The nature of our struggling economy means that more and more individuals are starting side businesses, working out of their homes or out of mobile offices. Consequently, many of the support services provided internally by larger businesses and corporations are lacking in these new, smaller, leaner enterprises. These services include, but are not limited to:
• graphic design,
• pre-press and print services
• copying
• electronic communication & faxing
• business signage and graphics
• specialty promotional items
• packing & shipping
• P.O. boxes
• Meeting space
Our business concept addresses the needs of home-based, mobile and small businesses by combining many of these missing support services in one location. Each support service is equated to a module or application. These modules can be added to over time as new needs are identified - like adding ‘apps’ to a portable communications device.
Additionally, as the initial location solidifies a core collection of apps needed by the target demographic, the concept will be packaged into a franchisable enterprise and offered in new markets.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Week 6 Post Prompt - Introductory Paragraph
Here is an initial stab at an introductory paragraph for my business plan. I've incorporated a few suggestions from the 2/17 MOO session. Let me know what you all think and, please, suggest changes.
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Markel,
ReplyDeleteThis gives me such a clearer understanding of what your business will do. I think the changes you've made here make a lot of sense. I imagine that some of the other issues that were brought up in class (i.e. how does this differ from Fed Ex, how is this concept franchisable, what are the statistics on new small businesses in this economic downturn, etc.) can be addressed in the body of your proposal but this introduction looks good in terms of describing the function of this new business venture.
Looks like you're a blog post or so behind. You're right about businesses starting up at home. There are ways to streamline all of the things you list, and people are doing those, such as using marketing tools like VistaPrint, such as buying packaging in bulk through companies like ULine, such as using personal postage service weigh machines, going paperless, virtual meeting spaces, free conference call tools, PayPal instead of VISA card readers, etc.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing more blog posts.
ReplyDeleteI'm still not sure about the basic premise, that more people are opening side businesses at home. I recently had a chat with my tax adviser, and, at least anecdotally, he mentioned that a lot of small home businesses just weren't making it in this economy. ... The "like adding apps" line, too, doesn't connect with me. Or at least it seems a stretch. How is adding services like adding apps? I think of your business idea as almost the opposite of adding apps, since you are bringing non-digital services to small businesses. If the customer were adding apps, I think, it would be using digital services instead of businesses like yours. So I think the metaphor actually works against you.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea and can see where you're going with it. They used to call these facilities "business incubators" because small start-ups could use/rent the necessary facilities without large start-up costs, etc. You may want to make your opening paragraph more tightly focused with more detail. For example, "target demographics" and "new markets" sounds vague. Perhaps saying "to target home-based LLC's and S-Corps with less than 6 employees in medium-sized cities of less than 500,000 residents'?
ReplyDeleteJust a thought! Best Wishes!