Why Are You Doing This?

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Organization Name:
Social Enterprise Name:
Social Enterprise Location:
Questions / Your Responses / Help Required
Business Objective(s)

• Why are you doing this?
• To provide jobs? For whom?
• To provide jobs for people to support themselves? For training?
• To produce revenue?
• What will the revenue be used for?

Business Idea(s)

• Describe the idea(s) that you have
• Is it a business in the US that produces revenue to support local or overseas orphan care?
• Is it s business overseas that provides jobs for aging out orphans or caretakers?
• Is it a business overseas when goods/services are sold in country?
• Is it a business overseas where goods are sold in the US?
• Is it non-profit? Is it for profit?

Success Criteria

• How many jobs?
• How much revenue projected?
• In what time frame will this be sustainable (i.e. not require outside financial support?)

Insights

• What is the benefit offered?
• What is the unmet need(s)?
• What is the barrier(s) your business will overcome?
• Is the product/services you offer better than competition? In what way?
• Do you have special knowledge about this business are that provides an advantage?

Sources of Revenue

• How does the business make money?
• Is there a sound business model where the income produced would exceed salaries, expenses, and capitol investments?

People Resources

• What expertise is available?
• What additional expertise is required at start?
• Any additional expertiseis needed?
• What ongoing expertise is required?
• Which experts are currently identified and available? How to find others?
• How many people are required?

Financial Resources

• What financial resources are available?
• What financial investment (e.g. buildings, equipment, materials, etc.) is required?
• What are potential sources of additional financial resources?

Relationships/Potential Partnerships

• What relationships exist?
• What relationships or partnerships are needed?
• Who do you know that could help?

Sustainability Factors

• Do competitors exist? If so, what are their advantages? What are their weaknesses? What are your opportunities? How would you differentiate your business/products?
• How easy would it be for someone else to copy your business model?
• What are your competitive advantages?
• What are the contingency plans to handle reality adjustments, unexpected setbacks, and competition?

Other Social Enterprises to Learn From

• What other organizations are doing this business (or something similar) successfully in another place?
• Whatlearnings, best practices, systems, processes, etc. from other could be re-applied to avoid repeating mistakes/failures or accelerate success?

Key Milestones

• Identify key milestones along the way to help you objectively determine if the business is on track, adjustments are needed, or time to pull the plug?
• Identify who is responsible for the assessments at the key milestones?

Next Steps:

Action / By Whom & By When
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