What is a business plan?

A business plan is a document in which you write out the goals for your business, the steps you'll take to achieve those goals, and the timeframe in which you want to achieve them. You can use a business plan both as an aspirational document to motivate you to perform well in your business and as a tool to attract investors to your business venture. Your business plan may also include strategies for the marketing and promotion of your business. If you consult your business plan regularly, you'll be able to find incentives and encouragement to help you reach the goals you set.

Why is it important to learn to write a business plan?

When you write a business plan, it can serve as a blueprint for developing and growing your business. Your business plan serves as a means of accountability to yourself for the business you seek to start. The goals you set in your business plan, along with the steps and timeframe you map out for reaching those goals, will be your prime motivator for success. When you've written your business plan well, it can help you reach your goals more effectively and efficiently. You can also use your business plan as a way to attract investors. Lenders are more likely to fund your business if you're able to show them a workable plan.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn how to write a business plan?

Online courses on Coursera can help you write an effective business plan by showing you both the fundamentals and practical applications of business plan development. The suite of online courses on Coursera can show you the basics of entrepreneurship, or you can study deeper topics like social media for startups, business for entrepreneurs in creative fields, and how to seek international financing for your business. Think of online courses on Coursera as a source of knowledge that can help you achieve success as a business owner.

What are the benefits of taking an online Business Plan course?

Online Business Plan courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your existing knowledge or learn new Business Plan skills. With a wide range of Business Plan classes, you can conveniently learn at your own pace to advance your Business Plan career skills.

What Business Plan courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Business Plan, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Business Plan Courses - Learn Business Plan Online

Explore the Business Plan Course Catalog

Status: Free
Lund University
AI, Business & the Future of Work
Skills you'll gain: Organizational Strategy, Artificial Intelligence, Business Transformation, Business Risk Management, Business Leadership, Business Strategy, Digital Transformation, Automation, Thought Leadership, Emerging Technologies, Interviewing Skills
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.5K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Pennsylvania
Customer Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Analytics, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Marketing Analytics, Predictive Analytics, Customer Insights, Customer Analysis, Business Analytics, Analytics, Marketing, Data Collection, Marketing Strategies, Data Analysis, Market Research, Regression Analysis, Consumer Behaviour
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
12K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Michigan
GenAI in Business: Planning Framework for Implementation
Skills you'll gain: Data Integration, Data Strategy, Business Planning, Business Analysis, Data Quality, Strategic Thinking, Technology Roadmaps, Business Solutions, Solution Design, Business Requirements, Complex Problem Solving, Stakeholder Communications, Digital Transformation, Decision Making
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
11 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Coursera Project Network
Building a Business Case Template in Power Point
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft PowerPoint, Presentations, Sales Presentations, Proposal Writing, Business Planning, Fundraising, Business Communication, Financial Reporting
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
34 reviews
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
University of Virginia
Design Thinking for Innovation
Skills you'll gain: Design Thinking, Creative Problem-Solving, Ideation, Innovation, Creativity, Strategic Thinking, Market Opportunities, Human Centered Design, Storytelling, Business Modeling, Empathy, Leadership
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
9K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Entrepreneurship
Skills you'll gain: Entrepreneurship, Market Opportunities, Innovation, Ideation, Business Planning, Entrepreneurial Finance, Leadership Development, Business Development, New Product Development, Business Strategy, Competitive Analysis, Market Research, Presentations, Financial Modeling, Fundraising
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
285 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Managerial Economics and Business Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Statistics, Supply And Demand, Market Dynamics, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Inference, Business Analytics, Bank Regulations, Financial Systems, Financial Policy, Banking, Probability Distribution, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Regression Analysis, Microsoft Excel, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Statistical Methods, Economics, Financial Market, Business Economics
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
4K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Vanderbilt University
Generative AI Leadership & Strategy
Skills you'll gain: ChatGPT, Ideation, Verification And Validation, Succession Planning, Business Writing, Generative AI, Leadership, Meeting Facilitation, Organizational Leadership, Creative Thinking, Creativity, Strategic Leadership, Artificial Intelligence, Business Leadership, Proposal Writing, Thought Leadership, Communication, Risk Management Framework, Creative Problem-Solving, Natural Language Processing
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
5.6K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Coursera Project Network
Getting Started with Microsoft Excel
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Excel, Excel Formulas, Spreadsheet Software, Data Entry, Microsoft 365
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
11K reviews
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Microsoft
Master Microsoft Office 365 and Power Platform
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Power Platform, Microsoft Power Automate/Flow, Power BI, Microsoft 365, Multimedia, Microsoft PowerPoint, Dashboard, Microsoft Excel, Excel Formulas, Microsoft Word, Data Visualization, Presentations, Spreadsheet Software, Microsoft Outlook, Data Integration, Business Intelligence, Business Process Automation, Application Development, Productivity Software, Data Analysis Software
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
5.2K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Macquarie University
Excel Skills for Business: Intermediate II
Skills you'll gain: Excel Formulas, Microsoft Excel, Excel Macros, Data Validation, Spreadsheet Software, Data Modeling, Predictive Modeling, Financial Modeling, Data Integrity, Automation
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
8.3K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
IBM
IBM Data Management
Skills you'll gain: Dashboard, Data Storytelling, Data Warehousing, SQL, Data Presentation, Data Governance, Data Security, Data Migration, Database Design, Data Visualization, Interactive Data Visualization, Descriptive Statistics, Data Mining, Cloud Storage, Data Visualization Software, Extract, Transform, Load, IBM DB2, Data Management, MySQL, Excel Formulas
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
16K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months