1 page business plan book

How to Write a One-Page Business Plan

Noah Parsons

5 min. read

Updated January 30, 2024

What’s the most challenging part of writing a business plan? Getting started. That’s why you should create a one-page plan as a starting point.

The one-page business plan is simple to create, easy to update, and built for adaptation. It includes all of the essential components of a traditional plan but is far briefer and more focused.

Think of it like you’re tweeting about your business. You have a limited number of characters to work with and are intentionally making it easy to digest. If you need additional support, try downloading our free one-page plan template .

• What is a one-page business plan?

The one-page business plan is a simplified version of traditional operational plans that focuses on the core aspects of your business. While it may be a shorter business plan, it still follows the structure of a standard business plan  and serves as a beefed-up pitch document.

There’s really not a lot of difference between a single-page business plan and a good executive summary. In fact, as you create a more detailed plan you may even be able to use it as your executive summary .

• What to include in your one-page plan

Here are the eight necessary sections to include when developing your one-page business plan.

Try and keep each section limited to 1-2 sentences or 3-4 bullet points to ensure that you stay within one page. It’s always easier to add more later rather than cutting back from lengthy sections.

The problem

A description of the problem or need your customers have and any relevant data that supports your claim.

The solution

Your product or service and how it solves the problem.

Business model

How you will make money—including the costs of production and selling, and the price that customers will pay.

Brought to you by

Create a professional business plan

Using ai and step-by-step instructions.

Secure funding

Validate ideas

Build a strategy

Target market

Who is your customer and how many of them are there? Define your ideal customer by starting with a broad audience and narrowing it down. This provides investors with a clear picture of your thought process and understanding of the greater consumer market.

Competitive advantage

What makes you different from the competition? Explain how this will lead to greater success, customer loyalty, etc.

Management team

The management structure of your business, including currently filled roles, ideal candidates, and any management gaps.

Financial summary

Key financial metrics include your profit and loss, cash flow, balance sheet, and sales forecast. This section may be the most difficult part to condense, so try and focus on visualization and standard business ratios to get the point across. You can always share broader financial information if requested.

Funding required

Have what funding total you need front and center to clearly display what you are asking from investors.

Why you should start with a one-page plan

There are plenty of good reasons to write a business plan . There are even more reasons why your first step should be writing a one-page plan.

1. It’s faster

Instead of slogging away for hours, days, or even weeks tackling a formal business plan—the one-page format helps you get your ideas down much faster. It removes the complex formatting,

2. A great format for feedback

Need quick feedback from business partners, colleagues, potential customers, or your spouse? Provide them with a one-page plan instead of a lengthy in-depth version for better results.

The one-page plan is more likely to be read and reviewed. And since all of your business information is available at a glance, you’ll receive far more valuable and timely feedback.

3. Easy to update

Entrepreneurs never get things right the first time. You’ll constantly be learning and receiving feedback—requiring you to iterate and revise your business concept. Instead of updating a large document every time, you can do it in minutes with a one-page plan.

4. Direct and to-the-point

Learning to communicate your ideas clearly and directly is critical. You need to be sure that anyone can really understand the essence of your business. Delivering your entire business concept on a single page is a great way to practice this, as it forces you to be succinct.

5. Works as an idea validation tool

Initially, your business is just a set of assumptions that you need to validate. Do your potential customers have the problem you assume they have? Do they like your solution and are they willing to pay for it? What marketing and sales tactics will work?

As you validate these assumptions, you leave them in your plan. But, assumptions that end up being wrong will quickly fall off the page.

6. Becomes an outline for your detailed plan

By “detailed” we don’t mean “long.” If you do need to create a detailed business plan document for investors or business partners, you can use your one-page plan as your core outline. You will just expand and provide more details for each section.

7. No one really reads long business plans

A common problem with traditional business plans is that they are simply too long and overly complex. Even when investors ask for a detailed document, chances are that they won’t actually read every word. They may read certain sections, but often just want to see if you’ve thought through the details of your business, how it will operate, and how it will grow.

8. Useful for any business stage

A one-page plan is useful for business owners that are mulling over ideas, just starting, actively managing, or looking to grow a business. It can help validate a business idea, work as an internal strategy document, or as a flexible management tool that can be adapted over time.

Resources to help write your one-page plan

Check out our guide for quickly writing a one-page plan and download our free one-page plan template to kickstart the writing process.

How to write your one-page plan in under an hour

Still feeling a bit overwhelmed about creating a business plan? Check out this step-by-step guide to write a useful one-page business plan in as little as 30 minutes.

One-page business plan template

Download a free one-page business plan template to make the plan writing process simple and easy.

Download Template

Write your plan faster with LivePlan

Try the business planning and growth tool trusted by over 1-million business owners.

Start your plan

Noah is the COO at Palo Alto Software, makers of the online business plan app LivePlan. He started his career at Yahoo! and then helped start the user review site Epinions.com. From there he started a software distribution business in the UK before coming to Palo Alto Software to run the marketing and product teams.

Table of Contents

• Why start with a one-page plan

Related Articles

7 Min. Read

8 Steps to Write a Useful Internal Business Plan

13 Min. Read

How to Write a Nonprofit Business Plan

14 Min. Read

How to Write a Five-Year Business Plan

5 Min. Read

How to Write a Growth-Oriented Business Plan

The Bplans Newsletter

The Bplans Weekly

Subscribe now for weekly advice and free downloadable resources to help start and grow your business.

We care about your privacy. See our privacy policy .

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

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

No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.

Discover the world’s #1 plan building software

• Business & Economics
• Business Development & Entrepreneurship

Amazon Global Store

• International products have separate terms and are sold from abroad and may differ from local products including fit, age rating, and language of product, labeling, or instructions, or plugs (you may require an adapter).
• Manufacturer warranty may not apply but you may have other rights under law.
• Learn more about Amazon Global Store

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer— no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera, scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

The One Page Business Plan for the Creative Entrepreneur Paperback – 31 July 2015

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Print length 98 pages
• Language English
• Publisher The One Page Business Plan Company
• Publication date 31 July 2015
• Dimensions 22.23 x 1.27 x 27.94 cm
• ISBN-10 9781891315091
• ISBN-13 978-1891315091
• See all details

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Product description

About the author, product details.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1891315099
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ The One Page Business Plan Company; 3rd edition (31 July 2015)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 98 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781891315091
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1891315091
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 22.23 x 1.27 x 27.94 cm

About the author

Jim Horan (1952-2019) was an experienced Fortune 500 executive, small business expert, consultant, and speaker. Over the past 20 years, through workshops, seminars, coaching and mentoring programs, he helped tens of thousands of entrepreneurs, business owners and corporate executives achieve significant breakthroughs in their businesses.

Mr. Horan spoke to audiences all across the United States, helping business owners and CEO's systematically make their businesses more profitable. Jim had the unique ability to take complex business situations and make them simple.

Jim was the author of the One Page Business Plan Book series consisting of six books including Entrepreneur, Executive, Non-Profit and Consultants editions. The books have been translated into at a number of different languages including Spanish, Korean and Croatian.

Tom Peters, the author of Thriving on Chaos and In Search of Excellence, calls Jim's books out and out winners... Period! Peters has been quoted as saying "It makes great sense to me as a so-called 'business thinker.' The One Page Business Plan = the proverbial better mousetrap!"

Customer reviews

Review this product.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from Australia

Top reviews from other countries.

• Corporate Information
• Press Releases
• Amazon Science
• Protect and build your brand
• Independently Publish with Us
• Sell on Amazon
• Drive with Amazon Flex
• Advertise Your Products
• Associates Program
• Host an Amazon Hub
• COVID-19 and Amazon
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Delivery Rates & Policies
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use & Sale
• Privacy Notice
• Interest-Based Ads Notice

• Business, Finance & Law

Your Amazon Prime 30-day FREE trial includes:

Unlimited Premium Delivery is available to Amazon Prime members. To join, select "Yes, I want a free trial with FREE Premium Delivery on this order." above the Add to Basket button and confirm your Amazon Prime free trial sign-up.

Important:  Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, you will be charged £95/year for Prime (annual) membership or £8.99/month for Prime (monthly) membership.

Buy new: .savingPriceOverride { color:#CC0C39!important; font-weight: 300!important; } .reinventMobileHeaderPrice { font-weight: 400; } #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPriceSavingsPercentageMargin, #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPricePriceToPayMargin { margin-right: 4px; } £17.80 £ 17 . 80 FREE delivery Monday, 3 June Dispatches from: Amazon Sold by: Amazon

Return this item for free.

Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. For a full refund with no deduction for return shipping, you can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition.

• Go to your orders and start the return
• Select the return method

Save with Used - Very Good .savingPriceOverride { color:#CC0C39!important; font-weight: 300!important; } .reinventMobileHeaderPrice { font-weight: 400; } #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPriceSavingsPercentageMargin, #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPricePriceToPayMargin { margin-right: 4px; } £2.18 £ 2 . 18 £2.80 delivery 5 - 7 June Dispatches from: WeBuyBooks Sold by: WeBuyBooks

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

The One Page Business Plan: The Fastest, Easiest Way to Write a Business Plan, UK Edition Paperback – 6 Feb. 2009

Purchase options and add-ons.

• ISBN-10 1906465312
• ISBN-13 978-1906465315
• Publisher Capstone
• Publication date 6 Feb. 2009
• Language English
• Dimensions 21.6 x 0.76 x 27.9 cm
• Print length 98 pages
• See all details

Product description

With a return to simple values, simple truths, planning can be fun and creative. A little chicken soup for busy minds and tired souls!'. Paul and Sarah Edwards, The Self Employment Experts, Authors of "Working from Home, Getting Business to Come to You and Secrets of Self Employment": 'Writing a business plan is something every business guru advises but few actually do. Jim Horan's book helps the reluctant change good intentions into a plan'.

About the Author

Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Capstone; UK edition (6 Feb. 2009)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 98 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1906465312
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1906465315
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 21.6 x 0.76 x 27.9 cm
• Best Sellers Rank: 1,326,271 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books )

About the author

Jane Horan is the founder of the Horan Group, a Singapore based strategic consultancy that shapes savvy cross-cultural work environments. She has lived in Asia for over two decades and previously worked for Kraft, Disney and GE in Organizational Leadership and Talent Development roles. Jane works with Fortune 500 companies, NGOs, and academic institutions in Asia, North America and Europe as an executive coach and facilitator in leadership, political savvy and bias awareness. Her book, “I Wish I’d Known That Earlier in My Career: the power of positive workplace politics” combines 20 years of work experience and research in political savvy and leadership.

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from United Kingdom

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

• UK Modern Slavery Statement
• Sustainability
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell on Amazon Business
• Sell on Amazon Handmade
• Sell on Amazon Launchpad
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect and build your brand
• Associates Programme
• Fulfilment by Amazon
• Seller Fulfilled Prime
• Advertise Your Products
• Independently Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Make Money with Us
• Instalments by Barclays
• Amazon Platinum Mastercard
• Amazon Classic Mastercard
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Payment Methods Help
• Shop with Points
• Top Up Your Account
• Top Up Your Account in Store
• COVID-19 and Amazon
• Track Packages or View Orders
• Delivery Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Amazon Mobile App
• Customer Service
• Accessibility
• Conditions of Use & Sale
• Privacy Notice
• Cookies Notice
• Interest-Based Ads Notice

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera, scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video, download Flash Player

Follow the author

The One Page Business Plan: For the Busy Executive, The Fastest, Easiest Way to Write a Business Plan! Paperback – Jan. 1 1705

• Print length 103 pages
• Language English
• Publisher The One Page Business Plan Company
• Publication date Jan. 1 1705
• Dimensions 20.96 x 0.64 x 26.67 cm
• ISBN-10 1891315153
• ISBN-13 978-1891315152
• See all details

Customers who bought this item also bought

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ The One Page Business Plan Company; Reprint edition (Jan. 1 1705)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 103 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1891315153
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1891315152
• Item weight ‏ : ‎ 318 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 20.96 x 0.64 x 26.67 cm

About the author

Jim Horan (1952-2019) was an experienced Fortune 500 executive, small business expert, consultant, and speaker. Over the past 20 years, through workshops, seminars, coaching and mentoring programs, he helped tens of thousands of entrepreneurs, business owners and corporate executives achieve significant breakthroughs in their businesses.

Mr. Horan spoke to audiences all across the United States, helping business owners and CEO's systematically make their businesses more profitable. Jim had the unique ability to take complex business situations and make them simple.

Jim was the author of the One Page Business Plan Book series consisting of six books including Entrepreneur, Executive, Non-Profit and Consultants editions. The books have been translated into at a number of different languages including Spanish, Korean and Croatian.

Tom Peters, the author of Thriving on Chaos and In Search of Excellence, calls Jim's books out and out winners... Period! Peters has been quoted as saying "It makes great sense to me as a so-called 'business thinker.' The One Page Business Plan = the proverbial better mousetrap!"

Customer reviews

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top review from Canada

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

• Amazon and Our Planet
• Investor Relations
• Press Releases
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Become an Affiliate
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Sell on Amazon Handmade
• Advertise Your Products
• Independently Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard
• Shop with Points
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Amazon Cash
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns Are Easy
• Manage your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Customer Service
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Interest-Based Ads
• Amazon.com.ca ULC | 40 King Street W 47th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5H 3Y2 |1-877-586-3230

One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide

By Joe Weller | April 6, 2020

• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn

Link copied

In this article, we’ve gathered a variety of free, one-page business plan templates for you to download in Excel, Word, and PDF formats. 

Included on this page, you’ll find a one-page business plan template for a service business , business plan template for a product business , business plan for a real estate agent , a Lean business plan template , and more. To help get you started, we’ve also included an example of a one-page business plan , and  a quick guide on how to create your one-page business plan .

One-Page Business Plan Template

Download One-Page Business Plan Template

Excel  | Word  |  PDF | Smartsheet

Use this one-page business plan template — designed to be simple, organized, and easy to use — to immediately get started on your plan. Write down your thoughts and key ideas as you decide if your business concept is viable, and adjust it as circumstances change. You can also use this template as a basis to build a more detailed and elaborate plan.

One-Page Business Plan for a Service Business Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for a Service Business Template

Excel | Word | PDF

This business plan template is designed specifically for businesses that provide a service. The one-page plan provides space to list the essential information about your strategy, including the service you offer, the problem you are solving for customers, your mission and vision statements, target audience, staffing requirements, key objectives, and much more. This template also includes a timeline at the bottom for you to add key milestones.

One-Page Business Plan for a Product Business Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for a Product Business Template

Use this one-page template to develop a strategic roadmap for your organization’s product offerings. This template provides space for you to include a business overview, a description of your target market, your competitive advantage, a list of marketing channels and materials you plan to utilize, as well as your pricing strategy, distribution channels, and success metrics. You can also use the visual timeline of milestones at the bottom to enter key dates and events.

One-Page Business Plan for Real Estate Agents Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for Real Estate Agents Template

This one-page business plan template is created for real estate agents to set objectives and put together an action plan. Enter your overarching goal at the top of the template, and establish three high-level activities you need to complete to achieve the goal. The template also includes a strategic action plan that breaks down each high-level activity into tasks and deadlines, with an accompanying visual timeline to ensure you stay on track.

One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Organization Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Organization Template

This one-page business plan is designed for a nonprofit organization, with space to detail your mission, vision, and purpose statements, as well as who you serve, the problem(s) you solve, and programs and resources you offer. Additionally, the template includes space to detail your financial plan, marketing activities, costs, and more.

One-Page Business Plan for Startup Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for Startup Template

This one-page business plan template is intended for an entrepreneur or a small startup business to document a plan as they determine if an idea is feasible. This template provides space to describe the problem and solution, the product or service, the target customer, existing alternatives, the unique value proposition, a marketing and sales plan, success metrics, and other information. You’ll also find room to detail sources of funding and how the funds will be used.

One-Page Business Plan for Small Business Template

Download One-Page Business Plan for Small Business

Use this one-page small business plan template to outline the essential aspects of your business strategy. Provide details on your organization’s vision, mission, product or service offering, and management team. Then identify the target audience, market size, competitor offerings, and your competitive advantage. This plan also includes room to detail your marketing and sales strategy, key objectives, and financial plan.

One-Page Lean Business Plan Template

Download One-Page Lean Business Plan Template

This one-page template uses a Lean approach to develop your business plan. Use this customizable template to detail the crucial elements of your strategy, including a brief business and industry overview, your product or service offering, options from your competitors, and your competitive advantage. Plus, this template includes room to detail your marketing plan, success metrics, financial plan, and a visual timeline of milestones.

One-Page Business Planning Template with Timeline

Download One-Page Business Planning Template with Timeline

Excel | Smartsheet

Use this business planning template to organize and schedule key activities for your business. Fill in the cells according to the due dates, and color-code the cells by phase, owner, or category to provide a visual timeline of progress.

One-Page Business Plan Example

This one-page business plan covers all the essential elements and offers a visually appealing presentation. Information for each aspect of the plan is concise, with details about the business mission, management team, product offerings, key marketing activities, competitors, and financial projections. This plan also provides links to additional resources so that stakeholders can easily find information to support the specifics of the plan.

How to Write a One-Page Business Plan (with Sample Outline)

A one-page business plan takes a standard business plan and extracts the fundamental aspects, then condenses the essential information down to one page. To determine the key elements to emphasize in your one-page plan, consider the type of business you operate, as well as the financial (and other resources) needs of your business.

To streamline your business plan into a one-page document, follow the steps below.

• Create a simple outline for your plan using bullet points. Below, you’ll find an example of an outline for a one-page business plan. You can add or remove sections according to the needs of your business. 
• Business mission
• Problem you are solving
• Funds needed (if applicable)
• Product or service positioning statement
• Unique value proposition
• Target customers
• Market size
• SWOT analysis
• Direct competitors
• Existing alternatives
• Competitive advantage
• Key marketing strategy (e.g., channel or method that will yield the best results)
• Key sales strategy
• Specialized equipment or facilities
• Staffing requirements (e.g., key personnel, skills, and training needs)
• Distribution method
• Sales projection
• Profit and loss projection 
• Gather all your findings on your business and industry.

Compile all the current information you have gleaned from market research, interviews, surveys, and various teams in your business (e.g., the marketing and finance teams). Comb through each document and extract the information that is fundamental to your business’s operation and relevant to the bullet points on your outline.

• Write two to three brief sentences for each main bullet point.

Once you create your outline and gather information, write two to three sentences for each main bullet point that expands on and summarizes the sub-bullet points for that section. For example, the plan summary section could say the following:

Donny’s Food Truck will offer a variety of fresh food at an affordable price in a convenient location. Increased traffic in the Hungry Town area, combined with severely limited dining options, provides an opportunity to offer customers a quick, nutritious meal at a competitive price. A food truck with the necessary equipment has already been acquired, so we are seeking $200,000 to cover wages, emergency repairs, and licenses needed to fund our first year of operations.

• Ensure you are able to support all the information provided in your plan.

Since a one-page plan omits many of the details provided in a traditional business plan, be sure you have market research and other supporting documentation on hand to show stakeholders in case they have questions as they review your plan. In addition, make sure you thoroughly understand the supporting information and know how to restate it in your own words before you disburse the plan. 

• Ensure your plan answers all the vital questions .

At a minimum, an effective one-page business plan should answer the following questions:

• What product or service do we offer?
• Who will use the product or service?
• What problem does our offering solve?
• How will the product or service get to our customers?
• What alternatives do our customers use, and why are we superior?
• What is our unique value proposition?
• What strengths and opportunities can we use to our advantage?
• What resources do we need to get up and running?
• What will our sales look like for the first few years?
• When do we expect to be profitable?

In addition to the steps provided above, you can save time and get started on your plan by downloading one of the templates provided on this page. You can also check out “ Free Executive Summary Templates ,” which can serve the same purpose as a one-page business plan.

Benefits of a One-Page Business Plan

Organizations and stakeholders can unite behind a strategic direction when they have a business plan in place. Developing a traditional business plan can be a daunting task, so many entrepreneurs, small startups, graphic designers, freelancers, and consultants find a one-page business plan a less intimidating place to start. 

Creating a one-page business plan benefits your organization in the following ways:

• Push you to prioritize and focus on key ideas.
• Enable your audience to quickly scan and grasp the core concepts of your plan.
• Allow you to easily share and pitch your business idea to prospective investors and stakeholders (e.g., email attachment, single piece of paper).
• Accelerate business setup, especially businesses that don’t need a loan or investment to get going.
• Provide a solid starting point to expand upon at a later time.
• Enable you to document your thoughts and ideas to see if you have a feasible plan.

Tips for Creating a One-Page Business Plan

Now that you know how to create a one-page plan and the benefits in doing so, here are some tips to get you started:

• Set a time limit (up to one hour) to focus and work on your plan.
• Use a one-page business plan template (you can choose from the options above), or refer to the sample outline provided on this page.
• Ensure your plan details only the core aspects that are fundamental to running and operating your business. 
• Remember that this is a living document — continue to revisit and adjust it as strategies and objectives change.
• Expand on your plan as your business size and needs grow. 

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

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

Improve Business Planning with Real-Time Work Management in Smartsheet

Empower your people to go above and beyond with a flexible platform designed to match the needs of your team — and adapt as those needs change. 

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

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

One Page Business Plan Books

For Quantity Pricing Call 510-705-8400 (Pacific Time Zone)

NOTE: If You Are a One Page Business Plan Licensee, Please Order Books from Our Office

The Creative Entrepreneur Edition This is the million-dollar seller that forever changed the way people write and implement business plans. For startups and well established companies both large and small. Includes downloadable templates, sample plans, sales calculators, scorecards and bonus tools. Order the Entrepreneur Edition The Busy Executive Edition Written specifically for professional business managers and executives. Most of the hard work has already been done so time-pressed executives will never have to start with a blank page. Also includes thought-provoking assessments, downloadable fill-in-the-blank templates. Order the Busy Executive Edition The Financial Services Edition If you are in insurance, investments or related industries this book is what you need to move ahead now! Proven downloadable templates and examples included with the book reflect best practices. Included are assessment forms that let you easily discover what’s working for you and what’s not! Order the Financial Services Edition THE Non-Profit Edition Thousands of non-profits have already successfully written and implemented One Page Plans. This special version helps directors, boards and volunteers clearly define and live up to their promises. Includes downloadable planning templates, sample plans, revenue calculators, and bonus tools. Order the Non-Profit Edition THE Consultant’s Edition New to consulting or need to move your practice to the next level? This book was written by consultants, for consultants. It contains everything you need to create a blueprint for a successful practice… all on a single page. You get proven downloadable templates and examples that reflect best practices. Order the Professional Consultant Edition Driving Midsized Growth: People How the Best Midsized Companies Systematically Recruit, Develop, and Team their Talent

This book was written for CEOs who live in the real world, not fantasyland… people who understand the importance of developing collaborative relationships with their teams and understand that that’s what drives growth and success. If you adopt these practices to make your own talent strategies even 10% better than the competition’s, that difference in your ability to drive growth will be visible and palpable!

THE Consultant’s Edition New to consulting or need to move your practice to the next level? This book was written by consultants, for consultants. It contains everything you need to create a blueprint for a successful practice… all on a single page. You get proven downloadable templates and examples that reflect best practices. Order the Professional Consultant Edition Mighty Midsized Companies How Leaders Overcome 7 Silent Growth Killers

The excitement of leading midsize firm turns to frustration when growth grinds down to a halt. This research based book identifies 7 growth killers that target midsized firms and shows leaders how to combat them or avoid them altogether.

AI ASSISTANTS

Upmetrics AI Your go-to AI-powered business assistant

AI Writing Assist Write, translate, and refine your text with AI

AI Financial Assist Automated forecasts and AI recommendations

TOP FEATURES

AI Business Plan Generator Create business plans faster with AI

Financial Forecasting Make accurate financial forecasts faster

INTEGRATIONS

Quickbooks Sync and compare with your quickbooks data

Strategic Planning Develop actionable strategic plans on-the-go

AI Pitch Deck Generator Use AI to generate your investor deck

Xero Sync and compare with your Xero data

See how it works  →

AI-powered business planning software

Very useful business plan software connected to AI. Saved a lot of time, money and energy. Their team is highly skilled and always here to help.

- Julien López

BY USE CASE

Secure Funding, Loans, Grants Create plans that get you funded

Starting & Launching a Business Plan your business for launch and success

Validate Your Business Idea Discover the potential of your business idea

Business Consultant & Advisors Plan with your team members and clients

Business Schools & Educators Simplify business plan education for students

Students & Learners Your e-tutor for business planning

• Sample Plans

WHY UPMETRICS?

Reviews See why customers love Upmetrics

Customer Success Stories Read our customer success stories

Blogs Latest business planning tips and strategies

Strategic Planning Templates Ready-to-use strategic plan templates

Business Plan Course A step-by-step business planning course

Ebooks & Guides A free resource hub on business planning

Business Tools Free business tools to help you grow

• 400+ Sample Business Plans

7 Top Business Plan Books for New-age Entrepreneurs

Free Ultimate Guide On Writing A Business Plan

• October 18, 2023

12 Min Read

Business Plan books are the first thing to go for once you have decided on the idea you want to pursue as an entrepreneur.

Starting up as an entrepreneur is not as simple as it seems. Transforming your idea into a business that creates value for the world is a long process.

The process is full of uncertainties, hurdles, and burnout. To make consistent efforts without giving up, you need a plan you can rely upon.

A plan that helps you in making wise decisions in your entrepreneurial journey is known as a business plan.

It also helps in refining processes and keeps you in line with your business goals.

Now, how would you create a business plan?

Well, you can anyhow get to know what it contains. However, to easily create a business plan that covers all aspects of your business, you must read these books.

In this article, we are going to discuss the 7 top business plan books written for ambitious entrepreneurs like you!

Best Business Plan Books

• Art of the Start 2.0
• The Successful Business Plan: Secrets and Strategies
• The Founder’s Dilemma
• The One-Page Business Plan for the Creative Entrepreneur
• The Secrets to Writing a Successful Business Plan
• Anatomy of a Business Plan
• The Complete Book of Business Plans

1. Art of the Start 2.0

Goodreads rating: 3.87/5

The author of this book is American millionaire Guy Kawasaki. Though his name is enough for anyone to stand up from their seats let me tell you a few things about him.

• He worked with Apple in 1984 as a part of the marketing team for Macintosh computers.
• He is the author of 12 books including The Art of Social Media, and Enchantment.
• He is currently working as the chief evangelist of Canva which is a graphic designing software.

Now coming to what this book holds for you, it’s one of those books that focus on transforming your business idea into a full-fledged organization.

Guy Kawasaki explains why it is important to have a vision and how you, as an entrepreneur, can feed your team with the same vision.

If your team does not adhere to the same vision, there will always be chaos in the workspace.

You must also share stories about your product and your journey. Everyone loves stories. You don’t have to write a 300-page book but a few social media posts, and videos that resonate well with your target audience.

The book also guides entrepreneurs while hiring. It tells you to hire people who are new in the industry. They are most likely to innovate new products as they consistently ask questions.

Key Highlight:

This book will help you in writing a business plan along with guiding you in various steps of entrepreneurship. This book holds something for every aspect of entrepreneurship.

It also stresses how you can use the internet and cloud tools to make the processes more accessible and more efficient. In the modern era, businesses are equipped with tools that are affordable and accessible to everyone.

Moreover, the book also throws light on socializing and partnering with the right people for leadership roles or to get funding.

By reading this book, you will feel more powerful as an entrepreneur and will be ready to take on challenges that come along with entrepreneurship.

This book doesn’t sound like rhetoric and probably that’s why this book received appreciation from all across the world.

Book Link- Art of the Start 2.0

A reader’s review:

The focus is on tech entrepreneurs. While much of the advice is applicable to other industries, the book will hit the bullseye specifically with those starting technology businesses.

Anita Campbell (via Goodreads)

2. The Successful Business Plan: Secrets and Strategies

The author of the book is Rhonda Abrams who has written more than 12 books on entrepreneurship. Being an entrepreneur herself, the knowledge she shares is absolute gold and trustworthy.

She also writes one of the most popular columns in the US known as Small Business Strategies.

Let us now discuss what Rhonda Abrams has taught in her book.

The Successful Business Plan: Secrets and Strategies is a complete guide for anyone stuck in writing. It is one of those books that give you a push to start working on your idea.

This book contains various worksheets and charts which makes it consumable as well as practical.

You will get enough examples of various parts of a business plan , giving you an in-depth idea of what it looks like and how it is written.

This book not only teaches you to write a business plan that reminds you about your vision but also this plan can help you get investors on board.

It also equips you with strategies to get funds at the best possible rates and also to minimize the costs involved in running a business.

It gives you an in-depth understanding of positioning your brand in the market to gain the attention of your target audience and thus derive maximum profit.

Moreover, you can also use it for competitions related to showcasing plans for their businesses. The book is used by many entrepreneurs and is recommended to every small business.

Book Link- The Successful Business Plan

There’s enough information here to help you get almost any business started. This is a proven source, for it’s been through several re-prints since 1991.

Jeffrey Brown (via Goodreads)

3. The Founder’s Dilemma

Goodreads rating: 4.01/5

The book, The Founder’s dilemma, is one of the best business plan books by Noam Wasserman. Apart from this, he has written another bestseller known as Life is a startup.

Noam Wasserman served as a professor at Harvard Business school for 13 years and is currently working at the University of Southern California as a founding Director at the Founder Central Initiative.

The book he wrote is an absolute beauty. Not because he has told some hidden secrets but because he has addressed a problem that many entrepreneurs often ignore.

And that problem is the company’s leadership. You might have a billion-dollar business idea and even have cracked the tech for it, but you might still fail because of listening to the wrong advice.

If you want your business to not suffer due to wrong decisions made by top leadership, you must read this book.

This book will help you in deciding whom you want to work with, and how to share the equity among co-founders and employees without being emotional.

However, this book might not be useful for small businesses but is a gem for someone planning to launch a high-growth business.

Book Link – The Founder’s Dilemma

I’ve never seen a book before that was particularly helpful – to a founder – about the wide range of issues a founder will face.

Brad Feld (via Goodreads)

4. The One-Page Business Plan for the Creative Entrepreneur

Goodreads rating: 3.86/5

The author of this mind-blowing book is none other than Jim Horan.

Known for his expertise in solving complex business problems , Jim has helped many entrepreneurs in turning their businesses into profit-making machines.

Jim Horan has also been a Fortune 500 executive and has written six books in the One Page Business Plan for Creative Entrepreneur series.

This book is quite different from other books as it is written for entrepreneurs who do not understand a lot about business figures but want to get started soon.

There’s a saying that if you cannot write your business plan on a single page, you are probably doing it wrong.

The book enables you to write it in a couple of hours which includes your mission, objectives, and plans.

It will be crisp and easy to understand for your investors as well as the team. In this fast-moving world, it becomes really uncomfortable to give a week preparing a business plan.

You have the idea and with the help of this book, you can turn the idea into a business in no time.

Having said that, this book is not recommended to someone who is building a high-growth company or a business with many manufacturing units.

This book is specially designed for small businesses to increase their profits and improve their vision.

Book Link – The One-Page Business Plan

One of my favorites! I have used these templates many times. It really forces you to be concise and focus on your vision. Highly recommend!

Teri Temme (via Goodreads)

5. The Secrets to Writing a Successful Business Plan

Goodreads rating: 3.70/5

The author of this book Hal Shelton is an extremely experienced executive who has worked with many corporations, non-profits, and investment companies.

Hal Shelton completed his BS from Carnegie Mellon University and then pursued an MBA from the University of Chicago.

The secrets to writing a successful Business Plan focus on each section of the plan to help you create one that stands out in front of the investors.

The book also informs you about the common errors entrepreneurs make while writing. These errors sometimes cost very high as they might create confusion for investors as well as for the team.

You will also learn to do the market analysis and write the same in your plan. You will be able to answer questions like how big is the market and whether it is sufficient to run a successful business or not.

Investors receive a lot of business plans and going through each one of them is not feasible. Therefore writing an executive summary becomes extremely important.

The executive summary is an easy way to grab investors’ attention and help them understand your business without going through lengthy documents.

If you are launching a non-profit organization, this book can help you in many ways as a section of the book is dedicated to non-profits.

Moreover, the book also consists of secret strategies for writing a business plan and getting bank loans or funding from investors.

Book Link – The Secrets to Writing a Successful Business Plan

This book provides a very solid foundation to write your plan. The author also provides excellent examples and instructions as to what to and not to do in writing your business plan

Kirk G. Meyer (via Goodreads)

6. Anatomy of a Business Plan

The author of this book, Linda Pinson, has worked very closely with the U.S. small business administration to write the government business plan publication.

She has also been honored as Education Advocate of the year and SBA regional women in Business advocate of the year.

Apart from this book, she has written many books on entrepreneurship such as Keeping the books and steps to start a small business startup.

This is one of the best business books for people who do not know anything about business plans.

This book provides you with an in-depth understanding of different business plans and will enable you to choose your ideal kind.

After reading the book, you will learn to update your plan according to the needs of your business and the position of your brand in the market.

The author also highlights the importance of mentioning the table of contents and executive summary in navigating smoothly through the book.

Apart from this, it also throws light on how you can efficiently market your business. You will also learn how to mention the financials of your company which is an important thing to do.

The Anatomy of a Business Plan also contains five real-life business plans which give you an understanding of how successful businesses can be explained in a few pages.

You also get a few worksheets which makes the overall experience of reading the book delightful.

Book Link – Anatomy of a Business Plan

This book is like “a mentor for your business plan”. Really informative and helpful.

Marvin Musfiq (via Goodreads)

7. The Complete Book of Business Plans

Goodreads rating: 3.47/5

The authors of this book are Brian Hazelgran and Joseph A. Covello. Both of them have a great understanding of how businesses operate in this book. They have told us that one size doesn’t fit all.

That means business plans for different businesses cannot be written in the same way.

This book contains 12+ plans that give you an idea of how you write one for yourself.

This book also focuses on how you should bring people into your business and what vision you should have to run the business for decades.

Moreover, when you read the book you will have to ask a lot of questions to yourself. The book will compel you to ask questions yourself that are immensely important before writing it.

Once you give satisfactory answers to the questions asked, you will feel more motivated to start a business , and writing a business will look like a cakewalk.

The above quote shows how important it is to plan your business and create a visionary plan for your business.

Book Link – The Complete Book of Business Plans

Great book encompassing everything about writing business plans.

Denny Troncoso (via Goodreads)

Bottom Line

All the Business plan books that we discussed above are going to help you in some way or the other.

But don’t worry you don’t need to read all of them. Just figure out where you stand and where you would want to go and select a book accordingly.

Innovative tools present in the industry like Upmetrics have helped many entrepreneurs in business and financial planning. If you need more help writing a perfect business plan, check out Upmetrics NOW and grow 2X faster.

Build your Business Plan Faster

with step-by-step Guidance & AI Assistance.

Related Articles On Business Plan Writing

• A Guide to Write an Effective Business Plan Executive Summary
• Formulating a Detailed Business Plan Outline
• Get Your Business Plan Written by Expert Writers
• Determining the Ideal Length of a Business Plan
• Understand the Operations Plan Section in a Business Plan
• How to Design a Compelling Business Plan Cover Page
• Guidelines for Formulating a Business Plan Table of Contents
• Understanding the Importance of a Confidentiality Statement in a Business Plan

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

Reach Your Goals with Accurate Planning

No Risk – Cancel at Any Time – 15 Day Money Back Guarantee

Writing the Ultimate One-Pager About Your Business: 8 Examples and How to Make One [+ Free Template]

Published: May 20, 2024

Whether you’re a business owner or a sales rep, you’re always pitching your services, telling potential clients what you offer as succinctly as possible. Trust me, I’ve been there myself, trying to sum up my copywriting business in as few words as I can. That’s where the business one-pager has come to my rescue.

I’ve created presentations about what I do and have a full website dedicated to my business . But, when potential clients need answers fast, I pull out a one-pager — my value proposition boiled into one hard-hitting page.

If your business is missing this helpful tool, don’t worry. I’ve done the leg work to help. You can see eight of my favorite business one-pagers. Then, I’ll discuss how you can make your own step-by-step and share a template to make the process easy. Let’s get started. You can boil your pitch down to one hard-hitting page that grabs attention and gets to the point.

What is a one-pager?

A one-pager is a document that summarizes an offer, process, concept, or policy in around 250 words. Its purpose is to capture the reader's interest and leave them wanting more. It aims to compel the reader to take action, such as scheduling a call, visiting a website, or signing a contract.

That being said, one-pagers aren't just for selling. They can also be educational tools. When sharing knowledge, the crisp, engaging format grabs attention and helps readers retain key information.

Free Business Plan Template

The essential document for starting a business -- custom built for your needs.

• Outline your idea.
• Pitch to investors.
• Secure funding.
• Get to work!

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

The Anatomy of a One-Pager

Your one-pager should be tailored to your specific goals. For example, my one-pager focuses on my writing services and a crash course into neuromarketing, a field I specialize in. That would be wildly different than the one-pager for a SaaS company or a wedding cake bakery.

Regardless, no matter the business, there are seven essential elements that must be in each one pager. I’ll share each of these components below.

• Company logo. Include your company logo prominently on the page. This small image reinforces your brand and ensures readers know who is behind the offer.
• About. Provide a brief elevator pitch that covers who you are, what makes you unique, and why readers should care. This section should pique their interest in the main content on the sheet.
• Problem statement. Open with the problem you‘re solving. For sales one-pagers, speak directly to your customer’s pain points. If you‘re courting investors, describe the niche you’re filling. For an internal one-pager, provide a high-level roadmap of what's to come.
• Features and benefits. This section is where you highlight your unique value proposition. Clearly outline the key features and benefits of your product, venture, or concept. Keep it short. Focus on the most essential points.
• Social proof. Use social proof to back up your claims with evidence. Include client testimonials, industry stats, or awards to reinforce your credibility and build trust.
• Call to action. Include a clear call to action that leaves no doubt about what the reader should do next, such as calling, visiting your website, or taking the next step in the process.
• Contact info. Provide clean, clear contact information (website, email, phone, social media) at the bottom of your one-pager to ensure leads can easily get in touch with you.

While all of this information is essential in your one-pager, how you design the sheet will vary wildly. If you work in a buttoned-up, formal industry, you may opt for texts and clean graphs only. If your readers are busy, an infographic may be a more skimmable way to share information.

Download our one-pager business template now to communicate your vision clearly and effectively.

How to Make a One-Pager for Your Business [+Template]

Now that we know what goes into a one-pager, I’ll share the process of making one step-by-step. We’ll also work through the process using a one-pager template from HubSpot.

In my example, I’ll make a one-pager for a fictional puzzle subscription company — Puzzle Me This. I’ll share the value proposition for this business all on one page as a way to attract potential buyers.

1. List out the basics.

We discussed seven elements you need in your one-pager above. You’ll also need to condense your mission into short headlines, your value proposition into a brief overview, and your problem statement into a few sentences.

Before I start putting my one-pager together, I like to sit down and list it all out. That involves gathering my assets (like my logo) into a folder and writing out the text I want to include in an unformatted Google Doc.

Let’s take a look at HubSpot’s template.  We’ll need to gather the following:

• An about section.
• A mission statement and overview.
• Information about products or services.
• Contact information.
• Information about the problem, solution, and market.
• More about the product’s competitive edge and strategy.
• Two photos.
• A QR code that leads to our website.

For my sample puzzle business, I gathered all of the information into one folder. That involved creating an unformatted Pages document with all of my text. Having all of the pieces compiled cleanly will make formatting my document easier.

2. Consider your value proposition and look ahead.

Your one-pager will need to show what makes your offering unique and how it stands out. You’ll need to clearly outline the problem you're solving and preview how your solution addresses it.

You may even Define your target audience and speak directly to their needs and pain points.

From there, I recommend looking ahead. This is especially true if you’re pitching your business to investors. They’ll get a sense of what they can expect from you in the future.

Let’s circle back to Puzzle Me This. There are a few different subscription boxes on the market. However, my business focuses on picking the perfect puzzle for the person so they don’t have to choose one themselves. Beyond that, I want to partner with independent artists, so I made sure to highlight that in my one-pager.

3. Get designing.

Now that you have all of the pieces ready, it’s time to start designing. How you lay out your one-pager will depend on your industry and the access that you have to graphic design talent. If you have a designer on staff, you may ask them to create a custom layout on your behalf.

However, templates like this one from HubSpot make the process easy for everyone. I used the template for the Puzzle Me This example. I was able to get everything filled out in minutes. The longest part of the process was crafting the perfect text.

One-Pager Examples

One-pagers can be helpful for all types of businesses, so they vary widely in how they look and are presented. Taking a look at well-designed one-pagers can help you get inspired when you create your own. So, let’s dive in!

1. Business One-Pager

Image Source

Looking to create a one-pager with stats to back up your value proposition? This template from Awware has you covered. Text-heavy sections that cover the company’s missions, values, and progress can be found on the left side. Icons and all-caps make headings jump.

The right side focuses on data. Readers can see how the company performs at a glance, giving the impact of the business nice visual leverage. I also like how the template makes use of a consistent color palette to avoid clutter.

Pro tip: Incorporate storytelling, social proof, and value to demonstrate why your business is a strong potential partner.

2. Product One-Pager

Product one-pagers focus on the specs of a specific offering. What makes them different than alternatives, what are the core features, and what’s the price point? A product one-pager should answer these questions.

The one-pager above showcases a console that’s coming soon. I like that this example has a timeline of when the product is expected to hit the market. Beyond that, the console’s features are condensed into easy-to-skim bullet points.

Pro tip: Font size can help you navigate your reader’s attention. Put the most important information, like pricing and release date, in larger font.

3. Marketing One-pager

Marketing one-pagers are internal documents that align teams. They are snapshots of critical elements like logos, brand colors , fonts, voice, goals, and customer personas. If you are launching a new campaign, a one-pager ensures messaging, visuals, and tone remain consistent with your brand.

The one-pager above focuses on a video marketing campaign. The sheet specifies what the project is for, its objective, and then the branding elements that will be used in the video. As a marketer, this sheet would make it easy for me to understand what the team wants and how to make it.

What I like: If you have a specific vision, make the content of your one-pager specific as well. This page lists out the filters, adjustments, and hex code of the color palette.

4. One-Pager Pitch

One-pager pitches are beneficial for project managers with new initiatives and consultants competing for contracts. Use this document to capture the attention of your audience and pique their interest. A well-crafted one-page pitch document can increase your chances of landing that coveted client.

The one-pager above pitches a marketing consultancy. I like how this page keeps the value proposition simple. There’s a quick blurb about what the organization can do, then images of the people on the team. This helps create a personal touch.

Beyond that, I like how the team lists out recommendations for a successful partnership. This level of transparency creates a sense of trustworthiness.

Pro tip: Do you have impressive statistics? Feature them in your one-pager.

5. Startup One-Pager

For startups, a one-pager is your ultimate elevator pitch. Whether you’re seek funding, networking, or brand promotion, this document showcases your scrappiness. Startup one-pagers cover the essentials: a compelling pitch, team expertise, market insights, and a clear call to action.

The one pager above compiles all of the information an investor might need at a glance. The company’s value proposition and mission statement are boiled down into headings. In a few brief paragraphs, you can understand where the startup is at in its development and what’s coming next.

Pro tip: Include extra punches like media attention or social proof to validate your idea and details about your investment stage.

6. Sales Rep One-Pager

Some sales one-pagers are made for reps to help them more effectively communicate with prospects. The above one-pager lays out the different costs of each insurance plan. It also coaches reps on how to work with different types of customers.

Pro tip: Highlight your unique value proposition in this compact yet impactful piece, positioning your offering as the solution they've been seeking.

7. Sales One-Pager

A sales one-pager summarizes the key aspects of your company, product, or service in a single, brief document. It aims to engage potential customers by clearly demonstrating how you can address their challenges and encouraging them to take the next step in the sales process.

I like how the post above showcases the target market for the data agency’s services. This short customer persona makes it clear who would benefit from this offering.

Pro tip: If you’re looking to summarize all that you offer quickly, include a conclusion section in your one-pager.

8. Event One-Pager

A compelling event one-pager can be an invaluable tool for capturing the attention of your target audience and ensuring a successful turnout, whether you're hosting a conference, seminar, or corporate gathering.

This one-pager specifically focuses on sponsors, so all elements of the sheet speak directly to that audience. Your event will likely need multiple types of one-pagers for each audience you hope to reach.

Pro tip: Your one-pager should go beyond the basics. Whether it's a lineup of renowned speakers, exclusive networking opportunities, or cutting-edge industry insights, the one-pager should entice readers.

Tips for Creating Effective One-Pagers

Stuffing information on one page doesn’t guarantee success. Below, I’ll share some pearls of wisdom I’ve gathered from making one-pagers in the past.

Be concise and audience-focused.

A one-pager must strike a balance between impact and readability. Brevity is key. This asset should be concise. Tailor your language and content to your specific audience. Avoid corporate jargon when addressing customers, but prioritize numbers and data when pitching to investors.

Elevate your one-pager with strategic formatting.

Pay attention to formatting elements that make your one-pager easy to read. Embrace white space to create a visually appealing layout that avoids clutter and allows your content to shine. I also recommend crafting a compelling headline that captures your reader's attention and communicates the core value of your offering.

Tell a cohesive story.

Like any good narrative, your one-pager should have a distinct beginning, middle, and end. Each component should seamlessly connect, guiding your reader through a clear and engaging story. The cohesive flow keeps your audience interested and reinforces your main point.

Consider how your one-pager will be distributed.

Adhere to the “one” in one-pager. Stick to a single side of a standard 8.5 x 11" page. Using this format ensures easy physical and digital distribution.

Speaking of distribution, think creatively. While one-pagers make excellent handouts, explore sharing the content on your website, social media channels, or even as an email newsletter, ensuring your audience receives it through their preferred channels.

Boost Your Business With a One Pager

We live in a fast-paced business world, so grabbing your audience's attention and getting your message across is crucial. One-pagers are great for showcasing your business, product, or event in a concise, engaging way.

Use our one-page business template to get ahead. With this template, you'll be able to create a professional and persuasive one-pager in no time.

Don't forget to share this post!

Outline your company's marketing strategy in one simple, coherent plan.

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

The Ultimate Guide to Zurich

We all might have heard the jokes about Swiss trains being more precise than the Swiss watches, and the chocolate more expensive than gold, but also worth its price!

From the outside, Switzerland may seem like a slow, dreamy country for the wealthy (and retired), but we are here to bust that myth.

When you go to Zurich, prepare yourself for rich cultural life, an impressive number of art galleries, great food and cute boutiques, not forgetting the fun attractions for football fans! And don’t worry, the chocolate is waiting too!

Plan your trip?

Avoid hidden fees in the exchange rate while withdrawing from millions of ATMs abroad, paying in restaurants and shops, and buying your accommodation and flights using the Wise Card . You can hold up to 40+ currencies at once to spend in in over 150 countries, and convert them in real time with the free Wise app.

Need help planning your trip from start to finish? Check out these helpful links:

• Cheap flights
• Savings on accommodation from hostels to luxury hotels
• Affordable car rental options
• Affordable sightseeing tours and day trips
• Travel Adapter – All in one so you don’t have to carry a bunch around
• Don’t be silly and forget Travel Insurance ! Get hurt and you’ll regret it…

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. You can also read our content/editorial policy here .

Table of Contents

How to get to Zurich

Zurich has an international airport, easy to reach with the majority of international airlines like Finnair, KLM or Lufthansa.

Cheap tickets from other destinations in Europe can be purchases with EasyJet, and if you book well in advance and plan your trip outside of major holiday seasons like Christmas, you can pay as little as 30 USD – a great option if you are on a budget. It is also easy and very convenient to reach Zurich by train!

There are direct connections between Zurich and Paris, and the trains are comfortable, fast and… always on time!

Taking the railway might be even nicer than reaching Zurich by plane since the Central Train Station is very impressive (actually, it is the biggest railway station in Switzerland!) so your Zurich sightseeing can start the very minute you step off the train!

What to expect in Zurich

Going to Zurich, prepare yourself and prepare your wallet – the city is expensive! Do not try to cut costs by eg. bringing your own bottle of water to a restaurant hoping to cut the drink off your bill, even the informal eateries are quite strict when it comes to bringing in food or drinks from outside – it’s a deliberate no.

You might be relieved knowing that there are usually no hidden charges in Zurich, service fees are mostly included in the price already, and tipping is not a must in Switzerland.

Speaking of money! Do remember that Switzerland, even though it’s a country in Europe, is not a part of the European Union, which means that you cannot pay with Euros. Switzerland has its own currency, the Swiss Franc, which has approx. 1:1 conversion with US dollar.

One thing you do not have to worry about is the language! The majority of people in Zurich speak German, but you will surely be able to communicate in both French and English too! Especially around tourist spots or cultural sites, multi-lingual guides and assistance will be available.

How to get around Zurich

Zurich is very walkable! And you will enjoy the walks for sure, so remember to bring your most comfortable shoes and prepare to get around the city on foot! If you aren’t much of a walker, do not think twice, buy the so-called Zürich Card.

It allows unlimited travel during either 24 (27 CHF) or 72 (53 CHF) hours throughout the entire city of Zürich, with both busses, trams and trains!

The cost of the card is 27 CHF for 24 and 53 CHF for 72 hours respectively, and it can be purchased on Zurich Railway Station, in the airport or online prior to your arrival.

The best time to visit Zurich

Summer in Zurich is magical! You can swim in Lake Zurich, and the area around the lake becomes the perfect spot for outdoor meetings and hangouts.

The temperature is pleasant (around 19 – 210C) and all the Zurich attractions look beautiful, brightened up by the sun rays.

Ski and winter sports enthusiasts would want to visit the city in the winter time, as Zurich is located quite close to Swiss Alps’ ski slopes.

Even if you aren’t fond of skiing, visiting Switzerland in the winter isn’t a bad idea, since many agencies organize winter sightseeing tours and let you enjoy the serene Swiss scenery covered in snow!

In December, the city also becomes home to cosy Christmas Markets, so in Zurich, cold weather means warm and homey atmosphere!

Things to do in Zurich

A walk around (and if you aren’t intimidated, also a swim in!) Lake Zurich is one of the top things to do in Zurich. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery or relax with a book by the waterside.

The shore of Lake Zurich often becomes a spot for cultural activities, like movie screenings during the annual ZFF – Zurich Film Festival, which takes place every year in late September.

You should also explore the old town, and you can either do it on foot or… by boat! A leisurely cruise on Limmat River is a great way to experience the old part of the city, and if you already have the Zurich Card, you can hop on the boat for free (otherwise the price is 4ish CHF)!

Are you interested in popular culture and history and wondering what to do in Zurich? Visit museums! Swiss National Museum is a museum complex worth checking out if you wish to learn more about the cultural history of the country.

With carefully curated permanent and temporary exhibitions, it offers a very comprehensive cultural program! For the sports-oriented explorer, we recommend the fun and very interactive FIFA World Football Museum.

The FIFA Museum focuses a lot on engaging viewers and creating an immersive experience for everybody, so it’s a great activity for families too!

Rietberg Museum, on the other hand, is a treasure on the inside (comprehensive exhibitions presenting arts and cultural artefacts from the all around the world!), and on the outside!

The new museum extension was designed by architects Alfred Grazioli and Adolf Krischanitz and has become an icon of architectural balance and elegance. A must-see not only for art lovers but also fans of modern architecture!

Places to visit in Zurich

W hether you’re looking f or a nice place to eat, a cute boutique to buy souvenirs from or simply want to have a stroll in a cool neighbourhood, do visit Zurich West!

This now up-and-coming area is a former industrial district where building spaces and old venues have been repurposed and have now become homes to chic eateries and shops.

Looking for things to do in Zurich at night? Western district is the place to go – both for local and visiting night owls, also great if you are a solo traveller and looking for open-open-minded locals to chat to!

Not a night owl? Not a problem! At 7 am the Botanical Garden opens, and it’s a great place for a relaxed morning stroll with a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

Admire the variety of botanical species or simply enjoy the quiet atmosphere. And if you are on the lookout for free things to do in Zurich, you will be happy to know that there is no fee to enter the Botanical Gardens! Looking for more free things to do in Zurich?

We recommend visiting the commercial art galleries on Limmatstrasse. Hauser and Wirth or the slightly smaller Galerie Bob Van Orsouw will for sure have stunning art exhibitions on view, completely free of charge!

In the same building you will be able to find the Migros Museum, which charges an entry fee every day except Thursday between 5 – 8 PM! Note that down and head out for an artsy Thursday afternoon!

Another worthy (but pricey!) mention is the Zurich Opera House! With an abundant repertoire of ballet and opera shows, but also performances for children and recitals, the Opera House attracts big local crowds.

If you travel itinerary allows it, we recommend booking a ticket to one of the shows, but if you cannot find the time (or space in your budget), we recommend you to visit the site to experience the grandeur of the building itself and walk around the adjacent square.

What to eat in Zurich

You are in Switzerland – the land of cheese and chocolate, and you should not thank no to any of these! Try a traditional cheese fondue or order rösti at dinner, instead of potatoes!

The omnivores would probably like to try “Zurchergeschnetzeltes” which literally translates as “cut meat Zurich style”, and if that doesn’t sound local, we do not know what does! It’s a dish where thin strips of veal meat and veal liver are served in a creamy sauce with mushrooms.

For everyone with a sweet tooth, Switzerland is a place to be. Except for the divine Swiss chocolate that we keep mentioning, you should also try the famous Zuger Kirschtorte – Zug Cherry Cake.

This baked treat combines almond meringue layers and fruity cherry filling, which creates an interesting (by that, we mean addictive) flavour contrast! The rumour has it, this cherry pastry is one of Audrey Hepburn’s favourite desserts!

Swiss cuisine is heavy on dairy and meats, but there is hope for vegetarians and vegans as well! Zurich is embracing the plant-based diet and lifestyle, and many vegan eateries (like Roots and Friends) open up around the city.

All your meals, from breakfast through dinner, and all the snacking in between can easily be “veganized”, so if you are planning to visit Zurich with dietary restrictions, your needs will be met for sure!

Where to stay in Zurich

For many travellers the best place or area to stay in Zurich is determined by their budget. Cheap hostels can be found around Langstrasse, Zurich’s former Red-Light-District.

Do not worry though, the neighbourhood has shed its past and is now blooming with small eateries and gives opportunities for a multi-cultural shopping experience.

Langstrasse is situated outside of the city centre, but the street / the area is easy to reach by both bus and tram.

If money is not the problem, the area around Lake Zurich is home to some of the most luxurious hotels in the world. “Kreis 1” which is the area also referred to as the Altstadt or Old City offers boutique accommodation with the perfect view of the Limmat River flowing out to Lake Zurich.

The moment you wake up, you feel like a part of a fairy tale admiring the magical Swiss scenery, but remember – this kind of magic doesn’t come cheap!

Tours to do in Zurich

When in Zurich, you should not miss the Uetliberg Mountain! Half-day excursions starting in the Old Town, and taking you to the Uetliberg Mountain can be easily arranged.

Prepare yourself for a fun ride on the cable car (included in the price and arranged by your tour provider!) and stunning sights while hiking on the Planet Trail!

If you prefer staying in the city, there are interesting tours to join as well! How about a moving culinary experience where you get to see some of the most beautiful sites of the city while dining?

An eTuk Tuk fondue and wine tour is probably the most fun (and the most Swiss) way to do sightseeing!

Cross some of Zürich’s most popular tourist spots off your list while enjoying cheese fondue and wine. We love this combination, and we are sure you will too!

Day trips from Zurich

Zurich offers plenty of things to do, but its incredible natural surroundings are very tempting too. The city is the perfect hub for excursions to the Swiss Alps.

Day trips to the mountains are a perfect add-on to your Zurich itinerary, especially if you are longing for a getaway from the city.

The mountain region called “Jungfrau” is a magnificent site in close proximity to Zurich, and the Jungfraujoch Mountain is actually on the UNESCO World Heritage-list! Breathtaking sights, serene atmosphere and fresh, uplifting breeze of the cleanest mountain air guaranteed!

Your explorations of the Swiss Alps should not stop there though. We recommend booking a day excursion to Mount Rigi – one of the key things to do in Zurich in Winter!

The trip includes a visit to Lucerne and gives you time to explore the old part of town on your own too. It’s a perfect mix of a guided and more independent way of exploring and getting to know the Swiss nature and culture!

• Recommend budget tours in Zurich
• Swiss Alps Day Trip from Lucerne: Jungfraujoch and Bernese Oberland
• Private Tour: Zurich City Highlights
• Zurich City Highlights with Felsenegg Cable Car Ride
• Mount Rigi and Lucerne Summer Day Trip from Zurich
• WOW Zurich Tour: on shore, on water, in the air!
• Mount Pilatus Summer Day Trip from Zurich
• Mount Rigi Winter Day Trip from Zurich
• Rhine Falls and Stein am Rhein Half-Day Tour from Zurich
• Swiss Chocolate Walking Tour of Zurich
• The Best Taste of Zurich and Panoramic Views in a Small Group Walking Tour
• Swiss Alps Small Group Day Tour from Zurich
• Bern Day Trip from Zurich
• 4-Day Switzerland Tour from Zurich Including Mt. Titlis Cable Car

Get your guide is a Great company, that often offers heavily discounted tours! Check out a few options below:

If you’d like to save it for later, please save it to Pinterest.

Sam, a seasoned traveler across four continents and 49 countries, is a leading authority in travel planning. Her website, Travelling King, offers tailored itineraries and expert guides for seamless trips. Sam's expertise in luxury travel, fast travel, and destination guides keeps her at the forefront of the travel community.

Similar Posts

Where to Stay in Basel [Best Places to Stay for 2024]

Basel is a beautiful medieval city on the Rhine River in northern Switzerland near the French and German borders. …

Ultimate Travel Guide to Zermatt

Zermatt is a small ski village and region on the southern border of Switzerland neighbouring Italy and is the…

22 Things to do in Zurich

It doesn’t take long to notice that Zurich is an incredibly picturesque and cosmopolitan city. Located on the sapphire…

The Ultimate Guide to Geneva

Geneva is a cosmopolitan city in southwest Switzerland, mere kilometres from the Swiss-French border. Known as the centre of…

Where To Stay in Zermatt [Best Places to Stay for 2024]

Switzerland has dozens of ski resort areas and towns throughout the mountainous Alps region in the southern part of…

Where to stay in Lausanne [Best Places to Stay for 2024]

If you are travelling to Lausanne, you are in for a treat. This Swiss city on the northern shore…

Novel Investor

Compounding investing wisdom...

The Zurich Axioms by Max Gunther

The Zurich Axioms is a book about managing risk and reward. Twelve Axioms define how to think about risk and uncertainty in such a way that you’re more likely to be rewarded than not.

• “Everbody wants to win, of course. But not everybody wants to bet, and therein lies a difference of the greatest magnitude. Many people, probably most, want to win without betting.”
• The idea is to deliberately expose yourself to risk — to bet — in a way that gains are more likely than losses.
• Axiom #1 on Risk : “Worry is not a sickness but a sign of health. If you’re not worried, you are not risking enough.”
• Most people strive for a “sleep well at night” portfolio because it offers security. The Axioms propose the opposite. Worry is part of an adventurous life, one that takes personal risks. Put another way, an adventurous life is a rich life. A life avoiding worry is boring or poor. Managing money is no different. To get rich, you must take risks. The price of risk is a state of worry.
• Frank Henry (author’s father) rule of thumb: only spend half your energy toward job income, spend the other half on investment/speculation.
• “Every occupation has its aches and pains. If you keep bees, you get stung. Me, I get worried. It’s either that or stay poor. If I’ve got a choice between worried and poor, I’ll take worried anytime.” — Jesse Livermore
• Minor Axiom #1: “Always play for meaningful stakes.”
• “Meaningful stakes” does not mean taking a huge risk that a loss would drive you to bankruptcy. It means taking a big enough risk, with favorable odds, that produces a significant difference. If the bet is small enough that a loss won’t matter, any gain won’t matter either. The bet should be one where a loss is enough to worry about while a gain is financially significant.
• J. Paul Getty, after betting his entire fortune ($500 in 1916) on his first oil lease that hit big, remarked: “Of course, I was lucky. I could have lost. But even if I had, that wouldn’t have changed my conviction that I was right to take the chance. By taking the chance — a pretty big chance, I’ll admit — I gave myself the possibility of getting somewhere interesting. The possibility, the hope , you see. If I’d refused to take the chance, I would not have had the hope… So it seemed to me I had a lot more to win than lose. If I won, it would be various kinds of wonderful. If I lost, it would hurt, but not all that much. The right course of action seemed clear. What would you have done?”
• Minor Axiom #2: “Resist the allure of diversification.”
• Diversification: “As used in the investment community, it means spreading your money around. Spreading it thin. Putting it into a lot of little speculations instead of a few big ones.”
• Diversification reduces risk but can be taken to a point that reduces any chance of significant reward.
• 3 Flaws: Being too diversified means violating the “always play for meaningful stakes” axiom, more likely to see any gains and losses offset each other (like running in place), and rather than too many eggs in one basket, you have too many baskets to watch over and not enough time to do so.
•  Peter Lynch called it  diworsification : “Don’t diversify just for the sake of diversity. You then become like a contestant in a supermarket shopping contest, in which the object is to fill your basket fast. You go home with a lot of expensive junk you don’t really want. In speculation, you should put your money into ventures that genuinely attract you, and only those. Never buy something simply because you think you need it to round out a ‘diversified portfolio.'”
• Axiom #2 on Greed : “Always take your profit too soon.”
• Greed means always wanting more reward than should be expected.
• “If you can conquer greed, that one act of self-control will make you a better speculator than 99 percent of other men and women who are scrambling after wealth.”
• In other words, less greed = better chance at wealth.
• “If they wanted less, they’d go home with more.” — Sherlock Feldman, Dunes casino manager on the power of greed.
• Don’t press your luck: “In the course of gambling or speculative play, you will from time to time enjoy streaks and runs of luck. You will enjoy them so much that you will want to ride them forever and ever. Undoubtedly you will have the good sense to recognize that they cannot last forever, but if greed has you in its grip, you will talk yourself into hoping or believing that they will at least last a long time…and then a bit longer…and then just a little longer. And so you will ride and ride, and in the end, you and your money will go over the falls.”
• Since most lucky streaks are a possible but rare series of events, go in assuming any lucky streak will be short and not very profitable. In other words, when the odds are against you, walking away is the best decision, even in the unlikely event the streak continues.
• “Always bet on the short and modest. Don’t let greed get you. When you have a good profit, cash out and walk away.”
• “That which hurts, teaches.”
• Fear of regret will be the biggest thing working against you in following Axiom #2.
• Minor Axiom #3: ” Decide in advance what gain you want from a venture, and when you get it, get out.”
• Helps give a specific answer to the all-important question “What is enough?” or When to sell?
• Axiom #3 on Hope : “When the ship starts to sink, don’t pray. Jump.”
• Expect things to go wrong from time to time, and have a plan for when it does. That means expect mistakes, expect bad luck, expect to be wrong about investments, but don’t let any of it debilitate your ability to invest. When it does happen, learn to cut your losses. To do that, you must be willing to take a loss.
• “You take small losses to protect your self from big ones.”
• “In the absence of compelling reasons to think things will get better, sell.”
• Fear of regret: taking the loss, only to watch it recover, and miss out on the recovery. Recoveries will happen but not very often or quickly enough to wait. Investments gone bad often have problems that “are slow to develop and slow to go away.”
• Too painful: Avoiding the pain of taking a loss, by holding, and hoping, to break even. By avoiding the pain, you also avoid other opportunities that could get you back to even sooner. No rule states that you must make your money back the same way you lost it.
• Admitting you’re wrong: “Refusing to be wrong is the wrongest response of them all.” Protecting your ego is a foolish reason to lose a pile of money. Markets humble everyone. Expect it to happen to you.
• Minor Axiom #4: “Accept small losses… Expect to experience several while awaiting a large gain.”
• Small losses “are part of the cost of speculation. They buy you the right to hope for big gains.”
• Axiom #4 on Forecasts : “Human behavior cannot be predicted. Distrust anyone who claims to know the future, however dimly.”
• Why do we listen? Because the easiest and quickest way to get rich is to know what the market will do tomorrow. Humans have a long history of wanting to know the future.
• Why are forecasters dangerous? Because sometimes forecasters guess right. Then conveniently, we ignore all the times they were wrong.
• “It’s easy to a prophet. You make 25 predictions and the ones that come true are the ones you talk about.” — Theodore Levitt
• The basic rule of forecasting: “If you can’t forecast right, forecast often.” In other words, beware of revisions and re-revisions.
• Some events can be predicted like physical events (i.e. sunrise, sunset, the next full moon), but markets deal with human events driven by behavior, which is unpredictable.
• “There are simply too many unknowable variables involved to allow for trustworthy forecasts of something like the inflation rate. The rate is caused by millions of people making billions of decisions: workers about wages they want to be paid, bosses about wages they are willing to pay, consumers about prices they will swallow, everybody about diffuse feelings of hardship or prosperity, fear or security, discontent or buoyancy. To claim you can make reliable forecasts about this staggering complexity seems arrogant to the point of being ridiculous.”
• Simply, ignore forecasters!
• Axiom #5 on Patterns: “Chaos is not dangerous until it begins to look orderly.”
• Everybody wants a formula to get rich, so they look for patterns. Formulas don’t exist.
• The illusion of order: Humans are pattern seekers, who often confuse randomness — amid market chaos — for order. Also, Humans prefer a level of control, something the illusion of order offers.
• Luck plays a bigger role in investment outcomes than most will ever admit.
• “A formula that worked last year isn’t necessarily going to work this year, with a different set of financial circumstances stewing in the pot. And a formula that worked for your neighbor won’t necessarily work for you, with a different set of random events to contend with. The fact is, no formula that ignores luck’s dominant role can ever be trusted.”
• Minor Axiom #5: “Beware the historian’s trap.”
• The historian’s trap is the illusion that history repeats itself exactly. Ex: Long ago, event Y happened, followed by event Z. So when event Y appears to be happening again, everybody assumes event Z will happen next.
• “It is true that history repeats itself sometimes, but most often it doesn’t, and in any case, it never does so in a reliable enough way that you can prudently bet money on it.”
• “Events rarely happen the way they are expected to happen.”
• Minor Axiom #6: “Beware the chartist’s illusion.”
• The chartist’s illusion is the belief that future price movements can be found in the charts of past prices. Charts are a convenient way to use data to exaggerate, deceive, or lie to others and yourself (see How to Lie with Statistics ).
• Minor Axiom #7: “Beware the correlation and causality delusions.”
• Our pattern seeking often links cause and effect where none exist. When no link exists, we make it up. The media does this all time with silly headlines claiming why the market did X yesterday. True or not, the headline provides a sense of order, which we like.
• Don’t assume that just because two events happened around the same time, that there is a link. It could be chance.
• Minor Axiom #8: “Beware the gambler’s fallacy.”
• The gambler’s fallacy is a belief that random events are somehow magically tilted in your favor. Yes, winning streaks may happen when gambling on randomness. You can have a run of luck, but don’t confuse luck with order. And don’t assume a streak will continue (see Axiom #2).
• You can study the market, you might even be able to tilt the odds in your favor, but you’ll never find a formula that produces a sure thing. Despite better odds, the role of chance exists because markets are chaotic.
• Axiom #6 on Mobility : “Avoiding putting down roots. They impede motion.”
• Avoid latching onto the familiar. Familiar things in investing offer comfort, that can lead to emotional attachments. Emotional attachments get you rooted, which makes it harder to sell.
• Minor Axiom #9: “Do not become trapped in a souring venture because of sentiments like loyalty or nostalgia.”
• Minor Axiom #10: “Never hesitate to abandon a venture if something more attractive comes into view.”
• No investment is too good to ever sell. Every investment has a price where selling makes sense. It may never reach that price, but the price exists.
• Every opportunity must be weighed against existing investments, money going to the more promising one.
• Axiom #7 on Intuition : “A hunch can be trusted if it can be explained.”
• A hunch or gut feeling is looked on with scorn, indiscriminate trust or discriminating use. Rely on the latter. It may be useful, but it won’t always be useful.
• A hunch is something you know without knowing how or why you know it. The question to ask is have you come across enough relevant information to make it plausible?
• Minor Axiom #11: “Never confuse a hunch with a hope.”
• Be skeptical of hunches that suggest the outcome (you want) will turn out better than you expect. It sounds a lot like overconfidence.
• Axiom #8 on the Occult : “It is unlikely that God’s plan for the universe includes making you rich.”
• Relying on some supernatural power to get you rich will leave you poor.
• Minor Axiom #12: “If astrology worked, all astrologers would be rich.”
• As the 4th Axiom states, you can’t predict the future. Thinking astrology, tarot, psychics, superstitions, or other mystical arts somehow can predict or influence future outcomes is dangerous.
• “Anybody can have a lucky hit or two, but the true test of any touted moneymaking approach is whether it works consistently.”
• Minor Axiom #13: “A superstition need not be exorcized. It can be enjoyed, provided it is kept in its place.”
• In other words, have fun with it, enjoy it, but don’t make important finance bets on it.
• Axiom #9 on Optimism and Pessimism : “Optimism means expecting the best, but confidence means knowing how you will handle the worst. Never make a move if you are merely optimistic.”
• Blind optimism gets you in trouble because it ignores the odds, thinking luck will win out. A healthy sense of pessimism reminds you of the odds, so you can be ready for the worst.
• “You can beat the odds once in a while but not consistently. Usually, if the odds say you’ve got a loser, it’s a loser. The pro, knowing this, and knowing how easily the optimistic sucker can be persuaded to bet when he shouldn’t, gets rich. The pro doesn’t have optimism. What he has is confidence. Confidence springs from the constructive use of pessimism… Seek confidence instead. Confidence comes not from expecting the best, but from knowing how you will handle the worst.”
• Every bet has numerous possible outcomes but we’re drawn to the one that works out best. That’s the point of betting, right? So optimism, hoping for the best, is a normal state of mind and it feels better too. But it’s out of control optimism which dooms investors. Some amount of worry helps keep it under control by thinking about alternate outcomes, allowing you to prepare if things go wrong.
• Axiom #10 on Consensus : “Disregard the majority opinion. It is probably wrong.”
• The lesson from Rene Descartes is to doubt but verify — “The trick, he said over and over again in any number of contexts, is to disregard what everybody tells you until you have thought it through for yourself. He doubted the truths alleged by self-styled experts, and he refused even to accept majority opinions. “Scarcely anything has been pronounced by one [learned person] the contrary of which has not been asserted by another”, he wrote. “And it would avail nothing to count votes . . . for in the matter of a difficult question, it is more likely that the truth should have been discovered by few than by many.””
• The easy way is to accept the words (opinions) — of experts, gurus, brokers, bankers, forecasters, it’s a long list — as absolute truth. The hard way, the Descartes way, is to question, examine, and verify.
• “The majority of people believe the ancient clichés to be unarguable truths. In the light of this, it may be instructive to note that the majority of people aren’t rich.”
• Minor Axiom #14: “Never follow speculative fads. Often, the best time to buy something is when nobody else wants it.”
• Buy low, sell high is a simple, but hard to follow concept, because it goes against popular opinion.
• “As a general rule, the price of a stock – or any other fluid priced speculative entity – falls when substantial numbers of people come to believe it isn’t worth buying. The more unappetizing they find it, the lower the price drops. Hence the great paradox that isn’t taught in seventh grade: the time to buy is precisely when the majority of people are saying, “Don’t!” And the obverse is true when it comes time to sell. The price of a speculative entity rises when large numbers of buyers are clamoring for it. When everybody else is screaming, “Gimme!’ you should be standing quietly on the other side of the counter saying, “Gladly.””
• Being outside the majority can create anxiety and doubt, making it easier to cave to pressure, even when the majority is wrong. Because investing is largely opinion based (lacking hard facts on an unknowable future), it’s harder to verify, making us more susceptible to doubt.
• Of course, always going against the crowd is the wrong lesson. Sometimes the majority is right, but not always.
• “The trouble with contrarianism is that it starts with a good idea and then hardens it into a grandiose illusion of order. It is true that the best time to buy something may be when nobody else wants it. But to buy automatically and unthinkingly for that single reason – to buy solely because the entity is unwanted – seems almost as silly as to bet unthinkingly with the herd.”
• Axiom #11 on Stubbornness : “If it doesn’t pay off the first time, forget it.”
• “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” is a nice idiom but pouring good money after bad into a bad investment out of a stubborn refusal to quit is stupid. It’s an emotional response driven by a need to break even or be proven right.
• Minor Axiom #15: “Never try to save a bad investment by averaging down.”
• Averaging down may lower your cost basis, but a lower cost basis in a bad investment is still a loss, likely made worse. If you wouldn’t put new money into an investment — having never owned it — at the fallen price, then don’t average down. Accept the loss. Sell. Make it back in another opportunity.
• Axiom #12 on Planning : “Long-range plans engender the dangerous belief that the future is under control. It is important never to take your own long-range plans, or other people’s, seriously.”
• Plans have a way of adding order to chaos by ignoring the unexpected . The further you look out, the more unknowable things become.
• “What all these hopeful planners either fail to recognize or choose to ignore is that the money world is only in a limited sense like a tree growing. It is ridiculous to think you can see the world’s future simply by looking at trends in evidence today. Some of those trends will undoubtedly peter out or reverse themselves in the next twenty years. Nobody knows which ones. Whole new trends will spring into existence, factors that nobody today even dreams of. Unknowable events will take us by surprise. Booms and busts, upheavals, wars, crashes and collapses: who knows what we have ahead of us?… The only kind of preparation I can make for the next century, therefore, is to continue studying the market, to go on learning and improving… Resolve to learn all you can learn about the kinds of speculation that attract you, but don’t ever lose sight of the probability – no, let’s say the certainty – that your speculative media and the circumstances affecting them are going to change in ways you cannot now imagine.”
• Minor Axiom #16: “Shun long-term investments.”
• The advantage of long-term investments is it removes tough decisions. There’s one: buy it and wait. Except the future is not guaranteed to reflect the past. It’s unknowable. Expect the unexpected. Expect things to go wrong. Be nimble enough, when things do go wrong, to avoid financial catastrophe.
• “All you can know about the future is that it will get here when it gets here. You cannot see its shape, but at least you can prepare yourself to react to its opportunities and hazards. There is no sense in just standing there and letting it roll over you.”

Buy the Book:  Print | eBook

Or read other book notes .

• Great Investor Quotes

Return Tables

• Asset Class Returns
• Stock Sector Returns
• International Stock Market Returns
• Emerging Markets Returns
• Historical Returns