Purpose: Create the first complete draft of your business-plan foundation and confirm that it is ready for instructor review.

Estimated completion time: 2.5 to 3.5 hours.

Step-by-step instructions:
1. Draft a 1-page owner and business overview naming the business idea, owner role, location or service area, and stage of development.
2. Write a mission statement, brief vision statement, and 3 initial strategic goals.
3. Define the customer problem, proposed solution, products or services, and intended customer experience.
4. Write a value proposition that explains the customer, need, benefit, and reason to choose your business.
5. Summarize the business and revenue model, including who pays, what they buy, how often they buy, and major cost drivers.
6. Complete an owner readiness assessment covering experience, time, skills, resources, leadership responsibilities, and gaps needing support.
7. Identify at least 3 feasibility risks and at least 3 measures of success for the first 12 months.
8. Complete the 10-question readiness check below.
9. Upload one document or PDF containing your business-plan foundation and readiness-check completion confirmation.

Business-plan sections produced: owner and business overview; mission, vision, and goals; problem, solution, and value proposition; products or services; business and revenue model; owner assessment; feasibility risks; early performance measures.

Editable worksheet outline: A. Business name and overview; B. Customer problem; C. Proposed solution; D. Mission and vision; E. Products/services; F. Value proposition; G. Revenue model; H. Owner readiness table; I. Feasibility risks; J. Initial goals and success measures; K. Questions for Week 2 instructor.

100-point rubric: Completeness of required sections, 20 points; clarity of customer problem and solution, 15 points; strength of mission and value proposition, 15 points; practicality of business and revenue model, 15 points; honest owner readiness and leadership assessment, 15 points; feasibility risks and measurable goals, 10 points; organization, professionalism, and readiness for Week 2 review, 10 points.

Revision guidance: After feedback, revise unclear assumptions, add missing evidence, sharpen the value proposition, and flag any marketing, staffing, financial, or funding questions for later instructors. Keep all drafts because each week builds toward the final integrated plan.

No-specialized-software alternative: Use a word-processing document, shared document, fillable PDF, or neatly organized paper template scanned or photographed as one file.