Organizational Structure

Below is a breakdown of our organizational structure:

CEO
Tariq Silver

CFO
Dakota Bourne

Sales
Brock Burnett - VP
Darran Brooks
Tationna Johnson
Anaya Melton

IT
Orion Martin - VP
Charles Kaltenthaler
Robert Blair

Finance
Michelle Park - VP
Jessica Elery
William Palmieri
Andrea Ayala

Admin
Shane Carney - VP
Andrew Oglesby
Taylor Keen

Human Resources
Wyatt Harris - VP
Skyler Dixon
Ka'Dondre Crawford

Time to Start Up the Start-Up

This week, we are going to work on two things at once: creating the business plan and registering our business with the VE Network.  We will begin to break up our work by department so that we can maximize efficiency in completing our weekly tasks.  Moving forward (at least until next semester), tasks will often be assigned by department, not by day.  This means you won’t see a daily list of objectives and clear target.  Rather, you will see a breakdown of objectives for each department with either a common or department-specific clear target.  Further, there will be much fewer PowerPoint presentations or lecture from me.  Beginning Monday, my role as facilitator will be to act as your guide on the side.

Our clear target for the week is simple:

We can apply business concepts to launch a virtual startup business.

The tasks for the week can be found below.  Don’t be intimidated by this list.  You can all get it done:

All

·      Log onto the portal - I'll demo for everyone on my computer

·      Reach out to business partners

o   I will touch upon how to approach these business partners in class on Tuesday.

Executives: CEO and CFO

·      Complete business registration form online

o   Basic things can be completed quickly

o   Particulars will take a couple or three days

§  Which type of corporation? Why?

§  Budget

·      Payroll

·      Rent

·      Utilities  - based on schedule I’ll find for you

·      Advertising/promotion

·      Inventory

·      Equipment

·      Supplies

§  How accurate will our budget be? 

***Please consult with Accounting/Finance Department to complete the financial information.  You will all need to research accurate figures to operate your business properly.  Your research results will either help or hurt us in receiving seed money.

Accounting/Finance

·      Assist executives in completing business registration form

·      Determine salaries for all employees at each level

o   Check O-net or Jobs4tn

o   Use the low end for salaries since we only have 19 employees

Sales/Marketing

·      Create product line – list EVERY product you intend to sell 

o   If you intend to do parties, include 2-3 packages at minimum

o   Base this on your audience – how much will they buy and what are they willing to pay?

·      Work on the 5 P’s

o   Product

o   Price

o   Place

o   Promotion

o   Positioning

Use the Scoring Rubric to complete the marketing mix 5 P’s.  We will utilize this rubric when writing anything for the business plan.

Admin and Human Resources

·      Establish company goals and refine mission statement and company vision – to be complete and approved by the firm at end of class Wednesday

·      Create company directory spreadsheet

·      Establish office equipment needed to start up - collaborate with Accounting/Finance department so our start-up costs are accurate.

Use the Scoring Rubric to complete mission statement.  We will utilize this rubric when writing anything for the business plan.

IT/Web Design

·      Company vision: how does each of the following look?

o   The business

o   The employees

o   The products

o   The customers

·      Begin making website

Begin by working on the company website design.  Once marketing has completed its product line (may not be until Wednesday) you can begin to add products to the site.  Remember, our products require a buy-now button when customers buy from us, and Mal’s is by far the easiest free one to use, however there will be an option to use a buy now from the VE home site (recommended).

I know it looks like a lot of work.  It is.  Starting up a business is a daunting task.  It requires you to work in class and out of class in order to succeed.  But don’t worry, guys.  You’re the best students in your class and are very capable of doing all this work really well. 

Interview Week + Announcement of Our Executive Board

This week is one of my favorite weeks of the VE year.  Between Monday and Friday it’s all about the interviews!  Each day we will have at least two student interviews for different openings in each department.  As observers, you will analyze and critique each interview and provide constructive criticism after each one is finished to help improve that student’s abilities moving forward.  Below is a breakdown of how class will be structured.

Monday through Friday: Departmental Interviews

Clear Target: We can analyze and critique a business interview

Upon entering the room, you will first log into the computer and access this blog.  Then, click on our Interview Critique Sheets so you can fill one out for each interview.  I will call the interviewee to the front of the room, display his/her resume on the screen for everyone to review, and then conduct a professional interview.  Here are some really helpful questions toprepare for as your interview approaches.  After each interview, the class will discuss what went well and what could have been done differently.  When finished, we’ll submit our critique sheets and begin a new one.

The order for next week’s interviews can be found below:

1. Palmieri, William
2. Oglesby, Andrew
3. Melton, Anaya
4. Martin, Orion
5. Keen, Taylor
6. Kaltenthaler, Charles
7. Johnson, Tationna
8. Elery, Jessica
9. Dixon, Skyler
10. Crawford, Ka'Dondre
11. Burnett, Brock
12. Brooks, Darran
13. Blair, Robert
14. Ayala, Andrea 

If you’ve made it this far into the blog and are still wondering who our organizational leaders will be, your wait is over.  Congratulations to our CEO Tariq Silver and our CFO Dakota Bourne.  Both races were extremely close and each candidate did an excellent job putting his/her best foot forward.

Well, that’s it for this week. Understand that we will go through about three interviews per class period so you should plan your professional dress accordingly.  I look forward to all your interviews and getting this business up and running.

First Set of Company Tasks

Welcome to another school year of VE blogs!  As you already know, I will blog your weekly tasks as my lesson plans and you are responsible for reading through these prior to the beginning of class every Monday.  By doing this, we can begin class every week without wasting time figuring out what we need to accomplish.  Over the past two plus years, this has worked very well and I know it will continue to be a great resource for all of us.  

Above this text, you see two very distinct, well-recognized logos that mean a lot to the American culture.  This week, you will work on designing a logo of your own to allow our customers to easily recognize Make-A-Meal!  In addition, you will be responsible for creating a company vision, mission statement, rules and procedures, finish your resumes, and our executives will interview for their desired positions.  This all seems like a lot of work, but if you dedicate yourselves to completing the assignments, divide the work appropriately, and focus, there is no reason why it can’t be done.  Please see below for a breakdown of our tasks by day:

Monday and Tuesday:

In my absence, you will split up the following duties and complete them by the end of class Tuesday:

1. Create company logo: I suggest making two or three designs and voting on which one works best.  Don’t hesitate to take different aspects of different logos and combine them into one if you wish.  Feel free to use chart paper near the filing cabinets and the Mr. Sketch markers, which can be found in the bottom drawer of my desk.  Please ask the sub to get them if you want to use them.
2. Company Vision: Research what a company vision or vision statement is all about.  It’s basically a declaration of what you want your business to be.  This is different from a mission statement and aims at longer-term goals.  The article linked above, along with other resources you find online, will be of great assistance
3. Mission Statement: Construct a clear mission statement for the organization.  Use the article above to help craft your statement.  You can also check out some other mission statements from Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Nike.
4. Company Rules & Procedures: Please establish at least 4 standards by which we will operate.  Mike Krzyzewski, Head Basketball Coach at Duke University has no rules for his team.  Rather, he establishes standards for his players to follow.  Feel free to create a list of rules or standards, and make them effective in guiding how we operate.
5. Finish your resume: If you distribute the workload appropriately, we can have tasks 1 through 4 finished by the end of class Monday or some time during the beginning of class Tuesday.  Either way, please use your remaining class time to finish your resume.  When I return to class Wednesday, we will no longer work on the resume in class, and all resumes will be due to me via email or shared with my Google Drive by 8/25.

Wednesday

Clear Target: We can apply effective interview techniques

When class begins on Wednesday, I would like to have a briefing on our logo, company vision, and mission statement.  Then, I will discuss how I plan to conduct our interviews for this coming year.  The main focus of this lecture/discussion will be establishing the fact that everything you do in an interview will be scrutinized, and if you focus on WIIFM, or “what’s in it for me?”  If every answer you provide demonstrates the value you can contribute to the organization, and if these answers are 100% genuine, you can walk out of any interview knowing you have put your best foot forward.  We’ll take notes and address any specific pressing questions to prepare for our interviews.  It’s impossible to learn everything you need to know about interviews in one class period, but if you can take home a few helpful tips and give your best effort, you’ll do very well when your name is called.  Also, we’ll dedicate far more time to interview preparation next semester as we approach Mock Interview Competition.

Thursday and Friday:

Clear Target: We can analyze and critique a business interview

On Thursday and Friday, we’ll simply observe, analyze, critique, and discuss all of our prospective executives’ interviews.  When class begins, we’ll all log into the computers and access our electronic Interview Critique Sheets so we can keep records of things that went well and what could have been better, as well as whether or not we would consider the candidate for the position.  You will complete a critique form for every interview you witness.

After all our prospective CEOs have interviewed, we will vote on who will be our next Chief Executiive Officer.  After all our prospective CFOs have interviewed, we will again have a final vote.  Beginning Monday 8/29, we will have a list of interviews for all other employees.  

That’s it for this week.  I know you will do an excellent job completing all your tasks, but if you require any assistance, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email.  I will gladly help you get it done!

Real Life Finances

Below is a breakdown of this week's lessons.  We will build off of our budgeting discussion and break down money management throughout the month.  I've given you all a typical starting salary for a typical job in which you net approximately $2,500/month in 2 pay periods ($1,250 on the15th and last day of each month).  I've assigned typical expenses and due dates in the "Typical Monthly Expenses" Google sheet.  With this information, we'll do the following:

Monday

B/R: Open budget spreadsheet and enter the fictitious values from our Google sheet

C/T: We can analyze essential financial information

1.       Set up bank account with first check

a.       What to bring?

                                                               i.      ID – 2 forms

                                                             ii.      Your check

2.       Use debit card

3.       Look at a check

a.       Routing number

b.      Account number

c.       Check number

Tuesday

B/R: Draw a check using the image provided:

C/T: We can analyze essential financial information

1.       Watch me fill out a check

2.       Write your own check for rent

3.       Other scenario for writing a check

Wednesday

B/R: Differentiate between routing # and account #

C/T: We can analyze essential financial information

1.       Online payments

a.       Easier? Harder? Safer?

b.      Scenarios for them

c.       Should you memorize routing & account #s?

2.       Which bills can you pay online?

3.       Can you send checks without a checkbook?

Thursday

B/R: Write due dates for each bill

C/T: We can analyze essential financial information

1.       How do you keep up with bills?

a.       Smart phone reminders

b.      Date book

c.       Email alerts

2.       How much cash should you carry at all times?

3.       What to do when emergency occurs

Friday

B/R: What is a realistic emergency that could occur?

C/T: We can analyze essential financial information

1.       What if that emergency costs more than what you have?

a.       Bills will still be due

b.      Negotiating payment plans for medical expenses

c.       Repercussions of not negotiating payment plans

2.       Blog post about what was learned this week

Imperative

As you can see, the definition of imperative is "of vital importance; crucial."  This week, as the year, along with many of your high school careers, winds down, I would like to take some time to provide you with some information that I feel is imperative to know prior to venturing off into college or the real world.  For this reason, I've reserved the Large Group Instruction (LGI) room Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday so that we will have limited distractions and a comfortable setting in which to engage in meaningful discussion.  

Much of the material covered in class this week has already been covered in other courses throughout high school, but I feel as if refreshing your memory and adding some important details will allow you to walk out of class (and into the real world) with a clear understanding of the most important aspects of each lesson.

Below is a breakdown of our week:

Monday (in LGI Room):

The W2 and W4 forms - what are they and why have them?  What is the goal of filling out a W4?  How do you read a W2 form?  Why might you claim a smaller/larger number on your W4?  What is the ideal scenario for filling out a W4?

Tuesday (in classroom):

On Tuesday, we're going to discuss in class some other topics you might want to know about before next year.  Have you ever heard people talk about business-related or other financial topics that you think you should know about?  We can compile a list for future lessons.  Additionally, we will discuss other class-related topics.

Wednesday (in LGI Room):

This lesson about financial goals is really interesting.  Knowing what you want to do with your money moving forward (car? apartment? computer?) will help you with financial goals that you can set for the short-term and long-term.  The information learned in this lesson will help greatly with Thursday's topic.

Thursday (in LGI Room):

How do you prevent yourself from running out of money at the end of the week/month?  Where does all your money go?  We'll discuss budgeting and exactly how to predict/calculate your weekly/monthly expenditures and how your budget affects your short-term and long-term financial goals.

Friday (in classroom):

On Friday, you'll blog about the biggest takeaways from this week's lessons, as well as share at least two suggestions for future "Imperatives" lessons.  

See you Monday!

Thank-You Letters & Writing Prompt

This week, we're going to accomplish two larger projects.  First you will compose and send thank-you letters to your interviewer from Mock Interview Day.  Second, to complete your N4 writing prompt, you will compose an argumentative essay about the new minimum wage in California.  The week breaks down like this:

Monday:
Review this article and this follow-up article about the value of thank-you letters after an interview.  We'll discuss what goes in a post-interview thank-you letter and some of the highlights of Mock Interview Day.

Tuesday:
I'll be out chaperoning a Health Science Academy trip, so you'll have the entire class period to compose your thank-you letters.  Make sure to save your letters to your student drop box AND your Google Drive.

Wednesday:
We're going to read and discuss this article about the increasing minimum wage in California.  After this article was published, California passed the proposed increase, and minimum wage will grow to $15/hour by 2018.  To students, this might sound like an awesome thing, but please think about what this does to the budget of a business and the effects on the number of employees a business is capable of paying.

Thursday:
I'll be in class for the first half of the period, but then I will have Admin Duty.  While I'm in class, I'm going to review the Argumentative Writing Rubric and then allow you to begin writing your argumentative essays to address the following prompt:

Based on what you read in the News ELA article "California's Lowest-Paid Workers Could Soon Get a Raise," compose an argumentative essay about whether you think the increased state minimum wage would have a positive or negative impact on employment.  Be sure to address the effects of an increase in the cost of labor, how the farming industry will have to adjust, and what will happen to the wealth of business owners.  Cite specific examples from the text to defend your opinion.

Friday:
Any student who missed an interview on Mock Interview Day will complete an interview in class.  From there, you will complete the rest of your writing prompt and submit via Faculty Drop Box.

That's it for this week.  See you Monday!