I’m away in L.A. on business, so I need you to read the chapters on Entrepreneurship and Risk Management. These are important concepts to keep in mind when you’re developing a new business.
As usual, do the vocabulary and Thinking Critically sections in a Word doc and have them ready when I get back on Wednesday. Thanks.
Categories: Mr. Ross
The first three sections, Company Description, Description of Products and/or services, and Mission and Vision Statement - not necessarily in that order – are due by the end of Friday. These need to be done for both the PowerPoint presentation and the Word document.
There’s been some confusion about which is the actual business plan. Let me put that to rest: The Word document – using classic formatting including Times New Roman and 12 pt font size - is the actual business plan. The PowerPoint presentation is actually the way of presenting your plan to the investors’ meeting at which you pass out copies of your business plan. That would be a multi-page Word document.
If you’re done, let me know, and you can play the business simulation games. If you haven’t already, try out the Sports Franchise simulation.
Categories: Mr. Ross
Even though the Mission and Vision statement usually comes before the Company Description, it’s hard to write until you know how to describe your business.
Once you have an idea of what your company is and how you want it to be viewed by your target market, then you’re ready to start writing your Mission and Vision statement.
Alternatively, you can also do your Product and Services description first to help establish the nature of your company and the move on to the Mission and Vision statement.
Categories: Mr. Ross
It’s probably best to write the Company Description first for your business plan because that will help focus your thoughts for the Mission and Vision section – which technically should come first – and for the Products and/or Services section – which should follow the Company Description but will be closely connected.
Please create a PowerPoint slide for your Company Description and a Word document that will eventually be handed out at your investor presentation meeting. Remember, PowerPoint presentations are about key points and bullets and Word docs are more about details. Details will also be presented during your presentation, but more from a script or narrative rather than from the slides themselves. We do not want to read from our slides, except for the key points.
Categories: Mr. Ross
Although yesterday’s discussion was contentious, it’s good that some things got out into the open. One misconception that got cleared up was that teachers are obligated by the California regulations to keep good attendance records – independent of the Attendance office – and sign off on their accuracy.
We are also obligated by Vintage practices to call home if we believe attendance is a problem.
Therefore, please know that I will always monitor a student’s attendance, and if I feel there’s a situation developing where attendance is a problem, I will call home or the parents’ workplace if necessary.
Let’s be clear about what my intent was yesterday: I have failed students who were relying on the Marketing class for their economics credit, and these students did not graduate on time or get to take the stage at graduation. I was not happy with that and wish to avoid it wherever possible. So, yesterday, I was warning against “senioritis” causing a slip in performance.
If I don’t want that to happen, I need to take an active role. If I feel there’s an individual attendance problem, I will follow up with a phone call each time a student is absent – if their grades are being adversely affected. Most of you are not in that category, so relax and enjoy the class.
If you feel you have an attendance problem, come talk to me. At the very least, avoid missing school. It’s a fact that some students are truant from time to time, meaning they ditch school. Teachers are required by policy, ethics and practice to report such incidents to the counselor and the dean. The counselor and the dean will then ask the teacher if they’ve phoned home.
Therefore, to do my job – and to help you succeed in Marketing – I will follow up with phone calls to home or work to monitor students’ attendance.
If you have any questions about my practices, please talk to your counselor. I welcome your involving your counselor in your attendance situation. Also ask the dean to make sure I’m following school policy.
Categories: Mr. Ross
The culminating project of this class each year is the business plan. Today we take a first look at it.
Here’s how:
Check out Chapter 35 in the textbook.
Visit Business Plans – SBA
Visit Bplans.com
Visit BizPlanit.com
Then produce a document that compares and contrasts the parts and nature of each recommended format. Remember that word, format. We begin by choosing a format, understanding its parts, and completing all the parts to develop a sound business plan.
Lastly, write a paragraph explaining what a business plan is, what it is used for, and why it’s central to starting your own business.
Save the document to your docs folder. I’ll probably want you to copy it into a comment for submission.
Categories: Mr. Ross
I’m busy at the office planning the course for next year, so…
Keep doing what you’ve been doing and finish the Vocabulary and Thinking Critically sections in Unit 7 and 8, or at least plug along. Let me hear a good report when I get back.
I appreciate it.
Categories: Mr. Ross
