business plan narrative report

The Daily MBA

Tips, Tools, and Techniques to be a Better Entrepreneur

Writing Your Business Narrative

November 29, 2009 Jarie Bolander

Photo by  rawpixel.com  on  Unsplash

People love a good story. We gravitate to stories because they are easy to understand and if told well, stick with us. A narrative is a powerful tool to tell your business story, without all of the complexity of a business plan. People tend to have a difficult time starting a business plan or even a pitch because the ideas rattling around in their gray matter are just not cohesive. Throw in the desire to get the business off the ground or fund it and most people just give up.

Writing a narrative about your business is the first step in formulating those random thoughts into a story that you can tell prospective investors and employees. It’s also a great way to get past the anxiety of looking at detailed rows and columns of numbers that really won’t make sense until you formulate the genesis of your business.

Table of Contents

First Things First

Before getting started on your business narrative, you need to brainstorm or free write. Doing this allows your brain to get geared toward creating a good narrative. So, before you move on, do one of the following exercises:

Exercise #1: Free write for 15 minutes, without stopping, about your new business idea. Just write. Don’t edit. Don’t correct spelling. Just write about it.

Exercise #2: For 15 minutes, brainstorm all the words and phrases you can think of about your business. Write them all down on a piece of butcher paper or record it.

Now that your brain is primed, it’s time to start structuring those thoughts into a narrative. Take another 5 minutes to circle or underline the main themes, words, sentences from the exercises about. These themes will be used to answer and expand upon the questions below. To better illustrate the process, I will build an example narrative in parallel along with you.

Question 1: Name Your Business

Naming your business is the first step in making it real. This is the main character of your story and the name should reflect the attitude of the company. Look at the items you circled in the brainstorming session. Are there any recurring themes or words? What jumps out at you? Try and incorporate that into your name. Spend 5 minutes to name your company.

Business Name: The Daily MBA

Question 2: Describe What the Business Does

Be as specific as you can when it comes to describing your business and what it does. The more specific the better. Being too general will defocus your efforts. Use action words or phrases that are easily understandable. Try to refrain from fuzzy words or muddled concepts. Again, make it simple.

What The Daily MBA does: The Daily MBA is about helping new entrepreneurs and managers navigate the complex world of business  Through relevant posts and topical discussions, The Daily MBA provides a fresh perspective on the day to day hardships that face entrepreneurs and managers.

Question 3: What Makes the Business Special?

Like any good character, your business needs to have that something special that resonates with readers/customers. This description needs to be written with vivid words that conger up feelings that people can relate to. Even though it’s a business, that personal touch will make it memorable.

What Makes The Daily MBA Special: The Daily MBA is written by a practicing manager and entrepreneur who knows firsthand how painful it can be to start and manage a business. His unique perspective allows for readers to connect with his point of view because he can empathize with their plight. The Daily MBA style is also informal and comes across more like a mentor or friend than a stodgy professor.

Question 4: What Market Does the Business Address?

Understanding your market space is vital to a successful business. Markets are complex, so it’s best to be as specific as possible in choosing what market you will address. You don’t have to be formal about it or even know the correct buzzwords. Just simply describe the market that your business addresses.

Markets Addressed: The Daily MBA addresses the management and entrepreneurship education market worldwide.

Question 5: Who Are Your Customers?

Customers are an important part of your marketing effort. You need to reach them in order for them to purchase your goods and services. The best way to think about this is to describe your ideal customer. Ideal customers may not exist but they are a great way to focus your products and services to customers that come close.

Customers: The people who read The Daily MBA are either in business or want to start a business. They have a natural drive to create products and services and tend to seek out advice. The ideal customer for The Daily MBA would be the new entrepreneur or manager that wants to start a business or manage their group better.

Question 6: What Customer Pain/Benefits Do You Cure/Provide?

Most customers only buy something they need (or want). These purchases are usually driven by solving a problem or curing the customer’s pain. These pain points are what drive your customers to seek out your products or services.

Customer Pain Solved: The Daily MBA provides a comprehensive resource that answers the questions entrepreneurs and managers have while also giving them a step by step way to succeed. Too often, new entrepreneurs and managers don’t have good mentors or resources to answer their pressing questions. Schools do provide some instruction but this is mostly theoretical.

Question 7: What are Your Long Term Business Goals?

It’s always a good idea to look ahead a bit to see where you want your business to go. When doing this, be pragmatic and realistic. Don’t assume your next gig will be as big as Facebook or Google. Rather, look at what you want to achieve and set realistic goals. These goals can be one, two or five years out. Whatever it may be, put it down.

Long-Term Goals: Within two years, The Daily MBA will be garnering 10,000 unique visitors a month, generating $5,000 dollars in revenue per month (via ads and related book sales) and be ranked as a top entrepreneur and management advice site.

Question 8: What Resources/Actions Are Need to Achieve the Goals?

Now that you have a long-term goal, you need to figure out what it will take to achieve it. This may be getting investors, developing products or services or hiring staff. This is critical since, without some idea on how to achieve your goal, you will flounder.

Resources Needed: To achieve our long-term goals, The Daily MBA needs to apply Inbound Marketing techniques to get found. Part of this strategy will be to guest blog, be an active part of the entrepreneur/management community, publish topical books, develop seminars, produce at least one original post per week and provide three to five commentary posts per week on topical business posts outside The Daily MBA.

Question 9: Summarize Why You Will Succeed

It’s always best to end with a summary of what the reader just read and come to some resolution. This pulls the narrative together and allows the reader to leave satisfied. The summary does not have to be long or fancy or even original. It can just be a compact synopsis of what you just said.

Summary: The Daily MBA is all about helping entrepreneurs and managers thrive in the chaotic world of business. It’s a content rich site that provides a needed resource for entrepreneurs and managers. Through original content, community stewardship and topical books, The Daily MBA will achieve upwards of 10,000 unique visitors and $5,000 in revenue per month within the next two years.

Assembling The Narrative

Now that we have the pieces (or bones) down, we can assemble the bits into a flowing narrative. To do this, you need to read your pieces again and edit them for grammar and content. Once you have something you think is pretty good, read it aloud to see how it sounds. The way the written word sounds is a great way to refine your voice. If it sounds weird, then it will read weird. You also want to ensure that it actually sounds like the way you talk. It’s okay to be informal as long as it’s clear and communicates your vision.

Once you have gone through the pieces, the next step is to assemble them together. Start with question #2 and string together your pieces into paragraphs. In the end, you should have between 3-5 paragraphs. Now that you have your business narrative, you can start to fill in the details and refine what you want to achieve. The narrative will be your anchor during the business planning process. It will provide the focal point when your plan starts to get messy or you stray from your desired objectives. Good luck.

Example Business Narrative: The Daily MBA

The Daily MBA is about helping entrepreneurs and managers navigate the complex world of business  Through relevant posts and topical discussions, The Daily MBA provides a fresh perspective on the day to day hardships that face entrepreneurs and managers. It is written by a practicing manager and entrepreneur who knows firsthand how painful it can be to start and manage a business. His unique perspective allows for readers to connect with his point of view because he can empathize with their plight. The Daily MBA style is also informal and comes across more like a mentor or friend than like a stodgy professor.

The Daily MBA addresses the management and entrepreneurship education market worldwide. The people who read The Daily MBA are either in business or want to start a business. They have a natural drive to create products and seek out advice. The ideal customer for The Daily MBA would be the new entrepreneur or manager that wants to start a business or manage their group better. The Daily MBA provides a comprehensive resource that answers the questions entrepreneurs and managers have while also giving them a step by step way to succeed. Too often, new entrepreneurs and managers don’t have good mentors or resources to answer their pressing questions. Schools do provide some instruction but this is mostly theoretical.

Within two years, The Daily MBA will be garnering 10,000 unique visitors and $5,000 dollars in revenue per month (via ads and related book sales) and be ranked as a top entrepreneur and management advice site.To achieve these long-term goals, The Daily MBA needs to apply Inbound Marketing techniques to get found. Part of this strategy will be to guest blog, be an active part of the entrepreneur/management community, publish topical books, develop seminars, produce at least one original post per week and provide three to five commentary posts per week on topical business posts outside The Daily MBA.

The Daily MBA is all about helping entrepreneurs and managers thrive in the chaotic world of business. It’s a content rich site that provides a valuable resource for entrepreneurs and managers. Through original content, community stewardship and topical books, The Daily MBA will achieve upwards of 10,000 unique visitors and $5,000 in revenue per month within the next two years.

Special thanks go to Joe Malo at Jan Medical for his insights and discussion about writing a good business narrative.

Additional References

Jason has a great post about questions you should ask if you are thinking of starting a business. This lends itself nicely to a business narrative and you should try and include the answers to Jason’s questions as well.

Your Business Narrative is your internal compass while your PR Narrative is your external one. Once you finished your Business Narrative, then take a crack at your PR narrative. It should be a lot easier to write and give you some useful insights into how you want the external world to view your business.

Also published on Medium .

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December 2, 2009 at 11:17 am

Great post.

However, I feel that “Name Your Business” should not be on top of this list. Ideally after the sixth point. I think it would make more sense naming your business once you have answered questions 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Overall, I like your points very much.

December 2, 2009 at 11:21 am

Harsh- Thanks for the comment. You make a good point. You can change the name at anytime since the process is iterative. My thought was it was good to name it something first so that it feels a little more real. Maybe I should change it to a working name or make it optional. I need to ponder that a bit.

[…] much more likely to succeed. If this seems too overwhelming, then you might want to work on your business narrative first and then come back and work on […]

Narrative Report

Report generator.

As a student you have had countless encounters with report writing . These papers is no longer shocks you but in the midst of your paper writing, you have always come to a point where your don’t know how to write the academic paper, how to start it, what should be included and what should be excluded; before you even get the chance to begin you’re already facing a dilemma.

What is a Narrative Report? A narrative report is a detailed illustration of an event that has occurred in chronological order. Simply put, it is a detailed chronological piece of writing. It is comparable to that of a police report . Meaning, a narrative report presents things or events that has happened in the past through a logical progression of the relevant information.

The main purpose of a narrative report is to present a factual depiction of what has occurred. A strong attention to detail is used in order to accurately shed some light on the things or event that happened. A narrative report is commonly used in the legal or justice system. This report is written when resolving disputes, filing complaints, or as a piece of evidence in case settlements.

This report adheres and focuses on the five W questions — Who? Where? When? What? and Why? Since this report is used as evidence, those questions are addressed and answered along with the evidence necessary to prove such answers. Each question must be comprehensively answered and even the smallest details should be provided. In addition, the assumptions made on the report must be based on verified facts or evidence. If you fail to do so, your report might lose its value or your credibility as a writer.

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As they say, students eat essays and reports for breakfast, therefore, this is not something new to you. Your teachers will require you to write essays or reports regarding a certain topic or circumstance with at least a thousand word count and even though you’re used to writing these documents it can still be a difficult task. You may also see consulting report examples.

Essays and reports are just some of the most common documents written while in the academe. It explores the students’ ability to logically examine another document and make a sensible judgment. Not only that, it also enhances the students’ thought process, writing skill and organization skills.

Narrative Report Format

This is the front page that displays the report’s title, the author’s name, and the date of the report. It provides a clear identification of the report’s content.

Introduction

This section sets the stage by providing background information and stating the purpose of the report. It gives readers context and helps them understand what the report will cover.

Context: Details the setting and circumstances of the events or the situation being reported. This part paints a picture of the environment and conditions under which the events occurred. Events: Narrates the actual events in the order they happened. This chronological detailing is crucial for clarity and coherence in the report. Personal Reflections: Here, the author includes their thoughts, feelings, and insights about the events. This section adds depth and personal perspective to the report.

Wraps up the report by summarizing the events and discussing their outcomes, implications, or lessons learned. It brings closure to the narrative.

Example of Narrative Report

Title: Science Fair Experience 2024 Introduction: This report describes my experience participating in the Regional Science Fair 2024, held at Lincoln High School. Body: Context: The fair was held on March 15th, 2024. Participants from various schools presented projects on environmental science. Events: My project was on ‘The Effects of Urbanization on Local Bird Populations’. I detailed my preparation, the research process, and how I interacted with attendees and judges during the fair. Personal Reflections: I reflect on the challenges faced during project preparation, my learning experience, and the satisfaction of presenting my research. Conclusion: The science fair was a rewarding experience that enhanced my research skills and increased my interest in environmental science.

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4. Business Plan Narrative Report Example

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Compare and Contrast: Essay and Report

Before this guide even starts to discuss all about a narrative report, it is important that you understand that an essay and report are not the same. Here is a list of the differences and similarities of an essay and a report:

1. Differences

• Essays give you more opportunity to expand on possibilities, ideas or concepts; this means essays can explore more hypothetical situations. On the other hand, simple reports deal with describing and/or analyzing real past events; it can be written to make predictions or recommendations for the future.
• Essays content flows without breakage meaning the organization of thoughts are only divided by paragraphs but still has continuity into it.
• Reports are usually divided into sections, headings and sub-headings. Illustrations, diagrams, attractive charts, tables, etc. are also used in a formal report .
• Reports can be presented orally while essay are usually submitted in a written or printed document.
• Essays are usually written in the third person while reports can use either first or third person.
• The usage of bullet points in a report is very common while it is not common in an essay.
• A Recommendation for Action section is included in a report but is very unusual in an essay.

2. Similarities

• Both have one or more central point to focus on and given emphasis. You may also see marketing report examples.
• Both can include references however they vary in the method for citing such references.
• Both should definitely include an introduction and conclusion.
• Both are comprehensively structured and has a logical progression of ideas.
• Although they use different method, both have text broken into readable chunks. Sections for reports, paragraphs for essay. You may also like management report examples.
• Only one key point is discussed in every report section or essay paragraph.
• Uses language suitable for their expected audience and is accepted in conventions of writing.

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Contents of a Narrative Report

In order to ensure you have an effective narrative report, these parts or contents must be found in your document. However, these are only the general sections found in a narrative report, the specific parts are up to the requirements of your course or professor. Listed below are the relevant contents of a narrative report:

1. Introduction

Th introduction of your narrative report must provide a short description of the report topic. This is the first section of the report that needs a thesis like general statement to convey what the rest of the report is going to talk about. Just like in any writing piece, a the introduction should be able to briefly but still accurately state the main point the report is trying to make.

For example, when writing a report about the end of collegiate term, you can start the introduction of your report with when you started and what you learned.

2. Knowledge or Learning Acquired

This section of the report contains all the relevant information to your main topic. In the given example above, you can write about what you have learned through the entire term in this section. You can talk about anything that you have actually learned however it must be presented in a nonfiction format. Since the a narrative report is solely based on facts, the information you should include must be truthful as well. You may also see recruitment report examples.

3. Observations

In this section, the things you have observed and the things you have learned through observation is stated. This is basically the art where you recount all of your observations during the period the topic of your report occurred. This can be lengthy or short depending on the amount and depth of the observations you want to expound on. Most of the time, this can be based on a person or activity you have observed and learned from. You may also like monthly report examples & samples.

4. Recommendations

In the recommendations section you focus on concluding what has been discussed in the previous sections. This section can also be used to express what can be done to improve certain activities or events you have attended. Say for example, a narrative report can be done on a seminar you have attended and this section can state how better quality hand-out could help the audience understand the topic more or other changes to improve your learning experience. You may also check out research report examples.

As mentioned beforehand, these are some of the most common parts in a narrative report. Depending on the requirement for your course or guidelines set by your professor, these sections can still have more. For example, a narrative report can also have objectives section, accomplishments and challenges section, description of activities, analysis and evaluation, etc.

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Tips for Effective Narrative Report Writing

Writing an effective narrative report requires a blend of storytelling and factual accuracy. Whether it’s a business, academic, or personal narrative, the key lies in presenting information in an engaging and coherent manner.

Focus on Clarity and Detail

Start by ensuring clarity in your narrative. Whether it’s an Internship Narrative Report or an Annual Narrative Report, your information should be precise and detailed. This helps in conveying the complete picture to your audience.

Engage with Storytelling Techniques

Use storytelling techniques to make your Monthly Narrative Report or any other narrative report more engaging. This includes setting a scene, building a narrative arc, and developing a compelling conclusion.

Use Visuals Where Appropriate

Incorporating visuals like charts and graphs, especially in complex reports like a Quarterly Narrative Report, can aid in conveying information more effectively. Visuals can break monotony and help in better data interpretation.

Maintain a Logical Flow

Ensure that your report, be it a Narrative Report for School Activities or a Narrative Report in Research Paper , follows a logical flow. This helps in keeping the reader engaged and makes the report more digestible.

How to Make a Narrative Report?

Creating a narrative report involves several steps, each crucial to crafting a report that is informative, engaging, and well-structured.

Collect and Organize Information

Begin by gathering all necessary information. If it’s a Business Narrative Report , this might include data on market trends, financial statements, and strategic developments. Organize this information in a way that makes sense for your narrative.

Write with a Clear Objective

Every narrative report should have a clear objective. Whether it’s to inform, persuade, or entertain, the objective should guide the tone and content of your report. This is particularly important in specialized reports like a Narrative Report for Seminars .

Edit and Refine

After drafting your report, take time to edit and refine it. This includes checking for grammatical errors, ensuring coherence, and verifying facts. A well-edited Academic Narrative Report or any other type of narrative report is more credible and effective.

Include a Call-to-Action

If appropriate, conclude your report with a call-to-action. This is especially relevant in reports like a Grooming Narrative Report , where you might want to encourage specific behaviors or responses from your audience.

How to Write a Narrative Report?

Writing a narrative report involves conveying information through a story-like format, making it more engaging and memorable for the reader.

Crafting a Compelling Introduction

Begin with an introduction that sets the stage. For a Narrative Report in Research Paper , introduce your topic and research objectives clearly.

Developing a Clear Narrative

Structure the body of your report in a logical sequence. In an Internship Narrative Report , narrate your experiences chronologically, highlighting key learnings and observations.

Using Descriptive Language

Employ descriptive language to bring your narrative to life. This is particularly effective in a Narrative Report Essay , where vivid descriptions can engage the reader more deeply.

Concluding with Impact

End your report with a strong conclusion. In a Quarterly Narrative Report , summarize key findings and reflect on the implications or future directions.

What is the difference between narrative and report?

General faq’s, what is a narrative report.

A narrative report is a form of written or spoken communication that tells a story or sequence of events in a structured, engaging manner, often with a personal or creative touch.

How can I start my narrative report?

To begin a narrative report, start with a captivating hook or introduction that sets the scene, introduces characters, and establishes the context, engaging the reader’s interest.

What is a good sentence to start a narrative?

A strong sentence to start a narrative is one that captivates the reader’s attention and introduces the central theme, setting, or a compelling question that piques their curiosity.

Does narrative report have title?

A narrative report often has a title, which provides a brief and descriptive glimpse of the story’s content, helping the reader understand the subject or focus of the narrative.

How many paragraphs are in a narrative report?

The number of paragraphs in a narrative report can vary widely depending on the length and complexity of the narrative. It typically includes an introduction, multiple body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

What are the two writing style in narrative writing?

Two common writing styles in narrative writing are first-person and third-person. First-person uses “I” to tell the story from the protagonist’s perspective, while third-person uses “he,” “she,” or character names.

The guide on Examples.com about writing narrative reports for school activities emphasizes the importance of these reports as tools for reflection and learning. They offer students a unique opportunity to articulate and analyze their experiences, contributing to their personal and educational growth. By capturing the essence of school events and personal insights, narrative reports serve as an invaluable asset in the educational journey.

For further enrichment in narrative writing, Western Technical College presents a collection of narrative and reflection writing samples. These samples can provide inspiration and guidance for students and educators in creating compelling and reflective narratives ( Western Technical College Writing Samples ).

Additionally, Walden University offers a detailed guide on drafting narratives, especially useful for students in understanding the structure and elements of effective narrative writing. This resource provides practical advice on organizing thoughts, establishing a clear perspective, and persuasively conveying personal experiences ( Walden University Drafting a Narrative ). These resources collectively offer valuable insights and practical tools for enhancing the quality of narrative reports in educational contexts.

Text prompt

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Generate a report on the impact of technology in the classroom on student learning outcomes

Prepare a report analyzing the trends in student participation in sports and arts programs over the last five years at your school.