MODULE 4 Business Plan

Topic 1 Introduction A business plan is a document that describes your business, its objectives, strategies, target market and financial forecasts. It is a blueprint to your business's future. Business plans can vary enormously in length, style and content, but the key is to ensure the document is realistic, practical and regularly reviewed. It should not only set the direction for your business but also act as a reference point for measuring performance. Your team will be guided in the preparation of a presentation where all the key elements of a business plan will be described. The final result will be used by the representatives of your team who will take part at final meeting for the selection of the best transnational business idea.

Topic 2 The final presentation Before starting with the elaboration of your final business plan, you have to agree with all the members of your transnational business group on two fundamental aspects: Who is going to work on which section of the presentation? What specific software will you finally use to put all sections together and present them in front of the jury for the selection of the best idea?

Topic 2 The final presentation The business ideas’ presentation must include the following elements and information: Explanation of the idea Explanation of the name and logo Organization chart Roles and human resources Market research – Charts Competitors analysis Type of company Company headquarters Advertising strategy Trade agreements Bureaucratic process Market strategies Three-year budget estimate Financial requirements Considerations and thanks In order to facilitate the preparation of the doucment it is advisable to divide the sections listed on the right on four sub-groups SUB-GROUP 1 Country of the students who created the logo and visual image of the idea SUB-GROUP 2 Country of the students where the future company will be open SUB-GROUP 3 Country of the students who have economics as a curricular subject SUB-GROUP 4 Country of the students who have marketing as a curricular subject

SUB-GROUP 1 Your responsibilities are: Tasks elaboration of graphic elements for the improvement of the presentation, eventual preparation of additional promotional material (leaflets, posters, videos, websites, social networks pages, etc…), collection of all the sections from the other sub-groups preparation of the final version of the presentation Tasks If you have not done it yet, create a google group and invite all the members of transnational business group to participate Identify the best software to develop your final presentation Office PowerPoint (if all the sub- groups have it) OpenOffice Impress Prezi or Emaze or SlideDog or Google Slide or just google «free presentation software»

SUB-GROUP 2 Your responsibilities are: Tasks identification of all the necessary human resource assignment of roles to all the students in the transnational team preparation of all the facsimiles of the necessary documents for the start-up of the company identification and description of the company headquarters Tasks Prepare an organizational chart using a free software like gliffy or smart draw Interview your international colleagues through Skype and assing them a role in the company Visit a business incubator and ask support to prepare all the necessary documentation Identify an adequate building for your company (which is really on sale), ask for pictures, maps and an estimate of the rental/purchase cost

SUB-GROUP 3 Your responsibilities are: Tasks preparation of financial sections of the presentation investigate if and how you can create trade agreements with other groups define an investment plan for the start-up and launch of your business idea Tasks Ask and collect information from all the other sub groups Use an online software to prepare a three-year budget estimate of your business idea (enloop or Bplans or iPlanner) Contact the local and international sponsor Ask the local bank for a laon feasibility plan

SUB-GROUP 4 Your responsibilities are: Tasks comparison of the national reports on market research, as well as the competitor analysis description of the decisional process for the choice of the final target group and the selected country elaboration of a final national and European market strategy Tasks Search and describe the main competitors Analyse data from market research and provide details on how and why you decided to focus on a certain target group and on a specific country (or internationally) Crate a video that describe your target group and your market strategy (stupeflix or wevideo or kizoa)

Final activity of the module Technical visits at business incubators Guideline for teachers One of the key aspects in the elaboration of a business plan is to have a complete awareness on the various administrative, bureaucratic and financial requirements for the start-up of a specific type of company. Even though not all the national sub-groups will work at the preparation of the same sections of the final presentation, it is fundamental that all the students involved in the project will acquire basic knowledge on the different type of companies in their country, the bureaucratic process to open them, as well as the principles for the preparation of a three-year budget estimate and the identification of the financial requirements. If your students’ curriculum don’t include relevant subjects for the acquisition of these competences, the best way is to organize a visit to a business incubator or a similar organization in your area, where they can take part at a practical workshop focused on their transnational business ideas.

Meeting in June 2016 The main aim of the transnational mobility will be the selection of the best transnational idea. It is advisable that the meeting is participated by the Product/operation directors of each national sub-groups. If a school wants to bring additional students, we suggest you to choose the Team leader or Communication manager. When the students go back school, a final dissemination event be organized in order to present the transnational business ideas, as well as the project results, to other schools and stakeholders.