Marketing Strategies

1. Place an add in the yellow pages in every area we have a store in
2. Place adds in local newspapers (may also include a small coupon)
3. Start a facebook group that is dedicated to Pika Outdoorwear and sends members special deals when they join and on a monthly basis thereafter.
4. You tube videos. Get together with my friends and business partners and make a couple of very low budget funny videos.
5. Place Adds on the local Radio Stations.
6. Sponser trailmaps for various hiking trials. Both the perminant trailmap at the bottom of the trail as well as pocket size trailmaps that can be distributed through local visitors centers.
7. Be a sponser at local events such as: fairs, carnivals, parades, etc. Build a float for the local parades.
8. Give out free t-shirts at local events that display the companys name and logo.
9. Sponser a local section of highway. (the companies name would be put on a sign at the side of the highway marking the section we sponsor, it would be our job to keep it clean)

Monthly Expenses and Income

In order to calculate the expenses I estimated that when first starting out Pika would be supplying to twenty five small specialty stores that are located in areas with high outdoor activity levels. The estimated number of each item sold at each store runs from one item every two weeks to three items per week. The Estimated number sold per month of each product, which are seen below in parenthesis, are an estimation of the average combined sales from all twenty five stores. Pika’s flagship store which is located in the Roaring Fork Valley is included as one of the initial twenty five and also serves as the distribution point for all merchandise. In order not to overestimate income I did not add additional income to items sold in the flagship store but rather maintained the same income as if the items were sold to another specialty store. The four employees listed in the expense category are the four founders: Myself, Tristan, Vanessa, and Beau.

Expenses: On a monthly basis
Shirts ($8 each) (375) = $3000
Hiking boots ($45 each) (63) =$ 2835
Gloves ($ 10 each) (125) = $1250
Hats ($7 each) (187) = $1309
Jackets ($50 each) (93) = $4650
Pants ($12) (125) = $1500
Shorts ($7) (125) = $875
Mortgage $4000
Electric/Gas $150
Water $70
Employees (4 @ $2500) = #10,000
Bi-monthly Shipping ($1000) (2) = $2000
TOTAL = $31,639

Income: On a monthly basis
Shirts ($17 each) (375) = $6375
Hiking boots ($115 each) (63) =$ 7245
Gloves ($ 24 each) (125) = $3000
Hats ($13 each) (187) = $2431
Jackets ($110 each) (93) = $10230
Pants ($20) (125) = $2500
Shorts ($15) (125) = $1875
TOTAL = $33,656

PROFIT = $2017

Intellectual Property

Trademarks:
Both the name Pika and the Logo that accompanies it will be trademarked.

Patents:
At the start of the company when it is mainly focused solely on the avid hiker we will require patents for our weatherproof/breathable: shirts, pants, shorts, hats, gloves, and jackets, as well as our limited line of hiking boots.
As the company progresses and expands into other areas of outdoor outfitting such as kayaking biking, skiing/snoboarding, etc. we will need to procure additional patents for any other gear in those segments that we wish to produce.

Brand Name/Logo

My brand name is Pika tm, and my logo is still in sketch form and not yet uploaded to a computer.

Pika Executive Summary

Pika
Executive Summary

The purpose of this plan is to raise US$3 million from an investor. Pika is a clothing and equipment company that focuses on the serious outdoorsman. Our products are designed and tested on the trial, up the river, and down the mountains to ensure our customers get the most out of their outdoor experience.

The Products
Pika - outdoor wear and gear
In the early stages (the first three years) Pika will focus on providing outdoor clothing and gear for the avid hiker and outdoorsman in the Rocky Mountains. Products will include, but are not limited to: weatherproof/breathable shirts, pants, shorts, hats, gloves, and jackets, as well as a limited line of hiking boots. Following this introductory stage, establishing brand recognition and trust throughout the Rocky Mountains, Pika will branch into the rest of the United States and add products to its product line that encompass other outdoor activities, including but not limited to, Ice Climbing, Biking, Kayaking, and Skiing/Snowboarding.

The Team
The management team is a highly motivated and trustworthy group consisting of: Dustin Braeger (Pepperdine graduate), Beau Harris (Cal Poly graduate), Tristan Kanipe (Colorado College graduate), and Vanessa Newman (Colorado College graduate). The management team holds 50% of the equity and three seats on the board. Support is provided by David Harris with 20% of the equity and two seats on the board. The investor will receive two seats on the board and an independent chairman will be appointed.

The Initial marketing strategy and Unique Advantages
Initially Pika will be sold through three main routes: specialty stores throughout the Rocky Mountains whose main traffic consists of people searching for outdoor adventure gear, a professionally designed company website, and the flagship store located in the Roaring Fork Valley. We will also run advertisements in various hiking magazines, and sponsor local trail maps under the condition that our logo is placed on them. Sponsoring athletes to wear our products is also an option we have considered, however, we will look into the financial feasibility of this depending on which athletes we think would give us the best and most targeted publicity.
Unique advantages include the fact that three of the four management team members; Beau, Tristan and Dustin, grew up in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the Roaring Fork Valley, and have been participating in outdoor activities since before they could walk. The fourth team member, Vanessa, is also experienced in the outdoors and participated in Division One athletics while attending college. All members have vast experience with hiking equipment and are familiar with what an outdoorsman wants and needs from his equipment while on the trail.

The Offer
We seek US$3 million from an investor. It is preferred that the investor have experience in the outdoor clothing business but not necessary. For this investment the returns are:
· 30% equity in Pika Inc
· 13 times the original investment by year 7
· An internal rate of return of 45% over 7 yearsThe funds will be required to purchase manufacturing/testing equipment and materials for the production process.

The Odyssey vs. Bogle

In Bogle's introduction he stresses the importance of things outside the business world such as family, an opinion which is shared by the hero of The Odyssey, Odysseus. Odysseus resists temptation from godesses sirens and kings because of his wish to return home and be with his wife and son in his house. This could be seen as similiar to the modern day trials that corporate executives face when they have to choose between devoting their life to their job or spending time with their families, not quite as epic as Odysseus' struggles but still very valid.
There are several points in The Odyssey that could be seen to represent the loss of values that Bogle talks about in his book. In The Odyssey all of them conclude with Odysseus righting the wrong and destroying the corruption that has entered his world. First he destroys Troy who's Prince disobeyed the rules of a guest by stealing the wife of his host. Then he blinds the cyclops who completely disreguards the rules of a host by eating his guests. And finally he destroys the suitors who have been abusing the hospitality of his houshold. I think Bogle wants to know if the american business world can find its Odysseus, someone who isn't afraid to stand up against corruption and when necessary destroy the violators, or if it is instead condemned to destruction and sharing in the fate of the Roman Empire.

Pika

Pika will be a clothing and equipment company that focuses on the serious outdoorsman. Our products will be designed and tested on the trial, up the river, and down the mountains to ensure our customers get the most out of their outdoor experience.