The number of pages allowed for a business plan contest can vary hugely depending on the size and scope of your startup. What are the different page limits around the world?
The “the sba-recommended format for the business plan has this as the first section:” is a good starting point for a business plan contest.
Last night, I had a fantastic conversation with a bunch of Duke students. It was hosted by Howie Rhee, the director of Duke’s entrepreneurship program, and many other participants in this year’s Duke Business Challenge, a startup competition that runs from now through spring. The first prize is $25,000 USD.
I really appreciate how they’re defining the contest’s business model. Check with Howie or the Duke Startup Challenge website for the most up-to-date version; nonetheless, here’s the preliminary concept we discussed last night:
- There should be no more than ten pages of text.
- The primary financial tables (starting costs, pro-forma income, pro-forma cash flow, and pro-forma balance sheet) should be provided, but they do not count against the 10 page limit.
- The 10-page restriction does not apply to business charts, bar charts, line graphics, pie charts, and other similar graphics.
This appeals to me as a regular reader of business plans and a frequent judge of business plan competitions. Yes, the duration of plans for battles should be restricted, but far too frequently, the restriction means we lose critical financials. I also like seeing the financials shown with some well-designed bar charts.
Not that the ten pages of text couldn’t be increased to fifteen or even twenty (though I’d prefer fifteen to twenty, and ten is acceptable). The tables and charts, on the other hand, are the first item that the plans leave out, and the worst thing to leave out.
By the way, the Duke Entrepreneurship Program and the startup challenge, as well as a fascinating social entrepreneurship class taught by Christopher Gergen, have left a lasting impression on me. The questions, the enthusiasm, and the kids themselves were all outstanding. Duke students are really fortunate.
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The “how many pages for a business plan” is the number of pages that you should have in your business plan. This is not set in stone, but it’s something to keep in mind when you’re writing your business plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pages a business plan should be?
A: A business plan should be about 3-6 pages long and have a section for your goals, mission statement, financials, market analysis.
How do you challenge a business plan?
A: This question is not a good one for my programming.
This question does not make sense to me and I dont have an answer for it.
How long should a business plan presentation be?
A: A business plan should be no longer than five minutes.
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