Do You Really Need a Business Plan.Or Just a Clearer Strategy?
Let’s be honest, writing a full business plan is rarely at the top of a founder’s to-do list.
And unless you’re pitching for funding or launching something highly complex, it might not need to be.
So what do you need?
Usually: clarity, not complexity.
Here’s the difference, and how to move forward without the pressure to plan it all out perfectly.
The Problem With Traditional Business Plans
They’re static, they’re often based on hypotheticals, and they can take weeks to write, only to sit in a drawer.
They’re useful if you’re seeking investors.
But for most creative, product-based or service-led businesses?
What you really need is direction.
What Most Founders Actually Need Instead
A simple but clear vision
A mapped-out customer journey
A repeatable sales and marketing plan
And the confidence to know what to focus on next
No spreadsheets required.
Strategy vs. Business Plan (At a Glance)
A business plan is typically created for external stakeholders, think investors, banks, or grant applications. It’s formal, often lengthy, and rarely referenced once it’s written. It focuses heavily on forecasting, projections, and market positioning in a traditional sense.
By contrast, a brand strategy is created for you. It’s a clear, flexible roadmap that evolves alongside your business. Rather than getting bogged down in pages of hypotheticals, it helps you define your direction, map your customer journey, and take focused action that supports growth. While a business plan might sit in a folder, a strategy lives in your day-to-day decisions.
3 Signs You Need Strategy, Not a Business Plan
You feel busy but not productive.
You’re doing a lot, but nothing feels connected.You keep pivoting without a clear reason.
Changing offers, changing prices, changing platforms. Strategy helps you filter out the noise.You’re stuck at a growth plateau.
You know you want more, but don’t know what to do next.
Real-World Example: From Planning to Progress
One founder I worked with had been trying to finalise a business plan for over a year.
She’d outlined her goals 15 times, but wasn’t making real progress.
In one strategy session, we mapped her customer journey, refined her offer, set three 90-day goals, and created a weekly structure to get there.
She launched her new offer two weeks later.
Where to Start Instead
Write down 3 outcomes you want to see in the next 90 days
For each, map the steps backward (what’s needed, who’s involved, what’s blocking progress)
Choose one strategy to focus on at a time (email, social, outreach, not all at once)
If you’ve been stuck in planning mode for too long, a strategy session can help you finally shift into doing.
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