Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Business Plan Writer · Management Glossary
What Is an Operating Plan in Business?
What will actually happen in the business this month? If the answer is vague, an operating plan is missing. It turns big goals into dated steps, owners, and costs. Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA, builds one beside nearly every business plan he writes, and this business plan writer guide explains what belongs in it and how to keep it current.
Questions? Call or text (321) 948-9588. Dr. Paul answers personally.
Last Updated: 11/07/2026 · Written by Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
The Short Answer
What Is an Operating Plan?
Have the Big Plan but Not Tuesday’s?
In Plain English
What Happens This Week, Who Does It, What It Costs
The big plan tells you where you are headed. The operating plan tells you what to do this week, who does it, and what it costs.
Without it, good ideas sit in a binder. With it, every goal has a first step and a name next to it.
Watch: Operating Plans
Watch Dr. Paul Walk Through an Operations Plan
What's in an Operations Plan
Dr. Paul opens a real operations plan built on his Organize-Plan-Grow™ Strategy and explains each part. (10:09)
A Real-World Example
The Food Truck That Never Started Catering
A food truck owner in St. Petersburg, Florida writes a strong business plan for adding catering. Six months later, nothing has happened.
An operating plan breaks the goal down: test a catering menu in Month 1, run two pilot events in Month 2, and launch a booking page in Month 3. Every line gets a cost and an owner. By Month 4, the first paid catering jobs are on the calendar.
From Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest
Hazy Hazel’s Second Scroll
Doctor Owl and Mrs. Owl-Willow were sharing a picnic by the creek when Hazy Hazel arrived, carrying a beautiful scroll tied with ribbon.
“The biggest wedding season ever,” she announced, unrolling it across their blanket. It had goals, colors, and a drawing of a cake taller than the Lone Oak.
Doctor Owl admired it for a moment. “Lovely. What are you doing Tuesday?”
Hazel blinked. She did not know.
So they made a second, smaller scroll. This month. This week. Tomorrow’s first task. The big scroll stayed on her wall. The small one went in her pocket. “Best-kept secret in the forest,” Hazel said with a wink, “but maybe not this season.”
From Book 1 of Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series, where every business lesson starts with a story.
Dr. Paul’s Insight
Dr. Paul’s view: a business plan without an operating plan is a wish with page numbers.
Put It to Work
From Big Goal to This Week
Start with one goal from your business plan and walk it down to tomorrow.
| Level | What happens | Owner | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big goal (business plan) | Add catering, reaching 20 percent of sales by Year 2 | Owner | See projections |
| This month | Test a catering menu with 3 dishes | Owner | Food cost for test batches |
| This week | Price the 3 dishes and call 5 past customers | Owner | None |
| Tomorrow’s first task | Cost out the first dish | Owner | None |
Watch Out
Pitfalls When Writing an Operating Plan
An operating plan works only if you look at it every week.
Tasks without costs drift away from the budget and the projections.
If nobody’s name is on it, it tends to wait.
Keep the five-year picture in the business plan and the weekly steps here.
Why It Matters
Benefits of an Operating Plan
- Turns goals into action
- Keeps the budget tied to real tasks
- Easier delegation
- Clearer weekly progress
In Your Business Plan
How Operating Plan Shows Up in a Business Plan
Lenders want to see how the money will be used and when. An operating plan connects each spending line in the projections to a real task.
Sample plan excerpt: Operations, Year 1 Operating Plan
“Catering launches in three phases: menu testing in Month 1, two pilot events in Month 2, and an online booking page in Month 3. Each phase has a budget line in the projections and a named owner.”
FAQ
Questions Owners Ask About Operating Plans
What is the difference between an operating plan and a business plan?
How long should an operating plan cover?
What goes into an operating plan?
More From the Series
Keep Building Your Business
Every book in Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series teaches one subject through short stories, real terms, and one-page worksheets.
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Dr. Paul is a business consultant and author with 14+ years of experience and 1,000+ written business plans. He works with owner-run small businesses on plans, financial projections, and the systems that let a business run without the owner doing everything. This page is part of the glossary for Management and Leadership for Small Businesses, Book 1 of Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series.
This page is for general educational purposes only. It is not financial, legal, or lending advice. For decisions about your own business, consult a qualified professional.