Gravestat Farm Exchange (GFX) will be a business entity that applies 21st-century technology and business practices in an ageless business environment.
This modern approach to traditional business has been proven effective in gaining a competitive edge and attracting new customers through live experiments. Once the entire concept is in place, it will be extremely profitable, and can sustain a company with the potential of exponential growth.
This business plan is submitted to secure $110,000 of start-up capital to allow GFX Gravestat Farms Exchange to move from experimentation to fully operational business entities. The funding request is balanced with additional capital and operating capital. These funds will be used to finish the plan and give you a realistic start-up period that can lead to a profitable future.
GFX: Gravestat Farm Exchange is a home-based business located north of Chandler in Lincoln County, Oklahoma. It is owned and operated jointly by Edward A. Graves (and his family). The culmination of a successful business career was the U.S. An international software development company’s Sales & Operation Manager provides an extensive background and expertise that ensures this venture’s success. Implementing this plan will not require additional employees nor locations. This allows for the lowest operating costs possible without compromising any revenue potential. Rather, it concentrates on providing a full range of traditional products (with a powerful and unique addition) through e-commerce, event attendance, and home based sales.
1.1 Business Overview
It is crucial that at the beginning of reviewing this business plan, the reviewer has a willingness to question preconceived notions about the general nature of GFX.
GFX is not a farm. GFX does not include a horse ranch.
GFX is a Web-centric, event vendor, and retail location resale company.
There are two traditional ways of helping visualize GFX.
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A pet store that sells pet quality animals to the general public (in this case, horses).The complete line of equine and tack supplies.
This option is not available for horse buyers (as it does not exist for any other pet except horses). Hobby horse owners are forced to purchase horses through either: A) a “breed farm” offering a quality of horse well beyond the buyers needs and price range, or B) through a variety of “horse trader” outlets, none of which employ even a minimal level of acceptable business practice. The buyer has the option of buying something they don’t need or purchasing from unscrupulous sellers that can lead to dangerous and expensive purchases.
Example #2 shows that tack shops and equine supply businesses are a solid, traditional business. However, not a single tack shop takes maximum advantage of the symbiotic requirements of the horse and the supply. Every horse buyer is a potential tack and supply customer. Every potential horse buyer comes from both a tack buyer and a supply buyer. It is only logical, and an unfilled market niche, to combine the two, thereby offering the buyer a 1-stop shopping opportunity.
The geographical area between Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Ponca City in Oklahoma is known as “The Triangle”, the most active horse market worldwide. Yet, not one company has followed these best business practices to this large market.
GFX is opening a store in our area.
GFX is a vendor at equestrian events taking place in Tulsa (OKC), and Purcell.
GFX will maintain a strong Web presence with an online catalog and shopping capability.
GFX applies modern business methods and technology to one the oldest and most reliable market.
1.2 Personal Credit Worthiness
In the critical area of personal credit worthiness, we ask the reviewer to make particular note of this section and include it with all considerations for this loan request.
We have enjoyed an historically excellent personal credit history.
Our first steps in identifying the business opportunity led us to submit a business proposal and request funding. We decided to pursue this goal and invested heavily with all our resources, including personal capital, in the experimentation that eventually led us to the GFX formula. At times perhaps, we invested too heavily. We have had the challenge of managing the cash flow over the past year. We have been behind at times and we have pulled ahead at others. At present we are even. Since we expect some amount of negative reflection to appear in a standard credit report, we take this into consideration. The reviewer should consider our prior credit ratings and the amount of investment we made before applying for formal funding.
The important thing is that we have been responsible with our finances in the past. However, we have only increased our personal financial limits for this opportunity. We hope these are factors you’ll consider.
1.3 Objectives
First benchmark operation successful to obtain the following measurable results
20 location customers, attendance in two horse events, 500 ‘#8220’Web hits per month, resulting in:
- $4,500/month in product & tack sales at an average net of 30% for $1,350/month revenues
- 1,000/month in sales of manufactured products, an average of 60% net for $600/month revenues.
- $20,000/month in horse sales at an average of 30% net for $6,000/month revenue.
$7,950 per month for an initial achievement goal of $25,500 gross
1.4 Mission
GFX – Gravestat Farm eXchange aims to consolidate and legitimize representation and sales of a complete horse product line, including the horse, in a professional and safe business setting. This platform is designed to serve the interests of pleasure horse owners and those who are most at-risk from traditional horse sales. Customers satisfaction will be the foundation of our business success. We will always be looking for new product offerings that provide value to our customers and make a profit for GFX. We will utilize modern technology and methodology to insure GFX increases it’s visibility, customer base, and resulting success. GFX will become the benchmark in the pleasure horse business and be the benchmark against all others.
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