Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Melissa Houston covers financial issues that affect women in business. Creating a successful business starts with a strong plan.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Writing a business plan is like the architectural plan for a home or a brick-and-mortar building. You need to know what materials you ...

A business plan is similar to a NASA launch pad. The plan is a platform from which a three-stage progression is propelled: Stage one, of course, is the business plan itself; stage two, the fleet plan; ...

So you’ve come up with an idea for a business and made the courageous decision to strike out on your own. You’ll get to work on your terms, become your own boss, and hopefully turn a profit by doing ...

Q. I have a new business idea and I would like to look for funding to get it off the ground. I have a basic business plan but have been advised to expand it before using it as part of funding ...

When business owners inquire about a business loan, it’s important for lenders to gauge how much knowledge and experience they have of their industry. Comprehensive awareness of a business’s ...