Question2

This Week's Discussion Post

For this week's discussion, please respond to the following:

1. Complete the  SWOT Matrix [DOCX]  Download SWOT Matrix [DOCX] to highlight the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the company (as approved by the instructor) you described in the Week 1 discussion.

· Your selected company may be a startup company of your choosing, or it may be based on the snack food company scenario provided to you.

2. Include four items in each category.

3. As you complete each quadrant of the SWOT Matrix, consider these questions:

· Strengths.

· What are your selected company's likely strengths?

· Is your product or service in a growing industry and does it lack an entrenched competitor?

· Are you in a niche market with great potential?

· What strengths do you and other team members bring to the company?

· Weaknesses.

· What are your chosen company's likely weaknesses?

· How entrenched is the competition in your industry segment?

· Is your management team inexperienced?

· How challenging will it be to produce the product or offer the service and maintain quality?

· Opportunities.

· What are your company's opportunities?

· Does your segment have more demand than supply?

· Have larger corporations stopped serving smaller or niche markets that you could enter?

· Is a new market emerging because of demographics, immigration, changing tastes, et cetera?

· Threats.

· What are your company's threats?

· Does a clear market leader exist that will be hard and expensive to displace?

· Are downward-pricing pressures in the segment making profit margins slim?

· Are there few or no barriers to entry for new competitors?

Post at least one substantive comment to another student's post.

Please see below the Week 1 Discussion so you can understand the company I chose in Week 1.

I want to work with a snack food manufacturer for the following course tasks. I have decided to create a business plan for a startup company as manufacturer of snack foods. It will be a firm that sells nourishing snacks that are tasty and full of nutritional components. Our snacks will be made with natural ingredients without artificial flavors and preservatives. Our marketing campaigns will target customers searching for something to fill the gap between meals and those who are health-conscious.

We intend to provide a range of snacks, including salty, sweet, crunchy, and chewy options. We want to provide popcorn, energy bars, granola bars, trail mixes, and protein bars, among other goodies. A selection of vegan and gluten-free alternatives will be available. Also, we will let clients place orders online for added convenience. We shall employ a secure online payment method to protect the privacy of our client's personal information. Also, we will allow clients to sign up for our snack boxes, which will include a selection of snacks based on their tastes.

The firm will be able to stand out from other snack food firms by concentrating on tasty and healthful snacks. In addition to giving our clients a great snack, we intend to utilize our goods to inform them about the value of eating healthily. We will leverage our goods to encourage active and healthy lifestyles. I am looking forward to making a business strategy for the firm by taking the course. This course will assist me in acquiring the abilities and information I need to produce an effective business plan. At the end of the course, I will have developed a business plan to support its success.

Thank you,

Also Please see below for a sample of another student’s post for Week 2 Discussion.

Brief Description of Company

Your Stylist T is a service-based stylist company. There are multiple levels of services offered for a range of clients, from the everyday person to high profile clients. The services offered range from wardrobe essential starter packs to outfits for specific events. The company provides outfits tailored to the customer’s specific fashion needs.

SWOT Matrix

Strengths 1. Economic options making it accessible for the average person 2. Non-exclusive business model (stylist for anyone wanting extra help) 3. Personalized styling service, catered to the consumer’s specific needs 4. Having high/ up to date knowledge of trends

Weaknesses 1. Can be seen as niche and not a need for some people in certain areas/ cities 2. Takes long to build up a reputation 3. Limited number of highly experienced stylists 4. No clear or formal “training” on being a stylist, up to individual assessment/ personal likes

Opportunities 1. Tik Tok has created a bigger market for fashion appreciation 2. New York fashion week and other fashion shows have increased a spark in others wanting to dress there best 3. Celebrities have gained more recognition based on their outfits, when asked about it they mention how important their stylist is to them 4. Models stress how important it is to their career to look and dress their best

Threats 1. Free style ideas from social media platforms   2. People following specific fashion icons (decreasing our need/ limiting our consumer base) 3. Other established stylists in the area  4. An outbreak of a disease, causing people to spend money on “higher priority” items