matthew croft - crater high schoolbisstudents.cratercomets.com/student_portfolios... · products go...

An Indoor Mini Golf and Laser Tag Experience

Matthew Croft

May 21, 2017

Glow Strokes Matthew Croft

2

Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................. 3

Self-Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 4

Analysis of Business Situation ...................................................................................................................... 5

Geographical Analysis .............................................................................................................................. 5

Competitive Data ...................................................................................................................................... 6

SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 6

Market Segment Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 10

Market Segment Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 10

Demographics and Psychographics ........................................................................................................ 11

Analysis of Location ................................................................................................................................... 12

Location .................................................................................................................................................. 12

Area Map ................................................................................................................................................ 12

Floor Plan ................................................................................................................................................ 13

Proposed Organization ................................................................................................................................ 13

Type of Ownership ................................................................................................................................. 13

Proposed Product or Service ....................................................................................................................... 14

Product – Service Mix ............................................................................................................................ 14

Suppliers ................................................................................................................................................. 15

Equipment ............................................................................................................................................... 15

Proposed Marketing Strategies ................................................................................................................... 16

Pricing ..................................................................................................................................................... 16

Promotional Strategies ............................................................................................................................ 16

Financing and Investment Sources ............................................................................................................. 17

Finance Funds ......................................................................................................................................... 17

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 18

Annotated Bibliography .............................................................................................................................. 19

Appendix ..................................................................................................................................................... 21

Selection Letter ....................................................................................................................................... 21

Print Ad ................................................................................................................................................... 22

Business Card .......................................................................................................................................... 23

Selection Story ........................................................................................................................................ 23


3

Introduction

Executive Summary The Mission

Glow Strokes is a business intended to give a chance for kids and teens to get out and

have fun. Its purpose is to bring fun and excitement to the Rogue Valley and to finally give

people something to do. I believe that having fun and creating fun memories is key in order to

enjoy life, and I think that Glow Strokes will do more than just offer a fun time. I believe it can

create a lifetime of memories.

About Glow Strokes

Glow Strokes is located inside the Northgate Marketplace. Northgate is the fastest

growing business area in Medford and is a perfect place for my business. There are also a lot of

compatible business close by, such as RAM, MOD Pizza, and yogurt hut. Also, there is no

nearby competition, which will help bring in more customers already in the area.

What we offer

Glow Strokes provides an experience like no other. Once you walk inside, you see that

the entire place is glowing. This is thanks to our black light mini golf courses. Two 18 hole

courses that are sure to blow you away. This is playing with black light golf balls and black light

putters. Also, the entire course and the obstacles are glowing too! If this wasn’t enough to

impress you, we also have an entire laser tag arena! Capable of holding up to 16 players at a time

in the arena, you are sure to have a blast while shooting your friends with laser guns. Glow

Strokes also offers the opportunity to rent out the place for parties for as long as you’d like!

Why it works

The whole reason that I had the idea to start this business was because I always had a

tough time deciding what I could do in my free time. There seems like there is nothing to do in

the valley for a teenager, and everything you can do, has already been done hundreds of times.

So, I decided to solve my own problem. I created a safe place for kids and teenagers to go and

enjoy themselves, for a cheap price, whenever they feel bored or can’t find something to do.

Finance

Glow Strokes offers an experience, rather than a product. This makes it a lot easier for me

to make profits, because I don’t have to keep purchasing more products to sell to my customers.

All I have to do is sell what I already have, and I can do this over and over again. I have 10

thousand dollars that I am personally investing into my business. For the rest of the money, I

plan on taking out a loan that I will be able to quickly pay off within a few years.


4

Self-Analysis

I think that to run a successful business, you must be dedicated and have a plan so you

know what you are doing, otherwise you can find yourself stuck and not know how to help your

business. I think that I personally can make this business succeed because I have a lot of ideas

that can make my business thrive. Also, I am very good with numbers and am always looking for

ways to save money, which will be very good for my business.

I currently have a high school education. I also have worked at Dairy Queen for two

years and have interned at the City of Central point in the finance department for the past two

years. I believe that with all of this experience, that I would be perfectly capable of starting and

running my own business.

My biggest strength is that I am very dedicated and I won’t give up something that I’ve

started. My weakness would have to be that I don’t always have the best time management but it

is also something that I have hugely progressed on. I think that my strength will help my

business because I will stop at nothing to ensure that it is successful. I am willing to put in as

much time as needed and give whatever it takes to make sure my business thrives. I don’t think

my weakness will affect how my business runs because I will figure out a schedule and plan out

my days to make sure I use my time efficiently.

Taking risks is something that is fairly easy for me because I know that you cannot be

successful unless you take risks. Whether it requires me to take out loans or invest my own

money, I will take risks because I believe my business will succeed.

Luckily, my business doesn’t require any special training to be able to work there,

however, the management would require either advanced education or past work experience in

the same, or a similar field. Since I have a lot or previous experience in customer service,

business, and finance, I would be able to train my employees to be as best as possible. After I’ve

trained employees to do the basic jobs, I could be able to solely focus on the financial and

business aspect of my company. I think that this strategy will make my business run very

efficiently.

I think the most important quality to have to make a business succeed would definitely be to be

determined and to have a strong work ethic. Without a strong work ethic, there is no drive or care

to make the business succeed. But, If you work hard and are determined enough, it is possible to

make anything work.


5

Analysis of Business Situation

Geographical Analysis

What could be a better location for a new business that in an up and coming city center?

The ideal position for my business would be in phase III of the Northgate Marketplace. This

would be placed in the same area as many other hot spots such as MOD Pizza, RAM, Dick’s,

Black Rock, Trader Joe’s, and many more. A perfect place for people to go play mini golf after

eating dinner at a new restaurant.

Since my business is in the entertainment category, it would most likely thrive in a more

populated area or a shopping center. There are many other shopping centers in the Rogue Valley,

but the Northgate Marketplace is the newest and biggest one of them all, bringing in the most

attraction. Northgate is already the biggest city center and is only on phase II of III. Once the

final phase is completed, the area should bring even more foot traffic and would attract even

more customers to my business.

The climate in the Rogue Valley varies completely year-round. In the winter, it can be 30

degrees and snowing. In the summer, it can be 100 degrees and sunny. If my business were to be

outdoors, it would be operational approximately 8 months out of the year. Luckily, since my

business is completely indoors, it can be open year-round. However, the weather conditions

based on the time of year may still affect the quantity of customers that come in. For example,

there will most likely be more foot traffic during the summer than in the winter.

The topography of the area around my business does not really affect it for several

reasons. One of them being that my business doesn’t use any nearby resources. This means, for

example, that my business won’t be using the nearby mountain for skiing, or the river for rafting.

Another reason the topography doesn’t matter is because my business doesn’t require a lot of

imports. Even though I would be less than a mile from I-5, the only time I would need to import

a lot of supplies would be for the initial setup of my business.

Based on the position of my business, the area surrounding my business, and the fact that

it is indoors so it is operational year-round, this is theoretically a perfect place to open Glow


6

Strokes. I believe that placing it in the Northgate Marketplace will increase the foot traffic to the

max and will be the best possible situation for my business.

Competitive Data

My business falls in the recreation or activity category. Luckily, there aren’t a whole lot

of other businesses in the rogue valley that do the same. Also, a lot of the other business are

different types of activities. This helps my business a lot because it means that I don’t have a

whole lot of competitors. Therefore, because there isn’t a lot of businesses in this category, the

few businesses out there have high prices because there isn’t anyone there to compete with them.

This would help me because I could have just slightly lower prices than my competitors, which

would help me bring in more customers.

Family Fun Center – Direct Competitor

Products Go Karts, Arcade, Mini Golf, Batting Cages, Bumper Boats

Prices Go Karts – 7.50, Mini Golf – 8.00, Bumper Boats – 7.00

location Peninger Rd, Central Point

Promotions Minimal advertisement, local reputation

Rogue Air – Direct Competitor

Products Trampolines – 1 hour of jumping

Prices $10 weekdays, $12 weekends

location Medford Center, Medford

Promotions Minimal advertisement, local reputation

Tinsletown Movies – Indirect Competitor

Products Movies, Snacks

location Medford Center, Medford

Why they are indirect The movies are an indirect competitor because they are in the

same business category as mine, however they offer completely

different products than my business.

SWOT Analysis

For my SWOT analysis, I included the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats

for Glow Strokes, the Family Fun Center, and Tinsletown Movie Theater. In the analysis,

I cover all the reasons why my business has an advantage over the competitors.


7

Glow Strokes

Strengths

-Indoor, offers protection from

weather and other elements

making it available year round.

Maximizing profit and

potential.

-Family friendly, activities

appeal to all ages.

-Local and close proximity to

other large chains.

-Don’t have to spend capital on

new products, because it’s an

experience so only a fixed cost

for original equipment and

replacement.

Weaknesses

-Not a necessity,

rather it is a luxury

good.

-Small business,

limiting capital for

advertisement.

-New and local

business, therefore

there is no established

reputation yet.

Opportunities

-Untapped market, this business

is unique in the identified

location therefore there is a low

amount of direct competitors.

-Medford, Oregon is growing by

1.1% annually with a net

migration of +530.

-Northgate Marketplace,

currently in Phase 2 of 3 phases,

has a daytime population of

41,117.

-Rise in target markets income

with a lack of direct

competitors will drive

consumers to Glow Strokes.

Increasing the number of

consumers and maximizing

profit.

-The growth rate of

Medford resulting in

more potential

customers is limited

by the new consumers

restricting income

levels.

Threats

-Medford is rapidly expanding,

there could be more competition

in the future.

-It’s a small business, so larger

companies could run it out of

business (i.e. Top Golf, currently

located in Hillsboro, Oregon).

-The threat of a direct

competitor will be mitigated

by the close proximity to

customers of Glow Strokes and

the weather friendly

environment.

-Influx of new, larger

and more well-known

businesses could be a

major risk to Glow

Strokes considering its

limited capital for

advertisement and lack

of a solid reputation.


8

Family Fun Center

Strengths

-Various activities, not

just one primary focus

-Local business, not a

large chain.

-Cheap/discount pricing.

Weaknesses

-Not close to customers,

further location than most

popular businesses in the

Valley.

-Focused more on younger

age groups.

-Most of the activities are

outdoor so not weather

friendly. Many of the

attractions are for summer

only (bumper boats).

Opportunities

-Established reputation, it

has been in business for

quite a long time & is well

known in the Rogue Valley.

-Potential to build another

FFC in a more densely

populated or more

trafficked area in Medford,

Oregon and expand.

-Growth in Medford

would allow a new FFC

to open in a more

trafficked area and

would benefit the

community because it is

a local business, not a

large chain.

-Potential to expand could

be limited by the fact most

activities are only

available in the summer.

Making the cost of another

FFC, not worth the profit

available from another

location.

Threats

-Medford, Oregon median

household income has

dropped by -4.99% and is

$10,200 lower than the

median Oregon household

income. Meaning as

people’s income levels

drop, they may stop/ reduce

how often they go out.

-With expansion of

Medford, bigger and more

developed businesses could

run the FFC out of business.

-The threat of median

household incomes

lowering reducing how

often they frequent the

FFC could be mitigated

by the low prices and

discount packages.

-With median income

dropping and other large

companies expanding to

the Rogue Valley, the

weather exclusivity of

activities and age

inclusivity, other

companies could become

more appealing.


9

Tinseltown Movie Theater

Strengths

-Well-known everywhere

in the U.S, a common

outing for families,

couples, friends, etc.

-Appeals to a large age

range, big target market

-No other way to watch

new movies, requires

people to attend the theater

-Various genres, types of

movies, etc.

Weaknesses

-Can be unappealing to

younger age groups, or

hard for parents to

attend movies with

children.

-Extremely overpriced

for lower income

families.

-If there are not any

good movies out in that

time frame, people are

unlikely to go therefore

reducing sales.

Opportunities

-Tinseltown is the only

theater in Medford, therefore

they can up their prices to

maximize their profit

margins.

-Enough capital available to

open another

-With population

increasing and Tinseltown

remaining the only

Medford movie location,

sales will go up drastically.

-The opportunity to

maximize their profit

margins can be

hindered by the

decreasing income

levels in Medford.

Threats

-Increase in online movie

streaming/ is also advancing,

and movies are released

sooner.

-Large market, the

possibility of another movie

theater opening in Medford

or an IMAX. Which is new

and innovative, compared to

the current movie theater.

-The threat of online

streaming is mitigated by

the experience or “outing”

opportunity of going to a

physical movie theater.

-The threat of online

streaming could be a

risk because it would

be easier for parents to

watch a movie and not

worry about their

children being loud or

getting restless.


10

Market Segment Analysis

Market Segment Analysis

My business, Glow Strokes, is an indoor mini golf and laser tag facility. This means that I

am providing an experience rather than a product. So, I think it is obvious that my majority of

customers will be Experiencers. Experiencers are always seeking to find joy in activities and to

stimulate their senses, which is exactly what Glow Strokes will do. Experiencers also tend to not

care as much about their spending habits, so I could get away with slightly raises the prices, but

not too high to where they’re not affordable.

My target market is ideally teenagers and young adults that are either dependent upon

their parents’ income, or that are working minimum or low wage jobs. I believe that this will be

my target because younger people tend to enjoy these types of activities more that grown adults.

However, if kids are too young, they may not be as interested in it or just aren’t old enough to be

able to do these activities.

Glow Strokes

Demographics Demographic Description

Age: 12-20 I chose these demographics because I think they best

describe my target market. I know that my customers will

mostly my teenagers and young adults, which is very

important to know, so I put 12-20 for the ages. I also

included the income because people of those ages are either

dependent upon their parents, or work minimum wage jobs.

Sex: Both

Marital Status: Unmarried

Income Level:

$5,000 to $20,000 (minimum

wage/part-time)

Education: Middle school to

high school

Glow Strokes

Psychographics Description Psychographics

The reason that I chose

Experiencers as my target

market is fairly simple. My

business is offering an

experience as its product,

which is exactly what

experiencers are seeking.

Something that stimulates

their senses and a physical

activity that satisfies them.

Experiencers

Experiencers want everything and are first in and first out of

trend adoption. They go against the current main stream and

are up on the latest fashions. Also, experiencers love

physical activity because they are sensation seeking. They

see themselves as very sociable, therefore they believe

friends are extremely important. Lastly experiencers are

spontaneous and have a heightened sense of visual

stimulation.

http://www.strategicbusinessinsights.com/vals/ustypes.shtml


11

Even though my business directly calls Experiencers to action, there is no limit to who

can come and enjoy themselves. My business is a perfect way to get out and enjoy yourself no

matter what category you fall under. So, why not become an Experiencer for the day?

Demographics and Psychographics

Family Fun Center- Direct Competitor

Demographics Psychographics

Age: 8-16 Experiencers








stimulation.

Sex: Both

Occupation: Minimum

wage/Unemployed

Income Level:

Dependent on Parental

Income, $30,000+

Education: Elementary

school to high school

Tinseltown Movie Theater- Indirect Competitor










stimulation.

Sex: Female

Race: Caucasian

Income Level:

$25,000 to $50,000

Education: High school/

Some college

Glow Strokes










stimulation.

Sex: Both

Marital Status: Unmarried

Income Level:

$5,000 to $20,000 (minimum

wage/part-time)

Education: Middle school to

high school

http://www.strategicbusinessinsights.com/vals/ustypes.shtml


12

Analysis of Location

Location LOCATION

Glow Strokes 175 Rossanley Drive

Medford, Oregon 97501 / North Medford

Compatible businesses nearby:

o The Ram

o MOD Pizza

o Yogurt Hut

o Future restaurants that will be built in this complex in Phase 3

Landlord: NORTHGATE CENTER LLC C/O QUARTER PENNY CORP

10930 LUCKY OAK ST

CUPERTINO CA, 95014

COMPETITION

Family Fun Center: 4.2 miles

Tinseltown Movie Theater: 1.9 miles

FFC: located in Central Point, further from shopping centers. Not near any big restaurants

or other compatible businesses.

Tinseltown: Near downtown Medford/older part of town. TRAFFIC

Heavy traffic, emphasizing car traffic.

To drive by the location, most people would be going to dinner or shopping in the

center.

Traffic Volume: 17,100

Area Map


13

Floor Plan

Proposed Organization

Type of Ownership

Sole Proprietorship Partnership

Pros Cons Pros Cons

Complete ownership Personally liable More possible

investments Profits are shared

Easy to form Limited

investments Two owners Personally liable

Owner keeps profits Maintaining high

quality employees Easy to form

Feuds between

partners

Taxed as personal

income

Partners taxed as

personal income

Employees can be

made into partners


14

Corporation Limited Liability

Pros Cons Pros Cons

Raise the most

investments Taxed twice

Benefits from

corporation Costs more to start

Ownership is easily

transferred Costs more to start

Benefits from

partnership

Corporate and

partners take profits

Owners have less

liability

Corporation takes

some of the profits Less liability Partner feuds

I believe that the best form of ownership for my business would be if I solely owned it. I

think this is the case because it will be easier for me to make my own decisions that I think is

best for my business. Also, it will help me be able to pay off loans faster if I receive 100% of the

profits and don’t have to share them with anyone else. The only downfall is that I would be

completely liable if anything were to go wrong.

Proposed Product or Service

Product – Service Mix Rather than my business providing a product or a service, it provides an experience.

Glow Strokes is an indoor glow in the dark mini golf and laser tag business. This would be the

Rogue Valley’s only indoor mini golf and laser tag business. My business will offer the basic

one-time pay to play for both mini golf and laser tag. However, it will also offer bundles between

the two games or for multiple games at once.

Since my business sells an experience rather that an item, there isn’t too much of a

product line. There may only be mini golf and laser tag to play, but there can always be an

endless amount of deals we can offer. A few examples of deals would be say both a round of golf

and laser tag combined for a few dollars off.

My idea for different mini golf bundles would be: a round of golf and laser tag for $1-$3

less, three rounds of golf for the price of two, five rounds of golf for the price of three, or just

buy an extra game for half price. My idea for laser tag bundles would be practically the same:

three consecutive games for the price of two, or rent the equipment for the entire day for a

reasonably discounted price. There will also be party packs where large groups can rent out the

entire facility or just purchase games for a large group of people.

An additional idea that I believe could keep customers coming back would be to offer gift

cards, where you can purchase a round of either game and give it as a gift. This would ideally be

perfect for birthdays, Christmas or other holidays, a gift for an achievement, etc.

I believe that offering bundles for multiple games and offering coupons is a great way to

both sell more to my customers and keep them coming back for more. As long as I provide an

excellent experience for an amazing price, customers will be piling through the doors to get into

Glow Strokes.


15

Suppliers

Glow Strokes – Supplier List

Company

Name Address

Phone

Number Web Address Rating

Tacki-mac

Grips

22000

Northpark Dr.

Kingwood,

TX 77339

1-800-334-

7477 http://www.tackimac.com/shop/categories

/Miniature-Golf/ 5 stars

Product

Offerings

This company offers all the possible equipment that I could ever need for my mini

golf business. Not only do they just sell putters and golf balls, but they sell glow in

the dark golf balls, putter grips, and putter heads! All of it is sold for a cheap price

too, a perfect distributor for my business.

Glow Strokes – Supplier List

Company

Name Address

Phone

Number Web Address Rating

Lasertag.net

1709 74str,

2A apt ,

11204,

Brooklyn NY

1-646-740-

0109 https://us.lasertag.net 4 stars

Product

Offerings

This company offers everything that I would need to start the laser tag business all in

one package. Thankfully, buying this equipment would basically be a one-time thing

so I could get my money back from the equipment within a week or so.

Equipment

Equipment Supplier Quantity Price

ea.

total Purpose

Golf balls Tacki-mac 100 7.35 735 For putting

Golf clubs Tacki-mac 50 10.45 522.50 For putting

All laser tag eq. Lasertag.net 1 6,515 6,515 Laser tag

Turf AlphaTurfNW 5000 ft2 $1 ft2 5000 Putting greens

Mini golf

obstacles

Tacki-mac 50 + 20 + 1000 + Putting greens

Hole cups Tacki-mac 36 3.95 142.20 Putting greens

Register Merchant account

solutions

1 600 600 Handling money

Obstacles Emoneypaintball.net 1 1,750 1,750 Laser tag arena


16

Sound System Best Buy 2 600 1200 Laser tag & golf

music

Black lights Sweetwater 25 20 500 Mini golf & arena

Laser lights Sweetwater 4 90 360 Laser tag arena

Fog machine Best Buy 2 100 200 Laser tag arena

Total $ 18524.70

Proposed Marketing Strategies

Pricing

For businesses, pricing is one of the most important aspects. If a business’s prices are

poorly done, it is unlikely that it will last. If a business sets their prices for higher than they

should be, it is more likely to drive customers away, bringing in less money even though the

prices are higher. At the same time, if the prices are set too low, then it makes it a lot harder for

that business to turn a profit and will most likely make them go bankrupt.

I will be using the going rate pricing as my pricing policy. I think this will be best

for my business because I can actively compete with my competitors. Also, it

would be very hard to determine my pricing any other way because I’m not

selling any products, making it difficult to determine profit margins.

I will most likely be using odd-even as my pricing technique. I think that this

would be the best fit for my more modern business. It would also work best

because I’m not selling a physical item, so there doesn’t have to be an exact price,

but I still am selling something to the customer.

Since I don’t really offer any products, I can’t really offer any new products. But,

if I were to say bring in an entire new game, or course, or something of sorts, I

would use the skimming pricing technique. I would use this to make the new

game look bigger and better than anything else by comparison and there for bring

in new revenue.

If I follow and stick to these strategies, then I think my business’ prices will be just right

and will attract the most customers. I believe that by competing with my competitor’s prices and

offering a higher quality experience will make my business thrive and bring in the most profit.

Promotional Strategies

In order for my business, or any business for that matter, to be successful, I must

advertise to get myself out there and show off what Glow Strokes has to offer. How many times

have you seen an advertisement for a product that you’ve never seen before? Well, that is exactly

my goal. I need to get my business out to the public so that everybody knows my business exists.

After I researched most all the possible ways to advertise, and seen what would be most

appropriate and effective for my business, I chose several of the best ways to do so.


17

The first, and most effective way that I will promote my business will be through the

internet. Social media is now, by far, the easiest way to get your news. Not only that, but

it is perfect for my target market. Try naming one teenager that doesn’t have a smart

phone with any form of social media on it. That’s right, you can’t. So, I believe that

advertising Glow Strokes on social media will be the quickest and most efficient way to

get the word out there.

Another great way for me to get my business out there would be through a T.V.

advertisement. Since my target market is for teenagers and young adults, I could

broadcast the commercial on kids networks or ones similar to that. I personally remember

always wanting what was on the commercials as a kid, so I think this practice will prove

to be efficient.

A way to promote by business through a sales promotion would be to give coupons or

punch cards. Something like this would not only keep those customers coming back in,

but it would also make it more likely for them to tell people about it.

Promoting and getting the word out about my business is key for my business to succeed. If

these ways of promoting my business works, then I think Glow Strokes will turn out to be

extremely successful.

Financing and Investment Sources

Finance Funds

There is $10,000 personal capital I will be putting towards starting this business and no

personal networks or family members that will be providing financial assistance.

The remaining capital needed will be obtained through a SBA 7A loan for approximately

$55,000. This loan will be used for deposits, equipment (golf clubs, golf balls, laser tag

equipment, and other items for both courses), advertising, inventory, and other

professional fees, etc. This loan is working capital so it will be taken out for 5-7 years.

Start Up Cost for Glow Strokes

Expense Categories Total Dollar Amount

Deposits 5000

Furniture/Equipment 10000

Machinery Equip 0

Building Improvements $7,000

Transportation Equip 0

Professional Fees 1000

Advertising 1000

Working Capital 30000

Inventory 8000


18

Miscellaneous 3000

Total Expenses (All) 65000

Working Capital Total 30000

All other Categories Total 35000

Conclusion

With this business plan, I believe it will lead my business onto the best path for success.

Not only does Glow Strokes offer just an amazing experience, but it is also in a perfect location

to attract customers. There is no nearby competition and minimal competition in the Rogue

Valley. My business is indoors so it can operate year-round. It doesn’t sell products, so there is

no need to continuously purchase more supplies. These are just a few examples of why my

business will succeed, but there are surely many more.


19

Annotated Bibliography

"Best Buy." Best Buy: Expert Service. Unbeatable Price. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used to search for equipment such as speakers and fog machines for my business and to

determine the price of them.

"City of Medford Oregon - Demographics." Oregon - Demographics. N.p., 13 Feb. 2017. Web.

22 May 2017.

This was used to find information about the demographics of Medford and the Rogue Valley.

"CSB Agenda." Crater BIS. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used to compile my entire business plan. It showed me what to include and how to

format it.

"Home." SOREDI. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used to learn more about the Rogue Valley and the surrounding geography.

Khwaja, Ameen. "Choose Your Business Structure." Entrepreneur. N.p., 18 Mar. 2001. Web. 22

May 2017.

This was used to help me determine what business type I would use for Glow Strokes.

"Laser Tag Equipment – "LASERTAG.NET"." Laser Tag Equipment. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May

2017.

This was used as my laser tag supplier and to find the price of equipment.

"Laser Tag Obstacles." Z Laser Tag Bunkers 20 Piece Set - PAINTBALL BUNKERS - Wholesale

Paintball, Paintball Compressors, Paintball Turf. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used to find laser tag obstacles and to see how much it would be to purchase them.

"Medford, OR." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used to find the growth rate and income rates for Medford.

"Medford Oregon Household Income." Department of Numbers. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used to find the estimated and average incomes for families in Medford.

"Mini Golf Equipment." Miniature Golf - Tackimac.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used as a supplier for my mini golf equipment and to determine the prices.

"Northgate Marketplace, Medford Oregon." New & Neville Real Estate Services. N.p., n.d. Web.

22 May 2017.

This was used to find the location for where my business will reside. It was also used to see the

surrounding businesses.

Powerhomebiz. "Choosing the Legal Structure of Your Business." PowerHomeBiz.com. N.p., 07

Sept. 2016. Web. 22 May 2017.


20

I used this to help me determine what business type I would use for Glow Strokes.

"Rogue Air Park." Rogue Air Park RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used to help me find information about one of my competitors.

"Shop by Manufacturer." Manufacturer Listing | Sweetwater. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used to find equipment such as laser and black lights for my business.

"Southern Oregon Climate." Southern Oregon Climate. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used for me to learn more about the climate and weather in the Valley.

"Southern Oregon Visitors Association - Southern Oregon, Ashland, Shakespeare Festival,

Crater Lake, Rafting, Wines, Wineries, Jetboats, Jacksonville, Coast, Rogue River,

Redwoods." Southern Oregon Visitors Association - Southern Oregon, Ashland,

Shakespeare Festival, Crater Lake, Rafting, Wines, Wineries, Jetboats, Jacksonville,

Coast, Rogue River, Redwoods. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used to help me learn more about the Rogue Valley.

TM SM Copyright Protected 2002-2016 TUPINC All Rights Reserved Worldwide. "Rogue

River Valley Oregon." Oregon Geography - Southern Oregon. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May

2017.

This was used to help me learn more about the Rogue Valley.

"Understanding the Marketing Mix Concept - 4Ps." Cleverism. N.p., 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 22 May

2017.

This was used to help me learn about marketing strategies for my business.

User, Super. "Rogue Valley Family Fun Center." Family Fun Center Medford | Rogue Valley

Family Fun Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017.

This was used to help me find information about my closest competitor.


21

Appendix

Selection Letter Glow Strokes

Matthew Croft

655 North Third Street

Central Point, OR 97502

541-664-3777

April 3, 2017

Ms. Frances Hedge

SBA Loan Officer

Bank of America

845 N. Highland Street

Medford, OR 97501

Dear Ms. Hedge:

My business idea is to open an indoor mini golf and laser tag business going by the name of

Glow Strokes. I believe that this is a great idea for several reasons. One of them being that Glow

Strokes would be a place for people of all ages to get out and have something to do, rather than

sit at home. Another reason being that it is indoors, so that it can be open and available year-

round.

I think that my business would be practical in the rogue valley because not only would it be a

fun, new hotspot, but there really isn’t anything else like it around. I often hear complaints from

others saying that there’s nothing fun for teenagers and young adults to do in the rogue valley,

and I believe that Glow Strokes would solve that problem. The only competitors that I would

have would be the movies, and the Family Fun Center. However, my business is slightly

different in the fact that it is indoors and it also offers laser tag. Because my business offers

experience rather than a product, I could have reduced prices because the equipment can be

reused. Knowing that I can save money by not having to purchase products continuously, I can

focus more on the quality of my equipment and the experience, making the customers as happy

as possible.

Thank you for your time and consideration and I hope that you too can see the need for my

business and why it would thrive in the Rogue Valley. I look forward to discussing more of my

ideas with you and I would like to schedule a time to meet with you in the near future. You can

contact me at 541-664-3777 or email me at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Matthew Croft


22

Print Ad


23

Business Card

Selection Story I wanted to take my girlfriend out on a date, but I figured that a movie was too cliché. I

tried thinking for a fun place to take her but there’s really no fun places in the valley to go to.

Then I remembered that there was the new glow in the dark mini golf place, it was perfect! What

could be a better date than going to dinner and mini golfing at the new hotspot in town?! So that

night, I picked her up and we were off.

After dinner, we made our way over to Glow Strokes to finish off our date. We pulled in

to see the bright, flashing neon lights that couldn’t help but draw our attention towards the

building. We walked in to the dark building to hear music blaring all around and the dim neon

lights illuminating the room just enough to see what’s going on. We walked up to the counter

and asked to see how much a round of golf was and I was surprised as to how inexpensive it

was! They handed us our glowing golf balls and putters that looked like they were from 100

years in the future. As we approached the first hole, we noticed that there was another room and I

could see flashing lights coming from around the corner. I peeked inside and saw an entire laser

tag course! As if mini golf wasn’t enough, this place has laser tag too!

After our round of golf, all I could think about was playing laser tag and shooting the

crap out of my significant other. I brought her into the other room and saw the absolute coolest

setup I’d ever seen. Two whole floors of obstacles and kids and younger adults running around

and blasting each other with laser guns. Now what is more awesome than that? We waited for the

current round to end before they handed us our chest pieces and our guns. The two different

Matthew Croft

Owner 175 Rossanley Drive

Northgate Marketplace

Medford, OR 97501

541-664-3777

Matthew Croft



Medford, OR 97501

541-664-3777

Matthew Croft



Medford, OR 97501

541-664-3777

Matthew Croft



Medford, OR 97501

541-664-3777


24

teams went to opposite sides of the battlefield and we waited for the countdown to begin. The

game started and I had the best time during that fifteen minutes than I’ve had in a while.

I had an amazing time and I can definitely say that I’ll be back again sometime soon. I’m

glad that the rogue valley finally has a fun place to hang out that won’t empty your wallet in the

process.

matthew croft - crater high schoolbisstudents.cratercomets.com/student_portfolios... · products go...

Documents