Experts Views on the Value of Business Plans - Blog 2

Toms Shoes has one mindset and that includes “One for One”. When someone buys a pair of TOMS Shoes, a pair is given to a child in need. This business model incorporates social responsibility. There are over 1 Billion people at risk around the world with Podoconiosis (foot disease), and shoes can prevent it (tomsshoes.com/content).

I strive to base my business model to feature similar qualities like those that Blake Mycoskie built into his company. Coming from South Africa I feel it is my duty to give back and help as much as I can and as far as my abilities can take me. My company, Purple Gorilla, aims to use Social Entrepreneurship to further social & environmental goals with the WWF (World Wildlife Fund For Nature) through entertainment.

According to Mr. Donald Trump, creating a structured business plan is planning for success. Solo practitioners are probably the worst offenders of this. Without a plan, it is a plan to fail. It is too easy to become distracted, or find the newest thing to promote. With a business plan, there is a direction and a focus (2009, Ten Donald Trump Business Tips for Business).

The main objective will be to finalize the Purple Gorilla business plan. Once that is in place everything else will follow. After that a website will need to be developed for Purple Gorilla. For the first year all sales will be done via the online store. That will be the time to build credibility for the brand and a following. After that has been completed construction for the official store will commence in the second year of operation.

When an investor reads through the Purple Gorilla business plan, the first thing that will stand out will be the company description. This section will explain exactly how unique and different Purple Gorilla is from any other clothing brand out there. The second thing that will capture the investor’s attention will be the financial section. When any investor is interested in investing in a company, the first thing they want to know is how they will make their money back. With a well-explained company description and financial section, chances of getting an investor will increase dramatically.

References
Schmidt, David. April 2008. The Challenge of Social Entrepreneurs. Retrieved from Inc. Magazine website on August 3rd, 2011. http://www.inc.com/resources/leadership/articles/20080401/dschmidt.html

Wong, Grace. September 2008. Blake Mycoskie: Sole Ambition. Retrieved from CNN on August 3rd, 2011.

n/n. n/d. What is Social Entrepreneurship. Retrieved from The New Heroes on August 3rd, 2011. Website: http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/whatis/

Williams, Delores. April 2009. Ten Donald Trump Business Tips for Business. Retrieved from Associated Content on August 3rd, 2011. Website: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1634723/ten_donald_trump_business_tips_for.html?cat=3

Experts Views on the Value of Business Plans

When starting a new business in our modern time, it’s important to know how your business is going to be different, stand out from the rest in such a way so that your target market can differentiate you from the competition. This is where an effective business plan comes in play.

Blake Mycoskie is the owner and chief shoe giver (CEO) of Toms Shoes, a shoe company based out of Santa Monica. California. But it’s this company’s message that makes it so unique. For every pair of shoes purchased, Toms gives a pair to a child in need, that’s where the companies slogan comes in play; One For One.
While vacationing in Argentina, back in 2006, Blake volunteered to help a charity hand out basic amenities to the people and specifically shoes. He thought to himself that there must be an easier way to get shoes to these people. So the next day he started thinking what if you bought a pair and with that you can make a small profit and still give a pair back? Thus Toms Shoes was born with a very extraordinary business plan.

In the first 6 months Toms was active, they gave away 10 000 pairs of shoes to children in need in Argentina. Toms first turned a profit 2008 and to date they’ve given away over 1 million pairs of shoes (2008. Blake Mycoskie: Sole Ambition).
This unique business model is based on social entrepreneurship. A social entrepreneur is someone who recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create, and manage a venture to make social change. Whereas a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a social entrepreneur assesses success in terms of the impact he has on society as well as in profit and return (n/d. What is Social Entrepreneurship).

When you mention the name Donald Trump, everyone immediately thinks billionaire, real estate tycoon, playboy, arrogant and for good reason; he is all of these things. But maybe his arrogance has helped him become the man he is today. Mr. Trump is a business expert and when it comes to business plans he definitely knows his stuff.

According to Mr. Trump, creating a structured business plan is planning for success. Solo practitioners are probably the worst offenders of this. Without a plan, it is a plan to fail. It is too easy to become distracted, or find the newest thing to promote. With a business plan, there is a direction and a focus (2009, Ten Donald Trump Business Tips for Business).

It only takes a small idea and asking yourself how and why to come up with a very unique business plan. Blake’s story proves that even the simplest idea can become a huge success. Mr. Trump on the other hand believes in structure and discipline when it comes to business.

References
Schmidt, David. April 2008. The Challenge of Social Entrepreneurs. Retrieved from Inc. Magazine website on August 3rd, 2011. http://www.inc.com/resources/leadership/articles/20080401/dschmidt.html

Wong, Grace. September 2008. Blake Mycoskie: Sole Ambition. Retrieved from CNN on August 3rd, 2011.

n/n. n/d. What is Social Entrepreneurship. Retrieved from The New Heroes on August 3rd, 2011. Website: http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/whatis/

Williams, Delores. April 2009. Ten Donald Trump Business Tips for Business. Retrieved from Associated Content on August 3rd, 2011. Website: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1634723/ten_donald_trump_business_tips_for.html?cat=3