A step-by-step roadmap
to starting a business.
No experience needed.

Learn the essentials, avoid common mistakes, and build a plan you can trust.

A step-by-step roadmap
to starting a business.
No experience needed.

Learn the essentials, avoid common mistakes, and build a plan you can trust.

A step-by-step roadmap to starting a business.
No experience needed.

Learn the essentials, avoid common mistakes, and build a plan you can trust.

Turn your idea into a real business.

Turn your idea into a real business.

Turn your idea into a
real business.

Facts & Figures

99.99%

of U.S. businesses are small businesses as of 2023-2024. [Source]

21M

business applications were filed nationwide from 2021 through early 2025. [Source]

1.5M

new jobs created by small businesses which represents 64% of all new jobs. [Source]

21%

of businesses are minority-owned while 22% of employer businesses
are women-owned. [Source]

$56B

SBA-backed loans were given —
a 7% increase over the previous year. [Source]

$178.6B

worth of government contracts awarded to small business owners.
[Source]

Facts & Figures

99.99%

of U.S. businesses are small businesses as of 2023-2024. [Source]

21M

business applications were filed nationwide from 2021 through early 2025. [Source]

1.5M

new jobs created by small businesses which represents 64% of all new jobs. [Source]

21%

of businesses are minority-owned while 22% of employer businesses
are women-owned. [Source]

$56B

SBA-backed loans were given —
a 7% increase over the previous year. [Source]

$178.6B

worth of government contracts awarded to small business owners.
[Source]

EDUCATOR GUIDE

Teaching support for introducing entrepreneurship to students.

PURPOSE

PROGRAM

COMPONENTS

  • Walk students through the process of planning a single-owner entrepreneurial business.
  • Provide a better understanding of small business in order to make them better employees.
  • Interact in both digital and non-digital environments and encourage communication and participation.
  • Encourage expressing ideas in a non-judgmental environment.
  • Encourage creativity and curiosity by requiring real-world research about their own ideas.

Each student comes up with an idea for their own business. The idea does not have to be realistic from a monetary point, but should be something that might interest them, such as a hobby or sport or talent or skill. Or it could be a business selling a product or offering a service.

Students work independently and in group settings to build their individual business plans. When students choose the same product or service, they will still create individual plans. They can learn from each other’s opinions and see how very different businesses can grow out of the same initial idea.

Textbook. Short, easy-to-read chapters. It focuses on examples and asks questions of the reader.

Workbook. Each chapter is divided into four sections:

1. Definitions – Learn definitions of words commonly used in business.

2. Research – Take concepts from the textbook and apply them to your business plan.

3. Group – Intended for you to share ideas and get and give feedback from your peers.

4. Business Plan – At the end of chapters, information is compiled from research and group feedback and summarized into concise information. This section becomes part of the final business plan.

EDUCATOR GUIDE

Teaching support for introducing entrepreneurship to students.

PURPOSE
  • Walk students through the process of planning a single-owner entrepreneurial business.
  • Provide a better understanding of small business in order to make them better employees.
  • Interact in both digital and non-digital environments and encourage communication and participation.
  • Encourage expressing ideas in a non-judgmental environment.
  • Encourage creativity and curiosity by requiring real-world research about their own ideas.

Each student comes up with an idea for their own business. The idea does not have to be realistic from a monetary point, but should be something that might interest them, such as a hobby or sport or talent or skill. Or it could be a business selling a product or offering a service.

Students work independently and in group settings to build their individual business plans. When students choose the same product or service, they will still create individual plans. They can learn from each other’s opinions and see how very different businesses can grow out of the same initial idea.

Textbook. Short, easy-to-read chapters. It focuses on examples and asks questions of the reader.

Workbook. Each chapter is divided into four sections:

  1. Definitions – Learn definitions of words commonly used in business.
  2. Research – Take concepts from the textbook and apply them to your business plan.
  3. Group – Intended for you to share ideas and get and give feedback from your peers.
  4. Business Plan – At the end of chapters, information is compiled from research and group feedback and summarized into concise information. This section becomes part of the final business plan.
PURPOSE
  • Walk students through the process of planning a single-owner entrepreneurial business.
  • Provide a better understanding of small business in order to make them better employees.
  • Interact in both digital and non-digital environments and encourage communication and participation.
  • Encourage expressing ideas in a non-judgmental environment.
  • Encourage creativity and curiosity by requiring real-world research about their own ideas.

Each student comes up with an idea for their own business. The idea does not have to be realistic from a monetary point, but should be something that might interest them, such as a hobby or sport or talent or skill. Or it could be a business selling a product or offering a service.

Students work independently and in group settings to build their individual business plans. When students choose the same product or service, they will still create individual plans. They can learn from each other’s opinions and see how very different businesses can grow out of the same initial idea.

Textbook. Short, easy-to-read chapters. It focuses on examples and asks questions of the reader.

Workbook. Each chapter is divided into four sections:

  1. Definitions – Learn definitions of words commonly used in business.
  2. Research – Take concepts from the textbook and apply them to your business plan.
  3. Group – Intended for you to share ideas and get and give feedback from your peers.
  4. Business Plan – At the end of chapters, information is compiled from research and group feedback and summarized into concise information. This section becomes part of the final business plan.

MEET THE AUTHOR

LI HAYES

In high school, I learned nothing about business. In college, as a business major, I was taught to be an employee of a large corporation. I learned industrial marketing and macro economics. They explained how to create a business scorecard. In finance, I learned to how to analyze if the business made money in the past. Not one class explained how to start a business on my own and how to make money at it. Nothing prepared me to be an entrepreneur. 99% of all businesses in the US are small businesses. More than half fail. What works for multi-billion dollar corporations is senseless for a solopreneur. Schools need to teach students how to be successful in small business.

My interest in business started when I was a little kid selling freshly caught fish on a street corner on Long Beach Island. Since then I have owned four small businesses, with some failure…and some tremendous success.  I work with world-renowned entrepreneurs.

I created How to Plan a Business to help those people who want to own a business, but don’t know how to get going, a place to start. How to Plan a Business simplifies the aspects of planning a business for individuals who want to start their own, small companies.

MEET THE AUTHOR

LI HAYES

In high school, I learned nothing about business. In college, as a business major, I was taught to be an employee of a large corporation. I learned industrial marketing and macro economics. They explained how to create a business scorecard. In finance, I learned to how to analyze if the business made money in the past. Not one class explained how to start a business on my own and how to make money at it. Nothing prepared me to be an entrepreneur. 99% of all businesses in the US are small businesses. More than half fail. What works for multi-billion dollar corporations is senseless for a solopreneur. Schools need to teach students how to be successful in small business.

My interest in business started when I was a little kid selling freshly caught fish on a street corner on Long Beach Island. Since then I have owned four small businesses, with some failure…and some tremendous success.  I work with world-renowned entrepreneurs.

I created How to Plan a Business to help those people who want to own a business, but don’t know how to get going, a place to start. How to Plan a Business simplifies the aspects of planning a business for individuals who want to start their own, small companies.

INFORMATION & PRICING

* required

INFORMATION & PRICING

* required

A MESSAGE FROM ANDRE NORMAN

Business success takes committment. Anyone can start a business, but not everyone makes money at business. Everyone can do something, but you need the right teacher to be successful long term.

How to Plan a Business is a must first step for your business. If you are serious, you found the right book.

- Andre Norman, Founder of Second Chance University

A MESSAGE FROM ANDRE NORMAN

Business success takes committment. Anyone can start a business, but not everyone makes money at business. Everyone can do something, but you need the right teacher to be successful long term.

How to Plan a Business is a must first step for your business. If you are serious, you found the right book.

- Andre Norman

Founder, Second Chance University

A MESSAGE FROM ANDRE NORMAN

Business success takes committment. Anyone can start a business, but not everyone makes money at business. Everyone can do something, but you need the right teacher to be successful long term.

How to Plan a Business is a must first step for your business. If you are serious, you found the right book.

- Andre Norman

Founder, Second Chance University

It doesn’t matter where you are now. In the future,

you can be a business owner.

It doesn’t matter where

you are now.

In the future, you can be

a business owner.