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Business Plan & Budget

Documenting your vision.

A business plan is an essential part of the planning process, helping identify goals and metrics and your plan to achieve them.

• Starting with your objectives
• Business plan vs. a budget
• Business plan types
• Creating your business plan
• Creating your budget

Planning for Your New School

Your business plan and budget are important tools for two reasons:

First, before you invest your time, energy and money in opening a school, it is important that you have a plan for yourself that you can believe in. Opening any business is hard work and carries risk - schools are no exception! Having a plan can allow you to move forward with confidence.

Second, your plan can be helpful to help others understand how you expect to turn you vision from dream to reality. From recruiting staff to recruiting financial backing, a solid plan allows you to build confidence in others, too.

In this section we look at the fundamentals for school business plans and budgets, and how these are derived from your vision and objectives.

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Starting with your objectives.

As Lewis Carroll so playfully points out: you need to first know where you want to go, and then you can build a plan to get there.

If you’ve not already started with the work outlined in the school identity section of this guide, now is a great time to review the topics on core values and mission. Once your core values and mission are clear, you can begin to set objectives by examining questions such as:

Who are the students and families you want to serve? There are any number of ways you might think about this: are you intending to provide services for an underserved population or a group with particular needs that aren’t being met in your community? Are you wanting to bring together families with a common interest or ideology, whether that is an academic focus, religious conviction, academic philosophy, or opportunity for particular experiences?

What is the ideal size for your program? Even knowing you won’t get there right away, do you ultimately want to remain a small community of 18 or 24, or does your objective require a population of 300 or 500 or 1000 students to support the diversity of programming, staff expertise and varies programs you’d like to offer?

What role do you want to create for yourself? This can be a particularly tricky question, but it is crucial to step back and consider as part of your plan. If your first love is working in the classroom, you should have a plan that allows you classroom time. That may mean splitting time between administrative tasks and a small class workload, or it could mean having a large enough enrollment to bring in a full-time administrator. If you are excited by strategy and operations, and enjoy building a team, recruiting parents, and overseeing the day-to-day running of the school, keep yourself in an administrative role. There are dozens of roles you might choose to play: why not use this opportunity to ensure you put yourself in your dream job?

Once you’ve worked through your objectives (and written them down!) you’re ready to move on and begin planning.

Business Plan vs. Budget

A common misconception is that a well-defined and detailed budget is essentially the same as a business plan. While a solid budget is an important component of a business plan, a true business plan looks beyond just the projected income and expenses to answer questions about both strategy and tactics. 

The Role of a Business Plan

Business plans can seem daunting if you’ve never had to write one before. It is a must-have document, though, as it serves as a road map for your new school. Although there are many things that are going to be a part of the business plan, it is there to explain what you hope to accomplish with your school and how you are going to accomplish it. Additionally, business plans serve as important documentation for financial institutions or investors to see whether your school is worth investing in.

The Role of a Budget

Budgets, on the other hand, are primarily internal documents you’ll use to track your income and expenses and determine where your spending should take place. If you need new textbooks or want to give someone a raise, your budget will guide you through your decisions and help you determine if you have the money to do so, or what you need to accomplish to make it happen.

Business Plan Types

Creating a business plan can take time, but the good thing is that they tend to follow a consistent format – so you can basically work from a template to create yours. There are two common approaches used today:

Traditional "Full" Business Plan

A traditional, full business plan tends to be comprehensive and detailed. Creation of a full business plan can be time consuming but going through the process will help identify areas of planning that you may not have considered, and the resulting plan should provide sufficient details to be used when talking with banks or investors. For full business plans, the US Small Business Administration has a great  step-by-step guide  that walks you through each section of your business plan, along with some examples to look at.

Start-Up "Lean" Business Plan

An alternate approach is the lean start-up plan, which is faster to write and focuses more on high-level plans and a few key elements. Lean plans can be a good place to start, with the assumption you will update and revise the plan frequently.  Particularly if soliciting funding, you may require additional time and detail later. Tim Berry, one of the leading experts on lean business plans, provides a good overview in his  What's a Lean Business Plan  article.

Creating Your Business Plan

There are lots of options for online business plan templates and most share a lot of common characteristics. There’s nothing wrong with picking one based on personal taste. Any of the following are excellent options as a starting point:

growthink (non-profit business plans)

Rocket Lawyer

My Own Business Institute

InvoiceBerry

US Small Business Administration

That there are many internet-based companies that offer business plan writing or editing, specifically. Here are just a few that you might want to check out:

Cayenne Consulting

Go Business Plans

Wise Business Plans

Many of the same companies that provide the business plan templates we highlighted are business consultants, not just business plan writers. Consultants can help you in your overall plans, particularly in areas where you may need guidance.

Professional organizations and associations for private schools, as well as your local chamber of commerce are also great resources for finding business consultants to assist you in creating your business plan and beyond.

Creating Your Budget

Understanding your costs.

The costs you’ll incur as a new school are really dependent on the choices you make in facilities and staffing. You’ll find a lot of useful information in those sections of this guide and they will help you get a clearer picture of the various expenses you’re going to face as you open up your school.

One of the great things about a budget is that, as long as you can easily read and understand it, the format isn’t going to make or break you. That said, staying organized and keeping track of everything takes a good system. One of the most popular methods is using a spreadsheet or system of spreadsheets to plan your income and expenses. Smartsheet has an excellent business budget template that you can modify to meet the needs of your school.

Once you are up and running, insight into actual income and expenses can be generated by your accounting software. Some accounting packages include budgeting tools as well, easing the work of comparing your plan to your actual numbers.

Tools to Assist With Budget Creation

Several excellent resources exist that can help you develop a budget, including:

The American Association of School Administrators has put together a  School Budgets 101  document that outlines common expenses and budgetary considerations for schools

The Guardian published  A beginner's guide to planning and managing school budgets in 2016, which explains several important budgeting principals.

Helping Educators Do the Work That Matters

Guide Quick-Nav

Introduction

We’ve developed these 10 topics to help you along the way. Take them all in at once, or start with the areas most relevant right now.

School Identity

There’s plenty you can do to develop your own brand, starting right from your personal ideals and goals for your school.

Our curriculum pages include ideas on where to go to find materials, and different associations and educational models you may want to consider.

Legal & Operating Requirements

You need to know the requirements at both the federal level and for your state. Here are the basic details for every state.

Funding & Finance

Here we share ideas for possible funding sources, and ways you might be able to start with less than you thought necessary.

Having a plan for how you’ll operate and a budget to predict and allocate funds is critical for all businesses, schools included. We’ve pulled together resources here to help with both.

What facilities are right for your school? We encourage new schools to get creative, and have compiled some considerations to take into account.

How can you find and recruit the right talent for your school? What qualifications or certifications are required?

Policies & Procedures

Thinking about more than just a student handbook and conduct code, we've included recommendations & templates to help you develop your school policies & procedures

Marketing & Online Presence

Associations

School Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

School Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your school business plan.

We have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their schools.

Sample Private School Business Plan

Below is a school business plan template to help you create each section of your own education business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Southside Academy, located in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a private school that has been providing quality education to the community’s school children since 2017. Southside Academy teaches elementary, middle school, and high school students in a wide range of subjects including mathematics, science, and history. We aim to provide a welcoming and inviting environment where every student can reach their highest potential.

We promote academic, artistic, and athletic excellence in a close-knit learning environment, with a challenging curriculum that cultivates intellectual curiosity. Furthermore, we offer a low teacher-to-child ratio, where teachers can build close connections with their students as they help them excel. We develop confident, continual learners by establishing behavioral supports and the social culture needed for students to achieve social, emotional, and academic success.

Service Offering

Southside Academy offers a premium private education at an affordable tuition fee. We provide a challenging education where students can explore their true potential and a safe space where they can freely discover and express themselves. Our students range from 1st grade to 12th grade and we teach a wide variety of subjects including:

• Basic Mathematics
• Physical Education

Customer Focus

Southside Academy primarily serves families within a 5-mile radius of the school’s location. The area is home to thousands of middle and upper-class families looking for high-quality education for their children. Before the school was built, the area was underserved and many children had to travel far to attend quality private schools.

Management Team

Southside Academy’s founder is Mike Brown who has been working as a teacher for more than 20 years. Mike has taught at several public schools in the region but saw a great demand for private education. He noticed that the current location of the school was underserved and set out to create a school to serve this population. Mike Brown has successfully led Southside Academy as its principal since the school’s inception and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Mike Brown is supported by a team that has experience teaching students, managing finances, and running businesses. Specifically, our team has solid experience in being effective teachers, connecting to different types of students, and achieving key goals.

Success Factors

Southside Academy is able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Location: Southside Academy’s location is near the center of town, giving members of our community easy access for parents and their children.
• Passionate and Skillful Teachers: Southside Academy hires teachers with strong academic backgrounds who are skillful in handling all types of children.
• Low teacher-to-student ratio: We provide a low teacher-to-student ratio so that every student gets personal attention from teachers to reach their highest potential.
• Affordable, quality education: Most of the schools in the area offer their services at a very expensive price. Our fees will be moderately low so that good education is accessible to all families.

Financial Highlights

Southside Academy is currently seeking additional donations of $600,000 in order to fulfill our mission. The breakdown of the funding may be seen below:

• Salaries: $200,000
• School Materials (books, toys, desks, chairs, etc): $180,000
• Administrative Expenses: $120,000 to pay for lease costs, ongoing operational expenses, and marketing.
• Working capital: $100,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Southside Academy.

Company Overview

Who is southside academy, southside academy’s history.

Southside Academy started as an idea from a group of school teachers, including Mike Brown. The teachers were university pals who are passionate about teaching and children. They have seen the gaps in education in St. Paul, Minnesota, and wanted to create a school that elevates the academic environment for the children of this area.

Their plans to build a school started in 2015, but it was only until April 2016 that they finally completed all the paperwork and met the legal requirements. Since then, Southside Academy has achieved the following milestones:

• Found a location and built the school
• Developed the school’s name, logo, and website
• Determined curriculum
• Hired teachers and other key employees

Southside Academy’s Services

Industry analysis.

Education is an essential foundation for a thriving society. It’s more important than ever before that every child has access to affordable, high-quality education. While public schools are an essential option for many low-income families, the education provided by private schools often results in higher test scores and more students moving on to top-tier universities.

The private school industry has experienced steady growth in the past five years. The key industry drivers are economic growth, the rise in numbers of K-12 students, an increase in the number of families with both parents working, and government initiatives to support education.

According to Polaris Market Research, this growth is expected to continue with a forecasted compound annual growth rate of 6.6% from now until 2030. This shows that Southside Academy has great potential to keep growing and expanding. We will have ample opportunities to grow our curriculum and offer services to students that help them reach their highest potential.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Southside Academy serves the families and children of St. Paul, Minnesota. The area is mostly populated by young couples and new families that have disposable income and can pay a premium for their children’s education.

The precise demographics of the town in which our location resides are as follows:

Customer Segmentation

We primarily target the following three customer segments:

• Young children
• Young couples

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Southside Academy faces competition from other schools with similar profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.  

Waters Independent School

Founded in 1968, Waters Independent School is a non-profit and tax-exempt independent school system. The school is governed by an independent Board of Trustees and offers preschool through eighth-grade programs. WIS is accredited by the state’s Council of Independent Schools (FCIS).

Waters Independent School has small class sizes with low student-to-teacher ratios. Further, WIS’ Programs include a strong academic foundation coupled with programs in the arts, physical education, media/technology, foreign language, and extracurricular areas.  

Hill Preparatory School

Founded in 1923, Hill Preparatory School is a private, non-sectarian, coeducational, college preparatory day school. It offers PK-12 programs in a safe, student-centered environment. HPS supports its students through the challenges of the school year with one-on-one attention from dedicated faculty, robust services like The Learning Center and the College Center, and the most advanced educational technology. The campus spans 28 acres and has a new 60,000+ square foot facility.  

Future Leaders Preparatory School

Founded in 1968, Future Leaders Prep is a private school for PreK3-8th grade. FLPS offers preschool, elementary school, and middle school programs and offers the International Baccalaureate program of study for all students. Teachers are endorsed in gifted education through a master’s level grant with [local University]’s College of Education Gifted Program. In addition to the school, Future Leaders offers community programs such as music, dance, art, and theater lessons through the Community School of the Arts, youth sports in the Community School for Sports, and the 7-week summer camp.

Competitive Advantage

There are many schools in St. Paul, Minnesota but none of them provides the same quality of education that Southside Academy provides, specifically the following:

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

The Southside Academy brand will focus on the school’s unique value proposition:

• Providing premium education at an affordable price
• Providing a supportive and challenging place for children to learn
• Giving parents the assurance that their children will reach their full potential

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Southside Academy is as follows:

Social Media

Southside Academy will invest heavily in a social media advertising campaign. The school will utilize social media accounts and invest in ads on all social media platforms. It will use targeted marketing to appeal to the target demographics.

Publications

The school will place print advertisements in key local publications, including newspapers, area magazines, and business newsletters. Additionally, Southside Academy will print brochures and place them in specific locations frequented by target individuals.

Website/SEO

Southside Academy will invest heavily in developing a professional website that displays all of the features and benefits of Southside Academy. It will also invest heavily in SEO so that the school’s website will appear at the top of search engine results.

Direct Mail

Southside Academy will blanket neighborhoods with direct mail pieces. These pieces will provide general information on Southside Academy and incentives to enroll.

Southside Academy prices its tuition at a moderate price so our students and their families feel they are getting great value when choosing our school.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Southside Academy.

Operation Functions:

• Mike Brown is the school Principal. He manages the teachers, directs the direction of education, and serves as the head of the school.
• Mike is joined by Amanda Johnson who acts as the Administrative Assistant for the school. She helps Mike with the operations of the school as well as the marketing and administrative functions.
• Mike has hired an extensive team of highly qualified educators. Together, they teach dozens of subjects, including biology, chemistry, social studies, and mathematics. Every teacher that works for Southside Academy is passionate about education and pushing their students to reach their highest potential.

Milestones:

Southside Academy expects to achieve the following milestones in the following six months:

• 3/202X Kickoff of promotional campaign to attract new students
• 4/202X Start donation campaign
• 5/202X Hire new teachers for the upcoming year
• 6/202X Achieve donation/funding goal
• 7/202X Finalize list of incoming students for next year
• 8/202X Start next school year

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

Southside Academy’s revenues come from student tuition fees and donations from both individuals and corporations.

The major costs for the company will be staffing, marketing expenses, location maintenance, equipment, and materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Southside Academy is currently seeking additional fundraising and capital of $600,000 in order to fulfill our mission. The breakdown of the funding may be seen below:

Key Assumptions

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and to pay off the startup business loan.

• Year 1: 200
• Year 2: 300
• Year 3: 400
• Year 4: 500
• Year 5: 600
• Tuition rate per year: $10,000

Financial Statements

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, school business plan faqs, what is a school business plan.

A school business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your school business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your School business plan using our School Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of School Businesses?

There are a number of different kinds of school businesses, some examples include: private K-12 school, charter school, virtual schools, independent schools, primary school, secondary education, or preschool.

How Do You Get Funding for Your School Business Plan?

School businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a School Business?

Starting a school business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A School Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed school business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your school business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your school business is in compliance with local laws.

3, Register Your School Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your school business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your school business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary School Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your school business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your school business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful school business:

• How to Start a School

Other Helpful Business Plan Templates

Nonprofit Business Plan Template

All Formats

• How to Write a Business Plan for Starting a School – 6 Steps

Every kind of business, regardless of its size, needs thorough planning to ensure success in the long run. According to research stated in BPlans.com, some 11,046 companies had excellent business performance due to extensive planning. Another study also found on the same site shows that businesses that do thorough planning grow 30% faster than others that don’t. As you can see, planning is indeed an essential element in running a business.

Download this Free How to Write a Business Plan for Starting a School - 6 Steps Article in PDF

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How to write a business plan for a private secondary school?

Putting together a business plan for a private secondary school can be daunting - especially if you're creating a business for the first time - but with this comprehensive guide, you'll have the necessary tools to do it confidently.

We will explore why writing one is so important in both starting up and growing an existing private secondary school, as well as what should go into making an effective plan - from its structure to content - and what tools can be used to streamline the process and avoid errors.

Without further ado, let us begin!

In this guide:

Why write a business plan for a private secondary school?

• What information is needed to create a business plan for a private secondary school?
• How do I build a financial forecast for a private secondary school?

The written part of a private secondary school business plan

• What tool should I use to write my private secondary school business plan?

Being clear on the scope and goals of the document will make it easier to understand its structure and content. So before diving into the actual content of the plan, let's have a quick look at the main reasons why you would want to write a private secondary school business plan in the first place.

To have a clear roadmap to grow the business

It's rarely business as usual for small businesses. The economy follows cycles where years of growth are followed by recessions, and the business environment is always changing with new technologies, new regulations, new competitors, and new consumer behaviours appearing all the time...

In this context, running a business without a clear roadmap is like driving blindfolded: it's dangerous at best. That's why writing a business plan for a private secondary school is essential to create successful and sustainable businesses.

To write an effective business plan, you will need to take stock of where you are (if you are already in business) and where you want the business to go in the next three to five years.

Once you know where you want your private secondary school to be, you'll have to identify:

• what resources (human, equipment, and capital) are needed to get there,
• at what pace the business needs to progress to get there in time,
• and what risks you'll face along the way.

Going through this process regularly is beneficial, both for startups and existing companies, as it helps make informed decisions about how best to allocate resources to ensure the long-term success of the business.

To get visibility on future cash flows

If your small private secondary school runs out of cash: it's game over. That's why we often say "cash is king", and it's crucial to have a clear view of your private secondary school's future cash flows.

So, how can you achieve this? It's simple - you need to have an up-to-date financial forecast.

The good news is that your private secondary school business plan already includes a financial forecast (which we'll discuss further in this guide). Your task is to ensure it stays current.

To accomplish this, it's essential to regularly compare your actual financial performance with what was planned in your financial forecast. Based on your business's current trajectory, you can make adjustments to the forecast.

By diligently monitoring your private secondary school's financial health, you'll be able to spot potential financial issues, like unexpected cash shortfalls, early on and take corrective actions. Moreover, this practice will enable you to recognize and capitalize on growth opportunities, such as excess cash flow enabling you to expand to new locations.

To secure financing

Crafting a comprehensive business plan for your private secondary school, whether you're starting up or already established, is paramount when you're seeking financing from banks or investors.

Given how fragile small businesses are, financiers will want to ensure that you have a clear roadmap in place as well as command and control of your future cash flows before entertaining the idea of funding you.

For banks, the information in your business plan will be used to assess your borrowing capacity - which is defined as the maximum amount of debt your business can afford alongside your ability to repay the loan. This evaluation helps them decide whether to extend credit to your business and under what terms (interest rate, duration, repayment options, collateral, etc.).

Similarly, investors will thoroughly review your plan to determine if their investment can yield an attractive return. They'll be looking for evidence that your private secondary school has the potential for healthy growth, profitability, and consistent cash flow generation over time.

Now that you understand the importance of creating a business plan for your private secondary school, let's delve into the necessary information needed to craft an effective plan.

Need a convincing business plan?

The Business Plan Shop makes it easy to create a financial forecast to assess the potential profitability of your projects, and write a business plan that’ll wow investors.

Information needed to create a business plan for a private secondary school

Drafting a private secondary school business plan requires research so that you can project sales, investments and cost accurately in your financial forecast, and convince the reader that there is a viable commercial opportunity to be seized.

Below, we'll focus on three critical pieces of information you should gather before starting to write your plan.

Carrying out market research for a private secondary school

Before you begin writing your business plan for a private secondary school, conducting market research is a critical step in ensuring precise and realistic financial projections.

Market research grants you valuable insights into your target customer base, competitors, pricing strategies, and other crucial factors that can impact the success of your business.

In the course of this research, you may stumble upon trends that could impact your private secondary school.

You may find that potential students are increasingly interested in extracurricular activities. Market research could reveal that students may be looking for a school that provides a variety of activities, such as sports teams, clubs, or other experiential learning opportunities. Additionally, market research could indicate that parents may be looking for a school that provides a high-quality education, with a focus on technology and innovation. This could mean that students are interested in being equipped with the skills necessary to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

Such market trends play a pivotal role in revenue forecasting, as they provide essential data regarding potential customers' spending habits and preferences.

By integrating these findings into your financial projections, you can provide investors with more accurate information, enabling them to make well-informed decisions about investing in your private secondary school.

Developing the marketing plan for a private secondary school

Before delving into your private secondary school business plan, it's imperative to budget for sales and marketing expenses.

To achieve this, a comprehensive sales and marketing plan is essential. This plan should provide an accurate projection of the necessary actions to acquire and retain customers.

Additionally, it will outline the required workforce to carry out these initiatives and the corresponding budget for promotions, advertising, and other marketing endeavours.

By budgeting accordingly, you can ensure that the right resources are allocated to these vital activities, aligning them with the sales and growth objectives outlined in your business plan.

The staffing and capital expenditure requirements of a private secondary school

Whether you are starting or expanding a private secondary school, it is important to have a clear plan for recruitment and capital expenditures (investment in equipment and real estate) in order to ensure the success of the business.

Both the recruitment and investment plans need to be coherent with the timing and level of growth planned in your forecast, and require appropriate funding.

Staffing costs for a private secondary school might include the salaries of the headmaster, teachers, administrative staff, custodial staff, and cafeteria workers. Equipment costs might include the purchase of textbooks, scientific equipment, computers, furniture, and other supplies.

In order to create a realistic financial forecast, you will also need to consider the other operating expenses associated with running the business on a day-to-day basis (insurance, bookkeeping, etc.). 

Once you have all the necessary information to create a business plan for your private secondary school, it is time to start creating your financial forecast.

What goes into your private secondary school's financial forecast?

The financial forecast of your private secondary school will enable you to assess the profitability potential of your business in the coming years and how much capital is required to fund the actions planned in the business plan.

The four key outputs of a financial forecast for a private secondary school are:

• The profit and loss (P&L) statement ,
• The projected balance sheet ,
• The cash flow forecast ,
• And the sources and uses table .

Let's take a closer look at each of these.

The projected P&L statement

Your private secondary school forecasted P&L statement enables the reader of your business plan to get an idea of how much revenue and profits your business is expected to make in the near future.

Ideally, your reader will want to see:

• Growth above the inflation level
• Expanding profit margins
• Positive net profit throughout the plan

Expectations for an established private secondary school will of course be different than for a startup. Existing businesses which have reached their cruising altitude might have slower growth and higher margins than ventures just being started.

The projected balance sheet of your private secondary school

Your private secondary school's forecasted balance sheet enables the reader of your plan to assess your financial structure, working capital, and investment policy.

It is composed of three types of elements: assets, liabilities and equity:

• Assets: represent what the business owns and uses to produce cash flows. It includes resources such as cash, equipment, and accounts receivable (money owed by clients).
• Liabilities: represent funds advanced to the business by lenders and other creditors. It includes items such as accounts payable (money owed to suppliers), taxes due and loans.
• Equity: is the combination of what has been invested by the business owners and the cumulative profits and losses generated by the business to date (which are called retained earnings). Equity is a proxy for the value of the owner's stake in the business.

Your private secondary school's balance sheet will usually be analyzed in conjunction with the other financial statements included in your forecast.

Two key points of focus will be:

• Your private secondary school's liquidity: does your business have sufficient cash and short-term assets to pay what it owes over the next 12 months?
• And its solvency: does your business have the capacity to repay its debt over the medium-term?

The cash flow forecast

As we've seen earlier in this guide, monitoring future cash flows is the key to success and the only way of ensuring that your private secondary school has enough cash to operate.

As you can expect showing future cash flows is the main role of the cash flow forecast in your private secondary school business plan.

It is best practice to organise the cash flow statement by nature in order to show the cash impact of the following areas:

• Cash flow generated from operations: the operating cash flow shows how much cash is generated or consumed by the business's commercial activities
• Cash flow from investing activities: the investing cash flow shows how much cash is being invested in capital expenditure (equipment, real estate, etc.) either to maintain the business's equipment or to expand its capabilities
• Cash flow from financing activities: the financing cash flow shows how much cash is raised or distributed to financiers

Looking at the cash flow forecast helps you to make sure that your business has enough cash to keep running, and can help you anticipate potential cash shortfalls.

Your private secondary school business plan will normally include both yearly and monthly cash flow forecasts so that the readers can view the impact of seasonality on your business cash position and generation.

The initial financing plan

The sources and uses table or initial financing plan is a key component of your business plan when starting a private secondary school.

It shows where the capital needed to set up the business will come from (sources) and how it will be spent (uses).

This table helps size the investment required to set up the private secondary school, and understand how risks will be distributed between the business owners, and the financiers.

The sources and uses table also highlights what the starting cash position will be. This is key for startups as the business needs to have sufficient funding to sustain operations until the break-even point is reached.

Now that you have a clear understanding of what will go into the financial forecast of your private secondary school business plan, let's have a look at the written part of the plan.

The written part of a private secondary school business plan is composed of 7 main sections:

• The executive summary
• The presentation of the company
• The products and services
• The market analysis
• The strategy
• The operations
• The financial plan

Throughout these sections, you will seek to provide the reader with the details and context needed for them to form a view on whether or not your business plan is achievable and your forecast a realistic possibility.

Let's go through the content of each section in more detail!

1. The executive summary

The first section of your private secondary school's business plan is the executive summary which provides, as its name suggests, an enticing summary of your plan which should hook the reader and make them want to know more about your business.

When writing the executive summary, it is important to provide an overview of the business, the market, the key financials, and what you are asking from the reader.

Start with a brief introduction of the business, its name, concept, location, how long it has been in operation, and what makes it unique. Mention any services or products you plan to offer and who you sell to.

Then you should follow with an overview of the addressable market for your private secondary school, current trends, and potential growth opportunities.

You should then include a summary of your key financial figures such as projected revenues, profits, and cash flows.

Finally, you should detail any funding requirements in the ask section.

2. The presentation of the company

The second section in your private secondary school's business plan should focus on the structure and ownership, location, and management team of the company.

The structure and ownership part provides an overview of the legal structure of the business, who the owners are and how much each has invested and owns. If you are seeking financing it is important that the reader gets a clear picture of which legal entity is receiving the funds, and who controls the business.

The location part should give an overview of the premises from which the company is operating, and why that location is of particular interest (catchment area, accessibility, amenities nearby, etc.).

When describing the location of your private secondary school to a third party financier, you could emphasize the potential of the local market. You may point out the benefits of a major city nearby, such as potential access to a highly-educated workforce, businesses, and other resources. You could also mention the potential for a robust transportation network, which could help your school attract students from a wider region. Additionally, you might mention the potential of the area to attract students from outside of the area, as the local geography and climate could be attractive to prospective students.

Finally, you should introduce the management team. Explain each member's role, background, and experience.

It is also important to emphasize any past successes that the members of the management team have achieved, and how long they've been working together, as this will help potential lenders or investors understand why they should trust in their leadership.

3. The products and services section

The products and services section of your business plan should include a detailed description of what your company offers, who are the target customers, and what distribution channels are part of your go-to-market. 

For example, your private secondary school might offer its customers a range of classes such as Advanced Placement (AP) courses, foreign language classes, and a variety of extracurricular activities. Additionally, the school might provide services such as guidance counseling, college admissions assistance, and mentoring programs. All of these offerings would help to ensure that students are well prepared for life after graduation.

4. The market analysis

When presenting your market analysis in your private secondary school business plan, you should detail the customers' demographics and segmentation, target market, competition, barriers to entry, and any regulations that may apply.

The goal of this section is to help the reader understand how big and attractive your market is, and demonstrate that you have a solid understanding of the industry.

You should start with the demographics and segmentation subsection, which gives an overview of the addressable market for your private secondary school, the main trends in the marketplace, and introduces the different customer segments and their preferences in terms of purchasing habits and budgets.

The target market section should follow and zoom on the customer segments your private secondary school is targeting, and explain how your products and services meet the specific needs of these customers.

For example, your target market might include affluent families who are willing to invest in their children's education and want them to attend a private school. These parents might value the quality of education, the smaller class sizes, and the extracurricular activities that a private school can offer. They would be likely to be willing to pay a premium for these features.

Then comes the competition subsection, where you should introduce your main competitors and explain what differentiates you from them.

Finally, you should finish your market analysis by giving an overview of the main regulations applicable to your private secondary school.

5. The strategy section

When you write the strategy section of your private secondary school business plan, remember to cover key elements such as your competitive edge, pricing strategy, sales & marketing plan, milestones, and risks and mitigants.

In the competitive edge subsection, elaborate on what makes your company stand out from competitors. This becomes especially important if you're a startup, aiming to carve a place for yourself amidst established players in the marketplace.

The pricing strategy subsection should demonstrate how you plan to maintain profitability while offering competitive prices to attract customers.

Outline your sales & marketing plan, detailing how you'll reach out to new customers and retain existing ones through loyalty programs or special offers.

For the milestones subsection, outline your company's achievements to date and your main objectives for the future, complete with specific dates to set clear expectations for progress.

Lastly, the risks and mitigants subsection should address the main risks that could affect your plan's execution. Explain the measures you've put in place to minimize these risks, assuring potential investors or lenders.

Your private secondary school may face a variety of risks. For example, it could be at risk of financial losses if there is a decrease in enrollment numbers. Additionally, it might be vulnerable to cyber-attacks if its online systems are not properly secured. Adequate security measures and contingency plans should be in place to protect the school from these potential risks.

6. The operations section

The operations of your private secondary school must be presented in detail in your business plan.

Begin by addressing your staff, specifying the main roles and your recruitment plan to support the anticipated growth. Outline the qualifications and experience needed for each role and discuss your recruitment strategies, which may involve using job boards, referrals, or headhunters.

Next, clearly state your private secondary school's operating hours, allowing the reader to gauge the adequacy of your staffing levels. Additionally, mention any considerations for varying opening times during peak seasons and your approach to handling customer queries outside regular operating hours.

The key assets and intellectual property (IP) required to run your business should also be highlighted. If you rely on licenses, trademarks, physical structures like equipment or property, or lease agreements, ensure they are well-documented in this section.

Your private secondary school might have two key assets and forms of intellectual property: its proprietary curriculum and its brand. The curriculum could be a unique blend of traditional and innovative teaching methods that are tailored to the specific needs and goals of the school. It may also include a variety of resources to support students in their learning. Additionally, the school may have cultivated its own brand and image that differentiate it from other educational institutions. This might include a recognizable logo, mascot, mission statement, and other distinguishing characteristics.

Finally, provide a comprehensive list of suppliers you intend to collaborate with, along with a breakdown of their services and main commercial terms, such as price, payment terms, break clauses and contract duration. Investors often seek insight into the reasons behind your supplier choices, which may include a preference for higher-quality products or established relationships from past ventures.

7. The presentation of the financial plan

The financial plan section is where we will include the financial forecast we talked about earlier in this guide.

Now that you have a clear idea of the content of a private secondary school business plan, let's look at some of the tools you can use to create yours.

What tool should I use to write my private secondary school's business plan?

In this section, we will be reviewing the two main solutions for creating a private secondary school business plan:

• Using specialized online business plan software,
• Outsourcing the plan to the business plan writer.

Using an online business plan software for your private secondary school's business plan

Using online business planning software is the most efficient and modern way to create a private secondary school business plan.

There are several advantages to using specialized software:

• You can easily create your financial forecast by letting the software take care of the financial calculations for you without errors
• You are guided through the writing process by detailed instructions and examples for each part of the plan
• You can access a library of dozens of complete business plan samples and templates for inspiration
• You get a professional business plan, formatted and ready to be sent to your bank or investors
• You can easily track your actual financial performance against your financial forecast
• You can create scenarios to stress test your forecast's main assumptions
• You can easily update your forecast as time goes by to maintain visibility on future cash flows
• You have a friendly support team on standby to assist you when you are stuck

If you're interested in using this type of solution, you can try The Business Plan Shop for free by signing up here .

Hiring a business plan writer to write your private secondary school's business plan

Outsourcing your private secondary school business plan to a business plan writer can also be a viable option.

Business plan writers are experienced in writing business plans and adept at creating financial forecasts without errors. Furthermore, hiring a consultant can save you time and allow you to focus on the day-to-day operations of your business.

However, hiring business plan writers is expensive as you are paying for the software used by the consultant, plus their time, and their profit margin of course.

From experience, you need to budget at least £1.5k ($2.0k) excluding tax for a complete business plan, more if you need to make changes after the initial version (which happens frequently after the initial meetings with lenders or investors).

You also need to be careful when seeking investment. Investors want their money to be used to grow the business, not spent on consulting fees. Therefore, the amount you spend on business plan writing services (and other consulting services such as legal services) needs to be negligible relative to the amount raised.

The other drawback is that you usually don't own the business plan itself: you just get the output, while the actual document is saved in the consultant's business plan software - which makes it difficult to maintain the document up to date without hiring the consultant on a retainer.

For these reasons, outsourcing the private secondary school business plan to a business plan writer should be considered carefully, weighing both the advantages and disadvantages of hiring outside help.

Ultimately, it may be the right decision for some businesses, while others may find it beneficial to write their business plan using online software.

Why not create your private secondary school's business plan using Word or Excel?

Using Microsoft Excel and Word (or their Google, Apple, or open-source equivalents) to write a private secondary school business plan is not advisable. Allow me to explain the reasons.

Firstly, creating an accurate and error-free financial forecast on Excel or any spreadsheet demands technical expertise in accounting principles and financial modelling. Without a degree in finance and accounting and significant financial modelling experience, it's unlikely that the reader will fully trust your numbers.

Secondly, relying on spreadsheets is inefficient. While it may have been the go-to option in the past, technology has evolved, and software now performs such tasks much faster and more accurately.

The second reason is that it is inefficient. Building forecasts on spreadsheets was the only option in the early 2000s, nowadays technology has advanced and software can do it much faster and much more accurately.

And with the rise of AI, software is also becoming smarter at helping us detect mistakes in our forecasts and helping us analyse the numbers to make better decisions.

Moreover, software offers ease in comparing actuals versus forecasts and maintaining up-to-date forecasts for clear visibility on future cash flows, as we discussed earlier in this guide. Such tasks are cumbersome when using spreadsheets.

Now, let's address the written part of your private secondary school business plan. While it may be less prone to errors, using software can significantly boost productivity. Word processors lack instructions and examples for each section of your business plan. They also won't automatically update your numbers when changes occur in your forecast, and they lack automated formatting capabilities.

In summary, while some entrepreneurs may consider Word or Excel for their business plan, it's far from the best or most efficient solution when compared to specialized software.

• A business plan has 2 complementary parts: a financial forecast showcasing the expected growth, profits and cash flows of the business; and a written part which provides the context needed to judge if the forecast is realistic and relevant.
• Having an up-to-date business plan is the only way to keep visibility on your private secondary school's future cash flows.
• Using business plan software is the modern way of writing and maintaining business plans.

We hope that this practical guide gave you insights on how to write the business plan for your private secondary school. Do not hesitate to get in touch with our team if you still have questions.

Also on The Business Plan Shop

• In-depth business plan structure
• Business model vs business plan
• Guide to writing the conclusion of a business plan
• Key steps to write a business plan?
• Free business plan template

Know someone who owns or wants to start a private secondary school? Share this article with them!

Founder & CEO at The Business Plan Shop Ltd

Guillaume Le Brouster is a seasoned entrepreneur and financier.

Guillaume has been an entrepreneur for more than a decade and has first-hand experience of starting, running, and growing a successful business.

Prior to being a business owner, Guillaume worked in investment banking and private equity, where he spent most of his time creating complex financial forecasts, writing business plans, and analysing financial statements to make financing and investment decisions.

Guillaume holds a Master's Degree in Finance from ESCP Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Business & Management from Paris Dauphine University.

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34+ SAMPLE School Business Plan in PDF | MS Word | Google Docs | Apple Pages

School business plan | ms word | google docs | apple pages, 34+ sample school business plan, what is a school business plan, benefits of a school business plan, how to write a school business plan, why are the mission statement and vision statement important, what is the use of school business plan.

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New School Business Plan

Step 1: school overview, step 2: executive summary, step 3: school services.

• Literacy services
• Numeracy services
• Meeting accreditation standards
• Foundations in science and mathematics
• Foundations in geography and history
• Giving extracurricular activities
• Giving books and school materials

Step 4: Mission Statement and Vision Statement

Step 5: job description, step 6: swot analysis.

• Strengths – What is the ace of your school against your competitors?
• Weaknesses – On what aspects are your school lacking?
• Opportunities – Where does your school excel in teaching?
• Threats – What can make a student leave your school?

Step 7: Market Research

Step 8: sales plan, step 9: publicity plan, step 10: school budget, share this post on your network, file formats, word templates, google docs templates, excel templates, powerpoint templates, google sheets templates, google slides templates, pdf templates, publisher templates, psd templates, indesign templates, illustrator templates, pages templates, keynote templates, numbers templates, outlook templates, you may also like these articles, 5+ sample investment company business plan in pdf.

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Free Startup Business Plan Templates and Examples

By Joe Weller | May 6, 2020

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In this article, we’ve rounded up a variety of the top, professionally designed startup business plan templates, all of which are free to download in PDF, Word, and Excel formats.

Included on this page, you’ll find a one-page startup business plan template , a business plan outline template for startups , a startup business planning template with a timeline , and a sample startup business plan .

Startup Business Plan Template

Download Startup Business Plan Template - Word

Word | Smartsheet

This startup business plan template contains the essential components you need to convey your business idea and strategy to investors and stakeholders, but you can customize this template to fit your needs. The template provides room to include an executive summary, a financial overview, a marketing strategy, details on product or service offerings, and more.

One-Page Startup Business Plan Template

Download One-Page Startup Business Plan Template

Excel | Word | PDF

This one-page business plan is ideal for startup companies that want to document and organize key business concepts. The template offers an easy-to-scan layout that’s ideal for investors and stakeholders. Use this plan to create a high-level view of your business idea and as a reference as you flesh out a more detailed roadmap for your business.

For additional resources, visit " Free One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide ."

Simple Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Template for Startups

Download Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template for Startups

This comprehensive fill-in-the-blank business plan template is designed to guide entrepreneurs through the process of building a startup business plan. This template comes with a customizable cover page and table of contents, and each section includes sample content that you can modify to fit the needs of your business. For more fill-in business templates, read our  "Free Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Templates"  article.

Lean Business Plan Template for Startups

Download Lean Business Plan Template for Startups

This Lean business plan template takes a traditional business plan outline and extracts the most essential elements. Use this template to outline your company and industry overview, convey the problem you are solving, identify customer segments, highlight key performance metrics, and list a timeline of key activities.

Business Plan Outline Template for Startups

Download Business Plan Outline Template for Startups

You can use this business plan outline as a basis to create your own business plan. This template contains all the elements of a traditional business plan, including a title page, a table of contents, and information on what to include in each section. Simplify or expand this outline based on the size and needs of your startup business.

Startup Business Planning Template with Timeline

Download Startup Business Planning Template with Timeline

Excel | Smartsheet

As you create your business plan, this business planning template doubles as a schedule and timeline to track the progress of key activities. This template enables you to break down your plan into phases and provides space to include key tasks and dates for each task. For a visual timeline, shade in the cells according to each task’s start and end dates. The timeline ensures that your plan stays on track.

Business Plan Rubric Template for Startups

Download Business Plan Rubric Template for Startups

Excel | Word | PDF | Smartsheet

If you’re starting a business and want to keep all your ducks in a row, use this rubric to evaluate and score each aspect of your startup business plan. You can tailor this template to the needs of your specific business, and can also highlight areas of your plan that require improvement or expansion. Use this template as a tool to make sure your plan is clear, articulate, and organized. A sharp, insightful, well thought-out plan will definitely get the attention of potential investors and partners.

For additional resources to help support your business planning efforts, check out “Free Startup Plan, Budget, and Cost Templates.”

What’s the Best Business Plan Template for Startups?

The template you choose for your startup business depends on a number of factors, including the size and specific needs of your company. Moreover, as your business grows and your objectives change, you will need to adjust your plan (and possibly your choice of template) accordingly. 

Some entrepreneurs find it useful to use a Lean business plan template design in order to jot down a business concept and see if it’s feasible before pursuing it further. Typically one to three pages, a Lean business plan template encourages you to highlight core ideas and strategic activities and remain focused on key points.

Other entrepreneurs prefer a template with a more traditional business plan design, which allows you to go into greater detail and ensure you include every detail. A traditional plan can range from 10 to 100 pages and cover both the high-level and granular particulars of your overall concept, objectives, and strategy.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but the following section outlines the minimum that your business plan template should include in order to gain buy-in from potential investors.

What to Include in a Startup Business Plan

Whether you choose to use a template to develop your startup business plan or decide to write one from scratch, you need to include the following elements:

• An overview of your company and the industry in which it operates
• The problem you are solving and the proposed solution
• A description of your product or service offerings, including key features
• The existing alternatives that customers use and your competitive advantage
• The target customer segments and the channels you will use to reach them
• The cost structure and revenue streams associated with your business
• A financial plan, including sales and revenue projections (ideally 3-5 years)
• If applicable, the financial requirements to get your business running, including how you will source and allocate funds

Each of the following sections provides an example of a business plan that you can use for reference as you develop your own.

One-Page Lean Business Plan Example

This Lean business plan example displays a visually appealing and scannable one-page illustration of a business plan. It conveys the key strategies you need to meet your main objectives. Each element of this concise plan provides stakeholders and potential investors with links to resources that support and expand upon the plan’s details, and it can also serve as an investor pitch deck.

Startup Business Plan Sample

This business plan sample contains all the aspects of a standard business plan. Using a fictional food truck business as the basis for a startup business plan, this sample will give you all the ideas you need to make your plan outstanding.

Download Startup Business Plan Sample - PDF

When the time comes that you need more space to lay out your goals and strategies, choose from our variety of  free simple business plan templates . You can learn how to write a successful simple business plan  here . 

Visit this  free non-profit business plan template roundup  or of you are looking for a business plan template by file type, visit our pages dedicated specifically to  Microsoft Excel ,  Microsoft Word , and  Adobe PDF  business plan templates. Read our articles offering  free 30-60-90-day business plan templates  to find more tailored options.

Top 10 Tips to Create a Startup Business Plan

Putting together a business plan can be overwhelming and time consuming, especially if you aren’t sure where to begin. Below, we share tips you can use to help simplify the process of developing a startup business plan of your own. 

• Use a business plan template, or begin with a business plan outline that provides all the elements of a standard plan to get your ideas down on paper in a structured manner. (You can choose from the selection of templates above.)  
• Remove sections from your outline that aren’t relevant or that aren’t necessary to launch and operate your business.
• Compile the data you have gathered on your business and industry, including research on your target market and product or service offerings, details on the competitive landscape, and a financial plan that anticipates the next three to five years. Use that information to fill in the sections of your plan outline. 
• Get input and feedback from team members (e.g., finance, marketing, sales) and subject matter experts to ensure that the information you’ve included in the plan is accurate.
• Make certain that the objectives of your plan align with marketing, sales, and financial goals to ensure that all team members are moving in the same direction.
• Although this section of the plan comes first, write the executive summary last to provide an overview of the key points in your business plan.
• Prepare a pitch deck for potential clients, partners, or investors with whom you plan to meet in order to share vital information about your business, including what sets you apart and the direction you are headed. 
• Who are the founders and management executives, and what relevant experience do they bring to the table?
• What is the problem you are solving, and how is your solution better than what currently exists? 
• What’s the size of the market, and how much market share do you plan to capture?
• What are the trends in your market, and how are you applying them to your business?
• Who are your direct competitors, and what is your competitive advantage?
• What are the key features of your product or service that set it apart from alternative offerings, and what features do you plan to add in the future?
• What are the potential risks associated with your business, and how do you plan to address them?
• How much money do you need to get your business running, and how do you plan to source it?
• With the money you source, how do you plan to use it to scale your business?
• What are the key performance metrics associated with your business, and how will you know when you’re successful?
• Revisit and modify your plan on a regular basis as your goals and strategies evolve.
• Use a work collaboration tool that keeps key information across teams in one place, allows you to track plan progress, and captures updates in real time.

Successfully Implement Your Startup Business Plan with Real-Time Work Management in Smartsheet

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The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. 

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

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Start-up business plan.

The purpose of the Start-Up Business Plan Event is to provide an opportunity for the participant to develop and present a proposal to form a business. The event provides an opportunity for a participant to develop and demonstrate mastery of essential knowledge and skills as they apply to the analysis of a business opportunity.

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Music School Business Plan

The rising culture of learning music has opened innumerable opportunities for music businesses. Music schools offer mind-boggling profit margins making it a lucrative business venture.

Anyone with a passion for music can start a music school. However, having a comprehensive business plan in action will help you secure the initial funds to get started.

Need help writing a business plan for your music school? You’re at the right place. Our music school business plan template will help you get started.

Free Business Plan Template

Download our free business plan template now and pave the way to success. Let’s turn your vision into an actionable strategy!

• Fill in the blanks – Outline
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How to Write A Music School Business Plan?

Writing a music school business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section planned to offer an overview of the entire business plan. However, it is written after the entire business plan is ready and summarizes each section of your plan.

Here are a few key components to include in your executive summary:

Introduce your Business:

• This section may include the name of your music school, its location, when it was founded, the type of music school (E.g., vocal training school, instrument learning school, early childhood music school, online music schools), etc.

Market Opportunity:

Products and services:.

• For instance, you may include music lessons, recitals, performances, and workshops as music services and mention individual instruction, personal attention, and niche expertise as some of your USPs.

Marketing & Sales Strategies:

Financial highlights:, call to action:.

Ensure your executive summary is clear, concise, easy to understand, and jargon-free.

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2. Business Overview

The business overview section of your business plan offers detailed information about your company. The details you add will depend on how important they are to your business. Yet, business name, location, business history, and future goals are some of the foundational elements you must consider adding to this section:

Business Description:

• Vocal training school
• Instrument learning school
• Early childhood music school
• Online music schools
• Describe the legal structure of your music school, whether it is a sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership, or others.
• Explain where your business is located and why you selected the place.

Mission Statement:

Business history:.

• Additionally, If you have received any awards or recognition for excellent work, describe them.

Future Goals

This section should provide a thorough understanding of your business, its history, and its future plans. Keep this section engaging, precise, and to the point.

3. Market Analysis

The market analysis section of your business plan should offer a thorough understanding of the industry with the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. You should include the following components in this section.

Target market:

• For instance, children, teenagers, and adolescents would be an ideal target audience for online kids’ music school.

Market size and growth potential:

• For instance, the global kids’ music learning app is expected to reach 584.90 million dollars by 2030. It’s important to determine your share of the target market from this and its potential growth.

Competitive Analysis:

Market trends:.

• For instance, web-based music learning has a booming market; explain how you plan on dealing with this potential growth opportunity.

Regulatory Environment:

Here are a few tips for writing the market analysis section of your music school business plan:

• Conduct market research, industry reports, and surveys to gather data.
• Provide specific and detailed information whenever possible.
• Illustrate your points with charts and graphs.
• Write your business plan keeping your target audience in mind.

4. Music Services and instrument

The product and services section should describe the specific services and products that will be offered to customers. To write this section should include the following:

Music lessons:

Performance opportunities:.

Highlight any type of performance opportunity that your school will offer. This includes recitals, concerts, competitions, and opportunities for music collaborations.

Musical products:

Quality measures:.

• This may include having qualified and experienced instructors, well-maintained facilities and equipment, and individual attention.

Additional Services

In short, this section of your music school plan must be informative, precise, and client-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

Writing the sales and marketing strategies section means a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key elements to include in your sales & marketing plan:

Unique Selling Proposition (USP):

• For example, specialization in a certain niche(i.e. Guitar), experienced instructors, and music technology could be some of the great USPs for an instrument music learning school.

Pricing Strategy:

Marketing strategies:, sales strategies:, customer retention:.

Overall, this section of your music school business plan should focus on customer acquisition and retention.

Have a specific, realistic, and data-driven approach while planning sales and marketing strategies for your music school, and be prepared to adapt or make strategic changes in your strategies based on feedback and results.

6. Operations Plan

The operations plan section of your business plan should outline the processes and procedures involved in your business operations, such as staffing requirements and operational processes. Here are a few components to add to your operations plan:

Staffing & Training:

Operational process:, equipment & machinery:.

• Explain how these technologies help you maintain quality standards and improve the efficiency of your business operations.

Adding these components to your operations plan will help you lay out your business operations, which will eventually help you manage your business effectively.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of your music school management team. This section should provide a detailed description of each manager’s experience and qualifications, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

Founders/CEO:

Key managers:.

• It should include, key executives(e.g. director) senior management, and other department managers (e.g. head coach, instrument manager.) involved in the music school operations, including their education, professional background, and any relevant experience in the music industry.

Organizational structure:

Compensation plan:, advisors/consultants:.

• So, if you have any advisors or consultants, include them with their names and brief information consisting of roles and years of experience.

This section should describe the key personnel for your music services, highlighting how you have the perfect team to succeed.

8. Financial Plan

Your financial plan section should provide a summary of your business’s financial projections for the first few years. Here are some key elements to include in your financial plan:

Profit & loss statement:

Cash flow statement:, balance sheet:, break-even point:.

• This exercise will help you understand how much revenue you need to generate to sustain or be profitable.

Financing Needs:

Be realistic with your financial projections, and make sure you offer relevant information and evidence to support your estimates.

9. Appendix

The appendix section of your plan should include any additional information supporting your business plan’s main content, such as market research, legal documentation, financial statements, and other relevant information.

• Add a table of contents for the appendix section to help readers easily find specific information or sections.
• In addition to your financial statements, provide additional financial documents like tax returns, a list of assets within the business, credit history, and more. These statements must be the latest and offer financial projections for at least the first three or five years of business operations.
• Provide data derived from market research, including stats about the music school industry, user demographics, and industry trends.
• Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
• Include any additional documentation related to your business plan, such as product brochures, marketing materials, operational procedures, etc.

Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the necessary information.

Remember, the appendix section of your music school business plan should only include relevant and important information supporting your plan’s main content.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

This sample music school business plan will provide an idea for writing a successful music school plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you still need clarification about writing an investment-ready business plan to impress your audience, download our music school business plan pdf .

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Frequently asked questions, why do you need a music school business plan.

A business plan is an essential tool for anyone looking to start or run a successful music school. It helps to get clarity in your business, secures funding, and identifies potential challenges while starting and growing your business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your music school.

How to get funding for your music school?

There are several ways to get funding for your music school, but self-funding is one of the most efficient and speedy funding options. Other options for funding are:

• Bank loan – You may apply for a loan in government or private banks.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) loan – SBA loans and schemes are available at affordable interest rates, so check the eligibility criteria before applying for it.
• Crowdfunding – The process of supporting a project or business by getting a lot of people to invest in your business, usually online.
• Angel investors – Getting funds from angel investors is one of the most sought startup options.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

What is the easiest way to write your music school business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any music school business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our business plan software .

How detailed should the financial projections be in my music school business plan?

The level of detail of the financial projections of your music school may vary considering various business aspects like direct and indirect competition, pricing, and operational efficiency. However, your financial projections must be comprehensive enough to demonstrate a complete view of your financial performance.

Generally, the statements included in a business plan offer financial projections for at least the first three or five years of business operations.

Can a good music school business plan help me secure funding?

Indeed. A well-crafted music school business plan will help your investors better understand your business domain, market trends, strategies, business financials, and growth potential—helping them make better financial decisions.

So, if you have a profitable and investable business, a comprehensive business plan can certainly help you secure your business funding.

What's the importance of a marketing strategy in a music school business plan?

Marketing strategy is a key component of your music school business plan. Whether it is about achieving certain business goals or helping your investors understand your plan to maximize their return on investment—an impactful marketing strategy is the way to do it!

Here are a few pointers to help you understand the importance of having an impactful marketing strategy:

• It provides your business an edge over your competitors.
• It helps investors better understand your business and growth potential.
• It helps you develop products with the best profit potential.
• It helps you set accurate pricing for your products or services.

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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46 Best Startup Ideas for Students

• Startup Ideas
• Best Startup Ideas
• Student Entrepreneurs

Last Updated: January 12, 2024 By TRUiC Team

Whether you’re in high school, community college, or university, it can prove challenging to juggle a 9-to-5 job while finishing school. Launching your own startup company as a student offers the flexibility of creating your work schedule to align with a busy school schedule.

The first step involves selecting the right business idea for you based on your interests, the overall startup costs, and the amount of time you can dedicate to your business. This guide highlights the most unique and innovative startup business ideas for students to help you find the right one for you.

Recommended: Find more inspiration by checking out our list of the best startup ideas and top startups to watch in 2024 !

Startup Business Ideas for Students

Some of the most successful startups in history were created by students. Even if you are only looking for a little side-hustle income while you study, an innovative concept will undoubtedly set you apart from the get-go. Here are some of the best startup ideas for students we've sourced.

1. Tutoring

Are you proficient in a specific subject or do you have a unique skill? If yes, you can help other students by starting your own tutoring business. Any subject in which you excel — like math, English, or science — can provide a potential tutoring opportunity.

Tutoring businesses can charge by the session or the hour. You can easily market this type of business within your school, at the public library, or in community centers. Best of all, this startup idea has virtually no startup costs. 

2. App Development

While it might seem like there’s already an app for everything, the potential to create millions of apps for entertainment purposes or to solve everyday problems still exists. This startup idea can ideally suit tech-savvy students, but anyone can create a popular app with the right support during production and a great idea.

If you don’t currently have an app idea, don’t worry. Start brainstorming ideas by conducting an audit of daily tasks or problems an app could simplify or solve. Many of the most popular apps solve a common problem, making them more likely to have widespread appeal.

3. Freelance Writing

If you’re a skilled or talented writer, freelance writing might provide a great way for you to make money as you pursue your education. Freelance writers of all kinds are in demand by businesses and publications looking for temporary employees to write blog posts, articles, and other content.

One of the biggest benefits of freelance writing at a younger age is that you’ll gain experience that can help you later on as you establish a career. Sites like Upwork® and Writer Access® provide a secure platform for businesses and freelancers to connect.

4. Podcasting

Next up on our list of business ideas for students is podcasting. As the popularity of podcasts continues to grow , it’s an ideal time to start a podcast of your own. In fact, the podcast industry was valued at $18.52 billion in 2022 . The most successful podcasts feature engaging hosts and a specific topic that can attract interested listeners. You also must feel comfortable with interviewing and public speaking before you start a podcast.

Moreover, it’s best to choose a topic for which you have a passion and can see yourself dedicating a good amount of time to researching. For example, if you’re passionate about sustainability, your podcast could focus on interviewing other entrepreneurs who currently work to fight climate change.

Launching your own company? Build your startup website today with GoDaddy !

5. Tech Support

Do you have a knack for solving technical problems? If so, you may want to consider launching a tech support startup. You can run these types of online businesses entirely from your home and market it by posting flyers at schools, coffee shops, and libraries. You just need a phone, a website, and some technical experience. You also can charge by the job, the hour, or the type of device.

In this type of business, customers typically call or email with a technical issue and you, the tech support person, walk them through how to fix that issue. Alternatively, you can request your customers drop their computers off so you can take a first-hand look.

Check out our full list of tech startup ideas .

6. Digital Textbook

Digital textbooks are educational ebooks that provide a much-needed alternative to traditional textbooks in terms of both price and sustainability. With the introduction of ereaders and other devices, the market for digital alternatives to educational materials continues to grow. Whether you plan to write a digital textbook or start a website that’ll house popular digital textbooks, this startup idea can enable you to earn a profit while you provide a service to students and the educational system.

Online learning continued to gain popularity in the past year. Providing additional tools for students — or people who just want to brush up on a subject — by developing an educational technology (edtech) startup can make education more accessible to a larger fraction of society. Startup costs for this business idea can range from $12 to $27,209 , depending on the business model. 

Whether you plan to develop an app, create online courses, or build an online tutoring resource for students, you must first identify your target subject and platform. Additionally, successful edtech startups tend to offer a product that’s both effective and intuitive. Remember to consider those criteria during your product development process.

See our interview below with the co-founders of edtech startup Trashbots !

8. Meal Delivery Service

Faced with fewer dine-in options, people increasingly turned to food delivery services in the past year. In fact, the market is expected to experience a 14.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2023 to 2032. Starting your own meal delivery service can help small local businesses meet delivery demand, enable customers to enjoy their favorite restaurants, and provide a business opportunity that’ll work with your busy schedule.

To compete with the big names in meal delivery, connect with your local restaurant owners. Many popular food delivery apps and websites charge a substantial fee to deliver for restaurants. Your business can gain a competitive edge by offering quick delivery times and lower fees.

Check out our full list of  startup ideas for food lovers .

9. College Care Package Business

Going away to college often represents an exciting adventure. For families and friends seeking to support their favorite college students, a college care package business can take the guesswork out of what to send them with thoughtfully curated packages.

One benefit of starting this type of business is that you can operate it completely online. That’ll reduce your overhead costs and give you more freedom for your busy schedule. Offering a variety of packages for different types of students with customizable options will set your college care package business apart from the competition.

10. Ebook Writing

Today, you can accomplish almost everything virtually — even publishing a book. Ebooks provide an alternative to traditional publishing, making them cheaper for both authors and readers. Moreover, ebooks are far more sustainable than paper books.

To get started, you’ll need writing experience and a topic idea for your ebook. Whether you choose to write a novel or a cookbook, the ebook market offers a huge profit potential while requiring minimal startup and overhead costs. Especially considering that ebooks made up over 10% of book sales in 2022 . That makes this type of business a great choice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

11. Social Media Influencer

A successful social media influencer almost always understands how to create and effectively market a brand. If you think you’re up to the challenge, this can make a lucrative and exciting startup idea. Social media influencers with between 10,000 and 25,000 followers make $100-$250 per post , on average. 

Influencers earn money through brand deals. Because every industry has influencers, you’re more likely to generate a large viewership and build a strong brand if you focus on a specific industry or niche for which you have a passion. In addition, you’ll need to feel comfortable with public speaking and connecting with your audience in order to attract brands that want to work with you.

12. Mobile Coffee Cart

Many students work in coffee shops and cafes while pursuing their education. A mobile coffee cart offers a flexible schedule and the opportunity to network within your community. It also provides a relatively low-cost alternative to opening a brick-and-mortar cafe with many mobile coffee carts costing between $2,000-$5,000 to start. 

Customers typically hire mobile coffee carts to work events like corporate retreats, school events, and even weddings. Make your business stand out by offering a customizable drink menu that can complement customers’ event themes.

Feeling inspired? Learn how to launch your own company with our guide on how to start a startup .

13. YouTube Channel

Launching a YouTube channel is next up on our list of startup business ideas for students. YouTube has billions of subscribers worldwide, which means the platform offers a great opportunity for new channels and video content. Starting your own video channel can represent another form of blogging (called “vlogging”) or provide a space for you to teach a skill or share a hobby. If you have a passion for ceramics, for example, you could start an entire channel about your process from clay to kiln.

Social media platforms focus on making connections, and YouTube is no exception. Every industry or hobby has the potential to connect with thousands of YouTube subscribers, which you could parlay into a lucrative business venture. Especially considering the average YouTuber in the US makes $33 per hour on average. 

14. Review Website

Like most people, you probably search online for reviews before you spend your money at an unfamiliar business. Review websites hold businesses accountable by giving people insights about them so potential customers can make an informed decision.

You can easily start and manage this kind of website with a minimal budget, making it perfect for student entrepreneurs. In order to run a successful review website, you’ll need to gain credibility with customers and differentiate your site from larger review sites like Yelp.

15. Social Media Platform

Many social media users seek new platforms to explore so they can connect with others. Starting your own social media platform can provide a space to foster a sense of community as well as a potentially lucrative business venture. Moreover, it offers a flexible schedule — especially during the initial stages of operating your site.

To entice users to join your social media platform, focus on developing ideas that’ll make your site feel distinct from other platforms. For example, you could opt to cater to a specific demographic like gamers or musicians.

16. Livestreaming

If you already spend a lot of time playing video games, why not make it a business venture? Livestreaming essentially involves broadcasting live footage of your game as you play, using a platform like Twitch or Smashcast. Once you obtain the minimum number of followers (e.g., 500 on TWITCH), you can become a partner of the livestreaming site and begin to make money based on the traffic your streams generate.

17. Graphic Design

Many businesses and organizations need graphic designers to create visual branding for use on everything from signage to marketing materials. Because graphic design is a fairly broad industry, having a multifaceted skill set can prove extremely beneficial. For example, proficiency in logo design as well as typography or web design can help you book more clients and build your portfolio.

18. Dropshipping

If you like the idea of an ecommerce startup but don’t have the room to store items to sell, dropshipping could be the perfect solution. Dropshipping startups simply take customer’s orders online, but instead of filling orders themselves, they are sent to a third-party retailer for fulfillment. Essentially, your startup consists of customer experience management, marketing, and curating items for your dropshipping business. On average, dropshippers make $3,414 per month , according to ZipRecruiter. 

19. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a popular side hustle , but it can be a profitable business idea if you do it right. Through affiliate marketing, you will earn a commission on sales you drive for brands you partner with. What makes this idea particularly good for college students is that there is a relatively low barrier to entry. Be sure to pick products you're already known for, associated with, and to which you have market access. 

20. Website Development

Building websites can be a great way to make money as a student, particularly if you're studying something related. Almost everyone, from businesses to individual entrepreneurs, needs a website, and if you do a great job on the first few projects, you'll start getting business through word of mouth. This is another space with a pretty low barrier to entry as there are many open source tools available for developers.

21. Virtual Assistant

You don’t have to be in an office to help businesses and fellow entrepreneurs get organized. A virtual assistant startup is a great business idea for organized, task-oriented individuals. If this sounds like you, it is easy to get started by utilizing sites that can help you find work you’re interested in. Get a competitive edge by diversifying your skill set to make yourself eligible for a litany of job opportunities. Plus, this flexible position brings in $24 per hour on average in the US, according to ZipRecruiter.

22. Web Design

Web designers focus predominantly on the user experience aspect of web pages. If your field of study relates to design (or even if this is just a passion for you), a web design startup might be your best bet for a student business. To really hook the clients, pair up with a friend in the development space and offer your services as a package.

23. Handcrafted Products

Handmade, artisanal goods never go out of style. Plus, the market for handmade goods is expected to see moderate growth from 2023 to 2030 at a CAGR of 4.7% . Selling handcrafted products offers you the flexibility of selling your goods online, in established retailers, or at local markets. The first step involves determining the product(s) you’ll make. This could include food products, pet toys, wooden furniture, or many other items. To successfully sell handcrafted products, remember to focus on product quality and cater to the right niche market.

24. Cleaning Services

Next on our list of the best business ideas for students is cleaning services. You can start a successful cleaning startup in several ways. For example, you could start a house-cleaning business, an office-cleaning business, or a graffiti-cleaning business, among others. 

This type of startup has low initial costs and flexible hours. You can schedule as many clients as you can manage based on your availability. Overhead costs for cleaning services include marketing materials, cleaning supplies, and vehicle expenses, which means it'll cost very little to launch your cleaning startup. Notably, in the US, cleaning business owners make $127,973 per year on average , making this a lucrative business for students. 

25. Moving Company

If you ask people if they enjoy moving, most will answer with a firm “no.” That can make a moving company startup a potentially lucrative business idea. Not to mention, the industry has grown by 11.4% in 2022, meaning the demand for moving companies is increasing. You’ll need to hire a team and purchase a vehicle large enough to move furniture so this type of business has higher startup costs than other business ideas. But, that initial investment can pay off once you start booking jobs and generating positive reviews.

26. Planner and Journal Business

The right planner or journal can help even the most disorganized people manage their time more effectively. Journals also can serve multiple purposes, making them a valuable tool for many. Starting a planner and journal business can help fulfill the demand for these products while offering you a potentially lucrative business venture.

Planner and journal businesses can sell their products online or in established retailers like bookstores and novelty shops. To make your products stand out, consider giving them distinctive features like including time-management tips inside your planners or manufacturing your journals from recycled materials.

27. Social Media Marketing

If you're already spending a lot of time on social media platforms and you have a good understanding of the marketing end, why not turn that into a startup? Anyone with a product or service, especially local businesses, to sell today needs to be on social media, and many business people do not have the skills or the time to pull it off well. The multiple free scheduling and design tools available today also make this a pretty low-cost industry to enter.

28. Website Flipping 

Another website-based startup you can try is website flipping. People often allow their websites to go dormant either because they've closed their business or just aren't interested anymore. This is an opportunity for you to purchase this website at a relatively low cost, optimize it, increase the traffic, and flip it at an excellent profit when it is worth far more than it was.  

29. Motivational Apps

Mobile apps are really popular, and if they make you feel good and improve your life, all the better. Apps geared toward motivation do very well in most app stores, and they're relatively simple to build and maintain. You will need to come up with an innovative idea, though, but thankfully, there are many spaces to work within — meditation, mindfulness, inspiration, and productivity, to name a few. If you plan to develop an app of your own, you can also take advantage of university-led incubators or startup accelerators such as Techstars Mobility or Plug and Play Tech Center. 

30. Organization Service

Few people naturally possess strong organizational skills. If you’re one of those few, an organization service may represent the perfect startup idea for you. Professional organizing services not only help customers tidy up cluttered spaces, but also help them develop the organizational skills they need to maintain order going forward. One of the benefits of starting this type of business is you can operate it either in person by visiting customers’ homes and offices or virtually by conducting video consultations.

31. Errand-Running Service

Busy professionals, small businesses, and seniors typically need help running errands they can’t get to themselves. This could involve going to the post office, picking up dry cleaning, or taking a pet to a vet appointment.

To get started, you just need a vehicle, a phone, and some spare time. You can operate your errand-running business from home and market your services on bulletin boards at community centers, senior centers, or anywhere you can post a flier with your information. While this business idea isn’t the most lucrative, on average, errand runners make $15 per hour . If you can manage a fleet of errand runners, the earnings can add up. 

32. Language Learning Startup

If you’ve learned a foreign language, you know it’s difficult, especially for adults. However, knowing a second language is not only a fun pastime, but it opens up job opportunities and helps people connect with other communities. A language learning startup can be any product or service that helps people learn a new language, such as an app, instructional website, or written guides.

To make your startup stand out, focus on making learning a new language fun for users so that they want to reach for your product or resources again and again. If you opt for a tech-related language learning model, consider utilizing an edtech incubator to help develop your idea such as Berkeley SkyDeck, FasterCapital, or ASU Venture Devils. 

33. Virtual Event Planning

With businesses and organizations grappling with social distancing requirements in the last few years, the virtual events space has exploded, and hosting events online has actually become a game-changer for many businesses. As a result, a new critical skill has emerged: the need to plan these events. If you have great digital skills and you're pretty good at organizing people, look into virtual event planning as a startup. Again, there are many open-source tools available that make breaking into this space relatively cheap.

34. Clean Beauty Products

Green or “clean” beauty products are increasing in popularity across the US as we learn more and more about the harmful effects of some ingredients in traditional beauty products. In fact, the global clean beauty market is currently valued at $8.3 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $15.3 billion by 2028 . A green beauty product startup provides a better alternative, whether it’s clean skincare or cosmetics — the key is to create a product that is as effective as traditional products without the same damaging ingredients.

35. Software Startup

A software development startup is responsible for creating, distributing, and maintaining the programs that businesses use every day. This industry is experiencing exciting growth with annual revenue of $238 billion per year and an annual growth rate of 3.9% , which means this startup idea holds a tremendous amount of opportunity for entrepreneurs.

36. Snack Company

Do you have a go-to homemade snack that you know other people would love as well? If so, take your tasty treats to the next level by starting a snack company . Consumers are always looking for delicious new snack options with special ingredients or a twist on a classic snack. Growing your audience can be done by going to farmers' markets or local events and letting people try your delicious new snack!

37. Robotics Startup

It's not uncommon for robotics startups to be founded by students or recent graduates, especially if they are studying in the field at one of the more prestigious colleges with well-backed programs and grants for research. College can be an amazing place to discover new technology and brainstorm with fellow students, but you also want to ensure that you understand the industry you're trying to get into before you get too far ahead of yourself. 

With that said, definitely use the resources at your disposal if you're in a great robotics program and see where it can take you and your startup. Or, consider joining an incubator or accelerator such as AlleyCorp, MARL 5G Accelerator, or Buildit Accelerator to help develop your startup. 

38. Fintech

If you have a good understanding of both the financial and technology spaces, you may want to consider a fintech startup as your niche. Historically, student fintech startups that have focused predominantly on student financial issues have done really well. It's vital to understand your market, after all. When you start to delve into the world of finance, though, you'll need to ensure that you are complying with any state laws that govern the industry. After you've ticked that box, your fintech startup will be ready to go. For a startup idea like this, you may want to consider seed stage venture capital firms such as Precursor Ventures that have a history of deploying capital into promising fintech companies. 

39. Marketplace Website

Become the platform your community uses to sell and exchange goods and services by creating a marketplace website startup. Elevate the startup idea by prioritizing user experience and safety protocols. The key to a successful marketplace website is to create a positive experience for users that makes buying and selling items seamless and safe.

40. Sustainable Clothing Line

Fashion is one of the most wasteful industries on the planet. If you’re thinking about starting a clothing line, consider making it a sustainable one! Plus, the demand for these businesses is growing and is projected to continue that trajectory, forecasted to grow from $7.8 billion in 2023 to $33.05 in 2030 . A sustainable clothing line can make an impact by creating thoughtful garments that are long-lasting and ethically made out of sustainable materials such as linen or hemp.

41. Virtual Meeting Platform

With the virtual events space growing so considerably, the need for virtual meeting services has increased proportionately. This might mean anything from scheduling software for end-to-end management or perhaps even add-on apps that assist large companies with the management of various meetings simultaneously. There are several open-source tools available to help you break into this space.

42. Beverage Startup

If you have a great drink recipe or an idea for a special ingredient or function that will entice customers, start a beverage company ! A competitive edge in this industry is well-designed packaging that is catered to a target demographic and, of course, a delicious beverage inside. If you’re more of a connoisseur of beverages, a beverage distribution company is another lucrative startup idea that can be focused on a specific type of beverage such as beer, soda, or wine. Keep in mind that if you start a beverage company, you may benefit from a founder community such as Foodbevy to connect with other entrepreneurs in the space and grow together. 

43. SEO Services

Search engine optimization ( SEO ) is an essential tool for online marketing. However, to achieve a successful SEO service, you need to dedicate time and effort to creating content and staying on top of changes in search trends. Starting an SEO services startup offers customers an opportunity to cash in on this powerful internet marketing tool without spending too much of their own. To create a successful SEO services startup, you will need a deep understanding of SEO tactics and the software to do effective research. 

Looking for more inspiration? Check out our list of the top startups to watch in 2024 !

44. Online Courses

Online courses are a great way to use your existing knowledge to help college students, professionals, or anyone looking to expand their skill set in a niche market. This startup idea, on average, can bring in roughly $82,500 per year , according to ZipRecruiter. To create an online course, you will likely want to join an online course platform such as Udemy or Skillshare and utilize digital marketing strategies to get the word out about your course. However, a great online course can be one of the less laborious but still profitable business ideas for students.

45. Translation Services

If you speak more than one language, offering translation services can be a great way to leverage your skills to start your own business. A translation services business is often responsible for translating various documents while maintaining client confidentiality. This can be done to either provide grammatical and spelling help or to ensure the content of the translation matches the original document.

46. Become a Reseller

With the rise of apps such as Poshmark, Vinted, and Depop, reselling clothing, shoes, and even home goods has become a popular side hustle for students. While some sellers opt to resell items from their own closets, others choose to upcycle garments or scour local thrift stores for deals on items. This idea involves keeping an eye on trends as well as offering items seasonally to ensure you are selling an item when demand is at its peak. 

How to Choose a Business Idea

Starting your own business as a student can mean additional cash and valuable experience. However, choosing a profitable business idea can be challenging, here's a few tips to find the right business idea for you.

Research Time Dedication

Whether you're in high school or college, school is your number one priority. Therefore, you need to seek business ideas that will be doable with your current school load. Many online business ideas for students provide time flexibility and allow you to work on your entrepreneurial goals during spare moments.

Pull From Your Skill Set

What are you already well versed in? Pulling from your skill set allows you to build a strong foundation early on and capitalize on your existing knowledge. This could mean launching a tutoring business if you're highly educated in one subject or doing freelance work doing strategy for other local businesses getting started on social media platforms.

Follow Your Passion

Above all, when you're starting your own business you should choose business ideas that you're excited and passionate about. If you are passionate about your business idea, there is a higher chance you will dedicate the time and effort necessary to make it a profitable, sustainable startup. 

Explore More Startup Ideas

• Online Startup Ideas
• Startup Ideas for Social Entrepreneurs
• Sustainable Startup Ideas
• Startup Ideas for Education Entrepreneurs
• Startup Ideas for Teens
• Startup Ideas for Animal Lovers
• Tech Startup Ideas
• Startup Ideas for Food Lovers
• Side Hustle Startup Ideas
• Ecommerce Startup Ideas
• Low-Cost Startup Ideas
• Software Startup Ideas
• Profitable Startup Ideas

Featured Articles

What Is a Startup?

Best Incorporation Services for Startups

How to Start a Startup

Startup Resources

Find a rundown on the current state of UW Library services, spaces, and collections HERE .

The Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship has been connected to Seattle’s thriving entrepreneurial community for over 20 years. We’ve vetted countless startup resources and pulled out what we consider to be the best materials to help you achieve your startup goals.

JOIN THE UW STARTUP TREE COMMUNITY

Research Your Business Idea

Tips on how to find market research reports and more.

Library Resources

The Foster Business Library provides UW students with access to excellent resources designed for professionals, including market research databases like:

• Pitchbook : Investment trends and transactions in private equity and venture capital sectors.
• Gartner : Research and analysis on technology management issues and trends (Requires UW NETID Login).
• BCC Research : Specialized market research reports covering healthcare, science, and technology sectors.
• Mintel Academic : Consumer demographics, lifestyle, and product trend analysis.

Seattle Public Library : Includes access to databases and articles about business, finance, and fundraising.

King County Library System : Offers information on starting a new business, growing your existing business, finding financing, and getting legal and tax assistance. Library of Congress Large collection of even more online resources for entrepreneurs that are available on the web for free.

Community and Government Organizations

Doing Business in Seattle :The Office of Economic Development.

Small Business Support from the Office of Economic Development : Site covers business planning, licensing and taxes, street-food vending, and loans, and offers information on zoning, population, and demographics. There’s also a section on environmental sustainability for businesses.

Greater Seattle Partners : A public-private economic development partnership housed in the Pacific Northwest. Consultation services offered on expansion and development in the northwest.

Puget Sound Regional Council : Provides a list of resources covering everything from census data and employment forecasts to airport statistics and zip code lookup.

National Resources

Kauffman Foundation : Includes access to insights, research, and articles on entrepreneurship.

U.S. Commercial Service Country Commercial Guides : Going international? Find statistics, business regulations, market research reports, and much more for free.

Business Plan

Write a winning business plan.

Advice and industry examples for the what, why, and how of writing successful business plans.

Business Plan Basics

Buerk Center Advisory Board members’ presentations on writing a business plan.

Startup Rocket : Resources and coaching from successful entrepreneurs to help development of business plans, growth and funding plans.

Lean Canvas : A tried and true business plan template created by Ash Maurya that helps you deconstruct your idea into its key assumptions.

Writing Resources

Resources for writing a stellar business plan. How to Write a Great Business Plan Harvard Business Review Thorough article that covers the essential elements that belong in a business plan. A must read for anyone about to write a business plan.

How to Structure a Business Plan Inc. Magazine Magazine Extensive resource that covers everything from idea feasibility to presentation.

How to Write a Great Business Plan Inc. Magazine Advice for small businesses on what it takes to create a solid business plan, including forming an outline, integrating financial specifics, and spelling out your marketing strategy.

Business Plan Basics presentation Excellent slide deck from the MIT Course, The Nuts and Bolts of Business Plans ( see class info for more ). Covers why you write a plan, what you should cover in it, and who should write it. Content starts on slide 13.

Writing a Business Plan Sequoia Capital Includes elements of sustainable companies and a straightforward business plan outline.

Presentations on marketing your start-up. Who are your customers? What drives them to make a purchase? How do you segment the market? How do you market your business on a shoestring budget?

Marketing in a Competitive Environment Sharelle Klaus , CEO of DRY Soda Sharelle brings more than a decade of entrepreneurial, financial and technology experience to DRY Soda. Her presentation provides the tools you need to overcome marketing challenges commonly faced by start-ups. View slides

How to Market Consumer Products Presentation Jason Stoffer , Maveron Jason is a principal at Maveron, a local VC firm that is focused solely on consumer businesses. His presentation covers the key elements of a consumer products pitch, as well as the questions you should be able to answer about your product and the market it exists in. View slides

Presentations on the fundamentals of financial projections–What are they? How do you create them? How do you avoid the common pitfalls that drive investors crazy?

SEC Filings and Forms All publicly traded companies must disclose financial information to the SEC. Research companies that have similar cost structure, distribution channels, customers, etc. to help you estimate costs for your start-up.

Financials and Funding for Start-Ups Presentations Alan Dishlip, CFO of Billing Revolution Alan joined Billing Revolution as CFO in 2009, after holding that position at WildTangent Games for five years. He has both operational and venture capital experience and has been involved in helping build and grow early-stage companies for more than 30 years. View slides

Social Impact

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a norm globally – Does your business have the potential to make a significant impact on society?

Tri-Sector Innovation (TSI) Canvas NewImpact A one-page silo-busting ideation tool designed for entrepreneurs and innovators from all sectors. The canvas helps you solve problems, find opportunities, and develop strategy using the Tri-Sector Innovation approach.

The Tri-Sector Equation (TSE) NewImpact  A worksheet helps you combine and align resources and self-interests to create a tri-sector strategy that will add impact and strengthen your business model or concept. The TSE is an excellent complement to the Business Model Canvas, Lean Canvas, the TSI Canvas, and any innovation process.

NewImpact Wiki NewImpact The NewImpact Wiki is a growing free and open online catalogue of companies, nonprofits, and government agencies, including their resources, tagged by geography, population served, and impact area. Contact NewImpact for access: [email protected] .

Pitch to Investors

Why should an investor put money into your company instead of someone else’s? What are the critical elements you need to have and what could kill the deal? How should you prepare for an investor pitch?

Pitch Guidelines Alliance of Angels A very simple and succinct approach to creating a business plan presentation. “10–15 slides are all that’s needed.” Find the pitch guidelines under the question, “What should be in my investor pitch deck?”

22 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Pitching to Investors Richard D Harroch, Neel Lilani and Kate O’Laughlin, Forbes Covers common mistakes made when pitching to investors and how to correct them.

How to Successfully Pitch Your Business Idea to Investors Caroline Cummings, Bplans Compilation of pitch tips from expert entrepreneur and CEO of two successful tech startups.

What do Investors Look For? Troy Cichos, Madrona Venture Partners Presentation covers what investors look for and what should you cover in your pitch. He also shares several examples of what to do and what not to do when pitching your idea/company. View slides

A Resource Guide for Technology Entrepreneurs Ryan McCarthy and Randy Ottinger How to find Seattle investors and succeed as a tech startup in the Seattle area

Fund your company

Information about raising capital for your startup.

Funding Basics

10 Ways to Finance Your Business Inc.

Lessons I Learned Raising Venture Capital Chris Rodde, co-founder of SeniorHomes.com

Venture Capital Funding

VentureBeat Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist (book excerpt) Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson

National Venture Capital Association Good resource for venture capital data.

Guide to Raising Your First Round of Venture Capital Louis Lehot, VC List

Puget Sound VC Firms

Ignition Partners Madrona Venture Group Maveron PackVC Voyager Capital Vulcan Capital WRF Capital

Angel Funding

Angel Funding: New Tech Northwest Guide to the angel groups and investor events in the greater Seattle area. How to guide on raising venture capitol in the new arena.

Seattle Angel Meetup A group of angel investors and entrepreneurs working to bring more education and transparency to the early stage capital process, hosts educational events and networking opportunities.

Angel Investor Bill Bryant: Here’s What I Look For in Startup Entrepreneurs GeekWire

Puget Sound Angel Groups Alliance of Angels Bellingham Angel Investors Keiretsu Forum Element 8 (formerly Northwest Energy Angels) Puget Sound Venture Club SeaChange Fund TiE Seattle

Grant Funding

SBIR-NSF Small Business Innovation Research grants made by the National Science Foundation (NSF) incentivize and enable startups and small business to undertake research and development with high technical risk and high commercial reward.

SBIR/STTR-NIH Small Business Innovation Research grants and Small Business Technology Transfer grants made by the National Institutes of Health provide funding for small businesses to engage in research and development.

UW Commercialization Gap Fund (CGF) A partnership between CoMotion and the Washington Research Foundation to provide over $1.1 million per year of up to $50K grants to project teams.

W Fund The W Fund makes earliest-stage investments to accelerate the success of promising technology-based start-up companies originating from research institutions and students across the state of Washington.

Accelerators

9Mile Labs High-tech accelerator based in Seattle, focused on B2B software and cloud technologies.

Amazon Black Business Accelerator Opportunities include up to a year of strategic advising, $10,000 in grant funding connections to help grow your business, and access to Amazon’s marketing and imaging tools.

Blueprint Health Companies receive $20k at the start of the program. Founders must re-locate to NYC for the duration of the program. Not appropriate for drug development and medical device companies.

Jones + Foster Accelerator Six months of mentoring and up to $25,000 in follow-on funding. Any team from the UW Environmental Innovation Challenge or Dempsey Startup Competition can apply, regardless of home university or college. We also welcome applications from students who have taken at least one entrepreneurship course at the UW.

TechStars Seattle Companies get three months of intensive mentoring and the chance to pitch to angel investors and venture capitalists at the end of the program. Companies must apply; it’s highly competitive.

Annual Events and Competitions

Cleantech Open Annual event and accelerator investing in clean tech startups to address today’s most urgent energy, environmental and economic challenges.

WTIA Founder Cohort Program : Coaching program with industry partners guiding participants through the process of increasing revenue, securing investment and growing their team.

Other Funding Options

The Art of Bootstrapping: How to Start a Business with Little to No Money Simon Slade, Startup Nation Strategies to launch a business without getting outside funding.

Founder’s Co-op Seed-stage investment fund based in Seattle that focuses on web and mobile opportunities that require limited capital to demonstrate market traction.

Kickstarter Crowdfunding platform.

Indiegogo Crowdfunding platform.

Lighter Capital Appropriate for small, growing businesses that have a proven revenue model. Companies receive a loan (typically $100k–$500k) and then pay a small percent of their monthly revenue to Lighter Capital until the initial capital has been paid off 3x-5x. Advantage: Lighter Capital does not take an equity stake in your company.

Small Business Association Loans and Grants Offers assistance with securing an SBA-backed loan at your local bank or credit union. You can search the site to find grants for which you qualify.

Fundraising References

Term Sheets: What You Need To Know Emma McGowan Detailed guide to understanding the basic components of term sheets. what to include and what to avoid.

Startup Term Sheet Template from Y Combinator Document templates available from Y Combinator.

Investopedia A great dictionary of investment terms, including a focus on VC/IPO terms and jargon.

Frank Demmler Resources Demmler, an Associate Teaching Professor of Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University, provides a list of resources that cover topics such as private investors, deal structures, and arithmetic of deals.

Safe Financing Documents Safe financing documents created by Y Combinator to make funding easier for entrepreneurs and investors.

Venture Capital Deal Algebra Brad Felds article focused on the math behind the calculations used in VC deals.

Pre Money vs. Post-Money: What’s the Difference? Christina Majaski, Investopedia Good initial resource on the basics of company values prior to financing or investments.

What is Pre-Money Valuation? 1000 Angels Video explanation of common venture terms.

Financing Your Startup The Venture Alley Understanding Pre-Money Valuation. Article was written by Trent Dykes, attorney at DLA Piper.

Launch your business

Information on running a startup from workspaces to websites.

Local Resources

Tools and resources available locally to help you start and operate your business

Amazon Web Services Educate Online education hub for all things AWS. This is specifically geared toward students, educators and educational institutions. In addition to education on cloud products and the overall cloud, students and educators can access a small amount of AWS credits to play around with.

GeekWire Startup Resources Start-up advice a service provider directory of professional partners across 33 categories from angel investing to web hosting.

How to Start a Business in Washington Details the Washington-specific requirements for forming each type of business (LLC, Corporation, Nonprofit), paying particular attention to time and cost.

General Resources

A wide array of resources for start-up entrepreneurs

First Site Guide Videos, PDFs, and helpful informational resources about how to start, run and grow your online presence.

Build a Killer Website: 19 Dos and Don’ts Inc. Your website can be the best marketing tool you have. Do it right.

The Kauffman Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Resource Center Information on accounting and finance, business operations, human resources, marketing and sales, products and services and public policy.

Why Startups Fail The Startup Genome project analyzed data from 3,200 companies and determined there are two things at the core of successful businesses: a good product and a large market for that product.

Small Business Administration (SBA) U.S. government site that has information on everything from how to start and manage a business to how to find funding to how to obtain the proper business licenses and permits.

Startup America Partnership Offers a coalition of mentors, advisors, funders, major corporations, and service providers to help entrepreneurs start and scale companies.

Startup Toolsfrom Steve Blank Incredible collection of tools that covers founding/running a start-up, conducting market research, and building a web prototype.

The Best Books For Women Entrepreneurs Serenity Gibbons, Forbes

Emer Dooley’s Entrepreneur Reading List Emer Dooley, Pat Hughes Faculty Fellow, UW Foster School of Business

Local groups for entrepreneurs

FounderDating Brings together super talented entrepreneurs with different backgrounds and skill sets to start innovative new companies.

General Assembly Courses and events in technology, data & design.

Life Science Washington A trade association which serves the life sciences industry in Washington state.

MIT Enterprise Forum Inspires, connects, and educates entrepreneurs in the Puget Sound technology and business community

New Tech Northwest Hosts fun monthly meetups for tech resources and networking.

Seattle Angel Office Hours

Seattle Tech Startups Group of entrepreneurs who give and seek advice on running technology startups. The group meets monthly and has an active listserv

Startup Grind Startup Grind is an independent startup community actively connecting 400,000 founders in over 200 cities.

Startup Hall Seattle’s home for passionate startup founders, funders, and mentors. Created in partnership with Techstars, Founders’ Co-op, and the UW.

Startup Seattle Resources and event listings for Seattle startup community

TiE The Global Network of Entrepreneurs. Holds events regularly and offers mentoring for entrepreneurs.

Warrior Rising Non-profit focused on helping veterans start and grow sustainable businesses.

Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) Supports the growth and long-term success of local businesses. Focuses on technology companies and offers events frequently.

Seattle Collaborative Space Alliance A growing list of all the collaborative workspaces in the Greater Seattle Area.

Impact Hub Seattle A collaboration and co-working space for social entrepreneurs located in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood.

SURF Incubator Provides workspace and a network of mentors, investors, etc.

UW Center for Commercialization New Ventures Facility Provides UW start-ups access to lab and office space.

Founder’s Co-op A community of early-stage entrepreneurs in Seattle.

Get Legal and Tax Help

What are the legal issues to consider in starting your own company? How do you divide equity, protect your IP, and structure the company? Use these legal resources to help guide your start-up decisions.

UW Entrepreneurial Law Clinic Provides early-stage companies with legal help at no cost. Contact Jennifer Fan: [email protected]

15 Big Legal Mistakes Made By Startups Richard Harroch, Lynne Hermle and Ellen Ehrenpreis, Forbes Tips and questions to consider to help avoid legal trouble with your startup.

5 Legal Tips for Small Businesses and Startups Eyal Lifshitz A short read to help you avoid legal trouble with your startup.

startupPerColator Perkins Coie Features a free form-generation tool (incorporation documents, term sheets, etc.) to keep costs low for startups.

Startup Company Lawyer Yoichiro (“Yokum”) Taku, partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Covers a broad range of legal issues faced by startups, including incorporation, founder issues, stock options, compensation, financing, and mergers and acquisitions.

The Venture Alley Asher Bearman, Trent Dykes, and Megan Muir, DLA Piper Blog about business and legal issues important to entrepreneurs, startups, venture capitalists, and angel investors.

How to Split Equity Among Co-Founders Michael Seibel, Y Combinator Insights on how to divide equity among founders.

Interactive Legal Glossary Pinnington Law The Non-Lawyers Guide to Legal Terms. An interactive glossary to ensure you understand all necessary aspects of the legal processes you will need to follow.

Guide to Internet Law Internet Society A collection of legal research resources.

IP, Patents, and Trademarks

The United States Patent and Trademark Office Comprehensive site containing information about applying for patents, filing for trademarks, searching for patents and trademarks, and more.

Google Patents Searchable database of United States Patent and Trademark Office patents and patent applications.

IP Litigation Update Blog offers insights into new developments in copyright, trademark, and trade secrets, with a particular focus on how these developments apply to technology companies. Content comes from Perkins Coie’s Intellectual Property Litigation attorneys.

The IP Law Blog Provides insights in connection with copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, licensing and promotions.

IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center Basics about taxes and how to stay tax compliant.

Starting a Business IRS What new business owners need to know about federal taxes.

Stop Overpaying on Taxes Garrett B. Gunderson, Wealth Factory, Forbes Four simple ways to save on your taxes as an entrepreneur.

News and blogs

Check out our list of noteworthy blogs and news organizations.

Sources for Seattle-area entrepreneurship news Buerk Center blog Coverage of our competitions, alumni, and more.

GeekWire Dispatches from the Digital Frontier

TechFlash Seattle’s Technology News Source

Xconomy Seattle Business and Technology in the Exponential Economy

National News

Sources for the latest in national entrepreneurship news

All Business Stories and resources to help you start, grow, and manage your business ( Dun & Bradstreet )

Entrepreneur News and information for start-ups

Small Business News and advice relevant for small and emerging businesses ( The Wall Street Journal )

TechCrunch Start-up profiles, new product reviews, and breaking tech news

The Biz Bite News and views on entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership for business and social good ( Seattle Pi )

Local Blogs

Words of wisdom from local entrepreneurs and investors

Marc Barros Buerk Center Advisory Board member and Seattle-based entrepreneur

Start It Up Collection of quick reads from variety of entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurial articles, stories, and advice ( Forbes )

US News: Entrepreneurship Articles about starting a business ( US News & World Report )

National Blogs

Thoughts and advice from entrepreneurs who live outside of the Puget Sound region

Brad Feld Early stage investor and entrepreneur for over twenty years. Co-founder of Foundry Group and TechStars.

Paul Graham Essayist, programmer, and investor. Co-developer of the first web-based application Viaweb (acquired in 1998 by Yahoo) and one of the founders of Y Combinator.

Guy Kawasaki Co-founder of Alltop.com, founding partner at Garage Technology Ventures, former chief evangelist of Apple, and author of ten books, including Reality Check , How to Drive Your Competition Crazy , and The Art of the Start

Great Entrepreneurship Reads Dale Cudmore, Digital A list of must reads for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Classes and networking

Connect with like-minded individuals through classes, meetups, and more.

Startup Education online (Kauffman Foundation Founders School) Providing tools and resources to help entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses, Kauffman Eship is the marketplace for those who are looking to take their bold ideas to the next level.

Entrepreneurship Option (for undergraduate business majors) The Entrepreneurship Option prepares students for an entrepreneurial career by offering a combination of coursework and practical experience. The required coursework establishes a foundation in entrepreneurship, including the necessary tools in marketing and finance.

Entrepreneurship Minor (for undergraduate non-business majors) Open to all non-business undergraduate students, the Foster School’s competitive Entrepreneurship Minor offers students the opportunity to leverage their unique talents, as well as their new-found business knowledge, to achieve their start-up goals.

Lavin Entrepreneurship Program (Open to all majors) By combining curriculum with hands-on learning, the UW Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship gives Lavin students the experience, skills and know-how to succeed in their future business ventures.

Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Classes The UW Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship offers you numerous opportunities to learn step-by-step the process of launching a new venture. Not only are there classes to introduce you to the landscape of entrepreneurship and the method of writing a business plan, but through our cornerstone Creating a Company coursework, you’ll apply your new-found knowledge of entrepreneurship in a real-world context!

Build Your Own Business (BYOB) BYOB is a drop-in workshop for undergraduates of any major who have an idea for a product or service and would like to share their idea, receive feedback from their peers and coaching from an experienced entrepreneur.

Master of Science of Entrepreneurship The new 12-month Master of Science in Entrepreneurship is offered by the UW Foster School of Business and the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship. This program will prepare you to launch by giving you the knowledge, mentoring, experience, and connections to build a high-impact startup.

Graduate Entrepreneurship Curriculum You’ll learn everything you can about entrepreneurship, strategy, finance, and marketing. You’ll study the decisions that entrepreneurs have to make and the skills they need to master.You’ll gain practice working with diverse groups of people, and build connections with the larger Seattle startup community.

Entrepreneurship Certificate The Buerk Center’s certificate in entrepreneurship prepares University of Washington graduate and PhD students for the world of startups and new technology enterprises.

Internships/Fellowships The Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship offers various internship and fellowship opportunities for graduate students to gain real-world experience in areas like technology commercialization, social entrepreneurship, startup investment, and global innovation.

PhD in Technology Entrepreneurship Through the UW Foster School PhD in Technology Entrepreneurship, the center supports entrepreneurial teachers and researchers in technology commercialization, startup operations and new venture creation. This unique PhD program creates strong intellectual leaders and offers a source of talent for universities around the world.

Annual entrepreneur events worth putting in your calendar

GeekWire Calendar GeekWire’s picks: meetups, conferences, start-up events and more

Seattle Angel Conference Seattle Angel-driven event where the investors create an LLC, engage in due diligence of the applying startup companies, and ultimately pool funds to invest in one of the presenting finalists.

Startup Hall and CoMotion morning networking sessions A popular, free monthly breakfast event for the Seattle startup community to connect and catch up. See CoMotion’s calendar for these events.

Techstars Community Events Networking events and speaker series open to the public nationwide.

SVP Fast Pitch Seattle Fast-pitch granting and investment forum highlighting new ideas for social impact, presented by Social Venture Partners Seattle.

UW Startup Job Fair A not-to-miss opportunity for current UW students to network with startup founders and their teams and discover opportunities to work with an early-stage company to help them ramp up fast. That means summer or school year paid internships, short-term projects, and/or full-time positions.

Advising and team formation

Connect to Industry Experts and fellow Entrepreneurship students from across the region on Startup Tree ! Connect with advisers who can help you launch your business or prepare for the following competitions; Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge, Holloman Health Innovation Challenge, and the Dempsey Startup Competition. Meet other students and join their startup teams, or invite them to join yours!

Team Formation

If you’re looking for team members, wanting to enter a competition, working on a startup project, or want to join an existing team, create a profile on Startup Tree . NOTE: This site is for current students only!

Resource Nights - Video Recordings

Resource nights – video recordings.

Lectures that were part of the Business Plan Practicum in Winter 2020 were recorded and are posted below. Students learn tangible ways to embrace failures and pivots on their way to taking your idea to launch. The course is taught by John Zagula, managing director and founder of Ignition Capital, and features guest speakers (CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, CTOs) from around the region and county.

STEP 0: INTRODUCTION

Purpose, Expectations, Logistics

STEP 1: PRODUCT

Part 1: Your Inspiration

Part 2: From Idea to Product

STEP 2: PLAN

Part 1: Your Playing Field

Part 2: Picking Your Play (video unavailable)

Part 3: From Product to Business (video unavailable)

Part 4: From Strategy to Plan

STEP 3: PITCH

Part 1: Your logic – formulating the case for your business

Part 2: Your Presentation – crafting and giving a great pitch

Attend an event

Read the buerk center blog.

A record field of student-created ventures is down to just 16 teams in the biggest year yet for the Dempsey…

The MS in Entrepreneurship program is made up of a diverse group of students who come from various backgrounds and experiences.…

A surge in student innovation and entrepreneurship across the Pacific Northwest powered the opening round of the 2024 Dempsey Startup…

Plastic might not be the most searched topic on the internet, but it certainly represents a huge environmental and health…

The MS in Entrepreneurship program is made up of a diverse group of students who come from various backgrounds and…

Read more Buerk Center stories

Preschool Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Preschool Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their preschool companies. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a preschool business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Preschool Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your preschool business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Preschool

If you’re looking to start a preschool business or grow your existing preschool company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your preschool business to improve your chances of success. Your preschool business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Preschool Businesses

With regard to funding, the main sources of funding for a preschool business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for preschool companies.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a preschool business.

If you want to start a preschool business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your preschool business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of preschool business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a preschool business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of preschool businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

• Give a brief overview of the preschool industry.
• Discuss the type of preschool business you are operating.
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of preschool business you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of preschool businesses:

• Parent co-op preschool : Preschools that offer lower-cost enrollment in exchange for the volunteer work of a parent on a regular (typically weekly) basis. This type of preschool employs a teacher and an aide, but also includes parents, which reduces the payroll costs considerably.
• Academic/play-based preschool: Preschools that stress learning via a number of experiences in academic introductions. Play-based learning is also introduced in math and pre-reading games and other forms of learning-while-you-play interactions.
• Religious preschool: Preschools that adhere to the religious practices and beliefs of the parents in teaching, while including academic and play-based experiences for preschoolers.
• Learning system preschool: Systems of specific teaching theories, such as Waldorf and Montessori, are offered at this type of preschool. These preschools are based on proven structures for learning.
• Development-interaction preschool: Preschools that offer a holistic approach to preschool, focusing on the emotional, intellectual, social and physical growth of each preschool child.

In addition to explaining the type of preschool business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of programs offered, the number of preschool graduates, reaching X number of preschool locations, etc.
• Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the preschool industry. While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the preschool industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your preschool business plan:

• How big is the preschool industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your preschool business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your preschool business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: parents, grandparents, children, and churches, and schools.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of preschool business you operate. Clearly, parents would respond to different marketing promotions than churches, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Finish Your Preschool Business Plan in 1 Day!

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other preschool businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to choose for their preschoolers that aren’t directly competing with your service. This includes private tutors, public schools, nannies and babysitters. You need to mention direct competition, as well.

For each direct competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of families do they serve?
• What type of preschool business are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide options for translation services?
• Will you offer family-discounts that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better playgrounds and amenities?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

    Finish Your Business Plan Today!

Marketing plan.

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a preschool business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of preschool company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide developmental, religious, academic or play-based learning systems?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site(s) of your preschool(s). Document where your company is situated and mention how the sites will impact your success. For example, is your preschool business located in a new, master-planned community, near a business district, or in a standalone building?  Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your preschool marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to websites
• Distribute flyers
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your preschool business, including answering calls, placing preschoolers into programs, meeting with parents, planning and providing teaching sessions, billing and collecting revenue, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to open your fifth preschool, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your preschool business to a new community in your city.

Management Team

To demonstrate your preschool business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing preschool businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a preschool business or successfully leading as a principal of a public elementary school.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you open a new preschool every two years, or offer summer school and daycare sessions? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your preschool business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a preschool business:

• Cost of classroom furniture, equipment and office supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your list of parents who have enrolled their children on contract for the next two years, or the waitlist of parents who want their children to attend your preschool.

Writing a business plan for your preschool business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the preschool industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful preschool business.

Preschool Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my preschool business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily write your preschool business plan.

How Do You Start a Preschool Business?

Starting a Preschool business is easy with these 14 steps:

• Choose the Name for Your Preschool Business
• Create Your Preschool Business Plan
• Choose the Legal Structure for Your Preschool Business
• Secure Startup Funding for Your Preschool Business (If Needed)
• Secure a Location for Your Business
• Register Your Preschool Business with the IRS
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get a Business Credit Card
• Get the Required Business Licenses and Permits
• Get Business Insurance for Your Preschool Business
• Buy or Lease the Right Preschool Business Equipment
• Develop Your Preschool Business Marketing Materials
• Purchase and Setup the Software Needed to Run Your Preschool Business
• Open for Business

Where Can I Download a Free Business Plan Template PDF?

Click here to download the pdf version of our basic business plan template.

Our free business plan template pdf allows you to see the key sections to complete in your plan and the key questions that each must answer. The business plan pdf will definitely get you started in the right direction.

We do offer a premium version of our business plan template. Click here to learn more about it. The premium version includes numerous features allowing you to quickly and easily create a professional business plan. Its most touted feature is its financial projections template which allows you to simply enter your estimated sales and growth rates, and it automatically calculates your complete five-year financial projections including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Here’s the link to our Ultimate Business Plan Template.

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Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to see how a Growthink business plan consultant can create your business plan for you.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

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Program fee, us$2,800 us$2,688, a prototype for startup success.

If there was a proven system for mitigating one’s risk in starting a new venture, what would it look like?

Startups by the Numbers

Why do so many startups fail?

no market need

Source: CB Insights August 3, 2021

got outcompeted

SOURCE: CB INSIGHTS August 3, 2021

pricing/cost issues

Key Takeaways

• Analyze various techniques to develop a product prototype.
• Conduct effective interviews with potential customers to develop your customer personas.
• Create and describe a value proposition for a specific product.
• Develop a go-to-market (GTM) plan, and determine key metrics, such as customer acquisition costs (CACs).
• Present a viable profit model for a specific product.
• Apply the four-step entrepreneurship framework to a final capstone project.
• Learn entrepreneurship best practices, and avoid common pitfalls.
• Use strategies based in neuroscience to influence the decisions of stakeholders.

This program is ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators who want to:

Test an idea before the investment stage to increase their odds of success in the market.

Get proven, research-driven frameworks that translate into having the inner confidence to move forward with their vision.

Learn from the same faculty and thought leaders who contribute to Silicon Valley’s revered startup ethos.

Program modules.

• Realize the importance of open-ended questions and how to develop effective interview questions.
• Analyze techniques for an effective interview, and synthesize interview information into customer personas.
• Explore what prototyping is and the significance of low-resolution prototyping.
• Learn prototype development, and assess user needs by gathering feedback on a prototype.
• Craft an ideal positioning statement, including each of the key components.
• Understand the importance of tying the value proposition to specific pain points, and develop a hypothesis for testing your value proposition.
• Understand the importance of direct and indirect GTM strategies.
• Examine a sample GTM strategy.
• Determine the CAC for a product and its implications.
• Examine the factors and considerations that determine the price of a product.
• Evaluate the viability of a product based on customer lifetime value (LTV) and total addressable market (TAM).
• Reevaluate your reasons for pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors.
• Explain the basic neurobiology of acute and chronic stress and how stress impacts decision making.
• Create a plan for your capstone project using the entrepreneurship road map.

Program Walkthrough

Access to Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) proprietary strategy tools and frameworks

Live session with faculty

Manageable time investment (4-6 hours/week)

Assignments for you to apply learnings to your own product, organization, or idea

Real-world case studies and industry examples

Feedback on select assignments to ensure understanding of the program material

Certificate of completion from Stanford Graduate School of Business

Featured Program Elements

Original strategic frameworks and tools from Stanford Graduate School of Business faculty

Featured case studies and examples, including Mon Ami, Calyx Flowers, Lumo Bodytech, Aqualisa, Proper Good, and more

Capstone project designed to focus and advance your entrepreneurial vision

Meet the faculty.

James M. Lattin

The Robert A. Magowan Professor of Marketing

The Sanwa Bank, Limited; Professor of Marketing

Stefanos Zenios

The Investment Group of Santa Barbara Professor of Entrepreneurship and Professor of Operations, Information & Technology; Director, Center for Entrepreneurial Studies

James M. Lattin The Robert A. Magowan Professor of Marketing Professor Lattin is the former faculty director of the Stanford Ignite–Bangalore program on innovation and entrepreneurship, and former curriculum director of the Stanford Seed Program. His research has examined consumer purchase behavior, customer relationship management, and loyalty/reward programs, with a more recent focus on customer acquisition, go-to-market strategy, and salesforce productivity. In the Stanford MBA program, he teaches elective courses on customer acquisition, building and managing sales organizations, and the fundamentals of effective selling.

Baba Shiv The Sanwa Bank, Limited; Professor of Marketing Professor Shiv has done extensive work on the emotional brain, documenting its powerful role in shaping decisions and experiences. His work includes the application of neuroeconomics to the study and practice of innovation and entrepreneurial leadership in companies, from Silicon Valley startups to Fortune 500 companies, as well as countries including India, Malaysia, and New Zealand. He frequently consults with and is on the advisory boards of several startups.

Stefanos Zenios The Investment Group of Santa Barbara Professor of Entrepreneurship and Professor of Operations, Information & Technology; Director, Center for Entrepreneurial Studies Professor Zenios is the faculty co-director of Stanford GSBʼs Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. He is an innovative teacher and researcher, and the main architect of Startup Garage, a popular GSB course that helps hundreds of Stanford GSB students and executives learn and apply the innovation processes that are at the center of the Silicon Valley ecosystem. He also oversees the Stanford GSB Venture Studio: a vibrant learning facility for Stanford graduate students across all disciplines who want to learn about designing and creating sustainable, high-impact ventures.

Guest Speakers

Mudit Garg CEO and Co-Founder, Qventus

Gayatri Datar Co-founder, EarthEnable

Tony Xu CEO and co-founder, DoorDash

Beth Gerstein Co-Founder, Brilliant Earth

Certificate

Upon completion of this program, you will receive a certificate of completion from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Is Launching a Startup a suitable program on how to start a business?

Absolutely. The Launching a Startup program is not just a program on how to start a business, but is also an effective way to study entrepreneurship online. Through this program, you will learn about extensively researched strategies and methodologies proven by successful startup founders to help you transform your ideas into practical business models.

What opportunities does the Launching a Startup program provide to learn entrepreneurship?

The Launching a Startup program provides an opportunity to learn entrepreneurship and study this field online. It is an ideal program on how to start a business. Participants will not only delve into developing a product prototype, interviewing potential customers, crafting a value proposition, creating a go-to-market strategy, but also master how to sidestep common entrepreneurial pitfalls. The hands-on learning this program provides is invaluable when starting a business.

How do I know if this program is right for me?

After reviewing the information on the program landing page, we recommend you submit the short form above to gain access to the program brochure, which includes more in-depth information. If you still have questions on whether this program is a good fit for you, please email [email protected] , and a dedicated program advisor will follow up with you very shortly.

Are there any prerequisites for this program?

Participants must be 18 years old or above to apply to this program. Some programs do have prerequisites, particularly the more technical ones. This information will be noted on the program landing page and in the program brochure. If you are uncertain about program prerequisites and your capabilities, please email us at [email protected] for assistance.

Note that, unless otherwise stated on the program web page, all programs are taught in English and proficiency in English, is required.

What is the typical class profile?

More than 50 percent of our participants are from outside the United States. Class profiles vary from one cohort to the next, but, generally, our online certificates draw a highly diverse audience in terms of professional experience, industry, and geography—leading to a very rich peer learning and networking experience.

What other dates will this program be offered in the future?

Check back to this program web page or email us at [email protected] to inquire if future program dates or the timeline for future offerings have been confirmed.

How much time is required each week?

Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page.

How will my time be spent?

We have designed this program to fit into your current working life as efficiently as possible. Time will be spent among a variety of activities including:

• Engaging with recorded video lectures from faculty
• Attending webinars and office hours, as per the specific program schedule
• Reading or engaging with examples of core topics
• Completing knowledge checks/quizzes and required activities
• Engaging in moderated discussion groups with your peers
• Completing your final project, if required

The program is designed to be highly interactive while also allowing time for self-reflection and demonstrating an understanding of the core topics through various active learning exercises. Please contact us at [email protected] if you need further clarification on program activities.

A dedicated program support team is available 24/5 (Monday to Friday) to answer questions about the learning platform, technical issues, or anything else that may affect your learning experience.

How do I interact with other program participants?

Peer learning adds substantially to the overall learning experience and is an important part of the program. You can connect and communicate with other participants through our learning platform.

What are the requirements to earn the certificate?

Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week, so you can gauge what will be required before you enroll. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page. All programs are designed to fit into your working life. This program is scored as a pass or no pass; participants must complete the required activities to pass and obtain the certificate of completion. Some programs include a final project submission or other assignments to obtain passing status. This information will be noted in the program brochure. Please contact us at [email protected] if you need further clarification on any specific program requirements.

What type of certificate will I receive?

Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a smart digital certificate. The smart digital certificate can be shared with friends, family, schools, or potential employers. You can use it on your cover letter or resume or display it on your LinkedIn profile. The digital certificate will be sent approximately two weeks after the program, once grading is complete.

Can I get the hard copy of the certificate?

No, only verified digital certificates will be issued upon successful completion. This allows you to share your credentials on social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

Do I receive alumni status after completing this program?

No, there is no alumni status granted for this program. In some cases, there are credits that count toward a higher level of certification. This information will be clearly noted in the program brochure.

How long will I have access to the learning materials?

You will have access to the online learning platform and all the videos and program materials for 12 months following the program start date . Access to the learning platform is restricted to registered participants per the terms of agreement.

What equipment or technical requirements are there for this program?

Participants will need the latest version of their preferred browser to access the learning platform. In addition, Microsoft Office and a PDF viewer are required to access documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDF files, and transcripts.

Do I need to be online to access the program content?

Yes, the learning platform is accessed via the internet, and video content is not available for download. However, you can download files of video transcripts, assignment templates, readings, etc. For maximum flexibility, you can access program content from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device. Video lectures must be streamed via the internet, and any livestream webinars and office hours will require an internet connection. However, these sessions are always recorded, so you may view them later.

Can I still register if the registration deadline has passed?

Yes, you can register up to seven days after the published start date of the program without missing any of the core program material or learnings.

What is the program fee, and what forms of payment do you accept?

The program fee is noted at the top of this program web page and usually referenced in the program brochure as well. Flexible payment options are available (see details below as well as at the top of this program web page next to FEE).

What if I don’t have a credit card? Is there another method of payment accepted?

Yes, you can do the bank remittance in the program currency via wire transfer or debit card. Please contact your program advisor, or email us at [email protected] for details.

I was not able to use the discount code provided. Can you help?

Yes! Please email us at [email protected] with the details of the program you are interested in, and we will assist you.

How can I obtain an invoice for payment?

Please email [email protected] with your invoicing requirements and the specific program you’re interested in enrolling in.

Is there an option to make flexible payments for this program?

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How can I obtain a W9 form?

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Who will be collecting the payment for the program?

Emeritus collects all program payments, provides learner enrollment and program support, and manages learning platform services.

What is the program refund and deferral policy?

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Starting a School in India – Business Plan, Procedure & Cost Estimation

Schools in India come under the Non-Profit Organizations and are registered under the section 8 of the Companies Act 2013. One can also open a school under the Societies Act of 1860. Opening a school in India depends on various laws regulated both by the center and the state. It also depends where you are starting your school and which board of education you are adopting. Here is a brief guide on how to start a school and its cost estimation in India.

Make a Brief Blueprint of Your School

There are various factors involved in the opening of a school in India. The first important point is that there are various levels of categorizations on which a school is opened. Schools can be for lower KG, upper KG, from class 1 to 6 or from 1 to 8, from class 1 to class 10 or from class 1 to class 12 th . If the class exceeds up to 9-12 th then you require your school to be registered from a certain board operating in India. Opening a school also depends on the place where you are starting your school. If you are opening your school in metro cities then there are different rules whereas opening school in towns or rural areas require different categorization.

Based on all such issues here is the list of issues that must be address while opening a school in India.

Requirement of Land for Starting a School

One definitely needs a good space to open up a school. Requirement of land depends on two factors. The first factor is the status of the place where you want to open the school. For example, the minimum requirement for opening a school in metropolitan city is different from that of a town or rural area. The second factor is the board through which your school is affiliated. There are basically 4 boards that majorly operate in India. They are:

• Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
• Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (ISC/ICSE)
• International Board (IB)
• State Boards of 29 States in India

Requirement of Land Based on Place and Board: CBSE Board

• In a Metropolitan City: If you want to open up a school in cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai or Bangalore then you need to have a minimum requirement of 1 Acre land or 4000 sq. meter of land for operating school from pre-primary to class 12 th . For operating school from pre-primary to class 10 th you need to have at least half an acre of land or 2000 sq. meters of land.
• City with the Population of more than 15 Lakhs: From Pre-primary to class 12 th a minimum requirement of 1 acres of land or 2047 sq. meters of land
• Other Cities: A minimum of 1.5 acres of land is required to run a school in small cities based on CBSE norms.

CBSE also caters a category level for schools like A+, A and B category schools. An A+ category schools should have permanent affiliation with land area not less than 2 acres.

Requirement of Land Based on Place and Board: CISCE

For a school affiliated to CISCE, a minimum requirement of 2000 sq. meter of land is necessary with each classrooms to be not less than 400 sq. feet in size.

State boards have their own requirement which can be read on their respective websites.

Construction of School Building

Based on the board guidelines school building should be constructed. Like a minimum class size should be of 400 sq. feet with a library, arts room, amphitheater, science lab, computer lab, stage, playground, etc.

Starting a School and NOC

After the construction of school building is over it is time to open the school. For this there are various process through which one has to go. The first requirement is to get a Non objection certificate from the state government. Only after getting an NOC you can operate your school. Many schools are operating in India without NOC and one should avoid going by that method as at the time of applying for affiliation you will be asked for NOC.

To apply for NOC you need to visit the state education department where there are different departments from where you need clearance. The method is transparent and it requires some basic documents like land details, land size, budget, etc.

Affiliation to Board

A minimum of one years of operation is required for schools to apply for CISCE and CBSE board while for IB it is three years. Before that you can open your school from pre-primary to class 8 th but only after the school is operational from more than a year it will get affiliation. The respective boards also have their rules and parameters based on which they grant permission like land size, building construction, classroom size, playground, number of teacher, teacher’s qualification, EPF account, and other criteria mentioned in the board’s guideline that you can access on their website.

Setting up of School Structure

From appointment of Principal, head master, Vice Principal, associate teacher, assistant teacher, accounts department, lab assistants, computer experts, peons, supportive staffs, drivers, etc. to organizing each class, arranging infrastructure and furniture, purchasing basic devices, buying books for library, setting up of science lab, apparatus, models, computer labs, etc. requires a lot of time and capital. You have to do all of them. Try to go slow with time as setting up everything at once is neither possible not it is viable.

Appointment of Teacher and Principal

If you are going to apply for affiliation for any board then you must appoint teacher based on their parameters. There is a basic qualification requirement for each board like a teacher must be a post graduate, qualified NET, CTET, NTT, PGT, PTI, TGT, and B.Ed. For the appointment of principal many boards require at least a B.Ed. in addition to Masters. M.Phil. graduates are also the most viable candidates for the post of Principal.

Setting up of Accounts and EPF for Your Staff

An organization with more than 19 staffs should have a must EPF account. Nowadays every school wants their staffs to have a bank account where monthly salary is transferred. CISCE board also requires a mandatory condition of having EPF account of each staff for affiliation process.

Admission of Students and Parameters

Admission of student invites a test which is conducted by the school administration. The board also gives a standard which must be followed to admit students. Not more than 45 students be there in each classroom. Try to start your school slowly from lower KG and increase gradually to standard 8 th and beyond. Parameters like a definite school uniform, school curriculum, syllabus, rules and regulation must be set up.

Fees Structure

You can decide the fees based on your expense and place of school. Based on the per capita income in the region you can determine the school fees. Private schools in metropolitan cities charge whooping sum of money per month. Determine the fees after taking advice from learned management graduates.

Cost of Starting a School in India

If you are planning to start a pre-nursery school then cost will be quite less. For a well structure affiliated school, startup cost estimation is quite huge. Take at least 2 crores a minimum sum to start your school and it can go further based on the place of operation, living standard, etc. Setting up a standard school will have its own implications like money spent in arranging furniture, gadgets, electronics, computer, maintenance, and other requirements.

Time Investment

Running a school requires a good investment of time. It will take at least 2-3 years to build a school and start it. At least 4-5 years will be needed to get NOC and affiliation from the day of foundation ceremony. The capital investment being huge also pushes the return on investment time further. Only after few years of operation one can accept any profit.

Running a school is a challenging job which requires investment of time, resources, capital and human labor. But it has its own advantages. After the gestation period you will be serving the society by imparting education, employing people, nourishing new minds and after all getting decent return. Based on your skills of running a business you can excel your profit.

The steps involved in starting a school in India are: 1. Research the Concept 2. Develop a Business Plan 3. Choose a School Location 4. Develop the School Infrastructure 5. Obtain Government Approval 6. Recruit Staff and Teachers 7. Admit Students 8. Evaluate and Improve the School

There are various Indian laws which set out the requirements for establishing and maintaining a school in India. The main pieces of legislation are: 1. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. 2. The Employee State Insurance Act, 1948. 3. The Factories Act, 1948. 4. The Building and other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996. 5.The Nationalacksurydation of Secondary Schools Rules, 1966. The requirements for setting up a school will vary depending on the type of school and the level of education offered. For example, setting up a kindergarten will require different approvals and compliance with different regulations than setting up a higher education institution.

The costs associated with starting a school in India vary depending on the type of school, the location, and the size. However, some of the general costs include the cost of land, construction, furniture, and equipment. Additionally, the school will need to be registered with the local authorities and the cost of textbooks and other teaching materials will need to be considered.

There are a number of challenges involved in starting a school in India. These include: 1. Finding a suitable location for the school 2. Securing the necessary approvals and licenses from the government 3 Procuring the adequate furniture, equipment and resources 4 Hiring experienced and qualified staff 5 Promoting the school and attracting students

There are many ways to make your school stand out in the Indian education market. One way would be to offer a unique curriculum that is not offered at other schools in the area. Another way would be to have a strong reputation for academic excellence.

One of major trends in the Indian education market is to increase parental involvement in their children’s education. Research shows that increases in parental involvement, including parental monitoring of children’s school performance and homework and providing support for their children’s learning, are associated with increased student achievement, better retention in and completion of school, and fewer behavioural problems among students. In addition, parents are increasingly turning to private tutors and schools to supplement their children’s education. The number of families using private tutors has nearly doubled in the past decade, and the number of private schools has also been growing rapidly.

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US poised to ease restrictions on marijuana in historic shift, but it’ll remain controlled substance

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a historic shift to generations of American drug policy that could have wide ripple effects across the country.

FILE - In this Friday, March 22, 2019, file photo, a marijuana plant is visible at Compassionate Care Foundation’s medical marijuana dispensary in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a historic shift to generations of American drug policy that could have wide ripple-effects across the country. The DEA’s proposal still must be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, The Associated Press has learned, a historic shift to generations of American drug policy that could have wide ripple effects across the country.

The proposal, which still must be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget, would recognize the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledge it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs. However, it would not legalize marijuana outright for recreational use.

The agency’s move, confirmed to the AP on Tuesday by five people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive regulatory review, clears the last significant regulatory hurdle before the agency’s biggest policy change in more than 50 years can take effect.

Once OMB signs off, the DEA will take public comment on the plan to move marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. It moves pot to Schedule III, alongside ketamine and some anabolic steroids, following a recommendation from the federal Health and Human Services Department. After the public comment period and a review by an administrative judge, the agency would eventually publish the final rule.

“Today, the Attorney General circulated a proposal to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III,” Justice Department director of public affairs Xochitl Hinojosa said in a statement. The DEA is a component of the Department of Justice. “Once published by the Federal Register, it will initiate a formal rulemaking process as prescribed by Congress in the Controlled Substances Act.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland’s signature throws the full weight of the Justice Department behind the move and appears to signal its importance to the Biden administration.

It comes after President Joe Biden called for a review of federal marijuana law in October 2022 and moved to pardon thousands of Americans convicted federally of simple possession of the drug. He has also called on governors and local leaders to take similar steps to erase marijuana convictions.

“Criminal records for marijuana use and possession have imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities,” Biden said in December. “Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana. It’s time that we right these wrongs.”

The election year announcement could help Biden, a Democrat, boost flagging support, particularly among younger voters .

Biden and a growing number of lawmakers from both major political parties have been pushing for the DEA decision as marijuana has become increasingly decriminalized and accepted, particularly by younger people. A Gallup poll last fall found 70% of adults support legalization, the highest level yet recorded by the polling firm and more than double the roughly 30% who backed it in 2000.

The DEA didn’t respond to repeated requests for comment.

Schedule III drugs are still controlled substances and subject to rules and regulations, and people who traffic in them without permission could still face federal criminal prosecution.

Some critics argue the DEA shouldn’t change course on marijuana, saying rescheduling isn’t necessary and could lead to harmful side effects.

Jack Riley, a former deputy administrator of the DEA, said he had concerns about the proposed change because he thinks marijuana remains a possible “gateway drug,” one that may lead to the use of other drugs.

“But in terms of us getting clear to use our resources to combat other major drugs, that’s a positive,” Riley said, noting that fentanyl alone accounts for more than 100,000 deaths in the U.S. a year.

On the other end of the spectrum, others argue marijuana should be treated the way alcohol is.

“While this rescheduling announcement is a historic step forward, I remain strongly committed to continuing to work on legislation like the SAFER Banking Act as well as the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, which federally deschedules cannabis by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act,” Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York said in a statement. “Congress must do everything we can to end the federal prohibition on cannabis and address longstanding harms caused by the War on Drugs.”

Federal drug policy has lagged behind many states in recent years, with 38 having already legalized medical marijuana and 24 legalizing its recreational use .

That’s helped fuel fast growth in the marijuana industry, with an estimated worth of nearly $30 billion. Easing federal regulations could reduce the tax burden that can be 70% or more for businesses, according to industry groups. It could also make it easier to research marijuana, since it’s very difficult to conduct authorized clinical studies on Schedule I substances.

The immediate effect of rescheduling on the nation’s criminal justice system would likely be more muted, since federal prosecutions for simple possession have been fairly rare in recent years.

But loosening restrictions could carry a host of unintended consequences in the drug war and beyond.

Critics point out that as a Schedule III drug, marijuana would remain regulated by the DEA. That means the roughly 15,000 cannabis dispensaries in the U.S. would have to register with the DEA like regular pharmacies and fulfill strict reporting requirements, something that they are loath to do and that the DEA is ill equipped to handle.

Then there’s the United States’ international treaty obligations, chief among them the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which requires the criminalization of cannabis. In 2016, during the Obama administration, the DEA cited the U.S.’ international obligations and the findings of a federal court of appeals in Washington in denying a similar request to reschedule marijuana.

Goodman reported from Miami, Mustian from New Orleans. AP writer Colleen Long contributed.