Important Project Questions

[Katya Schimmels]

Good Afternoon Nicole and Rusne,

This message is being posted by your consultants Urban Threads, group 1. We will be doing a business plan for you - with the conception of an online entry to market.

We have developed a few questions that we feel are vital in order to better understand your business. They are listed at the end of this email.

In addition to communicating with you via this online Google forum, we would really love to have the opportunity to meet with you over this next week. We feel like having a short conversation about what you are looking for would greatly help us to focus our product for you. Please let us know if this is something that you are willing to do, and I will send you my contact information to get a time set up.

Listed below are the questions we would like to discuss.

1. What exactly is going to be your "line of product” Are you going to create many different, very specialized products?Or are you going to build up and inventory of similar products in different sizes.

For example are you going to have a lot of “one size” very unique items “one of a kind”

Or: will you be doing a line of (for example mens shirts to womens tanks) in various colors and styles?

2. How do you feel about doing events to launch your product? Even if you do decide to use the online platform, would you be willing to go to Saturday Markets, do a “splash” event to launch your product, or even host parties ( like Mary K style)?

3. Do you still want to offer your consulting (consulting women on what they can do with current items in their closet), or is that something you would like us to leave out of this project and let you focus on later?

4. What is your Core Business idea? Explain to me the one idea you would like this project to focus on?

a. unique items for sale online

b. a line of similar creations online

c. consulting

d. Etc.

5. How much inventory to start working do you have? Do you have the room to store inventory and finished product? How will you clean the used clothes you buy, do you have the equipment time/room to do this?

6. What would you like the typical price point for your items to be. For example do you have a price (for like a T-Shirt) that you would not be willing to charge?

7. Are you willing to change the name of your company or come up with a slogan that would separate you from others with your name?

[Nicole Hess]

Please see below for answers to questions. They are all in Pink. Hopefully this helps. If anything is confusing, please tell me. I wrote this out well after work, and after a long day, it is hard to focus! :)

On Tuesday, April 16, 2013 12:58:52 PM UTC-7, Katya Schimmels wrote:

Good Afternoon Nicole and Rusne,

This message is being posted by your consultants Urban Threads, group 1. We will be doing a business plan for you - with the conception of an online entry to market.

We have developed a few questions that we feel are vital in order to better understand your business. They are listed at the end of this email.

In addition to communicating with you via this online Google forum, we would really love to have the opportunity to meet with you over this next week. We feel like having a short conversation about what you are looking for would greatly help us to focus our product for you. Please let us know if this is something that you are willing to do, and I will send you my contact information to get a time set up.

Yes, I think that would be a great idea. My number is 503-438-9307. You are welcome to text me, call me, or whatever. I do work M-F from 8am to 5pm or 6pm, so it will have to be in the evening after work, or on the weekends. 

Listed below are the questions we would like to discuss.

1. What exactly is going to be your "line of product” Are you going to create many different, very specialized products?Or are you going to build up and inventory of similar products in different sizes.

I think a good line of product to start off with is just refashioning shirts. Just has Ru has mentioned, refashioning men's shirt into women's shirts. Later on we would like to create many different products. I have refurbished a coffee table, that I do have before and after pictures, which is the most recent "refashioning" project that I have done.
They will not be "one size," but I do want each product to be "one of a kind," I do not want to leave anyone out. So I want to be able to create clothes for all shapes and sizes.

For example are you going to have a lot of “one size” very unique items “one of a kind”

Or: will you be doing a line of (for example mens shirts to womens tanks) in various colors and styles?

2. How do you feel about doing events to launch your product? Even if you do decide to use the online platform, would you be willing to go to Saturday Markets, do a “splash” event to launch your product, or even host parties ( like Mary K style)?

This is excellent. There is only so much you can do online, and I do feel that it is very important that people are able to look at a product up close. It is important that our consumers are able to look and feel our products up close, and really feel the uniqueness of our products. 

3. Do you still want to offer your consulting (consulting women on what they can do with current items in their closet), or is that something you would like us to leave out of this project and let you focus on later?

This is a great question. I originally wasn't thinking of bringing in the consulting side until later on, because people need to get a feel of who are first. As a company we need to build up credibility in the fashion world, and consulting right away just doesn't make sense when no one knows who we are. So this can be left out for this project.

4. What is your Core Business idea? Explain to me the one idea you would like this project to focus on?

a. unique items for sale online

b. a line of similar creations online

A combination of A and B. I want our clothes to be unique, given that they are made out of used clothing. 

c. consulting

d. Etc.

5. How much inventory to start working do you have? Do you have the room to store inventory and finished product? How will you clean the used clothes you buy, do you have the equipment time/room to do this?

I have no inventory. I do have room to store inventory and finished products. Most fabrics will be either hand washed or machined washed. Yes I have the equipment. I do not plan on having a factory to accomplish this. I do not plan on getting out 100 items within a week or less. Each piece of clothing will take a bit of time and effort to produce. I do not plan on mass producing as of right now.

6. What would you like the typical price point for your items to be. For example do you have a price (for like a T-Shirt) that you would not be willing to charge? 

This I am not sure. I want these items to be affordable to everyone, but of course I will still need to make a profit in order to keep going. This will be great opportunity to use the survey services that PSU offers and see what people would pay for refashioned items.

7. Are you willing to change the name of your company or come up with a slogan that would separate you from others with your name?

I am open to the idea. I believe that Urban Thread Company is a catchy name, but if you guys come up with something else, I am willing consider. 

 

[Katya Schimmels]

Thank you,

Those answers were very helpful and give us a good start.

This week I will be working on witting a personal biography for you two, as well as developing your mission, vission, and values.

It would be extremely helpful if I could talk to both of you sometime this week. Could we schedule
 a time for a phone interview for sometime this week in the evening?

On Tuesday, April 16, 2013 12:58:52 PM UTC-7, Katya Schimmels wrote:

[Nicole Hess]

Yes that would be fine. I am available after 5pm this week, except for Wednesday. Would Tuesday or Thursday work? I will coordinate with Ru as well, so you can just get us both in one shot.

On Tuesday, April 16, 2013 12:58:52 PM UTC-7, Katya Schimmels wrote:

[Rusne Kuzmickas]

Thursday after 5 works well for me!