Market Research Report on An Exploratory and Descriptive Study of Online, Off...
Business Plan
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary........................................................................................................................ 3
Company Description ..................................................................................................................... 6
Industry Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 8
Industry Size, Growth Rate, and Sales Projections..................................................................... 8
Industry Structure........................................................................................................................ 9
Nature of Participants................................................................................................................ 10
Key Success Factors.................................................................................................................. 12
Industry Trends ......................................................................................................................... 12
Long-Term Prospects................................................................................................................ 13
Market Analysis............................................................................................................................ 14
Market Segmentation and Target Market Selection.................................................................. 14
Target Market Size.................................................................................................................... 15
Buyer’s Behavior....................................................................................................................... 16
Competitor Analysis.................................................................................................................. 17
Estimate of Annual Sales and Market Share............................................................................. 18
Marketing Plan.............................................................................................................................. 20
Overall Marketing Strategy....................................................................................................... 20
Positioning................................................................................................................................. 20
Points of Differentiation............................................................................................................ 20
Pricing Strategy......................................................................................................................... 21
Promotion Activities ................................................................................................................. 22
Annual Marketing Budget......................................................................................................... 23
Management Team and Company Structure................................................................................. 24
Management Team.................................................................................................................... 24
Skill Profile and Gaps in the Management Team ..................................................................... 25
Ownership and Compensation .................................................................................................. 25
Other Professionals ................................................................................................................... 26
S&Hs Co. Organizational Chart................................................................................................ 26
Position Descriptions................................................................................................................. 27
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Corporate Culture...................................................................................................................... 30
Operations and Development Plan................................................................................................ 31
Operations Model and Procedures ............................................................................................ 31
Business Location ..................................................................................................................... 32
Manufacturer............................................................................................................................. 33
Distribution................................................................................................................................ 34
Development Status and Tasks ................................................................................................. 34
Challenges and Risks ................................................................................................................ 35
Intellectual Property.................................................................................................................. 36
Financial Projections..................................................................................................................... 37
Source and Use of Funds Statement.......................................................................................... 37
Assumption Sheet...................................................................................................................... 38
Pro Forma Income Statements .................................................................................................. 40
Pro Forma Balance Sheets......................................................................................................... 43
Pro Forma Cash Flow Statements............................................................................................. 44
Appendices.................................................................................................................................... 47
Appendix A: Concept Statement............................................................................................... 47
Appendix B: First Screen Research .......................................................................................... 48
Appendix C: Consumer Survey Research................................................................................. 57
Appendix D: Survey Analysis................................................................................................... 61
Appendix E: Concept Statement Feedbacks ............................................................................. 64
Appendix F: Product Design..................................................................................................... 69
Works Cited .................................................................................................................................. 70
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Executive Summary
Introduction
Identity theft has been the top consumer complaint for 13 years. In 2012, there were 369,132
complaints related to identity theft, which was 18 percent of all consumer complaints. In order to
protect customers from identity theft, S&Hs Co. creates an innovative security wallet, called
Protégy, with three unique features: RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) blocking, fingerprint
access, and GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking device.
Company Description
S&Hs Co. creates a new, modern, and innovative security wallet, called Protégy. Protégy is a
pocket-sized foldable wallet made of leather, with the interior of the wallet made of carbon
fiber, which is a lightweight material five times as strong as steel. Protégy protects customers
from identity theft in any type of pickpocketing, either digital or physical, with its three security
features. RFID feature blocks all radio signals from a reader that high-tech hackers use to scan
credit cards, debit cards, drivers’ licenses and other RFID cards. The fingerprint access feature
protects customers from thefts accessing their wallet physically. GPS tracking device helps
customers to be able to locate their wallets on our app in their phones or computers. In
comparison to a regular wallet, Protégy will give users a much higher degree of protection for
their assets.
Industry Analysis
S&Hs Co. will compete in the “Men’s Clothing Stores Industry” in the United States (NAICS
Code 448110 and SIC Code 5611). The industry is in the maturity phase of its life cycle. Growth
is being driven primarily by situations and prospects of the economy. Therefore, the industry’s
biggest challenge is that the economy affects the demand. When the economy is healthy,
consumers have more disposable income to buy more clothing.
The industry is competitive. Men’s clothing stores, on average, earn around a 6.6 percent net
profit (IBISWorld, March 2015). The key success factors are ability to control stock on hand,
having a clear market position, establishments of brand names, production of goods currently
favored by the market, and attractive product presentation.
Market Analysis
S&Hs Wallet Co. will be targeting the New York City area because this is the second highest
place with identity theft after Miami, Florida, but New York City residents have higher
disposable income. Since Protégy will be priced as a luxury product and only be available to
men, the company will focus on people who are above their 30s and have annual income level
above $100,000. Approximately, there are 1,028,515 men living in New York City with an
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annual level income of over $100,000. In addition, roughly seven percent of U.S. households
reported identity theft in 2014. As a result, the targeted men in New York City totaled at 71,996.
Protégy will be priced at $149 with a five percent of total market in New York City. Sales are
expected to increase three percent each year. The total estimated annual sales in dollars and unit
sales in three years are shown below:
Year 2016 2017 2018
Growth rate (%) 3% 3%
Total Projected Unit sales 3,600 3,708 3,823
Total Projected Sales $536,400 $552,492 $569,627
Marketing Plan
The overall objective of S&Hs Co.’s marketing strategy is to make adult males 30 years of age or
older living in New York City aware of the unique features of Protégy.
The company’s points of differentiation are as follows:
S&Hs Co. is the only company in our target market offering a security wallet with
fingerprint access and GPS tracking, in addition to the RFID blocking feature.
Strong emphasis placed on the user’s aspect of having reassurance that their assets in the
wallet are greatly protected.
Provide a wide range of color options.
Our promotional plan will incorporate areas of advertising, personal selling, and public relations.
S&Hs Co. will sell Protégy in 16 high end men’s clothing retailers such as Barneys New York,
Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, and
Bloomingdale’s.
Management Team and Company Structure
S&Hs Co. is led by its cofounders: Hieu Duong (CEO) who will be the executive leader and
human resource manager, Sean Bierly (CFO) who will work with financials and accounting, and
Hieu Tran (COO) who will work on the company’s sales and distribution. The director of
research and development and director of marketing and sales will be hired in the future once the
company has a stable profit. All three members are graduates from Lycoming College.
Hieu Duong will receive a 30% ownership of the company whereas Sean Bierly and Hieu Tran
will both receive 25% ownership. The other 20% of the business will go to the investor.
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Operations and Development Plan
S&Hs Co. will be operating a 500 square foot office space in New York City, NY. We will sign
a contract with Guangzhou Beron Leather Goods Co., Ltd for manufacturing and 16 high-end
retailers in New York City and suburban areas within 30 miles from the city for distribution.
The design of Protégy will be sent electronically to the manufacturer in China. After the products
are made, they will be shipped directly to our retailers in the United Sates. Therefore, S&Hs Co.
will not be required to carry a significant amount of inventory.
Funding Sought:
The company is seeking $140,000 for 20 percent equity of the company.
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Company Description
Introduction
S&Hs Co. will release to the public a new, modern, and innovative security wallet, called
Protégy. Protégy is a pocket-sized foldable wallet made of leather, with the interior of the wallet
made of carbon fiber, a lightweight material five times as strong as steel. Protégy protects
customers from identity theft in any type of pickpocketing, either digital or physical, with its
RFID blocking, fingerprint access, and GPS tracking features. In comparison to a regular wallet,
Protégy will give users a much higher degree of protection for their assets.
S&Hs Co. was founded by Sean Bierly, Hieu Duong, and Hieu Tran, who are all graduates from
Lycoming College. The company is located at 207 East 94th
Street, New York City, New York.
Hieu Duong can be reached by phone at (570) 692-2319 or via e-mail at
protegy.wallet@gmail.com
Mission Statement
We value customers’ experiences and commit to protect them from identity theft. Our company’s
core mission is to provide a durable and effective security wallet that protects customers from
identity theft, as well as, overall increased protection of assets.
Tagline
S&Hs Co.’s tagline is “Increase Assets, Increase Protection.” We believe that people with higher
income levels (Increased Assets) will want a higher degree of protection (Increased Protection)
from theft of their identity or cash.
Product and Services
S&Hs Co. will introduce a unique wallet, Protégy, which is equipped with state of the art
security features. Protégy is equipped with RFID blocking. The RFID blocking feature prevents
high-tech hackers from scanning customers’ passports, credit cards, debit cards, drivers’ licenses
and other RFID cards. Protégy is the only security wallet with both fingerprint access and GPS
tracking, which will give us a huge edge over our competitors. Our company’s main competitors
are Wurkin Stiffs and Stewart/Stand.
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Current Status
If funding is obtained, distribution of Protégy to retailers will start on January 2016. The
following milestones have been completed and remain to be completed.
Completed Milestones
Established S&Hs Company
Completed first screen research, concept statement, and consumer survey
Completed and presented business plan to experts
Milestones to be completed
Obtain funding
Contact manufacturers
Lease an office building
Implement marketing plan
Start the business in January 2016
Funding Sought
S&Hs Co. will be seeking $140,000 for 20 percent equity of the company.
Legal Status and Ownership
S&Hs Co. is a limited liability corporation incorporated in the state of New York. The company
is currently owned by three individuals with experience in accounting, taxation, media and
marketing campaigns. A more in depth schedule of ownership is provided in the “Management
Team and Company Structure” section of the business plan.
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Industry Analysis
Industry Definition
S&Hs Co. will compete in the “Men’s Clothing Stores Industry” in the United States (NAICS
Code 448110 and SIC Code 5611).1
Companies in this industry operate physical retail
establishments that sell clothing and accessories. Industry products include jeans, shirts,
sweaters, underwear, socks, watches, belts, hats, caps, wallets, gloves, and others. The
accessories segment takes 7.5 percent of the industry revenues.
Industry Size, Growth Rate, and Sales Projections
Industry Size
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Industry Sales $8.9 billion $9.5 billion $10 billion $10.4 billion $10.6 billion
Number of
Establishments
11,510 11,599 12,265 12,863 13,179
Employment 54,130 56,310 63,591 66,720 68,428
Industry Growth Rates
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Industry Sales -0.1% 7.3% 5.4% 3.5% 2.1%
Number of
Establishments
-2.1% 0.8% 5.7% 4.9% 2.5%
Employment -3.6% 4.0% 12.9% 4.9% 2.6%
Industry Sales Projections
2015 2016
Industry Sales $10.9 billion $11.3 billion
Growth Rate 2.3% 3.6%
1
Hoover's. "Clothing Stores Industry Company Lists." Hoover's Industry Overview. Web. Mar 17, 2015.
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Graphs
Source for all information: IBISWorld, February 2015.
Summary
The Men’s Clothing Stores Industry is in its maturity phase of its life cycle. Annual sales are
expanding. Growth is being driven primarily by situations and prospects of the economy.
Moreover, the industry's market and product selection has remained relatively unchanged for
decades. The industry’s biggest challenge is that demand depends mainly on the
economy. When the economy is healthy, consumers have more disposable income to buy more
clothing. The demand for products in Men’s Clothing Stores Industry has improved from 2011,
when the United States partly recovered from the Great Depression. As a result, sales growth rate
is expected to remain at three percent for the next five years.
Industry Characteristics
Industry Structure
The industry is fragmented, with only one major firm (after an acquisition) accounting for 20
percent of industry sales. There are many small men’s clothing stores across the United States,
which decreases industry concentration. Barriers to entry are moderate. The cost of establishing
new retail stores is high, but there are no major regulatory or license requirement to compete in
this industry.
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
10.5
11
AnnualSales(billion)
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 -1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
SalesGrowthRate
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Other structural characteristics of the industry include the following:
Basis for Competition: At the low end of the market, firms compete by price. At the high
end of the market, retailers do not compete on price, but rather on brand, quality of
clothing, style and service.
Globalization: Most of the firms in this industry operates domestically, only few players
operate internationally. Imports play a significant role in this industry. Most of the firms
hire a manufacturer from low-labor-cost countries, such as China or Vietnam.
Demographic Changes: Over the next 5 years, demographic trends will change men's
clothing stores' major markets. Baby boomers will retire and gradually exit the market,
while Generation X and Y will have higher purchasing power, becoming major segment
of the market.
Nature of Participants
Firms in the Industry. The industry is comprised of a wide variety of participants, ranging from
large companies to small firms engaging in many segments of the industry. In this industry, there
is only one single major player, which is The Men's Wearhouse Inc. (20.7%), followed by Casual
Male Retail Group (3.4%).2
Segmentation. The most common way to segment the industry is by product/service as shown
below.
2
2015. “Men’s Clothing Stores in the US”. IBISWorld Industry Report 44811.
31.90%
17.80%16.30%
7.50%
5.30%
4.20%
17% Casual wear
Office wear
Suits and formal wear
Accessories
Sport coats and blazers
Overcoats and raincoats
Other
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Clientele. The clientele of the industry is segmented as follows.
Age
Age Share of Market
6 – 15 years old 2%
16 – 29 years old 22%
30 – 49 years old 35%
50 – 64 years old 38%
65 and older 3%
Key Ratios
To gain as vivid a picture of the industry as possible, the following ratios were obtained from the
source cited.
Operating and Financial Ratios
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Total Revenue
per Establishment
$773
thousands
$819
thousands
$815
thousands
$808
thousands
$804
thousands
IVA/Revenue 22.2% 20.9% 24.5% 24.8% 25.0%
Wages/Revenue 15.6% 15.2% 17.1% 17.5% 17.6%
Employees per
Enterprise
4.7 4.9 5.2 5.2 5.2
Average Wage $25,640 $25,725 $26,950 $27,290 $27,291
IVA- Industry Value Added, which is the contribution of a private industry or government sector
to overall GDP.
Cost Structure Ratios
Item Percent of Cost
Profit 6.6%
Wages 18.0%
Purchases 57.4%
Depreciation 0.9%
Marketing 4.3%
Rent & Utilities 9.2%
Other 3.6%
Source: IBISWorld, February 2015.
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Key Success Factors
The key success factors for the industry are as follows3
:
Ability to control stock on hand: Avoiding oversupply or shortages in inventory is
important for every firms in this industry.
Having a clear market position: A company in this industry should position their market
clear and consistently to attract consumers.
Establishment of brand names: In this industry, a good brand name equals a good
business, driving purchases up.
Production of goods currently favored by the market: The product needs to follow the
fashion trend of the market.
Attractive product presentation: The design of the product and the store influence
consumers’ buying.
Industry Trends
There are a number of economic and business trends affecting the growth and attractiveness of
the men’s clothing stores industry. They are as follows.
Trends That Favor the Industry
Since American average weight increased quickly, demand for plus-size apparel is
growing.4
Demand for the industry is expected to increase as the economy is getting better, people
have more disposable income to spend.
Teenagers will soon become a main segment of the industry as they have more money to
spend. Low price is a key component in this demand for the market.
Trends Working Against the Industry
The weak dollar increases the import cost, decreasing profits of firms in the industry.
As more foreign companies are expanding into the United States, the competition in this
industry is high, reducing profit for each firm in the industry.
This industry does not receive any special government assistance. Import quotas and
tariffs are also not applicable to products within this industry as they are imposed at the
manufacturer level.5
3
2015. “Men’s Clothing Stores in the US”. IBISWorld Industry Report 44811.
4
Hoover's. "Clothing Stores Industry Trends & Opportunities." Hoover's Industry Overview. Web. Mar 31, 2015.
5
“Men’s Clothing Stores in the US”.
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Long-Term Prospects
Demand for the industry is expected to increase over the next five years, as the economy is in
good health and the unemployment continues to contract. Annual sales is expected to grow at
three pecent for the next five years, reaching $12.6 billion in 2020. Companies in this industry
anticipate in merger and acquisition activity to develop their brand names and increase market
share. Luxury brands can continue to sell at premium prices as the economy recovers.
Companies in this industry continue to outsource manufacturing to low-labor-cost countries such
as China, Vietnam, or Mexico.6
6
2015. “Men’s Clothing Stores in the US”. IBISWorld Industry Report 44811.
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Market Analysis
Market Segmentation and Target Market Selection
Market Segmentation
For the purpose of S&Hs Co. business plan, the Men’s Clothing Stores in the U.S. industry is
segmented by product type and age of buyer.
Product
Share of
Industry
Sales
Age of Buyer
Share of Industry
Sales
Casual wear 31.9% 6 – 15 years old 2%
Office wear 17.8% 16 – 29 years old 22%
Suit and formal wear 16.3% 30 – 49 years old 35%
Accessories 7.5% 50 – 64 years old 38%
Sport coats and blazers 5.3% 65 years and older 3%
Overcoats and raincoats 4.2%
Other 17.0%
Target Market Selection
S&Hs Co. will target the accessories segment of Men’s Clothing Stores Industry and men 30
years old and older in New York City. The following factors led to the decision to select this
market:
Geographic analysis. We chose New York City for our main geographic location because
it has the second highest rate of identity theft of all the cities in the United States. People
in New York City also have a high discretionary income, compared to others living in
different States.
Additional evidence. Males in NYC have higher discretionary income (mean estimate of
$75,076) compared to Miami, Florida (median earnings of $30,967), even though Miami
has the highest identity theft rates.7
Luxury accessories link to lifestyle and social status: Besides having highly secured
features within the wallet, consumers these days, especially people with high level
income, prefer to purchase luxury products to signal their social status. Thus, focusing
our target to New York City can help us find many people with high social status.
Growth potential of the target market. The population of New York City is consistently
on the rise, with a 3.5% increase projection between the years 2010-2020. In addition,
7
Burgoyne, Katie. "Identity Theft: Top 10 Cities Most At Risk." BBB Consumer News and Opinion Blog. 7 Aug.
2013. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.
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identity theft is currently the fastest growing crime in the United States.8
Thus, this
ensures that the demand within the target market is sure to strengthen.
Target Market Size
S&Hs Co. plans to open its first location in New York City, New York. There may be additional
locations in other big cities in the future. The following steps were taken to estimate the size of
S&Hs Co.’s target market.
Step 1: Determine S&Hs Co.’s geographic trade area:
We believe that New York City represents a reasonable approximation of S&Hs Co. This
is the biggest city in the United States, with a total population of more than 8 million people.
Since New York City has the second highest rate of identity theft, it is an ideal location for our
business. In addition, the city’s land area is smaller compared to other cities. This would be more
convenient for consumers to purchase the products.
Step 2: Determine the number of people in the range of 30 years old and older in S&Hs Co.’s
demographic and psychographic trade area that were victims of identity theft.
According to American FactFinder, which is a part of the U.S. Census Bureau, there are
320,497 males of ages from 30 to 34. There are 285,708 males from 35 to 39 years, 567,280
males from 40 to 44 years, 565,692 males from 45 to 49 years. There are 541,684 males from 50
to 54 years. Finally, with 1,883,170 males from ages 55 and over. These amounts total to
4,164,031 males from ages 30 and older living in New York City. In addition, about 24.7 percent
of the population in New York City has an annual income level above $100,000. Thus, we can
roughly estimate our potential male customers by multiplying 24.7 percent with 4,164,031,
which equals to 1,028,515 people. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, there is a seven
percent of U.S. households that reported identity theft in 2014. Therefore, we can roughly
assume that the number of people that were victims of identity theft is around 71,996 (7 percent
multiplies 1,028,515).9
Step 3: Determine the total size (in dollars) of S&Hs Co.’s target market for 2016.
Currently, the company has only one revenue driver, which is sales to retailers. In the
future, we may move on to sell our products in our own independent retail shops or online. We
estimated that the price of our product is $149 per unit. $149 multiply 71,996 (estimated number
of males in New York City that have income levels above $100,000 per year and were victims of
identity theft) equals $10,727,404.
8
Cooney, Michael. "Identity Theft Retains Its Throne as No.1 Worst Scourge in Top 10 Consumer Complaint List."
(2013). LexisNexis. Web. 8 Feb. 2015.
9
“Identity Theft / Fraud Statistics” U.S. Department of Justice, Javelin Strategy & Research. Web. April 1, 2015.
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Step 4: Determine the total size (in dollars) of S&Hs Co.’s target market for 2016, 2017 and
2018.
According to IBIS World, the growth rate for men’s clothing stores industry in sales for
2014 was 2.1 percent, which is a decent growth rate. A three percent figure is used below,
accounting for higher percentage of identity theft rate in New York City compared to other cities.
2016: $10,727,404*
2017: $11,049,226
2018: $11,380,702
* S&Hs Co. plans to open on January 2016
Buyer’s Behavior
Protégy requires small to no changes in their basic practices when using the product. The
following are the factors that affect the purchase decision for people in S&Hs Co.’s target
market:
Highly secured feature. In addition to the RFID feature that can be found in many wallet
brands these days, Protégy also includes fingerprint access and GPS tracking features.
These features help customers prevent not only digital identity theft, but also traditional
physical theft. Moreover, being in the second highest city with identity theft in the U.S.,
people would be more interested and influenced by product’s features.
Social Status. Protégy will be made from high quality material, thus it is considered a
luxury product. Some people may consider their standings in relation to other people
important within a society. As a result, our premium quality and price may attract these
types of consumers.
Security Concern. Identity theft has been the top consumer complaint for 13 years. In
2012, there were 369,132 complaints related to identity theft, which was 18% of all
consumer complaints. In addition, New York City totals an astonishing 23,297 victims
alone in 2012. Thus, including these features to the wallet can help reduce these numbers
significantly.10
10
Burgoyne, Katie. "Identity Theft: Top 10 Cities Most At Risk." BBB Consumer News and Opinion Blog. 7 Aug.
2013. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.
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Competitor Analysis
Direct Competitors
There are few competitors out there that have RFID wallets. These competitors usually have a
wide range of products besides wallets.
Wurkin Stiffs is a men’s accessories company. It started off as a clothing company. It
later branched out to different products and one of those is RFID wallet. Their wallets
have high-rating reviews with two styles of wallets, the bi-fold and credit card wallet.11
Stewart/Stand is a design company that sells men’s and women’s accessories. They
have many different styles of wallets such as bi-fold, tri-fold, credit card, and money slip.
However, only some of those styles have an RFID blocking feature.12
Indirect Competitors
Indirect competitors include companies that sell other luxury products that do not include wallets
with RFID feature. Some people may prefer investing their money into products like watches,
clothes, and other accessories. For example, Rolex, Farfetch, and Abercrombie & Fitch are all
top brands in the menswear industry.
Future Competitors
The RFID feature already has a strong market influence in the society. With the increase of high-
tech hackers in big cities these days, RFID will continue to grow in demand in the future.
However, physical pickpocketing still remains a big concern. S&Hs Co. hopes to establish a
strong lead against its future competitors with the fingerprint access and GPS tracking features.
Competitive Analysis Grid
Name S&Hs Co. Stewart/Stand Wurkin Stiffs
Geographic location Advantage Disadvantage Disadvantage
Staff Disadvantage Advantage Advantage
Styles of wallets Disadvantage Disadvantage Advantage
RFID blocking Even Even Even
GPS tracking Advantage Disadvantage Disadvantage
Fingerprint access Advantage Disadvantage Disadvantage
Price Advantage Even Even
Summary:
The grid shows that S&Hs Co. will have more advantages compared to its direct competitors.
Our retail location in New York City will be nearest to the target market compared to the
competitors’ online shops. Since S&Hs Co. is a new startup company, we do not have any
11
About Wurkin Stiffs | Würkin Stiffs. April 11, 2015.
12
Stewart/Stand. April 11, 2015.
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experienced staff for some key positions. In addition, our design of Protégy limits our products’
styles. However, we have significant advantages with our high-tech security features which are
the fingerprint access and GPS tracking system. Protégy also has an advantage in pricing since it
offers more features and higher built quality at a slightly higher price.
Estimate of Annual Sales and Market Share
The following steps were taken to estimate the size of S&Hs Co.’s annual sales.
Step 1: Determine number of customers that S&Hs Co. will have.
S&Hs Co. estimates that our potential customers will be around 3,600 people, which is
equivalent to 5 percent of the target market of 71,996 people within the first 12 months.
Step 2: Based on the 10,799 customers within the first 12 months, what will GHIM Stapler Co.’s
annual sales be?
We estimate that S&Hs Co. will take about 12 months to reach all 10,799 customers or
sale units. We expect to project 10,799 unit sales by the end of 2016 (the first year of business),
11,123 in 2017, and 11,456 in 2018.
Retail sales: The retail price for Protégy is $149 per unit. We do not have an online shopping
system at the moment. S&Hs Co. is planning to distribute our products to 16 high-end retailers:
Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord
& Taylor, and Bloomingdale’s. We expect to project high sales in the first month of 2016 since
we will implement a large investment in marketing advertisement in the first few months
(January, February, and March). However, sales will decrease in the middle of the year. We
expect to see high sales again during shopping season in November and December.
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2016 Unit Sales Projection
Monthly Sales Retail Distribution Total Sales in Dollars
January 432 units $64,368
February 360 units $53,640
March 288 units $42,912
April 144 units $21,456
May 144 units $21,456
June 108 units $16,092
July 144 units $21,456
August 180 units $26,820
September 180 units $26,820
October 180 units $26,820
November 648 units $96,552
December 792 units $118,008
Total 3,600 units $536,400
Total Projected Sales:
2016: $536,400.00 (Based on unit sales projections and retail price)
2017: $552,492.00
2018: $569,627.00
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Marketing Plan
Overall Marketing Strategy
The overall objective of S&Hs Co.’s marketing strategy is to enable adult males, 30 years of age
or older, living in New York City, aware of the unique design and protection that are provided by
using Protégy. We do not plan on launching advertisements on the national television channels.
Our overall approach will be to generate popular support and word-of-mouth referrals through a
series of marketing tactics that will demonstrate the security, protection, and reliability of
Protégy. Revealing Protégy’s many features such as the carbon fiber interior, RFID blocking,
fingerprint access, and GPS tracking, will help us effectively demonstrate our wallet to the
people.
S&Hs Co.’s philosophy is based on the premise of providing excellent customer service. We will
produce a high quality product that, for what the customer will be receiving, will be at a
reasonable price. In addition, we will strive to continue to reach out to new and existing
customers in a way that encourages them to purchase and have faith in our product. We firmly
believe that by serving our customers to the best of our abilities, it will enable us to achieve
strong customer loyalty.
Positioning
Our product’s positioning strategy encompasses repositioning. Repositioning is the deliberate,
calculated decision to change the way products and services are viewed by the consumers.13
Repositioning can consist of a fundamental change in any of the marketing mix elements. Our
product will introduce new features that will help to solve the problem of lost or stolen wallets,
which in turn, will greatly reduce the risk of identity theft.
Points of Differentiation
S&Hs Co. is the only company in our target market offering a security wallet with
fingerprint access and GPS tracking, in addition to the RFID blocking feature.
Strong emphasis placed on the user’s aspect of having reassurance that their assets in the
wallet are greatly protected.
Provide a wide range of color options.
Product Attribute Map
S&Hs Co.’s positioning strategy and its primary points of differentiation are illustrated in the
product attribute map below.
13
Hawks, Douglas. "Repositioned Products: Examples, Lesson & Quiz." Study.com. March 12, 2015.
22. 21 | P a g e
Pricing Strategy
S&Hs Co. will use the value-based method (opposed to the cost-based method) to estimate the
price. In the process of creating the survey, we asked a question about which price range the
survey takers paid for their current wallet. The ranges are: less than $100, $100-$199, $200-
$299, $300-$399, $400-$500, and more than $500. After sending out the survey, we gathered
some important information to help us determine the price of Protégy. In addition, our price is
based on the amount charged on similar products from our current direct competitors in the
market. Below are prices of the Protégy wallet:
Retail: $149
Production cost: $59.60 per wallet
Referenced price of similar products:
Wurkin Stiffs: $10514
Stewart/Stand: $7215
14
"RFID Wallets." RFID Wallet Identity Theft Protection. Wurkin Stiffs. April 3, 2015.
15
"RFID_Blocking." Original Stainless Steel Wallet. Stewart/Stand. Web. 11 Apr. 2015.
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Price
Security Protection
Stewart/Stand
Protégy
Wurkin
Stiffs
23. 22 | P a g e
Promotion Activities
Our promotional plan will encompass areas of advertising, public relations, and personal selling.
Advertising
Our advertising components will comprise of both print and broadcast media. There will be
promotional banners and flyers available at 16 high end men’s clothing retailers in New York
City: Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue,
Lord & Taylor, and Bloomingdale’s. We will put advertisements in The Wall Street Journal and
GQ magazine, which is a popular men’s fashion magazine based in New York City. On the other
hand, our broadcast media will entail radio commercials. People are always on the go in New
York City and don’t have much time to watch television. We believe that radio is the best form
of broadcast media. Also, radio ads will be cheaper to launch compared to television ads.
Personal Selling
S&Hs Co. will present at retailers, where we will have a booth and display our product, give
demonstrations, and give the customer hands-on experience with the wallet. Potential customers
can learn about our product, and might provide contacts for our company. Besides, S&Hs Co.
will locate in Upper East Side of New York City, where the wealthiest citizens of New York City
live (our target market). Our office location helps S&Hs Co. to meet potential customers face-to-
face on daily basis since we’re in the same area.
Public Relations
S&Hs Co. will become a co-host for multiple men’s high end clothing and fashion campaigns in
order to have greater influence with potential customers.
Social Media
Facebook: This page will allow customers to gain background knowledge about our
company, and learn about our product on daily basis.
Twitter: We will use Twitter to keep our customers up-to-date with relevant information
about Protégy. We plan on tweeting articles relating to our company and general
industry.
24. 23 | P a g e
Annual Marketing Budget
Item Budget
Promotional Supplies (flyers, banners)16
$4,069
Radio Advertising (30 seconds)17
$1,405
GQ Magazine Ads18
$74,820
The Wall Street Journal Ads19
$8,238
Website Costs20
$4,500
Other (Trade Show)21
$1,000
Total $94,032
16
"Business Flyers & Flyer Printing." Vistaprint. March 18, 2015.
17
"Cost of Radio Advertising in New York, NY." Resources for Entrepreneurs at Gaebler Ventures RSS. March 18,
2015.
18
"GQ: Gentlemen's Quarterly - Magazine Advertising Costs." Gaebler. March 18, 2015.
19
"WSJ. Media Kit." WSJ. Media Kit. March 18, 2015.
20
"How Much Is a Website in 2015?" Website Design Perth Geoffrey Multimedia. March 23, 2015.
21
"Costs of a Trade Show." E&E Exhibit Solutions. March 18, 2015.
25. 24 | P a g e
Management Team and Company Structure
Introduction
S&Hs Co.’s management philosophy will include integrity, loyalty, developing a strong synergy
within the company, and providing excellent customer service to customers. As a company,
S&Hs Co. will seek employees who can meet our qualifications and fully commit in carrying out
our company’s philosophy in order to achieve customer’s full satisfaction.
Management Team
Hieu Duong, Cofounder and CEO, age 21
Responsible for executive leadership of the company. In addition, Hieu Duong plans out
business strategies which determine the company’s success. Hieu Duong received his Bachelor
of Arts Degree Business Administration with a concentration Finance and Economics at
Lycoming College in May 2015. In 2012, Hieu Duong had interned in the administration
department of a government unit, which resulted in his experience in media and marketing
campaigns. In addition, in summer 2013, he interned at Deloitte Vietnam as an associate for the
tax department. This experience had helped him immensely when dealing corporate tax laws.
Hieu had always been interested in the technology world, thus this help developing new ideas for
high-tech products.
Sean Bierly, Cofounder and CFO, age 23
Responsible for the financial management of the company. Sean received his Bachelor of Arts
Degree in Accounting at Lycoming College in May 2015. He had interned at the Williamsport
Municipal & School Earned Income Tax Office for several months, through which he has gained
experience in accounting and taxation. His vast knowledge in the accounting field allows him to
work efficiently with financial analyst and help provide forecast future earnings for investment
purposes. Sean is also a member of the Accounting Society club at Lycoming College. Through
this club, he had made many connections with other CPAs in the Pennsylvania area.
Hieu Tran, Cofounder and COO, age 21
Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company including sales and distribution. Hieu
Tran received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting and Business Administration with a
concentration in Finance in December 2015. In summer 2013, Hieu interned at
PricewaterhouseCoopers of Vietnam as an intern associate for the assurance department. In
summer of 2014, he interned at Fanaticall Inc., which is a startup company based in Washington
D.C. Through his startup internship, Hieu gained basic knowledge of how a startup company is
operated in early stages.
26. 25 | P a g e
Skill Profile and Gaps in the Management Team
The following skill profile depicts the most important skills required at the top management team
level of the company and where the gaps exist.
Finance
Marketingand
Sales
Operations
Human
Resources
Researchand
Development
Executive
Leadership
Customer
Service
Accounting
Hieu Duong X X X X
Sean Bierly X X X X
Hieu Tran X X X X
Gap 1 O
Gap 2 O
X = Position Filled, O = Position Vacant
Summary: Two significant gaps exist within the management team: a director in marketing and
sales and a director in research and development. Even though all the members have strong
finance backgrounds, the company cannot succeed without a strong marketing person. Currently,
each member works on and off with these two positions to fill in the gaps. These positions will
soon be filled through recruitments once the company is more stable and secure.
Ownership and Compensation
Name Position/Affiliation
Base
Compensation
Percent
Ownership in
Company
Personal
Investment in
Company
Hieu Duong Cofounder & CEO $50,000 30% $100,000
Sean Bierly Cofounder & CFO $50,000 25% $80,000
Hieu Tran Cofounder & CCO $50,000 25% $80,000
Investor N/A 20% $140,000
Totals $150,000 100% $400,000
S&Hs Co. determined the base compensation for each employee based on the position of the
employee and how much work and services the employee invest into the company. The base
salary for all three Cofounder at the beginning is at the same amount, which is $50,000. This
salary is the median income for a household living in New York City.22
When the company
begins to generate profit, the money will be distributed base on the percent of ownership of each
individual as bonuses. The CEO, Hieu Duong will receive the highest bonus amount since he
holds the highest amount of responsibility for the company and makes major decisions. The
22
Ye, J., Keefe, J., & Ma, L. (2010). Median Income | NYC Neighborhoods. April 11, 2015.
27. 26 | P a g e
CFO, Sean Bierly, and the COO, Hieu Tran will receive lower amounts since they are
responsible for other various tasks in order to run the business. The ownership percentage of the
company is also related to the amount of personal investment from each team member.
Other Professionals
S&Hs Co. relies on the advice, counsel and services firm professionals in its business area in
order to achieve the best result and outcome for the business.
Attorney, Patrick Murdoch, an attorney at Shearman & Sterling LLP, a leading New York and
international law firm with 7 years of experience. Patrick’s clients have included tech startups,
web-developers, new media companies, and software companies.23
*Contact:
303 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101
Tel: (718) 593-4151
CPA, Helen Liang, a freelance CPA in New York City with 15 years of experience. Her projects
include clients from many small businesses.24
*Contact:
Brooklyn, NY 11220
Tel: (718) 369-4545
Insurance agent, Jo Ann Prescott, an insurance agent from Nationwide Mutual Insurance
Company. She had experience with the field for the past 10 years.25
*Contact:
155 Water St Brooklyn, NY 11201
Tel: (718) 627-9300
S&Hs Co. Organizational Chart
The senior staff who reports to CEO Hieu Duong are shown below. CFO Sean Bierly and COO
Hieu Tran are Senior Vice President. Director of Research and Development and Director of
Marketing and Sales are Vice President. Each Vice President will be responsible for their
respective employees.
23
Patrick Murdoch. LinkedIn. April 11. 2015.
24
Helen Liang. LinkedIn. April 11. 2015.
25
Business Insurance. Nationwide. April 11, 2015.
28. 27 | P a g e
CEO
Hieu Duong
Director of
Marketing & Sales
(Vacant)
Director of R&D
(Vacant)
CFO
Sean Bierly
COO
Hieu Tran
Position Descriptions
Chief Executive Officer
Job Overview
The CEO is responsible for the overall performance and success of the company. His or her
responsibilities include Executive Leadership, Human Resources, and Operation. The CEO
makes strategic plan, analyzes market, and gives directions to respective departments of the
company.
Key Responsibilities
Plan and prepare work schedules, and assign employees to specific duties.
Supervise department managers.
Negotiate with CFO and COO to develop methods and procedures in order to increase
sales, and expand market in other potential areas such as Philadelphia, Maryland and
Georgia.
Promote a culture that reflects the organizations values, encourages good performance,
and rewards productivity.
Oversee activities related to outsourcing products to China – Guangzhou Beron Leather
Goods Co., Ltd; and retailers in New York City.
29. 28 | P a g e
Review financial statements prepared by CFO, sales and activity reports, and other
performance data prepared by COO to measure productivity and evaluate goal
achievement and to determine areas needing improvement.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, MBA would be preferred.
Have knowledge of business and management from previous work experience.
Strong leadership and communication skills which include comp comprehensive
speaking, listening, and writing skills.
Be creative and able to use logic and reasons to identify and determine the company’s
strength and weakness in order to develop solutions and valuation.
Be able to develop objectives and new strategies in order to achieve the company’s goals.
Have strong time management skills.
Monitor self-performance, performance of other individuals, and organizations to make
improvements or take corrective action.
Passionate about the company’s product.
Chief Financial Officer
Job Overview
The Chief Financial Officer will report to the CEO the overall management and the financial
position of the company in order to allocate resources and materials, and project future earnings.
In addition, the CFO is also responsible for planning and managing day-to-day activities that are
financial-related.
Key Responsibilities
Direct or coordinate the organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, or
increase efficiency.
Analyze financial information to project future revenues and expenses.
Analyze financial information to improve productivity, efficiency, and reduce cost while
improving the company’s general objectives.
Develop budget and allocate resources to other departments within the company.
Evaluate the financial risk of the company in order to hedge the company from unwanted
results.
Use accounting and/or bookkeeping software in order to enter and retrieve financial data.
Ensure that effective internal controls are in place and ensure compliance with GAAP
and applicable federal, state and local regulatory laws and rules for financial and tax
reporting.
Qualifications
30. 29 | P a g e
Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance, CPA and/or MBA are highly preferred.
Strong interpersonal skills, ability to communicate and manage well at all levels of the
organization and with staff at remote locations essential.
Strong problem solving and creative skills and the ability to exercise sound judgment and
make decisions based on accurate and timely analyses.
High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results-
orientation.
Strong knowledge on using accounting and bookkeeping software.
Passionate about the company’s product.
Chief Operating Officer
Job Overview:
The COO is responsible for planning, directing, and the general operations of the organization.
He or she will establish and implement company’s policies, objectives, and procedures.
Key Responsibilities
Analyze operations to evaluate performance of the company and its staff in meeting
objectives.
Plan and implement policies, objectives, or activities of the company to ensure continuing
operations, to maximize returns on investments, and to increase productivity.
Ensure quality of product and core competencies.
Maintain relationships with manufacturer in China and with the retail stores in New York
City.
Lead the execution of the company’s strategy as it pertains to everyday operations.
Manage social media sites.
Manage staff, preparing work schedules and assigning specific duties.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or business related fields.
Have excellent presentation, communication, and negotiation skills.
Have a broad knowledge of marketing, management information systems, market
research, finance, entrepreneurship and management.
Strong leadership abilities and analytical abilities.
Passionate about the company’s product.
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Corporate Culture
S&Hs Co.’s is decentralized and fits into the incubator type. The company highly focus on
creativity and innovation from individual members, thus, it promotes an open atmosphere where
everyone’s opinions and ideas are heard and well respected. The company believes that by
providing this environment, it will help stimulate originality and creativity. Employees will be
able to work in a free environment, however will still be challenged with many responsibilities
within the company. Employees and members of the company are to be respected and will
receive recognitions for outstanding achievements.
32. 31 | P a g e
Operations and Development Plan
Introduction
S&Hs Co. will produce a wallet with three security features: RFID blocking, fingerprint access,
and GPS tracking. The operating model and procedures for the company are explained in the
following sections.
Operations Model and Procedures
General Approach to Operations
Producing a wallet that comes with three different security features is a unique situation. It
requires a careful design to prevent any possible type of pickpocketing. We believe that our
product is necessary for all people in the future, given that the number of high-tech identity theft
has been increasing in the big cities recently. To produce the wallet, S&Hs Co. has selected a
manufacturer for the products and ship the finished products directly to our chosen retailers.
The biggest challenge in developing this unique wallet is to reach our target market and make
them realize how important this product is to them. S&Hs Co. is a small start-up company. We
will have to compete with many luxury brands who have had their names in the market for a
long-time period. Most of our target market has already developed brand loyalty for other
companies. S&Hs Co. will have to stand out amongst the competition by our unique security
features, design, and quality. Because some people have not experienced identity theft before,
they may find many reasons to not buy it. To develop product awareness, S&Hs Co. will
implement marketing plan on advertisements, social media, personal selling, and public
relations.
Back Stage (Behind the Scenes Operations Activities)
Manufacturer Relations: S&Hs Co. will send a design of Protégy to Guangzhou Beron
Leather Goods Co., who will manufacture products of Protégy. Once approving the
sample product, that the manufacturer develops, in terms of quality and technology,
S&Hs Co. will sign a business contract with Guangzhou Beron Leather Goods Co. The
manufacturer will ship the products directly to our retailers once receiving orders
electronically.
Retailer Relations: Retailers will have to be constantly contacted in order to keep track of
all orders. The products will be shipped directly to retailers from our manufacturer. S&Hs
Co. will also have to visit retailers regularly to ensure that our products are being
displayed properly.
Staff Selection: Employees will be carefully selected. Along with the skills they need to
perform their job, employees should be fit with our corporate culture and encouraged to
have experience in our industry.
33. 32 | P a g e
Designs: S&Hs Co. will have different designs for Protégy in order to meet customers’
preferences. Our designer will have to be creative and able to follow trends of fashion
and industry.
Financial Analysis: Company will have to make strategic decisions, either expand or
downsize, based on financial analysis. Financial analysis will have to be performed on
daily basis in order to assess company’s financial situation.
Front Stage (What the Customers See and Experience)
Advertising: Our advertising components will comprise of both print and broadcast
media. There will be promotional banners and flyers available at retailers. We will put
advertisements in The Wall Street Journal and GQ magazine, which is a men’s fashion
magazine based in New York City. On the other hand, our broadcast media will entail
radio commercials.
Social Media: S&Hs Co. will focus on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook helps customers
to learn about our company’s background and our product on daily basis. Twitter keeps
customers updated with information related to our product.
Demonstration Booth: S&Hs Co. will have a sales person at our booth for a certain time
period during the week at our retailers. A demonstration booth will be set up and
customers will have the opportunity to try our product and see how it works.
Personal Selling: S&Hs Co. is located in the Upper East Side of New York City, where
the wealthiest citizens of New York City live. Our staff and employees will have
opportunities to meet our customers on a daily basis. Our staff and employees will have
the best chance to share information and promote our product to them.
Inventory
Because our products will be shipped directly from our manufacturer to retailers, S&Hs Co. will
not be required to carry a significant amount of inventory.
Business Location
S&Hs Co. will operate on the 5th
floor at 207 East 94th
Street in New York City, New York. It is
located in the Upper East Side of New York City, where the wealthiest citizens of New York
City live, with median income of over $288,000.26
Advantages of Location
Proximity to Retailers: Locating in the Upper East Side of New York City, S&Hs is close
to many retailers offering our products. Since a subway station is only two blocks away
and a bus station is right on the street, S&Hs employees can easily use public
transportation to reach many retailers. Besides, this location is four blocks away from the
FDR Drive, a major freeway on the east side of New York City borough of Manhattan;
26
Farberov, Snejana. "Where Do the Wealthiest Citizens of New York Live? Map That Shows Vast Income
Difference between Neighborhoods Just Yards Apart." Daily Mail. Associated Newspapers, 18 Aug. 2013. Web. 29
Mar. 2015.
34. 33 | P a g e
therefore, S&Hs employees can easily drive to other retailers locating in other parts of the
city.
Ideal Community: Locating in Upper East Side, where the wealthiest citizens of New
York City live, S&Hs can easily meet our target market, which is wealthy adult males of
any age past 30 years old who live in New York City. S&Hs employees are able to
regularly meet, greet, and exchange business contacts with our customers because S&Hs
is in the same area with them, that would advance our personal selling promotion.
Proximity to Universities: S&Hs will be close to many famous fashion and design
colleges and universities in New York City, such as New York University, Fashion
Institute of Technology or Parsons School, where many talented students have enrolled
and will continue to enroll. S&Hs plans to work with these universities and colleges to
provide work-study internships for students, who will help us in designs or fashion
marketing campaign.
Manufacturer
S&Hs Co. has decided to choose Guangzhou Beron Leather Goods Co., Ltd as the manufacturer
for our product. Guangzhou Beron Leather Goods Co., Ltd is located in Guangdong, China. We
chose this manufacturer for the following reasons:
Quality: The company specializes in high quality genuine luxury leather goods, such as
leather phone cases, leather card cases, leather wallets, leather passport holders, leather
money clip and leather key cases. Our target market is adult males 30 years of age or
older living in New York City with high income. Therefore, our product must be high
quality in order to attract our potential customers. Beron is a perfect match for our
company since they also focus on luxury leather goods.
Expertise: Most of Beron workers are professionals with more than 10 years of
experience. All of them pay extraordinary attention to detail and quality. They have
earned a good reputation around the world for their superior performance, quality
products, and perfect services.
Market: Beron had experience working with numerous international partners around the
world. Their biggest markets are North America (20%) and South America (10%). Since
our business will be operating in the United States, it was an advantage for us to have a
manufacturer who dealt largely with North America.
Quantity: Due to the nature of shopping seasons, our product might be considered
seasonal. Therefore, given that Beron accepts small orders (50 pieces), S&Hs Co. can
avoid excessive costs when we’re not in shopping seasons.27
*Contact:
Guangzhou Beron Leather Goods Co., Ltd.
Floor 7, No. 11, Huan'gang 2nd Road, Qixinggang, Baiyun, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
27
"Guangzhou Beron Leather Goods Co., Ltd." Company Overview. Alibaba. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
35. 34 | P a g e
Distribution
S&Hs will distribute Protégy to all high-end retailers in New York City and suburban areas
within 30 miles from the city. We will distribute Protégy to all 16 high-end retailers such as
Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord
& Taylor, and Bloomingdale’s. We will also have a person standing in each retailer, for a
specified time period on a specified day of the week, to introduce Protégy to our customers.
Development Status and Tasks
Timeline
If funding is obtained, distribution of Protégy to retailers will start on January 2016. The
following milestones have been completed and remain to be completed.
Completed Milestones
January 2015 Established S&Hs Company
Agreed on a product idea, a wallet with three main security
features: RFID blocking, fingerprint access, and GPS tracking
Started working on first screen research, gathering all possible
sources
February 2015 Completed first screen research
Wrote concept statement and asked for feedback about concept
statement from professionals in the industry
Created consumers survey and sent it out to individuals in our
target market
Wrote company description
March 2015 Designed product and company logos
Constructed industry and market analysis
Developed a marketing plan
Organized management team and company structure
Developed operations and development plan
Developed future projected financial statements for the company
April 2015 Completed executive summary
Created financial projections for the company
Completed business plan
Presented business plan to experts
Milestones to be completed
May 2015 Develop an app compatible with smart phones and laptops to
36. 35 | P a g e
support security features of Protégy
Find an angel investor
Contact the manufacturer to discuss production of Protégy
June – August
2015
Meet with the manufacturer
Check the quality of sample products
Contact and meet with retailers
September –
December 2015
Lease out an office in New York City
Purchase office equipment
Inform connections and customers about the launch of Protégy in
all high-end retailers in New York City
January 2016 Production of Protégy will begin
Implement marketing plan
Receive finished products from manufacturer and distribute
Protégy to retailers
Challenges and Risks
The following challenges and risks are associated with the manufacturing and distribution of
Protégy:
Foreign Manufacturer: Political risk could be a problem because the government in the
country that our manufacturer is located is not well governed. Besides, exchange rate risk
might change the cost of goods sold, which will affect profit of the company.
Technology: The technology on our features may not properly work at times, but this
problem will be difficult to forecast.
Small Business: As a startup company with only one product, S&Hs Co. might face
challenges to get into high-end retailers. S&Hs Co. has to compete with other companies,
who have established their brands for a long time.
S&Hs Co. is confident that the risks inherent in these three items have been minimized.
37. 36 | P a g e
Intellectual Property
Patent: S&Hs Co. will apply for a design patent. We have to file a moderately complex
patent. According to United States Patent and Trademark Office, design patents last 14
years from the date you are granted the patent. No maintenance fees are required for
design patents.28
Trademark: All of Protégy’s distinctive marks, including its name, its logo, and its
tagline, have been trademarked.
28
"General FAQs." United States Patent and Trademark Office. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Web.
11 Apr. 2015.
38. 37 | P a g e
Financial Projections
Source and Use of Funds Statement
Sources of Funds
Source Amount
Management Team Investment
CEO - Hieu Duong $ 100,000
CFO - Sean Bierly $ 80,000
COO - Hieu Tran $ 80,000
Total Funds Committed $ 260,000
Total Funds Required $ 400,000
Total Funds Needed from Equity Investor $ 140,000
Uses of Funds
Cost Item
Office Rent $ 20,000
Office Equipment/Furniture $ 2,000
Professional & Legal Fees $ 5,000
Marketing $ 60,000
Salaries and Wages $ 150,000
Payroll Taxes $ 9,300
Employee Benefits $ 36,600
Insurance $ 2,400
Patent $ 12,000
Transportation $ 1,500
Internet and Phone $ 1,200
Cash (working capital and reserve for losses in 2016) $ 100,000
Total Funds Required $ 400,000
39. 38 | P a g e
Assumption Sheet
The financial statements depend on important assumptions. The key underlying assumptions are
as follow:
General (Assumptions)
1. Demand for the industry will increase over the next five years as the economy is in good
health and the unemployment continues to contract.
Sources: IBISWorld
2. We assume access to equity capital in the amount of $400,000, consistent with the
Sources and Uses of Funds statement in this business plan.
Financial Statements (Assumptions)
Income Statement
1. Sales forecasts are based on the analysis presented in the “market analysis” section of this
business plan. Sales are projected to increase 3% per year.
2. S&Hs Co. assumes that in the first month of business, we will have high sales since we
will begin our marketing campaign in the beginning of the first business year.
3. S&Hs Co. assumes that sales will be high in shopping seasons and low otherwise.
4. Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): 40% of net sales, including direct labor, production, and
shipping cost to retailers.
5. Officer’s Compensation based on “Ownership and Compensation” table shown in the
“management team” section of this business plan, which will be $150,000 in the first year
and second year and increase in the third year to $156,000.
6. Payroll taxes are assumed at 6.2%.
7. Employees’ benefits figured at 24.4% of salary.
8. S&Hs Co. assumes that the company will pay $2,000 legal fee upfront to the Attorney
and the CPA for the startup costs. At the end of the year, the company will pay the
attorney professional fee at $100 per hour rate and the CPA at $50 per hour rate both for
40 hours.
9. Insurance against lawsuit, theft, and damage will be paid in monthly basis at the rate of
$167 per month ($2000 per year).
10. S&Hs Co. has a 500 square feet office with three-year lease term. The rate is at $42.50
per square foot. Office rent will be paid in monthly basis at the rate of approximately at
$1,771 per month. Utilities and office furniture are included.
11. Marketing expenses of the first year is based on the marketing budget in the “marketing
plan” section of this business plan. Marketing expenses will be high for the first few
months and the end (shopping season) of the first business year. After the first year, the
marketing budget for every month will be $3,000 and will be high again for the shopping
season at the end of the year.
40. 39 | P a g e
12. Office supplies expense is assumed at $65 per month, including papers, writing utensils,
staples, and paper clips.
13. Office equipment, including computers, calculators, and printers, will be pre-paid at
$1,900 and will be depreciated over 3 years at $114/month.
14. The patent will be pre-paid at $12,000 and will be accounted as patent amortization over
14 years at $71 per month.
15. S&Hs Co. will have to travel between office and retailers in and around New York City.
Transportation expense includes gas, subway and bus tickets.
16. Telecommunication expense includes phone and internet bills.
Balance Sheets
1. There will be no receivable because payment will be made when the retailers receive
shipment.
41. 40 | P a g e
Pro Forma Income Statements
Pro Forma Income Statement 2016
January February March April May June July August September October November December Total
Gross Sales $64,368 $53,640 $42,912 $21,456 $21,456 $16,092 $21,456 $26,820 $26,820 $26,820 $96,552 $118,008 $536,400
Returned Goods
and Discounts
$- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $-
Net Sales $64,368 $53,640 $42,912 $21,456 $21,456 $16,092 $21,456 $26,820 $26,820 $26,820 $96,552 $118,008 $536,400
Cost of Goods Sold $25,747 $21,456 $17,165 $8,582 $8,582 $6,437 $8,582 $10,728 $10,728 $10,728 $38,621 $47,203 $214,560
Gross Profit $38,621 $32,184 $25,747 $12,874 $12,874 $9,655 $12,874 $16,092 $16,092 $16,092 $57,931 $70,805 $321,840
Expense - General
and Administrative
Salary Expense $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $150,000
Payroll Taxes $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $9,300
Employee Benefits $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $36,600
Professional &
Legal Fees
$2,000 $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $6,000 $8,000
Insurance $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $2,000
Office Rent $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $21,250
Marketing $25,000 $10,000 $10,000 $5,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $5,032 $8,000 $9,000 $10,000 $94,032
Office Supplies $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $780
Depreciation $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $633
Patent
Amortization
$71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $857
Transportation $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $888
Telecommunication $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $1,188
Total Expense $45,625 $28,625 $28,625 $23,625 $21,625 $21,625 $21,625 $21,625 $23,657 $26,625 $27,625 $34,625 $325,528
Net Income $(7,004) $3,559 $(2,878) $(10,751) $(8,751) $(11,970) $(8,751) $(5,533) $(7,565) $(10,533) $30,306 $36,180 $(3,688)
42. 41 | P a g e
Pro Forma Income Statement 2017
January February March April May June July August September October November December Total
Gross Sales $11,175 $16,986 $22,648 $22,052 $27,416 $32,929 $44,104 $44,104 $55,130 $66,156 $82,844 $126,948 $552,492
Returned Goods
and Discounts
$- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $
Net Sales $11,175 $16,986 $22,648 $22,052 $27,416 $32,929 $44,104 $44,104 $55,130 $66,156 $82,844 $126,948 $552,492
Cost of Goods Sold $4,470 $6,794 $9,059 $8,821 $10,966 $13,172 $17,642 $17,642 $22,052 $26,462 $33,138 $50,779 $220,997
Gross Profit $6,705 $10,192 $13,589 $13,231 $16,450 $19,757 $26,462 $26,462 $33,078 $39,694 $49,706 $76,169 $331,495
Expense - General
and Administrative
Salary Expense $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $12,500 $150,000
Payroll Taxes $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $9,300
Employee Benefits $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $3,050 $36,600
Professional &
Legal Fees
$- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $6,000 $6,000
Insurance $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $2,000
Office Rent $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $21,250
Marketing $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $7,000 $7,000 $7,000 $48,000
Office Supplies $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $780
Depreciation $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $633
Patent
Amortization
$71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $857
Transportation $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $888
Telecommunication $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $1,188
Total Expense $21,625 $21,625 $21,625 $21,625 $21,625 $21,625 $21,625 $21,625 $21,625 $25,625 $25,625 $31,625 $277,496
Net Income $(14,920) $(11,433) $(8,036) $(8,394) $(5,175) $(1,867) $4,838 $4,838 $11,453 $14,069 $24,082 $44,544 $53,999
Income as a Percent of Gross Sales 9.77
43. 42 | P a g e
Pro Forma Income Statement 2018
January February March April May June July August September October November December Total
Gross Sales $11,324 $17,135 $22,797 $28,459 $28,459 $39,783 $39,783 $51,256 $56,918 $56,918 $91,337 $125,458 $569,627
Returned Goods
and Discounts
$- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $-
Net Sales $11,324 $17,135 $22,797 $28,459 $28,459 $39,783 $39,783 $51,256 $56,918 $56,918 $91,337 $125,458 $569,627
Cost of Goods Sold $4,530 $6,854 $9,119 $11,384 $11,384 $15,913 $15,913 $20,502 $22,767 $22,767 $36,535 $50,183 $227,851
Gross Profit $6,794 $10,281 $13,678 $17,075 $17,075 $23,870 $23,870 $30,754 $34,151 $34,151 $54,802 $75,275 $341,776
Expense - General
and Administrative
Salary Expense $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $156,000
Payroll Taxes $806 $806 $806 $806 $806 $806 $806 $806 $806 $806 $806 $806 $9,672
Employee Benefits $3,172 $3,172 $3,172 $3,172 $3,172 $3,172 $3,172 $3,172 $3,172 $3,172 $3,172 $3,172 $38,064
Professional &
Legal Fees
$- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $6,000 $6,000
Insurance $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $167 $2,000
Office Rent $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $1,771 $21,250
Marketing $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $7,000 $7,000 $7,000 $48,000
Office Supplies $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $65 $780
Depreciation $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $633
Patent
Amortization
$71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $857
Transportation $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $74 $888
Telecommunication $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $99 $1,188
Total Expense $22,278 $22,278 $22,278 $22,278 $22,278 $22,278 $22,278 $22,278 $22,278 $26,278 $26,278 $32,278 $285,332
Net Income $(15,483) $(11,997) $(8,600) $(5,202) $(5,202) $1,592 $1,592 $8,476 $11,873 $7,873 $28,524 $42,997 $56,444
Income as a Percent of Gross Sales 9.91
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Pro Forma Balance Sheets
Pro Forma Balance Sheets 2016, 2017, 2018
1/1/2016 12/31/2016 12/31/2017 12/31/2018
Start of
business
End of first
year
End of second
year
End of third
year
Assets
Current Assets
Cash and Cash
Equivalent
$400,000 $383,902 $439,391 $497,325
Account Receivable $- $- $- $-
Inventory $- $- $- $-
Other Current Assets $- $- $- $-
Total Current Assets $400,000 $383,902 $439,391 $497,325
Non-current Assets
Office Equipment $- $1,900 $1,900 $1,900
Less Accumulated
Depreciation
$- $633 $1,267 $1,900
Patent $- $11,143 $10,286 $9,429
Total Non-current
Assets
$- $12,410 $10,919 $9,429
Total Assets $400,000 $396,312 $450,310 $506,754
Liabilities
Contributed Capitals $400,000 $400,000 $400,000 $400,000
Retained Earnings $- $(3,688) $50,310 $106,754
Total Liabilities and
Shareholder's Equity
$400,000 $396,312 $450,310 $506,754
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Pro Forma Cash Flow Statements
Pro Forma Cash Flow Statement 2016 (First Year of Business)
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Summary
(For
Year)
Cash
Balance at
Beginning of
Month
$400,000 $379,220 $382,904 $380,151 $369,524 $360,897 $349,051 $340,425 $335,016 $327,576 $317,167 $347,598 $400,000
(Beginning
of Year)
Cash Flow from Operating Activities
Net Income $(7,004) $3,559 $(2,878) $(10,751) $(8,751) $(11,970) $(8,751) $(5,533) $(7,565) $(10,533) $30,306 $36,180 $(3,688)
Depreciation $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $633
Amortization $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $857
Cash Flow from Investing Activities
Cash Paid to
Purchase
Patent
$12,000 $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $12,000
Cash Paid to
Purchase
Equipment
and Furniture
$1,900 $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $1,900
Cash
Balance at
End of
Month
$379,220 $382,904 $380,151 $369,524 $360,897 $349,051 $340,425 $335,016 $327,576 $317,167 $347,598 $383,902 $383,902
(End of
Year)
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Pro Forma Cash Flow Statement 2017 (Second Year of Business)
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Summary
(For
Year)
Cash
Balance at
Beginning of
Month
$383,902 $369,107 $357,798 $349,886 $341,617 $336,566 $334,823 $339,785 $344,746 $356,324 $370,517 $394,723 $383,902
(Beginning
of Year)
Cash Flow from Operating Activities
Net Income $(14,920) $(11,433) $(8,036) $(8,394) $(5,175) $(1,867) $4,838 $4,838 $11,453 $14,069 $24,082 $44,544 $53,999
Depreciation $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $633
Amortization $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $857
Cash Flow from Investing Activities
Cash Paid to
Purchase
Patent
$- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $-
Cash Paid to
Purchase
Equipment
and Furniture
$- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $-
Cash
Balance at
End of
Month
$369,107 $357,798 $349,886 $341,617 $336,566 $334,823 $339,785 $344,746 $356,324 $370,517 $394,723 $439,391 $439,391
(End of
Year)
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Pro Forma Cash Flow Statement 2018 (Third Year of Business)
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Summary
(For
Year)
Cash
Balance at
Beginning of
Month
$439,391 $424,032 $412,160 $403,684 $398,606 $393,528 $395,244 $396,961 $405,561 $417,558 $425,555 $454,204 $439,391
(Beginning
of Year)
Cash Flow from Operating Activities
Net Income $(15,483) $(11,997) $(8,600) $(5,202) $(5,202) $1,592 $1,592 $8,476 $11,873 $7,873 $28,524 $42,997 $56,444
Depreciation $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $53 $633
Amortization $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $71 $857
Cash Flow from Investing Activities
Cash Paid to
Purchase
Patent
$- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $-
Cash Paid to
Purchase
Equipment
and Furniture
$- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $- $-
Cash
Balance at
End of
Month
$424,032 $412,160 $403,684 $398,606 $393,528 $395,244 $396,961 $405,561 $417,558 $425,555 $454,204 $497,325 $497,325
(End of
Year)
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Appendices
Appendix A: Concept Statement
Product:
S&Hs Co. will produce an innovative security wallet, called Protégy. Protégy is a pocket-sized
foldable wallet made of leather, but the inner of the wallet is made of carbon fiber, a lightweight
material five times as strong as steel. Protégy protects customers from identity theft in any type
of pickpocketing, either digital or physical, with its RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification)
blocking, fingerprint access, and GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking features. The RFID
blocking feature prevents high-tech hackers from scanning customers’ passports, credit cards,
debit cards, drivers’ licenses and other RFID cards. Also, fingerprint access permits a maximum
of only five fingerprints from trusted family members to open the wallet. In addition, the GPS
tracking chip allows customers to locate their wallets through our designed app on their smart
phones or computers.
Target Market
The target market is currently adult males, 30 years of age or older (demographic), living in New
York City, New York (geographic). New York City has one of the highest identity theft rates in
the United States, totaling 23,297 victims in 2012 alone. Miami, Florida currently has the highest
identity theft rate of any city in the United States, but New York City males have higher income
levels compared to Miami, leading to higher discretionary income to spend on our product. The
wallets will be designed for the male population, but designs for the female population may be
developed in the future. Adult males 30 years and older generally have more money and assets in
their wallets, which therefore requires higher security protection compared to males younger
than 30 years old. The focus will be on males who want increased protection for their increased
assets (psychographic).
How Protégy Will Be Positioned Relative to Competitors:
Compared to our competitors’ RFID wallets, Protégy includes fingerprint access and a GPS
tracking chip which can help users track down their wallets when lost or stolen. Many other
competitors, like Zippo, Travelon, and Sharkk, do not offer these features. Although digital
pickpocketing is very prevalent in big cities, physical pickpocketing still remains a big concern.
Thus, we believe having these additional features will give us a competitive edge against our
competitors.
Management Team:
S&Hs Co. is led by its cofounders, Sean Bierly, Hieu Duong, and Hieu Tran. Sean Bierly has
interned at the Williamsport Municipal & School Earned Income Tax Office for several months,
through which he has gained experience in accounting and taxation. Hieu Duong has interned in
the administration department of a government unit in Vietnam, through which he has gained
experience in media and marketing campaigns. Hieu Tran has interned at PwC Vietnam and
Fanaticall Inc., through which he has gained experience in both marketing and technical
accounting skills.
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Appendix B: First Screen Research
Part 1: Strength of the Business Idea
For each item, circle the most appropriate answer and make note of the (-1), (0), or (+1) score.
Low Potential
(-1)
Moderate Potential
(0)
High Potential (+1)
1. Extent to which the idea:
Takes advantage of
an environmental
trend
Solves a problem
Addresses and
unfilled gap in the
marketplace
Weak Moderate Strong
2. Timeliness of entry to
market
Not timely Moderately timely Very timely
3. Extent to which the idea
“adds value” for its buyer or
end user
Low Medium High
4. Extent to which the
customer is satisfied by
competing products that are
already available
Very satisfied Moderately
satisfied
Not very satisfied or
ambivalent
5. Degree to which the idea
requires customers to change
their basic practices or
behaviors
Substantial
changes
required
Moderate changes
required
Small to no changes
required
1. The business idea has taken advantage of an environmental trend: that identity theft has
been the top consumer complaint for 13 years. In 2012, there were 369,132 complaints
related to identity theft, which was 18% of all consumer complaints. Our product, with a
RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) blocking feature, can solve this problem since it
blocks all radio signals from a reader that high-tech hackers use to scan credit cards, debit
cards, drivers’ licenses and other RFID cards. Furthermore, our product has a fingerprint
access feature that protects customers from identity theft when they lose their wallets and
50. 49 | P a g e
a GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking feature that helps customers to be able to
locate their wallets on our app in their phones or computers.
Cooney, Michael. "Identity Theft Retains Its Throne as No.1 Worst Scourge in Top 10 Consumer
Complaint List." (2013). LexisNexis. Web. 8 Feb. 2015.
2. It’s very timely for our product to enter the market. The RFID wallet has only existed in
the market for a short period of time, since RFID passports and cards were only
introduced in mid-2007. The fingerprint access and GPS tracking are added features that
will attract more customers to buy our product.
Songini, Marc L. "U.S. To Issue RFID-Enabled Passports." Computerworld 40.32 (2006): 10.
Business Source Premier. Web. 9 Feb. 2015.
3. It is really easy to steal identity information from modern passports and credit cards,
which now have RFID chips in them for identification and payment, as demonstrated at
the Black Hat USA security event. We now live in a modern world, so there is a new type
of pickpocketing which is digital rather than physical pickpocketing. Therefore, with the
RFID blocking feature, customers do not need to worry about their identity information
being stolen by high-tech criminals. Also, since normal pickpocket attacks might still
outnumber any type of risk that RFID presents, our fingerprint access and GPS tracking
features give customers better protection for their identity information.
Kerner, Sean Michael. "Do You Need RFID Protection For Your Real Wallet?." Eweek (2013):
4. Business Source Premier. Web. 9 Feb. 2015.
4. Currently, customers are moderately satisfied by the competing products that are already
available. On many retail websites, such as Amazon, Walmart, or Macy’s, RFID wallet
products, which are already on the market, receive very good customer reviews with high
ratings. However, in the industry there are always many opportunities to improve the
product. By having fingerprint access and GPS tracking features, our product can protect
customers from identity theft by any type of pickpocket.
Kerner, Sean Michael. "Do You Need RFID Protection For Your Real Wallet?." Eweek (2013):
4. Business Source Premier. Web. 9 Feb. 2015.
5. Our product requires a small change in customers’ basic practices. Since our product has
fingerprint access and GPS tracking features, our wallet needs have a battery in it to run
these features. However, the Tile, an application that helps customers to locate items that
are attached to it (using the same GPS tracking feature), developed micro-batteries which
could last upto one year. Therefore, our customers only need to change their batteries for
their wallets once a year.
Greenawalt, Tyler. "This Little Thing May Help You Find Your Keys." NPR. NPR. 14 Aug.
2013. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.
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Part 2: Industry-Related Issues
Low Potential (-1) Moderate Potential (0) High Potential (+1)
1. Number of
competitors
Many Few None
2. Stage of industry
life cycle
Maturity phase or
decline phase
Growth phase Emergence phase
3. Growth rate of
industry
Little or no growth Moderate growth Strong growth
4. Importance of
industry’s products
and/or services to
customers
“Ambivalent’ “Would like to have” “Must have”
5. Industry operating
margins
Low` Moderate High
Security Wallet will compete in the Men’s Clothing Stores Industry in the United States (NAICS
Code: 448110 and SIC Code: 5611). Companies in this industry operate physical retail
establishments that sell clothing and accessories. Industry products include jeans, shirts,
sweaters, underwear, socks, watches, belts, hats, caps, wallets, gloves, and others.
1. The number of competitors in the United States for men’s clothing stores industry is high.
The total number of competitors, as of January 2015, was 26,173 (46 large companies,
444 medium companies, and 25,683 small companies).
“Industry Report.” Reference USA. Web. 8 Feb, 2015.
Hoover's. "Clothing Stores Industry Company Lists." Hoover's Industry Overview. Web. Feb 8,
2015.
2. The men’s clothing stores industry has been around for long time. With the rapid
expansion of mass merchants, such as Wal-Mart or Target, market share and cash flow
become the primary goals of the companies in the industry. Therefore, the industry is in
its maturity phase.
Hoover's. "Clothing Stores Industry Description." Hoover's Industry Overview. Web. Feb 8,
2015.
3. The growth rate for clothes stores industry in sales for 2014 was 6%, which is a very
strong growth rate.
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Hoover's. "Clothing Stores Industry Financials." Hoover's Industry Overview. Web. 8 Feb, 2015.
4. “In countries such as the United States, clothes and accessories are perceived as
intimately linked to lifestyle and social status, which grants retailers the opportunity to
influence consumer behavior.”
"Menswear Industry Profile: United States." Menswear Industry Profile: United States (2012): 1-
34. Business Source Premier. Web. 9 Feb. 2015.
5. Operating margins for clothing stores industry was 37.6% as of Q4, 2014. The operating
margin for 2014 was 38.3%. This is a very high level of operating margins.
Hoover's. "Clothing Stores Industry Financials." Hoover's Industry Overview. Web. 8 Feb, 2015.
Part 3: Target Market and Customer-Related Issues
Low Potential (-1) Moderate Potential (0) High Potential (+)
1. Identification of
target market for the
proposed new venture
Difficult to identify May be able to
identify
Identified
2. Ability to create
“barriers to entry” for
potential competitors
Unable to create May or may not be
able to create
Can create
3. Purchasing power
of customers
Low Moderate High
4. Ease of making
customers aware of
the new product or
service
Low Moderate High
5. Growth potential of
target market
Low Moderate High
Please explain how you reached the above conclusions. Do not forget to include citations.
1. We identified our target market as adult males of any age past 30 years old who live in
New York City. We chose New York City because it has the second highest identity theft
rate of all the cities in the United States, totaling an astonishing 23,297 victims in 2012
alone.
Burgoyne, Katie. "Identity Theft: Top 10 Cities Most At Risk." BBB Consumer News and
Opinion Blog. 7 Aug. 2013. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.
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2. Our barriers to entry would be a patent. Product differentiation should not be a problem
since our wallet will be the first one with a tracking device. We will be protected under
the patent for a minimum of 14 years.
"Patents." Patents. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.
3. In 2013, males in New York City who worked full-time had a median earnings estimate
of $48,817 (mean estimate of $75,076). This alludes to higher discretionary income
compared to Miami, Florida (Median earnings of $30,967), which has the highest identity
theft rates in the United States.
"American FactFinder - Community Facts." American FactFinder - Community Facts. Web. 04
Feb. 2015.
Burgoyne, Katie. "Identity Theft: Top 10 Cities Most At Risk." BBB Consumer News and
Opinion Blog. 7 Aug. 2013. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.
4. In the early phases, we would introduce our product through the internet and local ads.
As soon as sales start to increase, we will move our product to department stores such as
Macy’s and Nordstrom.
Zimmerman, Eilene. "Getting Your Product Onto Retail Shelves." The New York Times. The
New York Times, 20 Oct. 2010. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.
5. The population of New York City is on the rise, with a 3.5% increase projection between
the years 2010-2020. Also, with identity theft being the fastest growing crime in America
today, the target market is sure to strengthen.
"American FactFinder - Community Facts." American FactFinder - Community Facts. Web. 04
Feb. 2015.
"NYPD - Crime Prevention - Identity Theft Prevention." NYPD - Crime Prevention - Identity
Theft Prevention. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.
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Part 4: Founder - (or Founders-) Related Issues
Low Potential
(-1)
Moderate Potential
(0)
High Potential
(-1)
1. Founder or founders
experience in the industry
No experience Moderate experience Experienced
2. Founder or founders
skills as they relate to the
proposed new venture’s
product or service
No skills Moderate skills Skilled
3. Extent of the founder or
founders professional and
social networks in the
relevant industry
None Moderate Extensive
4. Extent to which the
proposed new venture
meets the founder or
founders goals and
aspirations
Weak Moderate Strong
5. Likelihood that a team
can be put together to
launch and grow the new
venture
Unlikely Moderate likely Very likely
1. During our time working on this business project, each member had researched extensive
amount of data that relates to the product. However, none of the founders have had
hands-on experience in the industry that we are entering. As a result, we are still
inexperienced at this stage of the business. Yet, we believe our knowledge in the business
will continue to grow in the future.
2. S&H Co. is led by its cofounders, Sean Bierly, Hieu Duong, and Hieu Tran. Sean Bierly
has interned at the Williamsport Municipal & School Earned Income Tax Office for
several months, through which he has gained experience in accounting and taxation. Hieu
Duong has interned in the administration department of a government unit, which
resulted in his experience in media and marketing campaigns. Hieu Tran has interned at
PwC Vietnam and Fanaticall Inc., through which he has gained experience in both
marketing and technical accounting skills.
3. Currently, not one of our founders has a connection, either professionally or socially,
within the men’s clothing industry.
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4. The extent to which our product meets our goals and aspirations is strong. All three
members are interested in creating a completely safe wallet, which contains a variety of
one’s important information, including their identity and financial information. Our goal
is not only to solve the problem of crime using RFID scanners, but also to give customers
complete relief from identity theft.
5. It is very likely that our team can be put together to launch and grow new venture. Our
team members are highly motivated to create a business that allows our security wallets
to enter and grow in the market. During the business planning process, we are attempting
to collect as much information as possible that will help give us a competitive edge in our
industry. Since our company will be small and inexperienced, it is crucial that our prices
are similar to our competitors while our product differentiates us from the rest. These two
factors are essential for the future success of our company.
Part 5: Financial Issues
Low Potential (-1) Moderate Potential (0) High Potential (+)
1. Initial capital
investment
High Moderate Low
2. Number of revenue
drivers (ways in
which the company
makes money)
One Two or three More than three
3. Time to break even More than two years One to two years Less than one year
4. Financial
performance of
similar businesses
Weak Modest Strong
5. Ability to fund
initial product (or
service) development
and/or initial startup
expenses from
personal funds or via
bootstrapping
Low Moderate High
1. The company is still in its early stages. Initial capital investment can potentially come
from owners and family relatives. The investment can remain low during our product
development. However, since the product is quite complicated and high tech, the capital
investment may continue to scale upwards and the company may need to find the right
investors.
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Chapman, Lizette. "GoPro Going for IPO, Venture Investors Go for Gold." Venture Capital
Dispatch RSS. 7 Feb. 2014. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.
Clark, Bill. "How Much Capital Should You Raise for Your Startup?" MicroVentures Blog. 25
Nov. 2014. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.
2. We will begin by creating a prototype and visually showing people how the product
works through screens in Photoshop. Once we get a good amount of potential customers,
we will then build a functional prototype and attract people through blogs, emails, and
launch parties. Kickstarters and Indiegogo are two great sites for crowdfunding that can
help us finance in the early stages. We plan to sell the products on our online website. If
the business continues to grow, we can then move on to selling through our distributors.
Barnett, Chance. "Donation-Based Crowdfunding Sites: Kickstarter Vs. Indiegogo."Forbes.
Forbes Magazine, 9 Sept. 2013. Web. 08 Feb. 2015.
Vital, Anna. "How To Raise Money for Your Startup - Illustrated Guide." Funders and
Founders. 28 May 2012. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.
3. The breakeven point depends on the fixed cost and the variable cost of the product. This
information will be provided in further details once we can estimate the cost of the
product.
"How to Calculate Your Break-even Point - Startups.co.uk: Starting a Business Advice and
Business Ideas." Startups.co.uk: Starting a Business Advice and Business Ideas. 06 Sept.
2011. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.
4. The market for RFID has grown steadily, despite the economic meltdown, due to the
diverse nature of its applications: from tagging retail to transport ticketing to animals.
From 2010, the industry has entered a period of rapid growth and profitability. The RFID
market is worth $8.89 billion, up from $.7.77 billion in 2013 and $6.96 billion in 2012. In
retail alone, RFID is seeing rapid growth for apparel tagging. This application alone
demanded 3 billion RFID labels in 2014, which took up 7% of the total market for
apparel that year.
Das, Raghu. "Global RFID Market Will Reach $7.88 Billion in 2013." Global RFID Market Will
Reach $7.88 Billion in 2013. 22 Oct. 2013. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.
Das, Raghu, and Peter Harrop. "Rfid Report." RFID Forecasts, Players and Opportunities 2014-
2024. July 2014. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.
5. Bootstrapping may be a viable option in early stages of developing the product. It is
important to estimate the startup cost for the first 12 months so the business does not run
short on cash. We can have customers/testers to help finance growth. However, if the
business continues to grow and more investment is needed for production, venture capital
might be an alternate option in order to cover up costs and expenses.
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Berry, Tim. "How to Estimate Startup Costs." Entrepreneur. 19 Sept. 2011. Web. 09 Feb.
2015.
Overall Potential
Score (-5 to +1) Overall Potential of the
business Idea Based on Each
Part
Suggestions for Improving the
Potential
Part 1: Strength of Business
Idea
High Potential
Moderate Potential
Low Potential
Part 2: Industry - Related
Issues
High Potential
Moderate Potential
Low Potential
Part 3: Target Market and
Customer-Related Issues
High Potential
Moderate Potential
Low Potential
Part 4: Founder- (or Founders-
) Related Issues
High Potential
Moderate Potential
Low Potential
Part 5: Financial Issues High Potential
Moderate Potential
Low Potential
Overall Assessment High Potential
Moderate Potential
Low Potential
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Appendix C: Consumer Survey Research
1. Where did you buy your current wallet?
Online
Retailer (Macy's, Nordstrom, etc.)
Shop
Other (please specify)
2. How much does your current wallet cost?
Less than $100
$100-$199
$200-$299
$300-$399
$400-$499
More than $500
3. What color would you prefer for your wallet? (Black, Dark Brown, Dark Blue, Gold,
etc.)
Other (Please specify)
4. What material do you prefer your wallet? (Leather, Crocodile, Velcro, etc.)
First Choice
Second Choice
Third Choice
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5. Which type of wallet are you interested in?
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6. When considering new products in this area, how would you rank the value of the
product?
Extremely
Important
Very
Important
Moderately
Important
Slightly
Important
Not
Important
Security
Quality
Price
Brand
Other
Other (please specify)
7. RFID blocking feature helps prevent high-tech hackers from scanning our credit cards,
driver licenses, and other RFID cards. How important if RFID blocking feature is added to
your wallet?
Extremely important
Very important
Moderately important
Slightly important
Not important
8. How many time have you lost your wallet and/or been a victim of identity theft?
0
1
2
3
More than 4
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9. How much protection do you feel you have from identity theft with your current wallet?
How much protection do you feel you have from identity theft with your current wallet? Extremely Protecte
Very Protected
Moderately Protected
Slightly Protected
Not Protected At All
10. In your own words, what features would you like added to your current wallet?
Link to the survey: Consumer Survey