Introduction
An important aspect of running a successful start-up business is acquiring funding from potential investors based on information about the business. In this task, you will use the skills you have acquired in the MBA coursework to complete the start-up phase in a business simulation. The simulation is accessed through your course. Using data from the Q1–Q4 phase of the simulation, you will create and deliver a presentation for potential business investors using the attached “Presentation Template” PowerPoint slide deck and information from the scenario. The objective of the presentation is to obtain capital to grow your business.Before you begin working on Task 1, you must finish and submit the simulation up to the end of the third quarter (Q3). Begin working through the fourth quarter (Q4) and load the data from the simulation into the tactical plan. Next, manually fill out your projections for the fifth (Q5) and sixth quarters (Q6) within the tactical plan, ensuring the tactical plan is fully updated through Q6 before beginning this task.
Scenario
You are the owner of a start-up business that creates 3D-printed, carbon fiber bicycles. Up through the business’s third quarter (Q3), you have used your own money to fund the business. The business model shows promise, but you are now seeking an additional $2.5 million in equity funding to execute your business plan. You will create and deliver a multimedia presentation that shows your business plan to potential investors and illustrates how the additional funding will be used and will provide a return to your investors.
Requirements
Microsoft Files Note:Write your paper in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) unless another Microsoft product, or pdf, is specified in the task directions. Tasks may not be submitted as cloud links, such as links to Google Docs, Google Slides, OneDrive, etc. All supporting documentation, such as screenshots and proof of experience, should be collected in a pdf file and submitted separately from the main file. For more information, please see Computer System and Technology Requirements.
A. Attach a completed copy of each of the following:
• an Excel file (.xlsx) containing the company’s completed tactical plan from quarter four (Q4), downloaded from within the business simulation
• a PowerPoint file (.ppt) using the attached “Presentation Template,” including presenter notes to accompany the slides
• a link to the Panopto recording of yourself delivering the presentation created in part B
Note: The company’s completed tactical plan, and market share or sales report must be exported from within the simulation. You may copy and paste the information for the market share or sales report directly into the attached “Presentation Template,” or you may take a screenshot of the information to insert it into the template as an image file.
B. Create a Panopto video recording (suggested length of 20–30 minutes) that includes you delivering the presentation slides from part A. Using the attached “Presentation Template,” you will present your business plan to ask venture capitalists for $2.5 million in funding based on the scenario. The slides in your presentation should include only the main points you wish to make. More extensive information should be included in the presenter notes section of the presentation to refer to when speaking about the slide. In the presentation of your business plan, you must do the following:
Note: The audiovisual recording should feature you visibly presenting the material (i.e., not in voice-over or embedded video) and should simultaneously capture both you and your presentation slides.
Note: For instructions on how to access and use Panopto, use the “Panopto How-To Videos” web link provided below. To access Panopto’s website, navigate to the web link titled “Panopto Access” and then choose to log in using the “WGU” option. If prompted, log in using your WGU student portal credentials, and then it will forward you to Panopto’s website.
1. Analyze how specific decisions made within the simulation affected your company’s competitive sales and financial performance during the previous three quarters (Q1–Q3) by doing the following:
a. Explain two decisions that have affected the company’s past competitive sales performance in the carbon fiber bicycle market as shown in either the market share report or sales performance report.
b. Explain two decisions that have affected the company’s past financial performance as shown on the financial summary table in your presentation slides.
Note: The market share report, and sales performance report are all provided in the business simulation. The Q3 numbers can be found on the Q4 tab.
2. Conduct a SWOT analysis and include the completed SWOT table in your presentation slides.
a. Discuss your company’s greatest strength and biggest weakness.
b. Discuss your company’s best opportunity and greatest threat.
Note: The accepted model for a SWOT analysis defines strengths and weaknesses as internal to the organization and opportunities and threats as external to the organization.
3. Explain each of the following company strategies for the next three quarters (Q4–Q6) based on past performance in the simulation:
• marketing strategy
• sales channel strategy
• human resource strategy
• manufacturing strategy
• financial strategy
a. Discuss two anticipated benefits the strategies will yield for your company in the next three quarters of the business.
4. Select two strategies from the bulleted list in part B3. For each selected strategy, recommend two specific implementation steps (decisions planned to occur in Q4, Q5, or Q6), using the tactical plan you created.
C. Acknowledge sources, using in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.
D. Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.