Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Melissa Houston covers financial issues that affect women in business. Creating a business plan is a critical first step for any ...

Market research plans define an existing problem and/or outline an opportunity. From there, the marketing strategy is broken ...

Every business starts with a vision, which is distilled and communicated through a business plan. In addition to your high-level hopes and dreams, a strong business plan outlines short-term and ...

Matt Webber is an experienced personal finance writer, researcher, and editor. He has published widely on personal finance, marketing, and the impact of technology on contemporary arts and culture.

The classic business plan writer is an entrepreneur seeking funds to help start a new venture. Many great companies had their starts in the form of a plan that was used to convince investors to put up ...

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Running a business can be unpredictable, which is why having a solid business plan as a foundation is vital to surviving and thriving in ...