SOCIAL ACTION BUSINESS PLAN

SOCIAL ACTION BUSINESS PLAN

ROCIO CORREA
 SOCIAL ACTION BUSINESS PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
TEAM MEMBERS/MANAGEMENT 5
PRODUCT 8
MARKET OPPORTUNITY 12
BUSINESS MODEL/ OPERATIONS 14
SOCIAL OUTCOMES 17
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 18
REFERENCE/ CITATIONS 19
APPENDIX 20

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Having a child is one of the most special experiences a person can go through.

However, many families deal with the heartbreak of losing a child, either before or shortly

after birth. For those who experience this, it is a devastating loss that can dramatically

affect their life. The website Ontario Prenatal Education states, “Currently, Ontario has no

well-established treatment protocols for pregnancy and infant loss.”

(http://www.ontarioprenataleducation.ca/infant-loss/, 2017). My business project aims to

provide education, counselling and support to families in Ontario dealing with the loss of a

young child, from before birth or newborn.

The key to raising funds will be a series of gyms, which cater specifically to new or

expecting mothers. Beginning with one gym at first, the idea will be to offer exercise and

prenatal classes while providing an atmosphere welcoming to this demographic. Through

gym memberships, class fees and special events funds will be raised to support charitable

projects. The gyms will use the slogan “Strong Heart, Strong Baby”. Mothers will be

encouraged to provide support to each other, creating a sense of community. Once mothers

have joined the community, they will continue with their memberships because they feel

welcome and accepted.

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Profits raised by the business will directly fund the “Healing Hearts Box” program. The

Healing Hearts Box is a care package providing support and guidance to those suffering

from the loss of an infant. The box will contain items such as information pamphlets, seeds

to plant in remembrance and a diary to share their feelings. Most importantly each box will

contain a letter written by a mother who has experienced loss herself. My goal is for people

to reach out to each other and find comfort. It is also important for those suffering to have

the proper counselling and mental health support. The box will also provide contact

information for doctors and mental health professionals who specialize in infant loss.

The issue of infant loss is a very personal one for me. My vision for this project is to

create a sustainable business that will help to heal the hearts of those who are in pain. The

Healing Hearts Box is meant to be a message to those people, telling them that they are not

alone in their struggle. I believe that by creating the gyms we will be able to drive profits

towards supporting grieving mothers in all of Ontario.

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TEAM MEMBERS / MANAGEMENT

The organization requires several specialized members to meet the vision of the

CEO. Knowledge in infant and prenatal care will be essential. The following team

members will be needed to launch the first gym:

1. CEO – Rocio Correa

Rocio is the founder and CEO of Healing Hearts, a for profit gym who mission is to

provide support to grieving mothers. Rocio is currently an Event Management student

at Humber College and a woman who has lost a child herself. Rocio’s goal is to provide

comfort to any mother who is suffering from a loss. Rocio will handle all special event

planning and execution.

2. Accounting\Financial Manager

An experienced accountant will need to be hired to handle the finances and keep the

workings of the business and charity aspects separate. Ideally this person will have

experience with Social Enterprises and their tax rules.

3. Gym Manager

An experienced manager will be needed to handle the day-to-day operation of the gym.

This person should have experience leading teams, as well as experience in the fitness

Industry. They will be responsible for handling memberships and arranging classes for

members, as well as supervising staff. First aid training will be required.

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4. Trainer x2

Initially we will begin with 2 employees in the gym who will be responsible for

providing fitness advice to clients as well as maintaining the gym equipment and

handling day to day issues. Although a cleaning staff will be hired to clean up each

night, these employees will be expected to do some light cleaning. First aid training will

be required.

5. Prenatal Specialist

This employee will be responsible for creating and teaching classes on prenatal care. An

appropriate designation will be required for this position, preferably someone who has a

background in mental health as well.

6. Yoga Instructor

This instructor will be in charge of scheduling and leading classes in pre and postnatal

yoga. These classes will be important in bringing women together and helping create a

sense of community. Therefore, the ideal candidate will have extensive experience

dealing with new and expecting mothers and tailoring classes to them.

7. Purchasing\Distribution Manager

In this role the candidate will be required to overseeing the assembly and shipping of

each Healing Hearts Box. Experience in sourcing products and developing

relationships will be the key. The ideal candidate will have experience in purchasing as

well as shipping. Someone with a passion for the cause would be best.

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8. Marketing\Relationship Manager

This employee will be responsible for spreading the word about the Healing Hearts gym

and box. They will be required to develop sponsorships and relationships with

government and hospital agencies. Through constant raising of awareness and

developing connections they will be vital to assembling and improving the contents of

the Healing Hearts Box.

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PRODUCT

My idea is the Healing Hearts Box, which will be offered to parents who have lost a

child either before or within the first year after birth. This will cover conditions such SIDS,

stillbirth, miscarriage and ectopic pregnancies. The box is meant to help grieving parents

cope, release stress, help depression and move through the stages of grief. We want to

promote strong mental health and part of the purpose of the box is to provide connections to

doctors and psychologists who specialize in dealing with these issues.

The standard Healing Hearts Box will contain the following items:

1. A packet of tree seeds. The idea behind this is for the parents to find a

location and plant the seeds to keep the memory of their child alive in the

growing tree. White Oak seeds will be used. $41.85 per 1,000 seeds. 5

seeds in each packet equal 200 packages at $4.78 per box.

2. Diary for parents to write down their feelings, helping them to express

themselves and deal with their emotions during the difficult time. $15.99

each.

3. Custom letter from a mother who has dealt with the death of a child

offering support and sharing their experience. Volunteers who take part

in our program will write the letters. No cost.

4. 14” Teddy bear. The bear is meant to act as a keepsake and tangible

reminder of your child. $5.50 per bear.

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5. Mental Health Pamphlet with listings for mental health professionals

who specialize in dealing with depression and grief. This will also

contain listings for fertility doctors to assist with future attempts to

conceive. 8.5 “ X 11’’ tri-fold brochure $44.99 per 100 equals $0.45 per

brochure.

6. A book dealing with infant loss. This book will change based on new

releases and suggestions from mothers in the program and psychologists.

$19.99 per book. First book will be Hope for today, Promises for

Tomorrow by Teske Drake.

7. Voucher for David’s Tea discounts to allow parents to get relaxing teas

to help them sleep. $25 voucher, through partnership with David’s Tea

we pay $15 per voucher.

8. Box of facial tissues. Tears are a healthy part of releasing grief and we

want people to know that it is ok to cry. $42.99 for 24 boxes equals

$1.79 per box.

9. Aromatherapy candle to help relaxation and stress relief. 11oz Lavender

Jar candle $14.99

10. Wall calendar with encouraging and positive notes for each day to

provide some hope. $14.99 per unit.

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11. Marketing pamphlet for Healing Hearts, asking to share with others and

participate in the Healing Hearts support community. . 8.5 “ X 11’’ tri-

fold brochure $44.99 per 100 equals $0.45 per brochure.

Each box will be 3 ft. by 3 ft. with the Healing Hearts logo as well as colorful patterns on

the outside. The cost for each box will be $4.05. The total cost of each box is $110.71 tax

included. Shipping will be approximately $50.00 per box. Shipping with Canada Post. This

brings the total cost to $160.71 a box.

The items in the box were chosen with 3 objectives. First, to help parents memorialize the

child they have lost. Second, to help parents begin to deal with the grief in a healthy way.

Third to let parents know that they are not alone, and there are people who know their pain

and care about them. Although there is no one item that can comfort someone completely,

the small items in the box have each been thoughtfully chosen to provide the necessary

support.

What will set the Healing Hearts Box apart from other memorial boxes is the focus

on community and mental health. Parents will be encouraged to support the special

programs and later offer insight on their own experiences. We want to promote people

helping each other through their grief.

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MARKET OPPORTUNITY

The Healing Hearts Business Plan will operate strictly within Ontario and targets a very

specific demographic. Our customer segment for our gym is new and expecting mothers in

the age range of 18-45. These mothers will be primarily middle and upper class with

household incomes from $60,000+. The Healing Hearts box will target grieving parents

dealing with the loss of a child either before birth or in the first year. Age and income will

not be a factor in determining who receives the box.

According to Franchisehelp.com, “Specialty fitness programs that focus on a particular style

of exercise, piece of equipment or even philosophical approach are exploding across the

country.” (n.d.). Retrieved July 30, 2017, from https://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-

reports/fitness-industry-report/). Even better, according to Megan Haynes of Metro News,

fitness is a $3 billion dollar industry, with millennials making up 40% of that market.

(Haynes, M. (2016, November 21). Millennials spending more on fitness, but build

communities in the process | Metro Toronto. Retrieved July 30, 2017, from

http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2016/11/21/millennials-spending-more-but-build-

communities-.html). Clearly there is a growing market for niche fitness services.

SoulCycle, a popular US cycling gym has now come to Canada and others are following

their example. Healing Hearts targets an affluent niche market and the emphasis on

specialized classes; education and community will resonate with our demographic.

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In terms of competition, there are many different chains in the fitness market currently.

GoodLife is the largest, but LA Fitness, Fit4Less and Planet Fitness all have their own

share of a growing market. More specifically, there do exist maternity fitness studios and

prenatal classes. The government does offer some prenatal classes free as charge as well.

However, what will set Healing Hearts apart are the relationships it will develop with

hospitals and government offices as well as the unique community it will create.

With a sustainable community paying gym memberships and involving themselves

in the community for the long term, Healing Hearts will have the resources to tackle the

issue it was founded to address. The Healing Hearts box will be created and distributed

solely from the profits of the Healing Hearts gym franchise. By creating a sustainable, and

with proper management, growing source of income Healing Hearts will be able to provide

the boxes free of charge to parents in need.

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BUSINESS MODEL / OPERATIONS

1. Customer Segments

Healing Hearts’ customers will be in the female, 18-45 demographic, focusing on

new and expecting mothers in the Ontario region. Recipients of the Healing Hearts

box will be parents dealing with the loss of a newborn or unborn child within

Ontario.

2. Value Propositions

Healing Hearts is dedicated to addressing mental and physical health and providing

community support to its members. Our mission is to provide support to those who

are grieving and help them begin to heal.

3. Channels

Healing Hearts gym will have a storefront to attract people. We will also partner

with provincial health agencies to provide support to parents and raise awareness of

our brand by providing information about their services in our boxes we will create

a partnership that raises awareness of both.

4. Customer Relationships

Relationships will be at the heart of everything done in this business. Attracting and

developing a community is central to the goal of Healing Hearts. Success or failure will

come from how successful we are in developing and maintaining positive relationships.

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5. Revenue Streams

There will be two main revenue streams for the company. First, the gym, and later

additional gyms will provide additional revenue. Membership in the gym will cost

$80/month and will include access to all yoga and prenatal classes, as well as the

gym equipment. Second, special events will be planned and executed each month

such as a spa event or pregnancy Photo shoot. These will attract prospective

customers and get them involved with Healing Heart.

6. Key Resources

Our management team will be the most important resource in the beginning. It will

be up to each member to develop their role and help define the company. The gym

itself and the equipment within will also be very important to our goals. Start up

costs will be high for this enterprise.

7. Key Activities

October 15th has been named Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day in

Canada, the USA and several other countries. Healing Hearts will host a yearly gala

to raise funds and awareness for our cause. The activities of our

Marketing\Relationship manager will be vital to our success. Developing successful

partnerships will be key to survival.

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8. Key Partners

Our most important relationships will be with hospitals such as Mount Sinai,

Sunnybrook and North York General Hospital. They will help us reach our target

audience. Corporate partners such as David’s Tea will provide discounts, which

allow us to distribute more Healing Hearts boxes.

9. Cost Structure

Memberships to the gym will have a cost of $80 monthly. With 500 memberships as

our goal for the first year we would bring in $480,000. Monthly special events

would be expected to raise $5000 each for an additional $60,000 in revenue.

Salaries, rent, utilities, equipment and cleaning for the gym will run around

$435,000 yearly, leaving us with $104,000 available for the creation and

distribution of the Healing Hearts Boxes.

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SOCIAL OUTCOMES

Healing Hearts’ goal will always be to bring comfort to grieving parents. By using
the Healing Hearts gyms as our base we can generate profits that can be used to achieve
that goal. The Healing Hearts Box is a carefully selected range of items, each with a special
meaning. Our mission is to bring that box to as many parents in need as possible.

Through careful relationship management Healing Hearts will need to grow strong
relationships with government run clinics and hospitals. These relationships will bring the
enterprise in contact with the needed medical expertise as well as the parents themselves.
Our vision is for a close partnership that will reach as many parents as we can, serving an
underserved demographic. The plan will be for eventual expansion throughout Canada.

As a Social Enterprise it is my hope that Healing Hearts will bring people together
and provide the kind of support that is so important to healing from a loss. Our goal at its
heart is comfort, to provide strength and a sense of community. No one should have to feel
they are alone when something terrible happens, and Healing Hearts wants to be the one
who is there.

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND PROJECTTIONS

REVENUE

ITEM UNITS UNIT REVENUE TOTAL REVENUE

GYM MEMBESHIP 500 $960.00/YEAR $480,000.00
MONTHLY EVENTS 12 $5,000.00 $60,0000.00

TOTAL $540,000.00

EXPENSES

ITEM TOTAL EXPENSE PER YEAR

CEO SALARY $0
EMPLOYEES SALARIES $290,000.00
RENT $25,000.00
UTILITIES $15,000.00
GYM EQUIPMENT AND DECORATION $80,000.00
CLEANING STAFF $15,600.00
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES $10,000.00

TOTAL $435,600.00

NET INCOME $104,400.00

PROFIT AND BOX DISTRIBUTION

ITEM UNIT UNITS TOTAL COST

COST
HEALING HEARTS BOX $160.71 649 $104,300.79

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REFERENCE/ CITATIONS

 (http://www.ontarioprenataleducation.ca/infant-loss/, 2017)
 (n.d.). Retrieved July 30, 2017, from https://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-
reports/fitness-industry-report/).
 |Metro Toronto. Retrieved July 30, 2017, from
http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2016/11/21/millennials-spending-more-but-
build-communities-.html).

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APPENDIX

 Box with design:

https://packlane.com/customize/shipping-box

 Seeds:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/buy-ontario-tree-seeds-or-cones
 Diary:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/paper/celestial-journal/9781441316691-
item.html?ikwid=diary&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=18
 Teddy bear:
http://www.plushinarush.com/2072bn-wholesale-teddy-bears-sewn-on-eyes.aspx
 Brochure
http://www.vistaprint.ca/brochure-
printing.aspx?couponAutoload=1&GP=08%2f04%2f2017+15%3a31%3a34&GPS=447442
3883&GNF=0
 Book:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/hope-for-today-promises-for/9780825442186-
item.html?ikwid=infant+loss&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0
 Facial Tissues:
https://www.costco.ca/Kirkland-Signature-Ultra-3-ply-Facial-Tissues-12-x-160-Sheets-2-
pack.product.100369851.html
 Jar Candle Lavender:
https://villagecraftandcandle.com/candles/mason-finished/library-jar-lavender
 Wall Calendar:
http://www.amberlotus.com/you-can-heal-your-life-2018-wall-calendar/
 Canada Post Rate calculator:
https://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/business/findARate?execution=e1s12

 http://www.october15th.com
 http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/health21a-
eng.htm

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