Monday, April 6, 2009

Seven Ways to Market My Company

1. Because my company is in the sports industry, I believe that it would be advantageous for me to advertise at various sporting events. Many stadiums have advertisements right on the field viewable to both those at the game and those watching on television. Considering the amount of people who watch these events - especially the major ones - this would be a great way of getting the word out about my company. 

2. I always see advertisements for gyms or sports nutrition drinks that have professional athletes promoting a product. If I were able to find a respectable athlete - free of gun possession and steroid charges - then I could have them promote my camps in commercials, billboards, etc. 

3. Considering that the majority of those who will attend my camps with be high school aged students. I believe that it would be great to advertise at high schools across the country. This would get the word out to those interested in attending and working at my camps. 

4. As annoying as web advertisements are. They can be very effective. I would like to have advertisements on the Internet on many websites relating to sports. 

5. Many go online to look for camps for their children over the summer. When they do this many websites will compile links to websites of many different camps. I would like to get my name on as many of those sites as possible. 

6. Another way I can utilize athletes is during their events. Many marathon runners will wear advertisements for sponsors on their jerseys while they run. This will be a great opportunity to let other athletes know about my camps. 

7. Lastly sponsoring a charity event is a great way to let others know about my camps while giving them a good name and showing our dedication to the community.  

Monday, March 30, 2009

Charities

I have chosen two charities that I would like Rude Sports Camps to support:

1. Boys and Girls Clubs of America - I support this charity because they share the same goals as Rude Sports Camps. They try to provide children with a place they can come and hang out as an alternative to being home alone. One main way that they get kids to come is providing organized sports leagues that they can participate in. My camps also want to provide kids with a positive place that they can come and learn sports. 

2. Sports 4 Kids - On their website they say "positive sports programming helps kids to learn basic skills, gain body awareness, build self-esteem and confidence, develop social skills, and make friends." These are all opportunities that I would like to provide with Rude Sports Camps. Sports can have such a positive influence on someones life, and by providing these gifts to kids I believe that Sports 4 Kids is making a big difference in their lives.   

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Expenses and Income

This is a report of our projected expenses and income after one year. Only for one camp site.


Expenses
Land = $300,000.00
Upkeep = $10,00.00
Bills (Water, Gas, etc.) = $6,000.00
Advertising = $2,00.00
Counselor's Salary (20) = $10,000.00
Coach's Salary (8) = $40,00.00
Nutritionist's Salary (1) = $5,000.00
Medical Staff's Salary(3) = $30,000.00
Other Staff = $2,500.00
Equipment = $1,500.00
Total = $407,000.00

Income
Camp Tuition
($300 x 100 campers/week x 8 weeks) = $240,000.00
Merchandise = $1,000.00
Sponsers = $5,000.00
Advertising = $5,000.00 
Total = $251,000.00

Monday, February 9, 2009

Executive Summary

Services
Rude Sports Camp is a company that provides sports camps for athletes of all ages. We look to be a leader in the sports industry for instruction and honing of sports skills while incorporating many important aspects of being an athlete including image, health, and even faith. Our company wants to provide life changing experiences for anyone who considers themselves to be an athlete. Our goal is to teach athletes to be productive members of our society and not like the egotistical ones we so often see today.

Our Service
These camps will be offered to athletes who come from any background or skill level. There will be camps specific to the introduction of the basics for a sport. These camps will help the athletes learn the basic rules, skills, and strategy to compete in their specific sport of choice. The goal would be to provide the athlete enough confidence to actively compete in their sport after leaving the camp.
There will also be camps for the already serious athlete who wishes to further their training and ability in their sport. These camps will go further into the training and strength building required for real success in a sport. We will help these athletes know what it means to be an athlete and all it entails including being a role model.

Our Edge
What makes our camps unique is the aspect of faith and self awareness we will teach our athletes. We want them to see that there is a lot of responsibility that falls on an athlete when they are put into the spotlight. Our aim is to help them deal with that responsibility in a mature way. The best way we can do this is providing role models for the athletes themselves that can be an example of what it means to be a role model. We hope to teach our athletes God's word in a way that shows them His love and teaches them how God wants them to live their lives.

Our Team
Initially we will have a team of leaders who are all focused on the same goal for our company. These positions will include a CEO who will provide the direction and authority for the company. Also many VP positions including Camp Operations, Marketing, Finance. Below them there will also be Regional Directors who will be in charge of all the camps in a certain region. They will help make sure that the camps run smoothly and will report to the higher ups about the status of their camps. Also at each camp there will be a director who is the general leader of the camp. There will also be many specific positions including nutritionist, coaches, doctor, and bible teacher. There will be positions of a general counselor who stays with the athletes and is their main source of help in the living areas.
These camps will provide many jobs for college and high school aged students looking for summer jobs as a counselor. Also for graduating college students needing jobs the positions of coach, nutritionist, etc. will be available for them to gain some work experience and make some money.

Financial Projections
Initially we will need investors to help pay for the camp sites and basic equipment needed. We hope to start small with one or a few sites and eventually grow to multiple locations crossing the nation and maybe expanding to other countries. Our costs will vary depending on the locations and amount of equipment we need. Specifics are not known as far as costs and projected income. We hope to have a positive income after a couple years after paying off our major costs especially the land for the sites.


Monday, February 2, 2009

John C. Bogle and the Odyssey

"All we need is the wisdom to recognize our challenges and the willpower to surmount them." John C. Bogle. I don't believe that Bogle had Odyssues in mind when he wrote this in his book The Battle for the Soul of Capitalism, but it is very interesting how closely they relate. In her introduction to Stanley Lombardo's translation of The Odyssey Sheila Murnaghan says that "Odysseus is a master of assessing situations, devising plans, using language for his own ends, and manipulating relations of appearance and reality." So Odysseus is able to recognize his challenges and had the willpower to surmount them. It seems that Bogle really values these characteristics and believes them to be very valuable for our nation to do as a whole. These characteristics make a great leader for any situation, and would be helpful for a entrepreneur starting their own business.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Rude Sports Camps

"Rude Sports Camps" is a company that hosts sports camps for athletes. These camps will help athletes refine and perfect skills in the sports of their interest and will be offered to athletes of all ages and skill levels. There will also be camps for coaches who want to learn and refine their coaching skills. These camps will provide mentors and role models for young athletes who are in rough situations. This will also provide a chance to change their lives by teaching them about the Bible.