Social Business Plan By: Josh Pepoff

The Idea The idea behind the business is to create a business that manufactures shoes in the USA. We want to provide jobs to people in low income areas, provide shoes to children in low income areas, to bring manufacturing back to the USA and to work towards lowering the levels of poverty.

Market Research Market and Rough Estimate of Market Size: We cant have a definite market until we decide our location but I can show the market share of types of shoes. Although I do not have an exact number I do know our market share will decrease by 2017 since revenue is expected to decrease and since manufacturing is expected to move back to the US. Also billion pairs of shoes where bought in 2007 in the US.

Market Research Continued Customer: Our customer will be anyone who likes out style of shoes or anyone who likes the social aspect of our company. Competition: Nike, Reebok, New Balance, Toms Shoes, Oliberte, Adidas, Converse, Jordan, Bobs Shoes and many more.

Vision and Mission Statement Mission Statement: Our mission is to provide people in low income areas, reliable, safe and good jobs, provide children in low income areas a good pair of shoes, work towards bringing manufacturing back to the USA and work towards lowering the levels of poverty. Vision Statement: Our vision is to eventually have a manufacturing plant in the areas stricken the worst with poverty and to also be known as a company that provides children in need of shoes with shoes. As our company grows and is placed in more areas of poverty, we can start to lower the levels of poverty. We also hope that when we are successful other companies will see that manufacturing can be done in the USA and they will follow in our footsteps.

How We Will Deliver out Product. To the customer: The customer can purchase the shoes directly from our website. Then we will ship their shoes through one of the main shipping companies at the speed of their choice. To retailers: The retail stores can talk directly to us to place an order and we will provide them with their estimated date of delivery and the cost of shipping. To volunteers: Volunteer can pick the shoes up at our warehouse or we can delivery them to their volunteer location at no cost.

Suppliers and Partners Suppliers: For our suppliers we will need a US based company to supply us with the raw materials needed to make out shoes such as leather, metal for shoe laces and rivets, materials for soles, etc. Our suppliers will have the benefit of working with a company that is trying to bring America out of poverty and bringing manufacturing jobs back to America. Some other suppliers will also someone who cures and tans leather since some of our shoes will be made with leather materials.

Suppliers and Partners Continued Partners: We will try to partner with volunteer groups to distribute our free shoes to children in low income areas. In doing this we can eliminate the extra cost that would be associated with having paid staff to distribute the shoes. We will eventually partner with a marketing firm as we grow to keep the cost down of hiring more employees. We may also partner with a company to help come up with the design for our shoes so we have the newest and highest demanded shoe designs.

People Staff: The company will be structured similarly to other companies like ours. We will also need legal, accounting, training and advisory staff.

Premises and Logistics Where we will trade from: At first our shoes will be sold through our website. As we grow and are able to accommodate capacity, we will maybe open a store front and sell to more retailers. Transport needs: The transportation needs will vary on who is purchasing the shoes. For customers: We will ship their shoes through one of the major shipping companies. For retailers: We will have to ship the shoes through a means of shipping that can handle larger quantities of items. We may have to use semi trucks or trains. This all depends on the size of the order. For Volunteers: We will have to either have the volunteer pick the shoes up at our website or have a cargo van at our company in which we can drop the shoes off at their volunteer location. Where will we store goods: We will store goods in our warehouse which will be attached to our manufacturing plant.

Marketing and Public Relations Marketing: At first we will rely on social media, trade shows and word of mouth for marketing. As we grow we will put more money into marketing and probably utilize a marketing firm or hire someone for marketing.

Legal Issues Illegal raw materials: There are certain exotic animals skins that can not be used to manufacture shoes.

Finances Projections As of now we are too early in the process to have and financial projection that would have any truth to them. We cannot provide startup cost since we have not determined where our location will be and the cost of the building will vary due to where they are located. The only startup cost I am able to determine so far is the cost to build the warehouse which will be $3,080,

Financial Management and Reporting This will change as we get further along in the process of actually opening the company. We will have an accountant in place to oversee everything. With an accountant in place we can catch problems early on before the get out of control. Our financial statement will be prepared every month just so we can stay on top of things and know how much money is in the company and how much is not.

Sources of Finance Most of our initial money will come from investors and friends and family. Banks will most likely not lend us money since the American shoe manufacturing market is expected to decline as shown in this chart.

Social Accounting The first thing I would like to do is include a ticker on the website that shows how many shoes we have given to children. I would also like to include a ticker that shows the amount of jobs we have created. If the employees don’t mind I would like to include a section on the website that gives their story and tells how the new job has changed their lives.