BENT 490

Feasibility Study
Fall 2015

Helping you get the exercise you need, while getting

Human Society dogs the attention they deserve
211 Rome Rd.
Selah, Washington 98942

Mary Michael Graf: Founder

509.307.1460
mgraf@zagmail.gonzaga.edu

Confidentiality Agreement
The undersigned reader acknowledges that the information provided by
_______________ in this business plan is confidential; therefore, reader agrees
not to disclose it without the express written permission of _______________.
It is acknowledged by reader that information to be furnished in this business
plan is in all respects confidential in nature, other than information which is
in the public domain through other means and that any disclosure or use of
same by reader, may cause serious harm or damage to _______________.
Upon request, this document is to be immediately returned to
_______________.
___________________
Signature
___________________
Name (typed or printed)
___________________
Date
This is a business plan. It does not imply an offering of securities.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary/Venture
.4
Legal
Identity
.6
Market Research, Industry and Competitive
Analysis.7
Management Team and
Staffing10
Financing
Needs..1
2
Feasibility and
Timeline.13
Works
Cited
15

I.

Executive Summary: Background/Venture

Help Spot Run is a non-profit organization created in the hopes of
getting more Americans active and, most importantly, getting Humane
Society dogs across the United States the exercise they desperately
need. Unfortunately, not every dog has a home; fortunately, places like
the Humane Society provide care for homeless dogs through housing,
nourishment and attention. However, there are many more dogs than
there are workers (or even volunteers), so these dogs arent getting as
much one on one time as they probably should be getting in order to
be happy, healthy dogs. One of the big aspects of this loss in attention
is a lack of exercise. This is not to say Human Society workers and
volunteers are not doing everything they can to help these dogs stay
healthy and happy: this is not a venture that is attempting to highlight
flaws that need to be fixed, this is a venture that is attempting to work
alongside the Humane Society to fill in the gaps that they simply dont
have time to fill.
Help Spot Run is an organization that combines running with taking
care of these dogs in need. At various Humane Societies across
America, we will put on 5k, 10k and half marathon (13.1 miles) races.
Those who sign up will be paired up with a dog to train with and
eventually race with. Extra participants will be welcome to run with
their own dogs. Smaller or older Humane Society dogs who are not
able to complete the 5k will not be left out, because by taking all these

big dogs off the workers hands, they will be able to take the
smaller/older dogs for the short walks (play fetch, go swimming, etc.)
that will fulfill their exercise needs. This will really help our organization
ensure no dog is left behind. Through registration fees and the help of
volunteers, we hope to carry out a fun, active, and rewarding day,
while donating all of the proceeds to the Humane Society of America.
The reason I decided to start this organization is because of two
reasons: first, I have a true passion for running. I have competed in half
marathons, marathons, and triathlons for the past 4 years now and the
atmosphere that comes with this is incredible. Runners who compete
on this scale are like their own species: driven, determined, helpful
they have created their own community through these competitions.
This community rarely runs for selfish reasons, they often run for a
cause: raising money for important organizations from cancer to
diabetes to childrens hospitals and more. This brings me to my second
reason for creating Help Spot Run: I love animals. Running with my own
dog, a goldendoodle named Cricket, is the most fun I have running.
She is so full of energy, joy and life that it overflows into me; making
me run harder, push myself more, and go longer. She is never happier
than when she is running alongside my mom or me and I want to share
this joy with other dogs who dont have homes like my girl Cricket.
In creating Help Spot Run, I came up with the name as (obviously) a
spin off of See Spot Run. I wanted to use a phrase that was familiar

with everyone, but emphasize the fact that through these runs, we are
helping the iconic Spot and his pals. Based in my hometown of Selah,
Washington, I will first pair with the Yakima Humane Society and hope
II.

to expand beyond this.

Legal Identity
Help Spot Run will be a non-profit corporation. This is because I want to
create an organization that makes America a better place to live
through improving health through exercise, and providing better
standards of living for homeless dogs (and other Humane Society
animals that will benefit from money raised). Benefits to non-profits
include: tax-exemption or deduction, eligibility for public and private
grants, limited liability, and a formal structure that allows the nonprofit to exits as a legal entity in its own right and separately from the
founder (me)this means that the nonprofits mission will forever be
held above any personal interest of mine or any other individuals
associated with it. Also, by being a non-profit corporation, this allows
me to add credibility to my program while also (again) limiting my
liability. There is a lot of paperwork and time, money and effort
required to starting a non-profit, but I believe these costs will be worth
the outcome.

I plan to gain non-profit status online through harborcompliance.com

as a Washington state non-profit agency. Furthermore, I did a thorough
Google search of Help Spot Run as an initial check to make sure the
6

name was not trademarked (which it was not). I then went to

directincorporation.com and requested a check to make sure the title
was not trademarked. After waiting for the service to check all records,
I received notification two days later that the Help Spot Run name
has not been trademarked and is available for my use. As for the logo,
I created it, so I know that it has not been trademarked by any other
organization thus far.

III.

Market Research, Industry and Competitive Analysis

There are several races put on by various organizations where people
are encouraged to run with their own dogs and donate to the Humane
Society (or other animal shelters). Examples of these are Bark in the
Park, Dog Jog, Doggie Dash, and Paws & Claws. However, none of these
races partner runners with Humane Society dogs themselves. Raising
money for food and medical care is fantastic, but Help Spot Run wants
to do more. It is proven that dogs are happier when they are given the
proper amount of exercise, and whats the point in being healthy if you
arent happy, after all. This is what will set Help Spot Run apart: our
ability to partner with the Humane Society and their dogs.
For my initial research, I uploaded a survey onto my Facebook page
that I got a total of 63 people to take. It was brief and efficient and
consisted of the following questions:
1. Do you go on runs more than 3 times a week?
2. Have you ever competed in a running event such as a 5k,
10k, half marathon, full marathon, or triathlon?
7

3. If no, would you be interested in competing in either a 5k,

10k or half marathon?
4. Would running to raise money for dogs (as well as cats)
make you want to compete in either a 5k, 10k, or half
marathon?
5. Would you be open to training and competing in a 5k, 10k,
or half marathon alongside a dog that was not your own?
After going through the data I gathered, I was overwhelmed by how it
supported my idea for Help Spot Run. Most of the people who took my
survey were college students, so many of them have not yet competed
in races, but 72% said they would be interested in competing. That
bumped up to 81% when given the incentive of raising money to help
dogs and cats. Furthermore, 71% said they were willing to run with
dogs that were not their own. Many of those that were skeptical of
running with other dogs specified that it really just depends on the dog
and whether or not it is a vicious one: if it is friendly, most people were
more than willing to run with new dogs. This made me realize that Id
need to also add the more vicious dogs to the list of too-small or tooold dogs that will not be competing in races. I would also need to
create a process for pairing dogs with runners in order to ensure a
good fit, this would require looking at factors such as patience, pace,
strictness and size of the runners and discipline, timid-ness, leash
training and size of the dogs.

After the positive feedback and learnings from my survey, I went on to

talk to members of the industry. I first spoke with my mom, who has
now competed in 18 marathons (including the Boston Marathon: twice.
Please note that although 18 might not be a big number in most
industries, 18 marathons is a massive amount for the average person)
and knows this industry like the back of her hand. She gave me several
tips as far as what kinds of details need to be paid attention in order to
keep runners happy (such as fuel stations, bathrooms, check-in, timing,
etc.). She then got me in connection with several other runners who
added to the list of details I needed to pay attention to. I also spoke
with a Yakima Humane Society official who told me she thought this
idea would be so fantastic and extremely realistic to carry out. She told
me that she knew it would probably take a while to get it started due
to legal obligations and safety regulations (assessing which dogs can
compete safely, and also creating a systemprobably similar to their
volunteer screening process to ensure runners understand how to
deal with the dogs and do not mistreat them under any circumstances.
All of this has helped me put together the business plan you are
reading here today.

After all of my research, I have found that my target market will consist
of men and women aged 20-35, which is the average age of running
competitors outside of high school track and cross country (who will

also be targeted). Help Spot Run will have a the 5k and 10k (3.1 and
6.2 miles), so really almost anyone can compete: there is no
requirement to run or time restriction: walking is A-OK! Its a fun run
that also has the capability to satisfy the competitive side of the more
serious runners. Most half-marathons cost around $60-90 to enter,
most 5k and 10k races cost around $15-30. Its a healthy habit, but it is
a little spendy, this is why our main target market will be a bit older
than just the average college kid. After speaking with the Humane
Society and several running competitors, Ive decided for the first race
to charge $65 for the half marathon, $30 for the 10k, and $20 for the
5k. After the first race, I will assess our profits and number of
participants, as well as conduct several surveys in order to see if the
price has room to be raised (in order to raise more for the Humane
Societies across America) or lowered (in order to attract more
participants). Per Humane Society, this event will be held annually
initially, and if its success takes off, perhaps moved to biannually.
IV.

Management Team and Staffing

As the founder, I will act as chief coordinator and CEO; because we
have every intention of putting on races across the United States, I will
need executive coordinators to carry out and oversee my overall model
in various regions. These executives will include a CFO and CMO. Under
these coordinators, I will need a team of 8 leads to head the following
departments:

10

1. Humane Society relations: this lead will take care of all

contact with the Humane Societies in their designated
regions. They will also head up registration and working with
the Humane Society to pair up runners with dogs.
2. Lead of Aid Stations: this lead will make sure all materials
necessary for aid stations throughout the run in designated
areas are present on the day of the event and are set up
properly. This lead will also be in contact with Porta Potty
suppliers and ensure that there are proper restroom stops
along the various courses in their region.
3. Clean Up lead: this lead will ensure that we leave all courses
in their region the way we found them. They will head up a
team of volunteers to carry out this task
4. Volunteer Coordinator: this lead will keep track of volunteers
and assign them the proper roles so we have plenty of staffing
at packet pick-up, aid stations, start/finish line, clean up, etc.
5. Timing Lead: this lead will be in contact throughout the
planning process with the company that we choose to provide
our timing chips. (Timing chips are either worn around the
ankle or in the bib number), this will allow people to assess
their mile splits and final time. The first three male and female
finishers in each age group (ages will be restricted to 12 year
old minimum to ensure safety of dogs and runners).
6. Marketing Lead: this lead will work directly under the CMO,
follow their marketing strategy and carry it out in their
designated regions. This will mainly be through social media,
11

radio advertisements, and flyer advertisements throughout

the city/town they have been assigned. They are in charge of
creating major buzz so we can get as many participants as
possible.
7. Financial Lead: this lead will work directly under the CFO to
create and oversee all budget-related issues. This person will
obviously need to have experience in finance and accounting
and oversee a team of accountants to deal with all of our
incoming and outgoing money: including taxes
8. Legal Lead: this lead will most likely only have a team of 2 or
3 to oversee. They will make sure to uphold our non-profit
status, as well as dealing with any and all other legal matters.
As I hope to have illustrated, I do not plan on being a hands-off CEO
that solely oversees what my subordinates are working hard to
achieve. All of the courses, aesthetic elements, marketing strategies
and changes will be created, adjusted and overseen by me. All
executive coordinators will also be very hands-on: they will be in
charge of leads, as well as confirming the courses/dates I plan out have
been approved by the city/town and other such legal matters.
Obviously, this is our ideal staff, but we will be starting out small with
just a couple races, so our initial employee number will be much more
frugal than listed above.

V.

Financing Needs

12

Finances can vary greatly when it comes to putting on races. Bigger

marathons can get up to around half a million dollars, but that is not
what Help Spot Run will start out as, but perhaps grow to one day. Im
projecting that we will need about $75,000 to $85,000 to begin. The
breakdowns are as follows:
1. T-Shirts for participants: ($15,000)
2. Advertising ($10,000)
3. Food/Water for runners and dogs at finish and fuel stations
4.
5.
6.
7.

($10,000)
Medals for half-marathon finishers ($5,000)
Photography ($5,000)
Timing System ($15,000)
Course Set Up ($15,000)

I generated these costs by doing extensive research into the costs of

running various events (5ks, 10ks, half-marathons, and even full
marathons). For the most part, I think Ive been fairly generous with my
budget because I know that most people underestimate how much
money they will need. However, being a non-profit, there will also be
plenty of fundraising to be done: in fact, well depend on it. As the
years go on and hopefully the race grows, we can add bigger and
better features, and eventually security to keep our runners and dogs
protected from any possible violence (Im expecting not to need this
until the race becomes big enough to really draw attention).

To generate my initial capital, Im hoping to find as many angel

investors as possible. People who love the cause Help Spot Run is

13

promoting, and people who are passionate about keeping America

active. From my research and talking to handfuls of people across age
groups and of both genders, Ive realized how many people love
helping animals in need and I plan to utilize the passion of others to
make Help Spot Run an extremely successful non-profit.
VI.

Feasibility and Timeline

I strongly believe that my venture is feasible. Ive done extensive
research in many aspects of this organization, talked to countless
experts in the industry, and most importantly: I care immensely about
what Im planning to do here. I think all of these things have well
prepared me to take the next steps moving forward in creating this
non-profit. Help Spot Run can really make a difference in the world, and
once we get our name and our cause out there, Im confident that
people will come running to join us.
Our timeline currently appears as follows:

January 2016: find investors who will put up initial costs until

fundraising begins in the fall

February 2016: Find CFO and CMO, as well as a legal lead
March 2016: reach out to the Yakima Humane Society again to
begin working out details and creating a contractual

partnership
April 2016: Begin creating a website to be launched in the fall

14

May 2016: Create a program to assess people and dogs in

order to properly pair them. Test this program as much as

possible for a few months to ensure its accuracy and safety

August 2016: map out best routes for 5k, 10k and halfmarathon, obtain required licenses and permits to carry out

the races
September 2016: Find the rest of the 8 leads
October 2016: begin advertising and fundraising, finishing

touches on website, website launch, start finding volunteers

November 2016: registration opens, official pairing of runners
and dogs as each runner registers and schedules a time to

come meet with the dogs

February 2017: Ensure that we have all of the volunteers that

we will need for the event

March 2017: First Help Spot Run races will take place

Past this: we will do an immediate assessment of the event and what

needs to be changed, a new (shorter) timeline will then be created for
additional races in other Humane-Society-Cities (like Spokane).
Hopefully after a couple races we will be successful enough to hire a
bigger, more widespread staff and a larger reach as far as which cities
participate in Help Spot Run.

Works Cited:

What are the advantages/disadvantages of becoming a nonprofit

organization? Retrieved December 6, 2015, from

15

http://grantspace.org/tools/knowledge-base/NonprofitManagement/Establishment/pros-and-cons

Craver, J. (n.d.). How Much Does it Cost to Put On a Marathon?

Retrieved December 6, 2015, from
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/writers/jack_craver/how-muchdoes-it-cost-to-put-on-a-marathon/article_3fa2a106-0c61-11e4-ab37001a4bcf887a.html

Form Your LLC Or Corporation. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2015,

from http://www.directincorporation.com

Logo Created using logomakr.com

16