Small-business planning for real-world founders

Better questions.
Better business starts.

We work with founders who want the honest picture before they commit — not glossy templates, not vague advice, not hockey-stick projections. Real planning for real businesses.

Two ways to work with us

Get a plan

Business planning packages

You bring the idea. We run it through eight layers of pressure-testing — market demand, costs, competition, location, digital, founder fit, and risk — and give you a clear plan with real numbers attached.

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Start from a concept

Pre-vetted business concepts

Not sure what to build? Browse our marketplace of researched, modelled business concepts. Each one comes with startup cost ranges, revenue models, territory fit, and a clear picture of what it takes to operate.

Browse concepts →

The questions that actually matter

Most planning focuses on the pitch. We focus on the questions that kill businesses before they open.

1. Is there real demand for this where I live?
2. What does it actually cost to open and run?
3. Who am I really competing against?
4. Can I make money in year one?
5. Does this fit how I want to work?
6. What would make this fail?

Our approach

Eight questions every serious founder needs answered

Our planning methodology is built around the conditions most likely to make a small business succeed or fail. Every package and every concept runs through the same eight-layer framework.

01

Market reality

Who buys, how often, and why? We look at real local demand signals, not broad market estimates.

02

Competitive pressure

Who else solves this problem and how strong are they? We map real competitors, not just generic industry data.

03

Revenue pressure

How much does the business need to sell to survive? We build a realistic revenue pressure model before assuming the best case.

04

Cost structure

What costs are fixed, variable, seasonal, or underestimated? We pressure-test the assumptions founders most often get wrong.

05

Location fit

Does the trade area support the concept? Foot traffic, demographics, competition density, and lease terms all matter.

06

Digital demand

Can customers find and choose the business online? We assess search intent, competitive SEO, and channel fit.

07

Founder fit

Does the operator match the demands of the business? Skills, time, capital, risk tolerance, and operational complexity all factor in.

08

Risk visibility

What could make the plan fail? We surface the assumptions that need to hold true and the conditions that would break the model.

Bring your idea to the Barn

Whether you have a rough concept or a near-ready plan, the next step is a 20-minute planning call. No pitch. Just honest questions.

Book a planning call →