Part 12 of 15 · Templates
Part 12: The Complete Business Plan Template
A section-by-section skeleton with target lengths, the questions each section must answer, and the evidence to attach. Copy it, work through it, delete what does not apply to your business, and you have the structure of a fundable plan.
Chapter 60The master template
Total target length for a debt application: 25–40 pages of narrative plus appendices. For an equity raise: 20–30 pages plus a separate model and deck. Longer is not better.
| Section | Length | Must answer / contain |
|---|---|---|
| Cover page | 1 page | Registered name, trading name, logo, document title, date, version, “Confidential”, contact person, email, mobile |
| Contents page | 1 page | Numbered sections with page numbers, plus a list of tables and figures |
| Confidentiality and disclaimer | ½ page | Forward-looking statement disclaimer; restriction on distribution |
| Executive summary | 1–2 pages | The eight questions from Chapter 15. Written last. |
| Section | Length | Must answer / contain |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Company overview | 1–2 pages | Legal identity, CIPC number, ownership table, B-BBEE status, compliance status, history, banking relationship |
| 2. Products and services | 2–3 pages | What you sell in plain language; the economics table: price, direct cost, margin, volume per line |
| 3. Market analysis | 3–5 pages | Market definition, TAM/SAM/SOM with bottom-up reconciliation, customer segment profiles, demand drivers, evidence of demand |
| 4. Industry and competition | 2–4 pages | Industry structure (five forces), PESTLE where policy-sensitive, competitor matrix, your positioning and its durability |
| Section | Length | Must answer / contain |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Marketing and sales | 2–3 pages | Positioning, pricing rationale, two resourced channels, CAC and LTV, sales process, conversion rates, weighted pipeline |
| 6. Business model | 1–2 pages | How value converts to cash; revenue model; cash conversion cycle in days |
| 7. Operations | 3–5 pages | Premises, equipment, utilities and energy plan, supply chain, process flow, capacity vs. forecast, licensing schedule |
| 8. Technology and systems | 1–2 pages | Core systems, management information, POPIA position, continuity, automation roadmap |
| 9. Management, team and HR | 2–3 pages | Key people with quantified track records, capability gap table, organogram now and year 3, headcount schedule, compliance |
| Section | Length | Must answer / contain |
|---|---|---|
| 10. SWOT | 1 page | Four quadrants, comparative and specific, each with an action |
| 11. Risk analysis | 2–3 pages | Risk register: likelihood, impact, gross rating, specific mitigation, residual rating. Include the risk the funder fears most. |
| 12. Implementation plan | 1–2 pages | Phased timeline with dates, activities, drawdowns and milestone triggers |
| 13. Growth and exit | 1–2 pages | Named growth vector with trigger conditions; exit route and basis (equity raises only) |
| 14. Financial plan | 5–8 pages | Assumptions with sources, income statement, balance sheet, cash flow, break-even (cash and accounting), DSCR, sensitivity, three scenarios with management responses |
| Section | Length | Must answer / contain |
|---|---|---|
| 15. Funding request | 1–2 pages | Amount, instrument, term, proposed rate, repayment profile, use of funds table, owner contribution, security offered, exit or repayment mechanism |
| Appendices | As required | The full evidence pack listed in Chapter 35 |
Formatting standards that signal professionalism
- One typeface for headings, one for body. 10–11pt body, 1.15–1.5 line spacing, generous margins
- Number every page, table and figure; reference them in the text
- Consistent currency format throughout: R1,250,000 or R1.25m — pick one and never mix
- State whether figures are VAT-inclusive or exclusive, once, prominently
- Every table has a title and a source note; every chart has axis labels and units
- Header or footer on every page with company name, document title and version
- Deliver as PDF, not an editable file — and name it properly: CompanyName_BusinessPlan_2026-07.pdf
- Supply the financial model as a separate Excel file with formulas intact, not as images
Weak — what gets declined
A 78-page document with a 4-page executive summary, a 12-page industry history, three pages of mission and vision statements, a market section citing only national figures, financial statements as flattened images, and no funding request until page 71.
Strong — what gets funded
A 32-page document opening with a 1.5-page executive summary that states the ask on the first page, a market section built bottom-up and reconciled two ways, a costed implementation timeline, a risk register with residual ratings, a use-of-funds table to the nearest ten thousand rand, and a separate live Excel model with the balance check visible on the front sheet.
