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21 Unique Business Ideas for 2024

• 4 weeks ago

Unique business ideas across sectors and industries are waiting to be discovered. These businesses might cater to niche markets, invent and sell new products, or offer a traditional service in a new way.

Finding the right unique business idea can be a balancing act. You want to be different enough to stand out from the crowd, but not so different that there’s no market for your product or service. We’ll discuss the unique small business ideas that hit that sweet spot.

Top 21 Unique Business Ideas 2024

Unique service business ideas, unique cleaning business ideas, unique business ideas for small towns, unique online business ideas, unique business ideas for students, unique brick-and-mortar shop ideas, unique business ideas from home, unique business development ideas, finding the right unique small business idea.

• Dog walking business
• Fingerprinting business
• Personal chef
• Remote cleaning business
• Ewaste collection and recycling
• Window cleaning business
• Flower shop
• Mobile veterinary services
• Specialty food store
• Virtual interior designer
• Online bakery
• Voiceover business
• Transcription business
• Pet sitting services
• AI book business
• Axe throwing business
• Sensory deprivation tank business
• Drone photography
• Furniture restoration business
• Custom treehouse business

You’ll find more information on each of these small business ideas, along with more unusual business ideas, in the article below.

1. Dog Walking

• Average Annual Revenue: $34K+ • Average Profit Margins: 16% • Startup Costs: $500-$5K • Time to Revenue: 3+ months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.7% • Best For: Animal lovers and experts, pet owners, people who like working outdoors

High demand puts a dog walking business among the best small business ideas for animal lovers to start in 2024. As of 2023, 65.1 million households in the U.S. own at least one dog, and many of those need help taking care of them. That’s a lot of potential customers for your new business venture.

Another plus of dog walking is the potentially low startup costs compared to other businesses. You can set up a profile on a site like Rover and start providing services locally right away with a very small budget.

2. Fingerprinting

• Average Annual Revenue: $132K+ • Average Profit Margins: 9.1% • Startup Costs: $500-$250K • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: -0.6% • Best For: People with high professionalism, a commitment to security, and strong organization skills and attention to detail

Fingerprinting is another unique business idea with a potentially low initial investment.

These services have a broader customer base than many people realize, from criminal investigations to employment background checks and security clearances. If you’re able to attract customers and are skilled at providing customer service, fingerprinting can be a very lucrative business.

Dan Jurkowitsch is an expert in this unique niche market. He teaches people how to use this business model to start successful businesses. Hear his advice in this podcast interview:

3. Personal Chef Services

• Average Annual Revenue: $129K • Average Profit Margins: 51.7% • Startup Costs: $500-$5K • Time to Revenue: 1-6 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.9% • Best For: Culinary experts like chefs, cooks, and bakers with strong customer service skills

Being a personal chef is a great business idea for chefs who want to avoid the stress and high startup costs of food trucks and restaurants.

Since you work one-on-one with customers, it’s much less hectic and demanding, and you won’t need a brick-and-mortar space.

Connecting with your target audience is often the trickiest part of starting a personal chef business. Having an online presence for your business, including a website and a strong social media following, can be the best way to grow small businesses in this niche.

You can even expand this online presence into another revenue stream by offering online courses in cooking techniques or connecting your chef services to an online store selling ingredients or cooking supplies.

4. Remote Cleaning

• Average Annual Revenue: $74K+ • Average Profit Margins: 6.7% • Startup Costs: $500-$30K • Time to Revenue: 1-6 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2% • Best For: System-driven and organized entrepreneurs who are tech-savvy with strong digital marketing skills

Offering cleaning services may not be a unique business idea on its own, but it is when you run that company completely remotely. You can set up an online booking system, hire remote team members, and run a cleaning business without ever setting foot in a customer’s home.

Neel Parekh launched his cleaning company, MaidThis, in 2013. Today, it brings in an average revenue of $166,000 per month using a 100% remote business model. Learn how Neel started and grew this unique business idea in the interview below:

5. E-Waste Collection and Recycling

• Average Annual Revenue: $5.7M+ • Average Profit Margins: 2.9% • Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9% • Best For: People who like physical work, entrepreneurs passionate about sustainability and the environment

Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, has been a growing problem over the past decade. Roughly 6.9 million tons are generated in the United States alone each year, of which only about 17% is properly recycled. Part of the problem is that many people don’t know how to properly dispose of electronics or lack services in their area to do so.

This makes an e-waste recycling service both a unique business idea with potentially high demand and a much-needed service to safeguard our natural resources.

This is another unique small business idea that could be done remotely. Kyle Landwehr started a junk removal business and has turned those systems into six-figure remote trash hauling businesses through the Junk Academy. Find out more in this podcast interview:

6. Window Cleaning

• Average Annual Revenue: $64K • Average Profit Margins: 8.8% • Startup Costs: $200-$5K • Time to Revenue: 3+ months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.9% • Best For: Detail-oriented and hands-on entrepreneurs who excel at customer service

One way to stand out with a cleaning services business is to focus on a niche. Window cleaning can be an extremely profitable option because it’s a relatively untapped niche with a potentially wide customer base.

Both residential and commercial customers have a need for window cleaning services. This is also something many people can’t do themselves, particularly for multi-story buildings.

On The Spot Window Cleaning has grown to a $45,000-a-month business since its founding in 1998. Learn how owner Jeremiah Hickey started and grew this small business idea in his podcast interview:

7. Flower Shop

• Average Annual Revenue: $262K+ • Average Profit Margins: 5.4% • Startup Costs: $100,000-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 2.8% • Best For: Gardeners, florists, and other plant care professionals, creative entrepreneurs with a green thumb

A flower shop is among the best small-town business ideas. People everywhere love getting beautiful, sweet-smelling flower arrangements as a gift, but smaller towns often don’t have local businesses that provide the service.

Small business owners in the floral niche also have several options to add revenue streams. For example, you could sell herbs, potted plants, seeds, bulbs, and gardening supplies. You can also expand your customer base by selling edible flowers to local restaurants or partnering with other small businesses in the gift niche.

It doesn’t take much experience or business savvy to start a flower business. Dylan Capshaw started a flower business online when he was only 16. He’s since expanded it into a unique business, Stemistry, that combines a flower shop with a cafe. Hear his story in this podcast interview:

8. Mobile Veterinary Services

• Average Annual Revenue: $72K • Average Profit Margins: 11.5% • Startup Costs: $1K-$100K • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.1% • Best For: Veterinarians, dog breeders and trainers, and other animal care experts

Being a veterinarian isn’t necessarily a unique business in its own right, but it is once you put it on wheels!

This is an innovative business idea for a small town or rural area. Pet owners in lower-population areas often have to travel a long distance to access vet care. Mobile services go to them, making transactions more lucrative because you’re giving customers much-needed convenience.

Granted, this unique business idea isn’t for everyone. You’ll need extensive training in animal healthcare. For those who already have this training, though, a mobile business model can be a great way to start a successful business venture.

9. Specialty Food Store

• Average Annual Revenue: $9.3M+ • Average Profit Margins: 1.8% • Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.8% • Best For: Foodies, cooks, and food service professionals with strong organization and inventory management skills

People who live in small towns still enjoy unique food, but it can be hard to come by outside of large cities. This is why a specialty food store is an excellent small business idea for small-town entrepreneurs.

Successful business owners in the specialty food niche need to be responsive to customer demands. The key is to find out what items are missing from your local markets and fill that gap.

Communicating with locals, both in person and through social media, is a great way to predict which specialty foods will fly off the shelf in your town.

10. Virtual Interior Design

• Average Annual Revenue: $168K+ • Average Profit Margins: 10.6% • Startup Costs: $1K-$100K • Time to Revenue: 1-3 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2% • Best For: Designers, artists, and creative entrepreneurs, real estate industry and home staging professionals

The expansion of virtual tools has created lots of opportunities for unusual business ideas, one being virtual interior design. Designers in this niche use virtual design software to make furnishing and decoration recommendations completely remotely.

Having a website and a strong social media presence is crucial for success as a virtual designer. You can demonstrate your authority and aesthetic with an online portfolio, virtual design workshops, or online courses that teach interior design basics.

11. Online Bakery Business

• Average Annual Revenue: $1.52M • Average Profit Margins: 5.4% • Startup Costs: $100-$3M • Time to Revenue: 1-6 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.1% • Best For: Cooks, bakers, and food experts who are system-driven, organized, and tech-literate

Similar to a cupcake food truck business or bakery catering service, an online bakery business can be a great way to profit from your baking skills without the expense of a brick-and-mortar space.

Instead of buying products at a bakery, customers order their baked goods through an online interface and then get products delivered, either through the mail or local delivery.

Along with lower expenses, this mode allows the business owner to work at their own pace. It’s also easier to control inventory when you’re preparing baked goods to order rather than trying to anticipate the demands of hungry customers.

12. Voiceover Business

• Average Annual Revenue: $73K+ • Average Profit Margins: 3.7% • Startup Costs: $100-$500 • Time to Revenue: 1-3 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 9.12% • Best For: Actors, singers, and performers who are patient, detail-focused, and excel at time management

If you’ve ever been told that you have a great voice for radio, then a voiceover business should be on your list of top small business ideas.

Voiceover artists take on a range of assignments, from voicing characters in cartoons and video games to reading audiobooks or content for apps like GPS systems. The main skills you’ll need are a clear speaking voice and the ability to read from a script.

The easiest way to start an online business in voice acting is to sign up for a freelance platform focused on the craft. Snap Recordings , Filmless , and Voice123 are among the most popular sites for building a career in this industry.

13. Transcription Business

• Average Annual Revenue: $25K+ • Average Profit Margins: 9% • Startup Costs: $0-$5K • Time to Revenue: 1-3 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9% • Best For: Good listeners with fast typing skills

Students need a business with low startup costs—and it doesn’t get any lower than 0. While some new transcription business owners pay for advertising to attract customers, you can start for free by taking jobs through sites like TranscribeMe or Rev .

If you can type at a speed of at least 60 words per minute, transcription can be a good business idea. You can also find free and low-cost software to make the job easier. Typically, transcriptionists work at their own pace, so this is also an easy business to schedule around your classes and other activities.

14. Pet Sitting Services

• Average Annual Revenue: $34K+ • Average Profit Margins: 16% • Startup Costs: $500-$5K • Time to Revenue: 3+ months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.7% • Best For: Animal lovers, pet owners, people who are patient, organized, and great communicators

Many students need to fit their small business ideas around studying and homework time. This is what can make pet sitting a perfect fit. While you’ll need to feed and care for the animals, a lot of your work is just keeping an eye on them—basically, you can get paid for hanging out with cats and dogs.

Building your client base can be the tricky part of getting started in this niche business. Many small business owners in the pet sitting niche build a client list through websites like Rover , Wag! , and PetSitter . You can also connect with clients through social media sites like Nextdoor.

15. AI Book Business

• Average Annual Revenue: Unknown • Average Profit Margins: 23.3% • Startup Costs: $500-$5K • Time to Revenue: 1-3 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 7.80% • Best For: Strong editors with knowledge of generative AI and digital marketing skills

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has opened up a host of new business ideas. Using AI to generate books is one way to leverage this new technology into a lucrative business opportunity.

The key to success with an AI book business is knowing how to identify your target audience and market to them effectively. That’s how Joe Popelas made over $1M in his first year selling AI-generated books. Hear his story and advice in this podcast interview:

16. Axe Throwing Business

• Average Annual Revenue: $454K • Average Profit Margins: 9.91% • Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9% • Best For: Outgoing and fun-loving entrepreneurs with strong system-building and marketing skills

If you want to provide your area with a unique entertainment option, starting an axe-throwing establishment can be both a very fun and an extremely profitable business opportunity. Originating in Canada, this is a relatively new industry that’s skyrocketed in popularity over the past decade.

Along with charging customers for axe-throwing sessions, you can expand your revenue streams by hosting tournaments, selling memberships, or having an on-site shop that sells refreshments and merchandise.

17. Sensory Deprivation Tank Business

• Average Annual Revenue: $1.1M+ • Average Profit Margins: 12.07% • Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.1% • Best For: Wellness-oriented entrepreneurs with strong customer service and marketing skills

First developed in the 1950s, sensory deprivation tanks (also known as flotation tanks or isolation tanks) have seen substantial growth in popularity in recent years. They can help people unplug from the distractions of modern life, so it’s no surprise that so many of them have popped up across the United States since 2020.

Ryan Duey’s transformative experience in a float tank led him to open his own flotation therapy spa, Capitol Floats. He’s since built on that business by making and selling his own cold plunge tanks and sensory deprivation tanks. Hear how he built his business in this podcast interview:

18. Cat Cafe

• Average Annual Revenue: $865K+ • Average Profit Margins: 5.8% • Startup Cost: $1K-$100K • Time to Revenue: 3+ months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2% • Best For: Animal lovers, baristas and food service professionals

Some of the top unique businesses are twists on old classics. Cat cafes are one example of this, putting a new spin on the classic coffee shop.

Connecting with other businesses is a critical first step to opening a cat cafe. Primarily, you’ll need an animal partner that can provide well-socialized cats for guests to interact with (and adopt, if they fall in love with a floof during their visit).

Cat cafes can set up multiple revenue streams to increase their odds of success. This can include selling merchandise and pet-friendly snacks in addition to the typical cafe offerings. They can also charge an entrance fee for the cat space.

19. Drone Photography and Videography

• Average Annual Revenue: $50K • Average Profit Margins: 7.3% • Startup Costs: $1K-$10K • Time to Revenue: 1-6 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.3% • Best For: Photographers and visual artists, tech-literate and creative entrepreneurs

Drone photography is a relatively new industry, and that’s part of what makes it a good small business idea. While the market for photography services can be crowded, most photographers can’t take overhead shots. Offering that unique service can help a new small business owner stand out in their local market.

This niche business in the photography industry is often in high demand as a B2B business. For instance, real estate industry professionals use drone photography to sell their properties, while advertising professionals use it in commercials and other marketing materials.

Mile High Productions built a strong customer base of real estate agents, earning an average revenue of $35,000 a month. Learn how it grew in this YouTube interview:

20. Furniture Restoration and Flipping

• Average Annual Revenue: $111K+ • Average Profit Margins: 1.9% • Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 6.55% • Best For: Woodworkers, interior designers, creative entrepreneurs who like working with their hands

Furniture restoration is among the best home business ideas for makers, tinkerers, and other hands-on entrepreneurs. It lets you make a living from breathing new life into old things, which makes it sustainable and eco-friendly, as well.

The best business plan for a furniture restoration business often includes multiple services. You can restore pieces for clients or buy, fix up, and flip old furniture you find at thrift stores, flea markets, and antique stores.

Jennifer Beck started in furniture retail sales, then built on her passion for restoration into her own business with Saved By Design. Learn how she got started in this podcast interview:

21. Custom Treehouse Business

• Average Annual Revenue: $696K+ • Average Profit Margins: 3.4% • Startup Costs: $1K-$100K • Time to Revenue: 1-6 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: -1.3% • Best For: Carpenters, designers, and construction professionals with strong customer service and communication skills

Treehouses aren’t just for kids anymore. From unique Airbnbs to fun home offices and entertainment spaces, there are a variety of reasons people add custom treehouses to their properties.

You don’t have to only build treehouses, either. Often, business owners in this niche market build other backyard spaces for customers, like decks and sheds.

Anthony and Jamie Taylor-Weber and started their innovative business, Outdoor Office, from their home garage. Now, it brings in a revenue of $1.2M a year. See how they did it in this YouTube interview:

Having a unique business concept doesn’t need to mean you’re inventing a completely new thing from scratch. Here are some tips on ways to turn any concept into a unique business idea.

Take Your Business on the Road

Convenience is king in the modern world. Taking your product or service straight to customers can give you a definite leg up on your competition.

Mobile vet services are one example of this, and you can apply the concept to just about any niche. From food trucks to mobile clothing boutiques or hair salons, there’s a way to take just about any type of business on the road.

This approach has benefits for business owners as well as customers. It often costs less to start, for one thing, and has lower overhead expenses compared to brick-and-mortar shops. It also makes any type of business super-scalable—just buy another truck for the fleet, and you’ve effectively doubled your capacity.

Combine Compatible Ideas in New Ways

One of the businesses referenced above is Stemistry, a combination flower shop and coffee shop. By bringing these concepts together, Dylan Capshaw expanded his revenue streams and target audience.

A cat cafe is another example of this. People love cafes, and they love playing with pets—so why not put the two together into one place?

You can take the same approach with other business ideas. This can be a way to put a new spin on a familiar concept, or it can add profitability to a new idea that may take a while to gain traction otherwise.

Share Independent Research and Education Resources

You might think that teaching other people about your industry is counterproductive for growing business revenue. After all, if your customers know how to do things themselves, why would they pay you?

But think about it: most people know how to clean a home, but cleaning businesses are still very profitable.

Providing educational resources, like online courses, white papers, infographics, or how-to videos, establishes your authority in your industry. You can also use these as an additional revenue stream or as marketing materials to attract new customers.

This list of unusual business ideas certainly isn’t comprehensive. There are unique business ideas not yet implemented in every industry. Now it’s time for you to go out and find the right one for you.

What is your favorite unique business idea? Let us know in the comments!

Brandon Boushy

Brandon Boushy lives to improve people’s lives by helping them become successful entrepreneurs. His journey started nearly 30 years ago. He consistently excelled at everything he did, but preferred to make the rules rather than follow him. His exploration of self and knowledge has helped him to get an engineering degree, MBA, and countless certifications. When freelancing and rideshare came onto the scene, he recognized the opportunity to play by his own rules. Since 2017, he has helped businesses across all industries achieve more with his research, writing, and marketing strategies. Since 2021, he has been the Lead Writer for UpFlip where he has published over 170 articles on small business success.

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40 UNIQUE BUSINESS IDEAS

Unique Business ideas - Whether it’s a unique food, sport, therapy, or rental service, getting in at the forefront with the right Unique Small Business Idea can be incredibly lucrative. This detailed guide breaks down everything you need to create your own small business today!

Exploring your options? Check out additional small business ideas .

Unique Small Business Ideas

We’ve broken down our top unique business ideas into seven categories including, specialty foods, sports and entertainment, pet businesses, and many more. We've ranked their startup costs, required skill level, and earning potential to help you decide which unique small business idea is right for you.

1. COOKIE DOUGH CAFE

Professional bakers or baking enthusiasts with a good sense for business may consider selling edible cookie dough. While this business can certainly remain small, the growth potential is huge. You may expand locally, regionally, and even nationally while still keeping costs low since the product can easily be shipped.

The earning potential of this business is great, considering the high markup potential of this specialty product. While costs will increase if you decide to open a brick and mortar shop, with enough business-savvy and sales, profits can grow quite high.

Learn how to start a cookie dough cafe .

2. OLIVE OIL STORE

If you have retail experience and a love for fine, specialty foods, an olive oil store may be a good fit for you. In addition to experience managing a retail operation, you’ll need be able to speak with customers about olive oil with some degree of expertise. While not necessary, cooking and teaching experience can be very helpful as hosting cooking classes and workshops can boost interest and profits.

Opening an olive oil store requires a fairly large investment to ensure your storefront is located in an area with significant foot traffic from high-end customers. The growth potential for this business is somewhat uncertain, but with more and more customers seeking premium, artisan products, the right business plan can lead to profits of 10% to 15% on sales and even more on classes, workshops, and other special events.

Learn how to start an olive oil store .

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the  Top LLC Formation Services

And, use our free tools to help start your business:

• Use our  Business Name Generator  for help brainstorming your new venture’s name
• Learn  how to form an LLC , one of the  best business structures  for unique businesses
• Use our free  business plan generator  to start planning your business today
• Get your unique logo with our free  Logo Maker  and start branding your business
• After finding your perfect idea learn how to  start a business

3. GOURMET POPCORN SHOP

If you love popcorn and are creative in the kitchen, a gourmet popcorn business may be a good fit for you. This is another great business idea that gives you the flexibility to stay small or expand. You may sell from home, open a store, or get your products on the shelves of food stores across the country. There are also a considerable number of resources available for those looking to learn the ropes of the gourmet popcorn business before opening.

Startup costs vary considerably, depending on whether you start by operating out of your home, renting a storefront, or even buying a franchise. However, because of the significant price markup, selling gourmet popcorn can potentially be quite profitable, with some national brands worth millions of dollars.

Learn how to start a gourmet popcorn shop .

4. SEA SALT BUSINESS

Anyone who is self-motivated, likes working with their hands, and has access to seawater may consider starting a sea salt business. Owners will need some level of expertise to recognize the best locations, seasons, and times to source the salt. This requires at least basic knowledge of tides, currents, and sea levels.

Once you’ve pinpointed the best source for your sea salt, the startup costs for your business are very low. You can get started with a few buckets and jars, a food processor, and a means of evaporating the sea water you collect. The low costs, virtually unlimited supply of free raw materials, and high markup potential mean a sea salt business can be extremely profitable.

Learn how to start a sea salt business .

Find a Web Domain for Your Unique Business

Securing a web domain and creating a quality website is important for the overall success of your unique business.

Find a Domain Now

Powered by godaddy.com, 5. axe throwing party business.

Axe-throwing parties are one of the many unique niche entertainment options popping up across the country. Anyone who enjoys games and entertainment may enjoy running this exciting business. Experience with axe throwing is useful, but not required.

Insuring an axe-throwing business can be expensive due to the inherent risks involved and the novel nature of the business. If you put in the time and money, though, there is a good deal of growth and profit potential. A successful axe-throwing party business has the potential to make six figures, with larger businesses realizing revenue beyond $1 million annually.

Learn how to start an axe throwing business .

6. ESCAPE ROOM BUSINESS

Creative individuals who love playing games and have a keen attention to detail may be good candidates to start an escape room business. While formal education and experience aren’t required, a background in design or other creative fields can be very helpful.

Escape rooms are a new and growing niche entertainment business that has blossomed over the past decade. While it’s hard to say how far this industry may grow, it continues to be a popular choice for a variety of people from small groups and parties to corporations looking for team building activities. Startup costs are moderate, as you will have to rent a location and design and furnish the room. However, a successful escape room business can bring in considerable profits, well into six figures.

Learn how to start an escape room business .

7. CHALLENGE COURSE

Skilled marketers and salespeople who have an interest in outdoor activities and experience in military or police training, summer camps, or corporate training are uniquely qualified to run a challenge course business.

Whether it is an obstacle course, high-ropes course, zip-line, or other adventurous activity, startup costs are significant and include land, insurance, and quality staff members. However, these businesses continue to grow in popularity, attracting individuals, families, parties, and corporate clients. With the right marketing and business plan, even small challenge course businesses can bring in six figures. Larger businesses can make millions of dollars annually.

Learn how to start a challenge course business .

8. RAGE ROOM

Creative thinkers and marketers with access to cheap, breakable items could turn a profit by letting customers smash things in a rage room. This is a relatively new idea, but one that can have widespread appeal. From parties looking for a unique experience to people looking to let off some steam after a breakup or job loss, a rage room can provide both entertainment and catharsis for its customers.

Startup costs are moderate, with a space for the rage room, storage, breakable objects, and liability insurance among the biggest expenses. Growth potential and profit will vary depending on your particular business model and price structure, but as popularity grows business owners may have the opportunity to expand into additional locations or even franchises.

Learn how to start a rage room .

9. INDOOR TRAMPOLINE PARK

If you enjoy interacting with people and having fun, you may be well suited to operate an indoor trampoline park. As with all businesses, strong marketing skills will give you an advantage over the competition.

Startup costs for this business are high, as it requires a large, open indoor space and a lot of specialty equipment. However, this is a growing industry. Those in a market with no competition can be especially successful, drawing customers from a wide area and potentially expanding to multiple locations in their region. If you have the money to invest upfront, an indoor trampoline business can see a profit margin of 25% or more, with profits well into six figures.

Learn how to start an indoor trampoline park .

10. FOOTBALL BOWLING BUSINESS

Another growing niche game that may be a good business opportunity for an outgoing person who enjoys fun activities is football bowling. Also known as bombowling or fowling, this activity entails throwing a football down a lane to knock down bowling pins. In addition to knowing the rules of the game, general business knowledge is critical for success in this new and fairly unknown business.

Startup costs are substantial, as the game requires a large amount of customized indoor space. Earning potential depends primarily on how many customers you can attract, but with the right marketing and a solid customer base, profits can be significant.

Learn how to start a football bowling business .

11. NERF ARENA

A Nerf arena is another business idea that’s great for outgoing savvy individuals looking to run a fun, fast-paced business. While the typical target customers are younger people, aged six to fourteen, many Nerf arenas have found they can increase revenue by also appealing to corporate and other adult groups.

Startup costs are fairly high, as a large amount of indoor space is required, along with things like equipment and insurance. Because of the high maintenance costs and lower rates charged to customers, earning potential is not as high as some of the other businesses in this category. However, a successful Nerf arena owner can still bring in a profit of around $50,000 per year.

Learn how to start a Nerf arena .

12. GAME TRUCK BUSINESS

If you enjoy video games and interacting with children, operating a mobile game truck business can provide a unique opportunity. Strong business management skills and a willingness to work on weekends are also important. While the mobile nature of this business removes the cost of renting a permanent space, the cost of outfitting the truck or trailer is still fairly substantial.

Gaming is a huge and booming industry, meaning growth potential for any related business is generally strong. Once established, low overhead costs mean game trucks can bring in a good amount of money from each event. If you’re able to book steady business, there is great potential to make some excellent profits.

Learn how to start a game truck business .

13. NINJA WARRIOR GYM

An outgoing individual who has an interest in fitness and entertainment may be a good fit to operate a ninja warrior gym. Popularized by the TV show American Ninja Warrior, this business draws in a variety of clients. It is important for an owner to be comfortable interacting with different people and to have some general knowledge about running a business to keep people coming back.

Startup costs are high, with the business requiring a large space, special equipment, and good insurance coverage. However, the growing appeal of ninja warrior gyms means your business has great growth and earning potential.

Learn how to start a ninja warrior gym .

14. PROFESSIONAL MERMAID

Professional mermaids have grown in popularity in recent years. This quirky business idea may be a good fit for a strong swimmer who enjoys acting and interacting with people.

While high-end costumes can be expensive, startup costs can be kept quite low for this business since it can easily be run by booking clients entirely online. As a highly specialized business, professional mermaids can charge a high hourly rate. With regular bookings, this can be a quite lucrative business, bringing in $1,500 or more per week.

Learn how to start a professional mermaid business .

15. PARTY BUS BUSINESS

If you are experienced at coordinating events, enjoy working with people and providing customer service, and can think quickly on your feet, a party bus may be a good business for you. Party buses have become a popular choice for a wide range of customers looking for a fun, unique, event that’s easy to plan.

Startup expenses are substantial, with the cost of buses, salaries, and insurance among some of the biggest. You’ll also have ongoing expenses for gas and maintenance of your buses. However, with the high hourly rates you can charge, it’s possible to bring in a respectable annual profit of $50,000 or more.

Learn how to start a party bus business .

16. CONTENDER ESPORTS FRANCHISE

A Contender eSports franchise is another great business opportunity that taps into the ever-expanding video game market. No formal education is required, but a strong work ethic, marketing skills, and a love of gaming will help increase your odds of success.

Startup costs are high since Contender requires all franchisees to have liquid assets of at least $50,000 and a net worth of $300,000. In this growing industry, the earning potential depends largely on your ability to attract customers. With a solid marketing strategy and consistent customer base, you’ll have the potential to make excellent profits.

Learn how to start a Contender eSports franchise business .

17. VINTAGE MAPS STORE

A very niche business, this is a good fit for historians and amateur map collectors who are passionate and knowledgeable about the topic. Many vintage maps business owners start out as hobbyists and then go on to establish galleries that house large collections of vintage maps.

Startup costs depend on whether you want to open a retail storefront or operate online, as well as the amount of inventory you want to carry and what you may or may not already have. As a niche market, growth can be limited. However, as accessibility to vintage maps decreases, the potential to expand your influence within the market increases, along with your earning potential.

Learn how to start a vintage maps business .

18. BONSAI TREE BUSINESS

Selling bonsai trees can be a good option for gardeners and stay-at-home workers looking for both a satisfying hobby and a business venture. While no formal education is required, owners should familiarize themselves with the various types of bonsai trees, best growing conditions, and basic techniques for raising the trees and helping them thrive.

Startup costs for seeds and other materials are relatively low, and you can turn a good profit once the trees are grown, provided you can wait 3–5 years. Bonsai are considered "high-value" trees that increase in popularity each year, especially with urban customers who lack the space to grow full sized trees. While profit margins are high, earning potential is limited by how many trees you’re able to cultivate and sell.

Learn how to start a bonsai tree business .

19. DRIED FLOWER BUSINESS

An individual who enjoys gardening, understands how different types of flowers react to different drying methods, and is looking for a way to make some part-time income may consider operating a dried flower business. Normally this business is done as a side venture to a person’s full-time job, but it doesn’t have to stay that way.

A flower drying business can grow exponentially if you establish yourself in a community as the go-to for decorative plants or sentimental keepsakes. Start up costs are low, especially if you already have a suitable space for growing your own flowers. Even as a side business this venture has the potential to bring in serious profits.

Learn how to start a dried flower business .

20. DART STORE

This niche business is ideal for an expert in darts or a master craftsman who can create a product or provide service that sets their business apart from other suppliers. With a number of online vendors of dart equipment, a dart store should focus on quality and expertise. Those who can cultivate a unique style or specialty will shine in this industry.

Startup costs will vary depending on the space you choose and the raw materials used in your products. Growth can be slow since expensive, high-quality products are made to last. However, with the right products and marketing strategy, there is an opportunity to make significant profits since top-of-the-line darts equipment can be priced quite high.

Learn how to start a dart store .

21. WIND CHIME BUSINESS

A wind chime business can be a good fit for anyone with an artistic, creative ear. Whether you craft the chimes yourself or purchase them from artists and craftsman, the ability to identify calming and beautiful sounds is vital.

If you choose to run this business out of your home, as many do, startup costs are quite manageable. With low costs and the opportunity for a large markup, those with consistent sales can make a fairly good profit with this business.

Learn how to start a wind chime business .

22. VINTAGE TOY STORE

A vintage toy store is an excellent venture for avid toy collectors and enthusiasts looking to turn their hobby into a lucrative business opportunity. Having experience finding and purchasing rare toys is important, along with the general business knowledge to properly market your toys to the best audience.

Startup costs are moderate, with the biggest expenses being rent for a storefront and inventory. Some business owners may choose to start their business online before expanding into a brick and mortar store, and many maintain an online presence even after opening. If you are good at finding a variety of valuable toys at good prices, the profits can be significant.

Learn how to start a vintage toy store .

23. STAINED GLASS BUSINESS

While general artistic abilities and knowledge of how to run a business are important, high levels of specific knowledge and skills are also required to run a successful stained glass business. Stained glass is generally viewed as a long-lasting work of art, and customers expect top quality.

Stained glass is an ancient industry that’s been beautifying homes and buildings for hundreds of years. Startup costs can be kept relatively low since most owners do business out of their home. With the internet available as a valuable tool to reach a wide customers base, the earning potential of this business is good. How far you grow will largely depend on who you market to and how much product you’re able to produce and sell.

Learn how to start a stained glass business .

24. CUSTOM DOLL BUSINESS

Most people who get into the custom doll business started out making dolls as a hobby. Knowledge of how to work with different types of materials can be useful to increase the types of dolls you can make. Being flexible and able to respond to the particular demand in your market will help you succeed.

Startup costs are quite low, but custom dolls is a very niche market with limited growth potential. Making each doll takes a good deal of time and effort, and there is a fairly low price ceiling. While you can definitely turn your hobby or craft into a profit, the low numbers mean it is much better suited as a supplemental income steam.

Learn how to start a custom doll business .

25. CHICKEN DIAPER BUSINESS

The chicken diaper business suits a pretty specific type of person: someone who is creative, a good sewer, and who has experience owning or raising chickens. This business has grown specifically out of a rise in urban chicken raising, so enthusiasm for this field is important for bringing in customers.

While the industry is on the rise as thousands of people in cities around the country have become interested in raising chickens, it is still a small and fairly limited market. Even with very low startup costs, it can be difficult to make more than a small supplemental income. Still, this can be a very fun side business.

Learn how to start a chicken diaper business .

Start a Home Business in Your State

26. tiny house business.

If you are involved in construction, architecture, or another part of the real estate industry, the tiny house business can be a fun and profitable way to use your experience.

Startup costs vary based on the specifics of the homes you build and the real estate market in your area. Because this business requires fewer materials and less land than traditional home building, costs are generally manageable. With the current popularity of tiny houses, builders can make a sizeable profit on each home.

Learn how to start a tiny house business .

27. CUSTOM TREEHOUSE BUSINESS

Individuals with a background in construction or engineering who understand tree growth patterns and enjoy being outside can be a great fit for building custom treehouses. Carpentry skills and the ability to communicate effectively with your customers are also important.

Startup costs can vary, depending on the size of your staff, the materials you use, and the type of treehouses you choose to build. The complex nature of each build can place a limit on how far you can expand, but the high markup means successful treehouse businesses can be extremely profitable. Completed treehouses can sell for anywhere from in the thousands of dollars to over a million, depending on your customer base.

Learn how to start a custom treehouse business .

28. SENSORY DEPRIVATION TANK BUSINESS

Individuals with spa service experience and the ability to afford high startup costs may want to consider a sensory deprivation tank business. This is a relatively new industry that appeals to a niche audience, but as it grows in popularity there will be room to expand into new regions and markets. However, strong marketing and customer service skills will be critical to ensuring the business takes off.

You’ll also need to make a considerable investment to get your business started, with costs for a two-tank set up easily surpassing $200,000. However, once you’re up and running, this setup can net more than $100,000 per year for successful business owners.

Learn how to start a sensory deprivation tank business .

29. PROFESSIONAL MEDITATION BUSINESS

If you have a long history of practicing meditation and enjoy working with and teaching others, a meditation business may be a good fit for you. The more experience you have with different styles and methods of meditation, the more customers you can appeal to.

People are always looking for a way to slow down and relax. The recreational therapy industry, of which meditation is a part, is slated to experience 12 percent growth over the next few years, making this an excellent, growing industry to join. Earning potential varies by region, but the average salary for a recreational therapist in the U.S. is around $47,000.

Learn how to start a professional meditation business .

30. HOT TUB GARDEN

The ideal hot tub garden business owner believes in the relaxing, therapeutic potential of hot tubs and also has strong marketing skills. Basic mechanical skills can also be useful to deal with any potential issues with the tubs, as well as to perform general cleaning and maintenance.

Hot tub gardens are a fairly new concept, allowing customers to enjoy a hot tub in a private space, paying by the hour. Startup costs are in the tens of thousands of dollars or more, so you’ll need to be prepared to make a significant upfront investment. However, a successful hot tub garden business can be quite profitable, possibly bringing in high six-figure income each year.

Learn how to start a hot tub garden .

31. AROMATHERAPY BUSINESS

If you are passionate about helping others through homeopathic methods, and you also have a heightened sense of smell and the discipline to handle the day-to-day requirements of running a business, aromatherapy may be a good venture for you. Aromatherapy businesses cater to people looking for more natural remedies for common problems like stress and insomnia.

Homeopathic and other alternative therapies have become more popular in recent years, allowing for a good deal of growth in the industry. Startup costs are generally manageable, especially if you are not renting a storefront, and earning potential is solid. Business owners report earnings of anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000 per year.

Learn how to start an aromatherapy business .

32. REIKI BUSINESS

A Reiki business isn’t for everyone, but those who have experience with this practice may enjoy starting their own venture to share it with others. Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that promotes healing. It’s based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and gives us life.

Startup costs will vary depending on your specific business plan. Many practitioners begin working out of their homes, minimizing costs early on. Your company’s growth potential is directly tied to saturation of the market, the needs of the area you serve, and the number of practitioners you’re able to hire. Innovative entrepreneurs in this field strengthen their business by offering a well-rounded practice that combines multiple types of therapy to meet all their client’s needs. Reiki practitioners report annual profits between $39,000 and $73,000.

Learn how to start a Reiki business .

33. GOAT RENTAL BUSINESS

If you own goats or have the space to accommodate them, you may consider starting a goat rental business. Sometimes known as goatscaping, this business lends goats to people looking for a natural and environmentally friendly way to cut and even fertilize their property. Business owners will need to be familiar with keeping and caring for goats.

Startup costs vary depending on your situation. You’ll need goats, enough room for them to live, and a trailer to transport them to your customers. You’ll also need to cover all the expenses required for continued maintenance of the goats. If you already own goats, this business can be extremely affordable to get started. For those starting from scratch, costs are moderate to high. Earning potential depends on how many goats you have, but you could expect to earn around $750 per week during grazing season for each four-goat herd.

Learn how to start a goat rental business .

Learn more about starting a business by visiting the U.S. Small Business Administration .

34. CHICKEN RENTAL SERVICE

Much like a goat renting business, a chicken rental service is an excellent business opportunity for anyone who already owns a chicken farm or has experience raising chickens. Chicken renting allows non-farmers to rent chickens for the purpose of egg laying without the responsibility of owning a farm or taking care of them long term.

If you’re already an established chicken farmer, startup costs are quite low. However, rental prices for two chickens for six months is typically only between $250 and $500, so it can take time and a large number of chickens to start making significant income.

Learn how to start a chicken renting busines .

35. GLAMPING BUSINESS

A glamping business can be a good endeavor for an individual who has a background in the hospitality business and an attractive piece of available land. Glamping, or glamorous camping, appeals to people looking for a camping experience without having to rough it in a traditional tent or campsite.

Startup costs can be considerable, as glamping tents can cost tens of thousands of dollars. This business is really ideal for folks who already own a large piece of land like a farm, hunting ground, or coastal property that can be converted for at least part of the year. Earning potential varies depending on the location and the quality of the tents, but with nightly rates ranging from $50 to over $3,000 and fairly low ongoing maintenance costs, this business also has a great potential to bring in large profits.

Learn how to start a glamping business .

36. PET HOTEL

Animals lovers with business skills may enjoy operating a pet hotel. While not necessary, experience working in an animal shelter, boarding facility, or vet’s office can be helpful. A pet hotel is essentially a luxury kennel, offering high-end care for pets while their owners are away.

Startup costs are moderate, typically running between $25,000 and $85,000 depending on location and the size of your establishment. The pet grooming and boarding industry is huge, generating over $8 billion in revenue each year, with an average annual growth of 6.6%. With a good location and steady business, owners can see profits around $40,000 in their first year, with the potential for much more over time.

Learn how to start a pet hotel .

37. PET BAKERY

Someone passionate about pets and pet nutrition may want to consider starting a pet bakery business. Knowledge about pet nutrition is essential, and veterinary experience can be extremely helpful. Pet bakeries provide specially formulated pet foods using more natural, high-quality ingredients.

Startup costs vary depending on the size and business model, but selling online and using your home kitchen can keep expenses very low. While many start out small, there is a great potential to grow over time, increasing both online sales and the reach your products have across retail stores. Earning potential can be quite high, with nationally recognized brands bringing in millions each year.

Learn how to start a pet bakery .

38. CAT CAFE

Outgoing and personable cat lovers can be a good fit for this increasingly popular business. Cat cafes offer people a place to relax with friends and felines, while they also enjoy a beverage or meal. In addition to serving human customers, many cafes also help the cats they house by making them available for adoption. While not required, experience running or working in a cafe can be very helpful.

Startup costs are fairly substantial, with the expenses of renting and running a cafe plus providing adequate space and care for your cats. This business model is still very new in the United States, but success in Asia and elsewhere shows that cat cafes can become extremely popular and successful.

Learn how to start a cat cafe .

Start a Unique Business in Your State

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Home Business Ideas

There are a variety of businesses you can run out of your home, and because of the minimal overhead expenses, most of them can be started fairly cheaply. In this article, we outline our top 40 home business ideas for the modern entrepreneur.

Online Business Ideas

Whether you’re looking to build an online empire or earn a little money on the side, one of the best things about owning an online business is having the ability to work as much or as little as you want -- from whatever location you prefer.

Low-cost Business Ideas

In this article, we outline our top 40 business ideas with low startup costs to help you find a low-cost business idea that aligns with your interests and goals.

Side-hustle Business ideas

If you’re looking to scratch the entrepreneurial itch without giving up your day job, you’re probably on the hunt for a side-hustle that aligns with your personal interests and your schedule. These 40 side-hustles satisfy a range of interests and can easily turn into full-time careers.

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BUSINESS STRATEGIES

25 unique business ideas to inspire your entrepreneurial spirit

• Emily Shwake
• Jun 2, 2023
• 11 min read

Starting a business can be an exciting and personally rewarding experience, allowing you to be your own boss and turn your passions into profit. For many people, it’s even a long-held dream. Before delving into the creation of your business website , it is essential to conceive a distinctive business idea that not only captures your interest but also addresses an unfulfilled need or interest within the market. In this article, we’ll offer you some tips for coming up with a unique business idea and discuss 25 examples to provide some inspiration.

25 unique business ideas

From innovative solutions to niche services for specific industries, these ideas showcase the creativity, versatility and fresh perspective small business owners can bring to the marketplace.

Tutor underserved communities

Provide niche pet-grooming services

Offer photography services to a specific industry

Help people tackle unique hair care challenges

Offer bridal hair styling

Manage short-term home rentals

Provide alternative healing services

Put your business on wheels

Start a matching service

Set up a home maintenance service

Kick dog-walking services up a notch

Provide Instagram-friendly catering services

Offer specialized experiences to travelers in your local area

Look for an underserved cleaning niche

Set up a specialty disposal service

Become a virtual assistant

Provide virtual online tutoring services

Sell handmade apparel

Turn your art or craft skills into an online retail opportunity

Offer pet-sitting services

Incorporate CBD oils into everyday products

Set up a dropshipping business

Provide specialty aesthetician services

Offer consulting services to specific industries

01. Tutor underserved communities

Unique service business ideas often depend on identifying underserved customer bases. Texas-based Brain Bridge caters to students with special needs, offering educational testing, advocacy, consulting and tutoring. Owners Rachel Hadcock and Annie Rubalcava customize their approach to every client, ensuring that all their needs get met in a way that is right for them.

Read more: How to start a tutoring business

02. Provide niche pet-grooming services

If you’ve ever had a dog or cat, you know that their paws and nails are extra sensitive. Because of that, providing them with proper care is not only important but also difficult. As a seasoned veterinary assistant, the founder of Wizard of Paws has a keen understanding of these concerns and the expertise necessary to provide a safe, “fear-free” experience for pets and owners alike.

03. Offer photography services to a specific industry

Photographers are a dime-a-dozen, so building a thriving photography business requires some finesse. Enter Elite Photography . By specializing in real estate photography, the business can establish relationships with agents who will always need great photos to make their listings pop. You can take this idea one step further and sell your photos online as digital products .

Read more: How to start a photography business

04. Help people tackle unique hair care challenges

The Hair Rejuvenation Center & Salon understands that hair loss can have a profound impact on an individual's self-esteem and overall well-being. By combining their expertise with cutting-edge techniques and technology, the team offers personalized solutions that go beyond a one-size-fits-all approach.

But it doesn't stop there. The Hair Care Center and Rejuvenation also provides specialized cuts, perms and other styling services that prioritize the overall health and vitality of hair. Their experienced stylists take the time to understand individual needs and offer personalized recommendations to enhance hair quality, manageability and appearance.

05. Offer bridal hair styling

People tend to get pretty attached to their hair stylists, so attracting new customers can be an uphill battle. Specializing in bridal hair styling offers a unique advantage, since vendor referrals are so influential in the wedding industry. Establishing relationships with a few trusted vendors can open doors to a steady stream of clients. Hailey Jordan Martin takes this unique business idea a step further by also offering makeup services, eliminating the need for brides to hire a separate artist.

06. Manage short-term home rentals

Since its inception 14 years ago, Airbnb has fostered a flourishing ecosystem of complementary businesses. BNB Hunters exemplifies the potential of starting a business in this realm. By providing valuable assistance to Airbnb hosts who have available space but could use an extra hand, the company has carved out a significant niche. BNB Hunters offers comprehensive services, aiding hosts in managing their listings, implementing effective marketing strategies and ultimately unlocking the full potential of their properties in the competitive short-term rental market. Consider more rental business ideas .

Read more: How to start a rental property business , or How to start a real estate business

07. Provide alternative healing services

If your goal in starting a business is to make a positive impact on someone’s life, an alternative healing business could be exactly what you’re looking for. Although pursuing this path often involves extra steps (such as specific training or obtaining a license), there’s less competition in such fields. In fact, people who don’t have access to healers in their area sometimes even travel to find these treatments elsewhere. For example, a testimonial on the Hatha Holistic website said they drive over an hour to visit the acupuncture practice.

08. Put your business on wheels

Rather than asking customers to come to you, consider going to them. Because you can offer convenience in a way that brick-and-mortar competitors can’t, running a mobile business (or pursuing pop-up shop ideas ) can give you a unique advantage. Plus, it’s an ideal business to start with little money .

One noteworthy example of this unique business idea is Missouri-based Mobile Animal Services , which saves customers the inconvenience of trekking their pets to a groomer or veterinarian. Because of the unique range of services that the company provides, they also have more opportunities for customer acquisition and retention. For example, if a customer hires Mobile Animal Services to microchip their puppy, they may remember their positive experience and hire the company again to clean their dog’s ears or check its glucose levels.

09. Start a nanny-matching service

With the abundance of service providers available online, the task of finding the right one can be overwhelming for customers. A former childcare provider understood this and started The Nanny House , which matches families with nannies in Louisiana. This matching service is a particularly potent business idea because it reassures families that their children will be in safe hands.

10. Set up a home maintenance service

People often want to outsource complicated, routine maintenance tasks. So if you have repair or home maintenance skills, and like the idea of working with things rather than directly with people, consider offering maintenance services. Green Gas , for example, regularly services and maintains heating systems throughout London—offering both scheduled and emergency services. Given that many home maintenance tasks require routine checkups, you could even offer your services on a subscription basis.

11. Kick dog-walking services up a notch

Sometimes, coming up with a unique business idea is just putting a twist on an age-old idea. Sammie of Yorkshire, England did just that when she started Hack&Hike . Instead of just offering standard dog-walking services, she offers “structured pack walks” in spacious hiking areas so that dogs can safely socialize and exercise. To diversify her business model, Sammie also offers pet-sitting and equine-care equine care services.

Read more: How to start a dog walking business , Business ideas for kids

12. Provide Instagram-friendly catering services

A sure–fire way to build a thriving catering business is to build it with social media in mind. The Arizona-based company, Desert Flower Catering , specializes in beautifully styled charcuterie spreads, while offering corporate lunches, buffets and passed appetizers. In every case, the company’s groovy branding helps it stand out.

Read more: How to start a catering business , Food business ideas

13. Offer specialized experiences to travelers in your local area

If you live near a popular tourist destination or have specialized knowledge of a unique industry or attraction in your hometown, consider ways you can offer personalized experiences to travelers. Offering guided tours or connecting travelers with unique local experiences can be a fun, lucrative side hustle . It’s also a great way to meet new people and show off your hometown.

14. Look for an underserved cleaning niche

When it comes to building a successful cleaning business, providing reliable and trustworthy service is key. However, if there’s a lot of competition in your area, you might need to offer something extra. For example, the founders of Carefree Airbnb built their business around short-term rentals, which require quick, frequent service.

Read more: How to start a cleaning business

15. Set up a specialty disposal service

Proper disposal of large items often requires knowledge of local regulations and environmentally friendly practices. Because most people don’t have this knowledge, getting rid of items such as broken appliances or construction waste can be trickier than it seems. Apolonia Neri recognized this almost 20 years ago and started Neri Tire Disposal , a tire removal business that is still thriving today.

16. Become a virtual assistant

Coming up with a unique home business idea can help you minimize expenses, make your schedule more flexible and eliminate your commute (and in some cases, it can lead to businesses that run themselves ). Plus, offering virtual services can help you reach a wider clientele than you could if you worked in-person. Nicole Roach uses her decades of administrative experience to build NSR Virtual Management , which offers virtual assistant services such as bookkeeping, data entry and email management.

Read more: How to start a virtual assistant business

17. Provide virtual online tutoring services

Another home business to consider is setting up a virtual classroom or tutoring center teaching your specialty skills. Ms. A’s Classroom is an online classroom that uses problem-solving and group learning to help students gain confidence in math. Ms. A also provides one-on-one tutoring. The online center provides a range of levels from K-12, as well as SAT and MCAT prep.

18. Sell handmade apparel

Selling handmade apparel online is an exciting opportunity for creative entrepreneurs in today's digital age. With e-commerce platforms and social media, you can showcase your unique designs to a global audience. To succeed, craft high-quality products with attention to detail and define your niche within the industry. For example, Miami-based Sara Swimwear offers sustainably made swimwear and ships all purposes in sustainable packaging.

Read more: How to start an online boutique

19. Turn your art or craft skills into an online retail opportunity

You can sell products on your own website or from large sites like Amazon or Etsy. An online business is a great option for artists who want to reach a wider clientele and sell their art online .

If you have a crafty hobby or you like to collect unique items, consider starting a product-based business to capitalize on those interests. Cuagua Designs makes earrings from the local flora of Humboldt County, California and sells them online. You could also consider selling subscription boxes for unique and handmade goods to keep customers engaged and built a loyal base.

Learn more: How to sell crafts online , things to make and sell

20. Make soap

Soapmaking is a unique business idea that combines creativity and entrepreneurship. With a growing demand for natural and handmade products, there is an opportunity to create personalized and high-quality soaps. By mastering the art of soapmaking and showcasing your creativity, you can attract customers who appreciate the beauty and benefits of handmade soap. For inspiration, check out Modern Muses , which sells plant-based soaps online.

21. Offer pet-sitting services

Not everyone wants to leave their pet in a dog kennel when leaving town. If you are passionate about pets, consider taking inspiration from Sloppy Paws . This North Carolina business offers in-home pet sitting so pets don’t have to deal with the extra stress of being in a new place while their owners are away.

22. Incorporate CBD oils into everyday products

By infusing CBD oil into a range of products such as skincare items, bath products or baked goods, companies like Bathing Bee have tapped into the growing demand for natural wellness solutions. By offering CBD-infused everyday products, businesses can cater to a diverse customer base seeking natural alternatives, setting themselves apart in the market and opening doors to new opportunities.

23. Set up a dropshipping business

If you aren’t the artsy type, set up an eCommerce business selling clothing or boutique items that other people design. As an added benefit, this passive income idea is a safe bet. It doesn’t involve much investment, and it won’t require as much upkeep as others on this list. It might not make you a ton of money, but even small, regular returns can add up to significant revenue over time.

Learn more: How to start a dropshipping business

24. Provide specialty aesthetician services

While many aesthetician businesses may offer a wide range of services, The Beauty Haus focuses on microblading and eyelash extensions. Specializing in these two areas not only helps the business stand out, but also enables the staff to perfect these treatments. The Beauty Haus attracts a loyal clientele and has established itself as a leader in the industry.

25. Offer consulting services to specific industries

If you have restaurant experience but don’t want to run a restaurant, consider offering your knowledge and expertise to others. The Restaurant Company offers start-up restaurant assessments, advice and administrative services to restaurants in the New York area.

Learn more: How to start a consulting business

6 tips for coming up with a unique business idea

Still scratching your head? These tips will help you come up with a unique business idea that will fit your experience, expertise and interests.

01. Brainstorm around your passions and experience

The first step in coming up with niche business ideas is to focus on your passions and interests. What do you care about? What do you spend your free time doing?

If you had to spend an entire day talking about something, what topic would you choose? These questions are a great place to start when coming up with a business idea . When you pursue your passions, you’ll have the motivation and drive needed to succeed, even when faced with challenges.

02. Research market trends and opportunities

After focusing on your passions and interests, the next step is to research the market and trending products . Start by looking for gaps that your business idea can fill. Are there areas in your field or region that are underserved or ignored by mainstream businesses? It’s essential to concentrate on these areas. Regardless of the economic climate, people will always be willing to pay for an improvement to a product or service that already exists.

03. Evaluate your skills and expertise

Besides considering your passions and interests, it’s important to factor in your skills and expertise. Figuring out where they align with people's needs will help you build a successful business in today’s passion economy . So, what are you good at? What unique skills and knowledge do you have that might be valuable to other people? Take some time to reflect on the skills you’ve acquired through work, education and hobbies.

It can also be helpful to ask close friends or family members for their thoughts on your strengths and skills. Someone who knows you well may have a different perspective and be able to identify skills that you overlook. Perhaps there are tasks that people regularly ask for your help with or certain areas where you have an advantage over others.

04. Solve a problem

Someone somewhere will always have a problem they need help to solve. With some creative brainstorming and a little research, you can come up with ways to use your skills, expertise and passions to offer fresh solutions. Try exploring these eCommerce business ideas to get you started.

05. Look for differentiation opportunities

If you find that your chosen industry is already crowded with competition, don’t lose heart. You can still enter the marketing by tweaking your product or service to stand out from the rest. Adding a unique twist can be a great way to distinguish yourself and stand out in the crowded market. Think of ways to add value or offer something new that others aren’t providing. This will help you attract loyal customers that appreciate your innovative approach and help your business grow.

06. Making your unique circumstances work for you

Consider the issues you face because of your unique circumstances and ask yourself what solution you’d like to see to those problems. Others may have the same issue, and your skill set may be the key to solving it. By looking for opportunities in your own experiences, you might solve your own problem and come up with a unique business idea.

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500+ business plans and financial models

Products & Services Section in a Business Plan (+ Examples)

• March 21, 2024
• Business Plan , How to Write

In this blog post, we’ll guide you through writing the products and services section of your business plan. We’ll cover how to describe what you’re selling and why it’s important in your business plan.

Whether you’re launching a new startup or creating a business plan for an existing business, this section is crucial for showing the value you bring to customers. Let’s get started!

Why do we include them in a business plan?

The products and services section of a business plan is more than just a list of what a company sells; it’s a vital narrative that tells the story of the business’s core offerings and their significance to the market.

This section is paramount for readers (especially potential investors) to grasp the essence of what the business is about, the unique problems it solves, or the specific needs it addresses.

A meticulously crafted products and services segment does much more than describe offerings. Indeed, it lays the groundwork for comprehensive marketing strategies , informs operational planning, and financial projections.

Moreover, understanding the business’s offerings in depth enables stakeholders to envision the company’s value proposition and competitive edge.

Where should you include them?

In a business plan, the Products and Services section is typically included within the business overview section.

This allows you to first introduce the business model and what it offers to customers. Only after this you can provide more details of the products and services.

The Products and Services section should clearly detail what you are selling, highlight the unique value proposition . It should also ideally explain how it meets the needs of your target market if it isn’t obvious. T

What to include: 2 Examples

Begin with a clear, engaging description of each product or service you offer. For services, describe the process, customer experience, and outcome. For products, discuss the materials, technology, and any unique features.

Services example: a Cryotherapy business plan

Products example: a Brewery business plan

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8 Unique Business Ideas to Set Yourself Apart

Let’s face it: trying to stand out or be different isn’t something you’d prioritize as a first-time entrepreneur. After all, society has taught you to play it safe and blend in until you gain enough experience to innovate. 

But with the global economy becoming more and more competitive, it’s crucial to find ways to set yourself apart from other companies from Day 1 of your entrepreneurial career. In that context, nothing beats the edge you gain by adopting a unique business idea.

Unique businesses tend to have less competition, but the competition they do have ensures there’s a demand for the product. It’s important to differentiate yourself, but the success of your venture depends less on what your business idea is and more on how you execute that idea. 

If you’re looking for a unique business idea, here’s a few to get you started:

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8 unique business ideas to try in 2022 

1. become a personal shopper and promote your services on tiktok.

Did you know that TikTok is a fast-growing source of revenue for ecommerce businesses? That’s right— a lot of TikTok users are buying products directly on the video-sharing app rather than shopping from brands’ websites. But not all users have the time to make shopping choices⁠—and that’s where you can build a business by providing personal shopping services.

Personal shopping is where you purchase items on behalf of another person —in this case, a TikTok user. You’ll need to demonstrate skills in finding the best buys on TikTok, so it helps to learn how to research products on the app. Additionally, you’ll need to know how to use the app’s ecommerce features to make a direct purchase. It can be a good idea to offer your service to friends who use TikTok, so you can gain some experience and get a testimonial or two to share with future clients. 

→ Click Here to Launch Your Online Business with Shopify

Once you’re fully comfortable doing product research and shopping for items on TikTok, you can promote your services via word of mouth , social media, and offline marketing.

2. Launch your own novelty t-shirt brand

If you’re a creative person and you can reflect people’s passions via art, you can get a slice of the $3.91 billion market that is custom t-shirts. People use t-shirts to express themselves: their identities, values, interests, or sometimes just the influencers they like. 

You might not think of t-shirts themselves as unique, but the reason the business seems so viable is because the niching opportunities are endless. Whether they feature stunning artwork, intricate designs, catchy jokes, or LGBTQ slogans ⁠—no other brand will be selling your designs.

To get started, find yourself a good print-on-demand company and set up a storefront on Shopify . Then come up with original designs, add them to your shirts, and get paid when someone orders from your business. 

3. Launch a podcast and build multiple income streams

Podcasts may be free to download, but the people making them don’t always work for free. Through affiliate programs, tiered Patreon subscriptions, and online live events, any podcaster can start making an income from their content.

Podcasting begins with a topic you’re passionate about—a book, a hobby, or an educational topic. Then, with people who love discussing those topics, you can put together a weekly podcast in which you inform and explore.

You’ll need recording gear and a little knowledge of audio editing to create podcast episodes. Set yourself up a weekly recording session and get your voice out there to build an audience. With time, you can start using different monetization strategies to generate revenue from your podcast. 

4. Offer virtual assistance to other businesses

With so many companies shifting their focus to online operations, the demand for virtual assistants is growing. These individuals are contracted workers who can handle a wide range of tasks, from bookkeeping to email marketing to personal tasks like managing schedules or arranging trips. You could assist virtually as a full-time business or a side job.

Since business owners can hire virtual assistants from anywhere in the world, this business doesn’t restrict you to a specific location. To set yourself apart from the competition, become skilled at handling specific tasks that businesses struggle to find talent for, like optimizing sales funnels or building post-purchase email campaigns . 

5. Start a gifts and flower delivery business

Everyone loves that feeling of receiving a thoughtful gift basket or flowers from people who care. Why not try your hand at being the one who gives people that feeling? Requiring only an initial investment and a little creativity, you can quickly build a venture that you can manage from the comfort of your own home . 

Using social media sites such as Facebook or Instagram, investigate what gifts are popular in your area, then design a set of packages for potential customers. Or base your ideas on popular themes like:

• Celebration gifts: birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Days, marriages, or new babies
• Household baskets: cleaning, car, or gardening products; cheese, chocolate, or beer or wine selections
• Personal care: spa/beauty products
• Hobbies: coffee or tea baskets, games, films, or seasonal products

You can gradually spread out to other areas after beginning with a focus on local delivery.

6. Offer mobile detailing services in your area 

Ever heard of mobile detailing? It’s the act of thoroughly cleaning and restoring a vehicle directly in the premises of its owner. This eliminates the need for a physical business location, reducing the initial startup and overhead costs.

You can start your own mobile detailing business with relatively low investment—most detailing kits cost less than $100. Most of your customers will come from gated communities, suburbs, and areas where people keep more than one vehicle. 

Get the word out that you’re offering auto detailing services by distributing flyers in your target market. Offer gift cards and discounts to first-time customers to generate repeat business. Also consider making a Google Business Profile and sending customers its link so they can leave a review about your service. Positive reviews can influence other people’s perception of your service in a good way, bringing more clientele without any ad and marketing spend.

7. Create and sell travel guides

Travelers love exploring their holiday destinations, and who better to show them around than a local? Whether looking for cinemas, restaurants, events, or just the best historical sites⁠, people who reside in a travel destination often have first-hand knowledge of the places to visit there. 

You can compile your knowledge of your local area into a travel guide that serves as a handy resource for tourists. But don’t limit your revenue stream to one product—you could sell books, maps, audio walking tours, and even augmented reality tours to grow your business income.

The best part is that you don’t have to live in a big city like London or Paris to create guides for travelers. Often, smaller tourist destinations provide greater opportunities, since fewer tourist resources are available. 

And you don’t have to niche by just your location either. You might make travel guides or maps for a specific group of hobbyists. For example, Skater Maps offers skate park maps for skateboarders and BMX riders, detailing the best routes through Australia.

8. Open a tea room and sell products to patrons

If you love tea and can judge its quality even before tasting it, a tea room business may be a good fit for you. This business doesn't require the crowds that flock to Starbucks, but you’ll still need a unique menu to draw patrons from your neighborhood and beyond. To get some inspiration, check out these tea menu templates available online. 

Choosing the right location is also highly important. Tea consumers often have a spontaneous desire to drink the aromatic beverage, so your shop needs to be where people spend time, such as near shopping malls, local attractions, and fuel stations. 

Once you’re set up, you can look into expanding your menu beyond just tea. For example, you can offer sandwiches, biscuits, and cakes to complement your beverages. You can even look into making and selling your own merch , much as shops like Starbucks do. Customers who love your shop will undoubtedly enjoy the chance to sport their own shirts, travel mugs, and tote bags featuring your logo and branding.

Jump-start your entrepreneurial career with a unique business idea

Starting a new business is exciting and daunting in equal measure. You’ll need to come up with an idea, but also execute it differently to ensure you stand out from the competition. 

Try not to get bogged down in coming up with something no other company has touched. Rather, think about how you can create a more memorable experience with an existing idea in your audience’s minds.

With a bit of effort and creativity, you can build a highly successful and valuable business. 

Unique business ideas FAQ

What are some unique business ideas.

The best business ideas either cater to a niche, underserved market or offer a new spin on an existing product or service. To get some inspiration, check out our list of unique businesses above.

How do you come up with a unique business idea?

To come up with a unique business idea, think about successful companies you find inspiring. What is it about their product or service that makes them stand out? How do they approach other aspects of business, like marketing and customer service? Often, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of other businesses can spark an idea for your own successful small business.

How can you make business ideas profitable?

There’s no blueprint for making a business profitable, but if you’re providing a unique service, it helps to promote your brand through email and social media marketing, as well as to have multiple revenue streams to draw from.

Want to learn more?

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12 Unique Business Ideas to Inspire You in 2024

Table of Contents

It’s easy to think up a business idea that’s already common in the marketplace, but coming up with a unique business idea takes courage and patience. To get started, ask yourself which innovations could positively impact your life. What is an issue affecting you or your loved ones? Once you’ve identified a problem and created a solution, your idea could prove valuable to a large audience, meet significant demand and lead to a successful business.

Uncommon business ideas tend to fill a void or address an overlooked niche. The following 12 examples demonstrate that game-changing companies can solve problems, generate innovation and be highly profitable. Use this list as a jumping-off point to brainstorm your unique business idea.

Disaster and emergency preparedness kit assembly and delivery

Amid climate change and natural and human-made disasters worldwide, starting a business that provides disaster and emergency preparedness kits is unusual yet sure to find an audience. For example, Ready To Go Survival was launched in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy to provide personalized kits for anybody anticipating a disaster. Since then, the company has added additional resources, including survival consulting, survival gear, educational blog posts , skill-building tools and disaster research. 

Plant consultant

Have a green thumb? Help other plant owners keep their greens healthy and thriving. For example, Nick Cutsumpas, better known as Farmer Nick, has provided exactly this type of consulting to people in New York City, alongside other plant-friendly services such as in-person plant shopping assistance. Farmer Nick has built an email list of “plant parents” eager to receive tools and insights via his newsletter . He also has a blog that provides a wealth of information and resources, plant-coaching services, images of client installations, and more.

Homemade meal kit creation and local delivery

Many people can’t get to the grocery store or are too overwhelmed with work and family obligations to prepare the fresh, healthy meals they’d like to provide for their families. If you have kitchen prowess, consider turning your passion into a passive income source that also provides a service to the community. 

Several meal kit brands, such as Blue Apron and HelloFresh, have long offered similar services via online subscription models, but your unique business idea can help you forge lasting bonds with people in your area.

Blue Apron and similar businesses are also unique delivery services that embrace mobile apps and online selling to bring additional convenience to customers.

E-commerce that gets even

The online business I Do Now I Don’t started from what might initially seem like a niche concern: Its founder experienced a failed engagement and tried selling the $10,000 ring back to their jeweler, who offered only $3,500. I Do Now I Don’t is now an e-commerce site that sells gently used jewelry and other accessories. 

Typically, the company offers sellers more money and buyers lower prices than traditional jewelry stores by eliminating the middleman – and driving sellers’ earning potential alongside the business.

Party (cleanup) committee

It’s no surprise that most people don’t want to clean their homes after a night of revelry. That’s where Hangover Helpers comes in. This company takes care of your post-party chaos and even provides breakfast (with your choice of “grease” or “green”) to ensure you’re feeling your best – without the added mess. 

As innovative business ideas go, this seemingly niche service is in high demand among all regions and demographics, and it requires straightforward skills like cooking, cleaning and organization.

Package-free shopping

Consumers are increasingly concerned about wasted resources in the food packaging process. Cardboard, plastic, Styrofoam and twist ties are sometimes not recyclable, leading to environmental waste. 

In response, Package Free Shop, a zero-waste pop-up shop in New York City, offers convenient and simple alternatives to single-use plastic products. The company also offers to ship its products with absolutely no plastic. Since opening, the company estimates that it has kept 48 million plastic straws, 132 million plastic bags, 674,000 plastic razors and 3.8 billion plastic water bottles out of landfills. This is an admirable achievement and plays to a growing market of consumers who want sustainable products and packaging .

When you make sustainability part of your business model , you make decisions with sustainability in mind for every business facet to encourage lasting, meaningful change.

Online baking

If you love baking and have the creative flair for selling yourself, an online bakery business like Santa Barbara’s Big Red Baking Company could be a great way to stand out and make money. Conducting business online helps aspiring bakers connect with customers without having to rent commercial baking space. 

With social media apps like Instagram and TikTok, you can really show off your baking chops and attract hungry customers, especially as mobile and social media shopping continue to grow . 

When you bring your baking business idea to life, you’ll need to understand and adhere to your state’s food business laws and ensure your health standards are up to code.

Flexible, shareable workspaces

Every day, technology makes it possible for employees and entrepreneurs to run their businesses and get the job done from anywhere. Businesses don’t necessarily have to rent office space or buy a building anymore.

For example, WeWork provides office space for the officeless, with flexible, month-to-month membership options for individual freelancers and large companies. Freelancers who prefer to work outside their homes can have a more reliable workspace than a local coffee shop, and companies and other teams can have a place to collaborate and hold meetings and events.

Online education a la carte

Do you ever wish you could go back to school or teach a course in a subject in which you’re skilled? Skillshare, founded in 2011, makes both of these goals possible. 

The company allows experts to teach online courses on a subject they choose via short videos, while students can watch classes at their own pace and use the community to get feedback. Students can also take classes offline via smartphones and tablets if they want to learn on the go.

Unlike the high tuition rates of college or graduate school, Skillshare costs $99 per year. Half of that fee goes to pay the company’s teachers, so if you’re an expert in something, it’s a great way to make some extra money. And if you’re looking to learn new skills or brush up on old talents you can use to earn a side income, Skillshare allows you to do so right from home.

Skillshare also gives back. According to the company’s website, Skillshare donates a membership to a student through the company’s scholarship program for every annual membership purchased.

If you’re looking for more creative business inspiration, check out our roundup of 20 creative business ideas to kickstart your momentum.

Travel-size food and necessities

While bigger might be better for some, Minimus takes a different approach. Operating for over a decade, the online company offers more than 2,500 individually packaged products, including travel-size toiletries and individual servings of various food items – everything from chips to Tabasco sauce.

The company was founded after the Shrater family noticed how much product they were wasting at the end of a trip to New Hampshire. Today, the company takes up two large warehouses in Los Angeles and employs dozens of workers. In addition to the individual items, Minimus sells premade kits specially designed for different uses, such as baby and family kits, outdoor kits, first-aid kits, and military care packages.

Fancy portable toilets for rent

For some events, the typical green, cramped portable toilet just won’t do. To address this seemingly niche need, Ahead with Class by ElizaJ came up with one of the more innovative business ideas out there, to much success. The company rents high-quality, clean and attractive portable restrooms for any outdoor event – perfect for hosting something a little more formal.

Each of ElizaJ’s individual restrooms includes fresh flowers, designer soaps and lotions, name-brand paper products, wicker wastebaskets, air fresheners, and fresh water. One option, the Powder Room, can accommodate events of up to 350 people and is designed to rival restrooms in the finest restaurants and department stores. ElizaJ has also launched a franchising model, allowing entrepreneurs to run their own portable restroom operations.

Custom board and card games

Kids who grew up wanting to design their own version of Monopoly or Clue can easily do so now with the help of The Game Crafter. The world’s first web-to-print game publishing company gives gamers the chance to create their own board games, customized playing cards and card games.

While designing and publishing a game used to be extremely difficult, The Game Crafter (founded in 2009 by JT Smith, Tavis Parker and Jamie Vrbsky) has simplified the process by providing templates, instructions, videos and proofing tools to help would-be game designers create a quality product. Users then can buy as many copies of the game as they like.

Game creators may find that The Game Crafter provides them with ample earning potential and unique business ideas. Creators who feel especially confident in their work can fully develop and sell their games via crowdfunding apps to earn passive income while mining their passions. After audience demand surpasses a certain threshold, creators may be able to turn their Game Crafter-developed ideas into full-time businesses.

Some unique businesses focus on making gift giving easier . These creative ideas can help when you’re tasked with corporate and management gift-giving.

Developing unique business ideas

Creating a unique business that fills a specific niche might seem daunting, but the results can be extremely rewarding. No matter the industry, new businesses seem to find spaces and needs to fill. Your idea’s potential is limitless if it brings innovation to unmet needs. 

Bassam Kaado, Sammi Caramela, Brittney Morgan and Carlyann Edwards contributed to the writing and reporting in this article. 

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How to create a business plan: examples & free template.

This is the ultimate guide to creating a comprehensive and effective plan to start a business . In today’s dynamic business landscape, having a well-crafted business plan is an important first step to securing funding, attracting partners, and navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.

This guide has been designed to help you create a winning plan that stands out in the ever-evolving marketplace. U sing real-world examples and a free downloadable template, it will walk you through each step of the process.

Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or launching your very first startup, the guide will give you the insights, tools, and confidence you need to create a solid foundation for your business.

Table of Contents

How to Write a Business Plan

Embarking on the journey of creating a successful business requires a solid foundation, and a well-crafted business plan is the cornerstone. Here is the process of writing a comprehensive business plan and the main parts of a winning business plan . From setting objectives to conducting market research, this guide will have everything you need.

Executive Summary

The Executive Summary serves as the gateway to your business plan, offering a snapshot of your venture’s core aspects. This section should captivate and inform, succinctly summarizing the essence of your plan.

It’s crucial to include a clear mission statement, a brief description of your primary products or services, an overview of your target market, and key financial projections or achievements.

Think of it as an elevator pitch in written form: it should be compelling enough to engage potential investors or stakeholders and provide them with a clear understanding of what your business is about, its goals, and why it’s a promising investment.

Example: EcoTech is a technology company specializing in eco-friendly and sustainable products designed to reduce energy consumption and minimize waste. Our mission is to create innovative solutions that contribute to a cleaner, greener environment.

Our target market includes environmentally conscious consumers and businesses seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. We project a 200% increase in revenue within the first three years of operation.

Overview and Business Objectives

In the Overview and Business Objectives section, outline your business’s core goals and the strategic approaches you plan to use to achieve them. This section should set forth clear, specific objectives that are attainable and time-bound, providing a roadmap for your business’s growth and success.

It’s important to detail how these objectives align with your company’s overall mission and vision. Discuss the milestones you aim to achieve and the timeframe you’ve set for these accomplishments.

This part of the plan demonstrates to investors and stakeholders your vision for growth and the practical steps you’ll take to get there.

Example: EcoTech’s primary objective is to become a market leader in sustainable technology products within the next five years. Our key objectives include:

• Introducing three new products within the first two years of operation.
• Achieving annual revenue growth of 30%.
• Expanding our customer base to over 10,000 clients by the end of the third year.

Company Description

The Company Description section is your opportunity to delve into the details of your business. Provide a comprehensive overview that includes your company’s history, its mission statement, and its vision for the future.

Highlight your unique selling proposition (USP) – what makes your business stand out in the market. Explain the problems your company solves and how it benefits your customers.

Include information about the company’s founders, their expertise, and why they are suited to lead the business to success. This section should paint a vivid picture of your business, its values, and its place in the industry.

Example: EcoTech is committed to developing cutting-edge sustainable technology products that benefit both the environment and our customers. Our unique combination of innovative solutions and eco-friendly design sets us apart from the competition. We envision a future where technology and sustainability go hand in hand, leading to a greener planet.

Define Your Target Market

Defining Your Target Market is critical for tailoring your business strategy effectively. This section should describe your ideal customer base in detail, including demographic information (such as age, gender, income level, and location) and psychographic data (like interests, values, and lifestyle).

Elucidate on the specific needs or pain points of your target audience and how your product or service addresses these. This information will help you know your target market and develop targeted marketing strategies.

Example: Our target market comprises environmentally conscious consumers and businesses looking for innovative solutions to reduce their carbon footprint. Our ideal customers are those who prioritize sustainability and are willing to invest in eco-friendly products.

Market Analysis

The Market Analysis section requires thorough research and a keen understanding of the industry. It involves examining the current trends within your industry, understanding the needs and preferences of your customers, and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.

This analysis will enable you to spot market opportunities and anticipate potential challenges. Include data and statistics to back up your claims, and use graphs or charts to illustrate market trends.

This section should demonstrate that you have a deep understanding of the market in which you operate and that your business is well-positioned to capitalize on its opportunities.

Example: The market for eco-friendly technology products has experienced significant growth in recent years, with an estimated annual growth rate of 10%. As consumers become increasingly aware of environmental issues, the demand for sustainable solutions continues to rise.

Our research indicates a gap in the market for high-quality, innovative eco-friendly technology products that cater to both individual and business clients.

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis in your business plan offers a comprehensive examination of your company’s internal and external factors. By assessing Strengths, you showcase what your business does best and where your capabilities lie.

Weaknesses involve an honest introspection of areas where your business may be lacking or could improve. Opportunities can be external factors that your business could capitalize on, such as market gaps or emerging trends.

Threats include external challenges your business may face, like competition or market changes. This analysis is crucial for strategic planning, as it helps in recognizing and leveraging your strengths, addressing weaknesses, seizing opportunities, and preparing for potential threats.

Including a SWOT analysis demonstrates to stakeholders that you have a balanced and realistic understanding of your business in its operational context.

• Innovative and eco-friendly product offerings.
• Strong commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
• Skilled and experienced team with expertise in technology and sustainability.

Weaknesses:

• Limited brand recognition compared to established competitors.
• Reliance on third-party manufacturers for product development.

Opportunities:

• Growing consumer interest in sustainable products.
• Partnerships with environmentally-focused organizations and influencers.
• Expansion into international markets.
• Intense competition from established technology companies.
• Regulatory changes could impact the sustainable technology market.

Competitive Analysis

In this section, you’ll analyze your competitors in-depth, examining their products, services, market positioning, and pricing strategies. Understanding your competition allows you to identify gaps in the market and tailor your offerings to outperform them.

By conducting a thorough competitive analysis, you can gain insights into your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, enabling you to develop strategies to differentiate your business and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Example: Key competitors include:

GreenTech: A well-known brand offering eco-friendly technology products, but with a narrower focus on energy-saving devices.

EarthSolutions: A direct competitor specializing in sustainable technology, but with a limited product range and higher prices.

By offering a diverse product portfolio, competitive pricing, and continuous innovation, we believe we can capture a significant share of the growing sustainable technology market.

Organization and Management Team

Provide an overview of your company’s organizational structure, including key roles and responsibilities. Introduce your management team, highlighting their expertise and experience to demonstrate that your team is capable of executing the business plan successfully.

Showcasing your team’s background, skills, and accomplishments instills confidence in investors and other stakeholders, proving that your business has the leadership and talent necessary to achieve its objectives and manage growth effectively.

Example: EcoTech’s organizational structure comprises the following key roles: CEO, CTO, CFO, Sales Director, Marketing Director, and R&D Manager. Our management team has extensive experience in technology, sustainability, and business development, ensuring that we are well-equipped to execute our business plan successfully.

Products and Services Offered

Describe the products or services your business offers, focusing on their unique features and benefits. Explain how your offerings solve customer pain points and why they will choose your products or services over the competition.

This section should emphasize the value you provide to customers, demonstrating that your business has a deep understanding of customer needs and is well-positioned to deliver innovative solutions that address those needs and set your company apart from competitors.

Example: EcoTech offers a range of eco-friendly technology products, including energy-efficient lighting solutions, solar chargers, and smart home devices that optimize energy usage. Our products are designed to help customers reduce energy consumption, minimize waste, and contribute to a cleaner environment.

Marketing and Sales Strategy

In this section, articulate your comprehensive strategy for reaching your target market and driving sales. Detail the specific marketing channels you plan to use, such as social media, email marketing, SEO, or traditional advertising.

Describe the nature of your advertising campaigns and promotional activities, explaining how they will capture the attention of your target audience and convey the value of your products or services. Outline your sales strategy, including your sales process, team structure, and sales targets.

Discuss how these marketing and sales efforts will work together to attract and retain customers, generate leads, and ultimately contribute to achieving your business’s revenue goals.

This section is critical to convey to investors and stakeholders that you have a well-thought-out approach to market your business effectively and drive sales growth.

Example: Our marketing strategy includes digital advertising, content marketing, social media promotion, and influencer partnerships. We will also attend trade shows and conferences to showcase our products and connect with potential clients. Our sales strategy involves both direct sales and partnerships with retail stores, as well as online sales through our website and e-commerce platforms.

Logistics and Operations Plan

The Logistics and Operations Plan is a critical component that outlines the inner workings of your business. It encompasses the management of your supply chain, detailing how you acquire raw materials and manage vendor relationships.

Inventory control is another crucial aspect, where you explain strategies for inventory management to ensure efficiency and reduce wastage. The section should also describe your production processes, emphasizing scalability and adaptability to meet changing market demands.

Quality control measures are essential to maintain product standards and customer satisfaction. This plan assures investors and stakeholders of your operational competency and readiness to meet business demands.

Highlighting your commitment to operational efficiency and customer satisfaction underlines your business’s capability to maintain smooth, effective operations even as it scales.

Example: EcoTech partners with reliable third-party manufacturers to produce our eco-friendly technology products. Our operations involve maintaining strong relationships with suppliers, ensuring quality control, and managing inventory.

We also prioritize efficient distribution through various channels, including online platforms and retail partners, to deliver products to our customers in a timely manner.

Financial Projections Plan

In the Financial Projections Plan, lay out a clear and realistic financial future for your business. This should include detailed projections for revenue, costs, and profitability over the next three to five years.

Ground these projections in solid assumptions based on your market analysis, industry benchmarks, and realistic growth scenarios. Break down revenue streams and include an analysis of the cost of goods sold, operating expenses, and potential investments.

This section should also discuss your break-even analysis, cash flow projections, and any assumptions about external funding requirements.

By presenting a thorough and data-backed financial forecast, you instill confidence in potential investors and lenders, showcasing your business’s potential for profitability and financial stability.

This forward-looking financial plan is crucial for demonstrating that you have a firm grasp of the financial nuances of your business and are prepared to manage its financial health effectively.

Example: Over the next three years, we expect to see significant growth in revenue, driven by new product launches and market expansion. Our financial projections include:

• Year 1: $1.5 million in revenue, with a net profit of $200,000.
• Year 2: $3 million in revenue, with a net profit of $500,000.
• Year 3: $4.5 million in revenue, with a net profit of $1 million.

These projections are based on realistic market analysis, growth rates, and product pricing.

Income Statement

The income statement , also known as the profit and loss statement, provides a summary of your company’s revenues and expenses over a specified period. It helps you track your business’s financial performance and identify trends, ensuring you stay on track to achieve your financial goals.

Regularly reviewing and analyzing your income statement allows you to monitor the health of your business, evaluate the effectiveness of your strategies, and make data-driven decisions to optimize profitability and growth.

Example: The income statement for EcoTech’s first year of operation is as follows:

• Revenue: $1,500,000
• Cost of Goods Sold: $800,000
• Gross Profit: $700,000
• Operating Expenses: $450,000
• Net Income: $250,000

This statement highlights our company’s profitability and overall financial health during the first year of operation.

Cash Flow Statement

A cash flow statement is a crucial part of a financial business plan that shows the inflows and outflows of cash within your business. It helps you monitor your company’s liquidity, ensuring you have enough cash on hand to cover operating expenses, pay debts, and invest in growth opportunities.

By including a cash flow statement in your business plan, you demonstrate your ability to manage your company’s finances effectively.

Example:  The cash flow statement for EcoTech’s first year of operation is as follows:

Operating Activities:

• Depreciation: $10,000
• Changes in Working Capital: -$50,000
• Net Cash from Operating Activities: $210,000

Investing Activities:

•  Capital Expenditures: -$100,000
• Net Cash from Investing Activities: -$100,000

Financing Activities:

• Proceeds from Loans: $150,000
• Loan Repayments: -$50,000
• Net Cash from Financing Activities: $100,000
• Net Increase in Cash: $210,000

This statement demonstrates EcoTech’s ability to generate positive cash flow from operations, maintain sufficient liquidity, and invest in growth opportunities.

Tips on Writing a Business Plan

1. Be clear and concise: Keep your language simple and straightforward. Avoid jargon and overly technical terms. A clear and concise business plan is easier for investors and stakeholders to understand and demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively.

2. Conduct thorough research: Before writing your business plan, gather as much information as possible about your industry, competitors, and target market. Use reliable sources and industry reports to inform your analysis and make data-driven decisions.

3. Set realistic goals: Your business plan should outline achievable objectives that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Setting realistic goals demonstrates your understanding of the market and increases the likelihood of success.

4. Focus on your unique selling proposition (USP): Clearly articulate what sets your business apart from the competition. Emphasize your USP throughout your business plan to showcase your company’s value and potential for success.

5. Be flexible and adaptable: A business plan is a living document that should evolve as your business grows and changes. Be prepared to update and revise your plan as you gather new information and learn from your experiences.

6. Use visuals to enhance understanding: Include charts, graphs, and other visuals to help convey complex data and ideas. Visuals can make your business plan more engaging and easier to digest, especially for those who prefer visual learning.

7. Seek feedback from trusted sources: Share your business plan with mentors, industry experts, or colleagues and ask for their feedback. Their insights can help you identify areas for improvement and strengthen your plan before presenting it to potential investors or partners.

FREE Business Plan Template

To help you get started on your business plan, we have created a template that includes all the essential components discussed in the “How to Write a Business Plan” section. This easy-to-use template will guide you through each step of the process, ensuring you don’t miss any critical details.

The template is divided into the following sections:

• Mission statement
• Business Overview
• Key products or services
• Target market
• Financial highlights
• Company goals
• Strategies to achieve goals
• Measurable, time-bound objectives
• Company History
• Mission and vision
• Unique selling proposition
• Demographics
• Psychographics
• Pain points
• Industry trends
• Customer needs
• Competitor strengths and weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Competitor products and services
• Market positioning
• Pricing strategies
• Organizational structure
• Key roles and responsibilities
• Management team backgrounds
• Product or service features
• Competitive advantages
• Marketing channels
• Advertising campaigns
• Promotional activities
• Sales strategies
• Supply chain management
• Inventory control
• Production processes
• Quality control measures
• Projected revenue
• Assumptions
• Cash inflows
• Cash outflows
• Net cash flow

What is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a strategic document that outlines an organization’s goals, objectives, and the steps required to achieve them. It serves as a roadmap as you start a business , guiding the company’s direction and growth while identifying potential obstacles and opportunities.

Typically, a business plan covers areas such as market analysis, financial projections, marketing strategies, and organizational structure. It not only helps in securing funding from investors and lenders but also provides clarity and focus to the management team.

A well-crafted business plan is a very important part of your business startup checklist because it fosters informed decision-making and long-term success.

Why You Should Write a Business Plan

Understanding the importance of a business plan in today’s competitive environment is crucial for entrepreneurs and business owners. Here are five compelling reasons to write a business plan:

• Attract Investors and Secure Funding : A well-written business plan demonstrates your venture’s potential and profitability, making it easier to attract investors and secure the necessary funding for growth and development. It provides a detailed overview of your business model, target market, financial projections, and growth strategies, instilling confidence in potential investors and lenders that your company is a worthy investment.
• Clarify Business Objectives and Strategies : Crafting a business plan forces you to think critically about your goals and the strategies you’ll employ to achieve them, providing a clear roadmap for success. This process helps you refine your vision and prioritize the most critical objectives, ensuring that your efforts are focused on achieving the desired results.
• Identify Potential Risks and Opportunities : Analyzing the market, competition, and industry trends within your business plan helps identify potential risks and uncover untapped opportunities for growth and expansion. This insight enables you to develop proactive strategies to mitigate risks and capitalize on opportunities, positioning your business for long-term success.
• Improve Decision-Making : A business plan serves as a reference point so you can make informed decisions that align with your company’s overall objectives and long-term vision. By consistently referring to your plan and adjusting it as needed, you can ensure that your business remains on track and adapts to changes in the market, industry, or internal operations.
• Foster Team Alignment and Communication : A shared business plan helps ensure that all team members are on the same page, promoting clear communication, collaboration, and a unified approach to achieving the company’s goals. By involving your team in the planning process and regularly reviewing the plan together, you can foster a sense of ownership, commitment, and accountability that drives success.

What are the Different Types of Business Plans?

In today’s fast-paced business world, having a well-structured roadmap is more important than ever. A traditional business plan provides a comprehensive overview of your company’s goals and strategies, helping you make informed decisions and achieve long-term success. There are various types of business plans, each designed to suit different needs and purposes. Let’s explore the main types:

• Startup Business Plan: Tailored for new ventures, a startup business plan outlines the company’s mission, objectives, target market, competition, marketing strategies, and financial projections. It helps entrepreneurs clarify their vision, secure funding from investors, and create a roadmap for their business’s future. Additionally, this plan identifies potential challenges and opportunities, which are crucial for making informed decisions and adapting to changing market conditions.
• Internal Business Plan: This type of plan is intended for internal use, focusing on strategies, milestones, deadlines, and resource allocation. It serves as a management tool for guiding the company’s growth, evaluating its progress, and ensuring that all departments are aligned with the overall vision. The internal business plan also helps identify areas of improvement, fosters collaboration among team members, and provides a reference point for measuring performance.
• Strategic Business Plan: A strategic business plan outlines long-term goals and the steps to achieve them, providing a clear roadmap for the company’s direction. It typically includes a SWOT analysis, market research, and competitive analysis. This plan allows businesses to align their resources with their objectives, anticipate changes in the market, and develop contingency plans. By focusing on the big picture, a strategic business plan fosters long-term success and stability.
• Feasibility Business Plan: This plan is designed to assess the viability of a business idea, examining factors such as market demand, competition, and financial projections. It is often used to decide whether or not to pursue a particular venture. By conducting a thorough feasibility analysis, entrepreneurs can avoid investing time and resources into an unviable business concept. This plan also helps refine the business idea, identify potential obstacles, and determine the necessary resources for success.
• Growth Business Plan: Also known as an expansion plan, a growth business plan focuses on strategies for scaling up an existing business. It includes market analysis, new product or service offerings, and financial projections to support expansion plans. This type of plan is essential for businesses looking to enter new markets, increase their customer base, or launch new products or services. By outlining clear growth strategies, the plan helps ensure that expansion efforts are well-coordinated and sustainable.
• Operational Business Plan: This type of plan outlines the company’s day-to-day operations, detailing the processes, procedures, and organizational structure. It is an essential tool for managing resources, streamlining workflows, and ensuring smooth operations. The operational business plan also helps identify inefficiencies, implement best practices, and establish a strong foundation for future growth. By providing a clear understanding of daily operations, this plan enables businesses to optimize their resources and enhance productivity.
• Lean Business Plan: A lean business plan is a simplified, agile version of a traditional plan, focusing on key elements such as value proposition, customer segments, revenue streams, and cost structure. It is perfect for startups looking for a flexible, adaptable planning approach. The lean business plan allows for rapid iteration and continuous improvement, enabling businesses to pivot and adapt to changing market conditions. This streamlined approach is particularly beneficial for businesses in fast-paced or uncertain industries.
• One-Page Business Plan: As the name suggests, a one-page business plan is a concise summary of your company’s key objectives, strategies, and milestones. It serves as a quick reference guide and is ideal for pitching to potential investors or partners. This plan helps keep teams focused on essential goals and priorities, fosters clear communication, and provides a snapshot of the company’s progress. While not as comprehensive as other plans, a one-page business plan is an effective tool for maintaining clarity and direction.
• Nonprofit Business Plan: Specifically designed for nonprofit organizations, this plan outlines the mission, goals, target audience, fundraising strategies, and budget allocation. It helps secure grants and donations while ensuring the organization stays on track with its objectives. The nonprofit business plan also helps attract volunteers, board members, and community support. By demonstrating the organization’s impact and plans for the future, this plan is essential for maintaining transparency, accountability, and long-term sustainability within the nonprofit sector.
• Franchise Business Plan: For entrepreneurs seeking to open a franchise, this type of plan focuses on the franchisor’s requirements, as well as the franchisee’s goals, strategies, and financial projections. It is crucial for securing a franchise agreement and ensuring the business’s success within the franchise system. This plan outlines the franchisee’s commitment to brand standards, marketing efforts, and operational procedures, while also addressing local market conditions and opportunities. By creating a solid franchise business plan, entrepreneurs can demonstrate their ability to effectively manage and grow their franchise, increasing the likelihood of a successful partnership with the franchisor.

Using Business Plan Software

Creating a comprehensive business plan can be intimidating, but business plan software can streamline the process and help you produce a professional document. These tools offer a number of benefits, including guided step-by-step instructions, financial projections, and industry-specific templates. Here are the top 5 business plan software options available to help you craft a great business plan.

1. LivePlan

LivePlan is a popular choice for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features. It offers over 500 sample plans, financial forecasting tools, and the ability to track your progress against key performance indicators. With LivePlan, you can create visually appealing, professional business plans that will impress investors and stakeholders.

2. Upmetrics

Upmetrics provides a simple and intuitive platform for creating a well-structured business plan. It features customizable templates, financial forecasting tools, and collaboration capabilities, allowing you to work with team members and advisors. Upmetrics also offers a library of resources to guide you through the business planning process.

Bizplan is designed to simplify the business planning process with a drag-and-drop builder and modular sections. It offers financial forecasting tools, progress tracking, and a visually appealing interface. With Bizplan, you can create a business plan that is both easy to understand and visually engaging.

Enloop is a robust business plan software that automatically generates a tailored plan based on your inputs. It provides industry-specific templates, financial forecasting, and a unique performance score that updates as you make changes to your plan. Enloop also offers a free version, making it accessible for businesses on a budget.

5. Tarkenton GoSmallBiz

Developed by NFL Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton, GoSmallBiz is tailored for small businesses and startups. It features a guided business plan builder, customizable templates, and financial projection tools. GoSmallBiz also offers additional resources, such as CRM tools and legal document templates, to support your business beyond the planning stage.

Business Plan FAQs

What is a good business plan.

A good business plan is a well-researched, clear, and concise document that outlines a company’s goals, strategies, target market, competitive advantages, and financial projections. It should be adaptable to change and provide a roadmap for achieving success.

What are the 3 main purposes of a business plan?

The three main purposes of a business plan are to guide the company’s strategy, attract investment, and evaluate performance against objectives. Here’s a closer look at each of these:

• It outlines the company’s purpose and core values to ensure that all activities align with its mission and vision.
• It provides an in-depth analysis of the market, including trends, customer needs, and competition, helping the company tailor its products and services to meet market demands.
• It defines the company’s marketing and sales strategies, guiding how the company will attract and retain customers.
• It describes the company’s organizational structure and management team, outlining roles and responsibilities to ensure effective operation and leadership.
• It sets measurable, time-bound objectives, allowing the company to plan its activities effectively and make strategic decisions to achieve these goals.
• It provides a comprehensive overview of the company and its business model, demonstrating its uniqueness and potential for success.
• It presents the company’s financial projections, showing its potential for profitability and return on investment.
• It demonstrates the company’s understanding of the market, including its target customers and competition, convincing investors that the company is capable of gaining a significant market share.
• It showcases the management team’s expertise and experience, instilling confidence in investors that the team is capable of executing the business plan successfully.
• It establishes clear, measurable objectives that serve as performance benchmarks.
• It provides a basis for regular performance reviews, allowing the company to monitor its progress and identify areas for improvement.
• It enables the company to assess the effectiveness of its strategies and make adjustments as needed to achieve its objectives.
• It helps the company identify potential risks and challenges, enabling it to develop contingency plans and manage risks effectively.
• It provides a mechanism for evaluating the company’s financial performance, including revenue, expenses, profitability, and cash flow.

Can I write a business plan by myself?

Yes, you can write a business plan by yourself, but it can be helpful to consult with mentors, colleagues, or industry experts to gather feedback and insights. There are also many creative business plan templates and business plan examples available online, including those above.

We also have examples for specific industries, including a using food truck business plan , salon business plan , farm business plan , daycare business plan , and restaurant business plan .

Is it possible to create a one-page business plan?

Yes, a one-page business plan is a condensed version that highlights the most essential elements, including the company’s mission, target market, unique selling proposition, and financial goals.

How long should a business plan be?

A typical business plan ranges from 20 to 50 pages, but the length may vary depending on the complexity and needs of the business.

What is a business plan outline?

A business plan outline is a structured framework that organizes the content of a business plan into sections, such as the executive summary, company description, market analysis, and financial projections.

What are the 5 most common business plan mistakes?

The five most common business plan mistakes include inadequate research, unrealistic financial projections, lack of focus on the unique selling proposition, poor organization and structure, and failure to update the plan as circumstances change.

What questions should be asked in a business plan?

A business plan should address questions such as: What problem does the business solve? Who is the specific target market ? What is the unique selling proposition? What are the company’s objectives? How will it achieve those objectives?

What’s the difference between a business plan and a strategic plan?

A business plan focuses on the overall vision, goals, and tactics of a company, while a strategic plan outlines the specific strategies, action steps, and performance measures necessary to achieve the company’s objectives.

How is business planning for a nonprofit different?

Nonprofit business planning focuses on the organization’s mission, social impact, and resource management, rather than profit generation. The financial section typically includes funding sources, expenses, and projected budgets for programs and operations.

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How to Write the Business Plan Products and Services Section

Get tips on writing the products and services part of your business plan

• The Products and Services Section
• What to Include
• Tips on Writing the Section

The products and services section of your business plan is more than just a list of what your business is going to provide. This section of your business plan should include details about how you'll price products and services, how you'll fulfill orders, and other details that investors need to hear before you can get funding . Learn more below.

Key Takeaways

• Business plans include details about products and services you'll offer, including exactly how you plan to market, sell, and deliver on customer orders.
• The best business plans are clear and concise.
• The products and services section of your plan should show off why your product or service is needed.
• The products and services section should also convey the expertise and experience you have to succeed.

Why You Need a Products and Services Section in a Business Plan

The business plan products and services section is the centerpiece of your plan. While other sections of your business plan are important, the products and services section is the essence of your business and the point around which every other part of the business plan is built .

What to Include in a Products and Services Section

The products and services section of your business plan outlines your product or service, why it's needed by your market, and how it will compete with other businesses selling the same or similar products and services.

Your products and services section should include a description of the products or services you are offering or plan to offer (including future products or services). You should explain how your products and services will be priced and a comparison of the products or services your competitors offer in relation to yours.

You should also include the sales literature you plan to use. Detail your marketing materials, and clarify the role your website will play in your sales efforts.

The products and services section will include a paragraph or so on how orders from your customers will be processed or fulfilled, as well as any needs you have to create or deliver your products, such as up-to-date computer equipment. If your process depends on intellectual property or legal issues, such as trademarks , then those need to be addressed.

Tips on Writing the Products and Services Section

This section of your business plan should excite those you're hoping will fund your business or work with you. To that end, here are a few tips to create a products and services section that appeals to the reader.

Indicate Why Your Product or Service Is Needed

Especially if you're venturing into a new concept or invention, or a place where there is no current market, you need to explain the need for your product or service.

Highlight the Features of Your Product or Service

A crucial part of business success is the ability to set yourself apart from other businesses that sell the same or similar products and services. What features, such as price point or level of service, do you offer that are unique to you?

Focus on Benefits

Unique features are important, but even more vital is how those features provide value to consumers. Translate your features (i.e., faster or cheaper) into benefits (i.e., get it now or save money). The goal is to highlight how your product or service will fix a problem or improve a client or customer's life.

Be Clear and Concise

Don't let your business plan get bogged down in too much description and information. Use bullets or numbered lists to quickly and easily highlight important information.

Show Off Expertise, Experience, and Accolades

You not only want to describe your products and services but also share why you're the best person to provide them. Include anything in your education or experience that makes you an expert in this business. If you have testimonials, awards, or endorsements, share those. Finally, if you've applied for a patent, copyright, or trademark, include that as well.

Be the Expert, But Use Layman's Terms

You should know your product, service, and industry well, but don't expect your potential funders and partners to have the same level of knowledge. Assume the reader doesn't know as much as you when you explain what you're offering.

Avoid acronyms and jargon when outlining your products and services.

Indicate What's Special About Your Products or Services

Will you be offering a special guarantee or refund policy? Do you have a quicker or more unique way of delivering your product or service? 

Speak to Your Customer

While you don't want to write an advertorial, you do want to be customer-oriented when you write your products and services section.

Examples of a Products and Services Section

The Small Business Administration offers business plan examples that you can draw from to help guide your writing. Here's an example of a products section for someone creating "Wooden Grain Toys."

Wooden Grain Toys will sell wooden toys made from solid hardwoods (maple, beech, birch, cherry, and oak) and steel rivets. The toys are handcrafted and designed for small children to easily use. Our line currently includes the following nine models:

• All-Purpose Pick-Up Truck w/movable doors and tailgate
• Dump Truck w/functioning dumping mechanism and box
• Biplane (two-seater) w/movable propeller
• Steam engine with coal tender - additional cars available separately: caboose, flat car w/logs, box car, tank car, coal car
• Flat-Bed Truck w/logs

Wooden Grain Toys will offer its products for the following prices:

• All-Purpose Pick-Up Truck w/movable doors and tailgate - $25
• Dump Truck w/functioning dumping mechanism and box - $30
• Biplane (two-seater) w/movable propeller - $20
• Additional train cars (single car) - $5
• Additional train cars (three cars) - $12
• City Bus - $12
• Tow Truck - $18
• Flat-Bed Truck w/logs - $35
• Sports Car - $20
• Sedan - $20

What Is Product and Service in a Business Plan?

A products and services section of a business plan clarifies exactly what your business will produce , how much it'll sell for, and other details along those lines.

What Are Examples of Products and Services?

A product or service can be anything a business creates to turn a profit. Some businesses have both products and services. For example, a restaurant's services include cooking for and serving customers. The restaurant's products are the dishes and drinks it creates.

22 Product Ideas Worth Considering for Your Business in 2024

Date Updated: Dec 01 2023

Read Time: 14 min

TABLE OF CONTENTS

How to Find Product Ideas to Sell Online

22 new product ideas to consider, closing thoughts on new product ideas.

Whether you’re starting an eCommerce business or already run one, you may be on the hunt for some winning product ideas. In fact, one of the most challenging tasks facing entrepreneurs at the helm of an eCommerce business is deciding what to sell. Whether you want to sell a single item or create a business of many related products, it can be difficult to find and decide on new product ideas.

That said, below explores how to ideate a product to sell online. After that is a list of 22 product ideas to consider selling in 2024.

As previously stated, finding new product ideas to sell online presents many challenges. Depending on where you’re based, you may even be restricted by regulations for the products you’re interested in selling. However, you have to have a product idea before you can proceed any further. This idea will be the key to establishing your business plan down the road. So, how can you explore and evaluate your product ideas?

The first and foremost approach to finding a new product idea is to brainstorm. Grab a notebook and a pen, then jot down anything that comes to mind. Here are some prompts:

• Think through your day and the things you use every morning, afternoon, and night.
• Try to remember the last thing you were grateful you owned. Why do you love it?
• Try to think of something you own but don’t love. Can it be improved? Where does it fall short for you?
• Look around the room and jot down anything that seems positively or negatively noteworthy to start your search.

Talk to friends and family

You won’t necessarily be your own target demographic , so it can be helpful to ask friends and family members what products they love. Ask them for the products they don’t love. What about it don’t they like? Do they have any product ideas they think you should sell? All of these questions can help spark an idea for a winning product.

Look at potential competitors

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Take a look at companies doing well and make note of what they sell. Look at competitors as a testament to what’s possible instead of a barrier to entering the market.

Consider how you will be selling products

In addition to deciding what product to sell and how to source that product , you’ll have to choose how to sell that product to the public. Below are a few thoughts to consider:

• Will you be selling products online or in store ?
• Will you be dropshipping or wholesaling your products?
• What online marketplaces will you be taking advantage of?
• Will you be selling digital products instead of physical goods?

Now that you understand a few techniques to spark inspiration for product ideas, it’s time to consider some of the most trending products and services of 2024. These products range from small to big and simple to complex, so there’s something for every kind of entrepreneurial spirit.

1. Air fryers

Among kitchen appliances, air fryers are particularly expected to rise in popularity due to technological advancements and increasing health consciousness among the public. [1] Grand View Research. “ Air Fryer Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Manual, Digital), By Distribution Channel (Offline, Online), By Region (North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, Central & South America), And Segment Forecasts, 2019 – 2025 “. Accessed April 8, 2022. The technological advancements include LED screens, intelligent sensors, touchpads, and increased energy efficiency. As for its health impact, some consumers have adopted oil-free diets or limited their oil consumption to address cholesterol levels. Air fryers provide snacks with the same crunch sans oil.

2. Air-quality appliances

The piqued interest in air quality can not only be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also to increased concern about climate change. Of appliances that promise to address air quality issues, humidifiers and air purifiers are two of the most accessible product ideas through which to enter this market. [2] Grand View Research. “ Household Humidifier Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Portable (Ultrasonic, Cool Mist, Warm Mist), Whole-house), By Distribution Channel (Offline, Online), And Segment Forecasts, 2019 – 2025″. Accessed April 8, 2022. [3] Grand View Research. “ Air Purifier Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Technology (HEPA, Activated Carbon, Ionic Filters), By Application (Commercial, Residential, Industrial), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2030 “. Accessed April 8, 2022.

Humidifiers increase the humidity in a room, thus addressing the issue of dry air that can irritate and inflame airways. While humidifiers won’t cure an illness, they will make the symptoms of colds, flu, asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis more manageable. They aren’t meant for long-term use, but rather to specifically address dry air if/when it occurs, often during winter due to the use of heaters.

Air purifiers, on the other hand, remove pollutants from the air through the use of two basic components: a fan and a filter. The pollutants air purifiers remove from the air vary between products, but can include dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and/or mold spores. The removable of such reduces allergy and asthma triggers.

3. At-home fitness equipment

Owing some popularity to 2020’s closure of gyms and other workout facilities, at-home fitness equipment saw a boom. [4] Grand View Research. “ Sports Equipment Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Ball Over Net Games, Ball Games, Fitness/Strength Equipment, Athletic Training Equipment), By Distribution Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2030 “. Accessed April 8, 2022. However, this popularity, as well as its longevity, is due more so to societal health concerns and technological advancements. Improvements in the accessibility and quality of live streaming now make it possible for audiences seeking a guided workout to do so from the comfort of their own home.

The most popular at-home workout equipment items are yoga mats, resistance bands, and stationary bikes, any of which are excellent product ideas to consider if you’re interested in this space.

4. Baby products

The baby product market is set to grow due to emerging economies, specifically those of India and China. [5] Grand View Research. “ Baby Products Market Size Worth $16.78 Billion By 2025 | CAGR: 5.5% “. Accessed April 8, 2022. Likewise, the increased spending capacity of North America, Europe, and other developed nations contribute to this industry’s growth. The combination of expectant parents’ awareness about infant safety and innovation in the field makes for a market of new and necessary items.

In this market, breast pumps, front-facing baby carrying straps, and baby bouncers are especially popular products to sell.

Unlike many of the products on this list, candles have the added benefit of being consumable in that after all the wax has been burned, they are disposed of. If the consumer likes the scent, they’ll have to purchase the candle again. Thus, this is a market ripe for repeat customers. The candle market also fares well during recessions, as those staying home to save money may still buy candles as a small indulgence.

What makes all types of candles such excellent product ideas to consider is their ability to easily fit into many different businesses. You don’t specifically have to be a candle business to sell candles. Hotels, beauty brands, and other various companies already sell candles. In doing so, companies simultaneously market and sell.

6. Cannabis products

By 2028, the global cannabis market is projected to grow to $70.6 billion. [6] Grand View Research. “ Legal Marijuana Market Worth $70.6 Billion By 2028 | CAGR: 26.7% “. Accessed April 8, 2022. Though, its popularity isn’t necessarily new. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports that it’s the most widely cultivated, trafficked, and used drug in the world. What’s new is the drug’s legalization and societal views of it. [7] UN-iLibrary. “ World Drug Report “. Accessed April 8, 2022.

In terms of societal views, the medicinal uses of cannabis are taken more seriously and stereotypical views of users of the product have been shaken. Meanwhile, the drug’s legalization is sweeping through the United States, with 35 states and Washington D.C. legalizing it for medical use, 16 of which legalized it recreationally. It’s also decriminalized and/or allowed for medical use in areas of Africa, Australia, Europe, and North and South America.

The legal status of cannabis worldwide, however, can be a drawback for those considering product ideas in this industry. Many countries still impose harsh punishments for cannabis.

In the United States, CBD products, not THC products, are legal in every state. Starting a CBD product-based business is one way to corner that market, as it’s legal to sell CBD products online in all 50 states. Just makes sure you’re keeping up to date with both local and federal legislation prior to selling online.

7. Car accessories

The average American reportedly spends eight hours and 22 minutes per week driving, which adds up to 18 days of driving per year. [8] Car Connection. “ Study: Americans spend 18 days in their car per year, forge close bonds with a vehicle “. Accessed April 8, 2022. In 2019, the average one-way commute in the United States increased to a new high of 27.6 minutes. On top of that, ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft, as well as food delivery apps, have turned one’s car into their way to clock into their gig. Be it commuting to work or working by way of a car, cars have become a vital part of the workday.

That said, car accessories are a growing market ripe with several different product ideas for you to sell. [9] Cision PR Newswire. “ Global Car Accessories Market is Likely to Cross almost USD 753.05 Billion by end of 2028 – Zion Market Research “. Accessed April 8, 2022. The most popular products in this industry are air fresheners, organizers, rear cameras, seat covers, and USB chargers.

8. Cell phone accessories

97 percent of Americans have cell phones. That means that when you sell cell phone accessories, 97 percent of the United States is your potential customer base. Not many industries can say the same.

The most popular are phone-related product ideas are those that make phones more useful, less breakable, more efficient, or last longer. These accessories include phone tripods, power banks, wireless headphones, and wireless charging stations.

The drone market is often broken down into three types of applications: military, commercial, and consumer.

Military and commercial sectors have adopted the use of drones as a means of surveillance. This technology allows for surveillance without human error, as well as significantly reducing the labor and other resources necessary for such.

As for the consumer side, improvements in drones have made this technology available to the average consumer, thus widening the market to include hobbyists.

As a result of all of these factors, the market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 16 percent between 2021 and 2026. [10] Grand View Research. “ Commercial Drone Market Worth $501.4 Billion By 2028 | CAGR: 57.5% “. Accessed April 8, 2022.

10. eLearning courses

Subscription eLearning courses have become a popular product to sell online because of their low startup cost and ability to be sold over and over. [11] Globe Newswire. “ Global Massive Open Online Course Market (2021 to 2026) – by Technology, Course Type, Provider Type and Subscription Model “. Accessed April 8, 2022. The potential upside to this product idea is exponential. The only major investment being the time it takes to create the eLearning course.

Every business owner is an expert in something, even if it’s simply maintaining a business, so you already possess the information itself. Now, you just have to commodity your expertise.

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11. Hair scrunchies

Due to the fickleness of trends, fashion and beauty product ideas can be difficult to invest in. That said, hair scrunchies are still a viable product to sell in 2024. Their “comeback” year was 2020, during which Pinterest reported scrunchies were their top-ranking beauty trend outranking all others by over 6,309 percent. [12] Refinery29. “ Proof That Scrunchies Are Back In A Big Way For Fall 2020 “. Accessed April 8, 2022. Because of the product’s low cost, scrunchies remain a genius product to sell, even if the trend loses some of its incredible popularity in the coming years.

12. Home office solutions

United States office occupancy rose in August 2021 from 33 percent to 40 percent, still leaving a majority of office employees working remotely. [13] The New York Times. “ The End of a Return-to-Office Date “. Accessed April 8, 2022. Recently, Apple, Ford, CNN, Google, and other major companies postponed their return-to-office dates. Lyft now says the earliest employees will be required to return to the office is sometime in 2024.

This means, for many, another possible year of working remotely, as well as a workforce that may never fully return to the previous in-office levels. What might be bad news for commercial real estate developers can be good news to you, as at-home office product ideas remain popular. This includes wifi repeaters and range extenders, seat cushions, office chairs, standing desks, and lumbar pillows.

13. IoT devices

The phrase “Internet of Things” (IoT) describes objects that have sensors, software, and technologies that connect with other devices or systems over the Internet. These products include smartphones, smart refrigerators, smartwatches, smart cars, smart security sensors, smart light bulbs. A good rule of thumb is that if it begins with“smart,” it’s likely an IoT device.

As technology evolves, more and more products will be turned into IoT devices, thus creating an ever-expanding selection of product ideas to sell. The drawback of these products, of course, is that they may not be within your business’ budget.

14. Jewelry

80 percent of consumers are more likely to purchase from a business providing personalization. [14] Yieldify. “ Personalization Technology: Landscape & Trends for 2021 “. Accessed April 8, 2022. This decade-long trend, showing no sign of slowing down, has revitalized the jewelry market. Now items as personal as jewelry can be even more personal through customization. The marketplace on Etsy, especially, allows consumers to shop for personalized jewelry from sellers big and small.

In particular, jewelry is an especially popular product idea for eCommerce businesses because they’re lightweight, easy to ship, and in-demand all year. Though, it’s important to guard against fraud in your eCommerce business when selling expensive, high-end jewelry.

15. Pandemic-related items with longevity

The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic changed the markets in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, toilet paper, sanitizer, and face masks were the most sought-after products for consumers. The demand for such products has since dwindled back to pre-pandemic levels. However, there are some product ideas to which the pandemic brought attention that remain popular. These include infrared thermometers, smart soap dispensers, board games, and puzzles. Even pulse oximeters remain popular, as they’ve been repurposed for use by healthy individuals to monitor their bodies.

16. Reusable water bottles

The increasing concern for the condition of the environment has expanded the demand for reusable water bottles. [15] Grand View Research. “ Reusable Water Bottle Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Material Type (Glass, Plastic, Stainless Steel), By Distribution Channel (Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Online), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2030 “. Accessed April 8, 2022. Reports indicate that younger generations, particularly Millennials and Generation Z, are significantly more concerned about sustainability than older generations. [16] Science Daily. “ Millennials and Generation Z are more sustainability-orientated — even when it comes to money, researchers find “. Accessed April 8, 2022. This means the trend toward sustainable products, reusable water bottles included, is likely here to stay.

What makes this product idea great is that reusable water bottles can be sold by any business to further define their brand through shape, logo, coloring, or other water bottle design options. Essentially, it’s environmentally-friendly marketing.

If you have a talent for coding and a problem to solve, SaaS (Software as a Service) may be a perfect product idea for you to sell. SaaS products are created all the time to solve problems for both consumers (B2C) and businesses (B2B).

The key to success in building a SaaS product is to keep an open dialogue with your target end-users through development, as well as keeping the lines of communication open by offering tech support services . This way, you ensure your end-product really solves their problems.

18. Sex toys

Due to recent societal shifts regarding sexuality, sex toys are no longer as taboo as they once were. As a result of sex toys’ step toward the mainstream, selling sex toys is becoming an increasingly lucrative industry with a trove of product ideas to sell.

There’s also been a recent rethinking of sexuality as an avenue through which to perform self-care and achieve wellness. Thus, the wellness trend has also helped sex toys grow in popularity.

With a new wave of “sex tech” (sex toys with a technological angle, falling into the category of IoT), this market seems poised to evolve and further expand, all while becoming more mainstream. Sex toys make for excellent.

19. Shapewear

Shapewear has been on the rise for some time. In particular, 2018 saw a 143 percent surge in shapewear line debuts. [17] Grand View Research. “ Shapewear Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By End User (Male, Female), By Distribution Channel (Hypermarkets & Supermarkets, Specialty Stores, Online), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 – 2028 “. Accessed April 8, 2022. Then, in 2019, Kim Kardashian launched her shapewear company Skims.

It’s important to note that continued growth in this sector will reflect changing cultural notions. It’s no longer about shapewear as a product to change a woman’s body for external approval. (Women comprise 94 percent of this market.) Instead, the future of shapewear will focus on inclusivity and body positivity.

Athleisure is a similar product idea expected to see significant growth in the coming years. With more people working remotely, dressing for the office has been replaced with dressing for comfort.

20. Smart lighting

The smart lighting market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 20.4 percent between 2021 to 2028. [18] Grand View Research. “ Smart Lighting Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Component, By Connectivity (Wired, Wireless), By Application (Indoor, Outdoor), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 – 2028 “. Accessed April 8, 2022. As an IoT device, smart lighting product ideas earned their own place on this list due to this incredible expected growth rate.

For consumers wanting to upgrade products to the “smart” version of a product, a smart refrigerator or smart car may not be in their budget. However, a smart bulb is much more budget-friendly. Additionally, smart lighting can revolutionize a space through dimming and coloring options, all while gifting consumers the ability to turn off a light from the comfort of their bed.

As IoT devices sweep the marketplace, more affordable entry points are great products to sell, as they’re more likely to fit within your and your consumer’s budgets.

21. Skincare products

By some estimates, the average American spends $322.88 on skincare per year. [19] Fox Business. “ Americans will spend $15G on lifetime skincare, this cosmetics retailer claims “. Accessed April 8, 2022. This adds up to $15,000 spent during what is considered the “skincare shopping years” of one’s life. As a merchant, if you’re considering product ideas that will compete for a piece of that $15,000, enter the skincare market. However, this industry is trickier to break into than others on this list due to the need for various licenses and safety tests. That said, it may be a more attractive business option for the right entrepreneur due to those higher barriers to entry.

22. Subscription boxes

Subscription boxes are uniquely attractive product ideas to sell due to the subscription’s recurring payment . In landing a customer, you land a repeat customer for as long as they subscribe.

Specifically, food delivery kits have soared in popularity as consumers have become more health-conscious. If you have a knack for creating recipes and a passion for making people’s lives easier, this may be the perfect opportunity for you. There are a variety of potential spins you can put on the business model, allowing you to create a service that’s true to you.

Meanwhile, entire business empires have been built on themed subscription boxes, from beauty products to cocktail ingredients to socks of the month. Can you come up with a new one or improve on an existing one?

Now that you understand how to find a product to sell online and have 22 ideas for products poised to be popular throughout 2024, you’re better equipped to handle the ever-changing market.

With these new product ideas and tools to evaluate them, you can brainstorm, launch, and start accepting payments for your eCommerce business . Remember it’s not always about what you sell, it’s about how you sell it.

Ready to Start Your Business? We can help with the payment side of things

Article Sources

• Grand View Research. “ Air Fryer Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Manual, Digital), By Distribution Channel (Offline, Online), By Region (North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, Central & South America), And Segment Forecasts, 2019 – 2025 “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Grand View Research. “ Household Humidifier Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Portable (Ultrasonic, Cool Mist, Warm Mist), Whole-house), By Distribution Channel (Offline, Online), And Segment Forecasts, 2019 – 2025″. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Grand View Research. “ Air Purifier Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Technology (HEPA, Activated Carbon, Ionic Filters), By Application (Commercial, Residential, Industrial), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2030 “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Grand View Research. “ Sports Equipment Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Ball Over Net Games, Ball Games, Fitness/Strength Equipment, Athletic Training Equipment), By Distribution Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2030 “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Grand View Research. “ Baby Products Market Size Worth $16.78 Billion By 2025 | CAGR: 5.5% “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Grand View Research. “ Legal Marijuana Market Worth $70.6 Billion By 2028 | CAGR: 26.7% “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• UN-iLibrary. “ World Drug Report “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Car Connection. “ Study: Americans spend 18 days in their car per year, forge close bonds with a vehicle “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Cision PR Newswire. “ Global Car Accessories Market is Likely to Cross almost USD 753.05 Billion by end of 2028 – Zion Market Research “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Grand View Research. “ Commercial Drone Market Worth $501.4 Billion By 2028 | CAGR: 57.5% “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Globe Newswire. “ Global Massive Open Online Course Market (2021 to 2026) – by Technology, Course Type, Provider Type and Subscription Model “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Refinery29. “ Proof That Scrunchies Are Back In A Big Way For Fall 2020 “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• The New York Times. “ The End of a Return-to-Office Date “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Yieldify. “ Personalization Technology: Landscape & Trends for 2021 “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Grand View Research. “ Reusable Water Bottle Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Material Type (Glass, Plastic, Stainless Steel), By Distribution Channel (Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Online), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2030 “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Science Daily. “ Millennials and Generation Z are more sustainability-orientated — even when it comes to money, researchers find “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Grand View Research. “ Shapewear Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By End User (Male, Female), By Distribution Channel (Hypermarkets & Supermarkets, Specialty Stores, Online), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 – 2028 “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Grand View Research. “ Smart Lighting Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Component, By Connectivity (Wired, Wireless), By Application (Indoor, Outdoor), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 – 2028 “. Accessed April 8, 2022.
• Fox Business. “ Americans will spend $15G on lifetime skincare, this cosmetics retailer claims “. Accessed April 8, 2022.

Brontë Fyke

Brontë is a UX/UI designer and marketer based in Los Angeles, CA. She's been creating and promoting content for over 4 years, covering a range of topics in the payment processing industry. Brontë is currently the Director of Marketing at PaymentCloud, a merchant services provider that offers business solutions for companies in all industries - no matter the risk.

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24 of My Favorite Sample Business Plans & Examples For Your Inspiration

Published: February 06, 2024

I believe that reading sample business plans is essential when writing your own.

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As you explore business plan examples from real companies and brands, it’s easier for you to learn how to write a good one.

But what does a good business plan look like? And how do you write one that’s both viable and convincing. I’ll walk you through the ideal business plan format along with some examples to help you get started.

Table of Contents

Business Plan Format

Business plan types, sample business plan templates, top business plan examples.

Ask any successful sports coach how they win so many games, and they’ll tell you they have a unique plan for every single game. To me, the same logic applies to business.

If you want to build a thriving company that can pull ahead of the competition, you need to prepare for battle before breaking into a market.

Business plans guide you along the rocky journey of growing a company. And if your business plan is compelling enough, it can also convince investors to give you funding.

With so much at stake, I’m sure you’re wondering where to begin.

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Fill out the form to get your free template.

First, you’ll want to nail down your formatting. Most business plans include the following sections.

1. Executive Summary

I’d say the executive summary is the most important section of the entire business plan. 

Why? Essentially, it's the overview or introduction, written in a way to grab readers' attention and guide them through the rest of the business plan. This is important, because a business plan can be dozens or hundreds of pages long.

There are two main elements I’d recommend including in your executive summary:

Company Description

This is the perfect space to highlight your company’s mission statement and goals, a brief overview of your history and leadership, and your top accomplishments as a business.

Tell potential investors who you are and why what you do matters. Naturally, they’re going to want to know who they’re getting into business with up front, and this is a great opportunity to showcase your impact.

Need some extra help firming up those business goals? Check out HubSpot Academy’s free course to help you set goals that matter — I’d highly recommend it

Products and Services

To piggyback off of the company description, be sure to incorporate an overview of your offerings. This doesn’t have to be extensive — just another chance to introduce your industry and overall purpose as a business.

In addition to the items above, I recommend including some information about your financial projections and competitive advantage here too.:

Keep in mind you'll cover many of these topics in more detail later on in the business plan. So, keep the executive summary clear and brief, and only include the most important takeaways.

Executive Summary Business Plan Examples

This example was created with HubSpot’s business plan template:

This executive summary is so good to me because it tells potential investors a short story while still covering all of the most important details.

Image Source

Tips for Writing Your Executive Summary

• Start with a strong introduction of your company, showcase your mission and impact, and outline the products and services you provide.
• Clearly define a problem, and explain how your product solves that problem, and show why the market needs your business.
• Be sure to highlight your value proposition, market opportunity, and growth potential.
• Keep it concise and support ideas with data.
• Customize your summary to your audience. For example, emphasize finances and return on investment for venture capitalists.

Check out our tips for writing an effective executive summary for more guidance.

2. Market Opportunity

This is where you'll detail the opportunity in the market.

The main question I’d ask myself here is this: Where is the gap in the current industry, and how will my product fill that gap?

More specifically, here’s what I’d include in this section:

• The size of the market
• Current or potential market share
• Trends in the industry and consumer behavior
• Where the gap is
• What caused the gap
• How you intend to fill it

To get a thorough understanding of the market opportunity, you'll want to conduct a TAM, SAM, and SOM analysis and perform market research on your industry.

You may also benefit from creating a SWOT analysis to get some of the insights for this section.

Market Opportunity Business Plan Example

I like this example because it uses critical data to underline the size of the potential market and what part of that market this service hopes to capture.

Tips for Writing Your Market Opportunity Section

• Focus on demand and potential for growth.
• Use market research, surveys, and industry trend data to support your market forecast and projections.
• Add a review of regulation shifts, tech advances, and consumer behavior changes.
• Refer to reliable sources.
• Showcase how your business can make the most of this opportunity.

3. Competitive Landscape

Since we’re already speaking of market share, you'll also need to create a section that shares details on who the top competitors are.

After all, your customers likely have more than one brand to choose from, and you'll want to understand exactly why they might choose one over another.

My favorite part of performing a competitive analysis is that it can help you uncover:

• Industry trends that other brands may not be utilizing
• Strengths in your competition that may be obstacles to handle
• Weaknesses in your competition that may help you develop selling points
• The unique proposition you bring to the market that may resonate with customers

Competitive Landscape Business Plan Example

I like how the competitive landscape section of this business plan below shows a clear outline of who the top competitors are.

It also highlights specific industry knowledge and the importance of location, which shows useful experience in this specific industry. 

This can help build trust in your ability to execute your business plan.

Tips for Writing Your Competitive Landscape

• Complete in-depth research, then emphasize your most important findings.
• Compare your unique selling proposition (USP) to your direct and indirect competitors.
• Show a clear and realistic plan for product and brand differentiation.
• Look for specific advantages and barriers in the competitive landscape. Then, highlight how that information could impact your business.
• Outline growth opportunities from a competitive perspective.
• Add customer feedback and insights to support your competitive analysis.

4. Target Audience

Use this section to describe who your customer segments are in detail. What is the demographic and psychographic information of your audience?

If your immediate answer is "everyone," you'll need to dig deeper. Here are some questions I’d ask myself here:

• What demographics will most likely need/buy your product or service?
• What are the psychographics of this audience? (Desires, triggering events, etc.)
• Why are your offerings valuable to them?

I’d also recommend building a buyer persona to get in the mindset of your ideal customers and be clear on why you're targeting them.

Target Audience Business Plan Example

I like the example below because it uses in-depth research to draw conclusions about audience priorities. It also analyzes how to create the right content for this audience.

Tips for Writing Your Target Audience Section

• Include details on the size and growth potential of your target audience.
• Figure out and refine the pain points for your target audience , then show why your product is a useful solution.
• Describe your targeted customer acquisition strategy in detail.
• Share anticipated challenges your business may face in acquiring customers and how you plan to address them.
• Add case studies, testimonials, and other data to support your target audience ideas.
• Remember to consider niche audiences and segments of your target audience in your business plan.

5. Marketing Strategy

Here, you'll discuss how you'll acquire new customers with your marketing strategy. I’d suggest including information:

• Your brand positioning vision and how you'll cultivate it
• The goal targets you aim to achieve
• The metrics you'll use to measure success
• The channels and distribution tactics you'll use

I think it’s helpful to have a marketing plan built out in advance to make this part of your business plan easier.

Marketing Strategy Business Plan Example

This business plan example includes the marketing strategy for the town of Gawler.

In my opinion, it really works because it offers a comprehensive picture of how they plan to use digital marketing to promote the community.

Tips for Writing Your Marketing Strategy

• Include a section about how you believe your brand vision will appeal to customers.
• Add the budget and resources you'll need to put your plan in place.
• Outline strategies for specific marketing segments.
• Connect strategies to earlier sections like target audience and competitive analysis.
• Review how your marketing strategy will scale with the growth of your business.
• Cover a range of channels and tactics to highlight your ability to adapt your plan in the face of change.

6. Key Features and Benefits

At some point in your business plan, you'll need to review the key features and benefits of your products and/or services.

Laying these out can give readers an idea of how you're positioning yourself in the market and the messaging you're likely to use. It can even help them gain better insight into your business model.

Key Features and Benefits Business Plan Example

In my opinion, the example below does a great job outlining products and services for this business, along with why these qualities will attract the audience.

Tips for Writing Your Key Features and Benefits

• Emphasize why and how your product or service offers value to customers.
• Use metrics and testimonials to support the ideas in this section.
• Talk about how your products and services have the potential to scale.
• Think about including a product roadmap.
• Focus on customer needs, and how the features and benefits you are sharing meet those needs.
• Offer proof of concept for your ideas, like case studies or pilot program feedback.
• Proofread this section carefully, and remove any jargon or complex language.

7. Pricing and Revenue

This is where you'll discuss your cost structure and various revenue streams. Your pricing strategy must be solid enough to turn a profit while staying competitive in the industry. 

For this reason, here’s what I’d might outline in this section:

• The specific pricing breakdowns per product or service
• Why your pricing is higher or lower than your competition's
• (If higher) Why customers would be willing to pay more
• (If lower) How you're able to offer your products or services at a lower cost
• When you expect to break even, what margins do you expect, etc?

Pricing and Revenue Business Plan Example

I like how this business plan example begins with an overview of the business revenue model, then shows proposed pricing for key products.

Tips for Writing Your Pricing and Revenue Section

• Get specific about your pricing strategy. Specifically, how you connect that strategy to customer needs and product value.
• If you are asking a premium price, share unique features or innovations that justify that price point.
• Show how you plan to communicate pricing to customers.
• Create an overview of every revenue stream for your business and how each stream adds to your business model as a whole.
• Share plans to develop new revenue streams in the future.
• Show how and whether pricing will vary by customer segment and how pricing aligns with marketing strategies.
• Restate your value proposition and explain how it aligns with your revenue model.

8. Financials

To me, this section is particularly informative for investors and leadership teams to figure out funding strategies, investment opportunities, and more.

 According to Forbes , you'll want to include three main things:

• Profit/Loss Statement - This answers the question of whether your business is currently profitable.
• Cash Flow Statement - This details exactly how much cash is incoming and outgoing to give insight into how much cash a business has on hand.
• Balance Sheet - This outlines assets, liabilities, and equity, which gives insight into how much a business is worth.

While some business plans might include more or less information, these are the key details I’d include in this section.

Financials Business Plan Example

This balance sheet is a great example of level of detail you’ll need to include in the financials section of your business plan.

Tips for Writing Your Financials Section

• Growth potential is important in this section too. Using your data, create a forecast of financial performance in the next three to five years.
• Include any data that supports your projections to assure investors of the credibility of your proposal.
• Add a break-even analysis to show that your business plan is financially practical. This information can also help you pivot quickly as your business grows.
• Consider adding a section that reviews potential risks and how sensitive your plan is to changes in the market.
• Triple-check all financial information in your plan for accuracy.
• Show how any proposed funding needs align with your plans for growth.

As you create your business plan, keep in mind that each of these sections will be formatted differently. Some may be in paragraph format, while others could be charts or graphs.

The formats above apply to most types of business plans. That said, the format and structure of your plan will vary by your goals for that plan. 

So, I’ve added a quick review of different business plan types. For a more detailed overview, check out this post .

1. Startups

Startup business plans are for proposing new business ideas.

If you’re planning to start a small business, preparing a business plan is crucial. The plan should include all the major factors of your business.

You can check out this guide for more detailed business plan inspiration .

2. Feasibility Studies

Feasibility business plans focus on that business's product or service. Feasibility plans are sometimes added to startup business plans. They can also be a new business plan for an already thriving organization.

3. Internal Use

You can use internal business plans to share goals, strategies, or performance updates with stakeholders. In my opinion, internal business plans are useful for alignment and building support for ambitious goals.

4. Strategic Initiatives

Another business plan that's often for sharing internally is a strategic business plan. This plan covers long-term business objectives that might not have been included in the startup business plan.

5. Business Acquisition or Repositioning

When a business is moving forward with an acquisition or repositioning, it may need extra structure and support. These types of business plans expand on a company's acquisition or repositioning strategy.

Growth sometimes just happens as a business continues operations. But more often, a business needs to create a structure with specific targets to meet set goals for expansion. This business plan type can help a business focus on short-term growth goals and align resources with those goals.

Now that you know what's included and how to format a business plan, let's review some of my favorite templates.

1. HubSpot's One-Page Business Plan

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

The business plan linked above was created here at HubSpot and is perfect for businesses of any size — no matter how many strategies we still have to develop.

Fields such as Company Description, Required Funding, and Implementation Timeline give this one-page business plan a framework for how to build your brand and what tasks to keep track of as you grow.

Then, as the business matures, you can expand on your original business plan with a new iteration of the above document.

Why I Like It

This one-page business plan is a fantastic choice for the new business owner who doesn’t have the time or resources to draft a full-blown business plan. It includes all the essential sections in an accessible, bullet-point-friendly format. That way, you can get the broad strokes down before honing in on the details.

2. HubSpot's Downloadable Business Plan Template

We also created a business plan template for entrepreneurs.

The template is designed as a guide and checklist for starting your own business. You’ll learn what to include in each section of your business plan and how to do it.

There’s also a list for you to check off when you finish each section of your business plan.

Strong game plans help coaches win games and help businesses rocket to the top of their industries. So if you dedicate the time and effort required to write a workable and convincing business plan, you’ll boost your chances of success and even dominance in your market.

This business plan kit is essential for the budding entrepreneur who needs a more extensive document to share with investors and other stakeholders.

It not only includes sections for your executive summary, product line, market analysis, marketing plan, and sales plan, but it also offers hands-on guidance for filling out those sections.

3. LiveFlow’s Financial Planning Template with built-in automation

This free template from LiveFlow aims to make it easy for businesses to create a financial plan and track their progress on a monthly basis.

The P&L Budget versus Actual format allows users to track their revenue, cost of sales, operating expenses, operating profit margin, net profit, and more.

The summary dashboard aggregates all of the data put into the financial plan sheet and will automatically update when changes are made.

Instead of wasting hours manually importing your data to your spreadsheet, LiveFlow can also help you to automatically connect your accounting and banking data directly to your spreadsheet, so your numbers are always up-to-date.

With the dashboard, you can view your runway, cash balance, burn rate, gross margins, and other metrics. Having a simple way to track everything in one place will make it easier to complete the financials section of your business plan.

This is a fantastic template to track performance and alignment internally and to create a dependable process for documenting financial information across the business. It’s highly versatile and beginner-friendly.

It’s especially useful if you don’t have an accountant on the team. (I always recommend you do, but for new businesses, having one might not be possible.)

4. ThoughtCo’s Sample Business Plan

One of the more financially oriented sample business plans in this list, BPlan’s free business plan template dedicates many of its pages to your business’s financial plan and financial statements.

After filling this business plan out, your company will truly understand its financial health and the steps you need to take to maintain or improve it.

I absolutely love this business plan template because of its ease-of-use and hands-on instructions (in addition to its finance-centric components). If you feel overwhelmed by the thought of writing an entire business plan, consider using this template to help you with the process.

6. Harvard Business Review’s "How to Write a Winning Business Plan"

Most sample business plans teach you what to include in your business plan, but this Harvard Business Review article will take your business plan to the next level — it teaches you the why and how behind writing a business plan.

With the guidance of Stanley Rich and Richard Gumpert, co-authors of " Business Plans That Win: Lessons From the MIT Enterprise Forum ", you'll learn how to write a convincing business plan that emphasizes the market demand for your product or service.

You’ll also learn the financial benefits investors can reap from putting money into your venture rather than trying to sell them on how great your product or service is.

This business plan guide focuses less on the individual parts of a business plan, and more on the overarching goal of writing one. For that reason, it’s one of my favorites to supplement any template you choose to use. Harvard Business Review’s guide is instrumental for both new and seasoned business owners.

7. HubSpot’s Complete Guide to Starting a Business

If you’re an entrepreneur, you know writing a business plan is one of the most challenging first steps to starting a business.

Fortunately, with HubSpot's comprehensive guide to starting a business, you'll learn how to map out all the details by understanding what to include in your business plan and why it’s important to include them. The guide also fleshes out an entire sample business plan for you.

If you need further guidance on starting a business, HubSpot's guide can teach you how to make your business legal, choose and register your business name, and fund your business. It will also give small business tax information and includes marketing, sales, and service tips.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of starting a business, in addition to writing your business plan, with a high level of exactitude and detail. So if you’re in the midst of starting your business, this is an excellent guide for you.

It also offers other resources you might need, such as market analysis templates.

8. Panda Doc’s Free Business Plan Template

PandaDoc’s free business plan template is one of the more detailed and fleshed-out sample business plans on this list. It describes what you should include in each section, so you don't have to come up with everything from scratch.

Once you fill it out, you’ll fully understand your business’ nitty-gritty details and how all of its moving parts should work together to contribute to its success.

This template has two things I love: comprehensiveness and in-depth instructions. Plus, it’s synced with PandaDoc’s e-signature software so that you and other stakeholders can sign it with ease. For that reason, I especially love it for those starting a business with a partner or with a board of directors.

9. Small Business Administration Free Business Plan Template

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers several free business plan templates that can be used to inspire your own plan.

Before you get started, you can decide what type of business plan you need — a traditional or lean start-up plan.

Then, you can review the format for both of those plans and view examples of what they might look like.

We love both of the SBA’s templates because of their versatility. You can choose between two options and use the existing content in the templates to flesh out your own plan. Plus, if needed, you can get a free business counselor to help you along the way.

I’ve compiled some completed business plan samples to help you get an idea of how to customize a plan for your business.

I chose different types of business plan ideas to expand your imagination. Some are extensive, while others are fairly simple.

Let’s take a look.

1. LiveFlow

One of the major business expenses is marketing. How you handle your marketing reflects your company’s revenue.

I included this business plan to show you how you can ensure your marketing team is aligned with your overall business plan to get results. The plan also shows you how to track even the smallest metrics of your campaigns, like ROI and payback periods instead of just focusing on big metrics like gross and revenue.

Fintech startup, LiveFlow, allows users to sync real-time data from its accounting services, payment platforms, and banks into custom reports. This eliminates the task of pulling reports together manually, saving teams time and helping automate workflows.

"Using this framework over a traditional marketing plan will help you set a profitable marketing strategy taking things like CAC, LTV, Payback period, and P&L into consideration," explains LiveFlow co-founder, Lasse Kalkar .

When it came to including marketing strategy in its business plan, LiveFlow created a separate marketing profit and loss statement (P&L) to track how well the company was doing with its marketing initiatives.

This is a great approach, allowing businesses to focus on where their marketing dollars are making the most impact. Having this information handy will enable you to build out your business plan’s marketing section with confidence. LiveFlow has shared the template here . You can test it for yourself.

2. Lula Body

Sometimes all you need is a solid mission statement and core values to guide you on how to go about everything. You do this by creating a business plan revolving around how to fulfill your statement best.

For example, Patagonia is an eco-friendly company, so their plan discusses how to make the best environmentally friendly products without causing harm.

A good mission statement  should not only resonate with consumers but should also serve as a core value compass for employees as well.

Patagonia has one of the most compelling mission statements I’ve seen:

"Together, let’s prioritise purpose over profit and protect this wondrous planet, our only home."

It reels you in from the start, and the environmentally friendly theme continues throughout the rest of the statement.

This mission goes on to explain that they are out to "Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to protect nature."

Their mission statement is compelling and detailed, with each section outlining how they will accomplish their goal.

4. Vesta Home Automation

This executive summary for a smart home device startup is part of a business plan created by students at Mount Royal University .

While it lacks some of the sleek visuals of the templates above, its executive summary does a great job of demonstrating how invested they are in the business.

Right away, they mention they’ve invested $200,000 into the company already, which shows investors they have skin in the game and aren’t just looking for someone else to foot the bill.

This is the kind of business plan you need when applying for business funds. It clearly illustrates the expected future of the company and how the business has been coming along over the years.

5. NALB Creative Center

This fictional business plan for an art supply store includes everything one might need in a business plan: an executive summary, a company summary, a list of services, a market analysis summary, and more.

One of its most notable sections is its market analysis summary, which includes an overview of the population growth in the business’ target geographical area, as well as a breakdown of the types of potential customers they expect to welcome at the store. 

This sort of granular insight is essential for understanding and communicating your business’s growth potential. Plus, it lays a strong foundation for creating relevant and useful buyer personas .

It’s essential to keep this information up-to-date as your market and target buyer changes. For that reason, you should carry out market research as often as possible to ensure that you’re targeting the correct audience and sharing accurate information with your investors.

Due to its comprehensiveness, it’s an excellent example to follow if you’re opening a brick-and-mortar store and need to get external funding to start your business .

6. Curriculum Companion Suites (CSS)

If you’re looking for a SaaS business plan example, look no further than this business plan for a fictional educational software company called Curriculum Companion Suites. 

Like the business plan for the NALB Creative Center, it includes plenty of information for prospective investors and other key stakeholders in the business.

One of the most notable features of this business plan is the executive summary, which includes an overview of the product, market, and mission.

The first two are essential for software companies because the product offering is so often at the forefront of the company’s strategy. Without that information being immediately available to investors and executives, then you risk writing an unfocused business plan.

It’s essential to front-load your company’s mission if it explains your "Why?" and this example does just that. In other words, why do you do what you do, and why should stakeholders care? This is an important section to include if you feel that your mission will drive interest in the business and its offerings.

7. Culina Sample Business Plan

Culina's sample business plan is an excellent example of how to lay out your business plan so that it flows naturally, engages readers, and provides the critical information investors and stakeholders need. 

You can use this template as a guide while you're gathering important information for your own business plan. You'll have a better understanding of the data and research you need to do since Culina’s plan outlines these details so flawlessly for inspiration.

8. Plum Sample Business Plan

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How to Create a Unique Value Proposition + Examples

Lisa Furgison

10 min. read

Updated March 15, 2024

If you’re starting your own business you’re probably already thinking about what sets you apart from competitors in your space. Coming up with your unique value proposition (UVP) or unique selling proposition (USP) creates a strong foundation for all your marketing messages and strategies for engaging new customers.

This article is a handy guide that will define what a UVP is, and help you write your own.

• What is a unique value proposition (UVP)?

Your unique value proposition (UVP) is the promised value customers can expect from your business. It explains what separates your business from your competitors, how your solution solves your customers’ problems, the specific benefits, and why your target customers should choose you.

In a nutshell, your UVP covers: 

• How your product or service works
• What makes it valuable
• Why it’s better than the rest

Your UVP should be front and center on your website, and it should be completely free of jargon—it’s like a very short elevator pitch that someone who has never heard of your company before would understand immediately.

• What is the purpose of a value proposition?

Your value proposition is designed to introduce your company’s brand to potential customers. It defines what you stand for, what you do, how you operate, and why you should be chosen over the competition. 

Every competitor in your field is vying for attention. From marketing plans to advertisements, consumers hear a lot of noise. To cut through this clutter and turn your target audience into loyal customers, you need a value proposition that mere mortals can understand easily—and remember. You want your customers to hear your name and think, “oh, that’s the company that does (your unique solution).”

• How do you write a unique value proposition?

Finding a value proposition takes some time and legwork. A real UVP is more than a clever tagline. For it to be meaningful, you have to know your customer and your business. Plus, you have to understand how your product or service fits into our consumer-driven world.

So while your UVP is probably always in the back of your mind, don’t write it based on what you think is true about your solution and your customers. Do some research and testing so that you are sure.

And for that matter, keep testing. Once you’ve come up with your UVP and put it all over your marketing materials and website’s landing pages, it might be tempting to set it and forget it. Keep testing it over time—the more your business grows, the more you’ll know about your customer’s pain points and how your solution helps them. Here are the five steps needed to develop a value proposition.

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1. Define your target market

First, you need to figure out who your customers are. Who will buy (or is buying) your product or service? A lot of first-time business owners want everyone to be a customer; this is a rookie mistake. Marketing to everyone is the opposite of marketing to your target market. If you try to appeal to everyone, your business and product will get lost in the noise. An example of this kind of mistake is a shoe company trying to market to everyone with feet! You’ll waste a lot of time and money that way.

Instead, hone in on exactly who your audience is. Do some market research—both based on your existing customers (if you have them) and other populations you think might be good potential customers. You want to know and understand their pain points—the problems they have that you might be able to solve.

But you’re also interested in their demographic information, income statistics, and family makeup. How old is your target audience ? Are they male or female? What kind of income does your target audience have? Get specific. What does your target audience do on the weekend? What kind of music do they listen to?

You might think these last questions are a bit far-fetched, but you want to create a buyer or user persona of your target audience. A buyer or user persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer—but it’s a very useful tool to help you hone your messaging and who you consider to be a part of your target market.

You can’t create a unique value proposition alone in your basement, either. You have to test it. Run it by a small group of customers, or people you think are in your target market to ensure it resonates with customers you’re trying to reach.

2. Explain why customers should buy from you instead of a competitor

To separate yourself from your competitors, you have to know who they are and what they stand for. Research your competitors inside and out , from their mission statement to the types of employees they have. You can only set yourself apart if you know what’s already been done.

Putting together a competitive matrix can be a helpful way to visualize how you stack up against them. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you don’t have any competition. Every business has competition , even if you’re in a brand new industry. When you’re writing your UVP, see if you can articulate why your customers should buy from you instead of your competitors in ten words or less. If you can’t, keep revising.

3. Define the pain point your product or service solves

Write down how your business or product solves a problem or alleviates a pain point for customers. Can your product do something that other products can’t? Does it save time? Is it more affordable than other products? What about your product or service makes it a must-have for customers—why can’t they live without it?

Take that list and cross off any need pain point that your competitors can claim to address too. Your competitive matrix might be helpful here.

This exercise is meant to help you find areas where your business is different than others. Simply having the best product or the best customer service in the market isn’t enough differentiation.

Remember, every business thinks they have the best product. Take some time to figure out how your product meets the needs of your target audience in a way that others can’t.

4. Connect to your company mission and what you stand for

What does your business stand for? It’s a big question, one that takes some time to figure out. Once you have a solid and clear answer, see if your mission overlaps or coincides with the list of things that sets your business apart. Now you’re starting to hone in on your value proposition.

Once you’ve done your digging, write down a few different possible value propositions that fit your business. Again, this isn’t going to be something you whip up in 20 minutes. Write a few down, stew on them for a bit, and refine them. Ask yourself if someone could read your UVP and think it’s talking about another company. If the answer is yes, you have a selling or value proposition, but it’s not unique yet.

Rework it until you have one succinct sentence that makes you stand out from your competitors. What do you want your customers to remember about you when they hear your brand or product name?

5. Craft a single message

Once you’ve defined what you will cover in your value proposition, you need to land on a single core message. Not every pain point or benefit needs to be listed here. You’ve done the research to ensure you are landing on the right message for your audience, the last thing you want to do is overcomplicate communications

Focus on communicating one key value that connects to your customer’s pain point. The goal is to hook their interest so that they want to explore what else you have to offer. If they take that first step, then look for opportunities to elaborate on the additional value you provide.

Additionally, just because you’ve honed in on a core value proposition, doesn’t mean that it can’t change. You may need to make adjustments for sub-sections of your audience, change out keywords for different platforms, and even fully restructure your UVP if it doesn’t resonate. 

The key here is to not just write up your UVP and walk away. Look for opportunities to test it directly with your target audience either through interviews, surveys, or even through live testing. 

• 4 examples of great value propositions

One of the best ways to learn is by example, so let’s take a look at a few businesses that have created unmistakably unique selling propositions.

The Mast Brothers Chocolate

This duo of bearded, lanky brothers creates chocolate bars by hand . Their dedication to their craft alone is unique, but the brothers have infused their love of old-time traditions into their business.

When they need to purchase more cocoa beans, they charter a wooden sailboat to stay true to their pioneer-like roots. Now that’s a unique position you can market.

Dollar Shave Club

This online business sells and ships razors and blades to its audience for a buck. They poke fun at the fancy, vibrating 10-blade razors that are on the market today and encourage men to go back to basics.

But, don’t think that means they’re selling an inferior product. Their slogan is: “Our blades are f***ing great,” a tagline that points to (but isn’t the same as) their selling proposition. Remember, if other companies can also say their product is “great,” you have a catchy tagline, not something that sets you apart from the competition.  

Ellusionist

Here’s a business that created a value proposition by catering to a very specific audience. Ellusionist is an online store that sells playing cards to magicians.

Some of the decks are marked, others have a vintage appearance, but the variations are meant to build showmanship for its unique target audience.

Palo Alto Software

Shortly after publishing this article, one of our readers asked if we could share our own USP. Bplans is a resource offered by Palo Alto Software, so here’s what Noah Parsons, our chief operating officer, has to say about our UVP:

For Palo Alto Software, our goal is to provide entrepreneurs with the tools, knowledge, and know-how to help them grow faster and better than their competition.

We’re not just in it to make a buck—we actually want to help people succeed in business as much as possible. Our commitment to entrepreneurs is shown in our thousands of pages of free content that helps demystify the complexities of starting and running a business.

We also provide simple yet powerful tools for entrepreneurs so they can focus more on doing what they love and less on trying to build and understand complex reports and spreadsheets.

• Create a compelling value proposition

The process to land on what differentiates your business and resonates with your audience is well worth the effort. Not only will it help you define a compelling value proposition, but it will make it far easier to streamline your focus as a business owner. Everything from developing audience personas to crafting and testing copy, it encourages you to work through the needs of your customer.

If you’re struggling to work through these steps the best thing you can do is revisit your business plan . It should have everything you need including the problem you’re solving, how your business operates, who your ideal customers are, and what your business stands for. 

*Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2018. It has been updated for 2021.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Lisa Furgison is a multimedia journalist with a passion for writing. She holds a graduate degree in mass communications and spent eight years as a television reporter before moving into the freelance world, where she focuses mainly on content creation and social media strategies. Furgison has crisscrossed the U.S. as a reporter, but now calls Key West, Florida home. When she's not conducting interviews or typing away on her laptop, she loves to travel.

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How to write a business plan (with template)

We all know that as a product manager you’re also the CEO of the product. While you own the product backlog, you’re also responsible for expanding the product and adding new features to increase value for users and the business. Whether you work in a start-up or are a PM in a large organization, creating a business plan is crucial before pitching in any new idea.

What is a business plan?

A business plan is a comprehensive document that outlines the problem, the solution, market outreach possibilities, potential threats, a clear goal, and a measurable return on investment with a year-on-year growth strategy.

Significance of a business plan

All product organizations have started seeing the importance of a business plan before approving a new product idea. A good business plan has numerous benefits, the most fundamental being an opportunity to think through the idea before investing time and resources.

The following are the key traits of a good business plan.

Clarity of vision

Taking the time to write down an idea can bring greater clarity to your vision. It allows you to better understand the problem at hand and reveal all possible solutions. This is because writing forces you to slow down and think everything through, resulting in a more evident thought process.

Strategic guidance

When creating a business plan, including financial projections and forecasts is useful. This helps develop a strategic plan by considering marketing strategies, launch plans, development costs, and expected return on investment. However, conducting proper research and due diligence is crucial to ensure that the predictions are as accurate as possible. This process can lead to gaining more insights, taking necessary steps beforehand, and fostering collaboration.

Risk management

A business plan is crucial as it allows you to identify potential risks beforehand. As part of creating a business plan, conducting a competitor analysis, identifying your target market, performing a SWOT analysis (focusing on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), and determining your unique selling points is essential. By analyzing these factors, you can gain valuable insights into potential risks and market trends and create an effective risk management plan to ensure success.

Operational planning

While creating a business plan, it becomes essential to forecast, plan milestones, and produce a roadmap. This involves looking into the development timeline, launch plan, and marketing strategies. By doing so, you can outline an operational plan and calculate the resources required to complete the project within a specified deadline. Measuring the rollout plan and determining the appropriate launch plan is crucial.

Measurable objectives and milestones

In addition to a roadmap and milestones, it’s essential to provide critical metrics to measure success. This will help product teams clearly understand the overall roadmap and milestones and ensure that the key results are defined to determine if the product is successful.

Components of a business plan

The business plan will look different for different products depending on the business, product area, and other factors. Still, a few common elements must be a part of each business plan.

Problem statement

Defining the problem in the right way is the most crucial thing. While defining the problem, always consider backing up the claims by data. Use surveys and user testimonies to construct the problem statement in the most relatable manner:

Solution description / mission statement

When presenting a solution, it’s important to avoid using technical jargon and instead describe it in a way that’s easy to understand for anyone, regardless of their technical background. If specific technical details need to be included, put them in an appendix for those who want to read more.

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Creating a clear mission statement outlining what you aim to achieve with your solution is also essential. Avoid using vague language and be as specific and straightforward as possible. The more specific your goal, the better.

Market analysis

This section requires a comprehensive and detailed analysis of various aspects crucial to any product’s success in the market. The four main areas addressed are product-market fit , target customers, total market share, and unique selling proposition (USP).

Product-market fit is about identifying the gap that exists in the market and how your product can bridge that gap.

Defining target customers includes understanding their demographics, behavior, preferences, and needs. It’s also essential to identify any secondary customer base that can be targeted, which can help expand the product’s reach and appeal:

Total market share, or the total available market, refers to the overall revenue opportunity available for a product or service if 100 percent market share is achieved. It gives a clear idea of the scope of expansion for the product after launch.

Unique selling proposition (USP) is a critical aspect of any product’s success that defines why customers should choose your product over others. It’s what sets your product apart from the competition and makes it stand out. Identifying and promoting your USP can help to differentiate your product and create a sense of confidence among sponsors.

Competitor analysis

When analyzing competitors, people tend only to consider direct competitors. However, a great product stands out by taking customers away from even indirect competitors. For example, TikTok and Reels are taking up viewership time that Netflix and other streaming services previously held. Therefore, Netflix’s competitors are not limited to other streaming services but include other platforms providing quick and engaging content:

Projection and forecast

Creating a comprehensive and effective business plan, including a detailed projection of operational costs and a sales and revenue generation forecast is crucial. You can enhance the plan by providing a summarized version of the roadmap and revenue plan and giving sponsors a quick overview of the expected development time, launch dates, and other essential details. Doing so can ensure that your business plan is constructive and comprehensive, in turn laying out a clear path to success.

This is a section of the business plan where you can finally reveal your expectations towards the sponsor or the investors. You have established a business model and the effect of your product. Now, it’s time to be clear and specific about the investment required to reach the goal, including the expected time frame.

The aim is to clearly outline the expected returns so that any potential sponsor or investor can decide whether the opportunity aligns with their goals. This is a mutually beneficial partnership; you can establish a foundation for a good relationship with transparency.

Business plan template

Here’s a one-pager template for a business plan that suits most products:

Here you can find the full PPT template for the business plan, including all the components.

Final thoughts

A business plan is a crucial document that outlines the entire product lifecycle from inception to launch. It aims to align stakeholders, minimize uncertainties, and increase the likelihood of product success in the market. Effective business plans are those that demonstrate a compelling opportunity backed by thorough research and a clear strategy for execution and growth.

These templates can make your next pitch easier!

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How to describe your product and service in a business plan like a pro

It’s deceiving.

You’d think that this part of a business plan does exactly what it says on the tin–describe your product & service offering– right ?

And yes, you are partially right. 

But there’s a very specific way in which this description should be written to make sure that your business has the best chance of succeeding – in real life and under the eagle eye of a potential backer (if you’re preparing a business plan for external financing purposes).

Keep reading to find out the secret sauce to writing a winning product and service description:

WHAT is the Product and Service Description in a Business Plan?

This business plan section is also known as:

• Product and/or Service Overview

HOW Do You Write a Product and Service Description in a Business Plan?

So, what should a good product/service overview contain?

Here are some items to consider including into this section:

1.     Portfolio:

The range of products and/or services that a business offers to potential and current customers.

2.     Features and benefits (value proposition):

Explain what the product/service does and how it works.

3.     Problem and solution (value proposition cont.):

The problem(s) the product or service solves. Every business needs to solve a problem that its customers face. Explain what the problem is and how the product or service solves it.

4.     Innovation:

If the company is doing something new and different, explain why the world needs the innovation.

5.     Proprietary advantages:

Any proprietary features that contribute to a competitive advantage. This could include: intellectual property (e.g., copyright, trademark, patent filings, trade secret), exclusive agreements with suppliers or vendors, exclusive licenses (e.g., for a product, service or technology), company’s own research and development activities.

6.     Development stage:

Current stage of development of the product / service (e.g., idea, development, testing, prototype, already on the market).

7.     Product life-cycle:

Estimate the life span of the product or service.

Specify whether the product or service under consideration is a short-lived fad or has a long-term potential.

8.     Future:

Mention plans for changes and new additions to the current portfolio of products / services.

Describe any plans to move into new markets in the future (e.g., serving different types or sizes of customers, industries, geographic areas).

Make your best guess at when the business will be ready to address these markets and what it needs to do first to be ready.

9.     Limitations:

If applicable, explain any risks or limitations associated with the product (e.g., liability issues like guarantees or returns), along with any legal advice received regarding these issues.

10.  Visual aids:

Use photos, images, diagrams and other graphics to help the reader visualize and learn about the products / services.

If the business is tackling several distinct problems through different products / services, describe the solutions individually .

However, for a large line of products / services, there is no need to list each one, just identifying the general categories will suffice.

How LONG Is the Product and Service Chapter of a Business Plan?

This part of a business plan can be very short, just a couple of paragraphs, or it can spread over multiple pages, depending on how many products/services you offer and how much explanation they require.

If your products or services are particularly complex , technical , innovative , or proprietary , you will want to provide more information and spend considerable time describing them.

This is especially true if you are seeking funding for a new product or service, particularly one that is not immediately understandable to the business plan readers, and if potential funders are likely to be motivated by the specifics.

In any case, when describing a product or service, provide just enough information to paint a clear picture of what it is and does . A brief explanation of what you will be making, selling or doing is appropriate here.

Excessive detail makes this section cumbersome for a reader to wade through. Reserve detailed descriptions (e.g., production processes) for the Appendix.

In any case, it is a good idea to first summarize the value proposition of each product or service into a one short sentence, and only then continue with a more detailed description of the product or service.

If any images or graphics are available that would contribute to the understanding of the product or service, the writers of a business plan should use them.

Otherwise, include any product or service details , such as technical specifications, drawings, photos, patent documents and other support information, in the Appendix section of the business plan document.

TOP 4 TIPS for Writing a Product and Service Overview

Tip #1: features v. benefits.

Don’t just list the features of the product / service.

Instead, describe the specific benefits it will offer to customers – from their perspective.

Make it clear what your customers will gain through buying your product or service. Include information about the specific benefits of your product or service – from your customers’ perspective.

Features are not the same thing as benefits. And you need to understand both.

Confused? Let’s clarify:

What Is the Difference Between Features and Benefits?

Tip #2: problem v. solution.

If at all possible, present the information in the Problem >> Solution format.

Start by describing the key problem that your customers have, immediately followed by the solution with which you will address this need for your target market.

Tip #3: Competitive Advantage

You should also comment on your ability to meet consumers’ key problems or unmet needs in a way that brings your product or service advantages over the competition.

For example:

• If you have a common business, such as a restaurant:

Explain why your customers need your particular restaurant. Do you offer lower prices? More convenient hours? A better location? A different concept, such as a vegan ice-cream pop up store? A specialty that is not otherwise available in your area, such as a Peruvian ceviche or Hungarian goulash?

• If your company is doing something new and innovative :

What is it about the existing solutions that is subpar? Maybe you are improving on a mediocre product category, such as creating better medical uniforms for healthcare workers (e.g., more flattering cut, trendy designs, sustainable materials). Or perhaps your new blockchain solution has the potential to entirely eliminate the middle-men in an entire industry.

Although the subject of competitive advantage regarding the business as a whole will be fully explored in the Market and Competitor Analysis part of a business plan, it is advisable to touch on it here also – in the context of the company’s products and service.

Tip #4: Validating the Problem and Solution

Speaking of which, when you are doing market research and analysis for your business plan, remember to validate the problem and solution your product or service is addressing.

There is a plethora of minor issues out there that people are perfectly fine with just tolerating. To build a solid business, though, you need a problem that a sufficient number of people are motivated to solve. That is, that they recognize it as a problem that’s worth paying you to solve. Even if they didn’t realize it was solvable until they were presented with your solution.

So, how do you get evidence that prospects are willing to pay for your solution?

Validation of Problem

Describe what you’ve done so far to confirm that the problem you are focused on is a real problem for your customers.

• Existing Business:

For an established business, this is probably just a matter of recapping your success in the marketplace. Your customers have already voted with their wallets.

• New Business:

For a startup, it is important to survey and have conversations with as many potential customers as possible about where they are having problems, how they solve them today, and validate that they are interested enough in addressing those problems to pay for a good solution.

Validation of Solution

Describe how you have tested your ideas with existing or potential customers to confirm that there is a good market for the products or services you plan to offer. Summarize the positive customer feedback or market traction that you have achieved with your solution so far.

For an established business, the answers probably lie in your paying customer base – their existence itself, combined with their repeat business, word-of-mouth referrals, follow-up customer surveys, and other indicators of customer satisfaction.

For a new business, you can start validating your solution immediately by trying it out with potential customers, even informally or at no charge, to get their opinion. If your product or service does not exist yet, talk to prospects about what you plan to offer and measure their feedback.

In summary, this section should answer the million dollar question:

What makes you think that people will buy, be satisfied with, and recommend your products or services?

Related Questions

What are products and services.

Products and services are items that businesses offer for sale to a market. While services are intangible, meaning that they do not exist in a physical form, products are of tangible nature, in other words – you can touch them.

What is a Product Line?

Product line is a group of related products that are all produced or sold by one entity and typically marketed under one brand name.

What is a Service Line?

Service line is a group of related services that are all produced or sold by one entity and typically marketed under one brand name.

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Why You Need to Develop Your Own Unique Product

Table of contents.

In today’s competitive climate, it is not enough to sell the same products as others in the market and hope to beat out the competition with pricing or advertising alone. If you want to be a market leader, you must design products unique to your business. This not only sets your products apart from the generic ones out there, but also increases your chances of drawing in a loyal customer base that will engage with your business and invest in your products. The better you understand your clients and what they’re looking for, as well as what’s already on the market, the easier it will be to design, produce and sell your own distinctive products. 

Why should entrepreneurs develop their own products?

Product development is not a new concept. Many people have tried to develop their own products but ran into roadblocks and lacked the confidence to proceed. The main reason companies opt to develop and sell their own products is due to the limitations that come with product trading. There are many variables out of your control. 

Here’s what leads entrepreneurs to develop their own products:

• Entrepreneurs are tired of being like others. Anyone can sell a product they didn’t make. What makes them so special?
• Entrepreneurs can gain higher margins by selling their own products. For most offline and online retailers, pricing is a race to the bottom.
• Entrepreneurs are unable to evolve their brands otherwise. Custom products will improve your brand awareness . People would rather have something unique than an existing product that is flooding the market and has many different sellers.
• Commonplace products earn poor customer loyalty. When everyone is selling the same product, customers tend to look only at prices. Customers become much more loyal to companies if they sell a product that fully caters to their needs. 

What are the limitations entrepreneurs face when creating their own products?

1. the sky is not the limit..

If you have competition, that means you can only sell a certain number of products. Factories are able to sell the same product to as many customers as they can find. In the eyes of both suppliers and buyers, you’re not a high priority. 

2. Non-product manufacturers face low margins.

When anyone can sell the same product you’re selling, the buyers turn your prices into a race to the bottom.

3. Entrepreneurs lack control over the supply chain.

When you don’t own the product you are buying, you have very little control of what can be added to the product. You receive what the supplier has made rather than something tailored to you and your customers.

4. Entrepreneurs’ businesses have almost no brand awareness.

What makes you unique when you’re selling something that anyone else can sell? Your brand will be forgotten if you cannot provide something distinctive. Developing your own product gives you the chance to take those limitations and turn them into huge opportunities. 

Everyone knows the headaches and frustrations that come with developing a product. However, if you understand your customers and your competitors, taking the time to develop and launch your own product holds potential. 

To build a brand that stands out and increasingly attracts customers, design products that meet customer needs in a way that the market isn’t currently doing.

What are the opportunities you can take when developing your own products?

1. the sky’s the limit..

When you successfully develop and launch your own product, there is no end in sight. Being the sole manufacturer of that product gives you the flexibility to sell your products to anyone without the threat of a crowded playing field.

2. Entrepreneurs enjoy higher margins.

If you create a product based on feedback from your customers, they will be willing to pay a higher premium, since it matches their specifications. Since no one but you is selling this product, you’ll see higher profit margins.

3. Product manufacturers enjoy more control.

When you have control over your product, you’ll have the flexibility to make any changes needed to improve customer satisfaction.

4. Your brand generates awareness.

Listening to your customers and launching products that are catered to them will create loyal customers. [Read more about how your product packaging can win buyers’ hearts ]

How should entrepreneurs start manufacturing their own products?

First, understand that successful product development depends on the fusion of two types of information: the need and the solution. 

The need is determined by a company or individual that knows exactly what the market is missing. They might not understand how to develop or build that missing piece, but they know what it is. The best way to gather this information is to engage with your customers and listen to their feedback. 

The solution

The solution comes from a company or individual that knows how to digest the needed information and bring it to life. These are usually engineers, designers, developers, or a factory that has the capability to understand what the need is and turn it into something physical. 

As an entrepreneur, it’s your job to provide a clear description of your vision to the team that can turn it into reality. Remember that they won’t have a perfect understanding of your product, so you be thorough with your description and reasoning. 

There is a myth that the development steps are long and demanding and could leave you broke. However, if you follow the correct steps and maintain transparency between the need and solution parties, the process will be smoother. When you get to the solution steps, you might not be the leader, but you should understand the process. 

High-quality products increase your brand’s reliability and your chance of retaining customers .

The development process

Step 1: product engineering and design.

The first step the solution team must carry out is engineering a product as envisioned by the person or people who identified the need for it. This first step provided by the solution information is also the most critical step. If the engineering is done incorrectly, the product will never be functional and will have poor reviews. It’s imperative that the product design, materials and production are high quality . 

To eliminate failures , design the most critical part first and test it. Make samples of this part to ensure that the product works as it’s supposed to. If it doesn’t, go back to the drawing board. 

Step 2: Prototypes 

The purpose of a prototype is to verify that the design works the way it’s intended. A prototype opens up many doors because you can start to market the product, take preorders, seek investment, or start a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds.

Step 3: Tooling 

For the purpose of this article, we are assuming that you have built a relationship with your factory that will be building this product. If you’re lucky, your factory can also provide you with the resources to develop this product. 

A positive aspect of product trading is that you never need to worry about opening up new tools. However, if you are the sole seller of this product, then opening up a tool is well worth the investment and the short amount of time needed to make the tool. 

Remember when negotiating with your supplier that the tool is yours and that the supplier will not be able to use that tool for any other customer. 

Look for what’s missing in the market and what customers need. This will make your products stand out and seem more attractive.

Step 4: Production

This is the moment that you have been waiting for. If you followed the steps above correctly, there will be no major issues. Keep in mind that minor issues can always occur with production, but stay calm and handle them as they come up. 

>> Learn More: Do You Need Product Liability Insurance?

If you follow these steps, you’ll see a healthy launch that will lead to a long life for the product. 

There is a lot of talk about whether or not to patent your product. If this is your first product you might be overly excited to patent what you’ve made. However, the best way to keep the market share is not by patenting your product – because those are simple to get around – but by consistently developing and launching new products. This is something that your competitors and factories looking to knock off products won’t be able to keep up with because they are still selling products that are in the market already. 

Product trading can be a great way to build experience and see whether or not this is a profession that you wish to pursue. However, developing your own product is the only way to get to the top of the line. It’s true that many people have failed to develop products efficiently, but you can learn from their mistakes while going forward. 

Additional reporting by Sean Peek.

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Sling Orange ($40/month)

Sling blue ($40/month), sling orange + blue ($55/month), add-on bundles (monthly price varies), sports extra ($11/month), entertainment extra ($6/month), kids extra ($6/month), news extra ($6/month), lifestyle extra ($6/month), hollywood extra ($6/month), heartland extra ($6/month), discovery plus ($5/month), amc plus ($9/month), paramount plus with showtime ($10/month), mgm+ ($5/month), starz ($9/month), spanish-language add-ons ($10/month), other premium add-ons (monthly price varies), sling tv channels: a full list of packages in 2024.

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Sling is one of the best live TV streaming services on the market for essential networks, making it a good option for anyone who wants a cheaper alternative to cable without compromising channel selection. The service has two main packages with over 30 channels each, starting at $40 monthly.

Though Sling offers fewer channels in its base package, the service is less expensive than competitors like YouTube TV ($73/month), Hulu + Live TV ($77/month), and Fubo ($75/month). You can access the Sling TV app on iOS and Android devices, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and many of the best TVs from popular brands. 

Below, we've detailed all the ins and outs of Sling's different channel offerings so you can decide which plan is best for your needs. Be sure to check out our full Sling TV review for detailed impressions, and if you try it and don't like it, you can always follow our guide on how to cancel Sling TV .

For just the essentials without any extra fluff, Sling TV is the streaming service you're looking for. It's more customizable than other plans, with three options you can choose from, so you pay for only what you need. New members get their first month for $25 off.

What channels are included with Sling Orange and Sling Blue?

Sling's two main offerings are Sling Orange and Sling Blue. Channels largely overlap between the two plans, but there are a few differences that might push you to choose one over the other.

Sling Orange has 32 channels, including several Disney and ESPN networks you won't find on Sling Blue. Meanwhile, Sling Blue makes up for its lack of Disney and ESPN with up to 42 channels, including a collection of Fox-owned and NBC-owned networks like USA and Bravo. Blue also comes with local NBC, Fox, and ABC networks, but only in select markets .

Each plan is available to stream for a starting price of $40 a month ($45 in some cities), or you can combine the two for a starting price of $55 a month, giving you access to up to 49 channels. Sling also has genre-based add-ons starting at $6 a month. Each add-on offers a mini-bundle of related channels. There are also several premium add-ons, including Paramount Plus with Showtime ($10/month) and Starz ($9/month). 

Sling doesn't offer a free trial right now, but they have a separate ad-supported " Freestream " service and frequent deals for new members . You may want to compare these deals and services with other platforms that show free movies online .

See below for a full breakdown of Sling's channel offerings and add-ons

The following channels are included with Sling Orange:

• A&E 
• BBC America
• Bloomberg Television
• Cartoon Network
• Comedy Central
• Comet 
• Disney Channel*
• Food Network
• History Channel
• Investigation Discovery
• MGM+ Drive-In
• MotorTrend*
• Travel Channel

*Exclusive to Sling Orange

Sling Blue starts at $40 a month but costs an extra $5 a month in markets that include ABC, NBC, and Fox. The following channels are included with Sling Blue:

• ABC* (select markets)
• Discovery Channel*
• Fox* (select markets)
• Fox Sports 1*
• NBC* (select markets)
• NFL Network*
• National Geographic*

*Exclusive to Sling Blue

Sling Orange + Blue starts at $55 a month but costs an extra $5 a month in markets that include ABC, NBC, and Fox. The following channels are included with Sling Orange + Blue:

• ABC (select markets)
• Discovery Channel
• Disney Channel
• Fox (select markets)
• Fox Sports 1
• NBC (select markets)
• NFL Network
• National Geographic

Sling offers two discounted bundles that let you add multiple packages of extra channels to your base subscription. There's also an expanded DVR add-on you can sign up for.

• Total TV Deal ($21/month) - This bundle includes seven of Sling's extra channel packages: Sports, Comedy, Kids, News, Lifestyle, Hollywood, and Heartland. It also includes DVR Plus. The package features a total combined value of $45, so you save $24 a month with the bundle. 
• 4 Extras Deal ($13/month) - This option gives you four of Sling's most popular extras: Kids, News, Lifestyle, and Comedy. The bundle costs $13 a month, which is about half of the regular combined price of all four add-ons.
• DVR Plus ($5/month) - Though all of Sling's plans come with 50 hours of DVR storage, you can pay an additional $5 a month to get an expanded 200 hours of space. DVR Plus is also included in the Total TV package.

The following channels are available in the Sports Extra add-on for Sling Orange:

• ACC Network 
• ACC Network Extra
• Longhorn Network 
• SEC Network 
• SEC Network+ 
• MLB Network
• MLB Network Strike Zone
• Tennis Channel
• NHL Network
• beIN Sports

The following channels are available in the Sports Extra add-on for Sling Blue:

• Golf Channel
• NFL RedZone  
• Big Ten Network

The following channels are available in the Entertainment Extra add-on:

• Game Show Network
• Paramount Network
• truTV (already included in Sling Blue)

The following channels are available in the Kids Extras package:

• Disney Junior (Sling Orange only)
• Disney XD  (Sling Orange only)

The following channels are available in the News Extra add-on:

• CNBC  (Sling Blue only)
• Fox Business  (Sling Blue only)
• NDTV 24x7 (Sling Blue only)
• HLN (Sling Orange only)
• Science Channel
• BBC World News
• Law & Crime Trial Network

The following channels are available in the Lifestyle Extra add-on:

• Oxygen True Crime (Sling Blue only)
• Cooking Channel
• Magnolia Network
• Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
• Hallmark Channel
• Hallmark Drama
• Lifetime Movie Network
• WE TV 

The following channels are available in the Hollywood Extra add-on:

• FXX (Sling Blue only)
• FXM  (Sling Blue only)
• HDNet Movies
• Heroes & Icons
• Turner Classic Movies

The following channels are available in the Heartland Extra add-on:

• Nat Geo Wild (Sling Blue only)
• World Fishing Network
• Sportsman Channel
• American Heroes Channel
• Destination America
• Outdoor Channel
• The Cowboy Channel 
• Great American Country Family
• Great American Country Living

You can now sign up for Discovery Plus through Sling TV. The service offers access to original programs and favorites from Discovery networks like TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Animal Planet, and more. Ad-supported ($5/month) and ad-free plans ($9/month) are available.

AMC Plus is not a live TV channel, but it does give you access to on-demand series and movies. The following on-demand services are available in the AMC Plus add-on:

• IFC Films Unlimited
• Sundance TV
• Sundance Now

The following channels are available in the Showtime add-on:

• Paramount Plus with Showtime
• Paramount Plus with Showtime West
• Showtime x BET
• Showtime Extreme
• Showtime Family
• Showtime Next
• Showtime Showcase
• Showtime Women

The following channels are available in the MGM+ add-on:

• MGM+ Marquee

The following channels are available in the Starz add-on:

• Starz Comedy
• Starz Kids and Family
• Starz in Black
• Starz Cinema
• Starz Encore
• Starz Encore West
• Starz Encore Action
• Starz Encore Black
• Starz Encore Classic
• Starz Encore Espaniol
• Starz Encore Family
• Starz Encore Suspense
• Starz Encore Westerns

For viewers who want more Spanish-language options, Sling offers a Sling Latino package that costs $10/month, as well as plans with content from specific countries. If you combine two or more, you can save $5 a month. 

• Sling Latino - includes 20 channels 
• México - includes 13 channels
• Sudamérica - includes 11 channels
• Centroamérica - includes three channels
• Caribe - includes nine channels
• España - includes four channels

The following channels are available à la carte:

• Acorn: $7/month
• ALLBLK: $6/month
• BET+: $10/month
• Carnegie Hall+: $8/month
• CineFest: $5/month
• Cocina ON: $3/month
• Comedy Dynamics: $5/month
• CONtv: $5/month
• CuriosityStream: $5/month
• Docurama: $5/month
• DOGTV: $5/month
• Dove Channel: $5/month
• DOX: $3/month
• FlixLatino: $4/month
• Gallery: $5/month
• Grokker: $7/month
• Hallmark Movies Now: $6/month
• Here TV: $8/month
• Hopster: $5/month
• IFC Films Unlimited: $6/month
• Kartoon Channel!: $4/month
• Magnolia Selects: $5/month
• Monsters & Nightmares: $3/month
• Noggin: $8/month
• Outside TV Features: $2/month
• PlayKids: $5/month
• ScreamFlix: $3/month
• Shudder: $7/month
• Sundance Now: $7/month
• TasteMade+: $3/month
• True Royalty TV: $6/month
• UP Faith & Family: $5/month
• ViX Premium: $7/month
• Warriors & Gangsters: $3/month

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You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here . Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected] .

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Blackstone is buying restaurant chain Tropical Smoothie Cafe for nearly $2 billion, including debt, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

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‘Grave challenge’: Blackpool rock makers fear for seaside staple’s future

Manufacturers call for geographic food name protection in face of threat from cheap Chinese imports

B lackpool rock, a British seaside institution as traditional as donkey rides on the beach, amusement arcades and fair to middling weather, is facing an existential threat from cheap and inferior Chinese imports, manufacturers have said.

Ten rock makers have come together to sign a letter warning of a “grave and immediate challenge to our industry, jeopardising the lives of our employees and the sustainability of our business”.

Blackpool rock is facing a crisis like never before, they say. They want it to be given a geographic protection similar to stilton cheese or Cornish pasties.

“We have never all agreed on something as much as we have on this,” said David Thorp, who coordinated the letter. “I’ve met directors of other factories I’ve never had contact with before and we are all in agreement – what is happening to us is having a massive effect.”

Rock is still a staple at seaside resorts, whether that’s Whitby or Weston-super-Mare. What most people do not realise is that almost all of it comes from Blackpool.

“Today I’ve made Southend rock,” said Thorp, one of the vanishingly few people skilled in the art of getting letters through each stick. “Yesterday it was Brighton. A couple of days ago it was Llandudno. But it could be Dymchurch or Skegness.”

The Blackpool rock businesses were originally planning to solicit the support of their local MPs but that hit something of “a speed bump”, said Thorp.

One MP was Scott Benton, the Tory who was suspended and resigned from parliament over his role in a lobbying scandal . The other is the Fylde MP Mark Menzies, who is quitting following allegations of misusing campaign funds.

“I know now why he wasn’t emailing me back,” said Thorp. “There is one factory that’s in the constituency of [the former defence secretary] Ben Wallace, but he is also standing down at the next election.”

Thorp said all the Blackpool factories were already having issues with high energy bills and the cost of raw materials, but the big new threat was cheap Chinese imports of rock.

“It has had a massive effect on all of our turnover,” he said. “There are some factories working three-day weeks and all of us have had to downsize our staff. Some factories if they don’t have work on a certain week they have to close until they do get an order in.

“The problem that we’re having is that our customers aren’t always aware that the rock they are buying is a Chinese imitation.”

Thorp said rock was a British institution under threat. There are 10 Blackpool rock manufacturers, which have signed the letter. Fifteen years ago there might have been 30. “Next year it will almost certainly be eight.”

Only about 30 people in the UK are skilled enough to put letters through the rock. “We’ve got three of them,” said Thorp whose company, Stanton & Novelty , was set up by his grandfather in 1970. “It is a massively dying art.

“I’m well aware that there are much bigger, much more important stories in the news … but not to us. This is the future of our factories.”

The letter to parliamentarians asks for support in an application to UK geographical protected food names schemes. “Preserving the heritage and tradition of British confectionary is not only essential for our economy but also for maintaining our cultural identity and pride,” it says.

Seaside rock as we know it stems from the 19th century, with “fair rock” sold at fair grounds when sugar was cheap and abundant.

Putting letters through the rock is said by some to have been the brainchild of Ben Bullock, an ex-miner from Burnley. Others say it was a man called “Dynamite” Dick Taylor, from Morecambe, we have to thank for it.

The recipe is boiled sugar, glucose and water with added colours and flavours which, in recent years, have become increasingly dizzying. A trend for pizza or garlic bread flavour has made way for bubblegum or pick ‘n’ mix.

Buying seaside rock is a tradition passed down through generations. “No one goes on holiday to the seaside and doesn’t come back with a stick of rock,” said Thorp.

• Food & drink industry

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Yes, it is cricket: Italy gives go-ahead to insect flour for human use

A matter of taste: food preferences may be influenced by our unique ‘tongue prints’

KitKat owner Nestlé fights off push to cut back on unhealthy products

Brexit import charges may mean rise in food prices, say trade groups

Are you making beans on toast wrong? Heinz employs ‘etiquette expert’ to show how

Impact of farming on climate crisis will be a key Cop topic – finally

UK food price inflation slows to 4.5% but many shoppers still struggling

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