Sample Business Plan

Executive Summary

Prissy Pails and Cards will provide it's customers with unique/personalized pails (galvanized) as well as unique/personalized cards, luggage tags, invitations, birth announcements, etc.

Prissy Pails and Cards is owned by Renea Mitchell. Renea has fifteen (15) years experience in creating and designing arts/crafts as well as cards, invitations and birth announcements, etc. Lacie Amerson will serve as bookkeeper. Lacie is a Certified Public Accountant and has ten (10) years experience in the accounting field. Kaitlyn and Kassidey Mitchell will serve as cashier, gift wrapper and customer service.

Prissy Pails and Cards will be located in a leased building at 601 Riverview Drive, Wetumpka, Alabama 36092.

Prissy Pails and Cards will decorate galvanized pails according to the customers' needs such as: birthdays, holidays, baby or wedding showers or for any special occasion. As well as the decorated pails we will offer the customer cellophane, bows and gift tags for gift wrapping purposes. The idea is for the customer to fill the pail and then wrap it for a personal and unique gift. We also offer the service of wrapping the pail.

Prissy Pails and Cards will also provide customers with unique and personalized cards, gift tags, birth announcements, address changes, invitations, etc.

The starts up costs are estimated at $30,000.00. Renea Mitchell will invest $15,000.00 and secure a $25,000.00 Small Business Association loan.

Business Description

Fortunately Prissy Pails and Cards will be unique to the community as the products we provide are personal and unique. During our research of industries such as retail gift stores, we found two (2) stores within a thirty (30) mile radius of Prissy Pails and Cards; we also discovered several e-businesses that offer similar products. The research also included that 54.7% of the city's population is female; a positive attribute is as they are our target customers.

Prissy Pails and Cards will offer customers a series of unique, personalized, bright and fun galvanized pails as well as unique cards, gift tags, birth announcements, address changes, invitations, etc.

Prissy Pails and Cards' location is in the beautiful, historic district of downtown Wetumpka, Alabama. Our neighbors include law offices, drug stores, trophy shops and of course the award winning Uncle Sam's Cafй.

We anticipate our company's success on the fact of our location, we are directly on the city's new River Walk path; we have few industry competitions in the area and we offer the personalized and unique of our products

Industry Analysis

The typical Prissy Pails and Cards customer is a married mother or grandmother. The census for the city of Wetumpka has a population of 17,000 people and the majority of those individuals are female. (www.census.gov). Though in our research we found few local businesses located in our area, yet we found several small e-businesses that provide the same products as Prissy Pail and Cards. These e-businesses provide a vast selection of gifts such as bath & body products, jewelry, home accents, kitchen ware, etc.

The threat of having to compete with others in this industry is high due to the increase of online businesses. Our society today is filled with the opportunity to buy all goods they could possibly need. When a customer goes online or to the store they are rarely driven by a need to purchase the item or items quickly and leave. Customer's desires are to buy gifts that are meaningful to give to the recipient (whypeoplebuy.com). Due to the fact our pails and cards are made according to the customers' personality as well as the reason they are gift seeking gives us an edge on competition in this industry.

The gift industry in the past depended greatly on Christmas for their profits to increase, but according to analysts, people are buying gifts more on a year-round basis. Another factor to consider, sales are increasing due to the fact Baby Boomers are becoming grandparents. They are buying more gifts for their grandchildren as well as their peer's grandchildren. (http://www.publishingcentral.com)

SWOT Analysis

In determining competition we have turned to the internet.

The advantages of these e-businesses are the opportunity to shop from the comforts of home; you can shop a variety of e-businesses to compare prices and availability. However, there are disadvantages of an e-business such as your communication with the business is not face to face; therefore the customer service may not be what you are expecting. Also, if you are under time constraints e-business is not a good route to take; it could take 1-2 weeks for designing and shipping of your gift. Another key factor is the additional costs for shipping and handling. (www.shop.org/learn).

Prissy Pails & Cards offers you the opportunity to see our work first hand instead of a picture of our work on a computer screen.

We believe opportunities in this field of retail business can exist until the end of time. Creative ideas and hobbies are timeless.

Mission Statement

Prissy Pails and Cards' mission is to offer customers one-of-a-kind gifts. Whether the pails or cards are for weddings, birthdays, or baby showers they will add a special touch to anyone's day. Customers will experience a fun and exciting opportunity shopping. They will essentially make the product based on their unique needs and desires.

Prissy Pails and Cards pledge