down to business: part I

I've been talking for a while now about my plans once I relocate to Colorado. I've struggled for a while now to keep things very clear and linear in my mind: focus on what's in front of me, and leave the future to the future. I do not know how the picture will look once I move, and I will need the flexibility to shape my decisions based on new information, rather than blindly proceeding with plans I made in Georgia that don't work in Colorado.
But the project I want to create in Colorado is fun, and I enjoy thinking about it. So when I found an outline for a business plan at the Small Business Administration website, I copied it. It was posted to help the entrepreneur begin the process of putting their dream on paper. After you answer the questions it asks, you are supposed to have the outline of a solid business plan. So that's what I've been doing.
I apologize if this "Down to business" series of posts is long and boring. I'm blogging about it because I like to think out loud. I like to have people play devil's advocate. Opening my process up to scrutiny is how I figure out things that nag at me, and how I prepare myself for the unforeseen.
So this is part I. First, the question from the SBA:
What business will you be in? What will you do?
My answer:
This is a specialty retail store, a one stop shop for everything related to birdwatching or birding. It will offer products as well as services. It will also be a community resource for both the 61 million birders who report watching birds at least 20 days a year and those individuals and families looking to connect with nature and the outdoors learning an interesting hobby.
Products will include seed and seed blends, optics, nest cams, bird feeders and nesting boxes, feeding stations, books and videos.
Service will be the cornerstone of the store. Building relationships builds loyalty, even in a down economy. The services will be defined by customer demand, but could range from birdseed delivery, loyalty programs, delivery and setup for birdfeeding stations, digital picture processing for those who like to catch their birds on camera, in-store product testing, so customers can see how products work before they buy them, craft activities for children of different age groups, to help the parent foster an interest in bird watching with their children, and free or low-cost lectures about the varied topics related to birding.
Being a community resource serves on multiple levels. First, I believe in partnerships with local merchants, even ones that might not seem an obvious fit for a bird watching store. I want a community presence and I believe that small business owners, particularly in the same neighborhood, either “hang together or hang separately.” Second, if I am a clearinghouse for information about birding, I will become better informed. Something as simple as devoting a small space on my wall to a map of the immediate area for reports on the first hummingbird sighting of the year or bird lists at the local reservoirs can add value to my customers’ experience. Additionally, I can partner with businesses in my neighborhood and experts in the field of ornithology and related aspects of bird watching, so they are brought in as needed instead of full-time. Their businesses will be in partnership with me rather than in competition. They will benefit from the increased business and I will benefit from adding a useful service for my customer without being saddled with the extra overhead that’s detrimental to a new business.
Here are some illustrations:
I could be tempted to rental retail space large enough to hold classes and give lectures. However, I could rent a smaller retail space devoted completely to merchandise and rent space as I need it from the Old Firehouse Art Center (http://www.firehouseart.org/OFAC/home.html), located at 4th and Terry Streets. They have facilities to support both meetings and arts and crafts, so I could provide activities for both adults and children. Also located nearby is a retail store called Crackpots (http://ecrackpots.com/) with similar facilities for children’s activities.
Downtown Longmont is also home to seven art galleries and more than two dozen restaurants. During the summers, I could partner with Audubon and downtown businesses for a Progressive Birdwalk Urban Stroll. Strollers would be entertained with a discussion of the kinds of birds that can be found in an urban environment, beginning at my store, and stopping along the way at different galleries. At each gallery would be appetizers and drinks featuring food from the different restaurants. This format could be customized with different themes, or to work in conjunction with one of the several activities taking place in downtown throughout the summer, like the Alive After Five, taking place each Thursday, or the Festival on Main.
The profile of the store is one that helps individuals and families become better informed about their neighborhood and their environment, using the hobby of birding. There will be products, services and a community resource component to connect them to local information and experts in every area of birding.
Other retailers could use this model. Franchises also offer this service. But there is room in this market and this geographical area for my store.


---Laura