Writing a business plan (a simple template)

Starting a freelance business without a plan is like sailing without knowing your destination. A business plan doesn't need to be thick or academic—but it needs to exist. Even a simple one, written in an afternoon, forces you to think through the hard questions: Who are you actually selling to? How much will you charge? What does it cost to run? How many clients do you need?

Why every freelancer needs a plan#

A business plan serves two purposes. First, it's a decision tool. Writing one makes you discover gaps in your thinking before you've spent money. Second, it's proof for lenders and investors. If you ever want a business loan or outside funding, you'll need one—and it needs to add up.

Most importantly, a plan keeps you focused. When a business opportunity arrives that doesn't fit, you have written permission to say no.

The four sections you need#

1. Your offer and customers#

Start here:

• Who are your ideal customers? (e.g., small design agencies, tech startups, non-profits). Be specific about their size, industry, and pain point you solve.
• What problem do you solve? Not "I'm a consultant," but "I help B2B SaaS companies reduce customer acquisition costs through content strategy."
• Why you? What's your edge? Past experience, unique method, speed, price, specialisation?

Write a one-paragraph description of your target customer and a one-paragraph description of your service. If you find yourself writing about "anyone who needs [vague thing]," you're too broad.

2. Pricing and revenue#

Now attach numbers:

• Your hourly rate. Decide on a figure. (See how to set your hourly rate for a bottom-up method.)
• How you'll bill. Hourly? Per project? Retainer? Hybrid?
• First-year revenue assumption. How many hours/clients do you expect to book in months 1–3, 4–6, 7–12? Be conservative. Most new freelancers underestimate ramp-up time.

For example: "Month 1–2: no billable work (building the website, cold outreach). Month 3: 40 hours. Month 4–6: 80 hours/month. Month 7–12: 120 hours/month" → that's roughly 1,000 billable hours in year one. At €50/hour (net cost, before tax), that's €50,000 revenue.

3. Costs#

List your fixed costs (monthly) and variable costs (per project or per hour):

Fixed (per month):

• Software subscriptions (e.g., design tool, accounting, email): €50–150
• Phone/internet: €30–50
• Insurance (AOV, professional indemnity, etc.): €40–100
• Co-working or office: €0–500 (if you're at home: €0)
• Total: roughly €120–700/month = €1,440–8,400/year

Variable:

• Subcontractors (if you outsource any work): budget a percentage (e.g., 10–20% of revenue)
• Materials or resale goods: depends on your field
• Software costs per project: vary

4. A simple cash-flow view#

Now combine them:

• Revenue: €52,000 (year 1 forecast, from section 2)
• Fixed costs: €5,000 (from section 3)
• Variable costs (10% of revenue): €5,200
• Gross operating profit: €41,800

From that, you pay:

• Taxes and contributions (income tax, Zvw, etc.): roughly 30–40% → €12,540–16,720
• Net profit after tax: €25,080–29,260

That's how much you'll take home. Does it match what you need to live on? If not, your hourly rate or client count has to increase.

Keep it lean and update it#

Your business plan doesn't need a cover page or a five-year forecast. A simple one-page or two-page document is enough:

• Paragraph: who you serve and what you do
• Table: revenue forecast (months 1–12, simple)
• Table: fixed costs and rough variable costs
• Calculation: gross profit, taxes, net
• Paragraph: how you'll find your first clients

Print it, store it, and look at it every six months. Update the forecast as you learn. After your first six months, your actual numbers will tell you more than any plan can.

Use your plan before you go live#

Before you launch:

1. Share it with someone who knows business. Ask if the numbers make sense. They'll catch lazy assumptions.
2. Tell a lender (if you need one). A business plan makes a loan conversation much simpler.
3. Refer to it when making decisions. Should you take a job that's outside your target customer? Check the plan. It should say no.

A freelance business plan is not about prediction—it's about clarity. The moment you sit down and ask "How much do I need to earn, what will it cost, and who will pay?", you're already thinking like a business owner.

Ready to build yours? Start with the template below, then move on to the next step: finding your first clients.

Template: a one-page business plan#

Your name & service: [Describe in one sentence. E.g., "Content writer specialising in SaaS marketing."]

Target customer: [E.g., "B2B SaaS companies, 10–100 employees, with product-led growth strategies."]

Your advantage: [E.g., "5 years in SaaS, can write case studies that convert."]

Pricing: €[rate] per hour / per project / per month

Year 1 revenue target: €[number] (based on [x] hours/month, [x] clients, or [x] retainers)

Monthly fixed costs: €[number]

Expected tax + contributions (rough 30–40%): €[number]

Net income target: €[number]

Frequently asked questions#

A business plan is the single cheapest way to avoid expensive mistakes. Register with ZZP Belasting to track your plan against reality as you grow—it will tell you quickly whether your assumptions were right.

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