When I went to business school, a business plan was a detailed manifesto stating exactly what you were going to do and how.  It was pages and pages (and pages) long.

Do you need one?  Yes, you do.  Do you need one that is pages and pages long?  It depends.  If you are a solopreneur (another word for sole proprietor) you may not need a business plan that’s as detailed as you think.  That’s great news because a lot of time the business plan will be what holds you back from actually starting your business!

What you need, though, is a business plan that makes sense for you.  I have worked with clients drawing up business plans that are long and lay out specifically what they will do and how they will do it.  I have also worked with clients and drawn up one-page business plans that concisely list their objectives.

The important thing to note is that even if you are “just a solopreneur”, in order to reach your goals you need to put your business plan on paper.  No, in your head does not count.  You need to make sure your plans are attainable and know what it is you will do in order to reach them.  It’s about writing down what you plan to do for and in your business.  That is its purpose; it’s really that simple.

I often do a year-long plan and then a quarterly plan and yet again another one monthly.  I like that system because it keeps me up to date and I can make changes without any stress or frustration.  It works for me and I’m all about making things work as easily as possible!

My suggestion for you is to determine exactly what type of business plan you need.  Then, spend an afternoon writing out a plan (or several) that makes sense to you.

Of course, if you’d like a little guidance… I’m here to help!