Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Fresin Fries Bussiness Plan

Company Summary What is Fresin Fries? Fresin Fries sells  gourmet fries in a cone  with a   choice of sauce. We use the concept of Belgian Fries, where the fries are all made from fresh potatoes and fried twice. Our outlet also provides excellent and friendly customer service to support the ambience of fun, energetic and youthful lifestyle. Youthful and fresh surroundings We will imitate  successful establishments, such as Jamba Juice and Starbucks, which represent the majority of our core target market, between 18 to 35 years of age. Our store will feature display cooking of our featured Belgian Fries from cutting to frying. Our customers will also be able to read our in-house brochures in regards to all knowledge about Belgian Fries and our featured sauces. Our store will be decorated with fast food setting, such as a bright counter and display menu on the wall. Quality food Each  store will  offer nothing but freshly fried Belgian fries, sandwiches and variety of unique blend sauces, all served with old-fashioned home-style care. Open everyday Our store is open everyday from 10 am to 9 pm. Variety, variety, variety A different selection of sauces will be featured every three months and we will also change our Italian soda flavors to accompany our fries. . 1 Company Ownership Fresin Fries is a privately held company. It will be registered as a Limited company, with ownership 25% – Guy Fry, 25% – Sam Sauce, 25% – Carl Cone, 25% – Harry Hip. Guy Fry and Sam Sauce have more than 10 years of experience in the food industry. Both are currently employed as Corporate Staff of Co mpany A. Sam Sauce holds an MBA degree from University V. A true entrepreneur by heart, his latest entrepreneurial project is a diamond store in the heart of Singapore. Guy Fry holds a BA degree in Graphic Design from the Academy of Arts. His projects are widely varied from product design to brand development of several reputable companies. Harry Hip holds a MS degree from Institute Y. He completed several projects and served as project manager for multi-national companies in Singapore. Carl Cone holds a BS degree from University Z, majoring in Management and Information Technology. Prior to his return to Singapore, he has held several management positions in a U. S. -based IT company. 2. 2 Start-up Summary The retail outlet will be rented at one of the target location shopping malls. Our preference is Space A, for the main reason of reaching larger traffic. Startup requirements will be financed through owner investments. [pic] [pic] [pic] |Start-up | | | | |Requirements | | | | | |Start-up Expenses | | |Kitchen and Fixtures |$21,600 | |Furniture and Interior |$16,500 | |Legal |$3,000 | |Rent |$15,000 | |Packaging and Stationary |$8,500 | |Contingencies |$4,200 | Total Start-up Expenses |$68,800 | | | | |Start-up Assets | | |Cash Required |$50,000 | |Other Current Assets |$0 | |Long-term Assets |$0 | |Total Assets |$50,000 | | | | |Total Requirements |$118,800 | 2. 3 Company Locations and Facilities Fresin Fries locations will range in size from 50 – 70 meter square and will seat from  15 –  25 guests. Our first location will be on the larger end of this range. The location will feature its own originality in merchandise display and other brand building attributes. We will equip the outlet with modern furniture and  aim for  cleanliness  and an  open feeling. We are currently looking at several possible sites in shopping malls along Orchard Road. The space selection will be chosen based upon the following criteria: †¢ Community size: minimum of 800,000 people within a radius of 8 kilometers. †¢ Tourist destination. †¢ Easy access. †¢ Large percentage  of teenagers in the community. All of these qualities are consistent with Fresin Fries' goal of providing a top quality fast food experience. We want â€Å"word-of-mouth† to be our best form of marketing, where our customers value our brand as something exciting and cannot wait to tell their friends and neighbors. Fresin Fries will directly compete with several fast food joints inside the chosen shopping mall,  including Tori-Q (yakitori specialist), Bee Che Hiang (chinese sausages), Bread Talk (one of the most successful bakery franchises), and Pizza Walker (locally owned pizza chain). Products We want to focus only on selling fries. Alcoholic drinks will not be sold in our outlet, as Fresin Fries promotes a healthy and positive Singaporean lifestyle. Instead, we will offer Italian Soda  to complement the fries. In promoting  the  Fresin Fries  lifestyle, we will offer various merchandise  with our logo and colors, from hats to t-shirts to potato cutters to our signature sauces, so that our customers can enjoy Fresin Fries at home. Our signature sauce is exclusively manufactured by Company Q. They can be also purchased at selected retailers. 3. 1 Product Description Fresin Fries primarily sells fries and our  unique dipping sauces. Main products sold are: Belgian fries, Italian sodas and corporate merchandise. Belgian-style fries are available in large (choose 2 dips), small (choose 1 dip), with addition of garlic Fresin (add S$0. 25). The dips for Belgian style fries can also be served with sandwiches; they  are available in more than 20 flavors: †¢ Pesto Mayo †¢ Satay Sauce †¢ Teriyaki Sauce †¢ Thai Chili Ketchup †¢ Creamy Wasabi Mayo †¢ Roasted Pepper Mayo †¢ Lava Cheese †¢ Black Pepper Sauce †¢ Curry Ketchup †¢ Barbecue †¢ Jalapeno Ketchup †¢ Caribbean Islands Traditional Sambal †¢ Korean BBQ †¢ Hot Chili Sauce †¢ Garlic Dip 3. 2 Competitive Comparison Fresin Fries has several advantages over its leading competitors: †¢ Unique â€Å"fusion† concept of dipping sauce. †¢ We expect a high degree of enthusiasm and offer a fun store with friendly staff , that reflects the company's youthful and energetic culture. †¢ Supporting merchandise items that support the company's brand building. †¢ Our fried potato is made 100% fresh, compared to most fast food outlets that use frozen fries. †¢ Our dipping sauce is also made fresh without preservatives. Our innovative packaging will be more entertaining than our competitors; a single cone with a cup reserved for dipping sauce. |Company | | | |2005 |2006 |2007 |2008 |2009 | | |Potential Customers |Growth | | | | | |CAGR | |Young Singaporeans |15% |5,000,000 |5,750,000 |6,612,500 |7,604,375 |8,745,031 |15. 00% | |Working Singaporeans |10% |3,000,000 |3,300,000 |3,630,000 |3,993,000 |4,392,300 |10. 0% | |Tourists |20% |3,800,000 |4,560,000 |5,472,000 |6,566,400 |7,879,680 |20. 00% | |Total |15. 52% |11,800,000|13,610,000|15,714,500|18,163,775|21,017,011|15. 52% | 4. 2 Target Market Segment Strategy Fresin Fries intends to cater to the bulk of teenagers and youngsters in Singap ore. We have chosen this group for several important reasons. It is our goal to be â€Å"the extraordinary fast food place† and we believe that the age group from 15 to 25 is the primary age where brand building efforts could take place. They are on limited or fixed incomes and seek a value/price relationship that will not stretch their budgets. Our secondary target is  between the ages of 25  and 37, which are a heavy lounge/restaurant user group. They are more flexible in budgets and seek more than a value/price relationship. Our lunch strategy is dual purposed. First, we are featuring fresh fries to fill Singapore's craving for fast food as most ideas of lunch is a quick bite not a heavy meal. Second, we want to keep the price point at lunch as fair as possible to keep us in competition with other fast food outlets. At S$4. 00 for a medium size fries, we are only slightly above the segment, but we offer much more excitement than the rest of the competition. 4. 2. 1 Market Needs Fresin Fries sees our targeted market group as having many â€Å"makan† (eating) Singaporean Dollar needs. A recent Consumer Trend and Analysis by Euromonitor identified the following needs among our target markets. Our core group: †¢ Wants variety and flavor in its food, preferably something fried †¢ Looks for speed of service †¢ Wants an entertaining and fun experience Insists upon a clean, friendly, and attractive environment †¢ Adopts a global lifestyle †¢ Is computer literate †¢ Enjoys eating out †¢ Has an active lifestyle †¢ Comes from various ethnic backgrounds According to a GAIN Report published in 2000, potatoes are  the second largest commodity of US exports to Singapore after fresh fruit, valuing almost USD $13 million per annum. This is caused by the increasing ly younger demographic and rising incomes throughout Singapore that have led to lifestyle changes that are influencing consumer purchases, food, and entertainment choices. Some changes taking place include a larger professional class with more working women,  which means greater disposable incomes. 4. 2. 2 Market Trends In the past, Singaporeans preferred Western chain restaurants. This was the time when KFC, McDonald's, Long John Silver's  and Pizza Hut were dominating most of the chains. But the trend seems to have shifted in the last decade, with the success of the locally grown brands, such as Bread Talk and Bee Che Hiang. Many of these local brands grew to become  giant franchises  that dominate the Southeast Asia region. For instance, Bread Talk controls 55% of Indonesia's bakery market. The key to success for these foreign chains was mainly due to the popularity of Singapore as tourist destination for these countries. Tourists are the strongest â€Å"buzzer. † Usually after  they went back from vacationing in Singapore, they told friends and families about new things in Singapore, including new shopping malls, new boutiques, new restaurants, and new fast food joints. The fascination of Asian tourists coming to Singapore has positioned the city itself as an aspiration to modern life in the region. Many local entrepreneurs camouflaged their retail stores as an international brand in accordance to what they sell. For instance, there is a local entrepreneur who created a Japanese name to sell yakitori (Japanese BBQ meat skewers), and there is a fashion boutique named after an old Italian movie. 4. 3 Industry Analysis Despite the prolonged effects of the Asian Economic Crisis followed by political turmoil up to mid 2001, Singapore's food service industry witnessed growth over 2000/2001 at 4  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 5% in terms of units and transaction (Euromonitor). Much of this growth was contributed by the cafes/bars, fast food, and food retail sectors, whose wide appeal amongst a young population, for whom time is of a premium, led to high levels of growth. This growth is underpinned by market demand and lifestyle changes, such as seeing eating out as part of trendy lifestyle. Entry of major multi-national food service operators into major shopping destination in the late 1980s until the 1990s led to growth in competition in the marketplace, mainly from fast food chains. This stimulated the rise in the number of fast food units, both of international  and local chains, that started in the early 1990s. Although there was a  slowdown during the economic crisis in 1998,  the food service industry  recovered faster than others, particularly during 2000 and 2001. Recent bombing tragedies have also proven that  negative effects on this sector  are moderately short-term. Franchising became popular in the food service industry through the introduction and entry of multi-national food service brands, primarily U. S. -owned enterprises, such as KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonald's. Currently, there are many local chains that have also experienced growth by applying this system to their operations. 4. 3. 1 Trends in Food Service Retail According to government surveys, Singapore's spending on â€Å"eating out† is continuing to increase. Spending on cooked food as a percentage of total average food-spend reached 55% in 1998. The growth in spending in the food service sector arises from a number of factors: †¢ Increased affluence amongst Singaporeans, especially those under the age of 40 years. †¢ Increases in the number of expatriate residents, which has more than doubled since 1988. †¢ Increased convenience-seeking amongst younger Singaporeans who live in a hectic city today compared to the much slower pace of life that existed 20 years ago. When they want convenient cooked food, Singaporeans have long turned to the local hawker stalls, rather than prepared ready-to-cook or ready-to-eat processed convenience foods. As the numbers and variety of food service outlets has increased in Singapore, locals have adopted the convenient products of other food service outlets, especially the fast food outlets, as alternative sources of convenient cooked food. Younger middle and upper income group families and individuals are also frequent users of the full service restaurants, modern-style coffee shops and cafes that now exist all across Singapore. Over the past 5 years, there has been a general upgrading in the food service sector which has seen the establishment of more air conditioned food centers (food courts) that are considerably cleaner than the traditional hawker markets. At the same time, increased investment from foreign and local businesses in the sector has also produced an increase in the numbers of: †¢ Foreign chains, including chains such as Outback Steakhouse. †¢ Modern retail bakery/cafe outlets such as Bread Talk. †¢ Modern coffee shops such as Starbucks. 4. 3. 2 Competition and Buying Patterns The competition in this arena is the fiercest  in all  other metropolitan areas in SE Asia. Singapore is a compact city, but has a lot to offer. Usually there are a minimum of two of the same outlets within  a radius of less than 300 meters. For instance, Bread Talk opens one outlet inside the Ngee Ann City Shopping Centre and another just across the street inside the Far East Plaza Shopping Centre. It is quite common for retailers to implement this kind of strategy, due to the high volume of people strolling around the main area of Orchard Road. Another reason is because many retailers do not want to lose sales opportunity, as the competitors are offering substitutions and similar product categories. This phenomenon has made Singapore the best place to shop. If you just missed Haagen Dazs waffle at CK Tang Shopping Mall, there is another Haagen Dazs across the street at the new Paragon Shopping Centre. 4. 3. 3 Main Competitors Our main competitors in this segment are any food outlets within the 300 meter radius along the Orchard Road. In our location, there are Tori-Q, Pizza Walker, Starbucks, Bread Talk, and Rotiboy. Tori-Q Tori-Q is locally owned franchise who sells Japanese BBQ skewers. Established in 1998, Tori-Q had expanded its operation into neighboring countries, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Tori-Q is popular among local teenagers as it offers fast service to its customers. Commonly, Tori-Q outlets are rather small,  and can only serve a maximum of 6 guests. It is a choice for those who are in a hurry and would like to grab a quick lunch on the way. Pizza Walker Pizza Walker is a joint venture positioned as gourmet pizza joint in Singapore. Most of its retail outlets are decorated with welcoming ambience, such as flowers and see-through kitchens. Pizza Walker is a good place to hang out, and the place is always full during lunch hour. It has more than enough tables to serve a maximum of 55 guests. Its specialty is all-you-can-eat pizza! Starbucks Starbucks' strategy entering the lunch market had made some impact in Singapore. Usually, a lunch menu in Singapore consists of â€Å"fried and BBQ stuff† such as roast pork with rice or the Big Mac. Starbucks is one of the first food retailers that popularized â€Å"light and healthy† alternatives such as salad or lean sandwich as an options for Singapore's lunch accommodations. Bread Talk As the most successful franchiser in Singapore, Bread Talk is surely becoming a threat for most food retailers. Bread Talk not only rented most of the retail space along Orchard Road, but now they are doing delivery to offices and apartments nearby. Bread Talk outlets usually consist of a huge see-through kitchen, and bread trays ready for pick-up by customers, with three or four cashiers at front, to speed up the queue. Rumor has it that Bread Talk sold more than 35,000 breads each day in just one of their retail outlets. Rotiboy A Malaysian franchise. Rotiboy is quite popular in the region as it is now expanding into several cities in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. Rotiboy offers simplicity for quick lunch franchiser, and often considered alternatives for its long queueing rivals. 4. 3. 4 Foreign Vs. Local Franchising Around 40% of the franchises operating in Singapore are foreign. Home grown franchises are still in their maturing stages as they start to expand globally. Franchises from the U. S. account for 65% of foreign brands, with big players such as KFC, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, etc. Due to high capital investment, Singapore conglomerates tend to dominate the industry. Home grown franchises are more  often sought more by young entrepreneurs than  are their Western counterparts, as  they offer greater flexibility and lower franchise fees to operate. Unlike Western license holders, home grown franchises  are more efficient in the overall supply chain management as the basic raw ingredients are commonly found anywhere in the region. Strategy and Implementation Summary At first, we will open one outlet inside the New Paragon Shopping Centre. This will become our â€Å"market testing area,† and as we go further, Fresin Fries is planning to open another in nearby shopping malls. In attracting customers to try our fries, we will provide a see-through kitchen, so that people will see how we are committed to freshness in our products. The kitchen will also let out an aroma of our freshly fried fries into the surroundings area, so that people will come and try our products. 5. 1 Competitive Edge †¢ Our unique dipping sauces blend local taste and international into one fusion recipe for the signature sauce. Enthusiastic and friendly staff †¢ Supporting merchandise items that support company's brand building. †¢ Our  fries  are made of 100% fresh potatoes, unlike the frozen fries used by competitors. †¢ Innovative packaging will position us at the same level with foreign fast food franchises. 5. 2 Marketing Strategy Our strategy is based on serving our markets well. We will start our first outlet a s a â€Å"market tester† that could become a model of the expanding number of outlets in the future. Concentration will be on maintaining quality and establishing a strong identity in the local market. A combination of local media and local store marketing programs will be utilized at each location. Local store marketing is most effective, followed by print ad. As soon as a concentration of stores is established in a market, then broader media will be explored. We believe, however, that the best form of advertising is still â€Å"buzz. † By providing a fun and energetic environment, with unbeatable quality at an acceptable price in a clean and friendly outlet, we will be the talk of the town. Therefore, the execution of our concept is the most critical element of our plan. We will actively build our brand, through the selling of supporting materials, such as merchandise, promotional items and other marketing gimmicks similar to those of other fast food franchises. 5. 2. 1 Pricing Strategy Our pricing strategy is positioned as â€Å"generic†, meaning that S$4. 00 is the average consumer spending for a snack or light lunch in Singapore. Leveraging the volume of fries, Italian Soda, and signature style sauces to be sold, we are serving the majority of Singaporeans. 5. 2. 2 Brand Challenges Fresin Fries must establish a distinct brand to stand out from the other Western-style fast food competitors. Our logo is distinct as fresh, energetic and playful with color elements that are eye catching. †¢ Product names are geared toward the target market (teens), with items such as â€Å"Frenzy Fresin† and â€Å"Uber Fresin† which are fun and easy to remember. 5. 2. 3 Marketing Programs We will deploy three different marketing tactics to in crease customer awareness of Fresin Fries. Our most important tactic will be â€Å"word-of-mouth† and in-store marketing. This will be by far the cheapest and most effective of our marketing programs  because of  the high traffic in targeted shopping locations. The second tactic will be local store marketing. These will be low-budget plans that will provide community support and awareness of our facility. The last marketing effort will be utilizing local media. Although, this will be the most costly, this tactic will be used sparingly as a supplement where necessary. †¢ In-Store Marketing o In-store brochures containing our concept and philosophy. o Wall posters. o Design concept. o In-store viewing of making fries process from cutting to frying. o Standing signage inside malls’ lobby/aisle. o Outdoor signage (if possible). o Grand opening promotion. o Party catering. o Merchandising items. †¢ Local Store Marketing o Brochures. Free occasional t-shirts at local stores events. †¢ Local Media o Direct mail piece – containing brochures sent to surrounding addresses. o Web page – containing company philosophy, history and news. o Local magazines that target our core customers, such as Free! Magazine. o Newspaper campaign – placing several large ads t hroughout the month to explain our concept to the local area. 5. 2. 4 Positioning Statement Our main focus in marketing will be to increase customer awareness in the surrounding community. We will direct all of our tactics and programs toward the goal of explaining who we are and what we are all about. We will price our products fairly, keep our standards high, and execute the concept so that â€Å"word-of-mouth† will be our main marketing force. 5. 3 Sales Strategy The sales strategy is to build and open new locations in order to increase revenue. However, this plan will be implemented when the one â€Å"market tester† outlet showed potential growth. As each individual location will continue to build its local customer base over the first three years of operation, the goal of each store is  S$104,250 in annual sales, with the original flagship store expected to earn almost S$200,000 per year. . 3. 1 Sales Forecast We anticipate the highest peak on the months of November and December in our sales forecast, due to the holiday seasons. In November, there is Ramadan, and for non-muslim Malaysians and Indonesians, it means vacation time. Approximately 1. 5 million  Indonesians visit Singapore each year, mostly for shopping and dining. Then in December, we anticipate m ore tourists coming into Singapore; this explains the jumped of sales in these last two months of the year. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Sales Forecast | | |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Unit Sales | | | | |Belgian Fries |49,464 |98,928 |197,856 | |Italian Soda |27,692 |55,384 |110,768 | |Merchandising |3,889 |7,778 |15,556 | |Signature Packaged Sauces |3,356 |6,712 |13,425 | |Total Unit Sales |84,401 |168,802 |337,605 | | | | | | |Unit Prices |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Belgian Fries |$4. 00 |$4. 00 |$4. 00 | |Italian Soda |$1. 50 |$1. 50 |$1. 50 | |Merchandising |$8. 50 |$8. 50 |$8. 50 | |Signature Packaged Sauces |$2. 00 |$2. 00 |$2. 0 | | | | | | |Sales | | | | |Belgian Fries |$197,856 |$395,712 |$791,424 | |Italian Soda |$41,538 |$83,076 |$166,152 | |Merchandising |$33,057 |$66,114 |$132,228 | |Signature Packaged Sauces |$6,712 |$13,425 |$26,849 | |Total Sales |$279,163 |$558,327 |$1,116,654 | | | | | | |Direct Unit Costs |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Belgian Fries |$0. 80 |$0. 80 |$0. 80 | |Italian So da |$0. 15 |$0. 15 |$0. 15 | |Merchandising |$3. 83 |$3. 83 |$3. 83 | |Signature Packaged Sauces |$1. 00 |$1. 00 |$1. 0 | | | | | | |Direct Cost of Sales | | | | |Belgian Fries |$39,571 |$79,142 |$158,285 | |Italian Soda |$4,154 |$8,308 |$16,615 | |Merchandising |$14,876 |$29,751 |$59,503 | |Signature Packaged Sauces |$3,356 |$6,712 |$13,425 | |Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales |$61,957 |$123,914 |$247,827 | 5. 4 Strategic Alliances Our business requires a long relationship with raw suppliers as well as partner vendors. In Chinese, this relationship is called â€Å"guanxi,† meaning business bonding. We already have a long and good standing relationship with  Company V  in our previous ventures. For Company Y, Mr. Joe Shmo, the managing director,  is a prominent figure in the society and we hope to strengthen further our business relationship with him and  the company. 5. 5 Milestones During the initial set up of the company, the 4 founders (Guy Fry, Harry Hip, Sam Sauce, and Carl Cone) will conduct the planning and implementation in building the brand and the construction of our first outlet. The planning and construction will take approximately 8 months, in addition to the revision and refinement process that will take the rest of the 12 month period before our opening in early 2005. [pic] [pic] [pic] Milestones | | | | | | | | |Milestone |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Presentation materials for all |1/12/2004 |3/12/2004 |TBD |Carl Cone |Business | |stakeholders | | | | |Development | |Follow up with suppliers |1/21/2004 |3/22/2004 |$100 |Sam Sau ce |Business | | | | | | |Development | |Follow up with developers |1/21/2004 |9/8/2004 |$50 |Sam Sauce |Business | | | | | | |Development | |Printing materials |2/13/2004 |4/10/2004 |$8,000 |Guy Fry |Marketing | |Marketing communication program |2/21/2004 |6/23/2004 |TBD |Sam Sauce |Marketing | |Constructions |5/22/2004 |12/3/2004 |TBD |Harry Hip |Business | | | | | | |Development | |In store signage, POP |5/23/2004 |10/11/2004 |TBD |Guy Fry |Marketing | |Grand opening materials |6/2/2004 |10/13/2004 |TBD |Guy Fry |Marketing | |Hiring staff |7/14/2004 |8/12/2004 |$900 |Harry Hip |Human Resources | |Open second location |7/1/2005 |7/1/2005 |$10,000 |Carl Cone |Business | | | | | | |Development | |Open 3rd and 4th locations |1/1/2006 |6/1/2006 |$15,000 |Carl Cone |Business | | | | | | |Development | |Open 5th, 6th, and 7th locations|1/1/2007 |12/31/2007 |$20,000 |Carl Cone |Business | | | | | |Development | |Training staff |9/12/2004 |12/10/2004 |$1,000 |Harry Hip |Human Resources | |Totals | | |$55,050 | | | Web Plan Summary The website will, of course, show visitors everything about Belgian food culture, including the history of french fries over time. To make the website interactive, Fresin Fries will offer gift cards and promotions via the Internet, so our visitors can print the promotional coupon in PDF format and bring it when they visit Fresin Fries. Visitors can also download Fresin Fries' theme song as ring tones, or order potato cutters for delivery. Besides the traditional formats of customer service hotline and in-store form, customers can now write their comments and suggestions  on our website, which will be directed to one of our staff. So, the website itself will act as the medium between our company and our audience. In the future, our website will show information on franchising/licensing our brand name. 6. 1 Website Marketing Strategy We will leverage the visibility of our shopping mall's website by getting them to include a link to ours. We will also post  banners on an official Singapore tourism website. 6. 2 Development Requirements To adequately serve our audience, the front end strategy of our website should be parallel with our corporate color. The front end design of our website will be entirely trusted  to Mr. Guy Fry. The diversity of founders' background in our company has enabled a cost efficient development in our venture. As Mr. Harry Hip and Mr. Carl Cone are experts in Information Technology, the back end of our website will be developed by  these gentlemen. Management Summary The initial management team depends on the founders themselves, with little back-up. As we grow, we will take on additional help in certain key areas. Part of our basic philosophy will be able to run our executive management as a â€Å"knowledge sharing† fellowship. We will not add additional overhead until absolutely necessary. This will mean that the initial staff support team will have to work extra. By doing this, we will keep our overhead as low as possible, allowing us to adequately staff our outlets. This will also allow us and future business partners to recoup investments as quickly as possible and enjoy a higher return. At present time, Fresin Fries is being owned by its 4 founders. Others that have helped on the development of this business venture will be offered an opportunity to grow together with the company at the appropriate time, and when the time comes, the 4 founders’ share will be consolidated as one entity. 7. 1 Management Team Fresin Fries is currently the creative idea of its four founders. As the company is small in nature, it only requires a simple organizational structure. Implementation of this organization form calls for all four individuals to make all major management decisions in addition to monitoring all other business activities. As we expand into multiple locations, each location will have a primary site manager. 7. 2 Organizational Structure Future organizational structure will include a director of store operations when the store locations exceed four units. We hope that this individual will come out of the ranks of our stores’ management. This will provide a supervisory level between the executive level and the store management level. Current plan is to have our accounting and payroll functions done by an in-house bookkeeping. Mr. David Lu will be responsible for accounting and business development of Fresin Fries, helped by Mr. Harry Hip, acting Head of Human Resources Division. Possible positions might be added at a later date include marketing manager, purchasing manager, controller, human resources, R&D and administrative support team. 7. 3 Personnel Plan Our initial employees will  include two  cashiers, two cooks and two bus boys per location, with one of each on the premises during open hours. This is considered an ideal personnel number for a food outlet the size of our own. Each employee will work for 38-40 hours per week. In the long run, as we expand our product category and retail outlets, we will employ more people in the middle management to ensure the focus of our work, including site managers. [pic] |Personnel Plan | | |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Site Managers |$0 |$60,000 |$96,000 | |Cashiers |$36,000 |$80,000 |$144,400 | |Cook |$28,800 |$66,000 |$115,200 | |Busboy |$23,400 |$56,000 |$94,000 | |Total People 12 |26 |40 | | | | | | |Total Payroll |$88,200 |$262,000 |$449,600 | Financial Plan The company is now privately held by Harry Hip, Guy Fry, Carl Cone, and Sam Sauce. Future shares will be offered after two consecutive years of operating in Singapore. 8. 1 Projections 8. 2 Start-up Funding Currently, the company is owned by the original 4 founders, who each will contribute $200,000 for the same amount of share, 25%. This will more than cover start-up requirements, and provide the business with a cash cushion to use for expansion over the first thre e years. [pic] Start-up Funding | |Start-up Expenses to Fund |$68,800 | |Start-up Assets to Fund |$50,000 | |Total Funding Required |$118,800 | | | | |Assets | | |Non-cash Assets from Start-up |$30,000 | |Cash Requirements from Start-up |$50,000 | |Additional Cash Raised |$681,200 | |Cash Balance on Starting Date |$731,200 | |Total Assets |$761,200 | | | | | | | |Liabilities and Capital | | | | | |Liabilities | | |Current Borrowing |$0 | |Long-term Liabilities |$0 | |Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills) |$0 | |Other Current Liabilities (interest-free) |$0 | |Total Liabilities |$0 | | | | |Capital | | | | | |Planned Investment | | |Eric Yam |$200,000 | |Martin Ng |$200,000 | |David Lu |$200,000 | |Sagita Suwandi |$200,000 | |Additional Investment Requirement |$0 | |Total Planned Investment |$800,000 | | | | |Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses) |($68,800) | |Total Capital |$731,200 | | | | | | | |Total Capital and Liabilities |$731,200 | | | | |Total Funding |$800,000 | 8. 3 Break-even Analysis Our break-even analysis shows that we need unit sales over 9,700 per month to break even. We do not expect to begin turning a profit until year three. [pic] [pic] [pic] |Break-even Analysis | | | | |Monthly Units Break-even |9,706 | |Monthly Revenue Break-even |$32,104 | | | | |Assumptions: | | Average Per-Unit Revenue |$3. 31 | |Average Per-Unit Variable Cost |$0. 73 | |Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost |$24,979 | 8. 4 Projected Profit and Loss As the Profit and Loss shows,  Fresin Fries will run at a loss f or the first two years, using up some of the cash reserves initially invested by the founders. As sales increase, we will expand into new locations to aggressively spread brand recognition. This increase in visibility will allow us to take up less expensive locations off of Orchard Road, while maintaining our flagship operation, the first store, in a  prime spot. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Pro Forma Profit and Loss | | |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Sales |$279,163 |$558,327 |$1,116,654 | |Direct Cost of Sales |$61,957 |$123,914 |$247,827 | |Other Costs of Sales |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Cost of Sales |$61,957 |$123,914 |$247,827 | | | | | | |Gross Margin |$217,207 |$434,413 |$868,826 | |Gross Margin % |77. 81% |77. 81% |77. 81% | | | | | | | | | | | |Expenses | | | | |Payroll $88,200 |$262,000 |$449,600 | |Marketing/Promotion |$10,000 |$10,000 |$10,000 | |Depreciation |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Rent |$174,000 |$248,000 |$298,000 | |Utilities |$2,550 |$5,000 |$8,000 | |New locatio n setup |$25,000 |$50,000 |$50,000 | | | | | | |Total Operating Expenses |$299,750 |$575,000 |$815,600 | | | | | | |Profit Before Interest and Taxes |($82,543) |($140,587) |$53,226 | |EBITDA |($82,543) |($140,587) |$53,226 | |Interest Expense |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Taxes Incurred |$0 |$0 |$0 | | | | | | |Net Profit |($82,543) |($140,587) |$53,226 | |Net Profit/Sales |-29. 57% |-25. 18% |4. 77% | 8. 5 Projected Cash Flow The following chart and table show the Projected Cash Flow for Fresin Fries. [pic] [pic] [pic] |Pro Forma Cash Flow | | |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Cash Received | | | | | | | | | |Cash from Operations | | | | |Cash Sales |$279,163 |$558,327 |$1,116,654 |Subtotal Cash from Operations |$279,163 |$558,327 |$1,116,654 | | | | | | |Additional Cash Received | | | | |Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Current Borrowing |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Other Liabilities (interest-free) |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Long-term Liabilities |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Sales of Other Current Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Sales of Long-term Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Investment Received |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Subtotal Cash Received |$279,163 |$558,327 |$1,116,654 | | | | | | |Expenditures |2005 |2006 |2007 | | | | | | |Expenditures from Operations | | | | |Cash Spending |$88,200 |$262,000 |$449,600 | |Bill Payments |$244,265 |$430,245 |$599,286 | |Subtotal Spent on Operations |$332,465 |$692,245 |$1,048,886 | | | | | | |Additional Cash Spe nt | | | | |Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Other Liabilities Principal Repayment |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Purchase Other Current Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Purchase Long-term Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 |Dividends |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Subtotal Cash Spent |$332,465 |$692,245 |$1,048,886 | | | | | | |Net Cash Flow |($53,301) |($133,918) |$67,767 | |Cash Balance |$677,899 |$543,981 |$611,748 | 8. 6 Projected Balance Sheet Fresin's projected company balance sheet follows. We expect to run at a loss for the first two years, decreasing our net worth slightly. As the operation becomes more profitable in the third year, our net worth rises again. [pic] Pro Forma Balance Sheet | | |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Assets | | | | | | | | | |Current Assets | | | | |Cash |$677,899 |$543,981 |$611,748 | |Other Current Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Current Assets |$677,899 |$543,981 |$611,748 | | | | | | |Long-te rm Assets | | | | |Long-term Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Accumulated Depreciation |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Long-term Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Assets |$677,899 |$543,981 |$611,748 | | | | | | |Liabilities and Capital |2005 |2006 |2007 | | | | | | |Current Liabilities | | | | |Accounts Payable |$29,242 |$35,911 |$50,452 | |Current Borrowing |$0 |$0 |$0 | Other Current Liabilities |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Subtotal Current Liabilities |$29,242 |$35,911 |$50,452 | | | | | | |Long-term Liabilities |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Liabilities |$29,242 |$35,911 |$50,452 | | | | | | |Paid-in Capital |$800,000 |$800,000 |$800,000 | |Retained Earnings |($68,800) |($151,343) |($291,930) | |Earnings |($82,543) |($140,587) |$53,226 | |Total Capital |$648,657 |$508,070 |$561,296 | |Total Liabilities and Capital |$677,899 |$543,981 |$611,748 | | | | | | |Net Worth |$648,657 |$508,070 |$561,296 | . 7 Business Ratios The following table outlines some of the more important ratios from the  Fast Food Restaurants and Stands  in dustry. The final column, Industry Profile, details specific ratios based on the industry as it is classified by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) code 5812. [pic] |Ratio Analysis | | |2005 |2006 |2007 |Industry Profile | |Sales Growth |0. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% |8. 7% | | | | | | | |Percent of Total Assets | | | | | |Other Current Assets |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |37. 31% | |Total Current Assets |100. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% |45. 97% | |Long-term Assets |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |54. 03% | |Total Assets |100. 00% |100. 0% |100. 00% |100. 00% | | | | | | | |Current Liabilities |4. 31% |6. 60% |8. 25% |17. 94% | |Long-term Liabilities |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |22. 26% | |Total Liabilities |4. 31% |6. 60% |8. 25% |40. 20% | |Net Worth |95. 69% |93. 40% |91. 75% |59. 0% | | | | | | | |Percent of Sales | | | | | |Sales |100. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% | |Gross Margin |77. 81% |77. 81% |77. 81% |59. 05% | |Selling, General & Administrative Expenses |107. 37% |102. 99% |73. 0 4% |39. 24% | |Advertising Expenses |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |1. 96% | |Profit Before Interest and Taxes |-29. 57% |-25. 8% |4. 77% |1. 92% | | | | | | | |Main Ratios | | | | | |Current |23. 18 |15. 15 |12. 13 |1. 04 | |Quick |23. 18 |15. 15 |12. 13 |0. 66 | |Total Debt to Total Assets |4. 31% |6. 60% |8. 25% |50. 2% | |Pre-tax Return on Net Worth |-12. 73% |-27. 67% |9. 48% |6. 90% | |Pre-tax Return on Assets |-12. 18% |-25. 84% |8. 70% |13. 87% | | | | | | | |Additional Ratios |2005 |2006 |2007 | | |Net Profit Margin |-29. 57% |-25. 18% |4. 77% |n. a | |Return on Equity |-12. 73% |-27. 7% |9. 48% |n. a | | | | | | | |Activity Ratios | | | | | |Accounts Payable Turnover |9. 35 |12. 17 |12. 17 |n. a | |Payment Days |27 |27 |26 |n. a | |Total Asset Turnover |0. 41 |1. 03 |1. 83 |n. | | | | | | | |Debt Ratios | | | | | |Debt to Net Worth |0. 05 |0. 07 |0. 09 |n. a | |Current Liab. to Liab. |1. 00 |1. 00 |1. 00 |n. a | | | | | | | |Liquidity Ratios | | | | | |Net Working Capital |$648,6 57 |$508,070 |$561,296 |n. a | |Interest Coverage |0. 00 |0. 00 |0. 00 |n. | | | | | | | |Additional Ratios | | | | | |Assets to Sales |2. 43 |0. 97 |0. 55 |n. a | |Current Debt/Total Assets |4% |7% |8% |n. a | |Acid Test |23. 18 |15. 15 |12. 13 |n. a | |Sales/Net Worth |0. 43 |1. 10 |1. 99 |n. a | |Dividend Payout |0. 00 |0. 00

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

(Criminal Justice) Police Discretion & Corruption Assignment

(Criminal Justice) Police Discretion & Corruption - Assignment Example Big police departments are more likely to be corrupt. This is because they can develop a sub-culture that will prevent any large scale reformation even when corrupt practices are exposed (Walker & Katz, 2005). Police departments that are located in crime prone areas are also more likely to have corrupt officers because of the reigning apathy in the community in regards to crime. Police officers who are corrupt or abuse their power are not reprimanded or punished enough for their actions. This is the reason why police corruption is not fully eradicated in many places. Examples of allowable discretion include jay walking and littering the neighborhood. This is because laws against both crimes or misdemeanors may be expressed in broad terms that do not fit the vagueness of the misdemeanors (Reid, 2006). This means that it is left to the policeman on the street to interpret how he ought to implement this type of legislation. In crimes such as domestic battery and aggressive hate crimes, the officers in question should use the laws against these crimes to full effect. The officer is right in the suggestions he makes about a police officer using his discretion when determining the right option to take when a driver engages in a misdemeanor. Nash rightly observed that there are a range of options that police officers could use in determining the seriousness of the crime or misdemeanor that has been committed (Policedynamicschanel, 2012). Even though there is not enough time for an officer to learn about all aspects of an individual who breaks the law, it is very important for him or her to determine, through present interactions with the accused, if he should charge him or her, or make an allowance in the case of traffic

Monday, August 12, 2019

Management Case Study of Xerox Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Case Study of Xerox - Essay Example Eventually, it will evaluate whether or not hiring and promoting women and minorities has been unfair to white men. Human resource professionals are at a good position to help in ensuring that top organizational leaders encourage managers and employees to follow laws and guidelines. They can do this through a number of ways. For instance, they may organize various trainings so as to teach top leaders on how to protect the profits of the organization, a step that may encourage the top leaders to abide by the laws, and go on to encourage other employees to do the same. In addition, the federal government supervises the recruitment of workers as well as the protection of their rights, especially if the workers happen to come from organizations that do business with the government. This prevents such organizations from manipulating the implementation of laws and guideline due to the fear of a contract cancellation that may reduce the organization’s profits. A clear understanding o f this motivates the leaders to introduce programs and policies that openly show such organizations are protecting the rights of all employees. Top leaders can also be involved in safety promotion campaigns within the work environments. Their priority should be to influence managers and employees, since workers who have safety in mind always look forward to abiding by safety laws when at work (Stuart, 2011). Human resource professionals can also establish monthly rendezvous with the top leaders concerning the laws and guidelines. They may use such opportunities to show the leaders the best ways of helping employees to abide to laws. Responsibilities attached to organizational legal matters should be taken seriously on a â€Å"daily basis,† and as such, the human resource professionals will use the meetings to sensitize organizational leaders on the seriousness of such responsibilities. It is after this that the leaders will pass such knowledge to not only their management sta ff but also other employees. Also, employees always tend to â€Å"follow their leaders.† Therefore, compliance to laws and guidelines can be encouraged more when organizational leaders also demonstrate a high sense of commitment to complying with the laws and guidelines. The leaders have to be committed to complying with laws that promote diversity and safety in the work place (Stuart, 2011). Organizational leaders also need to be made aware of the importance of not only effective communication but also awareness and training. Leaders need to effectively communicate the importance of not only safety but also diversity, to managerial staff and other employees. It can be done by making available awareness posters at the work environment, trainings on-line and conducting small â€Å"work-group seminars.† The human resource professionals should also encourage the organizational leaders to monitor as well as measure the â€Å"key results of the hiring process, to include h iring and recruiting minorities.† By keeping track of such things, it will be a pure proof that the organization complies with federal provisions. Leaders also need to found incentive programs for not only managers but also other junior employees. If the rates of accidents is relatively low and â€Å"no diversity issues are brought up† then the groups deserve to be rewarded for complying with the

Hyundai Auto Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Hyundai Auto Company - Essay Example With focus on the automobile industry of the US, it can be apparently observed that the market structure prevailing in the economy is a monopolistically competitive market (Nguyen & Kira, 1998). The major features of a monopolistically competitive market include: The inclusion of a large number of market players, availability of substitute (but not identical) products, Higher price-elasticity with minimum influence of producers on commodity price increasing the bargaining power of customers, Fierce competition in terms of promotion, quality as well as other non-price factors, In a MCM structure, a firm also enjoys the liberty of ‘free entry and exit’ which again raises the threat of new entrants (Nguyen & Kira, 1998) Hence, operating in the MCM structure, Hyundai needs to face steep competition along with the barriers of high price and demand elasticity along with greater bargaining power of both suppliers as well as customers owing to the availability of close substitut e products. This can be better illustrated with the assistance of its demand-supply curve. For instance, if the price for Hyundai Sonata increases with a single unit (e.g. from US$ 37.79 as on 2009 to US$ 38.79) it is quite likely that the demand for the brand will reduce proportionately with the availability of close substitute product of Toyota Camry. Therefore, its demand-supply curve can be formulated as below. Figure 1: Demand-Supply Curves of Hyundai As can be witnessed from the above diagram with a shift in the demand curve, the brand also needs to shift its supply curve in order to satisfy the equilibrium condition. Due to the fact that firms have limited influence over price structures, it... It is in this context that both Hyundai Sonata needs to focus on their competitive strategies to preserve their leading positions in the monopolistic ally competitive market of the US. The company is further observed to focus on its profit maximization strategies, placing emphasis on the aspects of marginal costs as well as average total cost. This, in turn, depicts the impact of an MCM structure on the company strategies. Operating within the MCM structure, a company needs to maintain its MC as equal to MR. The competitive position of Hyundai Sonata, in relation to its profit maximization strategies, can be better observed in comparison to the position of Toyota Camry, which is a close substitute of the brand in the MCM structure of US automotive industry. In this context, the total cost of Toyota at the end of the year 2009, 2008 and 2007 stood at  ¥20.99,  ¥24.02 and  ¥21.71 million respectively. Moreover, the quantity of units sold by the organization in the year 2009, 2008 and 2007 was recorded as 7.23, 9.23 and 9.49 million units respectively. Therefore, the MC for the year 2009 is 1.52 and 8.47 for the year 2008 in the case of Toyota. On the basis of the aforementioned figures, the ATC of Toyota for the year 2009 and 2008 is 2.90 and 2.60 million respectively. Similarly, the revenue of Toyota for the year 2009 was  ¥6.22 million and for 2008 was  ¥9.42 million.Thus, the calculated MR for the year 2009, in the case of Toyota, is  ¥ 4.29, whereas, the AR for three consecutive years is  ¥ 8 million.

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Will shale gas rock the world the role of shale gas in changing the Literature review

Will shale gas rock the world the role of shale gas in changing the dynamics of the future energy markets - Literature review Example For instance, the recent publication of the International Monetary Funds World Economic Outlook 2012, identify the oil price as one of the downside risks that will stall the global economy this year.1 Given the volatility of the situation in the Middle East this problem is expected to remain for a long period of time. This is in addition to the fact that forecasts are projecting the decline of the golden age of oil as supply starts to run short. A report by major oil companies revealed that the growth of oil production outside of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will slow to a stop and that by 2015, the Middle East will monopolize that global oil demand, which is almost 1000 gallons per second.2 The experience during the 1970s of a global shortage wherein there was a lack of adequate supply and the price dramatically increased is still fresh. These are the reason why there is a mad scramble for alternative energy sources today. Being able to successfully e xtract oil from different energy sources would mean independence from foreign oil and the negative impact it entails. Shale oil is one of these alternative fuel sources. The changing energy outlook as with the increasing interest on shale oil is consistent with all modern-day assessments of global energy futures, which according to P. Edwards, V. Kuznetsov and W. David (2007), emphasizes the argument that growth in demand for energy must be met increasingly by a diverse energy mix.3 Change as a result of the coming shortage of oil is inevitable. This paper will provide an overview of the current status and prospects for shale oil. For this purpose a brief history will be provided as well as an explanation of shale oil as an energy resource and a discussion as to why it will play an important role in the global attempt to find alternative fuel sources. Oil shales are generally rocks that have high proportion of â€Å"kerogen†. This

Saturday, August 10, 2019

The Ballets Russes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Ballets Russes - Research Paper Example Uniting different forms of art one artistic whole that organizes the material and spiritual environment is what artistic synthesis is all about. This concept implies the creation of a qualitatively and new phenomenon or art that cannot then be reduced to the sum of its original component sums. The new product becomes the imaginative, the compositional and the ideological unity of these components that form the various parts. Be they music, painting or dance. The Ballets Russes became the first internationally performing dance company that featured an intricate design by several outstanding artists, a variety of choreographers and a blend of music and beautiful synthesis of art. The common effect in space and time arrangements, the unity of the various components, their proportion, their coordination in scale and the rhythm generate several marvelous and variable artistic qualities. These enhance the apprehension of art and establish an idea that is developed on several planes. The sy nthesis of art has a comprehensive and emotional effect on the person who encounters it, appealing to several of his senses all at once. This concept has had many great educational and social possibilities that have been adopted by a number of productions and performances through the history of performance. There are various syntheses that have been practiced throughout the history of art. For instance, monumental art and architecture have always been united leading to the creation of an artistic synthesis where painting and sculpture, while still performing their own tasks, have also enhanced and interpreted the work of architecture in itself. This form of plastic and spatial synthesis sometimes also includes the decorative art that is applied to bring out the environment of man, his desires and pleasure. It is this aspect of art that the Ballet Russes maximized on. The Ballets Russes There has been a history of synthesis of the temporal arts such as poetry and music that are chara cterized by different genres of vocals such as: popular song, cantata, art song, opera, and oratio. There are several works that have utilized this concept to create an innovative form of art. These include motion picture, theater and of course ballet. Painting, music and dance are synthetic in their own nature. In uniting the creative works of the painter, the singer and the dance, a whole new world of art is aesthetically united (Jordan & Lopukhov, p. 24). These are the possibilities that were utilized by the Ballets Russes. The Ballets Russes, also known as the Russian Ballets, was a travelling ballet company from Russia that performed from 1909 to 1929 in several countries. It was directed by Sergei Diaghilev and is regarded as one of the greatest ballet companies, if not the greatest, in the 20th century (Brewer, Diaghilev’s Golden Age; Culture24.org). His work was based on the philosophy that â€Å"art is free and life is paralyzed.† It is important to note that by this time, Diaghilev had already enjoyed success in Paris a year before, in 1908 before his company originally started to perform. In that year, he presented to the Parisians a season of the Russian art, their music and opera. It is this presentation that got him the invitation the following year to present ballet and opera. The dancers of Ballets Russes came from the ballet school in St. Petersburg, the Imperial Ballet. After the Russian Revolution several Russians were exiled to Paris. This formed the training ground for the next generation of dancers. They featured a variety of works from a variety of artists. When the director died the company’s dancers scattered and its assets were claimed by creditors. It was later revived under the name Ballet Russ de Monte Carlo by Colonel Wassily de Basil and an associate Rene Blum in 1932. The company combined new art, dance and music and created a sensation that reached all the corners of the world.

Friday, August 9, 2019

Reading Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Reading Response - Essay Example In fact, most writers are hardly sure if they are going to get enough stuff for the number of pages required. Lamott refers to a time when, through experience in the writing process, she â€Å"eventually let [herself] trust the process, sort of, more or less† (1). This is because, even being an experienced writer, she still has to begin by putting down really shitty first drafts. After refining the initial draft a second and third time, she is able to come up with excellent pieces. She still gets wary of what she puts down and still worries about whether her work is good enough. Lamott wariness is not personal but rather a common trait among all writers. Getting the right words and knowing how to begin the first paragraph for a piece of work is a challenge to all writers. For every writer, writing is a process that begins with no order but ultimately ends with excellence. Writing a first draft is more about the process because it is not well organized. It rather serves as a form of reference for a writer’s initial ideas that could be forgotten if not scribbled down. Most first drafts can only be understood by the writer. Therefore a second and third draft is crucial. A second draft is significant because it incorporates corrections and new leads. This gives the work some direction. A third draft is the accurate draft; a writer ensures that the words and flow of work is accurate by reviewing every detail. Lamott says that â€Å"almost all good writing begins with terrible efforts† (2). Every writer has to begin somewhere and this can only be done by putting down information and thoughts on paper. According to Lamott, not one of the great writers â€Å"sits down routinely feeling wildly enthusiastic and confident. Not one of them writes elegant first drafts† (1). As a writer, starting the first paragraph of a piece of work has always been a challenge. I get worried about the