Recommended Websites:
http://www.entrepreneur.com contains a wealth of information for startups and entrepreneur, including segments on business plan writing.
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/business-plans/ - here you will find many real business plan illustrations and related links.
http://www.bplans.com/dp/ - contains a number of articles on a variety of business planning subjects.
http://www.StartupNation.com - StartupNation presents an uncomplicated process to help first-time entrepreneurs get started. Its aim is to
get you over the 'but I don't know where to start' hurdle.
http://www.startupnation.com/pages/topics/BusinessPlanning.asp - also contains useful articles on various aspects of writing a business plan.
http://www.startupjournal.com - a great site for any small business. Its rich with ideas, relevant articles, and resources, including business planning resources. Look for Tools / How to Guide, which offers planning assistance, and see over 100 sample business plans.
The United States Small Business Administration website has many useful tools for business. The portions of the SBA site relevant to business planning include:
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http://www.sba.gov/sbdc/aboutus.html
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http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/index.html
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http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html
http://www.secureplan.com - here you can post your business plan in a secure environment for those you wish to share it with.
Recommended Business Planning Software:
Business Plan Pro - Palo Alto Software, Inc.
Recommended Books:
Rich Dad's Advisors®: The ABC's of Writing Winning Business Plans: How to Prepare a Business Plan That Others Will Want to Read -- and Invest In
by Garrett Sutton
Business Plans that Work (Paperback)
by Jeffry A Timmons, Andrew Zacharakis, Stephen Spinelli
Anatomy of a Business Plan: A Step-By-Step Guide to Building a Business and Securing Your Company's Future
by Linda Pinson. Chicago, IL: Dearborn Trade Publishing, 2005.