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Progress of Start up Venture - Week 13

What is working?  Advertising on work website. Word of mouth marketing.

What is not working?  Not reaching out to enough clientele. I would like to create business website with pictures, videos, ingredients, other twist’s on recipes.  Also to be able to order directly or add extra stuff to your orders. 

How do you feel the project is coming? It’s been going well.  

What are you learning about running a business?  It has it’s challenges and growth opportunities.  I’ve had a lot of networking in the food service industry through my customers.   

What are you learning about yourself?  I’m  great business entrepreneur always looking for innovative new ways to sell or improve my product’s.  

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Progress of Start-up Venture - Week 12

What is working? For the most part my business model (Saintly Homemade Bruschetta Kits) has worked out well.

What is not working? Balancing quality and growth, more time management skills are required. I find it’s impacted by my regular full time job, not having enough hours to put into it. I hope to quit soon to focus more on my own business.

How do you feel the project is coming?  It has been an eye opening and wonderful experience trying to perfect my business.  I need to balance client/founder dependence. 

What are you learning about running a business? Learning about money and time management benefit the company making it more successful.

What are you learning about yourself? I keep pushing forward even though uncertainty in the market, I’m very passionate about my business.  I’m not deterred very easily. 

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Progress of Start Up Venture - Week 11

What is working? Recipe is delicious the way it is but to apply to more customers would like to make special edition jars. Examples include, Bruschetta & Bell Pepper, Bruschetta & Herb, Bruschetta & Onion.

What is not working? Client dependence some customers are not coming back on a weekly basis.  I would like that to be my customer goal to have repeat customers on a weekly basis.

How do you feel the project is coming? Generally great. A few more weeks to go. I’m hoping to earn my projected financial forecast.

What are you learning about running a business?Time and money management necessary.

What are you learning about yourself? I’m very independent and self sufficient.  I enjoy preparing delicious food, serving food. 

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Progress of Start-up Venture Project - Week 10

What is working? Packaging that’s attractive, jars that are recyclable and labels that are biodegradable

What is not working? Not reaching out to enough new customers, not enough people buying product.  Slightly below projected sales/profits. I need to maximize on my sales.

How do you feel the project is coming? Overall fairly well, I’ve had steady fair sales. My daily/weekly sales haven’t been as high as initially projected. Still earning sales/profits

What are you learning about running a business? Sometimes profits are burned by wasted (Expired) product. I had to throw two regular size jars away that didn’t sell before expiry date

What are you learning about yourself? I would like to have better sales skills to cold call random companies to sell more of my product, be assertive and see positive sales results.

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Start up Venture Project - Week 9

What is working?

Sales have been going pretty steady

What is not working? Covid is impacting some of my sales projections. People aren’t having many gatherings at this time.  Slightly below what was expected.

How do you feel the project is coming?

Overall coming along well.  I really enjoy providing healthy snacks and appetizers.

What are you learning about running a business?  It is time consuming and fulfilling. I’m learning how to manage my time and work.

What are you learning about yourself?  I have leadership skills and enjoy utilizing my skills,  Practice makes perfect.  The more kits I make the better, quicker and more efficient I become.

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Start up Venture Project-Week 8

What is working? Preparing and selling amount of product running smoothly so far.  

What is not working? Not enough convenient locations. Would like to supply more locations/local business

How do you feel the project is coming?  It’s coming along great.  I’’m learning a lot.  Better then I imagined.

What are you learning about running a business? It takes hard work and dedication and perseverance. 

What are you learning about yourself? I’m a hard worker and enjoy owning and running my own business. 

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Start Up Venture -Progress

My business: Saintly Homemade Bruschetta Kits has been working well so far. The turn around of product has been good.  I’ve been receiving lots of great reviews and compliments from my customers. 

What is working? Bruschetta Recipe is delicious (Positive feedback) Telephone/Text ordering, Pre-made quantity good for current amount of customers.

What is not working? Email is going to junk mail, trouble shooting how to fix permanently. I don’t want to miss/delay any orders.

How do you feel project is coming? Sales has been steady and I’ve mostly been meeting my sales goals and projections.

What are you learning about running a business? It’s rewarding and challenging at the same time.  Can be very time consuming overseeing and making sure business operations are running well.

What are you learning about yourself? I would like to be better/more knowledgeable on marketing and selling to more broad range of customers and getting bigger profits.  I can be tough on myself when trying to accomplish my business goals.  The added pressure does not benefit my business.  I’m growing in my career as an entrepreneur and reaching my business/professional goals.

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Financial Resources

I plan to carry my business Saintly Homemade Bruschetta Kits forward in the future. 

Identify which financial source you would consider for a future business start up? I would use my earnings and profits to put funds back into the business in the start up phase.  I would also use the term loan option with a bank or financial company I could finance an amount to pay back between 1-10 years to cover marketing, production, facility and supplies and overall running the business.  

What lenders want to see in your business? Lenders would want to know if your business is equitable and worth the time and investment.  Financial investors would like to see you have established credibility.  Lenders want to check out your professional profile and check to see what kind of reviews your business is generating.  A big focus investors would have is Project Viability; they would ask/want to know :

-where are your going to find customers?  Through advertising, creative marketing,  word of mouth referrals, my current workplace promoting on our company website, friends and family.

-how did you choose business location?  I don’t have a retail location at this time.  I sell on a weekly order basis.  Customers email and call in orders in advance. 

-where are you going to find your suppliers? I would look to catering company’s for help.  They already have the prep kitchens and make better business deals then commercial competition.  

-how many customers do you expect daily?  3-10 customers spending $18-22 per person

Financial investors would also want to look at financial strength of a company. Show a detailed break down of projections.  

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Business Operations Plan

Question: Thoughts around purchasing products or generating resources for services your offering?  

Answer: For my business titled Saintly Homemade Bruschetta Kits; some of the items I would require would be ingredients > roma tomato, balsamic vinagrette, olive oil, garlic, balsamic glaze, basil, baguette, glass jars for storage, glass bowls to make in, knives to cut product, cutting board and a counter space to prepare kits. 

Question: Will you be able to source product in time?

Answer: My business at this time does not require sourcing product. I think my business would loose authenticity and it is in early stages of the business. 

Question: Are any licences or permits needed?

Answer: Inspector sent to facility, Dine safe inspection required.  Must comply with Ontario Food Premises Regulation

Question: Share vision on what needed to launch business as well as tools/items needed to start selling?

Answer: What I need to start my business is tools such as cutting board, knife, mixing bowls, garlic press, ingredients>roma tomato, balsamic vinagrette, balsamic glaze, garlic, basil, olive oil, baguette.  I need to have small bags and saran wrap and cuts to package items to go.  I would also require storing glass jars and labels for each jar.

Tools I would use to start selling Bruschetta Kits would be through my cell phone taking orders in advance and through email taking orders ahead of time. Advertising on my work website called the buzz its an internal intranet reaching thousands of employees.   Organizing convenient time with customer for pick up or drop off.

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Creating a Customer Persona

                                            Goal

1.WHO are we empathizing with?  Consumers and retailers that we would like to do business with. Our product is healthy, all natural, vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, no msg a healthy alternative to other snacks and appetizers. Providing a bruschetta kit with all essential ingredients convenient east and ready to use

2. What do they need to DO? They will be purchasing/reviewing product and competition.

3. What do they see? They see a healthy product that is convenient and ready to serve.

4.What do they say? Great reviews, product tastes homemade and just the right amount of flavour. Directions prepare snack/appetizer perfectly.

5.What do they do? Purchase and recommend product and write great reviews.

6. What do they hear? That the product is has many health benefits and would like to use the food product. It’s fast and convenient.

7.What Do They Think and Feel?

Pains                                           Gains

-Price ?Expensive                    -Healthy food product

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Creative Advertising Exercise

Step 1 - 15 ways to use a safety pin

-tighten a shirt width

-pop a zit

-earrings

-ring holder

-key chain

-hair barette

-finger clamping workout device

-bookmark

-hole puncher

-button replacer

-tiny mirror

-finger nail cleaner

-sofa cover pin holder

-jewellery, necklace or bracelet

-dog leash

-dog collar

-nose and ear piercer

-wallet chain

-decorate shoes material

-guitar pic

-staple replacer

-lock picker

-get rid of ear wax

-patch clothes

-ring holder

-make a skirt

Step 2 Narrow down to 10 Best uses

-hole puncher

-key chain

-sofa cover pin holder

-jewellery - necklace or bracelet

-dog leash

-dog collar

-guitar pic

-bookmark

-use as a paper clip

-hole puncher

Best 5 Uses

-key chain

-sofa cover pin holder

-jewellery - necklace or bracelet

-dog hleash/collar

-guitar pic

Friend choose: Sofa cover pin holder

Name of new device: Sofa Secure

This new device is the smart solution to sofa covers riding and bunching up.  It helps to secure cover under neath bottom of sofa or secured under pillows.  It is great not having to readjust the sofa cover often.  It is beneficial and helpful that sofa will have a neater apprearance. 

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Local Competition

3 Main Competitors Strengths and Weaknesses

1.  Classico Bruschetta

Strengths and Weaknesses-Lower price $4.86, added herbs, 4 star rating, nutritional information not very clear, isn’t advertised very well, has a vinegar taste

2. President Choice Bruschetta-Lower price $4.29, Low calories, attractive label, loaded with Vitamin A, C, Calcium and Iron, use preservatives, no reviews on website, tastes bitter.

3. Summer Fresh Bruschetta-Attractive packaging, Vitamin A, C, no product price found, no reviews, use of preservatives, vinegar taste

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Message Map- freshii

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Strengths and Weaknesses

Some of my strengths include being a quick learner, creative, artistic.  I’m a Acryllic Canvas Painter, Makeup Artist, Bartender, Reiki Healer. Each backround of work has taught me great work ethic and precise calculation.  Over the years I’ve noticed I’m a very good listener and communicator, I enjoy teaching .  I have a very friendly outgoing personality.  I enjoy meeting new people and learning about cultures. Another great quality I possess is organization and multi-tasking and pay very close attention to details.  My weaknesses include I have a tough time saying no.  I’m a people pleaser and like to keep people around me happy.  I feel I could be more assertive.  I can get impatient when things don’t go accordingly.  I’m shy at public speaking. I try to speak up more at meetings to overcome. When trying to improve on my weaknesses I always have the view it is in my best interest to self improve.  I don’t like getting into conflicts with others.  I’ve been guilty of taking on too much and learned my limits and how to manage a bunch of tasks at once

[sandra-ly]

Love the life you live. Live the life you love

Bob Marley