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How to Start a Publishing Company: 2024 Guide

You can start your own publishing company with these simple steps:

• Develop a business structure (usually an LLC)
• Choose the name and location for your company
• Register your business
• Obtain your EIN and set up a business banking account

Want more detail? Keep reading. This article is detailed, informative, and easy to comprehend — even for someone who was as legally inept as I used to be.

• If you should set up a publishing company
• The benefits of setting up a publishing company
• How to set up a publishing company

Table of contents

• What does a publishing company do?
• Should you start a publishing company?
• Benefits of Starting Your Own Publishing Company
• When should you start a publishing company? 
• 6 Steps for Starting a Book Publishing Company
• Setting up a Publishing Company with MyCompanyWorks
• WCU’s Publishing MA Program
• And don’t forget to check out my podcast where I spoke with my lawyer about publishing business structure.

A publishing company sells and distributes books (and magazines, newspapers, digital content, etc.) They may contribute to the editing process to ensure their published content is up to snuff. The publishing company decides what kind of marketing (and where to advertise) will best help sell their books.

Starting your own book publishing company is a crucial step in boosting your author brand, selling other people's books, or protecting yourself and your assets.

For many people, establishing your own company can be confusing, tedious, and downright painful. To be honest, it’s a lot of work.

Thankfully, this step-by-step guide will help you determine if you should start a publishing company and show you how to achieve such a daunting task.

Let me make 2 disclaimers:

• Although I have a lot of experience setting up LLCs, including my own book publishing company, I am by no means a lawyer or CPA and cannot speak on their behalf. If you have any questions, it is best to seek legal advice before moving on. This article does not constitute legal advice and should not substitute for the advice of an attorney.
• Some of the paperwork and legal steps listed in this article are pertinent to the US only. Each country will have its own laws for setting up such things. Many of the steps and recommendations below will be relevant to your startup, no matter which country you’re in.

There are 3 primary reasons to start a publishing company:

• Financial protection

Of course, there are many reasons to start a publishing company, but these are the big three. For example, if you want to publish other people’s books, you can do that without an LLC. But if you do establish an LLC, you are protected and legitimate.

With today’s publishing platforms, you don’t have to start a publishing business to publish your own work or even other people’s stories.

However, starting a publishing company has several advantages. Here’s a more detailed list of reasons you may want to establish your own publishing business:

• Conveys professionalism and expertise
• Protects yourself, your work, and your personal assets in case of a lawsuit
• Manages of your intellectual property
• Allows for certain tax write-offs
• Maintains control over your work
• Gives you access to more than one Amazon KDP account
• Shifts your mindset from a hobby writer to a business owner
• Fulfills your dream of being The Boss/CEO/Founder of your own publishing company
• Establishes a legal entity to contract co-writing and licensing properly
• Facilitates future opportunities to publish books by other authors

How do publishing companies make money? Publishing companies make money by taking in book sales, minus the royalties they pay out to authors and other artists. Royalties are 100% negotiable.

There are 6 excellent benefits to starting your own publishing company:

• Tax benefits, write-offs, and more
• Liability protection
• Increased credibility
• Ability to expand your brand
• Double the number of KDP accounts
• Co-writing and licensing

Of course, I could go on and on about the benefits — like being your own boss. But I’ll just take you through the main benefits, then along to the step-by-step process.

1. Tax Benefits, Write-Offs, & Wealth Building

Yes, there are tax benefits to having your own book publishing company. When April 15th approaches, you can write off a surprising number of business expenses.

A company helps you differentiate between your personal income and business income. All those business write-offs may save you a lot of money during tax season.

If you have your own company, I recommend getting a tax accountant (the fee for whom is a tax-deductible expense) to help prepare your taxes. During the year, an accountant can help you make the best choice in certain situations to take full advantage of the tax code.

The most common tax-deductible business expenses:

• Salaries, wages, and contract labor
• Most insurance policies
• Vehicle expenses
• Office internet
• Supplies and office expenses
• Business meals
• Advertising and marketing
• Accounting fees
• Interest on the business-related debt
• Conferences
• Rented office space
• Home office
• Property purchased for business use
• Depreciation on that property

Saving money on taxes isn’t just about short-term gain. The benefits of establishing a publishing company allow you to see this business as an opportunity to build wealth and plan for retirement.

2. Liability Protection

Starting your own publishing company gives you a certain level of liability protection. If someone sues you for writing-related reasons and you have an LLC, they cannot attack your personal assets — only the company’s assets. There are some cases of copyright infringement though, where the author would be held liable for their actions, but in total there is much more protection for such things.

If you don’t have a company and your book, product, or service gets sued, then your personal finances and a public record will be absolute fair game.

Although it’s rare, lawsuits happen.

Vocabulary time: LLC stands for Limited Liability Company.

Ask me about my own experience getting sued. It was a false claim from a competitor looking to knock my book off the shelf. The world is full of jerks who are willing to lie and cheat the system (shocking, I know).

Starting a company gives you legal liability protection and distinguishes between the business’s finances and your personal finances. The courts, or collection agencies, would not be allowed to come after you — only your company’s assets.

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3. Increased Credibility

When you start your own publishing company, it gives you increased credibility. Even though self-published authors are legitimate, having your own LLC sounds more legit and offers you and collaborators more legal protection.

Sharing that you’re a self-published author can be intimidating — you might have a fear that others will hear that you self publish and assume you couldn’t get published by a “real agency.” 

But sharing that you have your own publishing company, through which you publish your books, gives you a sense of legitimacy.

Credibility isn’t just important for your sense of accomplishment, though. Collaborators, authors, and business partners may also be more likely to work with an established publishing company.

4. Ability to Expand Your Brand

Starting your own publishing business improves your ability to expand your author brand .

Author branding is convincing someone to read your book over anyone else’s. This involves establishing credibility, proving your creativity, and maintaining a professional image that doesn’t distract from those books you worked so hard on.

This process is related to book positioning: convincing someone that your book is right for them. Good author branding makes book positioning easier and vice-versa.

Also, having a publishing company can make it easier to collaborate with other authors . Each author has access to each other’s audiences, expanding both author brands.

Having a publishing company not only adds legitimacy to your career but also allows you to maintain control over your book marketing and lets you expand your author brand in so many other little ways.

5. Double the Number of KDP Accounts

Another added benefit to starting a publishing company is that you’ll be able to create another Amazon KDP account and remain within your rights.

Amazon's Terms Of Service (TOS) state that an author can only have one KDP account.

However, the cool part of owning your own publishing company is that your company would have its own EIN and bank account, which allows it to open its own KDP account within the TOS of Amazon.

So the first account is your personal account, and the second one is the company’s publishing account. Two accounts come with the added benefit of increased author pages through Author Central, and therefore more exposure and the use of more pen names .

6. Co-writing & Licensing

Starting your own publishing company lets you co-write with another person or license another individual’s work while maintaining legal protection, liability protection, and legitimacy.

Going through a publishing company is the preferred method of contracting with others to bind with legitimate operating agreements legally. So it’s good to have your own company.

Having a publishing business becomes your platform for licensing and contracting future opportunities, such as co-writing or publishing someone else’s work.

Keep this in mind for later when we discuss naming your company .

You should start a publishing company if you have over $2,000 in book sales, want to protect your personal assets, want to publish other people’s books, and/or want to take full advantage of the US tax code.

I'll be real with you — not everyone should do this.

If you're just starting off or still see writing as a side gig or a hobby, then don't add the extra steps of starting a company to your already-busy schedule. Instead, focus on writing your book and nailing your marketing.

If you meet any one of the below requirements, I recommend you create a publishing company:

• You make more than $2,000 a month in book sales.
• You write in technical areas or health areas that could put you at risk of legal action.
• You want to publish other people's books.
• You're selling more than just books, such as courses, physical products, etc.
• You're an American citizen, but you live outside of the US and want a base of operations.

If you don’t meet any of these requirements, I recommend not starting your own publishing company.

So you've decided this is what you want to do. Now it’s time to actually start your own business!

Here is a step-by-step guide for starting a book publishing company:

• Evaluate your business goals.
• Develop a business structure.
• Choose a name for your business.
• Choose a location.
• Make it official.
• Grow your team.

That gives you a good idea of what to expect, but let’s dive into the nitty-gritty. I’ll detail each of these 6 steps below.

Step 1 : Evaluate Your Business Goals

The first step in starting your own publishing company is to evaluate your business goals. You need to figure out what your business’s point is — a business plan, of sorts.

A lot of you reading this want to publish your own books through your own publishing company. That’s great. You evaluated your business goals. But go beyond that. Write down a list of goals you can reach for.

For many of us, the goal is to provide extra legal protection and tax breaks.

For some, the goal is to encourage author collaboration or co-author ventures.

It’s smart to estimate what kind of income you plan on bringing in. This helps you plan ahead and lets you compare end-of-year income to expected income.

Ultimately, where do you see your publishing company headed in the next 5-10 years? It’s nice to have business goals set in place so you can aim for specific goals.

Step 2 : Develop a Business Structure 

Before you can start creating your own ebook or book company, you need to decide which type of business structure you would like to make.

There are many different types of businesses. Each has its own pros and cons.

• Corporation : A corporation is a group authorized to manage the company as a single entity. This includes stockholders, a board of directors, officers, company bylaws, etc. Establishing a corporation (S-Corp or C-Corp) requires a great deal more formalities and paperwork than the other items on this list.
• Sole proprietorship : This is a business owned and operated by a single person under their personal Social Security number rather than an EIN (Employer Identification Number). This is the simplest business form, though not the safest. The individual is personally liable in lawsuits. It’s wiser to get the liability protection of an LLC.
• Partnership : This is when multiple people (or entities) officially agree to manage/operate a business together. 
• Limited Liability Company : A Limited Liability Company (LLC) protects assets like a corporation, but with the pass-through tax benefits of a partnership or sole proprietorship.

Most self-publishers end up creating a Sole Proprietorship or an LLC. Here’s a great article that discusses in more depth the difference between a Sole Proprietorship vs. LLC .

In the end, the Limited Liability Company (LLC) is the best one for most book publishers.

An LLC is more flexible in how profit distribution and ownership are organized. It combines the features of a corporation and a sole proprietorship.

A corporation is a lot more rigid in its rules of operation than an LLC.

The controlling document in an LLC is called the “operating agreement.” You may write up this agreement in a myriad of different ways to suit your needs.

For example, your operating agreement may be where you create rules for how money comes in and goes out or for “successor members” (anyone who takes over after you).

An LLC has another benefit: It allows you to tax it as a Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, or S-Corporation. Basically, an LLC is the best of all worlds and fits nicely in the self-publishing business structure.

Chances are, your favorite authors or bloggers often use an LLC to protect their brand and business.

Before you decide which is best for you, do some additional research on each.

To find out more about each type, you can check out the IRS’s resource page on business structure .

Should I set up an S corporation?

Yes, you should set up an S corporation. In other words, you should charter an LLC, then file paperwork that tells the IRS to treat your LLC as an S corporation.

• Business charter — A corporation and a Limited Liability Company (LLC) are business charters issued by state governments and may have state income tax implications.
• Tax election — Subchapter S or an S Corp tax election is paperwork you file with the IRS for the unique tax treatment of a corporation or an LLC.

A business charter and tax election are tools to protect and preserve the wealth you create from your writing. The takeaway is that the S-Corp election would be something you do after you charter your company.

Authors should elect to have their LLC treated as an S Corporation. This is part of a broader tax optimization strategy and wealth creation. Instead of your company paying income tax, the company’s net income passes on to its shareholders to claim it on their personal taxes.

Yet you are still provided with liability protection.

Step 3 : Choose a Name for Your Business

It’s critical to choose a good name for your business that clearly says what you’re about, doesn’t potentially confuse your audience, and isn’t already trademarked or used in your area.

You may consider using your name or your genre, like “Chesson Publications” or “Space Pants Press.” It is a good idea to have backup names ready in case your first choice is not available.

There are 3 things to consider before choosing your business name:

• Make sure it’s not trademarked by anyone.
• Check that it’s not already used by someone in your state if you’re in the U.S.
• Do not use the words “corporation” or “inc.” unless you set up your business as a corporation.

If you’re setting up a Sole Proprietorship, you’ll likely file a DBA (doing business as), also called a “trade name registration” or “fictitious name.”

The good news is that the name availability is state-specific. This means that even though a company called “Intergalactic Press” is registered in New York, you can still use the name if it hasn’t been registered in the state you use to file.

How do you check if your company name is taken? Check to see if your company name is taken by going to your respective state’s name search, by typing “Secretary of State business name search (Name of the selected state)” into Google.

The desired website is often the first result. Start hunting to see if your potential business name is available.

Step 4 : Choose A Location

In setting up the business, you're going to need to choose the State you set up the company in and the actual place of business.

The State of the Business

States issue articles of organization for LLCs (articles of incorporation in the case of a corporation). The first step in location selection is the state of the organization.

For those thrifty business people looking for tax breaks or lower annual registration costs, you may have heard about incorporating in states like Wyoming and Nevada .

A word of caution: The state where you reside and do most of your work expects to be paid income tax . If you live and work in California, setting up an LLC in Nevada doesn’t get you out of California’s income tax.

In fact, doing an out-of-state charter can cost you more money as most states need you to register “foreign entities” to legally do business in the state. Some states are more lenient than others.

Remember, the primary purpose of setting up an LLC is to have the legal separation and protections that come with it. Don’t blow that by not having the appropriate registrations in the state you actually live/work in.

Place of Business

Now that you know your business state, you need a physical place of business where work actually happens.

When setting up an LLC, many self-publishers will make their personal home their place of business since they need a physical place of business. However, this may cause problems down the road.

The address of your business has to be a physical location where legal documents can be served. If you list your home as your place of business, your private information will become public.

In some states, while the owner’s name will be confidential, there must be a registered agent on the public record. You can be your own registered agent in most states, but your own name will be on public record along with your address.

Don’t list your personal home address as your place of business. Do the following instead:

• Rent a Physical Location: Renting a physical location may be nice if you actually need to go somewhere to do your work — for example, if your personal home is a distraction. I don't need to explain that renting is very costly and not a viable option for most of us.
• Get a UPS Mailbox: Most states do not allow you to put a P.O. Box number on the application. Luckily, you can get a UPS mailbox number that looks like a regular address. By choosing this option, you will need to show up in person to set up the mailbox. Once you set up your mailbox, you can have them forward your mail to your real address.
• Use A Registered Agent: Just about every state has registered agents that will act as your office for you. There is a fee associated with this, but it usually includes setting up your LLC as part of the service. This will eliminate your name as the registered agent being on the public record.
• Set up a Virtual Office: Personally, virtual offices are my favorite option. They’re professional offices that give you a specific mailing address, collect your mail, forward it to you, and can be your Registered Agent (an extra level of personal protection). Furthermore, most virtual offices will give you a 1-800 number and record and send your voicemail to you electronically. This option is excellent for those who travel or reside in a state with extraordinarily high business tax rates. You can set it up from your home in a different state or from a foreign country — such as Sri Lanka, as I did.

Step 5 : Make It Official 

Now that you’ve identified your business goals, business structure, business name, and business location, it’s time to make this official!

Below are 7 quick steps to making your new business official:

• Register your business.
• Obtain your Employer Identification Number (EIN).
• Set up a business bank account.
• Set up an accounting system.
• Register your domain name.
• Create a publisher's KDP account on Amazon.
• Schedule an annual business meeting and take minutes.

1. Register your business.

You have 2 main options on how to register your business:

• Do all the required registration and paperwork yourself . Each state has different requirements, so I can’t walk you through those specific steps.
• Or keep it simple and use the services like My Company Works or GovDocFiling to get your publishing company started fast and make sure it’s done right.

And just like that, you could be a President/Owner/Founder of your very own small business!

How much does it cost to start a publishing company? Costs to start a publishing company vary from state to state. Generally speaking, the lowest fees are $50, and the highest is $800. There are usually annual fees due each year. If you plan to use a registered agent, then expect additional fees for those services. Most authors see somewhere from $200-$500 a year in fees.

Some authors need to maintain extra levels of confidentiality — perhaps because of the genre they write in or their personal preference.

Certain states like Wyoming keep member information confidential. Only the registered agent is public, so you could set up a company there and use a registered agent.

In some cases, you may need to create two LLCs to form a legal barrier between you and the public. This doubles the cost of starting a business, but it might be necessary to give you the confidentiality you desire.

Now that you've become an official business in the eyes of the government, it's time to take specific actions to ensure you're a legitimate business. You need to do certain things to get the most out of your publishing company and ensure its legitimacy.

2. Obtain your EIN.

An Employee Identification Number (EIN) is used to identify a business entity. Also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, an EIN is a 9-digit number that the IRS uses during tax season.

Upon registering your business, you'll get an EIN — like a Social Security number for businesses. When you have an EIN, ensure the documentation for any accounts that you've set up are associated with this number.

3. Set up a business bank account.

To keep your personal income and the business’s financials separate, you need to have a business bank account. Separation of personal funds from business funds is essential.

You may set up an account with a traditional brick and mortar bank or an alternative online banking service like PayPal.

4. Set up an accounting system.

Whether you hired a professional accountant or are keeping detailed Google Sheets, you have to keep track of your financials from the very beginning. And it has to be perfect. All those I’s dotted and those T’s crossed.

Two popular options for accounting software include Quickbooks and Wave Financial . 

5. Register your domain name.

People need to be able to Google your business. You don’t want those leads to go to waste. That’s the main reason you need to register your domain name — a URL.

A professional author website is the best way to tell people about your business and your books.

Official social media accounts also help like Instagram , LinkedIn, Facebook , etc.

6. Create a publisher's KDP account on Amazon.

If you've published books before on your own personal account and you want them to be in the business' account, then you need to do one of two things:

• Change your personal account to the business' by changing the necessary information in your settings to reflect the company (address, EIN, etc.).
• Make a new KDP account and move your books to it.

As per Amazon's TOS, a person is not allowed to have 2 accounts. But don't worry. You have an account, and your business has an account. Those are 2 accounts you control, which is still in compliance with Amazon’s TOS.

7. Schedule an annual business meeting and take minutes.

If you're an LLC or Corporation, you must have at least 1 annual business meeting a year and ensure you document it and place it as your minutes.

Without this, your legitimacy as a company wanes.

For example, my wife and I will schedule a dinner once a year on the company's dime, have a business meeting, and take detailed minutes.

8. Publish a book.

This is the whole reason for a publishing company! Imagine how sweet it will be when you publish that first book.

Whether it’s a children’s book , a biography , a mystery , a short story , an ebook only, or print-on-demand, you’re now a part of the publishing industry.

You need to purchase an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) for each work to sell books. An ISBN is an internationally-recognized 13-digit number that is supposed to simplify sales and distribution. Bowker is the official ISBN agency for the US and Australia.

Step 6 : Grow Your Team

You're now a full-fledged publishing company! With your business made official, it's time to grow your team. (If you intend to be the sole employee of the company or the only author represented by the company, then you’ve already finished the last step.)

Who do you need on your team? Here are some possibilities for expanding your publishing company beyond just yourself:

• A dedicated accountant
• Other authors you can now publish
• Freelancers for cover art , formatting, editing , web design, etc.
• Marketing or social media specialists to maintain your online presence

Look for authors whose works you’re interested in publishing. You can even split royalty through your new, legitimate publishing house.

If your newly minted publishing company manages co-authored projects, you'll have an extra challenge ahead of you.

Calculating royalties and dividends owed can be a hassle — especially if those need to be split up in any way. However, the good folks over at Draft2Digital have created a solution for that exact situation.

While PublishDrive led this charge with PublishDrive Abacus , Draft2Digital is our choice for book distributors, and they also have this revolutionary program in the publishing world. You can read their announcement here .

This program allows the authors to:

• Calculate royalties between co-authors
• Provide each contributor with detailed reports
• And streamline the entire accounting process

This program is geared entirely towards publishing groups that publish on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.

In order to be part of the royalty split program, your books do have to be enrolled on Draft2Digital, even for platforms like Amazon. But the headache it saves you could easily be worth the cost of the commission D2D takes.

See also our review of Draft2Digital .

If going through all the steps above to form your publishing company sounds like a lot of work, you can significantly simplify the process (for an added fee, of course) with a company like MyCompanyWorks , which is a business that helps you set up your own business.

While MyCompanyWorks doesn't take all the work out of the process (you'll still have to do things like visit your bank to set up a business bank account), it does make the process a lot easier.

Here is a brief walkthrough to get started:

From the homepage, you can hover over Order Now then select Form an LLC .

Then you select the state the you want to register under, as well as the desired package.

MyCompanyWorks also has a lot of additional services, some of which are useful (like “Prepare S-Corporation Election”).

Next, you begin inputting your information. I won't screenshot everything here (because it's a lot), but it includes your contact info, your name for the LLC, the list of people that manage the company, and the information needed to get your Federal Employer Identification Number.

MyCompanyWorks walks you through the entire process easily, and before you know it, you'll have a business ready to go!

Resources For Setting Up a Publishing Company

Check out these fantastic resources for setting up your own publishing company. I personally use or have used most of these.

Setting up an LLC, Corporation, or Sole Proprietorship can feel daunting. If you're like me, then you probably conduct plenty of research before carrying out such a monumental task.

Before I jumped into setting up my LLCs, I did a bunch of research.

Get a Master’s degree in Publishing with this Publishing MA program.

If you're looking to create a legitimate company publishing many books and want to take yours to the next level, then perhaps a formal education in publishing is right for you.

Western Colorado University offers a full-fledged Publishing MA program , one of the only such programs to embrace indie publishing.

It is a 1-year program (from July to July) and only requires you to spend two weeks in the gorgeous Colorado mountains while the rest of the course is taught online.

It is equally balanced between traditional publishing and indie.

Students will engage in innovative projects, such as:

• Developing the concept for an anthology (which pays pro rates)
• Soliciting submissions
• Reading the slush pile and choosing the stories
• Issuing contracts
• Editing pieces
• Designing and producing a book and its cover
• Publishing that book
• Making a marketing plan

As the final project, students will select a public-domain classic, acquire the text, and work through every stage of producing and releasing the book via a mid-sized publisher (WordFire Press), which will list their name on the copyright page.

The program is run by the award-winning and legendary science fiction author, Kevin J. Anderson, who personally teaches all the courses. Kevin has 56 national or international bestsellers and 23 million copies in print in 30 languages.

His publishing company, WordFire Press, has released nearly 350 titles from 95 authors in ebook, trade paperback, hardcover, and audio. He is a highly qualified publishing professor.

If you are interested in taking this program, you need to act fast. The program fills up quickly every year, so don't delay!

More Info on Starting a Publishing Company

Need more info? Here are a few articles I found useful when I was doing my original research on starting my own publishing company:

• List of Resources for Setting Up a Publishing Company : This quick guide is great for the terminology and list of resources in each of the steps.
• How to Form an LLC by WSJ : Who better to give you more information than the Wall Street Journal in setting up your own company?
• 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Setting Up Your Corporation or LLC : What more can I say from that title than make sure you don't make any of these mistakes.
• Pat Flynn's Personal Details on Setting Up His LLC : Pat Flynn of SmartPassiveIncome.com does an excellent job explaining why and how he did his LLC setup.
• Nuts and Bolts: Nitty-Gritty Details, Incorporating, and Taxes : This one is my favorite.

Are you ready to start a publishing company?

With a few hundred dollars and some spare time, you are ready to start your own publishing company and establish legitimacy, legal liability protection, and valuable tax breaks.

Thanks to services on the Internet, it is easier than ever to set up your own book publishing LLC or Corporation.

Although annual costs persist each year, the benefits of starting your very own publishing company will quickly outweigh this.

Better taxes, increased personal security, and more publishing capabilities were the main reasons I started 3 different LLCs to support my entrepreneurial habits.

Now that you know how to start your very own publishing company , get started and become a book publisher today!

If you have any questions along the way, don’t hesitate to ask me. Leave a comment below to tell me what you found most helpful.

But do remember that I am not a lawyer — just an experienced entrepreneur.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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155 thoughts on “ How to Start a Publishing Company: 2024 Guide ”

Publishing companies often have a symbol for their company. Since they offer a service, this begs for trademarking the images used by the company.

Do you have suggested links or a blog piece on trademarking?

BTW: Good, solid content and suggested strategies on starting a publishing company. I appreciated your work; you are my “pathfinder!” =rds

Thank you for this information. I created an LLC for my coaching business and plan on publishing under the same LLC vs having two companies. That being said, my business isn’t structured as a publishing house. Will that be an issue?

It shouldn’t be.

I appreciate the wealth of knowledge in this article. I do have one question though.

If someone creates a new llc for their publishing company does that mean when creating the new kdp account we can avoid using our own name and instead only use the business name?

Dave, how do you move your books to a new KDP account? Wouldn’t you have to republish?

I’ve changed everything in my personal account to my business tax and business info, in the meantime, both on KDP, Smashwords, and D2D.

Is there a legal way to transfer ownership of books from ME to my business?

Yup – unpublish and republish. Although a cleaner way is to switch the current account info to the new account, keeping all your books there, like it sounds like you did. As for legal, I made mark in my LLC book that the ‘assets’ were transferred over to the company. (Again, not legal advice nor am I a lawyer).

Fantastic and valuable article. Thank you so much. I will definitely have to go to the LLC route. Thankfully, I have a bit of reading to do before I have to get busy with that.

I already have my company name, domain name, website, and logo, I just need to handle all the legalities of it.

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• Updated: May 19, 2023

Publishing a book of any format is a significant accomplishment. It’s one thing to have the idea or goal to write a book, but to actually execute that concept requires an entirely different level of discipline.

If you want to learn how to write an ebook, here are 10 clear steps to help you make it a reality with less stress and more clarity.

How to write an ebook in 10 steps

Writing an ebook has many benefits — it helps establish you as a thought leader in your industry, boosts trust and credibility, and can be an evergreen resource that adds immense value to your target audience.

Heck — you can even monetize it if you want to. With all of these benefits, you’re probably more than ready to learn how to write an ebook your ideal customer will love. So, let’s get started!

1. Begin with strategy.

It’s exciting to think of yourself as a published author. However, as a freelance professional or business owner, you should first begin with a creative brief for your ebook and a strategic plan.

For example, if you specialize in the financing and tax industry, consider the topics that create the most stress or tension for your audience and make your ebook focus on solving the problems your audience may encounter continually. Beginning with this outlook can assist you with creating a clear direction for your marketing strategy.

Many people begin the marketing process after completing the book, but you should have your plan before you start. We will discuss this later, but marketing execution should not happen simultaneously with formulating your marketing plan.

Create your initial strategy and get as detailed as possible with your KPIs, marketing channels, email marketing campaign, social media messaging , and all other marketing mediums you plan to help your ebook have and maintain success.

2. Reserve your ISBN.

This step is often overlooked when learning how to write an ebook, but it’s an important one.

Before diving into your options of an ISBN, we should first discuss what an ISBN is. According to Editiage,  an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a 13-digit numeric code that serves as an internationally applicable unique identifier for books.

The code captures information regarding the book’s publisher, title, language, edition, and version. Think of this as your book’s fingerprint because all ISBNs are unique to their assigned books.

If you’re reading this and your primary goal is to complete your first ebook, you may be wondering if an ISBN is necessary. Although some publishing experts will tell you that you can publish your ebook without going through the hassle of reserving an ISBN, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The reality is that if you’re planning to have a formal distribution like Amazon or Kindle, you will need to have an ISBN, or the distribution platform will reserve one for you.

If they reserve an ISBN Number for you, what does that mean? If the distribution channel secures an ISBN for your ebook on your behalf, that essentially means that they own the ISBN instead of you.

That may not be a big deal for some, but holding the ISBN is a preference of ownership rights. If you were working with a traditional publisher, the publisher would reserve the ISBN, and the book’s identification number will be documented with the company, not the author. This is very common with traditional publishers like Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster.

3. Do your research.

Now that you have a marketing plan and strategy along with an ISBN for writing your ebook, it’s time to dive into the content and context of your ebook. Take time to research your sources that reinforce topics and key takeaways.

Identify gaps in your market you can fill through writing your ebook. In addition to discovering your market impact, it’s also essential to research ebooks similar to yours. This doesn’t have to be exclusive to similar content. You should consider the size of the ebooks, the pricing, and distribution channels.

Although we will address this later, your distribution channels will be where you sell, market, and promote your ebook, and your pricing matters greatly based on the platform.

4. Outline your ebook’s structure.

Outlining your ebook’s structure is a very tactical step that can help guide your thoughts during the writing process. Instead of thinking of these areas as chapters, ponder on them as guiding writing pillars.

Here’s how to write an ebook with an outline:

• Introduction : I tend to write this section last. Once I write my publication, I then review it and create a holistic introduction that prepares the reader for their reading journey.
• Foundation : Beginning with the basics is always a great thing. Please don’t assume that your readers know the basic definitions or core principles for our ebook’s topic. Go through the core basics with you.
• Substance : Your substance within your ebook is your secret sauce. This section of your book is where you can showcase your expertise and the reason your ebook can be listed on an Amazon Bestseller list. Put your best foot forward to inspire, educate, and entertain.
• Resources : Share great resources to keep readers’ learning going. With ebooks, you can include hyperlinks and indirectly promote other things. Planning to have traditional distribution? Direct promotions are highly discouraged in the publishing industry. I wouldn’t directly promote products, goods, or services, but you can direct readers to learn more about you and all you offer.
• Conclusion : As you finalize your thoughts, remember that your ebook will last beyond seasonal campaigns. So never promote. Instead, guide them to reach out to you. In your conclusion, wrap up your ebook with your closing remarks and let them know where they can find you or potentially work with you moving forward. Feel free to share your social media links (and hyperlink them).

5. Incorporate your writing into your daily schedule.

Aside from the physical act of writing your ebook, you must be intentional about your environment and your time allocation. Without your dedicated, deliberate approach to your process, distractions will come and take you off course. Our ClearVoice writer Nicki Escudero shared great tips to maintain your focus and productivity , including the advice from Author Brian Tracy’s book, “Eat Your Frog!”

One of those tips includes tackling your most difficult (or unappealing) tasks first. Carve out a few hours each day to write uninterrupted during your process. Early mornings before the busyness of your day are ideal for quiet time. If you’re not a morning person, try late nights when emails are quiet and have minimal client demands. The key is to remove distractions to focus on your goal, which is your ebook.

6. Hire a professional editor and proofreader.

As a professional writer and industry expert within my field, I am a huge advocate for having a team of professionals around me who can check my work to ensure accuracy and proper grammatical structure. The closer I am to the project or writing piece, the more this is necessary. Do not go through the process of writing your ebook without having a trusted editor and proofreader to review your drafted work. As the writer, you may overlook things that their unbiased brains will catch.

7. Design your ebook cover.

This step can move up in your process, but it must be completed once your ebook draft is complete. If you decide to create your ebook cover before beginning your writing process, it can become a part of your motivation to complete the project. For some writers, it’s extremely helpful, while for others, it’s irrelevant. Regardless of when you start your brainstorming, remember that your book cover is t he book’s first impression . Most of your readers will decide to purchase your ebook based on your book cover design. Your ebook cover design should be eye-catching to stand out from the crowd.

8. Submit your work for copyright.

As a writer, you are naturally the owner and author of your work. However, in the unfortunate circumstances requiring you to prove that the work is yours, you must have your publication registered with copyright to request proper attribution or credit for the work.

What is a copyright?

According to Copyright.gov,  a copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression. In copyright law, a creator can protect bodies of work that include photography, musical compositions, and books.

Is it a requirement to register a copyright for your ebook? No. Is it wise to copyright your ebook to protect the rights to your work? Yes.

To begin copyright registration, simply go to the Copyright.gov site and create an account. You can register all publications and approved art forms for official copyright protection through that account.

9. Find and secure your book distribution platform.

Now that you have your ebook written, proofed, and edited, it’s now time to get it to the world! There are many ways to distribute your ebook, so it’s good to go back to your strategy and core objectives to consider the best distribution channels. Here are some that are most common for ebook distribution:

Landing pages

An ebook landing page is an excellent tool for marketing exclusively to the book, outlining the purpose for the ebook and the core things that your reader will take away from purchasing your ebook. Your reader can buy and receive the downloadable ebook from the landing page automatically to their computer or email (and this process depends on how you set up your payment structure and action triggers within the user experience of the landing page).

An author’s website

An author’s website gives more depth to the ebook and its connection to you as the author. If you have other offerings, services, or products within your business, this would be an ideal solution to drive ebook readers to purchase other offerings beyond the ebook purchase.

Amazon and Kindle

If you plan to include your ebook on Amazon or Kindle, you must meet the various requirements and formatting specifications. Beyond basic requirements for Amazon or Kindle distribution, you’re also encouraged to price your book in a competitive manner. Before pricing your ebook, do research on ebooks within that genre similar to your topic. This will help you ensure that your ebook can have proper pricing that aligns with other ebooks that readers have as options.

10. Have fun with marketing your ebook.

Many would see the most challenging part as the entire process of creating an ebook, but it’s quite the contrary. The real work begins after all of the previous steps are complete. With your ebook now having a home for purchase, let the fun begin with your marketing strategy. This may be the most essential step, considering the return on your investment of time, effort, and expertise depends on the number of people who download and consume your ebook.

For your marketing strategy, consider including email marketing, digital advertising, press interviews, social media advertising, and an always-on approach within your marketing content moving forward.

Your ebook’s success depends on your marketing efforts that live well beyond your launch date. So, become very intentional about promoting your work, and get the word out regarding your new ebook!

Are you looking for help getting started with your upcoming ebook? Contact ClearVoice to learn how we can support you in making your ebook for your brand a reality!

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Writing Tips Oasis - A website dedicated to helping writers to write and publish books.

How to Create a Business Plan for Your Books

By Hiten Vyas

You’ve heard it many times before on eBooks India, and it is worth repeating again. If you’re a self-published author selling your own books and ebooks, then you are running a publishing business. Any good publishing business worth its salt should be based upon a sound plan. This is where your business plan comes in handy.

If you’ve never written a business plan, then do what you do best (which is to write of course!) and get one completed. There are plenty of templates available online for free. The major benefit of producing a business plan is it will help you to focus.

You will have a guide of where you currently are, where you want to go in the future, and how you’re going to get there. Below are some of the key sections you would be working on when completing your business plan.

Executive Summary

The executive summary is the first page of your business plan. However, it is advisable to write it at the end. The reason for this is that the executive summary will be a brief overview of your publishing business.

Typically, it will highlight the name of your business, your background and experience, what books and/or eBooks you plan to write and sell, any progress you’ve already made, the readers you will target and projected sales and profit estimations. You will only be able to include these details in the executive summary once you’ve researched and completed the major sections of the business plan, such as those below.

About You and Your Goals

In this section, describe your background, experience, qualifications and credentials. Won any awards for your writing? If so, this is the place to state them in all their glory.

Also, describe your personality characteristics that emphasis how you have got it in you to make your book business a success. In addition, state the goals for your business; those which are short-term, medium-term and long-term. Make the goals as specific as possible, such as I will sell 10 copies of a particular title by the end of month 1 through 2 distribution channels.

Your Products and Services

Your products are your books and ebooks. If you have a plan to write 4 novels and 15 short stories over the next 12 months, then describe exactly what these will be about. Do you offer any other services, such a freelance writing and/or book editing? If so, you can state them in this section.

Remember, your readers are your customers . Have a think of exactly what type of customer you want to target with your books and ebooks. What is their age, background and interests? Where do these types of people hang out? This section is the place to explain as much detail about your customers as you can, and why you’re confident they will buy your titles.

Market Research

Do you have any plans to research whether people really will buy your book? For example, before you begin to write a book, you could carry out a survey to get the views of potential buyers and gauge their interest in your work. Write down any activities you will do, or describe any results from market research you have already done.

Competitors

There will be many other authors out there who will be offering books and ebooks in the same genre as you write in. A lot of these will already have readers who will be buying their books. In this section, review the top 10 authors who are most similar to you in terms of their publishing company size, and who have a similar type of audience that you want to attract.

When you review your competitors, think about what their strengths are. For example, if a competitor has a large social media following, from which they promote their books, then this would be a strong point of this competitor. This type of information will help you to review exactly who and what you are up against, and what you need to do with your book business, to overcome the strength of your competitor.

Similarly, also consider the weaknesses of your competitors. For example if you know an author in your genre is not effective at selling books and ebooks using their own website, then this could be an area you could really emphasis on when making your titles available to buyers.

Your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

When planning your book business, it is wise to take stock of your situation and to do so honestly and objectively.

Every author has strengths and weaknesses. What are yours? For example, if your strength is you are a prolific writer, then this is an advantage as you will be able to get more titles onto the market and sell ebooks quicker. If a weakness you have is not having good ebook cover design skills, then you can plan to get a professional in place.

Opportunities and threats are usually external to you and your book business. For example, if you write non-fiction about a particular niche, which has demand but doesn’t have many books catered to it, then this would be an opportunity you could exploit.

On the other hand, if you know a competitor is about to launch a book in a very similar niche to you, then this could be a threat. In such a case, you would need to create a plan to mitigate this threat.

Marketing Plan

In this section, state how you will reach out to customers. How will you promote you and your books and eBooks? Will you use social media, your own author blog, or network by attending trade shows ?

Will you advertise in certain magazines you know your audience read, either in print and/or online? Write in detail, all the methods you will use to market your titles, and what price points you will use for them, and your strategy for selling at certain prices.

Distribution Channels

In this section, explain how you will sell your ebooks and books. Will you partner up with organisations like Amazon, Kobo and Smashwords and sell your titles through their platforms? If so, describe in detail how this will work.

Perhaps you will sell your titles directly through your own website, or copies at trade events you attend, or at presentations you give to audiences who will be interested in your work. Again, explain how you will do these things.

Financial Forecasts

A business plan for your books will normally have a set of financial forecasts. One type is a sales forecast, which will detail how many sales you expect to make over a 12 month period, based upon how much it will cost you to make those sales (e.g. cost of hiring editors, proof readers, cover designers).

Another very important type of forecast to produce is a cash flow, which will show all expected cash that will come into your business (through sales of your books and ebooks) and expected cash that will leave your business (through ongoing payments made for items such as hosting space for your website, business insurance, and marketing costs), again over a period of 12 months.

A cash flow is helpful to determine how much money you will need to help your book business start-up during its initial months, and at what point your income will exceed your costs, moving your business into profit.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://writingtipsoasis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/hv1.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of eBooks India . He is also a prolific eBook writer with over 25 titles to his name.[/author_info] [/author]

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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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How to create an ebook for your business

A lot of people dream about being an author. But as a business owner or entrepreneur, writing a book is not only about fulfilling a dream. It’s about building and growing your business. Whether it’s an ebook that can be downloaded from your website or a ‘real’ book that you sell on Amazon, it can be a key part of your business strategy.

However, for your ebook to get you results, there are a few things you’ll need to bear in mind. Here are the 10 steps to creating an effective ebook that will help you achieve your business goals.

Why create an ebook?

Joanna Penn makes a living writing books on how to write books. Look at how many books she’s produced on different aspects of writing, publishing, marketing, and being an author. Via Amazon .

Before we get to those steps, let’s look at why you’d want to create an ebook in the first place. An ebook can help your business in a number of different ways:

The first is as an additional revenue stream—but the truth is that you’re probably not going to earn a lot of money from your first book, at least not right away. To make money from ebook sales, you’ll need to do a lot of promotion and marketing. You may only start making decent money once you’ve got five or six books on sale. If you want to make money from selling ebooks, then by all means start now—just be aware that it won’t be an instant moneymaker!

This ebook on how to sell your property was written by real estate broker Shane Willis. Cover design by Rac.design via 99designs by Vista.

The second way in which an ebook can support your business is by boosting your credibility. Having written a book on your area of expertise is a sign that you know what you’re talking about! The extra authority can open up new opportunities such as speaking gigs. After all, you wrote a book about a topic, so you must be an expert! This can help you get new clients. Plus, you can impress existing clients, with extra kudos if you produce a physical copy.

Finally, your ebook can feed into your business directly by becoming part of your marketing funnel. You can give out free copies of your ebook in exchange for people’s email addresses—the classic ‘freebie’ opt-in—to get people onto your email list and later convert them to customers. With the help of your ebook you can organically lead people to the next step of working with you.

0. Start with your ‘why?’

Chris Guillebeau’s book Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days is part of an ecosystem that includes a dedicated website, a podcast and a travelling workshop series. Via Sidehustleschool.com .

Before you even start on the ebook itself, you’ll want to get clear on your specific goals. Given the different ways in which a book can add value to your business, what are your reasons for writing this book? What role will it play within your content and marketing ecosystem? Which of your products or services do you want it to feed into? What are you hoping to achieve? It’s important for you to be super clear on your reasons for writing the book, because it will keep you motivated throughout the process and ensure that the finished ebook meets those objectives.

1. Get friendly with your reader

This book has a very specific target reader: someone who wants to be nomadic, to travel by boat, and to help the environment in doing so. Ocean Nomad book cover by Meella via 99designs by Vista.

If you have a business, you should already have a clear picture of your ideal client or customer. Usually, this will be the person who you’ll want to read your book, so your ideal reader will match your ideal client. Make sure you have a solid understanding of who this person is, in terms of demographics—age, gender, location, etc.—and psychographics—attitudes and behaviors.

Dig into what their biggest problems are and what solutions they’re looking for. What kind of things would they be searching for on Google and on Amazon? What are the alternatives currently available for them? Don’t skip this step, as it’s critical if you want an ebook that people actually want to read.

2. Pick the right topic

How many books can there be on Hawaiian spirulina?! Hawaiian Spirulina book cover by HollyM via 99designs by Vista.

You might be tempted to put your whole life philosophy into this first book as your ultimate legacy to the world. The danger with this is, first, that it’s such an overwhelming task that you’ll never be satisfied that you’ve included everything in there. Second, you’re heading into ‘vanity publishing’ territory as you’re just thinking about what you want to say instead of what your clients want to read. It’s much more effective to choose a narrow topic that people are interested in and where you can provide specific answers to people’s questions. Later you can write more books on all those other topics!

3. Plan your outline

What might be the key messages that the author behind this book could put across? Single No More book cover by Meella via 99designs by Vista.

Now that you know who you’re writing for and what you’re writing about, you can begin to create an outline for the ebook. Start with the end in mind: What should your readers be able to understand or do when they’ve read your ebook? Then ask yourself what they need to know in order to be able to do that. Start with your key messages—these will be your chapters.

For example, if you take the Single No More book in the image above, the key messages you’d expect from the author might include:

• I understand the frustrations and difficulties that you are experiencing;
• Here’s the root cause of why this is happening;
• I have a solution for you;
• These are the concrete ways in which you can change your situation;
• Here’s how you can move forward – and find your soulmate.

Then write down the key points the reader needs to understand for each message—these will feed into the content of the chapters. This planning stage will save you a lot of time as you begin to write the book and will make sure that you are writing content that addresses your reader’s problem.

4. Write the book (duh!)

Write the book in whatever way works for you: pen and paper, typing directly in Word, or speaking into voice notes. Via Green Chameleon .

Easy, right?! Or maybe not. If you love writing and you’re good at it, then you’ll enjoy doing this—but that still doesn’t mean it’ll get done. Writing a book is one of those ‘important-but-not-urgent’ tasks that gets pushed back as you work on more burning priorities. Schedule time in your calendar to get some regular writing done—the best strategy is to spend one or two hours on it first thing in the morning, before you even open your emails.

If you don’t like writing or you recognize your limits when it comes to spelling and grammar, try putting together slides as if you were going to present on your topic. Record yourself giving the training and then get someone to transcribe the recording for you. Rev.com is a great service for this.

In terms of how much to write, there’s no magic length for an ebook. It’s really about quality over quantity: you want to make sure that you’re providing the solution that you’ve promised and that the content is not too light so that your reader leaves disappointed and feeling like they’ve wasted their time.

5. Choose a catchy title

This book has a very clear title that’s supported by the imagery as well. Dad’s Guide to Twins book cover by Proi via 99designs by Vista.

If you did your prep work on getting clear on your reader and choosing a narrow topic, picking a title should be straightforward. Generally, it’s best not to try to be overly clever or enigmatic! While big-name authors can get away with using some kind of cryptic word play, this isn’t going to be effective when you’re just starting out. Think about SEO—have a play around with a tool like Google Keyword Planner to find the phrases that people are searching for and try typing things into Amazon search to see what comes up. Make sure it’s super clear from the title what the book is about. You can also have a subtitle to support it—a ‘how to…’ is a formula that works well.

Looking at Joe Rawlinson’s book, it’s clear what the book is (a guide to twins), who it’s for (“dads with twins”), and what it’ll teach you (“how to survive the twin pregnancy and prepare for your twins”). See how precise and clear the topic is? The author has another book for the next stage, Dad’s Guide to Raising Twins: How to Thrive as a Father of Twins.

6. Get the formatting right

When you’re formatting your book, think about who it’s for and how it’s going to be distributed. 365 Ways to Ask How Was Your Day? book cover by LSDdesign for Beth Ridley via 99designs by Vista.

Basic formatting includes chapter titles, fonts, paragraphs, and so on. Break up your text into smaller chapters with headings and subheadings to make sure it’s easily scannable. If you’re just going to be providing your book as a free download, the simplest formatting you can do is to convert your document into a pdf. If you’ve added images or charts, make sure they’re appearing as you want them to. Check out these handy  tips on book layout to learn how to do this right.

If you’re going to distribute your ebook on a third-party platform like Amazon, you’ll want to use a template—there are options available for Kindle and also for different sizes of paperback if you’re going to be printing on demand. For more on formatting, check out Amazon’s guide to ebook publishing and print on demand . If you get stuck, you can pay someone to do this for you as well.

7. Check and check again

Get the best editor you can afford—you can find editors of all different levels and prices on Fiverr.com .

You can produce an ebook yourself very cheaply but there are two areas where you don’t want to skimp. The first is editing; the second, cover design (more on that later). Professional books go through rounds and rounds of content editing, copy editing and proofreading. For the content, you can get your existing community and clients to read your draft or outline and give you feedback—this will also help to get your audience to buy into your ebook before it’s even published.

At a minimum, you’ll want to get other people proofreading the final copy—you’ll become blinded to mistakes once you’ve spent all those hours working on it. Be sure to print it out, as you may miss things in the digital version. Spelling mistakes and poor grammar are the worst signs of an unprofessional book and, if anything, these will harm your business rather than help it.

8. It’s what’s on the outside that counts

Which of these book covers would you say is the most effective in this crowded Entrepreneurship category on Amazon? Via Amazon .

The second important investment is a professional cover design. Your cover is the first thing people will see when considering to download your ebook. If people don’t notice your cover, or it looks amateurish, it won’t get a lot of clicks. You’ll want a bold design that clearly communicates what your book is about and who it’s for. If you’re going to be distributing your book on Amazon, make sure your cover both fits in with your chosen categories and stands out even as a small thumbnail. In terms of formats, you’ll want a 2D version for Amazon and a 3D one that you can use in your marketing materials.

For more tips on best practices for book covers, see this ultimate guide to book cover design and this article on ebook cover design for a digital audience .

9. Get funneling

The author has included a link at the start of the book where readers can get a free book guide in return for giving their email address. Via Amazon .

Assuming that your ebook is going to be part of your marketing funnel—because even if it’s primarily for credibility, you might as well make it work hard for you and your business goals—you’ll want to make sure that you’ve set it up right. The simplest way to do this is to create a landing page where people can opt in and get a free copy of your book (in pdf form) in exchange for their email address.

If you’re going to be distributing the book on third party sites like Amazon and you want to make sure that you’re bringing people onto your website and into your community, you can also include an opt-in link within the content of the book itself. This can be right at the start of the book so that even people who don’t buy the book can see the link when they ‘Look inside’ those first pages. The link and call to action should lead to additional value related to the book—maybe a book guide or set of worksheets to accompany the content, an email course or a video series.

10. Promote, promote, promote!

When he launched his book, Building a Storybrand, Donald Miller sent an email to his distribution list where he linked to a free recording of the Introduction and Chapter 1. Via SoundCloud .

You may think your work is done once you’ve written your ebook and you’ve put it out there. Unfortunately, if you stop now you probably won’t see the results that you are expecting! How to promote your ebook could be a whole book in itself, but the key point to bear in mind is that this is 80% of the job.

So how can you create that ‘big bang’ buzz around your launch? You’ll want to get readers excited for your book and get people talking about it. For the launch of his book Building a Storybrand, author Donald Miller recorded the first chapter and sent it to his email list for free. There are lots of things you can do to get the word out to people:  Communicate the book launch to your social media community and your email list. Do a pre-launch with free copies or bonuses for people on a waiting list. Maybe include a download link in your email signature. Get creative and get your book out there!

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Business Plan Ebook Template

Launch your business with a strong foundation using this business plan ebook template..

Creating a detailed and comprehensive business plan is crucial for laying the groundwork for any successful venture. That's where this business plan ebook template comes in! Present your strategies, financial projections, and market research in a visually appealing and easy-to-read format. Rife with modern design elements and customizable features, this template is designed to help you convey your business vision with clarity and excellence.

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15+ Business Plan Books for Free! [PDF]

Planning in business is of vital importance for the founding of any type of company. This is why we bring you this collection of business plan books in PDF format so you can start your adventure as it should be, with foresight and order.

A business plan is a written document, of a formal nature, with a logical, coherent and progressive order that has the purpose of carrying out a set of actions indicated in it. It is a kind of guide or map that takes into account current and future opportunities and obstacles that may arise in the specific context of the business .

Therefore, we invite you to learn how to make one successfully, using as a guide our selection of more than 15 books of business plans in PDF format , to which you have immediate and free access, below.

Here we present our complete selection of Business Plan Books:

South Dublin County Enterprise Board

Les Nunn and Brian McGuire

Cole Ehmke,Jay Akridge

Donald J Reilly

Dongol Rina,Neupane Basudha

Rodney B Holcomb,Philip Kenkel,Linda Blan Byford

University of Cambridge

Rajdhani College

Smt Therese Francis

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Dr Babafemi Oyewole

The Gauteng Enterprise Propeller

Texas A and M AgriLife

Business Plan Guidelines

Esade Library

Beef Cattle Research Council

Community Business Development Corporation

Lake Agassiz Development Group

Do you want more Business and Investment books in PDF format ?

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How to Write a Business Plan Kindle Edition

• figure out if your business idea will make money
• determine and forecast cash flow
• create profit and loss forecasts
• prepare marketing and personnel plans
• find potential sources of financing, and
• present your well-organized plan to lenders and other backers. The 13th edition is updated to reflect best practices for raising money (from SBA loans to equity crowdfunding).
• Print length 344 pages
• Language English
• Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
• Publisher NOLO
• Publication date November 8, 2016
• File size 8488 KB
• Page Flip Enabled
• Word Wise Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Enabled
• See all details

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About the author, product details.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01N3T3RVS
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ NOLO; 13th edition (November 8, 2016)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 8, 2016
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 8488 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 344 pages

About the author

Mike p. mckeever.

Mike P. McKeever has a B.A. in Economics from Whittier College, a Master of Science in Economics from the London (England) School of Economics and has done post-graduate work in financial analysis at the USC Business School. Currently, Mike is an Economics Professor at City College of San Francisco. Previously, he had taught classes at numerous community colleges in entrepreneurship and small business management. Author of How to Write a Business Plan, he has published articles on entrepreneurship for Dow Jones publications, the Sloan Publications Business Journal and numerous newspapers and periodicals.

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How to Build a Detailed Business Plan That Stands Out [Free Template]

Updated: March 29, 2022

Published: March 11, 2022

While starting a company may seem easier now than ever before, entrepreneurs have an uphill battle from the moment they start a business. And without a clear, actionable business plan for selling, marketing, finances, and operations, you're almost destined to face significant challenges.

This is why crafting a business plan is an essential step in the entrepreneurial process.

In this post, we'll walk you through the process of filling out your business plan template, like this free, editable version :

Download a free, editable one-page business plan template.

We know that when looking at a blank page on a laptop screen, the idea of writing your business plan can seem impossible. However, it's a mandatory step to take if you want to turn your business dreams into a reality.

That's why we've crafted a business plan template for you to download and use to build your new company. You can download it here for free . It contains prompts for all of the essential parts of a business plan, all of which are elaborated on, below.

This way, you'll be able to show them how organized and well-thought-out your business idea is, and provide them with answers to whatever questions they may have.

Free Business Plan Template

The essential document for starting a business -- custom built for your needs.

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Building a Successful Business Plan

In the next section, we'll cover the components of a business plan , such as an executive summary and company description. But before we get to that, let's talk about key elements that should serve as building blocks for your plan.

For some entrepreneurs, the thought of writing a business plan sounds like a chore — a necessary means to an end. But that's a bad take.

A solid business plan is a blueprint for success . It's key to securing financing, presenting your business, outlining your financial projections, and turning that nugget of a business idea into a reality.

At the core, your business plan should answer two questions: why your business and why now?

Investors want to know why your business is entering the market, i.e. what problem it's solving and how it's different from what's currently out there. They also want to know why now is the right time for your type of product or service.

At a minimum, your plan should:

• Be more realistic than idealistic: Too often, business plans focus too much on how things could be instead of how they are. While having a vision is important, your plan needs to be rooted in research and data.
• Legitimize your business idea : If an idea fails on paper, it's a signal to go back to the drawing board. In doing so, you avoid losing precious time or money chasing an unrealistic idea.
• Position your business for funding: To get your business off the ground, chances are you'll need financial backing. Even with a solid business idea, investors, lenders, and banks still need convincing. An effective business plan will outline how much money you need, where it's going, what targets you will hit, and how you plan to repay any debts.
• Lay the foundation: Investors focus on risk – if anything looks shaky, it could be a dealbreaker. Ideally, your business plan will lay down the foundation for how you'll operate your business — from operational needs to financial projections and goals.
• Communicate your needs: It's nearly impossible to communicate your needs if you don't know what they are first. Of course, a business’ needs are always changing — but your plan should give you a well-rounded view of how your business will work in the short and long term.

So back to the question of why and why now – consider three things:

• Your industry – How does your product or service fit within your industry? Are you targeting a specific niche? Where do you see the industry going in the next five to 10 years?
• Your target audience – Who are you targeting? What challenges are they facing? How will your product or service help them in their daily lives?
• Your unique selling proposition (USP) – What sets you apart from your competitors? Is it your product/service features? Your company values? Price?

Once you know the answers to these questions, you'll be equipped to answer the question: why your business and why now.

How to Build a Business Plan

• Executive Summary
• Company and Business Description
• Product and Services Line
• Market Analysis
• Marketing Plan
• Legal Notes
• Financial Considerations

Featured Resource: Free Business Plan Template

1. cover page.

Your business plan should be prefaced with an eye-catching cover page. This means including a high-resolution image of your company logo, followed by your company's name, address, and phone number.

Since this business plan will likely change hands and be seen by multiple investors, you should also provide your own name, role in the business, and email address on the cover page.

At the bottom of this page, you can also add a confidentiality statement to protect against the disclosure of your business details.

The statement can read as follows: " This document contains confidential and proprietary information created by [your company name]. When receiving this document, you agree to keep its content confidential and may only reproduce and/or share it with express written permission of [your company name] ."

Remember to keep your cover page simple and concise — and save the important details for other sections.

Why it matters: First impressions are everything, and a clean cover page is the first step in the right direction.

Example of a Cover Page

2. Executive Summary

The executive summary of your business plan provides a one- to two-page overview of your business and highlights the most crucial pieces of your plan, such as your short-term and long-term goals.

The executive summary is essentially a boiled-down version of your entire business plan, so remember to keep this section to the point and filled only with essential information.

Typically, this brief section includes:

• A mission statement.
• The company's history and leadership model.
• An overview of competitive advantage(s).
• Financial projections.
• Company goals.
• An ask from potential investors.

Why it matters: The executive summary is known as the make-or-break section of a business plan. It influences whether investors turn the page or not — so effectively summarizing your business and the problem it hopes to solve is a must.

Think of the Summary as a written elevator pitch (with more detail). While your business plan provides the nitty-gritty details, your Summary describes — in a compelling but matter-of-fact language — the highlights of your plan. If it's too vague, complicated, or fuzzy, you may need to scrap it and start again.

Example of an Executive Summary Introduction

"The future looks bright for North Side Chicago, particularly the Rock Hill Neighborhood. A number of high-end commercial and residential developments are well on their way, along with two new condo developments in nearby neighborhoods.

While the completion of these developments will increase the population within the neighborhood and stimulate the economy, the area lacks an upscale restaurant where residents and visitors can enjoy fine food and drink. Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant will provide such a place."

3. Company & Business Description

In this section, provide a more thorough description of what your company is and why it exists.

The bulk of the writing in this section should be about your company's purpose – covering what the business will be selling, identifying the target market, and laying out a path to success.

In this portion of your business plan, you can also elaborate on your company's:

• Mission statement
• Core values
• Team and organizational structure

Why it matters: Investors look for great structures and teams in addition to great ideas. This section gives an overview of your businesses' ethos. It's the perfect opportunity to set your business apart from the competition — such as your team's expertise, your unique work culture, and your competitive advantage.

Example of a Values/Mission Statement

"Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant will be the go-to place for people to get a drink or bite in an elegant, upscale atmosphere. The mission is to be North Side's leading restaurant, with the best tasting food and the highest quality service."

3. Product & Services Line

Here's where you'll cover the makeup of your business's product and/or services line. You should provide each product or service's name, its purpose, and a description of how it works (if appropriate). If you own any patents, copyrights, or trademarks, it's essential to include this info too.

Next, add some color to your sales strategy by outlining your pricing model and mark-up amounts.

If you're selling tangible products, you should also explain production and costs, and how you expect these factors to change as you scale.

Why it matters: This section contains the real meat of your business plan. It sets the stage for the problem you hope to solve, your solution, and how your said solution fits in the market.

There's no one-size-fits-all formula for this section. For instance, one plan may delve into its ability to market in a more cost-effective way than the competition, whereas another plan focuses on its key products and their unique features and benefits.

Regardless of your angle, it's critical to convey how your offerings will differ from the competition.

Example of a Product/Service Offering

"The menu at Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant will focus on Moroccan cuisine. The stars of the menu (our specialties) are the Moroccan dishes, such as eggplant zaalouk, seafood bastilla, tagine, and chickpea stew. For those who enjoy American dishes, there will also be a variety of options, from burger sliders and flatbread pizza to grilled steak and salads.

The food at Jay Street will have premium pricing to match its upscale atmosphere. During the summer months, the restaurant will have extra seating on the patio where clients can enjoy a special summer menu. We will be open on all days of the week."

4. Market Analysis

It helps to reference your market research documentation in this section, like a Porter's Five Forces Analysis or a SWOT Analysis ( templates for those are available here ). You can also include them in your appendix.

If your company already has buyer personas, you should include them here as well. If not, you can create them right now using the Make My Persona Tool .

Why it matters: Having an awesome product is, well, awesome — but it isn't enough. Just as important, there must be a market for it.

This section allows you to dig deeper into your market, which segments you want to target, and why. The "why" here is important, since targeting the right segment is critical for the success and growth of your business.

It's easy to get lost (or overwhelmed) in a sea of endless data. For your business plan, narrow your focus by answering the following questions:

• What is my market? In other words, who are my customers?
• What segments of the market do I want to target?
• What's the size of my target market?
• Is my market likely to grow?
• How can I increase my market share over time?

Example of a Market Analysis

"Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant will target locals who live and work within the Rock Hill Neighborhood and the greater North Side Chicago area. We will also target the tourists who flock to the many tourist attractions and colleges on the North Side.

We will specifically focus on young to middle-aged adults with an income of $40,000 to $80,000 who are looking for an upscale experience. The general demographics of our target market are women between 20 to 50 years old.

A unique and varied Moroccan-American menu, along with our unique upscale atmosphere, differentiates us from competitors in the area. Jay Street will also set itself apart through its commitment to high-quality food, service, design, and atmosphere."

5. Marketing Plan

Unlike the market analysis section, your marketing plan section should be an explanation of the tactical approach to reaching your aforementioned target audience. List your advertising channels, organic marketing methods, messaging, budget, and any relevant promotional tactics.

If your company has a fully fleshed-out marketing plan, you can attach it in the appendix of your business plan. If not, download this free marketing plan template to outline your strategy.

Free Marketing Plan Template

Outline your company's marketing strategy in one simple, coherent plan.

• Pre-Sectioned Template
• Completely Customizable
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Why it matters: Marketing is what puts your product in front of your customers. It's not just advertising — it's an investment in your business.

Throwing money into random marketing channels is a haphazard approach, which is why it's essential to do the legwork to create a solid marketing plan.

Here's some good news — by this point, you should have a solid understanding of your target market. Now, it's time to determine how you'll reach them.

Example of a Marketing Plan Overview

"Our marketing strategy will focus on three main initiatives:

• Social media marketing. We will grow and expand our Facebook and Instagram following through targeted social media ads.
• Website initiatives. Our website will attract potential visitors by offering updated menus and a calendar of events.
• Promotional events. Jay Street will have one special theme night per week to attract new clients."

6. Sales Plan

It doesn't matter if your sales department is an office full of business development representatives (BDR) or a dozen stores with your products on their shelves.

The point is: All sales plans are different, so you should clearly outline yours here. Common talking points include your:

• Sales team structure, and why this structure was chosen.
• Sales channels.
• Sales tools, software, and resources.
• Prospecting strategy.
• Sales goals and budget.

Like with your marketing plan, it might make sense to attach your completed sales plan to the appendix of your business plan. You can download a template for building your sales plan here .

Why it matters: Among other things, investors are interested in the scalability of your business — which is why growth strategies are a critical part of your business plan.

Your sales plan should describe your plan to attract customers, retain them (if applicable), and, ultimately, grow your business. Be sure to outline what you plan to do given your existing resources and what results you expect from your work.

Example of a Sales Plan Overview

"The most important goal is to ensure financial success for Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant. We believe we can achieve this by offering excellent food, entertainment, and service to our clients.

We are not a low-cost dining option in the area. Instead, the food will have premium pricing to match its upscale feel. The strategy is to give Jay Street a perception of elegance through its food, entertainment, and excellent service."

7. Legal Notes

Your investors may want to know the legal structure of your business, as that could directly impact the risk of their investments. For example, if you're looking for business partners to engage in a non-corporation or LLC partnership, this means they could be on the line for more than their actual investment.

Because this clarification is often needed, explain if you are and/or plan to become a sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, LLC, or other.

You should also outline the steps you have taken (or will need to take) to operate legally. This includes licenses, permits, registrations, and insurance.

The last thing your investor wants to hear after they've sent you a big chunk of change is that you're operating without proper approval from the local, state, or federal government.

Why it matters: The last thing your investor wants to hear after they've sent you a big chunk of change is that you're operating without proper approval from the local, state, or federal government.

Example of Legal Notes

"Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant is up-to-date on all restaurant licenses and health permits. Our business name and logo are registered trademarks, presenting the possibility of expanding locally."

8. Financial Considerations

Ultimately, investors want to know two things:

• When they will earn their money back.
• When they will start seeing returns on their initial investment.

That said, be clear, calculated, and convincing in this section. It should cover:

• Startup costs.
• Sales forecasts for the next several months/quarters.
• Break-even analysis for time and dollars.
• Projected profit and loss (P&L) statement.

Facts and figures are key here, so be as specific as possible with each line item and projection. In addition, explain the "why" behind each of these sections.

However, keep in mind that information overload is a risk, especially when it comes to data. So, if you have pages upon pages of charts and spreadsheets for this section, distill them into a page or two and include the rest of the sheets in the appendix. This section should only focus on key data points.

Why it matters: One of the most important aspects of becoming "investor ready" is knowing your numbers. More importantly, you need to understand how those numbers will enhance your business.

While it's easy to write a number down on paper, it's more important to understand (and communicate) why you need capital, where it's going, and that your evaluation makes sense.

Example of Financial Projections

"Based on our knowledge and experience in the restaurant industry, we have come up with projections for the business.

Starting with an expenditure of $400,000 in year 1, we forecast sales of $1,500,000 and $2,800,000 for years two and three. We expect to achieve a net profit of 15% by year three."

9. Appendix

A detailed and well-developed business plan can range anywhere from 20 to 50 pages, with some even reaching upward of 80.

In many cases, the appendix is the longest section. Why? Because it includes the supportive materials mentioned in previous sections. To avoid disrupting the flow of the business plan with visuals, charts, and spreadsheets, business owners usually add them in the last section, i.e. the appendix.

Aside from what we've already mentioned – marketing plan, sales plan, department budgets, financial documents – you may also want to attach the following in the appendix:

• Marketing materials
• Market research data
• Licensing documentation
• Branding assets
• Floor plans for your location
• Mockups of your product
• Renderings of your office space or location design

Adding these pieces to the appendix enriches the reader's understanding of your business and proves you've put the work into your business plan without distracting from the main points throughout the plan.

Why it matters: An appendix helps the reader do their due diligence. It contains everything they need to support your business plan.

Keep in mind, however, that an appendix is typically necessary only if you're seeking financing or looking to attract business partners.

Use a Business Plan Template to Get Started

Writing a business plan shouldn't be an insurmountable roadblock to starting a business. Unfortunately, for all too many, it is.

That's why we recommend using our free business plan template. Pre-filled with detailed section prompts for all of the topics in this blog post, we're confident this template will get your business plan started in the right direction.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in June 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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How To Start A Business Plan: A Step-By-Step Guide

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Creating a business plan is a critical first step for any entrepreneur. Knowing how to start a business plan will help you create a roadmap, guiding your business from startup to growth and beyond. Whether you're looking for investment, trying to set clear goals, or simply organizing your thoughts, a solid business plan can make all the difference.

Here is a guide to help you get started on your business plan:

1. executive summary.

What It Is: This section summarizes your business plan as a whole and outlines your company profile and goals.

What to Include:

• Business name and location
• Products or services offered
• Mission statement
• The purpose of the plan (e.g., seeking funding, guiding the startup process)

Tip: Keep it concise. Although it's the first section, it's often best to write it last, after you’ve detailed everything else.

2. Company Description

What It Is: This section provides detailed information about your company, including who you are, what you do, and what markets you serve.

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• Your business structure (e.g., sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation)
• The industry and marketplace needs your business meets
• Your business’s objectives and how you stand out from competitors

Tip: Use this section to highlight your company’s strengths and what makes you unique.

3. Market Research

What It Is: Market research demonstrates your understanding of the industry and target market.

• Market size and growth potential
• Target customer demographics
• Market trends and outlook
• Competitive analysis, including strengths and weaknesses of competitors

Tip: Include data and statistics to back up your findings and show that you’ve done your homework.

4. Organization and Management

What It Is: This section outlines your business’s organizational structure and management team.

• Organizational chart
• Information about the ownership of the company
• Backgrounds and qualifications of the management team
• Roles and responsibilities within the company

Tip: Highlight the skills and experiences of your team that will help the business succeed.

5. Products or Services Line

What It Is: Here, you detail the products or services you offer or plan to offer.

• A description of each product or service
• The lifecycle of products or services
• Research and development activities, if applicable
• Intellectual property, such as patents or trademarks

Tip: Focus on the benefits your products or services bring to your customers.

6. Marketing and Sales Strategy

What It Is: This section explains how you will attract and retain customers.

• Marketing strategies, including advertising, promotions, and public relations
• Sales strategies, including sales processes, channels, and tactics
• Pricing strategy and how it compares to competitors

Tip: Ensure your marketing and sales strategies are aligned with your market research findings.

7. Funding Request

What It Is: If you’re seeking funding , this section outlines your requirements.

• Your current funding needs
• Future funding requirements over the next five years
• How you intend to use the funds
• Potential future financial plans (e.g., selling the business, repaying debt)

Tip: Be specific and realistic about how much funding you need and how it will be used.

8. Financial Projections

What It Is: Financial projections provide a forecast of your business’s financial future.

• Income statements
• Cash flow statements
• Balance sheets
• Break-even analysis

Tip: Use realistic and conservative estimates. Consider hiring a financial professional to help with this section if needed.

9. Appendix

What It Is: The appendix includes any additional information that supports your business plan.

• Resumes of key management team members
• Permits and leases
• Legal documents
• Detailed market research data
• Product photos

Tip: Only include essential information that adds value to your business plan.

Final Tips for Creating a Business Plan

Creating a business plan requires clarity and precision. First and foremost, keep your business plan clear and concise. Avoid using jargon or complex language that could make the plan difficult to read or understand. Your aim should be to communicate your ideas effectively and efficiently.

Next, be realistic in your approach. Ensure that your goals and financial projections are attainable based on your research and understanding of the market. Overly ambitious projections can undermine your credibility and potentially lead to unrealistic expectations.

It's also essential to remember that a business plan is a dynamic document. As your business grows and market conditions change, you should revisit and revise your plan regularly. This helps you stay aligned with your goals and adapt to new challenges and opportunities.

Finally, seek feedback from experienced business professionals. Having someone with business experience review your plan can provide valuable insights and help identify any potential issues or areas for improvement. Their feedback can enhance the overall quality and effectiveness of your business plan.

By following these tips, you'll be better equipped to create a robust and effective business plan that can guide your business towards success.

The bottom line is that starting a business plan may seem challenging, but with careful planning and attention to detail, you can create a comprehensive guide to steer your business toward success. Use this step-by-step guide to ensure that all essential components are covered, giving your business the best possible start.

Melissa Houston, CPA is the author of Cash Confident: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Creating a Profitable Business and the founder of She Means Profit . As a Business Strategist for small business owners, Melissa helps women making mid-career shifts, to launch their dream businesses, and I also guide established business owners to grow their businesses to more profitably.

The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace any professional or expert accounting and/or tax advice whatsoever.

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Features & Benefits

• Listing of organizations, agencies, and consultants
• glossary of small business terms
• and updated cumulative index.

Table of Contents

• Highlights.
• Introduction.
• Business Plans.
• Adventure Travel Planner.
• Pinnacle Hiking Adventures, Inc.
• Cartography Business.
• Main Street Mapworks, Inc.
• Costume Designer.
• Emily Flynn Costume Design, LLC.
• Demography Consultant.
• HealthMark Analytics Consulting, Inc.
• Dog Treats Business.
• Newsome's Awesome Dog Treats, LLC.
• Environmental Consultant.
• English Environmental Consulting, Inc.
• Exhibit Design Business.
• Merton Exhibit Design, LLC.
• Food Writer.
• Dawson Food Communications, Inc.
• Simpson Foresight Consulting, Inc.
• Gift Wrapping Business.
• Ribbons and Bows Gift Wrapping.
• Legal Nurse Consultant.
• Shriver Legal Nurse Consulting, Inc.
• Medical/Scientific Writing Business.
• Ralston Scientific Communications, Inc.
• Music Therapist.
• Fulton Music Therapy Services, Inc.
• Myotherapist.
• Mason Myotherapy, LLC.
• Perfusionist Business.
• Quality Perfusion Solutions, Inc.
• Plaster Contractor Business.
• Richard Kensington & Sons, Inc.
• Real Estate Writer.
• Write Home Communications, Inc.
• Spade Truck Business.
• Florida Spade Truck Services, LLC.
• Stunt Performer.
• Cole Foster Stunts, LLC.
• Taxidermy Business.
• Sterling Taxidermy Services, LLC.
• Appendixes.
• Appendix A.
• Business Plan Template.
• Fictional Plan 1 - Food Distributor.
• Fictional Plan 2 - Hardware Store.
• Appendix B.
• Associations.
• Consultants.
• SBA Regional Offices.
• Small Business Development Centers.
• Service Corps of Retired Executives Offices.
• Venture Capital & Financing Companies.
• Appendix C.
• Glossary of Small Business Terms.
• Appendix D.
• Cumulative Index.

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How to Write a Business Plan Outline in 9 Steps (Example Included!)

Starting a business often begins with writing a business plan , especially if you need funding . It acts as a roadmap, guiding you through each stage of launching and managing your company, and it presents a clear, compelling case to potential investors and partners. But here's the thing: not everyone finds this step intuitive. That's where a business plan outline can be incredibly helpful.

Creating a detailed business plan outline helps you organize your thoughts and ensure you cover all the key aspects of your business strategy. Plus, it might be just what you need to overcome that blank page and start typing.

Below, you'll find an easy-to-follow guide on how to craft your business plan outline, and an example to show you what it should look like.

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What is an outline of a business plan?

Think of a business plan outline as the skeleton of your entire business plan. It gives a high-level overview of the main sections you'll need to flesh out later. It's not the final document but a crucial step in getting you there.

Simply put, it's like creating a detailed table of contents for your business plan, showing you exactly what information to include and how everything fits together. A well-structured business plan outline also helps you plan things ahead, saving time and effort.

Writing a business plan outline in 9 steps

Follow these steps to build your business plan outline and learn exactly what each section should include.

(Bear in mind that every business plan is unique, tailored to the specific needs and goals of the business. While the structure below is common, the order of sections may vary—only the executive summary will always come first.)

1. Executive summary

Imagine you have just 60 seconds to convince someone to invest in your business. That's the essence of a strong executive summary. Although it appears first on your business plan, this section is often written last because it sums up the entire plan. Think of it as your elevator pitch . This section gives a quick overview of your entire business plan, highlighting key points that grab the reader's attention.

Keep it clear and concise. Start with a brief overview of your business, including its name and what it offers. Summarize your mission statement and objectives, and don’t forget to mention crucial aspects like financial projections and competitive advantages.

2. Company description

Here's where you provide detailed information about your company. Begin with the business name and location. Describe the legal structure (e.g., sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation) and ownership. If your business already exists, share a brief history.

For new ventures, explain the business's nature and the problems you aim to solve. Go into more detail about your vision and mission statements, outlining your goals and the principles guiding your business. This section helps potential investors and stakeholders grasp your company’s identity and purpose.

3. Market research and analysis

This section shares insights into your company’s industry. Start with a landscape analysis to give an overview of the market, including its size, growth rate, and key players.

Next, define your target market and customer demographics—age, location, income, and interests—detailing who your ideal customers are. Identify market needs and trends your business will address, and highlight customer pain points your product or service aims to solve.

Consider conducting a SWOT analysis to evaluate your business's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and gain a strategic view of where your business stands in the competitive landscape.

4. Organization and management

Describe how your business is structured and who runs it. Outline the organizational structure, and if helps, include a chart. Introduce the leadership team and key personnel, highlighting their qualifications and roles. If you have a board of directors, mention them and briefly explain their involvement.

Then, outline your production processes, detailing how your product or service is (or will be) created—from sourcing materials to delivery—to give a comprehensive view of your operational capabilities.

5. Products and services

This section of your business plan outline is crucial for showing potential investors what makes your products and services unique and valuable.

Clearly describe what your business offers, emphasizing your unique selling propositions (USPs) and the benefits and features that set you apart from the competition. Talk about the product life cycle, including any plans for future updates.

If your business holds any intellectual property or proprietary technologies, detail them here to underscore your competitive advantages.

6. Marketing strategy

Having a fantastic product or service is just half the battle. The marketing plan section should outline how you'll reach your target market and convert them into customers.

Begin with market positioning and branding, explaining how you want your brand perceived. Detail your marketing and promotional strategies, including specific tactics to reach your target audience.

Discuss your sales strategy, focusing on how you'll convert leads into customers. Lastly, include your pricing strategy and provide a sales forecast, projecting your expected revenue over a certain period.

7. Operations plan

Here, the goal is to give a detailed overview of the physical and logistical aspects of your company. Start with the business location and facilities, describing where it operates and any significant physical assets. Detail the technology and equipment needed for daily operations.

Briefly describe your supply chain and logistics processes to illustrate how you manage inventory, procurement, and distribution. Finish it by outlining your production process and quality control measures to ensure your products or services consistently meet high standards.

8. Financial plan

Use this section of the business plan to show how your company will succeed financially. Include financial projections like income statements and cash flow statements. Specify how much capital you need and how you plan to use it, discussing funding sources.

Conduct a break-even analysis to estimate when your business will become profitable. Be transparent and address any financial risks and assumptions, outlining how you plan to mitigate them.

9. Appendices and exhibits

In this section, include any additional information that supports your business plan. This might be resumes of key personnel to highlight your team's expertise and experience, or even legal documents and agreements.

Include market research data and surveys to back up your market analysis. Add financial statements for a detailed look at your financial plan. Also, provide detailed product specifications to give a clear understanding of your products and services.

Here's a business plan outline example

Not quite there yet? Take a look at this business plan outline example—it will make everything clear for you.

3.1 Executive Summary

• Overview of the business
• Key points of the business plan

3.2 Company Description

• Business name and location
• History and nature of the business
• Legal structure and ownership
• Vision and mission statement

3.3 Market Research and Analysis

• Industry analysis
• Target market and customer demographics
• Market needs, trends
• Customer pain points
• SWOT analysis

3.4 Organization and Management

• Organizational structure
• Leadership team and key personnel
• Roles and responsibilities
• Board of directors (if applicable)
• Production processes

3.5 Products and Services

• Description of products or services offered
• Unique selling propositions, benefits, features
• Product lifecycle and development plans
• Intellectual property and proprietary technologies

3.6 Marketing Strategy

• Market positioning and branding
• Marketing and promotional strategies
• Sales strategy and tactics
• Pricing strategy and sales forecast

3.7 Operations Plan

• Business location and facilities
• Technology and equipment
• Supply chain and logistics
• Production process and quality control

3.8 Financial Plan

• Financial projections (income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements)
• Funding requirements and sources
• Break-even analysis
• Financial risks and assumptions

3.9 Appendices and Exhibits (if applicable)

• Supporting documents and additional information
• Resumes of key personnel
• Legal documents and agreements
• Market research data and surveys
• Financial Statements
• Detailed Product Specifications

Bonus tips on how to write a winning business plan

Once you've done your business plan outline, it's time to fill in the gaps and craft a winning business plan. Here are some bonus tips to keep in mind:

• Tailor it to fit your business : Customize sections to meet industry-specific needs and highlight what makes your business unique.
• Keep it clear and concise : Use straightforward language and support your points with data to ensure easy understanding and avoid any confusion.
• Set actionable and realistic goals : Define measurable objectives with clear timelines and milestones to track your progress.
• Update regularly : Keep your plan dynamic by making regular updates to reflect changes in goals, market conditions, and strategies.
• Seek feedback : Gain insights from mentors and advisors to refine your plan.

Read this next: How to Start a Business in 8 Steps: A Comprehensive Guide from Concept to Launch

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The Ultimate Guide to Starting an Ebook Business

Starting an ebook business can be a great way to turn your passion for writing into a profitable venture. Here is an ultimate guide to help you get started:

Identify your niche: Determine the specific topic or area that you are passionate about and that you can write about with authority. This will help you create content that appeals to your target audience.

Develop high-quality content: Create ebooks that provide value to your target audience. This can include useful information, tips, and techniques that your readers can use.

Create a website: A website is a must-have for any business, and it's where you can promote and sell your ebooks. You can also use your website to build your email list and engage with your readers.

Create a pricing strategy: Decide on a pricing strategy that will work for your ebooks and target audience. You can choose to offer your ebooks for free, at a low price, or at a premium price.

Use marketing and promotion: Use various marketing and promotion channels such as social media, email marketing, and online advertising to reach your target audience and promote your ebooks.

Choose distribution channels: Make your ebooks available through different distribution channels such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, Apple iBooks, and Barnes and Noble Press to reach a wider audience.

Create a subscription model: Offering a subscription model can be a great way to create a recurring revenue stream for your ebook business.

Monitor and analyze your results: Use tools like Google Analytics and Amazon KDP reports to track your sales, revenue, and customer engagement. This will help you identify what's working and what's not, so you can make adjustments accordingly.

Continuously improve: Always be open to feedback, and keep experimenting with new strategies, pricing models, and promotion tactics to improve your ebook business.

Starting an ebook business can be a rewarding and profitable venture. By following these steps, you can create a sustainable revenue stream, reach your target audience, and build a successful business around your ebooks.

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Wall Street set to rise as retail sales fail to dampen rate-cut hopes

Wall Street was set to open higher on Tuesday as unexpectedly strong retail sales data signaled continued resilience in the U.S. economy, while doing little to dampen expectations of interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve this year.

I was scammed out of nearly $300,000 and was forced to abandon my retirement dreams

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Leonid Shteyn. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Last year, I started looking for ways to make more money from my retirement savings . I'm 70, and my wife, who is also retired, is 68. We were worried about having enough money to live with rising inflation. We also wanted to have something to leave our four grandchildren, two of whom have special needs.

I researched investment options online and eventually reached out to a friend. He connected me to a company he was investing in. I checked the company out online, and everything seemed above board. I spoke with a professional financial planner tied to the company.

Still, I was cautious. I opened an account with just $250. Then, I transferred $10,000. When that investment began to grow , I wanted to go all in. I withdrew $100 from the account to make sure it was legit. After that withdrawal was processed, I transferred all my money: $256,470.

Things quickly became strange

After that, things started to get strange. The so-called investment company asked me to take out a line of credit . They encouraged me to invest in bitcoin and started charging me steep commissions.

One day, I got an email, reportedly from a blockchain, the digital wallet where people keep bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies . When I looked closely, I noticed that one digit in the email was off—it was a scam meant to look like an official blockchain communication.

That's when I knew something was very wrong.

I trusted the big bank that the scammers used

Still, the so-called investment company called me, asking for more money. I got my own lawyer, who looked up the company's legal representation. He couldn't find any licensed lawyer with the name I'd been given. Next, I hired a private investigator. He tracked one scammer to Bulgaria and another to the US.

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My lawyer realized that I had sent most of my funds to an account at Bank of America . As an immigrant, I trusted Bank of America intrinsically. I never would have transferred money to a small bank or international establishment, but if you can't trust them, who can you trust?

Unfortunately, I feel Bank of America failed me terribly. Even after my lawyer alerted them to what was happening, they cleared a check I'd written to the scammers. They ignored requests from my bank to look at the fraud, and after three requests, my bank gave up.

Within three months, I went from having a healthy retirement savings to having $20,000 in the bank. With lawyer fees and the private investigator, I was out nearly $300,000.

Older people, like myself, need help to protect themselves

This whole debacle is no one's fault but my own. The thing is, I'm a smart guy. I ran a major business for 30 years. I am good at vetting people—or at least I thought.

What frustrates me is that the lack of government oversight allows scams like this to thrive. I contacted my local police department, and they said they'd investigate. I didn't hear from them, so I called back. They told me they have 600 cases like this and only three investigators. When I heard that, I knew the chances of my case being solved were slim to none.

People always ask me what advice I'd give other seniors, but I think that's the wrong question. Scammers will always exist, and people, especially older people, will always be vulnerable. We need to be able to trust the government and major institutions like Bank of America to stop this fraud. I believe they don't because they make money in interest and fees from these fraudulent accounts.

My retirement looks a lot different now

I've started from scratch a lot in my life. I immigrated from the Czech Republic to New York in 1989 and later moved from New York to Texas. But it's hard to start over at 70. I've been sending out my résumé and looking for work as a consultant, but I haven't had any leads.

I'm lucky to have a house and cars that are paid off and still have some money in the bank. I've abandoned my dream of helping my grandkids or traveling in retirement. I'm just hoping my wife and I have enough to live on.

Editor's note: In a statement to Business Insider, Bank of America said: "We don't want any bank's clients to become victims of scams. We try to work with victims and their banks to return the funds when feasible, but unfortunately, this is not always possible. We encourage clients to do thorough due diligence to ensure that they are transferring funds to legitimate businesses."

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The New Calculus for Democrats and Donors: Is Trump Unbeatable?

The shooting of Donald Trump has galvanized his campaign, prompted Elon Musk to endorse him and forced Democrats to rethink plans to oust President Biden.

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By Andrew Ross Sorkin ,  Ravi Mattu ,  Bernhard Warner ,  Sarah Kessler ,  Michael J. de la Merced ,  Lauren Hirsch and Ephrat Livni

Andrew here. The attempted assassination of Donald Trump has reverberated around the world. The question for business and policy leaders, beyond the immediate implications for the election, is how to halt the increasing political violence in this nation. America’s economy and innovation may be the envy of the world, but our politics and polarized culture are not.

The heated rhetoric is only getting worse. Business leaders and donors are not doing enough to tamp it down; most won’t speak out, afraid of potential blowback, giving outsize influence to a handful of voices on social media. If most voters are genuinely in the middle, corporate executives — whose customer base is the American public — should use their voices and wallets to make sure that view is properly represented.

It’s unfortunate how big a role money plays in U.S. politics, but it’s worse that those who could influence the political machine with their resources have done next to nothing to fix a clearly broken system filled with vitriol that helped lead to the political violence this weekend we all witnessed on Saturday.

A shooting changes the election

Twenty-four hours after surviving an assassination attempt, Donald Trump arrived in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, while President Biden and political and business leaders continue to denounce the incident.

The shooting has galvanized the Trump campaign, turning his nomination at the four-day convention into more of a coronation. And the incident led some sympathetic business leaders, including Elon Musk and Bill Ackman , to publicly throw their support behind Trump.

It may have also scrambled the debate among Democrats over whether Biden should step aside: Some potential replacements are likely rethinking the wisdom of running this year, while donors are weighing support for a dark-horse candidate.

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