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Stationery Shop and Office Supplies Business Plan [Sample Template]

Are you about starting a stationery shop? If YES, here is a complete sample stationery shop & office supplies business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.

Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a stationery shop. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample stationery shop marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for stationery shops. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.

Starting a business comes cheap to some people, whilst to other people it is a herculean task. If you fall amongst the latter and you truly want to become your own boss, then one of the many businesses that you can launch with little stress is a stationery shop and office supplies business.

Simply put, a stationery store and office supplies business is a place where books, magazines, newspapers, text books, writing pads, greeting cards/postcards and stationery are retailed. Some book stores even go ahead to secure license to operate a mobile money center or a money transfer center.

Starting a stationery shop and office supplies business is just like starting any other retailing business; it will require startup capital, planning (feasibility studies, market survey, budgeting), and of course time. Stationery store and office supplies businesses have become an essential part of our world.

The items that are sold in stationery stores are in demand all over the world, making them a good and profitable business to start. If you are considering starting this type of business, then you must hunt for the right location, especially in a school cum office environment; a location with the right demographic composition.

With the right location, items in stock, and good pricing structure, you can start making profit as soon as possible after opening your stationery store and office supplies business. Below is a sample stationery shop and office supplies business plan template that will help you successfully write yours without much stress.

A Sample Stationery Shop and Office Supplies Business Plan Template

1. Industry Overview

The office supply stores industry comprises of stores that predominantly retail stationery, school supplies and office supplies. It is important to note that some stationery stores and office supply business may also sell a combination of new computers, office equipment, furniture and supplies.

IBISWorld estimates that in 2017, 63.8 percent of total industry operators will be non – employing, including family-owned, individual proprietorships and partnerships. This high share of smaller firms within the industry indicates that capital costs of establishing a retail outlet are not substantial relative to other retail industries.

Furthermore, there are no licensing requirements to enter the industry and as such, the Office Supply Stores industry has limited barriers to entry.

However, industry competition and market awareness, while not regarded as formal barriers to entry, can pose a threat to new potential entrants. Currently, the top two players (Office Depot, Staples) are estimated to account for about 80.9 percent of the total revenue.

Research shows the concentration level for the office supply stores industry has wavered over the last 5 years resulting to some businesses in the industry closing shop or creating additional source of income alongside running a stationery store and office supply business.

As the revenue generated in the book industry continues to nosedive over the last 5 years, many small businesses in the industry struggled to remain profitable, and eventually had to consolidate or exit the industry all together. Larger businesses have also struggled to stay in business, as revealed by the 2011 Borders bankruptcy.

The office supply stores industry is indeed a very large industry and pretty much thriving in all parts of the world. Statistics have it that in the united states of America alone, there are about 10,613 legally registered stationery stores and office supply businesses responsible for employing about 72,499 employees and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $13bn annually.

It is important to state that the industry experienced a – 7.4 percent growth. Office Depot and Staples have the lion share in the USA market, but no single operator has control over the pricing trend, advertising trend, distribution model or customer loyalty et al in the industry.

Over the years, stationery stores and office supply businesses are active in all cities in the United States of America. In response to the ever-growing demand for items sold in stationery stores, players in the industry are now opening additional stores thereby creating chains of stores across different cities.

They are always ready to expanded into new markets and of course adapt to the changing trend in consumer tastes and increase sales.

2. Executive Summary

Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. is a neighborhood stationery store and office supply that will be located in a centralized area in-between a busy educational district and business office district in downtown Phoenix – Arizona. We conducted our feasibility studies and market survey and we came to the conclusion that Phoenix – Arizona is the right location for us to launch our stationery shop and office supply business.

We are in the stationery store and office supply business to make profits and at the same to give our customers value for their money. We want to give people who patronize our stationery store and office supply business the opportunity to choose from a wide range of office supplies and stationery.

We will engage in retailing office supplies, stationery, books (including e-books), newspapers, magazines and other periodicals and we will also trade books, religious goods (including books), textbooks and other merchandise. Aside from retailing items, we will secure license to carry out money transfer and mobile money services.

We are aware that there are several small stationery stores and chains of stationery stores all around Phoenix – Arizona, which is why we spent time and resources to conduct our feasibility studies and market survey so as to enable us locate the business in an area that will support the growth of the business and also for us to be able offer much more than our competitors will be offering.

We ensured that our facility is easy to locate and our outlet is well secured and equipped with the various payment of options available in the U.S.

Beyond retailing quality and affordable items in our stationery store, we will ensure that our customer care is second to none in the whole of Phoenix – Arizona. We know that our customers are the reason why we are in business which is why we will go the extra mile to make them satisfied and get what they are looking for whenever they visit our store.

Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. will ensure that all our customers are given first class treatment whenever they visit our store. We have a CRM software that will enable us manage a one on one relationship with our customers no matter how large the number of our customer base may grow to.

We will ensure that we get our customers are involved in the selection of brands that will be on our racks and also when making some business decisions that will directly or indirectly affect them. Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. is owned by Olivia Jason and her immediate family members.

She has successfully managed several stationery stores and office supply businesses both in Phoenix and New York prior to opening her own stationery store and office supply business. She has a Degree in Business Administration and she will run the business alongside her immediate family members.

3. Our Products and Services

Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. is going to operate a standard and registered neighborhood stationery store and office supply business that will retail a wide range of items from both local and international manufacturers just like any other standard stationery store in the United States.

Aside from retailing items, we will secure a license to carry out money transfer and mobile money services. We are in the office supply stores industry to make profits and give our customers value for their money. These are some of the products that we will retail in our stationery store:

  • Retailing of stationery
  • Office supplies and other related merchandise (Pens – blue, black, red, Highlighter Stationery for small or home office
  • Permanent marker (Texta/Sharpie)
  • Pencil and pencil sharpener
  • Colored pencils, pens and markers
  • Eraser, Correction tape/fluid/Liquid Paper
  • Mechanical pencil and spare leads
  • Plain paper (for printer)
  • Notebooks, ruled paper, binder books,
  • Scrapbook, art book, Ruler, Glue, Sticky tape + dispenser
  • Packing tape + dispenser, Bulldog/Fold back clips
  • Stapler and staples
  • Rubber bands, Paper clips, Hole punch, Drawing pins
  • Plastic pockets, Manila folders, Storage pockets, Arch folders
  • Folder dividers, Hanging files, Filing trays, Sticky labels (e.g. Avery) for addressing or filing, Post-Its/yellow stickies
  • Index cards, Label maker and spare tape, Scissors, Box cutter/utility knife/Stanley knife
  • Guillotine, Calculator, Printer toner, Tissues, Paper towel, Postage stamps
  • Envelopes, Rubber stamps (return address, entered, paid), Laminator and spare pouches
  • USB memory sticks
  • Batteries (for electronic equipment, for wireless keyboard and mouse), Calendar, wall planner, Desk pad
  • Blu-tack /green tack, Wall hooks (e.g. ‘Command’), Whiteboard/dry erase markers, Whiteboard eraser and cleaning fluid et al).

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

  • Our vision is to establish a one stop stationery and office supply business in Phoenix – Arizona and in other cities in the United States of America where we intend opening chains of stationery stores.
  • Our mission is to establish a stationery store and office supply business that will make available a wide range of office supplies and stationery from top brands at affordable prices to the residents of Phoenix and other cities in the United States of America where we intend opening our outlets and selling our franchise.

Our Business Structure

Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. do not intend to start a mom and pop business around the street corner; our intention of starting a stationery store and office supply business is to build a standard store that will be a one – stop shop for stationery and offices supplies which is why we will ensure that we put the right structures in place that will support the kind of growth that we have in mind while setting up the business.

We will ensure that we only hire people who are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all our stakeholders.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more especially when we start selling our franchise or running chains of stationery stores. In view of that, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

  • Chief Executive Officer (Owner)
  • Store Manager
  • Merchandize Manager
  • Sales and Marketing Manager
  • Information Technologist
  • Accountants/Cashiers
  • Store Attendant/Customer Services Executive
  • Cleaners

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO (Owner)

  • Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
  • Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
  • In charge of  providing direction for the business
  • Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
  • In authority of signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
  • Evaluates the success of the organization

Store Manager

  • Responsible for managing daily activities in the store
  • Ensures that the store facility is in tip top shape and conducive enough to welcome customers
  • Checks stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products
  • Interfaces with third – party providers (vendors)
  • Controls the sales floor inventory
  • Ensures that goods and products are properly arranged
  • Supervise the entire sales staff and workforce
  • Handle any other duty as assigned by the CEO

Merchandize Manager

  • Manages vendor relations, market visits, and the ongoing education and development of the organizations’ buying teams
  • Helps to ensure consistent quality of stationery and office supplies on our rack
  • Responsible for the purchase of stationery for the organization
  • Responsible for planning sales, monitoring inventory, selecting the merchandise, and writing and pricing orders to vendors

Sales and Marketing Manager

  • Manages external research and coordinate all the internal sources of information to retain the organizations’ best customers and attract new ones
  • Models demographic information and analyze the volumes of transactional data generated by customer purchases
  • Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
  • Answerable to supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
  • Changes, execute and evaluate new plans for expanding sales
  • Documents all customer contact and information
  • Helps to increase sales and growth for the company

Information Technologist

  • Manages the organization website
  • Handles ecommerce aspect of the business
  • Responsible for installing and maintenance of computer software and hardware for the organization
  • Manages logistics and supply chain software, Web servers, e-commerce software and POS (point of sale) systems
  • Manages the organization’s CCTV
  • Handles any other technological and IT related duties.

Accountant/Cashier

  • Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
  • Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
  • In charge of financial forecasting and risks analysis.
  • Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting
  • Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
  • Responsible for administering payrolls
  • Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
  • Handles all financial transactions for the organization
  • Serves as internal auditor for the organization

Store Attendant/Client Service Executive

  • Ensures that all contacts with customers provide the clients with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
  • Through interaction with customers on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
  • Manages administrative duties assigned by the store manager in an effective and timely manner
  • Consistently stays abreast of any new information on products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to our customers when they make enquiries

Cleaners

  • Responsible for cleaning the store at all times
  • Ensures that toiletries and supplies don’t run out of stock
  • Cleans both the interior and exterior of the store facility
  • Handles any other duty as assigned by the store manager

6. SWOT Analysis

Our intention of starting just one outlet of our stationery store in Phoenix – Arizona is to test run the business for a period of 2 to 4 years to know if we will invest more money, expand the business and then open other stores all over Arizona and perhaps also sell franchise.

We are quite aware that there are several stationery stores all over Phoenix – Arizona and even in the same location where we intend locating ours, which is why we are following the due process of establishing a business.

We know that if a proper SWOT analysis is conducted for our business, we will be able to position our business to maximize our strength, leverage on the opportunities that will be available to us, mitigate our risks and be welled equipped to confront our threats.

Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. employed the services of an expert HR and Business Analyst with bias in retailing to help us conduct a thorough SWOT analysis and to help us create a Business model that will help us achieve our business goals and objectives. This is the summary of the SWOT analysis that was conducted for Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc.

  • Strength:

Our location, the business model we will be operating (one stop physical store and online store), varieties of payment options, wide range of office supplies and stationery from local and international manufacturing brands and our excellent customer service culture will definitely count as a strong strength for Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc.

  • Weakness:

A major weakness that may count against us is the fact that we are a new stationery and office supply business in Phoenix – Arizona and we don’t have the financial capacity to engage in the kind of publicity that we intend giving the business.

  • Opportunities:

The fact that we are going to be operating our stationery store and office supply business in one of the busiest business and school districts with the right demographic composition in Phoenix – Arizona provides us with unlimited opportunities to sell our items to a large number of people.

We have been able to conduct thorough feasibility studies and market survey and we know what our potential customers will be looking for when they visit our store.

  • Threat:

We are quite aware that just like any other business, one of the major threats that we are likely going to face is economic downturn. Another threat that may likely confront us is the arrival of a new stationery store in the same location where ours is located or even the arrival of a mall where office supply and stationery are retailed.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

  • Market Trends

One notable trend in the stationery store and office supply industry is the ever-changing consumer behavior and of course increasing competition from e-commerce and alternative retailers like mass merchandisers et al. This trend is part of what is responsible for the decline in the revenue generated by stationery stores.

Although these trends are forecast to continue over the next 5 years, some stationery stores will benefit from increasing demand for new technologies, such as e-readers.

Beyond every reasonable doubt, the stationery store companies that can successfully flow with the trend and keep up with consumer and technology trends will definitely fare well in the coming years, while the continued decline in physical book sales will keep the overall industry in steady decline.

If you keep tab with stationery store and office supply business, you would have noticed that it is now a common phenomenon for stationery stores to leverage on technology to effectively predict consumer demand patterns and to strategically position their stores to meet their needs; in essence, the use of technology help retailers to maximize supply chain efficiency.

Another common trend in the stationery and office supply stores industry is the pricing system. Asides from having varieties of items in a stationery store, one of the easiest ways for players in this line of business to sell their supplies is to ensure that the prices of their items are a bit lower than what is obtainable elsewhere.

For example, it is common to see office supplies or stationery with prices in this format; $3.99, $99.99 and $199.99 et al as against $4.00, $100 and $200.

8. Our Target Market

When it comes to selling stationery, there is indeed a wide range of available customers, so our target market can’t be restricted to just a group of people, but all those who reside in the locations where we intend opening our stationery stores. One thing is certain, we will ensure that we only retail quality and affordable items in our store.

In view of that, we have positioned our stationery store and office supply business to service offices and the residents of Phoenix – Arizona and every other location where our stationery stores and office supply business will be located all over the United States of America and Canada.

We have conducted our market research and we have ideas of what our target market would be expecting from us. We are in business to retail items to the following groups of people;

  • Schools and Students
  • Offices
  • Corporate Executives
  • Business People
  • Government officials

Our Competitive Advantage

Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. is launching a standard stationery store and office supply business that will indeed become the preferred choice for offices in Phoenix – Arizona.

Our stationery store is located in a corner piece property on a busy road directly opposite one of the largest residential estates and office district in Phoenix – Arizona and few meters away from a busy school district. We have enough parking space that can accommodate well over 10 cars per time.

One thing is certain, we will ensure that we have a wide range of quality and affordable items available in our store at all times. It will be difficult for customers to visit our store and not see the items that they are looking for. One of our business goals is to make Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. a one stop stationery store and office supply business.

Our highly experienced and qualified management, customer service culture, online store, various payment options and highly secured facility with enough packing space will also serve as a competitive advantage for us.

Lastly, all our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

  • Sources of Income

Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the office supply stores industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to sell a wide range of stationery and office supply related products to a wide range of customers.

Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. will generate income by retailing the following items;

  • Retailing of stationery
  • Office supplies and other related merchandise (Pens – blue, black, red, Highlighter Stationery for small or home office
  • Permanent marker (Texta/Sharpie)
  • Pencil and pencil sharpener
  • Colored pencils, pens and markers
  • Eraser, Correction tape/fluid/Liquid Paper
  • Mechanical pencil and spare leads
  • Plain paper (for printer)
  • Notebooks, ruled paper, binder books,
  • Scrapbook, art book, Ruler, Glue, Sticky tape + dispenser
  • Packing tape + dispenser, Bulldog/Fold back clips
  • Stapler and staples
  • Rubber bands, Paper clips, Hole punch, Drawing pins
  • Plastic pockets, Manila folders, Storage pockets, Arch folders
  • Folder dividers, Hanging files, Filing trays, Sticky labels (e.g. Avery) for addressing or filing, Post-Its/yellow stickies
  • Index cards, Label maker and spare tape, Scissors, Box cutter/utility knife/Stanley knife
  • Guillotine, Calculator, Printer toner, Tissues, Paper towel, Postage stamps
  • Envelopes, Rubber stamps (return address, entered, paid), Laminator and spare pouches
  • USB memory sticks
  • Batteries (for electronic equipment, for wireless keyboard and mouse), Calendar, wall planner, Desk pad
  • Blu-tack /green tack, Wall hooks (e.g. ‘Command’), Whiteboard/dry erase markers, Whiteboard eraser and cleaning fluid et al).

10. Sales Forecast

It is important to state that our sales forecast is based on the data gathered during our feasibility studies, market survey and also some of the assumptions readily available on the field. One thing is common with the stationery store and office supply business, the larger a stationery store, the larger the number of customers that will patronize them.

Although we may not be as large as the biggest stationery stores or retailers in the United States, but we will ensure that within our capacity we will make available a wide range of items from different brands both local and foreign in our store. Below are the sales projections that we were able to come up with for the first three years of operations;

  • First Fiscal Year: $120,000
  • Second Fiscal Year: $250,000
  • Third Fiscal Year: $450,000

N.B: This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and the arrival of a competitor in the same location as ours within the period stated above. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

  • Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

Before choosing a location for Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. we conducted a thorough market survey and feasibility studies in order for us to penetrate the available market and become the preferred choice for offices in Phoenix – Arizona and in every other city where our chains of stationery stores will be opened.

We have detailed information and data that we were able to utilize to structure our business to attract the number of customers we want to attract per time.

We hired experts who have a good understanding of the stationery stores industry to help us develop marketing strategies that will help us achieve our business goal of winning a larger percentage of the available market in Phoenix – Arizona.

In other to continue to be in business and grow, we must continue to sell the products that are available in our store which is why we will go all out to empower or sales and marketing team to deliver. In summary, Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. will adopt the following sales and marketing approach to win customers over;

  • Introduce our stationery store by sending introductory letters to schools, residents, business owners and organizations in and around Phoenix – Arizona
  • Open our stationery store with a party for people in the community
  • Advertise our business in community based newspapers, local TV and radio stations
  • List our business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
  • Leverage on the internet to promote our business
  • Engage in direct marketing
  • Encourage word of mouth marketing (referrals) from satisfied and loyal customers

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Despite the fact that our store is well located, we will still go ahead to intensify publicity for the business. We are going to explore all available means to promote our stationery store and office supply business.

Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. has a long-term plan of opening chains of stationery stores in various locations all around the United States of America and Canada which is why we will deliberately build our brand to be well accepted in Phoenix – Arizona before venturing out.

As a matter of fact, our publicity and advertising strategy is not solely for winning customers over but to effectively communicate our brand to the public. Here are the platforms we intend leveraging on to promote and advertise Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc.;

  • Place adverts on both print (community based newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
  • Sponsor relevant community programs
  • Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, twitter, et al to promote our brand
  • Install our billboards in strategic locations all around Phoenix – Arizona
  • Engage in roadshows from time to time in and around the location of stationery store
  • Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas in the community where our stationery store is located
  • Position our Flexi Banners at strategic positions in the location where our stationery store is located.
  • Ensure that all our workers wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are well branded with our organization’s logo

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Pricing is one of the key factors that gives leverage to stationery stores and retailing businesses generally, it is normal for consumers to go to places where they can get items at cheaper rates which is why big player in the stationery stores cum office supply stores industry will attract loads of consumers.

We know we don’t have the capacity to compete with other bigger stationery stores, but we will ensure that the prices of all the items that are available in our stationery store are competitive with what is obtainable amongst stationery stores within our level and in our location.

We are aware that there are office supply contracts from corporate organizations and government agencies, we will ensure that we abide by the rules and pricing model governing the bidding processes for such contracts.

  • Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. will make available to her clients;

  • Payment via bank transfer
  • Payment with cash
  • Payment via credit cards
  • Payment via online bank transfer
  • Payment via check
  • Payment via mobile money transfer
  • Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for our products without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

When it comes to starting a stationery store and office supply business, the major areas that you should look towards spending the bulk of your cash is in renting or leasing a standard store facility. Aside from that, you are not expected to spend much except for paying of your employees and the stocking of your store.

These are the key areas where we will spend our startup capital;

  • The total fee for registering the Business in the United States of America – $750
  • Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits as well as the accounting services (software, P.O.S machines and other software) – $1,300
  • Marketing promotion expenses for the grand opening of Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. in the amount of $3,500 and as well as flyer printing (2,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of – $3,580
  • The cost for hiring Consultant – $2,500
  • Insurance (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $2,400
  • The cost for payment of rent for 12 months at $1.76 per square feet in the total amount of $105,600
  • The cost for Shop remodeling (construction of racks and shelves) – $20,000
  • Other start-up expenses including stationery ($500) and phone and utility deposits – ($2,500)
  • Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $60,000
  • The cost for startup inventory – $70,000
  • The cost for store equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – $13,750
  • The cost of purchase and installation of CCTVs – $5,000
  • The cost for the purchase of furniture and gadgets (Computers, Printers, Telephone, TVs, Sound System, tables and chairs et al) – $4,000
  • The cost of launching a Website – $600
  • The cost for our opening party – $7,000
  • Miscellaneous – $10,000

We would need an estimate of $250,000 to successfully set up our stationery store and office supply business in Phoenix – Arizona.

Generating Startup Capital for Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc.

Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. is a family business that is solely owned and financed by Mrs. Olivia Jason and her immediate family members. They do not intend to welcome any external business partners which is why she has decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital to 3 major sources.

  • Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings
  • Source for soft loans from family members and friends
  • Apply for loan from the bank

N.B: We have been able to generate about $100,000 (Personal savings $75,000 and soft loan from family members $25,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $150,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited with the amount.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business, then it won’t be too long before the business closes shop.

One of our major goals of starting Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to sell our office supplies, stationery and other merchandise a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Olivia & Jason™ Stationery Store, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our organizations’ corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.

We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

  • Business Name Availability Check: Completed
  • Business Registration: Completed
  • Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
  • Securing Point of Sales (POS) Machines: Completed
  • Opening Mobile Money Accounts: Completed
  • Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
  • Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
  • Application for business license and permit: Completed
  • Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
  • Leasing of facility and remodeling the store: In Progress
  • Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
  • Generating capital from family members: Completed
  • Applications for Loan from the bank: In Progress
  • Writing of Business Plan: Completed
  • Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
  • Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
  • Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
  • Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging and Promotional Materials: In Progress
  • Recruitment of employees: In Progress
  • Purchase of furniture, racks, shelves, computers, electronic appliances, office appliances and CCTV: In progress
  • Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
  • Creating Awareness for the business both online and around the community: In Progress
  • Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement (License): Secured
  • Opening party planning: In Progress
  • Compilation of list of products that will be available in our store: Completed
  • Establishing business relationship with wholesale suppliers of various brands of products that we intend retailing: In Progress