Having a well-structured business plan is essential for any business, and a business in the early years is no exception. Your business plan serves as a roadmap for growth and sustainability, outlines your vision and goals, and solidifies your strategies for achieving them.

A business plan takes time and effort to develop, and too many businesses see it as a one-and-done. Do you see your business plan as a box-ticking exercise, or is it a living document that underpins how you deliver your provision?

Regularly reviewing and updating your business plan is a great way to ensure you are staying on track with your goals, and as a bonus, it will help your team see their part in the bigger picture, leading to greater job satisfaction and lower turnover.

2025 has brought a lot of change in the early years sector, and while some of these may not initially have an obvious ‘business’ impact, any changes to the sector are potentially significant and should be taken into account.

With these changes, how you achieve your aims may also change. You may not update your goals or your vision, but you may decide to take a different direction for how you achieve these.

A business plan is not solely for the owner or manager. To get the best out of the business, the team also need to be champions of the vision and the plans in place. If you get the team on board, they can do their part to make sure the business is sustainable, and maintain a work-with-you approach. The business plan is ultimately your responsibility, but getting the whole team’s input helps make sure you all share the same goals.

Remember, a business plan is only one of the tools you should have in your business toolkit; budgeting and forecasting, SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) and marketing plan are also some key documents that make up your overall business planning. Having a robust business plan in place can help you get the most out of these tools as you’re clear on what goals you’re trying to achieve.

At the Nursery Management Show on 27 June, Gary will be joined by Early Years Alliance early years development manager Tracey Hobbs to discuss why it is important to revisit your business plan and look at breaking this down into specific goals, the importance of tracking progress, and realigning your pathways to achieve your goals.

Book your free ticket for Nursery Management Show on 27 June to hear more from Gary in his session in the NMT Owners Club theatre.