your texts. Then maybe you discover some new things that might change your perspective about the answer to that question. It is noteworthy that students can’t change the relevant evidence, but they can change their perspective or endorse a different point of view. 

Get something on paper

Suppose you don’t know how to start an assignment. Don’t worry, as you can begin writing your work with some notes. Here are vital steps of assignment writing that may help you to start:-

• Make some notes with typical headings and also create themes in your notes.
• Based on your assignment question, brainstorm your critical ideas before you start writing.
• Make sure to write down every idea on paper. Also, group your ideas into different columns to create paragraphs and structure of your assignment.
• Read out the complete question asked in your assignment. After that, read all the responses that you planned. Here suppose as if you are answering somebody in front of you.

Proofreading and Editing

Once you complete writing your assignment, make sure to proofread your work. At the time of proofreading, if you find any grammatical or any other mistake, then you should immediately correct it. The primary purpose of proofreading and editing is to make an impressive assignment without any errors.

What Makes A Great Assignment?

Usually, teachers assign many types of writing assignments to students. At the same time, most teachers give some specific instructions regarding a particular assignment. For making an effective and impressive assignment, it is required for a student to fulfill all the requirements provided by their teachers regarding that assignment. Along with this, there are many vital points that you should consider while writing an appointment:-

• Make sure to complete the entire assignment according to the instruction provided by your professors.
• Always try to keep your assignment short and informative.
• Avoid using complicated words and significant subjects.
• Make sure to include authentic information in your academic assignment.
• Don’t use too much extraordinary material in your assignment, but make sure to provide sufficient information.

We have already provided an ultimate guide on how to start an assignment. We have also discussed the importance of assignments in a student’s academic life. Thus, we hope that our article will be beneficial for you. And it will also clear all your doubts regarding how to start an assignment. Still, if you are facing any problems with your academic writings, don’t worry. 

We are offering the best assignment help UK to students at a very affordable price. We have a team of experts who all have years of experience in the assignment writing industry. Thousands of students have already used our assignment writing service UK , and all are completely satisfied with your services.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a good introduction.

A good introduction includes an overview of your topic. It should consist of all the points that you are going to discuss in your blog or article. The main aims of your introduction are to:

• Attract your visitor’s attention.
• Give a proper background of your writing.
• Present your purpose of the article.

A good introduction always starts with a hook. That hook should catch the eyes of the audience and should be relatable.

What should an assignment include?

A good assignment requires in-depth research on the topic. If you collect all the relevant and authentic information about the assignment topic. And present all the facts related to your topic in the assignment. Nothing can stop you from making a successful assignment. Mentioned below are some common structural elements required for an assignment:-

• Cover page of your assignment
• Main content page
• Introduction Section
• Main body part
• Conclusion 
• Related references

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