The Business Plan Workbook

A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating and Developing a Successful Business

Colin Barrow

• Publisher: Kogan Page
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN:
  9781398623675
• Edition: 11
• eBook ISBN:
  9781398623699
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business Development
• Index: Business

The essential textbook for building credible business plans that attract investment and drive results

Now in its 11th edition, The Business Plan Workbook is a trusted guide for postgraduate students and early-stage entrepreneurs studying business strategy, entrepreneurship, and venture planning. Developed from the renowned methodology taught at Cranfield School of Management, this textbook aligns with course outcomes across business modeling, market analysis, and financial forecasting.

Structured around 26 critical areas of business planning, this edition enables students to stress-test their ideas and develop strategic clarity. New content explores how to use AI in market segmentation, financial projections, and SWOT modeling. Updated with real-world examples from companies including Nubank, YuLife, Doctolib, and Inceptio Technology, it also addresses evolving investor expectations and the impact of regulatory shifts across tax, trade, and policy.

Designed to support independent learning and classroom use, this practical guide includes:

- Structured assignments to apply key planning principles step by step

- Case studies from high-growth startups and global innovators

- Insights into narrative-building and storytelling for investment

- Downloadable resources, including 80 PowerPoint slides and customizable templates

Whether studying entrepreneurship or preparing a pitch for your own venture, The Business Plan Workbook provides the skills and tools to develop a compelling, viable business proposition.

Table of contents

• Preface
• How to use the workbook
• Why prepare a business plan?
• PHASE ONE Strategy and purpose
• Introduction
• Assignment 1 Coming up with a winning idea for your business plan
• Assignment 2 Strategy – the big picture
• Assignment 3 You and your team
• PHASE TWO Market research
• Introduction
• Assignment 4 Researching customers
• Assignment 5 Researching competitors
• Assignment 6 A plan for market research
• PHASE THREE Competitive marketing strategies
• Introduction
• Assignment 7 Products and/or services
• Assignment 8 Pricing
• Assignment 9 Advertising and promotion
• Assignment 10 Place and distribution
• Assignment 11 People, process and physical environment
• Assignment 12 Competing online
• PHASE FOUR Operations
• Introduction
• Assignment 13 The selling methods plan
• Assignment 14 Making, outsourcing and supplies
• Assignment 15 Legal and regulatory factors
• PHASE FIVE Reviewing financing requirements and options
• Introduction
• Assignment 16 The sales forecast
• Assignment 17 Cash-flow projections
• Assignment 18 The profit and loss account
• Assignment 19 The balance sheet
• Assignment 20 Break-even analysis
• Assignment 21 Estimating financing requirements
• Assignment 22 Stress testing your business projections
• PHASE SIX Business controls
• Introduction
• Assignment 23 Financial controls
• Assignment 24 Sales and marketing controls
• Assignment 25 Other business controls
• PHASE SEVEN Writing up and presenting your business plan
• Introduction
• Assignment 26 Writing up and presenting your business plan
• Index of key organizations and resources for business planning
• Index