business plan

noun

plural business plans

: a plan that lays out a business's objectives and its strategies for achieving those objectives usually over a certain period of time

a 5-year business plan

Having a well-written and thorough business plan shows lenders you have a solid strategy and vision for growth.

—Maya Johnson

The three of us drew up a business plan, estimated our start-up capital at $200,000 and quickly agreed on rules to govern our partnership.

—Fred Martin

The goal is to buy into emerging companies that are poised for runaway growth because of promising business plans or technology.

—Sara Robinson

business planning noun

The series will guide participants through a journey of self-discovery, business planning, operational strategies, goal setting, networking and resource utilization.

—Sun Journal (New Bern, North Carolina)

Examples of business plan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Securities or corporate counsel can help prepare offering documents, while business plan writers and economic impact analysts can help demonstrate how the project will meet job creation requirements. — Jill Jones, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Participants work on communication and decision-making skills, establish long-term goals and collaborate on business plans. — Brian Maass, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Why offices need ecosystems Prime buildings in the City of London and the West End still charge a premium over Canary Wharf’s rents, and Khan’s business plan depends on narrowing that gap. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026

But beyond furnishing her home or launching future business plans, Anderson says taking on such a massive life project has held deeper meaning. — Jennifer Liu valentina Duarte, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above