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Business Plan 2018-2019 

Owner:​ Aliyah Cross 
Green Mountain Technology and Career Center 
738 VT-15, Hyde Park, Vt 05655 
Anna O’Shea 
(802)730-6378 
(802)888-4447 
CombandCollar@aol.com 
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Table of Context: 
 
Opening Page.................................................................................................... 1
Table of Context……………………………………………………………....2
Executive Summary…………………………………………………………..3
Company Description………………………………………………………...4
Market Analysis………………………………………………………...…….5
-S.W.O.T………………………………………………………………..6
Marketing Mix……………………………………………………………...7-8
-Place…………………………………………………………………...7
-Price, Product, & People……………………………………………..8
Operations and Management………………………………………………..9
Financial Plan…………………………………………………………....10-13
Beginning Start Up Cost…………………………………….…...……..10
Cash Flow…………………………………………………………….11
Balance Sheet………………………………………………………...12
Income Statement…………………………………………………....13
Appendix………………………………………………………………...14-20
Business Card………………………………………………………..15
Promotional Flyer..………………………………………………….16
Bio……………………………………………………...…………….17
Job Opening…………………………………………………….……18
Resume…….………………………………………………………....19
Organizational Chart………………………………….…………...20
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WORKSHEET 

Comb and Collar is an animal shelter based on helping cats and dogs find wonderful homes.
We take in abused or homeless animals and bring them back to health. We also train them
before finding the perfect family for them. We are a sole proprietorship business that revolves
around welcoming arms and hopeful hearts.

At Comb and Collar, we offer many services to suit the needs of the dogs and families looking
for a great companion. We take in abandoned or rescued cats and dogs from all over the
country. We also offer a service where you can drop off your dog and we will train them and
teach them obedience. In our shelter, we have a small shop where we offer different
accessories that you may need before taking home your new pet. Here at Comb and Collar we
only use all organic products on ourselves and on our animals.

Comb and Collar’s market target is any couples, families, or single people looking for an animal
to bond and share memories with. Each animal has different levels of energy and needs to run
so we hope to match that up with the perfect person who fits just that style and need. We have
two surrounding competitors one of which is in Wolcott, Vt and one in Stowe, Vt.

With the surrounding competitors not being very close, we plan to still market our business at
every local store and create an online website. We will have many days where the public is
gathered around our animals to meet them. We will do different games at these events to
engage the public and draw more attention.

The goal of our business is we want to make enough money to put back into the business, take
care of the animals, pay the employees, and potentially expand our range of animals we can
take in.

Our mission is to take in animals that would have no hope otherwise and bring them back to
complete health and give them to loving homes. We also want to help people who may not how
to train their dogs and train their dogs for them so that they can have a better relationship with
their pets. We aim to promote the importance of safe animals and healthy relationships
throughout the families and communities.

I see this business lasting a long time and expanding the variety of what we offer to the public.
We hope to be able to add additions to our company so we can take in different types of
animals.
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Company Description  

A shelter for dogs and cats in need 

Comb and Collar is a place where lost, abandoned, stray, or surrendered dogs and/or cats are

rehabilitated and placed in new welcoming homes. Our goal is to help hurt or stranded dogs into a

healthier life and placing them in new homes where they will be treated well. We work with animals and

people to help find the perfect match to complete people's lives. Comb and Collar is a Non-profit and is

located on 124 Craftsbury Road Vermont. ​We aim to promote the importance of safe animals and healthy

relationships throughout the families and communities​.

Website: ​Comb and Collar​ Below are also a few shots of the website built for my company.

 
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Some products and services offered

We help rehabilitate dogs and cats

Find loving homes for the animals

Have a small section where you can buy apparel for the animals(collars, leashes, treats, etc.)

Train your dog for you

We will buy all of the apparel that we sell from local stores if possible. We also strive to have as many
organic products as possible. We will get animals from abused or destroyed homes and take them in. We
will take care of them a bring them back to health. We will allow people to come in and visit with these
animals during any of the open hours.

Social Responsibility 

● One way we'll be sustainable is we will implement a few solar panels in our yard and have most

of our electricity come from them.

● We will also use organic products on our animals when washing and taking care of them. Our

toys that we sell and use with our animals will be eco-friendly.

● We will use towels or rags instead of paper towels and no plastic bottles.

Market Analysis 

Target Market 

Comb and Collars target market will be anyone looking for an animal to bond with. We will get to know

you and match you with the perfect companion.​ ​We believe everyone wants a pet whether they know it or

not, so our goal is to bring the community in and show them our animals. There are no other dog shelters

in Craftsbury. There is an animal shelter in the Morrisville/Stowe area which is about 30 minutes away

called North Company Animal League usually referred to as NCAL. Another one of my competitors would

be Justice for Dogs in Wolcott, Vt about 20 minutes from Craftsbury.

Competitive Analysis 
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Company Name  Location  Company Size 

North Country Animal Stowe Mid Size for Vermont

League

Justice for Dogs Wolcott Small-home based

Marketing Strategies 

​We plan to market our business through local radio stations. We will have a Facebook and

Instagram page where we will always post about our animals or upcoming events at our shelter.

We also will be posting flyers advertising our shelter in and around our town. There will be a link

on both our Facebook and Instagram page to our website where we will constantly update our

animals available and have a full list of our services offered.  

SWOT Analysis 

Strengths  Weaknesses 
   
~Only animal shelter in Craftsbury   ~High transportation cost 
~Take in rescue dogs and cats   ~New to the market  
~Variety for services   ~Not a huge reputation through the 
~Welcoming place for animals  community 
~Certified trainer and vet  
 
 

Opportunities  Threats 
   
~Willingness to buy organic materials  ~Animal Shelters in nearby towns  
despite high prices  ~Close prices with other competitors 
~Online store to advertise available  ~Not a large population of people 
animals and services 
~Big area to host events and for animals 
to play  
 
 
 
 
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Company Action Plan 

Our marketing plan is to put ads in local newspapers and radios stations. We will also hang up

opening day flyers around Craftsbury and surrounding towns. For our social media

promotions/publicity we will create a Facebook and Instagram account where we regularly post

pictures of our animals and how they are doing.

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Marketing Mix:  

Place 

The picture below shows how we will be getting some of our dogs. We plan to get them from

places that often get hit by natural disasters and leave many homeless dogs. They will travel

from those places to Vermont in a truck or trailer. Once they reach the Vermont border they will

come to our place of establishment in Craftsbury. After we train and take care of them we will

find them a loving home where they will spend the rest of their life.

 
 
 
 
 
 
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Price & Product 

Please note**** We will be transferring animals in groups so the $150 transportation

cost is for multiple animals each animal****

 
 
 
People 
 
We will definitely promote to all types of people. We will get to know each type of person
and match them with the perfect cat or dog whichever they are looking to adopt. If they
have animals already we will train them to either live with more animals better or basic
obedience skills. We aim to work with the community and promote our animals hoping
to find the perfect family for each animal.
 
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Operations and Management 

At our business, the owner will be in charge of the finances and staffing. I would then have two people in

charge of keeping our supply stock up and running the front office. I would then have three-four people in

charge of taking care and training the animals. We would also hire a part-time vet to allow our animals to

be up to date on their shots.

Employee Position and Roles 

Front Desk​- The front desk will be responsible for answering phones, showing visitors our animals and

offering our different options. They will also be responsible for opening and closing the store.

Accountant- ​They will be responsible for taking in all our expense and making out paychecks for the

employees.

Web Designer​- They will be responsible for keeping our website updated.

Manager​-They will be responsible for doing the weekly schedules and making sure everything is working

smoothly.

Volunteers/On the floor workers​- They will make sure that the animals are washed, walked, fed and

any other needs that might need to happen in their kennels or around the store.

Hours of Operation: ​12-7 Monday-Friday, 10-4 Saturdays and Sundays

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Financial Plan 

We are looking to get a loan for around $20,000 which would be the start-up cost for the store.
That loan excludes the buying land and building the store itself so we would also file for a Land
loan of about $50,000. We will be a non-profit store so all of the money that comes from selling
animals and our other services will go right back into either paying off the loans or into the store.

Beginning Start-Up Costs

 
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Cash Flow 

 
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Balance Sheet 

 
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Income Statement 

 
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Appendix 

❖ Business Cards

❖ Promotional Flyer

❖ Bio

❖ Resume

❖ Job Opening Flyer

❖ Organizational Chart
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Business Card: 
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Promotional Flyer: 

 
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Bio 

My name is Aliyah Cross. I grew up in Wolcott Vermont. I got my first dog when I

was two years old. He was a purebred yellow lab, which I named Drake. I have

always had a strong connection with animals. As I have begun to grow more

mature I have realized that I really want to make a difference in the world. I want

to open up this nonprofit animal shelter to helps these poor animals in need.

When I was little I would always beg my mom to visit my local animal shelter so I

could play with the dogs. With this business plan, I hope that I am able to

successfully run this business in the future.

 
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Job Opening 
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Aliyah Cross

3541 North Wolcott Road | Wolcott, Vermont 05680 | 20Across@gmtcc.net​ ​ | (802)730-6378

OBJECTIVE​ ​.​ ​..

Dedicated Green Mountain Technical Career Center Student looking to obtain and start my own animal shelter,
where I can use my good communication skills, problem-solving skills, love for animals, and want to make a
difference in the world.

EDUCATION
Green Mountain Technical Career Center Hyde Park, Vermont August 2018- Present
Program-​ Business
Peoples Academy Morrisville, Vermont August 2016- Present

​Awards:
● Top 20% of my class at Peoples Academy in ninth and tenth grade 2017-18
● Our Voices Exposed against Tobacco 2017-18

EXPERIENCE
● Power Play Sports, Morrisville Vermont January 2015- March 2017
○ Sold equipment to customers
○ Ran the cash register
○ Closed and opened the store

● Hoagies, Morrisville Vermont February 2018- Present

○ Created and sold ice cream to customers
○ Bussed tables
○ Hosted people to their seats
○ Opened and closed the store

● Cleaned houses June 2015- August 2018

○ Spend two to three hours a week cleaning someone's house

SKILLS
● Working with people
● Selling different items to people
● Good communication skills

ACTIVITIES AND LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

● I went with a group of 40 students from other states and traveled all over Canada learning different
cultures with a program called People to People
● Captain of the basketball team last year
● Future Business Leaders of America

LANGUAGES
● English
● French (basic)

INTERESTS
I enjoy being active, being around people and solving complicated problems.  
 
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Organizational Chart