Copywriter Notes: Do You Need a Business Plan for a Small Business?

You’ve got an idea. You’ve told a few people. Maybe you’ve even started working on it. And then you hear it: “You need a business plan.”

But do you really?

The short answer: not always, and not right away. Let’s bust the myth and get to the truth about business plans for small businesses.

Myth: You Must Have a Detailed Business Plan Before You Start

This is one of the most common assumptions made by new entrepreneurs — and one that often leads to procrastination.

The idea of sitting down to write a 30-page formal plan, complete with charts, projections, and executive summaries, can feel overwhelming. For many first-time founders, it becomes a reason to delay taking any action at all.

Here’s the truth: a long, traditional business plan is rarely necessary at the very beginning.

Unless you're applying for funding, bank loans or large-scale investment, no one needs to see a thick document, not even you.

What You Do Need: Clarity

Instead of a business plan, what you do need is clarity. You need to understand:

• What you’re offering

• Who it’s for

• Why they’d care

• How you’ll reach them

• How the money side works (roughly)

  
  

That’s it. If you can explain those things, you’re already ahead of most early-stage founders. You can always formalise it later.

Keep It Simple. Keep It Honest.

If writing things down helps you think, great. Do it. But think of your early plan as a working tool, not a polished presentation. Jot down what matters. Don’t dress it up. You’re not creating something to impress investors (yet). You’re building something to guide your decisions. Simplicity wins.

Planning is Thinking - Not Formatting

A business plan can be useful when it comes from real thinking, not just filling out a template. That’s why Business Startup Insight focuses on the questions you should be asking, not the format you should follow.

Do you understand your risk? Are you clear on your value? Have you thought through what kind of venture this really is? These are deeper than what most templates ask. But they’re far more useful in the long run.

So, Do You Need a Plan?

Yes, but not necessarily a “business plan.” You need a way to think clearly, explore your idea critically, and spot gaps before you commit resources. That’s what planning is. The document itself is secondary.

If you’re just getting started, especially as a small, self-funded business, don’t let the pressure to “plan perfectly” slow you down. Reflect, sketch, test, adjust. That’s far more valuable than formatting a document.

Build Clarity Not Bureaucracy

Business Startup Insight helps you do just that. It doesn’t offer a fill-in-the-blanks plan. Instead, it guides you through the foundational thinking that too many first-time entrepreneurs skip. It’s short, practical, and built on experience from mentoring 300+ ventures over five decades.

Order your copy today for just £9.90 and get the free Business Startup Assessment Notepad to turn your thoughts into action your way.