STEP-BY-STEP+GUIDE

The semester and company experience will go by very quickly--especially if your students' company product or service is in high demand! After you have covered the introductory modules in Entrepreneurship 30, the Junior Achievement Company Program materials will guide you and your students through the experience of operating a business of their own making. Each student should have a //Participant Manual//, and each teacher/advisor should have a //Program Guide//. Below is a chart that summarizes the step-by-step process which has been proven to work effectively:

(Simply dividing the class into groups to answer the above questions would be sufficient. They could report findings back to the large group.) Then....What is the main business idea???? Use the established Decision-Making model to reach a decision. || Pages 22 to 32  ||  Page 41   Select the Best Product or Service...  You may also find useful info in  preceding pages. || Suggested format:
 * ~ ACTIVITY ||~ PARTICIPANT HANDBOOK  ||~  PROGRAM GUIDE  ||
 * Generating/**brainstorming** ideas....encourage prototypes if they are possible || Page 12-17   (partway)  ||  Page 30-32   (partway)  ||
 * What are the **best ideas**? Top 3? Top 5? || Page 17 (bottom)   to 19  ||  Page 32 (middle)   to 33  ||
 * ** Decision-Making ** ....How will your company approach it? This is crucial, because all decisions made from this point forward will need to follow the group’s wishes. Consensus? Majority? (The one exception may be elections, where majority votes win.) || Page 34  ||  Page 27  ||
 * < ** Identifying the Business Idea ** ....Refine the concept with further market research by answering the following questions for EACH of the top ideas:
 * What does it cost to produce?
 * What could the company charge for it? Potential profits/unit?
 * Who are the suppliers?
 * Are supplies readily accessible?
 * How easy/difficult will it be to produce?
 * Who are potential customers?
 * Who are our competitors--direct and indirect?
 * How could the company effectively market the product?
 * ** Company Values ** ....What is important to the company and how it will operate? Develop a list of norms—approximately 10 || Page 35 to 38  ||  Page 42/43  ||
 * ** Company Name ** || Page 40  ||  Page 43  ||
 * ** Company Mission Statement ** || Page 41/42 (top)  ||  Page 44  ||
 * ** Start-up Capital and Sale of Shares.... ** How much $ do you need to produce initial products? Divide by 10 to determine the number of shares you need to sell (assuming a $10/share value). If you choose to sell shares at $5, then divide by 5, etc. Do you need to invite outside investors, keeping in mind that each investor can invest no more than $20? || Page 42  ||  Page 44/45  ||
 * < ** Election of the Management Team.... ** Each student delivers a speech, even if he/she wants to hold a department position as opposed to being a VP or President.
 * Presidential candidates deliver speeches and the company members vote to elect.
 * Management team candidates deliver speeches and the company elects the VP’s in one ballot by voting for all VP Positions at one time. You may allow a VP candidate to let his/her name stand as a candidate for more than one VP position. An unsuccessful Presidential candidate could also run for a VP position but not necessarily required to deliver a second speech.
 * Other members deliver speeches. || Page 48/49  ||  Page 53/54  ||
 * ** Organization Chart... ** In consultation with the teacher/advisor and the President, the VP of HR develops an organization chart according to individual member wishes (as delivered in the speeches). It is important for each member to know where he/she ‘fits.’ ||  ||   ||
 * ** Establish a Bank Account.... ** Most financial institutions will recognize and support your JA company and provide a no-fee chequing account. Recommended: teacher signature plus one other (president OR VP of Finance)

Check the DOCUMENTS and FILES section for a letter that can be taken to a financial institution. ||  ||   || Check the DOCUMENTS and FILES section for a sample business plan. || Page 55 to 69  ||  Page 57 to 61  || Check the DOCUMENTS and FILES section for an initial meeting guide (which includes an agenda) and an evaluation/feedback form. || Page 68  ||  Page 61 to 63  || Check the DOCUMENTS and FILES section for a final shareholders' meeting evaluation/feedback form. || Page 92  ||  Page 78  ||
 * ** Business Plan Development ** ....may be ongoing even while operations are underway; GOOGLE DOCS is an invaluable tool for this process!
 * ** Formal Business Meeting ** to present and adopt business plan (with community business mentors). Minutes of the meeting should be recorded.
 * ** Operations.... ** Keep the company going with marketing, selling, producing, marketing, selling, producing....Communication will be one of your biggest challenges. || Page 70 to 84  ||  Page 68 to 74  ||
 * ** Concluding the Business... **
 * Sell off final product and raw materials, donate items, return unused materials as possible, etc.
 * Prepare final shareholders’ report. Again, GOOGLE DOCS is an invaluable tool for this process. || Page 87 to 91  ||  Page 75 to 78  ||
 * ** Final Shareholders’ Meeting ** to formally present results of the venture to shareholders and community business mentors. Minutes of the meeting should be recorded.
 * ** Pay Shareholders... ** As discussed during the final shareholders’ meeting, shareholders each receive their shareholders’ cheque which may also include sales commission, wages, etc. as determined at the outset. ||  ||   ||