books on writing business plans

The 10 Best Books for Writing a Business Plan

• Ivaylo Durmonski
• Reading Lists

There are a lot of insightful thoughts around the concept of planning. In a sense, planning helps you forecast the “weather” of your business. Prepares you for what might happen. And distance you, hopefully, further away from your business going to dust. Most importantly, it allows you to think about the type of tasks you should focus on doing today. Do we know how to plan our business if we’re not business owners , though?

There is nothing wrong with having a regular job.

A lot of people are doing it.

Theoretically, since we’re born. We enter a sophisticated system of government-operated institutions that aim to spit us out after approximately 20 years, ready to help someone else grow his dream business.

You’re thought -sort of – how to plan your career. But you’re never thought how to plan your business.

Regardless of your current situation. The idea of starting a business or learning basic business skills will surely reach your mind at some point.

If you’re still not sure whether or not this is something you can achieve on your own. The business books mentioned below are specifically selected to boost your planning skills.

These books, of course, primarily serve business owners or people that are dreaming of becoming such.

Yet, these reads will definitely expand your horizon even if you don’t plan on starting your own thing right now. They will give you a perspective that will force you to think long term – the best way of thinking.

The 10 Best Books for Writing a Business Plan:

1. the goal by eliyahu goldratt, 2. the one page business plan for the creative entrepreneur by jim horan, 3. mind your business by ilana griffo, 4. business plan template and example by alex genadinik, 5. the best-laid business plans by paul barrow, 6. smart business by ming zeng, 7. measure what matters by john e. doerr, 8. your next five moves by patrick bet-david, 9. business model generation by alexander osterwalder, 10. playing to win by a.g. lafley.

What’s the book about?

The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt is a novel. A fascinating story that describes the life of a business owner who is facing a series of obstacles that, if not handled well, will lead to a catastrophic ending of the company he is running. Mr. Goldratt presents this fictional business environment to teach us an important lesson: That the speed of a convoy is determined by the slowest ship.

Who is it for?

Especially interesting for people who already own businesses but are struggling to grow. For people who can’t adequately articulate what is wrong with what they are doing. Eliyahu Goldratt teaches us that we should observe a business as a series of systems . The faster the systems operate. The faster you’ll grow. To speed up this process, first, you need to identify the weakest link and improve upon the process.

Thought-Provoking Quote:

“Since the strength of the chain is determined by the weakest link, then the first step to improve an organization must be to identify the weakest link.” Eliyahu M. Goldratt

Get the book | Read my summary

In this book, Jim Horan compiles his years of experience as a Fortune 500 executive and business consultant. The pages will help you quickly form a simple business plan based on the most successful companies in the world. The book goes through the 5 stages every organization hoping to make a profit from their products and/or services needs: Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, Action.

This resource is great for people just starting their online or offline venture. Folks who are considering the idea of starting a business but are not quite sure what to do first. The One Page Business Plan For Creative Entrepreneur will show you the exact steps you need to begin your entrepreneurial journey.

Get the book

This long-winded title is here to show you how to start a business from scratch. Ilana Griffo, the author, shares her journey on how she started her side hustle which eventually become a six-figure design studio. A lot of readers describe this title as everything you need to learn about being your own boss. Of course, it all starts with planning.

Great book for anyone dreaming about starting a creative project both online and/or offline. The honest tips and the real-world insights will show you exactly what you need to do. How to start and how to plan your day. The book is the perfect companion that will be your guide in your money-making journey.

Simply put, this title will help you create a professional business plan. The author even boasts that you will do the planning in minutes. Not that you should rush. But the included exercises and the questions Alex Genadinik is asking in the book will help you think critically about your overall structure and the products you will be creating – or refining if you already have existing goods.

The program presented in this title is used by a number of universities to teach students how to plan better. As stated in the description, the book… “will help you identify the most effective business strategies for your situation.” You will start by writing a short 3-sentence business plan which will focus you on what’s truly important.

“Product: What is the product or service? What benefit does it provide and to whom? Can you make it inexpensively and of high quality? What form will it take? Website? App? Brick and mortar business? Marketing: Identify a few of the most effective marketing strategies to promote your business Finances: What are the major sources of revenue? How will this happen profitably? When will you achieve financial sustainability? Do you need to raise money for this? How much?” Alex Genadinik

The first book I read on business planning. Foreword by Richard Branson. This title is dated, but still adequate even though everything is happening online these days. The text will teach you the most important ideas around planning a business. It’s full of case studies about different projects and ideas. The author carefully explains how to present your business plan to others in a way that everyone will get.

This book will explain in a simple way why it’s essential and how you should approach the subject of planning in general. The ideas inside are great for people who are looking to raise money or get approval from seniors for their proposed course of action. Also, if you’re still not convinced that you need planning, this book will surely change your perspective.

Written by Ming Zeng, the former Chief of Staff and strategy adviser to Alibaba Group’s founder Jack Ma. This book presents a framework that will help business owners create a winning future strategy for their companies. The titles reveal some of the revolutionary practices Alibaba developed to rapidly increase efficiency.

We commonly read about what Google is doing or about what other Silicon Valley unicorns are working on. It’s a good idea to take a fresh eastern perspective on how to operate your business. Smart Business will show you how to use cutting-edge technologies to plan and scale your business.

Measure What Matter will teach you how to use Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) as an approach to make decisions in business. The legendary John Doerr has helped some of the best companies in the world to scale and exceed their yearly goals by using this simple method.

With time, every owner begins to collect all kinds of data to measure whether or not his project is succeeding. Sadly, many entrepreneurs end up being fixated on the wrong things. This book will explain what you need to measure and why. Helping you focus on the right things so you can reach explosive growth.

“We must realize—and act on the realization—that if we try to focus on everything, we focus on nothing.” John Doerr

In short, this book is about figuring out what you should do next. Taking a holistic view of your business is always a good way to think about where you plan to go. Occasionally, though, you also need to think and plan about what you should do right now – planning your next few moves. The steps inside this title will help you gain clarity on what you really want, who you want to be, and what to do to get these things.

For those who are not only working on businesses, but in business as well. Patrick Bet-David explains how to not let emotions cloud your judgment. How to switch from a broad view of your business to a narrower view. Essentially, the lessons inside will help you identify your true self. Understand who you want to be and where you want to go, both in your life and in your business.

“Your vision must align with who you want to be. Your choices must align with your vision. Your effort must align with the size of your vision. Your behavior must align with your values and principles.” Patrick Bet-David

Full of visual elements, Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers will help you soak up the knowledge and figure out your own business model. This is not your regular book where you’ll be presented with a wall of text. The title is full of infographics and design elements that will prompt you to actively work on defining your business plan and your strategy.

I’d say that this book is for people who are kind of tired of the traditional corporate-heavy jargon that is usually part of business literature. This title combines useful information and presents it in an easily digestible matter that will surely increase your comprehension and your participation when using the material.

“People are moved more by stories than by logic. Ease listeners into the new or unknown by building the logic of your model into a compelling narrative.” Alexander Osterwalder

Written by a long-standing Procter & Gamble Chairman and CEO, this book might seem a bit dry for your taste. Well, it surely is. Rarely anyone below CEO will relate to the mentioned examples. Yet, this read will change the way you think about your business. You’ll become more strategic with your daily decisions. You will become better at identifying what to do and what not to do.

Great companies do not become great by accident. They become great thanks to the strategic choices they make. Even if you don’t end up getting the book, simply consider the title for a moment: “Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works”. Now, ask yourself, are you playing to win, or are you simply playing? This question alone will disturb your current processes and assist you in finding the best course of action for your business.

“The heart of strategy is the answer to two fundamental questions: where will you play, and how will you win there?” A.G. Lafley

Some Closing Thoughts

Business planning is important for various reasons.

Not only you’ll get clarity on where you’ll want to go. But you will also set a to-do list that will portray how to get to where you want.

More specifically, conducting a business plan will force you to think about what type of business you want to create. Understand your core motivators. Help you find your unique proposition and how you are different from the rest of the businesses out there.

I’ve hand-picked the selection of business books above so you can plan better. Of course, you don’t need to read all of the titles. Usually one or two from the list is enough to get you moving in the right direction.

If you’re looking for more reads on the topic. Make sure to check my must-read business books list. Or, the selection of books on how to start a business (plus my business book summaries ).

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7 Top Business Plan Books for New-age Entrepreneurs

Free Ultimate Guide On Writing A Business Plan

• October 18, 2023

12 Min Read

Business Plan books are the first thing to go for once you have decided on the idea you want to pursue as an entrepreneur.

Starting up as an entrepreneur is not as simple as it seems. Transforming your idea into a business that creates value for the world is a long process.

The process is full of uncertainties, hurdles, and burnout. To make consistent efforts without giving up, you need a plan you can rely upon.

A plan that helps you in making wise decisions in your entrepreneurial journey is known as a business plan.

It also helps in refining processes and keeps you in line with your business goals.

Now, how would you create a business plan?

Well, you can anyhow get to know what it contains. However, to easily create a business plan that covers all aspects of your business, you must read these books.

In this article, we are going to discuss the 7 top business plan books written for ambitious entrepreneurs like you!

Best Business Plan Books

• Art of the Start 2.0
• The Successful Business Plan: Secrets and Strategies
• The Founder’s Dilemma
• The One-Page Business Plan for the Creative Entrepreneur
• The Secrets to Writing a Successful Business Plan
• Anatomy of a Business Plan
• The Complete Book of Business Plans

1. Art of the Start 2.0

Goodreads rating: 3.87/5

The author of this book is American millionaire Guy Kawasaki. Though his name is enough for anyone to stand up from their seats let me tell you a few things about him.

• He worked with Apple in 1984 as a part of the marketing team for Macintosh computers.
• He is the author of 12 books including The Art of Social Media, and Enchantment.
• He is currently working as the chief evangelist of Canva which is a graphic designing software.

Now coming to what this book holds for you, it’s one of those books that focus on transforming your business idea into a full-fledged organization.

Guy Kawasaki explains why it is important to have a vision and how you, as an entrepreneur, can feed your team with the same vision.

If your team does not adhere to the same vision, there will always be chaos in the workspace.

You must also share stories about your product and your journey. Everyone loves stories. You don’t have to write a 300-page book but a few social media posts, and videos that resonate well with your target audience.

The book also guides entrepreneurs while hiring. It tells you to hire people who are new in the industry. They are most likely to innovate new products as they consistently ask questions.

Key Highlight:

This book will help you in writing a business plan along with guiding you in various steps of entrepreneurship. This book holds something for every aspect of entrepreneurship.

It also stresses how you can use the internet and cloud tools to make the processes more accessible and more efficient. In the modern era, businesses are equipped with tools that are affordable and accessible to everyone.

Moreover, the book also throws light on socializing and partnering with the right people for leadership roles or to get funding.

By reading this book, you will feel more powerful as an entrepreneur and will be ready to take on challenges that come along with entrepreneurship.

This book doesn’t sound like rhetoric and probably that’s why this book received appreciation from all across the world.

Book Link- Art of the Start 2.0

A reader’s review:

The focus is on tech entrepreneurs. While much of the advice is applicable to other industries, the book will hit the bullseye specifically with those starting technology businesses.

Anita Campbell (via Goodreads)

2. The Successful Business Plan: Secrets and Strategies

The author of the book is Rhonda Abrams who has written more than 12 books on entrepreneurship. Being an entrepreneur herself, the knowledge she shares is absolute gold and trustworthy.

She also writes one of the most popular columns in the US known as Small Business Strategies.

Let us now discuss what Rhonda Abrams has taught in her book.

The Successful Business Plan: Secrets and Strategies is a complete guide for anyone stuck in writing. It is one of those books that give you a push to start working on your idea.

This book contains various worksheets and charts which makes it consumable as well as practical.

You will get enough examples of various parts of a business plan , giving you an in-depth idea of what it looks like and how it is written.

This book not only teaches you to write a business plan that reminds you about your vision but also this plan can help you get investors on board.

It also equips you with strategies to get funds at the best possible rates and also to minimize the costs involved in running a business.

It gives you an in-depth understanding of positioning your brand in the market to gain the attention of your target audience and thus derive maximum profit.

Moreover, you can also use it for competitions related to showcasing plans for their businesses. The book is used by many entrepreneurs and is recommended to every small business.

Book Link- The Successful Business Plan

There’s enough information here to help you get almost any business started. This is a proven source, for it’s been through several re-prints since 1991.

Jeffrey Brown (via Goodreads)

3. The Founder’s Dilemma

Goodreads rating: 4.01/5

The book, The Founder’s dilemma, is one of the best business plan books by Noam Wasserman. Apart from this, he has written another bestseller known as Life is a startup.

Noam Wasserman served as a professor at Harvard Business school for 13 years and is currently working at the University of Southern California as a founding Director at the Founder Central Initiative.

The book he wrote is an absolute beauty. Not because he has told some hidden secrets but because he has addressed a problem that many entrepreneurs often ignore.

And that problem is the company’s leadership. You might have a billion-dollar business idea and even have cracked the tech for it, but you might still fail because of listening to the wrong advice.

If you want your business to not suffer due to wrong decisions made by top leadership, you must read this book.

This book will help you in deciding whom you want to work with, and how to share the equity among co-founders and employees without being emotional.

However, this book might not be useful for small businesses but is a gem for someone planning to launch a high-growth business.

Book Link – The Founder’s Dilemma

I’ve never seen a book before that was particularly helpful – to a founder – about the wide range of issues a founder will face.

Brad Feld (via Goodreads)

4. The One-Page Business Plan for the Creative Entrepreneur

Goodreads rating: 3.86/5

The author of this mind-blowing book is none other than Jim Horan.

Known for his expertise in solving complex business problems , Jim has helped many entrepreneurs in turning their businesses into profit-making machines.

Jim Horan has also been a Fortune 500 executive and has written six books in the One Page Business Plan for Creative Entrepreneur series.

This book is quite different from other books as it is written for entrepreneurs who do not understand a lot about business figures but want to get started soon.

There’s a saying that if you cannot write your business plan on a single page, you are probably doing it wrong.

The book enables you to write it in a couple of hours which includes your mission, objectives, and plans.

It will be crisp and easy to understand for your investors as well as the team. In this fast-moving world, it becomes really uncomfortable to give a week preparing a business plan.

You have the idea and with the help of this book, you can turn the idea into a business in no time.

Having said that, this book is not recommended to someone who is building a high-growth company or a business with many manufacturing units.

This book is specially designed for small businesses to increase their profits and improve their vision.

Book Link – The One-Page Business Plan

One of my favorites! I have used these templates many times. It really forces you to be concise and focus on your vision. Highly recommend!

Teri Temme (via Goodreads)

5. The Secrets to Writing a Successful Business Plan

Goodreads rating: 3.70/5

The author of this book Hal Shelton is an extremely experienced executive who has worked with many corporations, non-profits, and investment companies.

Hal Shelton completed his BS from Carnegie Mellon University and then pursued an MBA from the University of Chicago.

The secrets to writing a successful Business Plan focus on each section of the plan to help you create one that stands out in front of the investors.

The book also informs you about the common errors entrepreneurs make while writing. These errors sometimes cost very high as they might create confusion for investors as well as for the team.

You will also learn to do the market analysis and write the same in your plan. You will be able to answer questions like how big is the market and whether it is sufficient to run a successful business or not.

Investors receive a lot of business plans and going through each one of them is not feasible. Therefore writing an executive summary becomes extremely important.

The executive summary is an easy way to grab investors’ attention and help them understand your business without going through lengthy documents.

If you are launching a non-profit organization, this book can help you in many ways as a section of the book is dedicated to non-profits.

Moreover, the book also consists of secret strategies for writing a business plan and getting bank loans or funding from investors.

Book Link – The Secrets to Writing a Successful Business Plan

This book provides a very solid foundation to write your plan. The author also provides excellent examples and instructions as to what to and not to do in writing your business plan

Kirk G. Meyer (via Goodreads)

6. Anatomy of a Business Plan

The author of this book, Linda Pinson, has worked very closely with the U.S. small business administration to write the government business plan publication.

She has also been honored as Education Advocate of the year and SBA regional women in Business advocate of the year.

Apart from this book, she has written many books on entrepreneurship such as Keeping the books and steps to start a small business startup.

This is one of the best business books for people who do not know anything about business plans.

This book provides you with an in-depth understanding of different business plans and will enable you to choose your ideal kind.

After reading the book, you will learn to update your plan according to the needs of your business and the position of your brand in the market.

The author also highlights the importance of mentioning the table of contents and executive summary in navigating smoothly through the book.

Apart from this, it also throws light on how you can efficiently market your business. You will also learn how to mention the financials of your company which is an important thing to do.

The Anatomy of a Business Plan also contains five real-life business plans which give you an understanding of how successful businesses can be explained in a few pages.

You also get a few worksheets which makes the overall experience of reading the book delightful.

Book Link – Anatomy of a Business Plan

This book is like “a mentor for your business plan”. Really informative and helpful.

Marvin Musfiq (via Goodreads)

7. The Complete Book of Business Plans

Goodreads rating: 3.47/5

The authors of this book are Brian Hazelgran and Joseph A. Covello. Both of them have a great understanding of how businesses operate in this book. They have told us that one size doesn’t fit all.

That means business plans for different businesses cannot be written in the same way.

This book contains 12+ plans that give you an idea of how you write one for yourself.

This book also focuses on how you should bring people into your business and what vision you should have to run the business for decades.

Moreover, when you read the book you will have to ask a lot of questions to yourself. The book will compel you to ask questions yourself that are immensely important before writing it.

Once you give satisfactory answers to the questions asked, you will feel more motivated to start a business , and writing a business will look like a cakewalk.

The above quote shows how important it is to plan your business and create a visionary plan for your business.

Book Link – The Complete Book of Business Plans

Great book encompassing everything about writing business plans.

Denny Troncoso (via Goodreads)

Bottom Line

All the Business plan books that we discussed above are going to help you in some way or the other.

But don’t worry you don’t need to read all of them. Just figure out where you stand and where you would want to go and select a book accordingly.

Innovative tools present in the industry like Upmetrics have helped many entrepreneurs in business and financial planning. If you need more help writing a perfect business plan, check out Upmetrics NOW and grow 2X faster.

Build your Business Plan Faster

with step-by-step Guidance & AI Assistance.

Related Articles On Business Plan Writing

• A Guide to Write an Effective Business Plan Executive Summary
• Formulating a Detailed Business Plan Outline
• Get Your Business Plan Written by Expert Writers
• How Many Pages Should a Good business Plan Be
• Understand the Operations Plan Section in a Business Plan
• How to Design a Compelling Business Plan Cover Page
• Guidelines for Formulating a Business Plan Table of Contents
• Importance of a Confidentiality Statement in a Business Plan

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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20 Best Books on How to Write a Business Plan

Are you wondering which book is best to learn how to write a business plan ? If YES, here are 20 best books on how to write a business plan in 2023.  Starting and running a new business to success can be quite daunting. According to reports, a little more than 1 in 5 businesses tend to crash just within their first year, this is why having a detailed business plan is vital to the success of any business.

Putting together a good business plan from scratch is a challenging undertaking that needs extensive market research, statistical analysis, financial calculations, and much more. You need to understand how to make your business case, describe why there is a demand for your product or service, explain in detail how you intend to build your team, and also explain how you are going to finance your business and remain competitive.

Business plans are quite similar to a GPS; it is possible to travel without a GPS, but it may take you longer and the possibility of getting lost is always present. So instead of having to stop and ask for directions, you can use your business plan as a map to help guide your business.

Nonetheless, here are the best business plan books to take your business dreams from idea to reality.

The One Page Business Plan

According to reports, various corporations, small businesses, and entrepreneurs around the world leverage The One Page Business Plan process to quickly and easily establish highly focused and simple business plans. Instead of beginning with a blank piece of paper, the book and planning tool kit include business plan templates, as well as sample business plans to help get you started.

Have it in mind that the easy-to-fill-in-the-blanks business plan outline makes the process fast and easy. The book is divided into 5 unique sections… Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, and Action Plans providing a useful and complete business plan format that will show you step-by-step how to write a business plan.

Tim Berry is a globally known expert on business planning, and this book is his latest one that will help you get your business up and running. “Hurdle” extensively explains each and every step of a solid business plan in a way that anyone can understand. Also, note that you will see many examples of how to calculate profit and keep track of your cash flow.

Complete with a 53-page workbook, have it in mind you will be constructing your business plan as you read the book rather than trying to understand the fundamentals of business planning and applying them later. After you must have written a workable business plan, you will find yourself turning back to this book for advice on the everyday management and implementation of your business as well.

The Secrets to Writing a Successful Business Plan

If you want a step-by-step guide, then opt for this book. Hal Shelton will expertly take you on a journey of putting together a well arranged plan. Understand what your personal style is, where to go for help and the simple errors people make when putting together a plan.

Note that putting together a marketing plan and establishing a strong management team are also topics covered in this short and simple guide. Hal’s secrets to success will ensure you spend less time putting together a business plan, freeing up time for you to focus on other aspects of your business. In addition, you will learn how to acquire a bank loan and get proven strategies for attracting investors.

The Successful Business Plan

Note that this is a well detailed step-by-step guide for anyone eager to start or grow a business, and has been used over the years by close to two million entrepreneurs. It comes with expert help, worksheets to jumpstart the process, a sample business plan, tips on attracting funders, winning tips for competitions, secrets to successful crowdfunding, building a global business, and much more.

Well recognized in over 1000 business schools globally and appreciated by entrepreneurs; this guide touches every aspect of a successful business plan, from business strategy, winning over investors or lenders, and much more.

Hit The Deck

Have it in mind that this book shows entrepreneurs the perfect way to create business plans, leveraging best practices used at top business schools, and with leading angel and venture capital investors. Also note that the book provides step-by-step instructions on how to think through new business ideas and prepare concise, compelling business plan presentations .

Owning to its comprehensive content, founders can plan faster, pitch more effectively, and modify their plans more easily as they get feedback from advisors and investors. Hit the Deck includes interviews with sophisticated investors, like Ted Schlein at Kleiner Perkins, and with successful entrepreneurs, like Tommy Hilfiger.

Writing a Convincing Business Plan

First and foremost, this book was written by the company that has aided generations of students to prepare for standardized tests. Note that it approaches the challenge of putting together a business plan in the same straightforward, system-minded way.

Have it in mind that this book is no-nonsense: you will have to analyze your business structure, your goals, and your forecasts, and no amount of mantras will help you do so like good old-fashioned hard work. According to reviews, this is a thought-provoking book that ensures you take a closer look at different aspects of your business with plenty of questions to ask yourself. It also guides you in finding supporting data that justifies and promotes your business.

How to Write a Business Plan

Regardless of what your intentions are, be it starting or selling your own business, business plans are a vital and pertinent part of the business cycle. How to Write a Business Plan offers you the expert guidance you require to make an impact with your plan, including advice on researching competitors, presenting your management skills, and successfully communicating your strategic vision.

Be it is to source funds, sell a business or develop a particular project, this is your one-stop guide to putting together the most professional and convincing business plan for a new venture. How to Write a Business Plan offers priceless help with sales, cash, and profit forecasts and is supported by the inclusion of full-length plans available to download online. This new edition has been enhanced to cover digital developments like crowdfunding, online retailing, and digital marketing.

The Founder’s Dilemmas

While putting together your business plan, you will also have to bother about who will run your organization coupled with all of the other information contained inside. While the “who” of your organization can be less exciting than the “what” and “how,” staffing and leadership decisions are definitely not to be ignored.

Notably, when you are considering whether to start a business on your own, with friends or relatives, or with trusted colleagues, it is pertinent to consider extensively the decision — and this book helps you do so by analyzing why these decisions matter so much. Noam Wasserman, leveraging a decade of research, educates you on how to shape the leadership section of your business plan in order to make your company as successful as earthly possible.

Burn the Business Plan

This book dissects the myth of the cool, tech-savvy twenty-something entrepreneur with nothing to lose and venture capital to burn. Notably, a good number of people who start businesses are juggling careers and mortgages. Note that the average entrepreneur is actually thirty-nine years old, and the success rate of entrepreneurs over forty is five times higher than that of those under age thirty.

Also, note that entrepreneurs who come out of the corporate world often have discovered a need for a product or service and have priceless contacts to help them get started. Well stocked with stories of successful entrepreneurs who drew on real-life experience rather than academic coursework, Burn the Business Plan is the guide to starting and running a business that will actually work for any willing soul.

The Art of the Start 2.0

With this wonderful book, you can learn about perfecting your pitch, get real-world advice on bootstrapping, and obtain advice on building your team. The author Guy Kawasaki is behind the wildly successful online design service Canva. He wrote this guide extolled as the “essential guide for anyone starting anything,” to help young entrepreneurs separate the fluff from the foundation and build your business plan into one that really works for you.

Coupled with the old standards, this book seems to extensively discuss crowdfunding, social media, and other digital revolutions as well. With the knowledge imbibed in this book, you will be ahead of the competition — and much calmer, too, because you will know how to position your product with stories that create a personal connection with potential customers.

Pulling Together

This book come well recommended for the leader of any team. Pulling Together is the unbelievable list of advice for achieving greatness on a team. From “Respecting Diversity” to “Building Trust,” the rules for teamwork contained in this book will inspire camaraderie and demand excellence.

Also note that what makes this book astonishing is its depth of content coupled with its gift-sized packaging. Every rule for “pulling together” is complemented with photographs, quotations, thought-provoking questions, and smart insight. Notably, it is the perfect size to be given as a gift to each person on the team and could be given as a gift to coaches, athletes, business leaders, or co-workers.

Business Model Generation

Note that this is a handbook for visionaries, game-changers, and challengers eager to defy outmoded business models and create tomorrow’s ventures. If your business needs to adapt to harsh new realities, but you lack the strategy that will get you out in front of your competitors, you need Business Model Generation.

Co-created by 470 “Business Model Canvas” practitioners from 45 countries, the book comes with a wonderful, highly visual, 4-color design that leverages unique strategic ideas and tools and makes them easy to use in your organization. You will learn how to systematically understand, design, and implement a game-changing business model–or analyze and renovate an old one. In addition, you’ll have a much deeper understanding of your customers, distribution channels, partners, revenue streams, costs, and your core value proposition.

Starting a Business Quick Start Guide

In his comprehensive Starting a Business Quick Start Guide, Ken Colwell explicitly noted the core fundamentals that all new entrepreneurs have to understand to get started, find success, and live the life of their dreams. Business and entrepreneurship students, small business owners, managers, and soon-to-be entrepreneurs will indeed find enormous value within the pages of the Starting a Business Quick Start Guide.

Colwell’s clear voice, extensive experience, and easy-to-understand presentation all come together to make this book a must-have resource in the library of every budding entrepreneur!

The Lean Startup

According to reviews, the Lean Startup approach helps to build companies that are both more capital efficient and that use human creativity more effectively. Inspired by lessons from lean manufacturing, it depends on “validated learning,” steady scientific experimentation, as well as a number of counter-intuitive practices that reduce product development cycles, measure actual progress without using vanity metrics, and learn what customers really want.

Also note that it enables a company to shift directions with eagerness, changing plans inch by inch, minute by minute. So, instead of wasting time establishing elaborate business plans, The Lean Startup provides entrepreneurs—in companies of all sizes—an avenue to test their vision continuously, to adapt, and adjust before it is too late.

The Complete Book of Business Plans

Inside this staple of the business world, you’ll find plenty of business plan templates you can leverage to boost your business and attract investors quickly. Also note that you will find advice on ensuring and sustaining motivation, how to make sure you are bringing the best possible partners onto your project, and how to push your business forward for years to come.

Have it in mind that a good part of the book is set up like a workbook and asks highly detailed questions that are expected to be answered before writing can start. These questions will also force the would-be entrepreneur to analyze and address a series of questions that many first-timers would forget or not even know to ask or consider.

The 1-Page Marketing Plan

To establish and run a successful business, you have to stop doing random acts of marketing and start leveraging a well articulated plan for rapid business growth . Ideally, creating a marketing plan has been a daunting and time-consuming process, which is why it rarely gets done.

In The 1-Page Marketing Plan, serial entrepreneur and rebellious marketer Allan Dib explicitly states marketing implementation breakthrough that makes putting together a marketing plan simple and quick. It is more or less a single page, divided up into nine squares. Note that you’ll be able to map out your own sophisticated marketing plan and go from zero to marketing hero.

Mind Your Business

Mind Your Business remains one of the top books that teaches you everything you need to know about how to create a successful business from scratch. Right from building your brand to designing products to identifying your legal and tax needs, note that this well detailed guide will take you through every step of the process and help you create a unique and well noted roadmap for your business.

Mind Your Business is for aspiring entrepreneurs who are savvy, ambitious, creative, and eager to establish a business and life they love. Author Ilana Griffo shares the formula that turned her creative hobby into a six-figure design studio.

Creating a Business Plan for Dummies

Irrespective of what you intend to do, be it starting a new business or trading for a while, Creating a Business Plan For Dummies puts into consideration everything you need to know. In this book, you will find out whether your business idea is likely to work, how to identify your strategic advantage, and what you can do to gain an advantage over the competition.

Also, note that you will discover why a business plan doesn’t have to be a thirty-page document that takes centuries to put together but can be a simple process that you do in stages as you work through your business concept. Also know how to make an elevator pitch, create a start-up budget, and establish realistic sales projections. Also discover how to predict and manage expenses, and assemble a financial forecast that enables you to calculate your break-even.

Writing Winning Business Plans

Clearly written and featuring real-life illustrative stories, Writing Winning Business Plans extensively discusses all the major elements of a successful plan. Topics include focusing on your business vision, analyzing your financials, and knowing your competition. In addition, you will learn how to really use your business plan as a tool and how to attract funding for your new or existing businesses.

Note that as business plan competitions become more intense around the world, Writing Winning Business Plans also explains how to enter and how to win these ever lucrative contests. Furthermore, how to quickly interest a potential investor, also known as the elevator pitch, is well discussed. And, as opportunities arise around the world, how to present your plan in various countries is explained extensively.

Documentation: Anatomy of a Business Plan

According to experts, this book will help you create a well articulated business plan that is sure to lead you towards success. If you require some additional hand-holding to get started, this book is for you: You will understand how best to choose an organizational structure that is ideal for your business, learn how to market that business well using means and strategies that helps your business grow, and learn how to organize your business plan into the traditional sections.

Also, note that the marketing strategies in this book are priceless and you will be happy to see financial documentation reviewed deeply. Howbeit, it is not the most glamorous part of your business, but it is vital to your business success. This book will also walk you through five sample business plans and also provides helpful hints to accompany the worksheets provided for drafting your own project.

More on Business Plan Tips

19 Best Business Plan Books of All Time

Our goal : Find the best Business Plan books according to the internet (not just one random person's opinion).

• Type "best business plan books" into our search engine and study the top 5+ pages.
• Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
• Rank the results neatly for you here! 😊 (It was a lot of work. But hey! That's why we're here, right?)

(Updated 2024)

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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024

• Best Business Plan Books

The One Page Business Plan for the Creative Entrepreneur

The fastest, easiest way to write a business plan.

The Art of the Start 2.0

The time-tested, battle-hardened guide for anyone starting anything.

Guy Kawasaki

Successful Business Plan

Secrets & strategies.

Rhonda Abrams

The Secrets to Writing a Successful Business Plan

A pro shares a step-by-step guide to creating a plan that gets results.

Hal Shelton

The Lean Startup

How today's entrepreneurs use continuous innovation to create radically successful businesses.

The Founder's Dilemmas

Anticipating and avoiding the pitfalls that can sink a startup.

Noam Wasserman

How to Write a Business Plan

Mike P. McKeever

The Complete Book of Business Plans

Simple steps to writing powerful business plans.

Joseph A Covello

The 1-Page Marketing Plan

Get new customers, make more money, and stand out from the crowd.

Business Model Generation

A handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers.

Alexander Osterwalder

Starting a Business QuickStart Guide

The simplified beginner’s guide to launching a successful small business, turning your vision into reality, and achieving your entrepreneurial dream.

Ken Colwell

Mind Your Business

A workbook to grow your creative passion into a full-time gig.

Ilana Griffo

Writing Winning Business Plans

How to prepare a business plan that investors will want to read and invest in.

Garrett Sutton

Burn the Business Plan

What great entrepreneurs really do.

Carl J. Schramm

Anatomy of a Business Plan

The step-by-step guide to building a business and securing your company's future.

Linda Pinson

The Book on Business Planning

Writing a Convincing Business Plan

Arthur R. DeThomas Ph.D.

Hit the Deck

Create a business plan in half the time, with twice the impact.

David Ronick

Creating a Business Plan For Dummies

Veechi Curtis

• 12 Books You Should Read Before Starting a Business www.businessinsider.com
• Business Plan Books www.mymoneybooks.com
• The 9 Best Business Plan Books www.thebalancesmb.com
• 20 Best Books on The Business Plan - Bigger Investing www.biggerinvesting.com
• 20 Best Books on How to Write a Business Plan in 2023 www.profitableventure.com

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Business Plan Template And Example Book

If you need to write a business plan, this is an amazing book for you. It covers what to write in every part of your business plan document, gives you a template to follow, and also has a business plan example for you to reference. This book is priced $12.99 for paperback and $4.99 on the Kindle.

Here is the link to the business plan book on Amazon .

In the second edition of this book I added a list of top ten business planning mistakes entrepreneurs tend to make, and added exercises to help you avoid those mistakes in your own business planning.

If you would like to license this book to give away for free on your website or to resell on your website, read this page about PLR ebook licensing options available for this business plan book.

Sections Within This Page

1) Used by some top universities 2) Available formats: Kindle or paperback 3) Table of contents 4) Excerpt from the book 5) Video tutorial on how to write a business plan 6) Business plan coaching

This Business Plan Book Is Used By University Of Kentucky

The entrepreneurship center at the University of Kentucky, one of the biggest American universities, is using this book to teach students how to write their business plans. I, Alex Genadinik the author of this book, was invited to speak at the University of Kentucky on the topic of business planning and starting a business. It is a big honor and a testament to the quality of this book for such a prestigious university to use the book to teach business planning to their students.

The companion books to this book are my book on how to start a business , my marketing plan book and my introduction to marketing book . Whenever you are planning a business, you must have a very solid marketing strategy, and that's exactly what this book will help you with. Another potentially good companion book to this one is my productivity book. Many entrepreneurs struggle to do more and there is a never ending list of tasks on their to-do list. If you want to be more productive as an entrepreneur and as a professional, and get more done every day, I recommend that you explore the topic of productivity with my productivity book .

Many people who get my business plan book are working on a mobile app business. If you are working on a mobile app business, here is a link to my mobile app marketing book that may help you plan and grow your app. Another popular book of mine to check out is the event marketing book .

There is also one topic that all entrepreneurs ask about, no matter what their business is. That topic is raising money. Here is a link to my fundraising book that can help you raise money for the business you are planning. And if you are planning to start a local business, this local business marketing book is ideal for you to learn how to promote your company. If you have a local business, an additional helpful book might be my flier marketing book .

Available On The Kindle Or Hardcopy

This book is available in two formats. On the Amazon page linked above, you can choose the Kindle version (it is cheaper) or the paperback version.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU DON'T HAVE A KINDLE: You don't need a Kindle device to read books on the Kindle. You have two options if you don't have a Kindle. You can read the book on the Kindle cloud reader, or you can read the book on the Kindle app for your Android phone or iPhone.

Here is the link to the Kindle cloud reader for you to be able to read the book on your computer, possibly as you are writing your business plan.

Browse The Business Plan Book Table Of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction to business plans

1. What is a business plan 2. When you need a business plan 3. What makes a good business plan 4. What is a business model 5. My personal journey into business plans

Chapter 2: How to write a business plan

Chapter 3: Business plan example

1. Business plan example 2. My initial business planning thought process when evaluating new business ideas

Chapter 4: Business planning mistakes & exercises to overcome those mistakes

1. There is a list of ten of the most common business planning mistakes with exercises to help you avoid those mistakes.

Chapter 5: Choosing the right business niche

1. What is a business niche 2. Why you need to find a business niche 3. Looking outside vs. looking inside yourself 4. Additional tips on finding a business niche 5. My own mistake when choosing a business niche 6. How to brainstorm business ideas 7. Have real conversations to get real feedback on your business 8. How to talk to industry experts

Further resources and free gifts to help you

1. 3 Free gifts for you 2. Additional resources that will help you with your events and overall business

Excerpt From The Business Plan Book

If you are curious to read an excerpt from the business plan book, here is the chapter on finding your business niche .

Video On How To Write A Business Plan

This video tutorial shows you how to write your business plan, and walks you through the writing of every section. While the business plan book goes into more detail on every aspect of a business plan, this video tutorial is a great way to learn the basics of planning your company. Watch the video to get a sense of how to start planning your company. And if you find the video helpful, you will love the business plan book because it goes into more detail on all the topics that the video covers.

Business Plan Coaching

If you would like personalized, one-on-one help creating your business plan, I can help you via my business coaching. Simply email me, and we can get started. The fee is $150/hr. You can use that initial consultation to determine if working with me long-term to help you with your business strategy and planning is the right choice for you. Here is a page where I explain how you can hire me as a business coach .

Business Plan Book Author, Publisher And Other Details

Author: Alex Genadinik Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform Rating value: 4.5 count: 140 In Language: English ISBN- 10: 1519741782 ISBN-13: 978-1519741783 Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches Date published: December 7, 2015 Price $12.99

Top 11 Little Business Books With Big Impact

Use These Short Books to Master Topics that Will Improve Your Career

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Susan Heathfield is an HR and management consultant with an MS degree. She has decades of experience writing about human resources.

One trend in business books is the short management book, often written as a story or fable. These business books are approachable, useful, and may help encourage more people to read. And, as an employer, that's what you'd like to see—right? You're in favor of ongoing career development.

These business books pack a solid punch in a small package. Read some of the favorites that managers and HR staff recommend. You'll quickly agree with their assessment and understand why they have such universal appeal.

High Five! The Magic of Working Together

by Kenneth V. Blanchard, Sheldon Bowles, others (Morrow/Avon) ISBN: 0688170366 -

Fired from his job for failure to be a team player, Alan Foster helps a boy's hockey team learn both team secrets and hockey. Help from a retired girl's basketball coach, chants, cheers, focus, skill development, and knowing that, "None of us is as good as all of us," help Alan learn so he can teach. I love this book.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

by Patrick Lencioni (Jossey-Bass) ISBN-13: 978-0787960759 -

Assigned to lead a dysfunctional Silicon Valley executive committee, Kathryn Petersen, a traditional manager, appointed CEO, watches and observes the effect of the group's interactions on its members and on the company's progress and results.

Following her instinctive knowledge about people and using her skill in building teams, she identifies the factors that are undermining the group's effectiveness. In story-style,

Lencioni tells how to overcome the human behaviors that corrupt this executive team's success: the lack of trust , fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of personal accountability, and inattention to results. A must-read for teams that strive for optimum success.

The 1% Solution for Work and Life

by: Tom Connellan (Peak Performance Press) ISBN-13: 978-0-9769506-2-2

Feeling a bit discouraged about your life and work? Not getting as excited as you once were? You can change this by doing one small thing just 1% differently than you are right now. Sound easy? It's not, but if you do one small thing differently for thirty days, it becomes part of your available toolkit.

And, 1% plus 1% plus 1% adds up. Follow Ken on his journey as he meets and learns from six One-Percenters, people who have transformed their lives using the ideas shared in this book. Even if you're after just a small improvement, each chapter gives you ideas that you can adapt now. For me, my new 1% shift? No email in the morning until I have published something. I am on the path.

Just Do Your Best

by Chuck Harwood (Group Fare Productions) ISBN - 13:978-0881971019

In just 108 pages, the essence of performing successfully on your job is distilled and shared. In an out-of-the-ordinary management setting: a visit to a cattle ranch, Mr. Harwood identifies the five critical factors in job success.

Knowing your job well, and continuously improving what you know, is the first. The second factor is making good decisions. Enjoy attending the management meeting with the ranch employees - the daily lunch table at the ranch. Visit 15 additional workplaces he uses as examples for the five factors. Insightful, fun book.

Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results

by Harry Paul, Stephen C. Lundin, John Christensen (Hyperion) ISBN: 0786866020

Based on the fun-loving fishmongers at Seattle's Pike Place Market, a supervisor learns how to create an environment in which employees are excited to serve customers and each other. Find out how she transformed a toxic work environment!

The One Minute Manager

by Spencer Johnson, Kenneth H. Blanchard (Morrow/Avon) ISBN: 0688014291

Can several million people be wrong? Read the book that spawned the dynasty! Timeless tips for supervisors and others who want to increase their effectiveness with people. Learn how to catch people doing something right and the power of clear, understandable goals. Though deceptively simple, this is a great read!

Zapp! The Lightning of Empowerment

by William C. Byham (Development Dimensions International) ISBN: 0962348317

This continuing favorite may be hard to find but it's worth the search. Join a supervisor who is transported to a state in which he can suddenly "see" the real impact his actions have on whether staff is enabled to think, contribute, and find meaning in work. Experiment and learn with him as he changes.

Please Don't Just Do What I Tell You: Do What Needs to Be Done

by Bob Nelson (Hyperion) ISBN: 0786867299

Written directly for employees, the book has great tips about how to express individual initiative and self-empowerment at work. "Doing what you're told," no longer brings success for the individual or the organization - if it ever did! Everyone has the capacity to fulfill this "ultimate expectation." Share this book to help people find out how!

Gung Ho! Turn on the People in Any Organization

by Kenneth Blanchard, Sheldon Bowles (Morrow/Avon) ISBN: 068815428X

The story, told as a fable, provides a three-part strategy for motivating employees. Make sure people know why their work is important, give them control over how they do their jobs, and provide encouragement are the success factors. The story is told by a plant manager who learned these truths from a Native American manager.

The Peon Book

by Dave Haynes, Chief Executive Peon (Berrett-Koehler) ISBN: 1576752852

Not just a regular management book, written by an executive or a consultant, The Peon Book recommends you get the information you need to lead and manage people from the people you are trying to lead and manage. If all else fails, ask! What a concept!

Who Moved My Cheese?

by Spencer Johnson (Penguin Putnam, Inc.) ISBN: 0399144463

Explores positively approaching change through a parable populated by mice and "littlepeople," mouse-sized people. If you're an expert in change management , give it a chance; the book will make you smile and remind you of key change issues.

Others will find change management tips, real encouragement, and the sense that change is "doable." It's a book for everyone. Enjoy!

• How to Make the Transition Into a Career in HR
• Society for Human Resource Management – SHRM
• Want 5 Tips to Help Managers Improve Performance Appraisals?
• Build a Strategic Framework Through Strategic Planning
• Alternative Cost-Cutting Strategies to a Workforce Reduction
• Why HR Should Report to the CEO
• Create Value With Human Resources Measures
• Become a Much Better Business Communicator
• Develop a Successful Human Resources Department Business Plan
• How to Do Human Resources Strategic Planning
• The 3 New Roles of the Human Resources Professional
• What You Should Know About Electronic Monitoring of Employees
• 6 Tips For Handling Employee Complaints
• 10 Things You Should Never Tell HR
• Why Employee Performance Appraisal Does Not Work
• How to Make Strategic Planning Implementation Work

More From Forbes

The entrepreneur's guide to publishing: how to transform ideas into a successful book.

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By Vikrant Shaurya, CEO of Authors On Mission , helping entrepreneurs and professionals write, publish, and market their books.

As an entrepreneur, you wear multiple hats, from product visionary to marketing guru. But have you considered adding “published author” to your multifaceted resume? Writing a book can do wonders for your personal brand and set you apart as a thought leader in your industry. Let me break down the essential steps that can help you transform your innovative ideas into a successful book.

1. Establish your purpose and target audience.

Before you put pen to paper, it’s crucial to understand why you are writing this book. Is it to share your entrepreneurial journey, offer business insights or establish yourself as an authority in your niche? Identifying the purpose will guide your content and writing style. Additionally, pinpointing your target audience will help you tailor your message.

2. Brainstorm and organize your ideas.

Entrepreneurs are brimming with ideas. But when it comes to writing a book, you need to focus. Make a list of all the topics and insights you want to include. Next, organize these ideas into a logical structure. Creating an outline or a table of contents can serve as your road map.

3. Commit to a writing schedule.

Time is the scarcest resource for an entrepreneur. Therefore, it’s imperative to carve out dedicated writing time. Whether it’s early mornings or late nights, find what works for you and commit to it. Remember, even writing for just 30 minutes a day can add up over time.

4. Seek professional help if needed.

Sometimes, entrepreneurs might have great ideas but lack the time or writing skills to translate them into a book. This is where professional help comes in. Consider hiring a ghostwriter who can pen down your thoughts or an editor to refine your manuscript.

The ghostwriting process involves a close professional relationship. Your ghostwriter should listen intently, show genuine interest in your project, and be able to convey your vision in your voice. Comfort with the writer is key.

Before commencing work, establish clear terms of engagement. These include confidentiality, rights, compensation, expectations about revisions and the timeline.

To find a suitable ghostwriter, look for strong writing skills, industry understanding and knowledge of your target audience. Ask for writing samples to assess their style and versatility, and seek references from previous clients to verify their professionalism and reliability.

Lastly, maintain regular communication with your ghostwriter. This will ensure your project remains on track and that the final result aligns with your vision. A good ghostwriter is not just a hired writer but a strategic partner in your authorship journey.

5. Design an appealing cover and optimize the layout.

Judging a book by its cover is not just a saying; it’s a real phenomenon. An attractive cover can grab the attention of potential readers. Work with a professional designer to create a cover that reflects your book’s theme and your brand. Also, ensure that the interior layout is reader-friendly.

The book design process should align with the heart of your content and your personal brand. The cover should not just attract attention but also hint at the book’s theme and appeal to your target audience.

Consider design elements that reflect your book’s content and your brand’s identity. For instance, specific colors, fonts and images can help convey your message and establish brand recognition.

When designing the interior, ensure it’s reader-friendly. The right font, spacing and organized elements like a table of contents can enhance the reading experience.

Engage a professional designer to capture your vision accurately. Also, obtain feedback on the design before finalizing it.

In essence, thoughtful book design can significantly impact your book’s reception, providing a visual cue to the value readers will discover within.

6. Select the right publishing platform.

Nowadays, authors are not restricted to traditional publishing houses. There are a number of platforms available that allow you to easily self-publish your book. Research different publishing options and choose the one that aligns with your goals and budget.

7. Create a marketing strategy.

Writing a book is only half the battle; marketing it is equally crucial. As an entrepreneur, you already have marketing acumen. Leverage your network, social media and other marketing channels to create buzz. Engage with your audience and consider running promotions or giveaways.

8. Gather reviews and feedback.

Positive reviews can significantly impact your book’s success. Reach out to your network and request honest reviews. Moreover, be open to constructive feedback, as it can offer insights for potential future editions or new projects.

9. Monitor sales and adjust strategy.

Track your book’s sales data and reader engagement. If the book is not performing as expected, don’t hesitate to reevaluate and tweak your marketing strategy.

10. Plan your next steps.

Publishing a book can open new doors. Reflect on how this accomplishment fits into your larger professional goals. Maybe it’s speaking engagements, a series of books or using your book as a tool to grow your business.

Embarking on the authorship journey can be immensely rewarding. It’s not just about adding a new achievement to your portfolio but also about sharing your knowledge and contributing to the entrepreneurial community. So take that leap, and let your words inspire others.

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?

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How To Fill Out a Receipt Book: A Complete Guide

August 8, 2024.

Different situations call for different payment methods. Sometimes, you write an invoice for freelance work . Maybe you send a bill. Other times, you’re in the field and customers want to pay you immediately. That’s where a receipt book comes in handy.

Receipt books make it easy to track payments you receive on the fly. But to make effective use of this tool, you need to know how to fill out a receipt book. 

Here’s how to use a receipt book for easier recordkeeping and more customer trust. 

What Is a Receipt Book?

A receipt book is a book of pre-printed receipts you can fill out to quickly provide customers with proof of payment. The form contains lines for basic information, like the items purchased and your company’s contact details. There’s also a place for an itemized list of the products you sold or the services you provided. 

The receipts in the book usually have a detachable top page you can remove to give to customers. Every other page is a carbon copy, so a record of the information you write on the top page stays in your book. You end up with a book full of receipts in chronological order that shows which customers paid you and when. 

Most receipt books have color-coded pages, so you can tell which is the original and which is the carbon copy. The top page you tear out and give to customers is usually white. The copy that stays in the book is yellow. 

Having a receipt book is handy if you frequently collect payments on the go. You don’t always have the resources to print one out or the time to wait until you get back to your office. All it takes is the book and a pen.

How Do You Fill out a Receipt Book?

It’s easy to learn how to write a receipt because the book walks you through every step of the process. While it may seem complicated, all you have to do is write the correct information in the blank lines on the template. That’s all you need to know how to fill out a receipt book. 

Here’s the information you usually need to include. 

1. Write the Date and Receipt Number

Some receipt books come with pre-numbered receipts. But in others, you need to write in a receipt number. You can choose any number you want, but it’s best to have a system so you can easily track payments. For example, you might start with 1000, 1001, etc.

There should also be a place to put the date. Choose between the date you performed the service or the date the customer paid you. It doesn’t matter which of these options you pick, as long as you’re consistent so you know what your records show. 

2. Include All Relevant Contact Details

Include all your business information on the receipt so customers can track who they paid for their own records. Writing company details also makes it easier for customers to find you for repeat service. They can just refer back to their receipt.

You should usually include the following details:

• Company name
• Phone number

3. List a Description of Products

Receipts record what a customer paid for. Each one usually contains a grid with many rows of lines so you can make an itemized list of the items to include. 

When writing items down, be as detailed and specific as you can, especially if you sell multiple versions of the same product. This prevents potential miscommunications. For example, if the customer bought a black mug and a white mug, list each one on a different line. Always describe the size, color, or other distinguishing features. 

4. Include the Price

In each row on the receipt, there’s a space for the price and quantity. Write down both in the correct area for each product. 

If you sell multiple quantities of any one item, multiply the number by the quantity to get the total price for those items. For example, if you sold four $10 mugs, the total price on the “mug” line on the receipt would show that the customer paid $40.

5. Add the Subtotal Amount

Add up the amount the customer paid for all items, also known as the subtotal. List this on the receipt so customers know the total amount going directly to your business. 

6. Account for Taxes and Additional Charges

Usually, there are additional charges beyond the cost of the products, like taxes and delivery fees. Add those extra charges up after adding up the subtotal, and be sure to include details on the receipt showing what they are.

7. Calculate the Grand Total

Add all prices and fees to get the grand total. Include this total in a very visible way on the receipt so your customers can see it at a glance. 

RELATED ARTICLE — 10 Common Invoicing Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

Why Is It Important to Keep a Receipt Book?

If you prefer paper receipts, these books are key for on-the-go documentation. Here are some of the big advantages:

• Prevent Errors. Avoid invoicing mistakes by keeping track of what services you provided and what items customers paid for. If you have a copy of the receipt, you’re less likely to double-bill someone who already paid. 
• Provide a Customer Receipt Quickly. The book makes it easy to write a document for a customer in seconds. You don’t have to worry about how to make a receipt of payment. You can just pull out your book every time. 
• Keep Records. The book keeps all receipts in one convenient place, making for an easier accounting process. All you have to do is flip through the book. 
• Manage Inventory. Clear documentation makes it easy to see what you’ve removed from your inventory and need to restock. The information is right there in the book. 
• Resolve Disputes. Keeping detailed records of the services and amounts prevents miscommunications. When you and the customer have the exact same copy of the receipt, there are no surprises. 

RELATED ARTICLE — How To Send an Invoice

4 Tips for Filling Out a Receipt Book

Like with an invoice book or other accounting records, accuracy is crucial. With the right process, you can  ensure your book is as useful as possible for your business.

Here are some tips:

• Be Consistent. The numbering system and methodology for listing items must be as consistent as possible. This helps customers know what to expect. It also speeds up your accounting and inventory management processes. You can look at any receipt and see at a glance what you sold and how much you made. 
• Opt for Ink. Use a blue or black pen instead of a pencil. This helps ensure the carbon copy that stays with your book is easy to read and legible. 
• Maintain a Backup. You don’t want to lose your book and the entire record of all your business transactions. Put the right backup process in place to prevent this. This may include maintaining multiple paper copies or making digital copies. 
• Automate as You Grow. Manually writing receipts is easy when your business is small. But it could become too time-consuming and difficult to track as you grow. Look into invoicing software and tools to automate the process. Many programs can generate receipts for you and store copies digitally to make searching them fast and simple. 

RELATED ARTICLE — Small Business Tax Returns: Everything Business Owners Need To Know

Simplify Your Business Accounting With Invoice Simple

Whether you’re preparing invoices or writing receipts , efficiency is key. That’s why Invoice Simple’s software is here to help. 

Invoice Simple’s business expense and receipt tracker lets you scan any receipt and capture key info automatically into your digital system. All data is ready to export into a summary report whenever you need it. 

Using the right tools to record both income and expenses lets your business focus on serving customers better. No more worrying about paperwork. 

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You may also like, related posts.

How to Fill out a Rent Receipt (with Example)

How to Write a Receipt of Payment: Best Practices

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Money blog: Trendy area in uproar over Gail's potentially coming to high street

Welcome to the Money blog, a hub of personal finance and consumer news/tips. Today's posts include a look at the discounts available to students, and local a revolt against Gail's. Leave a comment on any of the stories we're covering in the box below - we round them up every Saturday.

Thursday 15 August 2024 12:26, UK

• Aldi axes click and collect
• Tesco launching 'passports' for its clothing
• UK inflation rises for first time since December - analysis

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Locals in a trendy London neighbourhood have signed a petition against Gail's bakery setting up shop in their area.

After (unconfirmed) rumours began circulating that the chain was looking to open a site in Walthamstow village, more than 600 have signed a petition opposing the plans.

The petition, which features a cross made out of two baguettes over the company logo, says the village "faces a threat to its uniqueness" should Gail's move into the area.

"Gail's, although respected for their quality, bring a risk of overshadowing our much-loved local stores due to their massive scale and advertising reach," it continues.

"This could lead to decreased visibility and pedestrian traffic towards independently run businesses, threatening their very existence and dismantling the character and diversity crucial to Walthamstow's charm."

Local business owners have also said they oppose the plans because of the pro-Brexit and anti-lockdown views of Luke Johnson, the company’s minority investor.

Adrian Spurdon, a barista at an independent coffee shop, said Mr Johnson's views clashed with the politics of Walthamstow.

He told The Times: "We've just had this big, diverse counter-protest to protect Walthamstow from the far-right and I doubt Luke Johnson would support that.

"He is very different to the people here. His views are not the same."

The opening of a Gail's - where a regular latte will set you back £4.10 - has become a mark of prosperity in the area. 

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said the party looked at where the bakery chain had opened as an indicator of constituencies that could turn yellow, while the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton is known to be partial to their chocolate brownie finger. 

A spokesman for Gail's said: "We understand the concern around chains, but our view is that a healthy high street is one with a diversity of quality offers, each delivering their best.

"High streets evolve over time and we open our small bakeries often in closed banks or stranded restaurants.

"All of our bakeries exist in areas where the choices are wide and growing – we should be celebrating the improvement in our food landscapes."

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

Despite the Middle East and Russia-Ukraine tension, the benchmark oil price has come down from the highs of Monday to just over $80 a barrel, good news for motorists. 

The value of a pound is down from the highs of July but still better than most of the last six months, with £1 equal to $1.2856. Sterling has done worse against the euro with one pound buying €1.1663, less than could be bought for most of the last three months.

Following news that insurance company Admiral will up payments to shareholders, the price of its shares increased nearly 8%, the most of all the companies on the London Stock Exchange's benchmark index, the FTSE 100. 

As a whole, the FTSE 100 grew 0.06% while the larger and more UK-based FTSE 250 index of valuable London-listed companies grew 0.28%.

Whether or not results day goes to plan today, you can always console yourself with some free chicken, pizza and nachos. 

Major chains like Nando's, Pizza Express and Frankie & Benny's are offering some great freebies for students picking up their A-level results. Most you can get simply by showing a copy of your results to staff. Some have a few extra steps - but we've outlined this below, and most usually just involve signing up for some kind of free app or reward programme.

(And don't worry year 11, many of these offers will also be available when you receive your GCSE results next week).

Nandos: Chicken Bring your ID and results and you will get a free starter or quarter chicken, provided you also spend £7 or more.

Frankie & Benny's: Pizza Each restaurant is giving away 50 free pizzas - you just need to purchase a large soft drink (and show off your results).

Pizza Express: Dough balls You'll get one free portion of dough balls when you purchase a main - for this one you also need to present a valid UNiDAYS offer code.

Wagamama: Free side and drink You need to sign up to the Soul Club app to get this one, but you'll get a free side dish and free soft drink, or cider can, if you order between 11am and 3pm.

Bill's: Dessert To qualify for a free dessert you also need to purchase a main course, or brunch.

Banana Tree: Pad Thai You need to purchase one starter (excluding edamame) and a drink, but you then qualify for a free main meal. Just make sure you sign up  here  first.

Chiquito: Loaded nachos You have two options for this - Chicken & Chorizo or Pibil Pulled Jackfruit, as long as you order at least one large soft drink. There are only 600 available, so you'll want to head down early.

Bird & Blend: Drink Get a magical matcha, refreshing ice tea or a herbal brew if you present your results and your student ID between 11am and 5pm.

Showcase Cinema: Popcorn If you have a ticket for a film today, just show proof you received your results and you qualify for a free popcorn.

Starbucks: Cookie Grab a free cookie with any beverage today.

Bella Italia: 30% off Students get a very decent 30% off their food bill - but you will need to sign up here first.

TGI Fridays: 24% off your bill You need to be a free Stripes Reward member to get this one, and bring a copy of your results.

In a little over a month, hundreds of thousands of young people will once again descend on university towns across the UK - armed with maintenance loans and newly found financial freedoms.

With their arrival comes their business - and retailers and restaurants all fight for the chance to part students with their cash in the form of special discounts. 

It would be a pretty long post were we to list every single student discount, so for this guide we'll go through some of the most notable and our favourites. 

Let's start with the world's most valuable company, which offers various deals to students. 

Buying a new iPad or Mac will land you a gift card worth £120, while you're able to access a cheaper Apple Music plan with Apple TV+ included. 

It's available through discount portal UNiDAYS , or you can read more about the offers here .

Another student essential - bag yourself six months of free Amazon Prime (which offers next-day delivery on thousands of items and Prime Video).

Once that ends, students only need to pay half price for their membership (£4.49 a month). 

Check out the offer here .

If you didn't opt for the Apple Music offer outlined above, then getting 45% off your Spotify subscription might be worth it. 

It's this link to sign up. 

If you want 10% off clothes from one of the world's biggest online fashion retailers, you simply need to fill in this form . 

Another top tip: ASOS often drops prices, starts sales or increases discount when your student maintenance loans hit your account. 

It might be worth waiting for then to use your codes to maximise your savings - you'll get your first loan at the end of September/start of October, one at the start of January and the last will be at the start of April.

YouTube Premium and Music can be yours for £7.99 (plus a free trial month) - allowing you ad-free watching, downloads, background play and unlimited tunes. 

Click here for more. 

An unequivocal student essential. 

Railcards are a must while you're moving around the country visiting friends, family or just making your way home for Christmas. 

They cost just £30 and give you a third off expensive rail fares for the full year. 

More on that here . 

Nike and  Adidas

Two of the big players in sports fashion.

Bag the latest athleisure with 15% from Adidas and 10% off at Nike . 

If you don't like the trainers either Nike or Adidas provide, then take a look at Schuh.

The footwear brand offers 10% off full-price and  sale items - click here to find out how. 

Another top tip: if you like a pair of Nike or Adidas shoes, check out whether you could get them cheaper at Schuh with discounts, and factoring in delivery charges and sales.

Via discount portal StudentBeans, you can grab 15% off at Sephora. 

It's one of the biggest self-care and beauty brands anywhere on the planet, and 15% off will save you a decent chunk. 

Click here to find out more. 

Boots 

Being a student can save you 10% at Boots - sometimes more.

However, you will need to sign up for one of their (free) advantage cars, so maybe one you need to think about.

Check out the steps here .

Burger King

Students can enjoy a free Chicken or Vegan Royale with purchase of a Chicken or Vegan Royale via their StudentBeans portal.

This link has more.

The big night in vendor offers students up to 50% off. 

This is another one you'll need a StudentBeans discount portal login for, but you can get all the details here . 

Through UNiDAYS, you can get £10 off your first two orders (over £15) on Uber Eats.

They're not only offering takeaways, but grocery shopping too, so that's something to bear in mind. 

Details here .

There's 10% off at New Look for students - and you can bag a further 25% if you sign up to their mailing list.

Discount is in-store and online, so there's a bit of flexibility regarding where you shop.

This one is through UNiDAYS, details here .

Grab yourself a free cheeseburger, mayo chicken or McFlurry when you buy selected menu items. 

Read the full list and T&Cs here . 

The delivery giant always offers student deals, but they're yet to make public this year's plans.

You can enter your email address into this link for updates on it. 

Savings on your sex life start at 20%.

This one is via UNiDAYS - more here .

MyProtein 

50% off protein at MyProtein for fitness-hungry students is one of several offers the company has put up. 

Again, via UNiDAYS, which has the full list of deals/offers here .

Sticking with health and fitness, several high-street value gym chains offer discounts, including  The Gym Group  and  PureGym . 

Blackwell's

We've done all the fun stuff like food and clothes - but you do have to study at some stage. 

That's where having 15% off at major book supplier Blackwell's can help. 

All the details are here . 

While we're on the more boring stuff - let's turn to furniture and cutlery. 

Over the years millions of students have descended on the Swedish giant to fill their new rooms and cupboards. 

Offers change every year - and they'll be updated here . 

If you are a regular reader of the Money blog, you will have seen us cover the topic of security tags before. 

We've noticed them on meat, cheese and baby milk , and now some chocolate treats are also getting the yellow security sticker treatment. 

We spotted the tags below at an Asda in Twickenham earlier this week. 

They were placed on a £2.50 box of Celebrations and Lindt Salted Caramel Lindors costing £5.

Also tagged were a £9.30 box of Maltesers Truffles, a £6.55 pack of Raffaello, a £10.50 tray of Ferrero Rocher and an £8.95 Thortons Classic box. 

An Asda spokesperson confirmed to the Money team that "individual stores may tag specific products at their own discretion as a precautionary measure". 

Earlier this year, it was revealed shoplifting had hit its highest level in 20 years. 

The number of offences increased by 37% to 430,104 in the year ending 31 December 2023, compared with 2022, the latest Crime Survey for England and Wales found. 

Several retailers have taken steps to curb the surge, including extra security and body-worn cameras. 

The UK economy grew 0.6% over three months to the end of June, official figures show. 

But there was no growth at all in June, the Office for National Statistics said, as businesses delayed purchases until after the general election.

"In a range of industries across the economy, businesses stated that customers were delaying placing orders until the outcome of the election was known," the ONS said, though added it's difficult to quantify the exact impact.

Gross domestic product (GDP) - the measure of everything produced in the UK - expanded from April to June.

That growth rate was the second highest among the G7 group of industrialised nations, only the United States performed better with 0.7%.

Two G7 countries, however, have yet to publish their GDP data for the period - Japan and Germany.

Follow our breaking story here ...

Aldi is axing its click and collect service within days, according to reports.

Customers will not be able to order groceries online from the supermarket beyond Sunday, said industry magazine The Grocer.

This follows Aldi's withdrawal of its limited home delivery service last year.

The decision was made to keep prices at their lowest possible, a spokesperson said.

"One of the ways we keep our prices low for customers is by running the most efficient supermarket business in Britain," they told The Grocer.

"As a result, we've made the decision to bring our click and collect service to an end so we can focus on doing just that."

Aldi launched the service in September 2020, eventually expanding to more than 200 stores.

Sky News has contacted Aldi for comment.

Tesco is launching "digital passports" across its clothing range ahead of new sustainability rules. 

The digital product passports will allow customers to see information about items in the F&F range, including where its materials were sourced. 

Tesco's Joe Little said the move represented "an important step forward, encouraging and promoting sustainable and circular practices". 

The pilot is being launched with tech company Fabacus, which is run by the founder of Nobody's Child - a sustainable clothing brand that has previously used DPPs on three of its collections. 

CEO and founder Andrew Xeni told the Money team that DPPs provided "a huge opportunity" for retailers to tell their story. 

He said legislation for fashion using DPPs was expected to begin in 2027 so "practical implementation must start immediately". 

What are DPPs and what do they do?  

DPPs show key information about what the product is made from, its origin, history and how to dispose of it properly.

They capture data about the environmental impact of an item and are being introduced across the EU to improve sustainability. 

Mr Xeni compared them to the nutritional information we see on food products, saying they will help people to make more informed decisions about what they are buying. 

It's not clear what form Tesco will present them in, but when Nobody's Child launched theirs, they came as a QR code on the clothing's care label that could be scanned with a smartphone.

By 2030, a range of businesses are expected to be required to provide detailed information on the materials used in their products, and their environmental impact. 

According to a  provisional agreement  from December, products with a high environmental impact will be prioritised as having to comply: 

• Batteries 
• Consumer electronics 
• Electronic devices 
• Construction products

"It's going to hold so many companies accountable," said Mr Xeni. 

Last year, the government's European Scrutiny Committee raised concerns that the scheme could conflict with regulations in Northern Ireland because of the Windsor Framework - the post-Brexit legal agreement between the EU and the UK. 

For Savings Guide this week,  Savings Champion   co-founder Anna Bowes looks at the best easy access accounts on the market.

Although variable-rate accounts like easy-access savings are likely to see rate cuts over the following days, weeks and months further to the base rate cut earlier this month, those who can't lock up their funds still need to seek the best rates.

In a rate-falling environment, it's really important to keep an eye on the interest you are earning and switch if you are no longer getting a competitive rate.

With easy access accounts this should be straightforward because, as the name suggests, you can get access to your money immediately.

But remember that a number of accounts may have restricted access, and if you have one of these, make sure you know what effect a further withdrawal will mean to your savings.

Most will simply allow you to close your account, even if you have made the maximum number of penalty-free withdrawals, but there are some that will not let you have any further access.

That's the case with the current top paying account -  Principality Building Society Online Bonus Triple Access Issue 2.

If you have already made three withdrawals, you will be unable to close the account and have access to your money until the following calendar year.

It's important to read all the terms and conditions when opening a savings account, so that you earn the interest and have the access that you are expecting.

Further to this, there is still some £252bn sitting in current accounts earning no interest at all.

Although inflation has ticked up slightly in the 12 months to July 2024 to 2.2%, there are still plenty of accounts, including easy access, paying an interest rate that is beating the current rising cost of living.

A "major breakthrough" which could signal the end of national rail strikes has been made in the long-running pay row involving drivers, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).

The department said the train drivers' union ASLEF had agreed to recommend a new pay proposal to its members after a series of "positive" talks led by the government. 

"The offer made to ASLEF is a 5% pay rise for 2022/23, 4.75% for 23/24, and 4.5% for 24/25," a spokesperson for the DfT said.

"The offer will now be put to ASLEF members in a referendum."

During the two-year pay dispute, drivers have taken 18 days of strike action, as well as refusing to work non-contractual overtime.

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19 Facts About Tim Walz, Harris’s Pick for Vice President

Mr. Walz, the governor of Minnesota, worked as a high school social studies teacher and football coach, served in the Army National Guard and chooses Diet Mountain Dew over alcohol.

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By Simon J. Levien and Maggie Astor

• Published Aug. 6, 2024 Updated Aug. 9, 2024

Until recently, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota was a virtual unknown outside of the Midwest, even among Democrats. But his stock rose fast in the days after President Biden withdrew from the race, clearing a path for Ms. Harris to replace him and pick Mr. Walz as her No. 2.

Here’s a closer look at the Democrats’ new choice for vice president.

1. He is a (very recent) social media darling . Mr. Walz has enjoyed a groundswell of support online from users commenting on his Midwestern “dad vibes” and appealing ordinariness.

2. He started the whole “weird” thing. It was Mr. Walz who labeled former President Donald J. Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, “weird” on cable television just a couple of weeks ago. The description soon became a Democratic talking point.

3. He named a highway after Prince and signed the bill in purple ink. “I think we can lay to rest that this is the coolest bill signing we’ll ever do,” he said as he put his name on legislation declaring a stretch of Highway 5 the “Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway” after the musician who had lived in Minnesota.

4. He reminds you of your high school history teacher for a reason. Mr. Walz taught high school social studies and geography — first in Alliance, Neb., and then in Mankato, Minn. — before entering politics.

5. He taught in China in 1989 and speaks some Mandarin. He went to China for a year after graduating from college and taught English there through a program affiliated with Harvard University.

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Writing Business Plans That Get Results Paperback – April 22, 1991

• Exactly what to include in each section of your plan
• The most efficient ways to evaluate and present your company's products and services, marketing strategies, organizational structure, plans to achieve goals, competitors' strengths and weaknesses, and more
• How to expertly determine cash needs, appropriate financing sources, payback terms, and potential returns for investors
• Tailor each part of your plan to the various needs of bankers, venture capitalists, partners, suppliers, accountants, lawyers, customers, and other readers
• Structure and arrange the components of your plan for greatest impact
• Anticipate all questions that plan reviewers will ask
• Critique and package your plan for winning results Practical, comprehensive, and clearly written, Writing Business Plans That Get Results is required reading for any entrepreneur who wants his or her company to prosper. Michael O'Donnell, a business consultant with the Promersberger Company in Fargo, North Dakota, specializes in developing marketing plans for the firm's clients. As a staff member of the Center for Innovation and Business Development at the University of North Dakota, he worked with inventors and entrepreneurs on a daily basis. The founder and president of ASK-ME Systems, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of public-access videotex systems, O'Donnell has started six businesses of his own and has consulted on more than sixty start-up projects. He also serves on the faculty of the Commercialization Planning Workshop for the National Energy-Related Inventions Program and in this capacity provides business plan and marketing plan assistance to some of the country's top inventors.
• Print length 160 pages
• Language English
• Publisher McGraw Hill
• Publication date April 22, 1991
• Dimensions 8.2 x 0.44 x 10.8 inches
• ISBN-10 0809240076
• ISBN-13 978-0809240074
• See all details

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About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ McGraw Hill; 1st edition (April 22, 1991)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0809240076
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0809240074
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.2 x 0.44 x 10.8 inches
• #2,339 in Business Writing Skills (Books)
• #3,199 in Strategy & Competition
• #7,653 in Strategic Business Planning

About the authors

Michael o'donnell.

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Michael Odonnell

Mike has worn numerous hats over his long career. He has been a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, angel investor, mergers and acquisitions professional, and trusted coach and confidant to aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs alike. He is the author of several best-selling books on business planning and marketing planning, and is a popular blogger and speaker on all things startup. His latest passion is championing the principles of professionalism among the Millennial generation and Gen Z.

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