What is a Business Plan?

• A. A written statement of the business's goals and the steps to be taken to achieve them.
• B. Mission Statement
• C. Cash Flow Forecast
• D. SWOT Analysis

Answer: (A)

A business plan is a document that states what the business aims to achieve and how it plans to get there. It serves as a roadmap, detailing goals, strategies, concrete actions, required resources, and timelines, and it often includes market, operations, and financial information. A mission statement focuses on purpose and values without outlining steps. A cash flow forecast projects money coming in and out and is a financial tool, not the full plan. A SWOT analysis identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to inform strategy, but doesn’t lay out the full path to the goals. So the description that best fits a business plan is a written statement of goals and the steps to achieve them.