4 min read
Making the Leap from Side Hustle to Full-Time Entrepreneur
2022 was the year of the side hustle. Recent data from Zippia show that 45% of working Americans have a side job, and that percentage rises to 70%...
Bank/SBA Lending (2)
9 min read
ChatGPT Is Coming for Our Jobs. Here’s Why We’re Not Scared.
When an esteemed colleague told me about ChatGPT about a month ago, I was well into the Christmas spirit and not interested in assessing the risk...
7 min read
How Much Will My Startup Cost?
One of my favorite aspects of financial modeling is that it is a logic puzzle. You take one piece of data and figure out how it is related to other...
12 min read
Best Market Research Tools for Business Plans in 2023
Over the past 20 years that Masterplans has been in operation, we've witnessed a significant evolution in market research methodologies. In the...
5 min read
Is an SBA Loan the Best Way to Fund Your Business?
A business loan, particularly one backed by the Small Business Administration (SBA), is an excellent way for entrepreneurs to launch a new venture....
10 min read
From Idea to Action: A Quick Guide to Starting Your Business Plan
We’ve all been there. You're lying in bed trying to sleep when inspiration strikes: you have a million-dollar business idea!
7 min read
4 Factors for Timing When To Launch Your Business
Whenever I’m out in the real world, I tend to shy away from talking about what I do. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love what I do. But it can be...
3 min read
Unsure if Your Business Idea is Any Good? Try Making a Fake Ad
A great business idea sometimes strikes you. Then, it may consume your thoughts when you can’t sleep. Later, it can full-on haunt you.
3 min read
How Will You Spend the Time You Save by Hiring Masterplans?
A quick internet search might leave you with the sense that you can create a business plan in “less than an hour" and in "four easy steps!” Wow, you...
5 min read
Jobs-To-Be-Done Will Make You Rethink Competitive Advantage
Writing or updating a business plan for an existing business can be rewarding and eye-opening, but you might consider taking a different approach...
5 min read
What Is A Business Plan (& Do I Really Need One?)
The term "business plan" is a familiar one, often bandied about in entrepreneurial circles. Yet, despite its ubiquity, it's remarkable how much...
1 min read
What is the cash flow statement (and why it matters)
If your home-grown business plan financial model is super tripped out with tons of drivers and interlocking financial statements, you can pat...
3 min read
What is Mezzanine Financing (And Is It Right for Your Business?)
Most entrepreneurs know about the traditional types of funding: debt or equity. But did you know there’s something that combines the two? It’s...
4 min read
5 Ways to Avoid a Business Plan Emergency
Sirens blare and traffic parts. Someone is rushed down the hall to the ER on a gurney. It’s an emergency—a business plan emergency!
2 min read
A Brief, Non-Boring History of Franchises
Ever dreamt of escaping your cubicle and becoming your own boss?
2 min read
Every new business should think about these 7 costs
So, you wanna start a business, eh? Has the thrill turned into fear yet? Already? Don’t worry; that’s completely normal. It can be intimidating to...