Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Melissa Houston covers financial issues that affect women in business. Creating a successful business starts with a strong plan.

If you are building a startup long enough, someone will ask for your business plan. Sometimes it is an investor. Sometimes it ...

Learn how to write an executive summary. This guide shows you why to write it last, tailor it to your audience, include product details and a funding ask.

Learn how to write a modern startup business plan in 2026 that clarifies strategy, tests assumptions, and earns investor ...

The long, hot summers many people experience mean that pool service companies will always have customers. Homeowners and municipal authorities simply need to have their pools cleaned and maintained, ...

Written business proposals are serious documents. The written business proposal typically comes at a stage where the prospect truly understands the service/product, the costs, and the process to buy ...

Boost efficiency and accuracy in logistics, data analysis, forecasting, and more Elysse Bell is a finance and business writer for Investopedia. She writes about small business, personal finance, ...