The starting point of this thesis was the author's own goal to start a lunch restaurant in Kouvola. The aim was to find out the success factors of the entrepreneur and of the service business, as well as the preparation of the business plan process. The research question was: How to start a successful restaurant business? The aim was to design a company with the best chances to succeed, with the help of the theory and the results of the research. A market survey was carried out, which consisted of a survey and of an expert interview. Based on the theory and the results, a business plan was prepared for the company.

The theory part dealt with the success factors and the characteristics of the entrepreneur. The need for funding, resources and planning was also looked into carefully. The most important success factors for a service business were appropriately discussed. In addition, features, contents and preparation of a good business plan were examined. In the research part, a two-segment market research was carried out, the results of which were analysed for the business plan.

The results of the survey revealed the kind of lunch restaurant for which there is a demand in Kouvola. The results helped to plan the brand image, the atmosphere and the produce selection of the lunch restaurant, as well as its location, opening hours and prices. The interview revealed what one should pay special attention to and invest in when starting a business. The results of the interview showed the importance of careful planning, as well as the challenges facing the new entrepreneur in the fierce competition.

It was concluded, with the help of the theory and research findings that in starting a successful service business the most important thing is to invest in the planning of the company and determining the demand. The plan must include activities related to all business areas. The demand is the lifeblood of the business. Both for the funding and for the well-being of the future business, there is a need to invest in the preparation of a business plan and in particular in incorporating realistic calculations.