Area of my life | 12 months | Five years | Comments and links |
---|---|---|---|
Home – living rurally | |||
Family | |||
Work | |||
Values |
It is the pursuit of a number of these ‘non-growth’ characteristics that is enjoying increasing popularity amongst rural communities themselves … ‘bottom up’ initiatives such as land trusts, community finance solutions, alternative foods, local foods, farmers markets, etc. are all naturally adopting Slee’s notions of relocalisation on the ground.
STEEP factor | Significance | |
---|---|---|
Social | links to ageing population and changes to customers’ needs and wants, changes to education systems | |
Technology | speed and capacity of communications, increased consumer sophistication due to internet and ICT penetration | |
Economic | As the economic climate improves the potential for my products could grow. There are fewer local timber merchants and joiners working from scratch, which means similar businesses have centralised to the cities. People looking locally has led to more high end opportunities from those looking for something different. | |
Environmental | Using sustainable products is always an issue, as well as using things made locally. My timber will come from the local area where there is a re-plantation programme. I could also look at using reclaimed materials. I would ensure that my production methods and workshop run on an eco-friendly basis. | loose link to global warming |
Political | I am not sure if there are any political influences, although there is a growing identification with our region within the UK. |
Stakeholder | Demands/needs | Power/influence – strong/weak? |
---|---|---|
Family | Children need to be dropped off and picked up from school Monday to Friday. They need my time in the evenings and weekends. | Very strong |
Me | To make a success of the company, earn some money and gain a sense of satisfaction while being close to my family, with the potential of giving up my café job completely. | Strong |
Local companies | Good quality products that offer good value for money for them and for customers leading to return custom. Need to present my region well as a producer of high quality local products. | Strong |
Suppliers | If my business works, I will start to place regular orders, and I will need to ensure I have the right amounts and have cash flow to make prompt payment. | Medium |
Environmental health/food hygiene and government | Strong | |
XYZ condiments | I will have competition – from major retailers but also from other local producers – we can help each other out sometimes maybe? | Medium |
Bank | I will need to borrow money to cover the cost of industrial catering supplies and a stall for the markets and fairs. The bank expects a reasonable rate of return on their investment and for me to make regular payments. | Medium |
My parents | Medium |
No. of units | Unit cost | Tooling up* + fixed costs | Net cost per unit |
25,000 | £1.10 | £3,500 | £1.24 |
20,000 | £1.22 | £3,500 | £1.39 |
10,000 | £1.44 | £3,500 | £1.79 |
5,000 | £1.87 | £3,500 | £2.57 |
No of units | Price per unit | Total profit | Profit per unit |
25,000 | £3.50 | £56,500 | £2.26 |
20,000 | £4.50 | £42,200 | £2.11 |
10,000 | £5.42 | £36,399 | £3.63 |
5,000 | £6.50 | £19,650 | £3.93 |
... short supply chains seek to redefine the producer-consumer relation by giving clear signals as to the origin of the food product. Short supply chains are also expressions of attempts by producers and consumers alike to match new types of supply and demand … A common characteristic is the emphasis upon the type of relationship between the producer and the consumer in these supply chains, and the role of this relationship in constructing value and meaning, rather than solely the type of product itself.
Blackdown Hills Food Producers Group | SWIRE /WIRE | Every-woman | Exeter Women in Business | ‘Taste of the West’ | Somerset Chamber of Commerce | |
Food –regional or national | X | X | ||||
Training and info | X | X | X | X | X | |
Shared experience | X | X | ||||
Mutual support | X | X | ||||
Inspiration | X | X | ||||
Fun and friendship | X | X | ||||
Sales | X | X |
Character | Inputs | Type of transformation | Outputs |
---|---|---|---|
Euan | |||
Gwyneth | |||
Julia | Sales with sufficient profit. | ||
Gwenllian | |||
Dafydd | |||
David | Wood, tools, equipment, transportation facilities. |
The survey found that 31% of entrepreneurs consult their bank when they start but, after two years or longer of being in business, this falls off to 27%. Perhaps this is illustrative of a broader problem: small businesses may not be using the most obvious resources to help them grow as effectively as they could. (Harding, 2009)
Income | Expenditure |
Sales from each market and food fair | Ingredients |
Direct sales at company premises | Packaging materials |
Corporate sales | Slippage and spoiled products |
Free samples and trial size versions | Insurance – using car for business purposes |
Car purchase and operating costs | |
Catering and preparation equipment | |
Increased household bills due to production | |
Stationery | |
Marketing and promotion costs | |
Bank charges | |
Accountants fees and insurance |