TEST YOUR IDEA OF COMPANY Organize to make the Business Plan.

What is the test planning of the new company is the ultimate weapon to reduce th
e risk, or turn the dream into a realistic vision, or prevent a good idea to be
turned into an unpredictable adventure. Some pre-entrepreneurs, perhaps take som
e time and money "left", they prefer to start a business without a detailed plan
, make a blind flight. But this is not the profile of the successful entrepreneu
r who does not take high risks and knows how to learn from failures. But if you
start a business without planning is perhaps difficult to even find out the caus
es of failure ... Until now you might just have an idea of its future business.
The test will measure the depth of these ideas. You will answer questions relate
d to your business: customers, competitors, market, investment required, the rev
enue and projected expenses, everything that relates to their future business. T
his is a true "Sabbath" on the extent of their knowledge about the business you
want to open. But he may be surprised, there are questions about you, your perce
ptions, experiences, motivations. And why the interest on your personal profile?
It is simply because all the research shows that the reasons for success of an
enterprise are fundamentally the entrepreneur leader: you. Add your own note. Af
ter assessing yourself will judge the degree of knowledge they have of the compa
ny and the industry in which to act. Choose the percentage of responses that wil
l stick. 99%? 80%? 60%? The decision is yours. But it is clear that if most of t
he questions, or some fundamental questions, do not find an answer, is a sign th
at you need to prepare more for the open enterprise. The objective of this "Test
your idea is to convince him to open a business requires deep reflection, much
research and hard work. This, if you want to survive the high rate of "infant mo
rtality" involving start-ups and reach a level of consolidation. By being a mand
atory step towards your future business, this test is intended to be comprehensi
ve. But may miss something related to your business. Instead of offering the "ot
her" option, we prefer that you complete the text with the missing issues. Contr
ibutions are welcome and even expected, due to the changing character of its con
tents. Recommendations for filling in the "evaluation" This is the first test of
his idea of the company. Tick only one answer if you are completely safe. Do no
t hesitate to answer "no thought on the subject." No question should no longer b
e examined, reflected and answered, unless it does not fit your future business,
when it should be left blank. • This test serves as a checking-list. You will d
o it twice during the course. The first time at the beginning to a diagnosis and
the second, before starting the final draft of the Business Plan. In both fills
you should record the score achieved in the tables "Results" below, to measure
their progress. The values of the options appear in the lower right of each ques
tion. The PN should be done when the questions become irrelevant. Below is a tab
le for calculating the points. Results from the first test date: Points obtained
: Possible points: Percentage of the total: • • Result of the second Test Date:
Pts: Points possible: Percent:
75
75
To find out if he is able to start the preparation of the Business Plan, yoursel
f decide what percentage achieved will leave insurance: 60, 80 or 99 %?... Make
a schedule of its work plan. For each item that you have to take action, fill in
the table below, "What, who and when." At the end of the first complete you wil
l have available a full schedule to complete the necessary information to your B
usiness Plan. Planning Item number:
Who What Where • • To simplify the text, the word also includes product service.
How to compile: for each letter a) checked, add 1 point and the letter b) 0 poi
nts.
The entrepreneur and the company
1 - The individual perceptions and motivations for opening the business. a) • Th
e business plan to open a position to motivate me. • You can fill my needs for s
elf-realization. • I understand that the central idea of the venture should be t
ested initially. • I am aware that it is not enough technical training. Are key
factors marketing and management. b) • I did not think about it.
2 - The energy is already placed on the business idea. How many time you work th
e central idea? a) • More than six months. b) • Less than six months.
3 - How many hours of work do you figure having worked in the business idea. a)
• Above 100. b) • Less than 100.
4 - During the installation phase and in the first year, how many hours per week
you want to dedicate to your future development? a) • Full-time. b) • Part-time
or less.
5 - What is your experience in the area that will open the company? a) • I know
the product and business. • I know the product but have no experience in busines
s. • Know the business, but I need to associate with anyone who knows the produc
t. • I join with those who know the area. b) • I have no experience in the area.
6 - Have you been an entrepreneur or participated in the creation of some other
enterprise? a) Yes b •) • No.
7 - What is your involvement and / or contribution at the beginning of the busin
ess? a) • Availability of capital. • Knowledge / experience in the industry. • K
nowledge / experience in other areas. • Identify new market.
b)
•
I did not think about it.
8 - How you get information about your area of business? a) • Through publicatio
ns and major newspapers. • Through my personal relationships and my observation
as a user / client. b) • I do not have systematic information about the area.
9 - How much information you have about your area? a) • I know the stage of prod
uct and technological trends. • I know numbers on the market. b) • • I find unne
cessary to obtain such data, because the business is very good. Have not thought
about it.
10 - Do you know people or institutions in your business? a) • I am bound by pro
fessional associations, associations of the area. • Participated in meetings, co
nferences and trade fairs. • I know people in the industry. b) • • • • It is ver
y difficult to establish this field. I do not think necessary at first to relate
the area. Still do not have personal relationships in the industry. Have not th
ought about it.
11 - Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur? a) • I want to accomplish as
human beings. • It's my lifestyle: I always thought about having my business. •
In this way my family is stimulated and natural. • I have my ideas, I think I ca
n survive well with them. b) • • • • I do not like to refer to other people. I w
ant to get rich. It is very difficult to get jobs. I did not think about it.
12 - What made you choose this business? a) • Product knowledge (technology). •
Knowledge of the industry, market. • Business family. • Branch of high profitabi
lity. • I was induced by his partner. b) • Chance.
13 - Why did you create this company, specifically? a) • This is my idea. • I wa
s induced by his partner. • I thought the idea of good friends. • I did not thin
k about it. b) • It is not relevant.
14 - There are features in a venture that you dislike? What? a) • Not yet imagin
ed something that displeases me.
b)
• • • • • •
Exhausting work for an uncertain income. Irregular income. Risk. Financial retur
n over the long term. Dependence on uncontrollable factors like government polic
ies, market. I did not think about it.
15 - What is the opinion of his family / close friends over the enterprise? a) •
They value the prospect of being an entrepreneur. • My family is willing to acc
ept an irregular income. b) • • • You think a good job would be better. They thi
nk the company can not escape my time to family life. Have not thought about it.
a)
16 - What is the stage of their development visions, with reference to the theor
y of LJ Filion? • Emerging Visions well developed. • Central vision well develop
ed. • Vision complement well developed. • • Not all views are sufficiently devel
oped. I did not think about it.
b)
The product / service
17 - What is the definition stage of your product? a) • To define the product ha
s done research on customer needs. • Have you developed a prototype. • The packa
ging and / or methodology (for service) are already defined. • Have you calculat
ed the cost per unit (with all its composition) per product. • Have you set the
unit selling price and profit margin. • The product is ready to be marketed. b)
• It's still an idea.
18 - Regarding the characteristics of your product you know how to define? a) •
The cycle of life (early, expansion, maturity, decline, duration). • If it is a
novelty. What is the nature of innovation. • If there are identical products on
the market, or whether it is unique. • What kind of necessity that satisfies (lu
xury, fashion, surplus, first need). • If you are able to be quickly imitated. b
) • I had not thought about it.
19 - Have you assessed the degree of protection for your product's competitive a
dvantage: a) • is from experience, and names of members of your company. • The d
ifficulty of copying the competition. • It is protected (patent, grant exclusive
right, franchise, etc.). • It follows from the fact that he first started. b) •
I have no clear idea about it.
20 - What is the stage of testing your product? a) • Have you made contact with
potential consumers. In sufficient numbers. • Have you checked out what customer
s think of the design. He is sufficiently "seller." • Have you asked customers w
hat price they are willing to pay. • Have you checked where customers would be w
illing to buy it, through what channels of distribution. • If your product is ne
w, is already subject to a group of customers to test the concept, which measure
s the utility. • It was observed that competitive advantage is really what was e
xpected. b) • I have not done testing the product.
The business
21 - The market positioning of your company, you know how to define? a) • What i
s the area of opportunity: (IT, leisure, clothing, tourism, education, agropecur
ária, health ...). • What is the sector of activity: (industry, commerce, servic
es). • What is the branch of business: (software-based, multimedia, administrati
ve, automation, School of English, livestock ...). b) • Still can not define bec
ause the company can act in different branches, is still not clear, have not tho
ught about it.
22 - Regarding the field of business that will serve your company in the economy
: a) • I know the size (quantity and value of business done). • Know where parti
cipation in the industry in GDP in the local economy. • I know what the profit m
argin that the branch operates. • I know what% in terms of tax collection. b) •
I had not thought about it.
23 - What are the trends you see in the business of business? Can you envision s
ignificant changes in the coming years on: a) • Products. • Customers. • Prices.
• Methodology of care. • Techniques for manufacturing. • Marketing. • Innovatio
n. • socio-economic environment. • Legal aspects and regulations. b) • I had not
thought about it.
24 - You know how to identify which external factors constitute serious threats
to your business? a) • Inflation. • Interest. • Fluctuation in the exchange. • R
aw material. • Workforce. • Technological changes.
b)
•
Have not thought about it.
25 - On the fundamental variables of your business, key factors of success, you
know indicate the relative importance of each one (in percentage, sum of items e
qual to 100%)? a) • •% Capital Goods: technology, design and quality% • Operatio
ns: production, development, administration%% • Market knowledge • Technical ass
istance to the client%% • Advertising • Distribution •% Total 100% b) • I had no
t thought the subject.
The company's mission
26 - Have you defined the company's mission? (Ie, their rationale, expressed in
one or two sentences). Remember that the mission statement should be a projectio
n of your ego. a) • I established the mission, it is as a guide for all who part
icipate in my business. b) • • • • This is a very abstract and therefore difficu
lt. It is not important. It is too early to discuss this topic. Have not thought
about it.
Market
27 - Regarding the entry of your company on the market:) • You have found a mark
et niche that differentiates you. • This distinction will last for how long. • H
ow will competitors react to your entry. • Are you expecting fluctuations in sal
es. • Measures are envisaged to counteract these variations between them. b) • S
till no thought on the subject
28 - Have you thought about? a) • A sales strategy. • The main obstacles to the
sale of their products. • What will customers buy my product: (quality, price, p
ayment terms, advertising, service, distribution, location, design, packaging, w
arranty, technical assistance, etc.).. b) • I had not thought about it.
29 - In your market analysis you've found on: a) • What is the total market for
the product in the Territory (quantity, value). • What form of marketing. • The
difficulty / ease of access to the market (new products).
b)
•
Have not thought about it.
30 - The geographical segmentation of the market: a) • I know that I intend to a
ct square. • I established my company's participation in the market (%). • Have
you identified the key opportunities. • Have you identified the main threats. •
Already planned entry into new markets.€b) • I had not thought about it.
Customers
31 - What are your customers? What do you know about them? a) • I know your prof
ile: age, sex, income, habits. • I know the number of potential customers in the
market. • Know publications (newspapers, magazines, reports) that I may know ab
out the profile of my clients and the business sector. b) • • • I know identify
them, but I have no detailed information. In my business you do not need details
about customers. Have not thought about it.
32 - As the needs of its customers: a) • I am familiar with their needs through
research that I developed. • Know your needs through indirect data. b) • • I won
der what are your needs, but never researched directly. Have not thought about i
t.
33 - The customer service, has analyzed a) • Which is better: the physical displ
acement of customers to the company or the reverse. • If customers see immediate
ly that their product adequately meets their needs and motivations. • If custome
rs easily recognize the product as an improvement compared to those of competito
rs, eliminating extensive explanation. • Ways to translate into customer satisfa
ction numbers. b) • I had not thought about it.
34 - Have you examined the distribution of your customers? a) • What degree of v
ulnerability of your company for customers? • Example: A customer will account f
or 20% of sales, five customers represent over 50% of sales). • Your customers h
ave an acceptable degree of fidelity? b) • I had not thought about it.
Advertising and promotion
35 - Have you planned propaganda phases: a) • Product launch. • After the launch
to keep the company's image and product. b) • • • The advertisement is not requ
ired. Its outcome is unpredictable. Have not thought about it.
36 - Have you defined what you want to highlight in the advertisement of your pr
oducts? a) • A company's image. • Quality. • Distribution. • Assistance to clien
ts. • Other. b) • I did not think about it.
37 - Have you defined the propaganda effort according to the media? a) • Newspap
ers, magazines, radio, TV, prospectus, poster, direct mail. b) • I had not thoug
ht about it.
38 - Have you defined other means of dissemination? a) • Personal contacts with
customers, exhibitions, fairs, conferences, promotional support from businesses.
b) • I had not thought about it.
39 - If you want to do promotion, you: a) • Made the necessary studies: promotio
n program (objectives, schedule), costs, estimated benefits. b) • I did not thin
k about it.
Sales
40 - You have reviewed what the best sales strategy for your company? a) • Incre
asing market share by subtracting slices of competitors. • Increase participatio
n by gaining new customers. • Combine the expansion of the market with a race wi
th competitors. b) • I had not thought about it.
41 - Have you prepared to make sales projections? a) • Is there products that ca
n be quantified in volume or units sold. • Have you assessed in units / volume t
he expected level of sales. • Already know how you calculate the anticipated sal
es. • Have you compared the sales prices with the competition. • Have you create
d a methodology for forecasting sales for products not quantifiable.
b)
•
Have not thought about it.
42 - Have you ever done exercises sales estimates? a) • Has worked with differen
t scenarios: pessimistic, optimistic and realistic, estimated quantities for eac
h scenario, the value of revenue and earnings. b) • I had not thought about it.
Sales Force
43 - How your sales force, you have already defined? a) • The profile of people
dedicated to the sale. • The table of people or the sales effort required. • If
you want to pay commissions to salesmen or middlemen. b) • I had not thought abo
ut it.
After-sales service
44 - Regarding the policy of after-sales service, you:) • Have you assessed the
importance of after-sales service in your business. • It has established mechani
sms to monitor post-sale. • Have you considered an active system to measure the
degree of customer satisfaction. • Have you thought about ways to systematically
translate the information captured by technical assistance in product improveme
nts. • Have you estimated the cost of shares after the sale. b) • I did not thin
k about it.
Terms and conditions of payment
45 - The conditions of sale, already set? a) • What are the payment deadlines fo
r your clients? Will be different from the competition. • What is the mode of pa
yment (bank remittance, currency, checks, promissory notes, credit card).ۥ If y
ou want to grant discounts for early payments. b) • I had not thought about it.
46 - The financial implications of sales management, you ... a) • You want to ob
tain financing sales? (Discount of trade bills, factoring). • Have you establish
ed a system for their own bills are not issued or shipped late. • Already establ
ished as it seeks to ensure timeliness of payment from your customers. • Have yo
u established what will be the maximum acceptable delay allowed. • Have you cons
idered whether your potential customer has liquidity. • Have you made prediction
s about the percentage of customers. Uvidosos or insolvent? b) • I had not thoug
ht about it.
47 - The international market (if you wish to export) you:) • Do you know their
characteristics. • Know export incentives. • Know how to export. • estimated cos
t of insurance. • With taxes, transportation. • Know the law. b) • Still no thou
ght on the subject
Distribution
48 - Have you identified what the important factors in defining the distribution
channels for their products? a) • The geographic dispersion of customers. • The
opinion makers in the field of expertise. • Resellers. • Other. b) • I had not
thought about it.
Technical Assistance
49 - For technical assistance have you examined? a) • If your product needs serv
ice after sale. • What will the product warranty. • How will the monitoring of c
lient service. • The differences between the conditions of supply and security a
nd that of its competitors. b) • I had not thought about it.
Competition
50 - What degree of analysis you have developed over the competition? a) • I hav
e here the results of market research. • Know the companies that have products s
imilar to mine and are in the same geographic area. • I also know of companies t
hat offer a substitute to my products. • Know the pioneering companies that are
still ahead even its founders. • I do not think it is necessary to evaluate the
competition, the market gives to all. • I know little, my product is entirely ne
w. • I know little, the market is new. b) • I had not thought about it.
51 - When compared with the competition, you know indicate that the elements of
your product listed below represent strengths or weaknesses? a) • Resources for
project / design. • price.Airport • Payment Terms.
• • • • • • • • • b) •
Deadline. Personal relationships in business. Distribution points. Promotion and
advertising. Packaging. Quality. Company image. After sales assistance. Mark. H
ave not thought about it.
52 - As for new product launches, you've analyzed a) • How often competitors lau
nched new products to market in recent years. • The percentage of changes made d
ue to technological development. • The relative percentage of the changes made t
o the mark. • The frequency and reasons for changes in packaging. b) • I did not
think about it.
53 - What's the relative importance of the following factors in the success of y
our company? The total should equal 100%. a) • Technology. • Sales Force. • Trad
ition. • Technical assistance. • Quality. • Capital. • Other. b) • I had not tho
ught about it.
Shopping
54 - Regarding the activity of shopping, have you thought about? a) • What is th
e degree of dependence on suppliers. • What is the impact on the final product p
urchases of products or services. • If there are alternative suppliers in other
markets. Abroad. • If you want to have a policy of partnership with suppliers. b
) • I had not thought about it.
55 - How your suppliers, you've looked / searched for: a) • What are the potenti
al suppliers. • Prices. • Product quality. • Location. • Deadlines. • Payment te
rms. • Means of transport. b) • I had not thought about it.
Production
56 - In its activities of production, you ... a) • to use a manufacturing proces
s different from its competitors. • Have you considered where you can have delay
s in production, while increasing the quantity produced. • Have you estimated th
at you support scrapping operate. • Have you estimated revenue or expenditure on
production licenses. • Have you estimated what participation in the sales of pr
oducts made by third parties. b) • I had not thought about it.
Finances
57 - Have you made projections about the following points in your business? a) M
onthly turnover • rough. • Profit. • Expected Return on invested capital (%). •
Time of return on invested capital. • Need for equity for the first year.€• Need
for third-party capital for the first year. • Number of partners. • Number of e
mployees in the first year. • tax charges related charges. b) • I did not think
about it.
58 - In the computation of its projections, you estimated that all prices will h
ave a single or developments do you predict for different rates: a) • Purchase p
rices. • Sales prices. • Salaries and fees. • Cost of material. • Cost of energy
. • Cost of transportation. • Cost per unit produced. • Other. b) • I had not th
ought about it.
59 - Have you compared the expected profitability of your business with other in
vestments such as real estate, savings, fixed income, etc..? a) Yes b •) • I did
not think about it.
60 - What are the requirements for obtaining credit or financing? a) • The perce
ntage of initial capital can be financed is reasonable. • Interest rates are man
ageable. • The annual depreciation is compatible with your cash flow. • The fina
ncing term is appropriate to the level of activities. • The guarantees required
are available.
b)
•
I did not think about it.
61 - Have you stated your needs (including financial resources) of: a) • Equipme
nt. • Vehicles. • Furniture. • Phone-fax. • Inventories. • Other. b) • I had not
thought about it.
Staff
62 - If you're going to hire staff: a) • Have the needs for scaled functions. •
Identified the skills involved. • Establishing policy on salaries and benefits.
• Know the value of social obligations. • Know the salaries of their field. • Kn
ow the law. b) • I had not thought about it.
63 - The training of their staff: a) • You want to qualify internally through tr
aining. • You've done an annual estimate of expenses for training (including hou
rs removed from production). • You want to recruit staff already trained. • Have
you estimated what the training time for a technician to be in ideal conditions
to produce properly in your company. b) • I had not thought about it.
The formation of the society
64 - Have you ever thought about what reasons led him to have partners? For exam
ple: a) • Contribution of capital. • Contribution to technology. • Support manag
ement. • Workforce and high-level "cheap" at the beginning of the business. • Co
ntribution of experience. • Increased security. b) • I had not thought about it.
65 - The formation of society, the main factor in the choice of partners was: a)
• Quality of interpersonal relations. • Common interests. • Same business visio
n.
• • • • • • • b) •
Allowing time for business. Aspirations compatible. Cultural, social. Consumers
preferred. Friendship. The contribution of each. Complementary profiles. I did n
ot think about it.
66 - The division of tasks between the partners: a) • It has been set which will
drive the business partner. • The areas of expertise of each partner were estab
lished (marketing, finance, operations, etc.).. b) • • The above issues have not
 yet been defined. Have not thought about it.
Planning, organization, strategies
67 - The goals of the enterprise, to indicate which ones you have already set va
lues, quantities and indicators. a) • Sales ($). • Sales growth (%). • Market sh
are (%). • Return on equity (%). • Net income ($). • Number of employees (number
). • Payroll / Billing (%). • Operating costs / revenues (%). • Value of fixed a
ssets ($). b) • I had not thought about it.
68 - How to obtain advice and information about the branch of your business, you
sought: a) • A counselor ("Godfather"). • Information on marketing, advertising
, law, accounting. • Information on Sebrae, bodies of class, personal business.
• Information and data on activity in other countries. • Access to a group of en
trepreneurs. • Access to literature on the subject. • Information about educatio
n in the area. b) • I had not thought about it.
69 - The organization, you have a project for the deployment and growth of the c
ompany that addresses: a) • Chart and formal job description. • Computerization.
• Written procedures. • Implementation of Total Quality and establishment of pr
oduction standards (ISO 9000). • Accounting procedures and Cash Flow. • Policy s
taff salaries, incentives, profit sharing, medical,
career plan, training plan. b) • I had not thought about it.
Location
70 - The location, have you evaluated: a) • The strategic importance of location
for production,€administration, sales, distribution. • The characteristic of th
e region in which your company will be installed (residential, commercial, mixed
). • What is the size of the area needed for production, storage, administration
, transportation, sales, social area expansion. • If rented, length of contract
is appropriate. Supports the maturation of the venture. What are the impacts of
a change. • What are the current legal implications or public land (restriction
of construction, right of road, etc.).. b) • I had not thought about it.
Corporate organization and legal
71 - Regarding the legal implications of your business, you've already developed
considerations: a) • Legal status (Ltda., individual firm, etc.).. • participat
ion of each partner in the firm's capital. • Drafting of contract and status. •
Registration (opening) of the company. • Commitments to obtain legal (permits, r
egulations and local professionals). • Exclusive contracts. • Patents. • Copyrig
hts. • If you are developing your business to other companies associated with th
e type commercial representation, exclusive commercial representation, granting
trademark, patent, process manufacturing, franchising, etc.. b) • I did not thin
k about it.
72 - How will the ownership interest in terms of control of the enterprise? Have
you thought about the situation: a) • You will have the power, will be majority
owner, one to decide. • Decisions will be shared equally. • What is the optimal
number of partners in terms of decision making. • The circumstances leading to
the decision-making gridlock and how to avoid them. (Example: there was equal pa
rticipation for all, even number of members versus odd number). b) • I had not t
hought about it.
73 - Have you ever considered the importance of the legal form for your business
? Have evaluated the influence (high, medium, low, none) of the legal constituti
on with respect to: a) • Personal liability on capital and business results. • D
isclosure of the financial statements. • Risk. • Distribution of profits. • Powe
r management. • Financing.
• • • • b) •
Credit basis. Expenditure records. Tax burden. Others. Have not thought about it
.
74 - Have you defined the type of company will you choose? a) • Company name in
the collective. • Private limited company with limited liability. • Limited part
nership. • Society of capital and industry. • Society account to participate. •
Limited liability company. • Limited partnership by shares. b) • I had not thoug
ht about it.
75 - How will regulated the following subjects in the social contract? a) • Resp
onsibility. • Distribution of profits. • Responsibility after closure. • Entry a
nd exit of partners. • Rules of succession - the sale of all or part b) • I had
not thought about it.
Softex 2000 - Genesis VENTURES IN COMPUTER Manual professor
Prof. Fernando Dolabela