YouTube Business Plan
You’ve come to the right place to create your YouTube business plan.
We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their YouTube businesses.
Below is a template to help you create each section of your YouTube business plan.
Executive Summary
Business Overview
The Ace of Cooking Basics is a startup YouTube channel company located in Denver, Colorado. The company is founded by Charlotte, aka “Charlie” Goodson, an experienced chef who, many years ago, was confused by how long to cook a 3-minute egg. Since that initial experience in the kitchen, Charlie has gone on to learn how to cook an egg in about one hundred different ways and has added over 3,000 personally-developed recipes to her collection of “great home-cooked dishes.” Charlie has been a freelance chef for private and public catering experiences over one thousand times throughout the nation and has received the highest ratings from her guests and hosts of each event. She is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and frequently acts as a speaker at their international events.
The Ace of Cooking Basics will provide a full series of high-quality and engaging videos via a new YouTube channel featuring the same name. This content will reach a global audience of those who want to learn to cook or enhance their cookery skills in traditional American fashion. The series will leverage the potential of the channel and provide monetization options for The Ace of Cooking Basics.
Product Offering
The following are the services and products that The Ace of Cooking Basics will provide:
- 4-5 videos per week presented by the channel host
- Kitchen appliance product demonstrations and recommendations
- Guest appearances by popular celebrity figures
- Opportunities for video audience appearances
- Exclusive chef’s kitchen offers to “channel members”
- Cookbook offerings
Customer Focus
The Ace of Cooking Basics, based in Denver, Colorado, will target a global audience. Although the creation of digital content is highly competitive, the global interest in at-home cooking will provide multiple opportunities to grow The Ace of Cooking Basics through several customer channels. The YouTube video channel audience, particularly within the cooking sector, has continued to increase each year and the expectation is that the popularity of the company founder, in conjunction with easy-to-follow and delicious offerings, will create an exponential growth in global followers within a three-month introductory period. Videos will be tailored to the preferences of the audience, ensuring a relevant and entertaining addition to their lives.
Management Team
The Ace of Cooking Basics will be owned and operated by Charlie Goodson. She has recruited her sous chef of some years, Danielle Favice, to be her video sous chef and assistant in demonstrating products.
Charlie Goodson is a graduate of the Culinary School of Arts with a degree in American Cookery. She has been working as a freelance chef for 15 years, catering for private and public dining events for up to 1,000 attendees at one time. Her organizational skills and mastery of cooking basics has led to the creation of a cookbook, soon to be published, and a number of speaking and demonstration events. She is well-known in the culinary world, having presented meals at the James Beard House and for other stellar culinary achievements.
Danielle Favice is an experienced sous chef who has consistently supported the cooking of Chef Charlie Goodson for the past six years. She is highly-experienced in all forms of cooking, but particularly talented in desserts and pastry cooking skills. She will be the sous chef and partner to Charlie on the YouTube platform, as well as in the planning and preparation of each video segment.
Success Factors
The Ace of Cooking Basics will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:
- Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified team of The Ace of Cooking Basics
- High-quality video productions of cooking methods that exhibit the best cooking skills, easily-found ingredients and user-friendly interactions.
- The Ace of Cooking Basics offers lessons in cooking free-of-charge, although in-person lessons would cost thousands of dollars per person.
- Options for purchase will include: exclusive cookbooks, exclusive memberships, kitchen appliances, kitchen products, and other related offers.
- Monetization of various products or offerings by supporting partners will be included, outshining competitors with the quality and consistency of revenue garnered via this channel.
Download the YouTube business plan template (including a customizable financial model) to your computer here <–
Financial Highlights
The Ace of Cooking Basics is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its The Ace of Cooking Basics. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the equipment, crew and video studio, as well as purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated toward three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the strategic marketing costs. The breakout of the funding is below:
- Video studio build-out: $20,000
- Office equipment, supplies, and materials: $10,000
- Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000
- Marketing costs: $10,000
- Working capital: $10,000
The following graph below outlines the financial projections for The Ace of Cooking Basics.
Company Overview
Who is The Ace of Cooking Basics?
The Ace of Cooking Basics is a newly established YouTube channel company based in Denver, Colorado. The Ace of Cooking Basics will be the most reliable and highly-viewed, innovative choice for the global target market. The Ace of Cooking Basics will provide a comprehensive menu of video services for all YouTube Channel viewers to utilize. Their full-service approach includes a select package of viewer membership offers, cookbook offers, kitchen appliance and product offers, and monetization by interested parties.
The Ace of Cooking Basics will be able to produce four to five video lessons weekly, in addition to publishing books and ancillary materials, providing cooking tips and hints, previewing high-quality products for review and recommendation, and conducting behind-the-scenes production and video editing. The team of professionals are highly qualified and experienced in The Ace of Cooking Basics and have developed exemplary cooking skills to produce videos for the global market. The Ace of Cooking Basics removes all headaches and issues surrounding the art of cooking and ensures all questions and problems are solved easily and with humor, while delivering the best video cooking lessons, product fulfillment and customer service.
The Ace of Cooking Basics History
Since incorporation, The Ace of Cooking Basics has achieved the following milestones:
- Registered The Ace of Cooking Basics, a C-corporation to transact business in the state of Colorado.
- Has a contract in place to create a video recording studio and lease office space for 10,000 square feet.
- Reached out to numerous contacts to get advice regarding video production.
- Began recruiting a staff of sous chef, prep hands, and and office personnel to work at The Ace of Cooking Basics.
The Ace of Cooking Basics Services
The following will be the services The Ace of Cooking Basics will provide:
- 4-5 videos per week presented by the channel host
- Kitchen appliance product demonstrations and recommendations
- Guest appearances by popular celebrity figures
- Opportunities for video audience appearances
- Exclusive chef’s kitchen offers to “channel members”
- Cookbook offerings
Industry Analysis
The YouTube video platform industry has more than 51 million channels, with over 700 channels that have more than 10 million users.
The platform is expected to grow over $15 billion in the next five years to over $45 billion.
The growth will be driven by an increased number of video channels, bolstered by an ever-growing customer base.
Celebrities will continue to populate channels, combining star power with recommendations for products and services, which will increase viewership and marketing potential.
An increase in marketing campaigns, including social media, will drive growth and scale YouTube channel businesses.
Costs for the YouTube channel are minimal; however, costs will increase for video production and other services necessary to produce winning channels.
Download the YouTube business plan template (including a customizable financial model) to your computer here <–
Customer Analysis
Demographic Profile of Target Market
The Ace of Cooking Basics will target a global audience, although the recognition is that most viewers will be housed in the United States. They will target home cooks who enjoy the art of cookery, as well as those who like to purchase kitchen products and cookbooks.
The precise demographics for The Ace of Cooking Basics are:
| Total | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,680,988 | 100% |
| Male | 838,675 | 49.9% |
| Female | 842,313 | 50.1% |
| 20 to 24 years | 114,872 | 6.8% |
| 25 to 34 years | 273,588 | 16.3% |
| 35 to 44 years | 235,946 | 14.0% |
| 45 to 54 years | 210,256 | 12.5% |
| 55 to 59 years | 105,057 | 6.2% |
| 60 to 64 years | 87,484 | 5.2% |
| 65 to 74 years | 116,878 | 7.0% |
| 75 to 84 years | 52,524 | 3.1% |
Customer Segmentation
The Ace of Cooking Basics will primarily target the following customer profiles:
- Individuals who like to cook
- Individuals who like the celebrity status of Charlie Goodson
- Individuals who like to buy cookbooks
- Individuals who enjoy using kitchen applications and products
- Individuals who like to watch YouTube channels
- Individuals who enjoy “membership” status and special offers
- Individuals who want to increase their cooking skills
Competitive Analysis
Direct and Indirect Competitors
The Ace of Cooking Basics will face competition from other YouTube channels based on cooking with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.
Just in Time
Just in Time, Inc. is a YouTube channel with 20,000 followers. The channel provides videos two to three times weekly. Each session is focused on preparing a dinner meal within 15 minutes or less, using prepared food items from a grocery store. The clock countdown continues during each video as the chefs race to prepare the meal. The videos may be humorous, especially because accidents and mistakes frequently happen, which informs the comedic side of the channel and reduces the purpose of cooking. The channel is monetized by kitchen tool manufacturers and social media celebrities.
Just in Time was formed in 2019, just prior to the pandemic, which created a slow start to video production. In the past four years, video production has increased and each 25-minute video contains a meal of: protein, carbohydrate, vegetable or fruit. The meals are simple and presented using prepared foods, such as cubed fruit, from the grocery store. This method increases the cost of the food, but encourages a fast preparation time. Just in Time is owned by Kathy Beacon, who is a food entrepreneur and celebrity, with over ten years in the food preparation industry as a freelance consultant.
Easy Does It
The Easy Does It YouTube channel is owned and operated by Twin Chefs, Inc., an S-corporation. The owners are Raymond and Robert Chapman, who have established the company in Los Angeles, California. Easy Does It creates video content once a week, using the skills of the brothers in kitchen-created videos within their personal home. The videos highlight the easiest types of food preparation and quick meals. With 5,000 viewers, the brothers provide comical and easy-to-view 30-minute presentations. No monetization has been received, according to recent data.
March & Ash Cooking School
March & Ash Cooking School YouTube channel is an outgrowth of the accredited March & Ash Cooking School located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Utilizing the skills of the school chefs, the video lessons on all forms of food preparation and cooking are offered in 30-minute segments. The school is for serious soon-to-be chefs and the YouTube channel reflects that seriousness in each weekly segment. Instructions are offered in both email and on-air formats. The presentations include difficult preparation techniques and the recipes sometimes contain hard-to-find ingredients. The YouTube channel has 10,000 followers. Monetization has boosted the revenue of the school, with approximately $30,000 yearly paid to the channel for product introductions.
Download the YouTube business plan template (including a customizable financial model) to your computer here <–
Competitive Advantage
The Ace of Cooking Basics will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:
- Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified team of The Ace of Cooking Basics
- High-quality video productions of cooking methods that exhibit the best cooking skills, easily-found ingredients and user-friendly interactions.
- The Ace of Cooking Basics offers lessons in cooking free-of-charge, although in-person lessons would cost thousands of dollars per person.
- Options for purchase will include: exclusive cookbooks, exclusive memberships, kitchen appliances, kitchen products, and other related offers.
- Monetization of various products or offerings by supporting partners will be included, outshining competitors with the quality and consistency of revenue garnered via this channel.
Marketing Plan
Brand & Value Proposition
The Ace of Cooking Basics will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:
- Highly-qualified team of skilled employees that is able to provide a comprehensive YouTube channel dedicated to videos demonstrating highly-refined cooking skills using reasonably-priced grocery products.
- Memberships in The Ace of Cooking Basics Club, which will offer access to cookbooks, products and other items not available to the general video audience.
- Monetization of food products, food preparation tools, and kitchen appliances: all three segments of the cooking industry, which is unique in the YouTube channel competition.
Promotions Strategy
The promotions strategy for The Ace of Cooking Basics is as follows:
Word of Mouth/Referrals
The Ace of Cooking Basics has built up an extensive list of contacts over the years by providing exceptional service and expertise to clients. The Ace of Cooking Basics chefs and staff will encourage word of mouth promotions and referrals from friends in the cooking industry, as well as personal contacts in the chef industry. Kitchen manufacturers will also be contacted for referrals, as associations are built.
Professional Associations and Networking
Both chefs Charlie Goodson and Danielle Favice are members of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, in addition to other local and national associations. With continual events during the upcoming year, both Charlie and Danielle will encourage referrals.
Social Media Marketing
Considerable efforts will be made to optimize video titles, descriptions and tags to improve discoverability and increase organic traffic to the YouTube channel. Also, efforts will be directed toward leveraging popular social media platforms to promote our videos, products and services, which can further drive traffic to our channel. Collaborating with influencers will also expand our niche and extend our reach into their existing audience.
Website/SEO Marketing
The Ace of Cooking Basics will utilize their website to drive traffic using SEO practices, pitch new cookbooks and kitchen preparation tools, and inform viewers of upcoming video segments. Information about appearances by the chefs will be included, as will the history of the company and video highlights of each week.
Pricing
The pricing of products offered by The Ace of Cooking Basics will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive excellent value when purchasing their products or services.
Operations Plan
The following will be the operations plan for The Ace of Cooking Basics.
Operation Functions:
- Charlie Goodson will be the Owner and President of The Ace of Cooking Basics. She will oversee all staff and manage client relations. Charlie has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
- Danielle Favice: Sous Chef who will assist in all videos, prep certain dishes and manage the kitchen administration.
- Kelly Clark: Office Manager who will oversee all office operations and manage the bookkeeping for the accountant.
- Roger Martin: The Social Media Manager who will also oversee the Website page.
- Dan Morez: The Video Production Manager will produce and edit all videos, overseeing
Download the YouTube business plan template (including a customizable financial model) to your computer here <–
Milestones:
The Ace of Cooking Basics will have the following milestones completed in the next six months.
- 5/1/202X – Finalize contract to build out video studio and office space
- 5/15/202X – Finalize personnel/staff employment contracts for the The Ace of Cooking Basics
- 6/1/202X – Finalize contracts for The Ace of Cooking Basics clients
- 6/15/202X – Begin networking at industry events
- 6/22/202X – Begin moving into The Ace of Cooking Basics studio and office
- 7/1/202X – The Ace of Cooking Basics opens its office for business
Management Team
The Ace of Cooking Basics will be owned and operated by Charlie Goodson. She has recruited her sous chef of some years, Danielle Favice, to be her video sous chef and assistant in demonstrating products.
Charlie Goodson is a graduate of the Culinary School of Arts with a degree in American Cookery. She has been working as a freelance chef for 15 years, catering for private and public dining events for up to 1,000 attendees at one time. Her organizational skills and mastery of cooking basics has led to the creation of a cookbook, soon to be published, and a number of speaking and demonstration events.
Danielle Favice is an experienced sous chef who has consistently supported the cooking of Chef Charlie Goodson for the past six years. She is highly-experienced in all forms of cooking, but particularly talented in desserts and pastry cooking skills. She will be the sous chef and partner to Charlie on the YouTube platform, as well as in the planning and preparation of each video segment.
Financial Plan
Key Revenue & Costs
The revenue drivers for The Ace of Cooking Basics are the revenues obtained from monetization, customer purchases and membership club dues charged to the customers for their products and services.
The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to produce studio-quality videos and ancillary materials. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, office supplies, and marketing materials.
Funding Requirements and Use of Funds
The Ace of Cooking Basics is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its property management business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the video studio and office space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated toward three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the social media and website marketing costs. The breakout of the funding is below:
- Video studio build-out: $20,000
- Office equipment, supplies, and materials: $10,000
- Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000
- Marketing costs: $10,000
- Working capital: $10,000
Download the YouTube business plan template (including a customizable financial model) to your computer here <–
Key Assumptions
The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.
- Number of Videos Per Month: 130
- Average product/service orders per Month: $34,000
- Office Lease per Year: $100,000
Financial Projections
Income Statement
| FY 1 | FY 2 | FY 3 | FY 4 | FY 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenues | ||||||
| Total Revenues | $360,000 | $793,728 | $875,006 | $964,606 | $1,063,382 | |
| Expenses & Costs | ||||||
| Cost of goods sold | $64,800 | $142,871 | $157,501 | $173,629 | $191,409 | |
| Lease | $50,000 | $51,250 | $52,531 | $53,845 | $55,191 | |
| Marketing | $10,000 | $8,000 | $8,000 | $8,000 | $8,000 | |
| Salaries | $157,015 | $214,030 | $235,968 | $247,766 | $260,155 | |
| Initial expenditure | $10,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Total Expenses & Costs | $291,815 | $416,151 | $454,000 | $483,240 | $514,754 | |
| EBITDA | $68,185 | $377,577 | $421,005 | $481,366 | $548,628 | |
| Depreciation | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | |
| EBIT | $41,025 | $350,417 | $393,845 | $454,206 | $521,468 | |
| Interest | $23,462 | $20,529 | $17,596 | $14,664 | $11,731 | |
| PRETAX INCOME | $17,563 | $329,888 | $376,249 | $439,543 | $509,737 | |
| Net Operating Loss | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Use of Net Operating Loss | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Taxable Income | $17,563 | $329,888 | $376,249 | $439,543 | $509,737 | |
| Income Tax Expense | $6,147 | $115,461 | $131,687 | $153,840 | $178,408 | |
| NET INCOME | $11,416 | $214,427 | $244,562 | $285,703 | $331,329 |
Balance Sheet
| FY 1 | FY 2 | FY 3 | FY 4 | FY 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASSETS | ||||||
| Cash | $154,257 | $348,760 | $573,195 | $838,550 | $1,149,286 | |
| Accounts receivable | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Inventory | $30,000 | $33,072 | $36,459 | $40,192 | $44,308 | |
| Total Current Assets | $184,257 | $381,832 | $609,654 | $878,742 | $1,193,594 | |
| Fixed assets | $180,950 | $180,950 | $180,950 | $180,950 | $180,950 | |
| Depreciation | $27,160 | $54,320 | $81,480 | $108,640 | $135,800 | |
| Net fixed assets | $153,790 | $126,630 | $99,470 | $72,310 | $45,150 | |
| TOTAL ASSETS | $338,047 | $508,462 | $709,124 | $951,052 | $1,238,744 | |
| LIABILITIES & EQUITY | ||||||
| Debt | $315,831 | $270,713 | $225,594 | $180,475 | $135,356 | |
| Accounts payable | $10,800 | $11,906 | $13,125 | $14,469 | $15,951 | |
| Total Liability | $326,631 | $282,618 | $238,719 | $194,944 | $151,307 | |
| Share Capital | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Retained earnings | $11,416 | $225,843 | $470,405 | $756,108 | $1,087,437 | |
| Total Equity | $11,416 | $225,843 | $470,405 | $756,108 | $1,087,437 | |
| TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY | $338,047 | $508,462 | $709,124 | $951,052 | $1,238,744 |
Cash Flow Statement
| FY 1 | FY 2 | FY 3 | FY 4 | FY 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS | ||||||
| Net Income (Loss) | $11,416 | $214,427 | $244,562 | $285,703 | $331,329 | |
| Change in working capital | ($19,200) | ($1,966) | ($2,167) | ($2,389) | ($2,634) | |
| Depreciation | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | $27,160 | |
| Net Cash Flow from Operations | $19,376 | $239,621 | $269,554 | $310,473 | $355,855 | |
| CASH FLOW FROM INVESTMENTS | ||||||
| Investment | ($180,950) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Net Cash Flow from Investments | ($180,950) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| CASH FLOW FROM FINANCING | ||||||
| Cash from equity | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Cash from debt | $315,831 | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | |
| Net Cash Flow from Financing | $315,831 | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | ($45,119) | |
| Net Cash Flow | $154,257 | $194,502 | $224,436 | $265,355 | $310,736 | |
| Cash at Beginning of Period | $0 | $154,257 | $348,760 | $573,195 | $838,550 | |
| Cash at End of Period | $154,257 | $348,760 | $573,195 | $838,550 | $1,149,286 |
YouTube Business Plan FAQs
What Is a YouTube Business Plan?
A YouTube business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your YouTube business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.
You can easily complete your YouTube business plan using our YouTube Business Plan Template here.
What are the Main Types of YouTube Businesses?
There are a number of different kinds of YouTube businesses, some examples include: Vlog Content, How-To Content, and Comedic Content.
How Do You Get Funding for Your YouTube Business Plan?
YouTube businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.
What are the Steps To Start a YouTube Business?
Starting a YouTube business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.
1. Develop A YouTube Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed YouTube business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.
2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your YouTube business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your YouTube business is in compliance with local laws.
3. Register Your YouTube Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your YouTube business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.
4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your YouTube business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.
5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.
6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.
7. Acquire Necessary YouTube Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your YouTube business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation.
8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your YouTube business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.