Lucky You

I will begin this week's blog by patting myself on the back.  I feel as if I did a solid job preparing you to complete the business plan AND by providing a 1-week cushion for you to have your finalized plan submitted to Steffan.  I don't want to sound as if I tricked you, but I do want to share with you that we have another week to make sure our submission to Pitch Burner is the best it can be.

By the end of the week, we will have a finalized business plan that communicates a clear message to the reader.  Our plan will include data, graphics, and an easy-to-read flow that illustrates the hard work and preparation we put into the project.

Our business plan is to be submitted 10/5/15.  That said, we are going to take this week to scrutinize as many details as possible so that we will be ready for our submission date.  Below, I've detailed what we will do each day and how we can optimize our use of class time:

Monday:

Clear Targets for the week: We can create a business plan AND We can create a company vision

In order for our plan to read as clearly as possible, I want to make sure we all know our company goals and vision like the back of our hands.  Ryan will facilitate a meeting in which we all write down our company goals and vision.  

From here, we will discuss HOW our business plan will read so that an investor has a clear understanding of the role he/she will play by partnering with us.  This discussion will address each section of the plan and you will take notes on how to perfect what you have written.  We will then create a Google Form Questionnaire that addresses each goal so that we have data to support why our goals will be effective.  This discussion will take a majority of the class period.  

We will also coordinate who will work concessions 10/6 and 10/8.  I will be available to supervise our concession sales, so there will be no need to have another adult present.

Tuesday through Friday:

For the remainder of the week, we will fix how each section of the business plan sounds.  You will use some of my feedback as well as suggestions from your teammates to finalize the plan.  We will:

1. Fix the diction of the plan
2. Input data results with graphics/charts from the questionnaire
3. Re-Read final draft
4. Put it all together

Assignments for each section of the plan can be found below:

Table of Contents and Final Layout of Plan

Steffan Harris

Cover Page Design and Layout:

IT Department

Executive Summary:

Josh Hanks, CEO

Company Description:

Admin Department

Management Functions:

Admin and HR Departments

Current Economic Conditions:

Andrew Tyree, CFO

Industry Analysis (Real and Virtual):

Sales and Finance Departments

Market Segmentation, Marketing Mix (5 P’s), and Company Analysis

Sales Department

Breakeven Analysis and All Financial Data:

Finance Department

SWOT Analysis and Business Risks:

HR Department

Please adhere to the requirements set forth by the rubric and use previous plans (along with the Gotham Enterprises model) to guide you as you go.  Please also make use of all links available on the VEI Website:

That's it for this week.  I look forward to a productive five days.  See you tomorrow.

Business Plan - Revise & Finalize - Plus Some Fundraising Information

This week, we will review some sponsorship/fundraising opportunities, review feedback on the business plan as it had been drafted, read through the draft, and revise/finalize our business plan.  The final draft will be submitted to pitch burner on Monday, September 28.  This is an exciting time of year, as we will have completed the first of many challenges of the 2015-16 school year.

On Monday, before we review feedback on our business plan, we will gather our concession stand donations and store them in the supply closet for safe keeping.  This supply closet is where all concessions will remain when we are not selling them after school.  After this, we will review the Sponsorship Letter I drafted so that we all know how to approach community leaders and businesses when we request their donations for this year's trips.  We will also create a list of businesses and community leaders who each student will approach for sponsorship.  This must be an orderly meeting.  I understand you will be eager to finalize the business plan, but please refrain from working on anything on the computer while we are covering these topics.

On Tuesday, we will read the plan as it was submitted.  This will give everyone an idea of how the plan sounds when completely constructed (prior to revision).  We will then review the feedback I provided for each section of the business plan.  In addition to grammatical and spelling errors, I have addressed how the business plan should read.  Many of you wrote the plan to sound as if it is a commercial for Pick-It Sweets & Treats.  While it is somewhat of a promotional artifact, a business plan should read more like a business document.  This means a majority of your revisions will be changing the diction and overall feel of the plan.  Most of what was submitted was very effective.  We will just make some minor adjustments before submission.

Wednesday and Thursday we will make the necessary revisions to the plan and do a final read through.  Although I won't be in class on Thursday (or Friday), Josh and Andrew will oversee the final read.  Any minor adjustments can be made at this time, and the final draft can be put together by Steffan over the weekend.

On Friday, you will reflect on the business plan creation process.  You will address the following questions and write/publish a blog post to let me know how much you enjoyed this project.  For some of you, this was the first time you contributed to a team business plan, so I look forward to reading your entries.  Questions are below:

What were your responsibilities in contributing to the business plan?
Did you feel your job would be easy?  Why?
Was your contribution to the business plan easy? How so?
How well do you understand how to write a business plan after completing this process?  Do you have any suggestions for improving next year's plan?
What did you learn from your role in the business plan creation?
If you had to write a business plan on your own, what would you do well and what would you struggle with?  Why?

That's it for this week.  I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Finish the Draft - Meet Our Deadline

This week, we will continue our focus on completing the business plan.  This is our biggest project of this Nine Weeks and I will look for an update on your progress on Wednesday.  The finished product, as laid out by our executive team, is to be submitted by Friday. 

Next week, we will have a formal read of the plan, presented by each member of the team who completed each section.  This will lead us to revise and perfect the plan so that we can submit the final draft on 9/28.  Oral presentation will be the focus of our work of 9/28 through 10/2.

Below you will find your departmental responsibilities for each element of the plan:

Table of Contents and Final Layout of Plan

Steffan Harris

Cover Page Design and Layout:

IT Department

Executive Summary:

Josh Hanks, CEO

Company Description:

Admin Department

Management Functions:

Admin and HR Departments

Current Economic Conditions:

Andrew Tyree, CFO

Industry Analysis (Real and Virtual):

Sales and Finance Departments

Market Segmentation, Marketing Mix (5 P’s), and Company Analysis

Sales Department

Breakeven Analysis and All Financial Data:

Finance Department

SWOT Analysis and Business Risks:

HR Department

Please adhere to the requirements set forth by the rubric and use previous plans (along with the Gotham Enterprises model) to guide you as you go.  Please also make use of all links available on the VEI Website:

These will serve as your online support system.  If you make use of all your resources (your minds, online searches, your handsome facilitator, and the resources on the VEI webpage), you will succeed.

I know you have been working diligently on this already and trust that this year’s plan will be more comprehensive than our submission last year.  This plan is the foundation for our scores to qualify for the State Competition and beyond.  Our focus this year is getting beyond the Regional Competition, and perfecting this plan will make that happen.  I especially enjoy the fact that we are adhering to deadlines so that we can revise and perfect our plan. 

The Start of a Three-Week Sprint!

This week, we only have four working days, since we had Monday off for Labor Day.  Although we weren’t in the classroom, I am very pleased to have received some work from a few students to help keep the business moving along.  Thanks to Makayla Lewis and Josh Hanks for working hard during the weekend.  Your efforts did not go unrecognized.

Since we only have four days, we will need to work diligently to make sure we meet our deadline (9/28) to complete our business plan to submit for the Regional Competition.  Our goals are pretty simple, so I’ll list them here:

1.    Finalize Mission Statement and Company Vision

a.    Ryan his department will again present our options for a mission statement.  We will choose a mission statement and Ryan’s team will work on improving the diction of the mission statement so that we have a solid idea of our company goals

2.    Choose Company Vision

a.    This will be added to the business plan after our Mission Statement and will paint a clear picture of the future of Pick-It Sweets & Treats

b.    Ryan and Makayla will work together to make sure this is carried out to meet our high standards of excellence

3.    Business Plan Sign-up/Trade Fair Sign-up/Business Registration

a.    Executives are to complete this by end of business Wednesday

4.    Analyze Business Plan Rubric and lay out a plan of action

a.    Vice Presidents will work out which department is responsible for different elements of the business plan

b.    Each department understands the 9/28 deadline, but will set goals for what to complete by 9/11, 9/18, and 9/25

                                               i.     Please make sure to work interdepartmentally to make sure we are on the same page for each element of the plan

c.     Within each department, delegate who is in charge of each piece of the puzzle

5.    Begin writing the plan

a.    PLEASE UTILIZE LAST YEAR’S PLAN TO SET A BASELINE FOR WHAT WE EXPECT.  WORK TO IMPROVE ON THAT PLAN

b.    PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ANY ELEMENT OF THE RUBRIC UNADDRESSED.  THIS COULD COST US A TRIP TO THE STATE FINALS

c.     DON’T HESITATE TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN

                                               i.     Some departments may not have direct connections to certain elements, but you can use their expertise for help if your department has a lot to cover

d.    MAKE USE OF THE POWERPOINTS AND LINKS FROM OUR GOOGLE DRIVE

                                               i.     I have laid out how to address just about every element of the plan.  Use this information

                                             ii.     Consult with Google and the sample business plan on www.veinternational.org (Gotham) if you need further assistance

Daily tasks are broken down below:

Tuesday

Objectives: Determine Mission Statement & Company Vision, Summarize what our business is and how we fill a need in the economy, Divide Responsibility for completion of Business Plan

Clear Target: We can create a business plan

We will begin class with a structured discussion of which Mission Statement works best for this year.  We have for the most part determined that submission 1 is closest to what we want.  We will offer a few suggestions for Ryan to refine the diction on this and Ryan will get back to the drawing board to finish the statement.

Next, we will help with the Company Vision statement and make sure Admin & HR have a good understanding of our future.

Once this is complete, we will analyze the written scoring rubric so that we can delegate which department will complete each section.  We will be organized in delegating responsibility and not begin working on any section of the plan until we have divided the responsibilities up completely.

Wednesday through Friday:

Objectives: Set deadlines for each week of business plan work, work on business plan

Clear Target: We can create a business plan

The only formal work we need to accomplish for the rest of the week is determining weekly deadlines.  Last year, we did not do a great job of finishing things in a timely manner, and by setting deadlines, we will learn from our mistakes and finish each portion of our work on time.  We will also work on completing work outside of class if needed so that we remain on schedule.

Once deadlines are set, it’s on you.  Please make use of all your resources (Google Drive, PowerPoints, previous plans, VE Portal resources) so that we can make the most impressive business plan.  You all have it in you if you work together, and I will be available for assistance as needed.

I look forward to the three-week sprint ahead of us.  I am confident this year can be our year to go to the State Finals and perhaps even further.  See you tomorrow!