Student written business plan; Seasons For You.

1. Index
Executive Summary 2
Industry Analysis 6
Target Market Analysis 18
Product, Pricing, Distribution, and Promotion Strategies 24
Start-Up Costs32
Résumés37
Works Cited 43
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2. Executive Summary
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3. A. COMPANY NAME AND CONTACT
Seasons for You
Sally Snider
SeasonsforYou@yahoo.com
(404) 271-1636
B. BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
Seasons for You is a corporate and residential decorating service, operating within the
commercial decorating industry.
C. COMPANY SUMMARY
The primary service of Seasons for You is to decorate both commercial complexes and
residential areas, including neighborhoods and houses, during the holiday seasons throughout the
year. By employing Seasons for You, our clients will enjoy hassle free holiday seasons, free
from the burden of decorating. Seasons for You also purchases the decorations to fit each
client’s specific order and then provides storage in our climate controlled storage facility.
Seasons for Youis a customer friendly business and is dedicated to meeting the needs of our
clients. Customers schedule a time at their convenience for a consultant to give a quote on the
potential property. There is no transportation fee because the consultants from Seasons for You
travel to the client’s property. Seasons for You is dedicated to taking holidays back to their
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4. origins of celebration, removing the hassle and struggle that pervades Twenty-First century
culture.
D. MANAGEMENT
Tyler Core is the advertising and marketing manager. He knows the target market, being
a Florida native, and has landscaping experience, which will aid in the appealing decorations of
Seasons for You.
Addison McDowell and Taylor Steele are the financial consultants for Seasons for You.
Like Tyler Core, Addison and Taylor have experience in landscaping, experience that will be
vital to the success of Seasons for You. Their financial abilities are based in pre-business classes
taken at Samford University.
Anna Brewer is the sales director of Seasons for You. She has experience in the service
industry, working with local neighborhoods as a lifeguard for three years. Anna, also, possesses
networking skills necessary for the position of a sales representative.
Sally Snider works as the recording secretary and the research director. She gleans
experience from years of dictation and research initiatives.
E. TARGET MARKET
The target market for Seasons for You resides in the middle to upper class population of
Orlando, Florida and in the commercial businesses of metro Orlando. With over two thirds of
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5. the city’s population residing in our target market, Seasons for You will pursue mainly residential
decorating, but will seek to attract commercial businesses as well. There are over 21,000 home
decorating services in the United States, but only one, Christmas Décor, provides the same
services as Seasons for You in Orlando, Florida. There is not another direct competitor in the
industry in Orlando.Seasons for You looks to increase the limited competition and attract a share
of the market. In order to surpass our competition we will not only provide the decorations for
our clients, but also store them, freeing our client’s limited space, something that our competitors
do not accomplish. Seasons for You will inject new vigor and competition into the commercial
and residential industry in Orlando, Florida.
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6. Industry Analysis
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7. A. INDUSTRY SIZE, GROWTH, AND SEGMENTS
The decorating industry has maintained positive growth over the past decade. With over
21,000 home decorating businesses in the United States alone, the average income among the
businesses has seen little change. From 2002-2007 the average revenue has slightly decreased,
but top performing firms have experienced higher profits.1Although there is a minimal drop
among recent years in the profitability in the decorating industry, it is apparent that its overall
consistency allows for confidence in the home decorating (exterior furnishing) industry. In
thisrecovering economy,companies and organizations will seek the opportunity to employ the
services of Seasons For You in order to increase the appeal to their target customers.2Among
holiday services, such as lighting during winter months and Fourth of July decorating,
SeasonsFor You offers many different services from landscaping to decorating for special events.
The home decorating industry encompasses both the interior and the exterior of a household.
With an expected 19% increase in the decorating industry over the next ten years, decorating will
become more competitive and earnings will increase. The exterior decorating sector is expanding
within this industry to adhere to the extensive need for decks, outdoor lighting, holiday
decorating, swimming pools, playground design, rock gardens, and landscaping.3
1
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos293.htm
2
http://holidayhousedecorator.com/7.html
3
http://www.ibisworld.com/industry/default.aspx?indid=1410&partnerid=ValuationResources
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8. Seasons for You will concentrate mainly on exterior decorating with a focus on holiday
designing and seasonal furnishing for the outdoors. Our business will be marketed towards
residential and commercial buildings. The purpose of the company is to seek out domestic
households and corporate businesses. We intend to locate our company initially in Orlando,
Florida. From there we will discuss future plans of expansion, which will be dependent on our
initial success.
B. MACRO-LEVEL TRENDS
Demographic
The 2000 census projects potential numbers in all households taken in Orlando, Florida.
The target market is comprised of families within Orlando district from the ages of 24-65. The
following chart illustrates the total number of people within each category and the percentage of
the total population. As seen below, families make up over half of the population. Single
mothers and those over the age of sixty-five make up almost one quarter of the population.
Seasons for You plans to target these focus groups because together, they make up almost 75% of
the city’s population.
Household By Type # of % of Population
Households
Total Households 80,883 100.00%
Family Households (families) 42,357 52.37%
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9. With own children under 18 years 19,821 24.51%
Married-couple family 26,190 32.38%
With own children under 18 years 10,512 13%
Female householder, no husband
12,456 15.4%
present
With own children under 18 years 7,585 9.38%
Non-Family households 38,526 47.63%
Householder living alone 28,312 35%
Householder 65 years and over 6,845 8.46%
Households with individuals under 18
22,600 27.94%
years
Households with individuals 65 years
15,098 18.67%
and older
Economics
With the economy in its current state, Seasons for Youwill move the focus of advertising
on simplifying the holiday season. We are hoping to hire more skilled workers with experience
in holiday decorating because of the extremely high unemployment rates. Disposable income,
especially at the onset will be more difficult to obtain because of high interest rates and stricter
bank regulations. Like the rest of the country, the Orlando economy is suffering, but based on its
historical business record, it should come out of this recession and enter the next phase of the
business cycle.
Technology
Seasons for You intends to use the Internet to advertise and establish our company,
buying advertisements on search engines to inform potential customers of our service. We will
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10. build a website where people can purchase and rent our products. The customer can select the
decorative package, which will then be delivered on its scheduled date, by the consultant.
Services will be carried out by setting up and tearing down the decorations. On the
advertisements, we will encourage new customers to try our service, advertising discount rates
because we have never worked with them before4. Internet advertising is still in its early stages,
so we will be cautious of its effectiveness and cost.
Regulatory
With the recent minimum wage increase and much stricter regulations on bank loans,
accumulating and maintaining capital will prove to be difficult. Because minimum wage has
increased, our unskilled labor population will expect higher wages, providing a difficult scenario
for our new company. The result is that Seasons for You will have to employ less people and
utilize the workers that we will have. Bank regulations pose a larger problem. Most banks, such
as Bank of America, require proof of financial success in one form or another to even consider
granting a loan5. With the financial market as it is, the acquiring of funds will be challenging for
brand new small businesses like Seasons for You.
4
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Advertising-2052/Internet-advertising-rates.htm
5
Bank of America website
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11. Globalization
Our company does not have any future plans of globalization. Seasons for You intends to
locate initially in Orlando, Florida with the hopes of one day expanding throughout the country
along the east coast.
C. COMPETITION
The first major competitor, Christmas Décor, is based in Lubbock, Texas and has been
operating for more than twenty years. Based on their website, one of their biggest strengths is
that they have been operating for many years and they have 375 locations in 48 states. Our
company, Seasons For You, is based in the Southeast, and Christmas Décor is densely populated
along the East Coast. Another strength they have is that they are able to store all of the products
that they use to accommodate their clients. Because they are an established organization, they
have much more capital to pay for storage. In order for our company, Seasons For You, to be
successful we must find a way to create an advantage that appeals to the needs of our customers.
However, one of Christmas Décor’s greatest weaknesses is that they pay for any damaged lights
that may arise throughout the holiday season, this includes when they are being stored. If a
terrible winter storm were to hit an area where this company is heavily operating then they could
suffer thousands of dollars in replacement fees. A second weakness is the fact that they only
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12. operate in the winter season. Throughout the rest of the year this company has no other source of
income6.
A second major competitor in the world of professional decorating is a St. Petersburg,
Florida based company called Decorating Elves7. Their most significant strength is that they are
a full service company meaning, their services include installation of the lights before the
holiday season starts, and they also take them down to keep families from encountering the
“holiday hassle.” A major weakness is they only serve Florida. Another weakness is that they
advertise the easy ability for someone to franchise a part of their company. When companies
start to franchise out and let other people control parts of their organization, the opportunity for
customer satisfaction to decline becomes a huge risk. It is important for companies to keep
clientele within their work force that understand and keep the original standards and values of
the company.
A third competitor in the professional lighting industry goes by the name of,
ChristmasLighters. They are based in Salt Lake City, Utah8. Their company website is very
vague and unappealing throughout. Another weakness is the lack of professionalism on their
website. It looks as if their website was created from a Word document, and they repeat
6 Christmas Décor website www.christmasdecor.net/
7
Decorating Elves website www.decoratingelves.com/
8
Christmas Lighters website: www.christmaslighters.com/
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13. themselves many times throughout the different pages of their website. Once again, the lack of
professionalism is evident. One strength they do possess is that they stress the need to use energy
efficient LED lighting. To some people this may be appealing because they need to protect the
environment with the lights they use. Also, they do not franchise and they are a private home-
based company. This is a good way to keep customer satisfaction in the hands of the owner of
the company.
D. STANDARDIZATION
As presented with the previous research, there is a high level of competition and therefore
the service is easily standardized. What differentiate each company in the industry are the
benefits that they offer. The more successful companies, such as Christmas Décor, have
franchises and benefits to their customers that local companies are not able to give. All
companies in the professional lighting business offer almost all of the same benefits. All of our
competitors offer to quote the property giving the impression of using the lights from the
company. Based on this research, there are no niches within the United States that are not being
served, but in the Northwest region of the Unites State there is a great opportunity for growth in
the professional lighting industry because of the lack of clustering of major cities.
E. BARRIERS TO THE INDUSTRY
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14. As in every industry, many barriers block entrance into the residential and corporate
decorating service industry. Because competition exists in a capitalist market, established
corporations will attempt to block entrance into the available markets. National and local
companies, such as the Freeman Decorating Service, Inc. and Holiday Lightscapes offer similar
services, which pose problems in terms of our entrance into the market.9 Not only is there
opposition from present competition, but also other obstacles inhibit entrance into this industry.
As with any emerging small business, we must try to attract investors to generate capital.
But because this is a new venture idea, there is a lack of credibility with banks and investors.
This lack of business experience is detrimental to the ability to receive loans and grants from
banks and investors. Not only will the presence of competition bar entrance into the market, but
also the ability to generate capital, to gain the trust of investors and banks will be integral in
entering the decorating industry.
Once we establish our company, the difficulty of attracting business only increases.
Although we may already have loans and investors to generate our supply, we need to be able to
reach customers to sell our services. There will need to be plentiful means of advertising and
networking to build and maintain our client base. This is made easier with modern technology
by use of free social networking websites such asTwitter and Facebook. Contacts will also be
9
ProQuest Database
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15. generated through events, conferences, and occasions in which to network with possible
clientele, competition, investors, and mentors.
F. KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
Many factors come into play when a business wants to succeed in the home decorating
industry. First, advertising is one of the key components of success because our target market has
to know our business and the service it provides. In addition to customers being familiar with our
business, we also want customers to associate the name of our company with a good feeling or
thought. For example, Coca-Cola has done a good job of advertising so that when people hear
the name Coke they automatically think of that sound the can makes while opening. There is
something relaxing and soothing about a coke. Similarly, when people hear “Seasons For You”
we want them to think of something relaxing like spending time with their family. The second
factor is reliable service. This reputation of being reliable happens over time primarily through
networking. In order to establish this kind of reputation it is necessary that our employees be
punctual, responsible, and diligent. The customer has to trust the company in order to allow our
employees to decorate their property and store their materials. Location is also a key factor to
success in the service industry. When McDonalds was first beginning to grow, the owner would
fly over cities in a helicopter and find churches10. More times than not, the owner put McDonalds
10
McDonalds website: www.mcdonalds.net/
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16. restaurants next to churches because families were McDonalds target customers. In the same
way, Seasons For You has determined their target market and found their initial headquarters.
Seasons for You will succeed if we can advertise well, have reliable service, and select a good
location to run their business.
G. INDUSTRY ATTRACTIVENESS
The home decorating industry in 2007 had 22,170 total businesses with the average
revenue of $315,646. Out of those 22,170 businesses, 21,504 had revenues of under $1 million, 6
had revenue between $1 million and $4.99 million, 33 had revenue between $5 million and
$12.49 million, 5 had revenue between $12.5 million and $49.99 million, and 1 had revenue
above $50 million.11 The home decorating industry is just like any other industry in the fact that
it is never an easy task to maintain a successful business. One of the problems that Seasons For
You will face is that because of the recession, families are cutting back on expenses. People are
determining necessity from luxury and are trying to cut back spending on luxuries.
Unfortunately, the home decorating industry is in many cases considered a luxury. For this
reason, it could be challenging to make money in the home decorating industry. We believe
however, that if our business adheres to the key success factors stated in the previous paragraph,
that Seasons For You will be a profitable and successful business regardless of the economy.
11 http://www.entrepreneur.com/benchmark/details39.html
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17. There are segments of the home decorating industry that are more attractive than others.
For example, around Christmas time each year people start to panic because of all the
responsibilities that the holidays carry. Seasons For You will send our trained employees to
install the holiday decorations. Hopefully in doing this service, the customer will experience
relief and relaxation from the many burdens of the holiday season. We believe Christmas will be
one of our biggest and most successful times of the year for our company, and hopefully our
reliable service and exceptional work will insure our customers business again in the near future.
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18. Target Market Analysis
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19. A. TARGET MARKET SIZE
Benefits
Convenience
We not only decorate the houses, but also maintain the decorations and then remove them
at the end of the holiday seasons. Seasons for You targets families, singles, retired couples, and
two-income households, because we know that not everyone has the time or capability to
decorate their homes for the holiday seasons.
Lower Stress and Hassle
Not only do we make the holidays more convenient, but Seasons for You provides a less
stressful environment. We remove all conceptions of danger by relieving our clients of the
burden of outdoor holiday decorating. Our professionals allow for a safe and happy holiday
season.
Storage
Seasons for You supplies all of the decorations according to the purchased pre-ordered
package, and we also store them in our own climate-controlled facility. We acknowledge that our
clientele have limited storage space in their homes due to constricted average square footage,
therefore we desire to once again alleviate the burden of year round holiday decorating.
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20. Demographic
The largest customer base is in the age range of fifty-five to eighty-five.
In a 2006 poll, Tamarac, Florida, a city near Orlando, is the number one city in the nation with
the most retirees12. In most cases, couples or individuals over the age of sixty-five are unable to
climb on their roofs multiple times a year and install holiday lights and decorations. Seasons for
You hopes to reach these senior citizens and supply them with an efficient, affordable, and
convenient way to decorate their homes each holiday season.
Our second targeted group of consumers are those with physical limitations that prohibit
them from being able to decorate their homes each year. According to the US Census Bureau,
1.8% of the Orlando population, or 3,726 people are handicapped. If no one in the household is
able to bear the physical burden of outdoor decorating, the decorations will often remain in their
boxes. Our goal is to reach these types of families, build relationships with them, and let them
know that they are in good hands during the holiday seasons.
Seasons for You also intends to target elderly women who live alone or single mothers
who reside in Orlando, Florida. In a poll conducted by the US Census Bureau, 59.9% of
12 ACS Housing and Demographic Estimates. 2006-2008. US Census Bureau. November 9.
http://UScensus bureau.gov. December 18, 2006.
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21. allfemales living in Orlando over the age of sixty-five live alone13. These women, in addition to
single, working mothers often do not posses the time or ability to unpack and install Christmas
decorations each year.
Our last group of major consumers are business firms in the city of Orlando. Executives are
occupied with running their firms and are not going to want to take time away from their
business. By accessing our website, businessmen and women can quickly choose the desired
decorations and then simply wait for installation.
B. CUSTOMER MOTIVATION
Seasons for You leaps at the opportunity to relieve people from the stresses and burdens of
the holiday seasons. Our primary motivational factor is we can lighten the customer’s load and
let them experience relaxation throughout the holiday season. One of our company’s strongest
competitors is Christmas Décor, whose mission is to, “tackle the exasperating lighting chore and
transform the outside of your home into a fabulous holiday wonderland14.” In a letter from the
President, he makes the customer conscious of the responsibilities and hassles that accompany
the decorating of their homes and offers to eliminating those burdens. People desire to spend
quality time with their families, and the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year,
13 ACS Housing and Demographic Estimates. 2006-2008. US Census Bureau. November 9.
http://UScensus bureau.gov. December 18, 2006.
14
http://www.christmasdecor.net/
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22. therefore, customers will be motivated to employ an outside company rather than decorating
their homes themselves.
C. TARGET MARKET GROWTH RATE
The target market for the decorating industry in Orlando, Florida is increasing parallel to its
population. According to the US Census Bureau, 67.2% of the city’s population is in the target
market15. We identified the target market for the decorating industry, which includes males and
females from twenty-four years old and above. The 2008 American Community Survey
conducted by the US Census Bureau, stated that the metro area of Orlando has grown 24% since
the last census in 200016. Since 1910, Orlando has had a positive population growth, so with the
overall population growth, the market subsequently grows.
The future growth rate of the target market in Orlando, Florida is projected to grow alongside
its population. As previously stated, Orlando has a historically positive population growth rate.
With its thriving tourism, medical centers, and convention centers, Orlando is an attractive city
for families and career minded adults. The pleasant year round weather, especially in the
15
ACS Housing and Demographic Estimates. 2006-2008. US Census Bureau. November 9.
http://UScensus bureau.gov. December 18, 2006.
16
Population of Orlando, Florida. 2008. US Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov.htm.
Accessed February 24, 2010.
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23. wintertime, attracts retirees and handicapped persons. People will always insist on decorating,
therefore simultaneously maintaining a market for Seasons for You.
D. SOURCES
In the decorating industry, managers collect information regarding their target markets by
using myriad primary and secondary sources. Telephone surveys and interviews are often
utilized as means of discovering information straight from the public. Managers also utilize
secondary sources, like the ones that have been used in this business plan, as a less
confrontational and more quantitative ways of garnering data. By gathering city, local, or
national population demographics from sources such as the US Census Bureau, City Data
websites, and the Orange County Convention Visitors Bureau, companies can attempt to locate
their target markets. Another way of gathering information in localizing target markets is looking
into where the competition, like Christmas Décor, is targeting its markets. In observing their
tactics, managers can observe where or where not to locate their businesses.
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24. Product, Pricing,
Distribution, and Promotion
Strategies
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25. A. Product & Service
The service Seasons for You provides is both residential and commercial decorating,
specializing in holiday decorating through out the year. Where we provide the convenience of
easy access for the customer to order the product or service in question. We then provide the
service of going to the clients home or commercial building and put up the decorations they
ordered for a certain amount of time, where then we will return to take down the product rented.
We provide benefits to clients who are unable to decorate because of time, health or
experience can enjoy seasonal decorating with Seasons For You. Within residential decorating,
customers can experience seasonal decoration without the expense of their own time.
Commercial businesses would benefit by using Seasons For You’s professional decorating,
because we provide the service of putting up and taking down the decorations at a good price for
great quality work. This will also attract their customers. Seasons For You specializes in
Christmas Decorating, but provides services year-round for any occasion. Seasons For You
provides the storage so that our patrons are able to purchase the decorations without the hassle of
storing them. Seasons For You is a full-service business; we will put up and take down
decorations so the customer can experience holiday and seasonal decorating without the stress.
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26. B. Pricing
We provide consumer-friendly packages for our customers,allowing easy access.
Package deals, based off surveys, are more appealing to the customer. This method simplifies the
buying process as well as keeps our company organized. The customer can log-in online and
purchase the package that fits their needs. We then provide them with all that is needed within
that package. In addition to the already assembled package the customer can purchase add-ons to
personalize the package to fit their desires.
Residential Package
With the residential package the customer can order our service for a start up amount
based off of the amount of decorations they ordered. The time frame for which they will be
acquiring our service and product will be determined based on the date of purchase. There will
be an initial start up fee of $800, including several basic services such as: gas, tools, employee
payments, design systematic, etc. The packages are listed below.
Corporate/Commercial Package
The corporate package provides our service to corporate/commercial locations. Where
the customer can order our service for a certain amount of time. They pay an Initial fee much
larger than that of the residential due to the size of the buildings in general. The Initial price
drops after the first year for customer loyalty.
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27. Initial Price (First Year)- $ 2,500
Initial Price (Years to Follow) - $1,500
(This price is due to the initial purchases of the items in question, the services and employees it
requires, gas, tools (Extension cords, ladders, etc..), design systematic, etc.)
Additional Costs: Decorations & Time are determined upon the consultation.
Lights
-String Lights (White, Colored) - $1.00 (per yard. Min. 60 yards)
-Icicle Lights - $2.00 (per yard. Min. 60 yards)
-Shaped Lights (Snowflakes, Stars, Deer, Sleigh)- $20.00 each
-Spot Lights - $10.00 each
Large Outdoor Décor
-Blow up Décor- $50.00
-Outdoor Nativity Sets- $30.00
Time Costs:
-Additional Weekly Charge - $50.00
-Monthly Charge - $160.00
C. Service Distribution
Critical Location
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28. The location of Seasons For You is vital to its success. Because our target market is
centered on a specific population, we have decided to locate in Orlando, Florida. According to
the US Census Bureau, 67.2% of the city’s population lies in our residential target market, not
including the commercial opportunities. It contains both residential and corporate possible
clientele, with a stable middle class and a burgeoning economic center. Because our firm is
service based, we must identify our target market and then plant our company in the heart of that
market.
Type of Location
To start our company, we will have to have storage for the decorations as well as office
space to conduct everyday business with clients. We will add to the storage space as we grow in
size. The location of our facility will be centrally located in developed areas of the city or
suburbs of Orlando to attract customers. In the beginning, we will buy one storage unit that is 15
X 30 feet with a controlled temperature between 60-65 degrees, controlled humidity, fire
sprinkler protection, 24 hour security protection at the entrance of the facility, a lit and paved
entryway, and 17 ft. ceilings. The storage will cost $77.13 per month to rent for this particular
rental facility. These accommodations will allow for adequate storage and protection of capital.
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29. Specific Location
Seasons for You plans to locate in Orlando, Florida in the Industrial Park area,
specifically at 1800 Crown Way near the intersection of highways 438 and 441 in the heart of the
city. We will rent this office space and storage from Business Archives Incorporated. This
strategic location provides for prime connection with local suburbs, while staying close to our
corporate clients.
D. Advertising
Modern technology has made advertising much more accessible to all people and in most
cases much more productive. Seasons For You appeals to a market that is centered around
suburban areas that contain many grocery stores, supermarkets, and other stores, that are
fundamental in the operating of a successful community. A brochure company by the name of
Vistaprint17 charges $179.99 for 500 custom brochures. Because Seasons For You has a primary
target of people in suburban areas that visit grocery and convenient stores; we want to attract
these people by having abundant amounts of brochures available in such places that are densely
populated by our customers. In doing this, there is one up-front cost to pay: the price of the
17
http://www.vistaprint.com/brochures.aspx?mk=Company+Brochures&ad=broad&GP=3%2f3%2
f2010+4%3a02%3a34+PM&rd=2
29

30. brochures. This method allowed for our brand name is easily accessible and convenient to the
public.
The second means of advertising that Seasons For You will to utilize is the Internet. The
minimum cost for a professionally developed website is $3,00018. However, through social
networking such as Facebook19 and Twitter20 our company can get its name and our website out
to the public much efficiently.
Talk shows and music play a large role in society today, and because of this, Seasons For
You would like to use the radio as a basic means of public advertising. A local radio sports
station, 97.3 Christ Contemporary FM, charges $70 for 30 seconds of airtime21. The majority of
Christian radio stations play only Christmas music throughout the holiday season. In a 2009 poll,
45.2% of all listeners listen to the radio for 3 hours after tuning in to their favorite station22.
Christmas music is very popular during the holiday season, and if Seasons For You can get
advertising airtime during the holiday season on the radio, our brand name has the chance to be
spread effectively.
18
http://www.xemion.com/free-web-design-quote.html
19
http://www.facebook.com
20
http://www.twitter.com
21
http://radio.birmingham.sportstalk.com
22
http://www.audiographics.com/spclreport/survey46.htm
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31. Another effective means of advertising is the use of a local newspaper. Birmingham
News, a daily newspaper, charges $10,920 dollars for three days of advertising23. After Seasons
For You has enough capital to sustain such advertising, the use of a local newspaper seems very
efficient, in terms of getting the name brand to people in the local community during the holiday
season.
23 http://www.al.com/birminghamnews
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32. Start-Up Costs
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33. A. ONE-TIME START-UP EXPENSES
Startup Expenses Amount Description
Advertising $800.00 Business Cards, Flyers, Brochures
Starting inventory $950.00 Service Supply Cost
Cash $1,000.00 Emergency Expenses
Decorating N/A
Deposits $110.00 Phone Line and Internet
Fixtures and equipment $600.00 Ladders, Hammers, Nails, etc.
Insurance $2,500.00 Liability and Workers Compensation
Lease payments N/A
Licenses and permits $458.00 Commercial License for Orlando, Florida
Miscellaneous $1,500.00 Unexpected Cost
Professional fees $225.00 *Per Hour
Remodeling N/A
Rent $23.00 Public Storage *Per Month
Services N/A
Signs $195.00 Custom Color Signs
Printer, Paper, Miscellaneous Office
Supplies $600.00
Supplies
Unanticipated expenses $1,500.00 Emergency/ Miscellaneous Expenses
Other N/A
Other N/A
Other N/A
Total Startup Costs $10,461.00 Amount of costs before opening
B. REPEATED MONTHLY EXPENSES
Expenses Amount Description
Advertising $400.00 Brochures, Flyers, Business Cards
Bank service fees $25.00 Account Cost for Relationship With Bank
Credit card charges N/A
Deliveries Sent To Our Home (Office
Delivery fees $50.00
Building)
Dues and subscriptions N/A
33

34. Health insurance $1,074.56 Insurance on Employees
Insurance $5,000 Exclude amount on preceding page
Interest N/A
Inventory $100.00 See **, below
Lease payments $0.00 Exclude amount on preceding page
Loan payments $133.00 Principal and interest payments
Office expenses $50.00 Supplies Used In Office
Payroll other than owner N/A Wages to Employees
Payroll taxes N/A
Professional fees $225.00/hour CPA and Lawyer
Rent $146.00 Public Storage
Replacement of service supplies and car
Repairs and maintenance $230.00
maintenance
Sales tax 0.07% Based on Orlando Sales Tax
Supplies $50.00 Miscellaneous office supplies
Telephone $49.95 Comcast Phone Service
Utilities $99.95 Heating and Air-Conditioning, Internet
Your salary N/A Based on number of houses serviced
Other N/A
Total Repeating Costs $19,316.92
Total Startup Costs $10,461 Amount from preceding page
Total Cash Needed $29,777.92
C. DESCRIPTIONS
Advertising
$400 per month because we will be reprinting postcards, business cards and brochures, but it is
not necessary to print as much as we did initially. Information retrieved from
overnightprints.com.
Bank Service Fees
$25 per month per an employee of the Bank of America in Orlando, Florida. There will be a
Banking service fee for $25 a month for basic monthly service.
34

35. Credit Card Charges
There will be a 10% charge in order to bridge the gap of the money that is taken from the credit
card company.
Delivery Fees
$50 per month because after further break-down of the transportation costs of our stock, the
estimated costs of shipping and handling is $50. Information retrieved from UPS.com.
Dues and Subscriptions
There is a $19.97 for a 2 year subscription to Decorating Magazine.
Health Insurance
We will be seeking coverage with UnitedHealthcare, with HMO coverage. Information retrieved
from their website. Each of our employees will be given proper Health Insurance.
Insurance
State Farm package provides for liability insurance and worker’s compensation. Information
received from State Farm agent Jimmy Stewart.
Interest
We will repay all of the angel investors 10% interest of what they invested in the company.
Inventory
$100 per month, after researching on christmasdecorationetc.com we were able to determine that
as our company grows in customers we will need on average $100 more of inventory per month
for lights and other equipment.
Lease Payment
There will be a $0 per month. We will be working out of one of the owner’s homes and will not
have a lease payment.
Loan Payments
There will be a $133 per month. Seasons For You will use angel investors that are willing to put
money into our business in hopes of our business flourishing and their money returning to them.
Office Expenses
We will allow for a $50 allowance per month. We came up with this price after researching on
officedepot.com. This would include replacing office materials and replenishing stock.
Payroll (other than owner)-
Owners will not accept a salary yet.
Payroll Taxes
N/A because we currently do not have any employees.
Professional Fees
After talking to Mrs. Owens, the accountant of a large CPA firm in Atlanta, Georgia, we will pay
$225 per hour as needed, but we cannot anticipate how much assistance we will need per month.
35

36. Rent
We will allow for $146 per month. After researching publicstorage.com we were able to
determine this would be the monthly cost of renting a climate controlled storage unit.
Repairs and Maintenance
There will be a $230 charge per month. This will include the replacement of lights and
decorations we will be using and the services that we will offer. This also includes car
maintenance such as oil changes. Information retrieved from christmaslightsetc.com and
autozone.com.
Sales Tax
The sales tax is 7% in Orlando. We found this information from zip2tax.com
Supplies
Managers will allow $50 per month for supplies. We searched officedepot.com and we
determined that this amount of money would cover necessary expenses within the office.
Telephone
Telephone costs will amount to $49.95 per month. This would include unlimited local and long
distance, 1 listing in Yellow/White pages, voice mail, caller ID, call forward, call waiting, call
hold, call transfer, 3-way conferencing, do not disturb, call park/retrieve, call pick up, extension
dialing, speed dial 8 / 30, and anonymous call rejection. Service provided by Comcast Business
telephone.
Utilities
Utilities will cost $99.95 per month based off of a General Electric price quote.
Internet
Internet access will cost $59.95 per month. This would include Norton™ Security Suite Business
Edition, firewall protection, supports multiple computers and VPN connections for remote users,
email security and 24/7 business class support. Service provided by Comcast Business Internet.
Heating and Air Conditioning
Heating and air conditioning will cost $40 per month. We are using approximately 10% of the
space so we will pay for 10% of the cost of heating and air conditioning. We called Dell air and
air conditioning company in Orlando.
Your Salary
The owners will not accept a salary. Our main focus is paying off our debts and expenses.
36

37. Résumés
37

38. Anna E. Brewer
Abrewer1@samford.edu
Present Address (until May 17, 2010) Permanent Address
S.U. Box 292063 7526 Turner Ridge Road
Birmingham, AL 35229 Crestwood, KY 40014
(502)-592-8281
Education Samford University, Birmingham, AL
BachelorofScienceinBusinessAdministrationMay 2013
Major: Pre-Business
Minor: Spanish
Overall GPA: 3.3/4.0
Leadership/Activities
Chi Omega Fraternity:
Social Chair Committee
Volunteer Activities
o Big Oak Girls Ranch, Springville, AL
o Make-a-Wish Foundation
Honors
Samford University Leadership Scholarship
Cultural/ Travel
Travel: Dominican Republic and Mexico
o April 2004
o July 2005
o December 2008
o December 2009
Computer Skills
Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Access
Work Experience
YMCA Lifeguard
o Summer 2006- Winter 2009
Kentuckiana Pool Management Lifeguard
o Summer 2006- Present
38

39. Tyler Core
(407)-451-7761
Tcore@samford.edu
Local Address Permanent Address
800 Lakeshore Dr. 893 Lullwater Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35229 Oviedo, FL 32765
PO Box 293764
Objective – Summer internship for youth ministry
Education:
Samford University, Birmingham, AL
Bachelors of Science and Business Administration
Major: Business Management
GPA: 3.0
Work Experience:
Oxmore Valley Golf Club Guest Services
Oviedo Lawn Services
Ministry Experience:
lead a Bible study at Shades Mountain Baptist Church
Involved with an organization called “Samford Sundays”, in which Samford
students preach at different churches in Alabama
Volunteer at Shades Mountain Baptist Church: organizing activities and
supervising mentally handicapped children
COMPUTER SKILLS:
Microsoft &MacIntosh: Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint
Extracurricular Activities:
Samford University Student Government: Public Relations Committee.
Intramural Sports – Frisbee, Basketball, Football
Volunteer Activities:
Camp Counselor: Adult Retarded Citizen Camp- Head of Recreation
Cultural Experience: Mission Trips
Bahamas- worked with children in orphanages
Brazil- sang with an octet in Florienopolis
Israel- toured around Jerusalem for 5 days and handed out tracks
Interests:
Sports, Guitar, Volunteering
39

40. JOHN ADDISON MCDOWELL
P.O. Box 1569 | Birmingham, AL 35229 | 678-925-0279|
Jmcdowel@samford.edu
Academic Record
Education August 2009-May 2010
Samford University
Birmingham, Alabama
Pursing a degree in Business Science Business Administration
- Seeking to concentrate Internationally in business marketing and finance.
- Computer skills in Microsoft Office: Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Student Government Association
- Actively serving on the Residence Life Committee.
Sigma Chi Fraternity
- Currently serving as Assistant Magister in the 2010 Spring Pledge ship
- Serving on the Inter-Fraternity Council as a Junior Representative
Interests
- Baseball, Basketball, Golf and Fishing
- Intramural Sports: Football, Basketball, Soccer and Softball
Volunteer Work
- Operation Christmas Child (2005-2009)
- Norcross Co-Op (2006-2007)
- Suicide Awareness Walk (2009)
40

41. Sally Snider
ssnider@samford.edu
Present Address
Permanent Address
P.O. Box: 290979
4904 Fitzpatrick Way
Homewood, Al. 35229
Norcross, Ga. 30092
(404) 271-1636
(770) 446-7830
Education
High School Diploma with IB Certificate, May 15, 2009
Samford University, Birmingham, Al. BSBA (2013)
Music minor
3.5 GPA
University Fellow
Calling and Leadership Poverty Project on Sex Trafficking, World of Business
Competition.
Honors and Scholarships
Presidential Scholarship, Legacy Scholarship, and University Fellows Scholarship
Student Involvement
University Chorale
Intramural sports: volleyball and ultimate frisbee
Volunteer Work
Ronald McDonald House, Birmingham, Al.
Volunteer, 2/10/2010, stuffing newsletters in envelopes for mailing
Norcross Cooperative Ministries
Volunteer, every winter season from 2005-2009, stocking Christmas toys for children in
need
Vacation Bible School worker with the department of music at Peachtree Corners Baptist
Church
2006-2009
Professional Development
Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce
Gwinnett Student Leadership Team (GSLT)
Two years of leadership training and development
41

42. Nicholas T. Steele
nsteele@samford.edu
P.O. BOX 20856 4744 Talleybrook Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35229 Kennesaw, GA 30152
770-401-7531 770-919-2434
Objective Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, May 2013
Concentration in International Business/ Entrepreneurship, Specialize in Arabic.
Education Samford University, Birmingham, AL
Pre Business
Computer Skills:
Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Entourage, and Mac.
Cultural Experience:
Beirut, Lebanon (Business Trip with father) 2006
Mission Trips:
Huixilucan, Mexico (2006)
Antigua, Guatemala (2007)
London, England (2008)
Costa Rica (2008)
Activities/Honors
College:
Samford University Leadership Scholarship 2009- Present
Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity 2010-Present
Connections Leadership 2010
Intramurals (Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee) 2009-Present
University Ministries 2009- Present
High School
FCA President (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) 2008-2009
Student Government Vice President 2008-2009
Revoluion Week Leader 2007-2009
Architecture Student of the Year Award 2008-2009
Soccer 2005-2006
42

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47