A plan is a set of decisions you can test.

We ask about six areas: the idea, the customer, the offering, the economics, operations, and first customers. Your answers make a lean plan. Missing answers stay missing.

Keep evidence separate from assumptions

Each answer has a source marker: your answer, an assumption, accepted from AI, or needs research. Each area also has a status you choose. Five automatic checks can flag questions about contribution, sales below break-even, sales without a channel, premises before demand, and unexamined alternatives. They do not verify your business or change your answers.

Show the arithmetic

Money is stored as integer U.S. cents. Blank inputs are unanswered; zero is a real input. The calculators model one primary offering, with one price, one variable cost per sale, expected monthly sales, and monthly fixed costs. Break-even rounds up to a whole sale.

Operating profit here is the contribution from sales minus the monthly fixed costs you enter. It is only as complete as those inputs. Include your own compensation and other costs when relevant. These tools do not calculate taxes, depreciation, loan schedules, or multi-year forecasts.

Use AI deliberately

The site does not call a model. You can copy a prompt, work with your own assistant, and bring a response back as a labeled note. Accepted text never writes calculator inputs. Check sources and do not mistake polished language for evidence.

Go to the source for execution

For registration, tax IDs, licenses, bookkeeping, and ongoing requirements, use Surmado Learn, the SBA business guide, and your state’s official resources. This site develops the plan; it does not publish jurisdiction requirements.

Luke operates this site and is Surmado’s founder, with a financial interest in it. Recommendations depend on the need you describe.