A Filled-In Business Plan Example for a Small Service Business

September 21, 2026 · 6 min read

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This filled-in business plan follows a small presentation-design service. Copy the text into Word or another editor, keep the headings and replace the business details with your own evidence.

Everything about the example business is fictional. Its name, customers, prices, sales volumes and costs are demonstration assumptions, not market research or results from a real company. The figures use euros for consistent arithmetic; they are not recommended prices.

This is an operating example for an owner considering a launch. The U.S. Small Business Administration's business-plan guide describes common sections and advises choosing those that fit the business and purpose.

Table of contents

Executive summary

ClearSlide Studio is a fictional business run by one owner, providing presentation design for independent consultants. It turns approved client text into a consistent, editable ten-slide presentation. Clients receive the slide file and one round of design revisions, with delivery within five working days after the studio receives the complete brief.

The standard package costs EUR 600. The owner plans to complete three packages in the first month, four in the second and five in the third. At three packages, the model covers monthly business payments and an owner withdrawal of EUR 1,200, leaving EUR 20 before tax.

Company, owner and purpose

The studio operates remotely using the owner's existing computer and workspace. The owner handles sales, design, scheduling and invoicing. No employee or subcontractor is included in the starting model; adding either would require a new cost calculation.

For this example, the owner has presentation-design skills but no confirmed orders. A demonstration portfolio will use invented client material and identify it as such. It cannot present a fictional redesign as paid client work.

The goal is six completed packages per month by month four. Local registration, insurance and tax treatment need confirmation before a real launch; this example specifies no jurisdiction.

Customer and buying situation

The initial customer is an independent consultant preparing a proposal, workshop or client update. That consultant already has the message and figures but needs help arranging them into a readable presentation before a known meeting date.

Suitable enquiries include approved text, brand materials and five working days for delivery. Original research, financial forecasting and same-day delivery fall outside the package.

The untested buying hypothesis is that consultants will pay EUR 600 to save production time. The owner will seek paid orders and record why prospects accepted or declined.

Alternatives and the offer

Customers can design the slides themselves, use a purchased presentation template, hire a freelance designer or commission an agency. ClearSlide Studio competes through a clearly limited package, an agreed deadline and an editable deliverable.

The package includes a brief review, layout of up to ten slides, formatting of client-supplied charts and one consolidated revision round. Copywriting, additional slides and changes to the underlying argument require a separate quote. The owner confirms those boundaries before accepting payment.

Competitor quotes have not been collected. The owner will compare dated offers with matching slide counts, revision allowances and delivery terms before making competitive claims.

Marketing and sales

The first test uses introductions through the owner's professional network and direct conversations with consultants. Prospects see a sample presentation and a written package description. The owner asks about an upcoming presentation and its deadline, then sends a quote when the project fits.

The first-month sales assumption is twelve qualified enquiries producing three paid packages. That is a 25% conversion assumption, chosen for this example and requiring a test. To reach six packages at the same rate, the studio would need twenty-four qualified enquiries per month.

Qualified prospects have the required materials, a workable deadline and willingness to discuss the price. Payment is 50% on booking and 50% on delivery, both received in the month of completion.

Delivery and capacity

Each package has a twelve-hour working budget: one hour for the brief, two for arranging the supplied content, six for design, two for revisions and one for final checks and handover. These are time allowances to measure during the first jobs.

The owner allows 160 working hours per month. Forty hours cover sales and administration, and twenty-four remain available for delays or rework. That leaves ninety-six hours for delivery, enough for eight packages at twelve hours each. The six-package target uses seventy-two delivery hours and stays below that limit.

The studio accepts at most two overlapping projects. Work starts after the brief, materials and booking payment arrive.

Startup budget and funding

The owner provides all EUR 3,000 of starting funds. There is no loan, interest expense or investor repayment in this example.

Use of funds EUR
Initial website and portfolio setup 200
Initial tools and small equipment 150
Registration and administration allowance 150
Cash available at the start of month one 2,500
Total owner funding 3,000

The first three amounts total EUR 500, paid before trading. Replace them with quotes and local requirements. The reserve remains available cash, separate from expenses.

Monthly costs and cash forecast

Direct cash costs are assumed to be EUR 60 per package for licensed assets and other project purchases. Monthly fixed cash costs total EUR 400: EUR 120 for software, EUR 100 for bookkeeping and administration, EUR 80 for a business share of communications and EUR 100 for insurance and miscellaneous operating costs.

The owner plans to withdraw EUR 1,200 each month for personal use. It appears separately from business costs; its accounting treatment depends on the business structure.

Cash calculation Month one Month two Month three
Completed and paid packages 3 4 5
Receipts at EUR 600 each 1,800 2,400 3,000
Direct payments at EUR 60 each 180 240 300
Fixed business payments 400 400 400
Owner withdrawal 1,200 1,200 1,200
Cash change before tax 20 560 1,100
Closing cash before tax 2,520 3,080 4,180

Closing cash begins with the EUR 2,500 reserve. Month one therefore ends at EUR 2,500 + EUR 1,800 - EUR 180 - EUR 400 - EUR 1,200 = EUR 2,520.

Each package contributes EUR 540 after its direct cash costs. Covering EUR 400 of fixed payments plus the EUR 1,200 withdrawal requires three packages, rounded up from EUR 1,600 divided by EUR 540. This is a cash threshold under the stated assumptions. It excludes tax, and the owner's labour is represented by the separate withdrawal rather than an hourly cost.

The forecast assumes payment arrives on time. It excludes VAT or sales tax, income tax and jurisdiction-specific contributions, so its closing balances cannot be treated as fully spendable cash. A real plan needs those payment dates and amounts added before the owner relies on it.

Risks and decisions after the first month

At two completed and paid packages, the month produces EUR 1,200 of receipts against EUR 120 of direct payments, EUR 400 of fixed payments and the EUR 1,200 withdrawal. Cash falls by EUR 520, leaving EUR 1,980 before tax. The owner must cover that shortfall.

Late payment also matters. If one final EUR 300 instalment slips into month two, the base-case month-one closing balance falls from EUR 2,520 to EUR 2,220. The cash forecast must show when money actually arrives.

After the first month, the owner compares paid packages with the target of three and actual delivery hours with the twelve-hour allowance. If customers buy but production takes too long, the package needs a scope or price change. If qualified prospects decline, their reasons guide the next offer test. The six-package target remains conditional on those results.

Appendix and adapting the example

The example's appendix register contains five items to gather: competitor quotes, software and insurance quotes, a sample client agreement, the sales record and a project time log. Their current status is 'not collected'. No interviews, testimonials or signed contracts are implied.

When copying this plan into Word, replace the business name and offer first. Then change the price, delivery hours, costs, payment terms and sales assumptions together. Recalculate the table after every change. Keep an explicit label on any number that still lacks evidence.

For funding applications, add the recipient's required accounts, statements and forecasts. Keep the offer, workload and cash calculations consistent throughout.

See also

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