S H O M Z The Enterprise of the Differently Abled …

Haitham Shoman

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S H O M Z The enterprise of the differently abled

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

SHOMZ is a social enterprise established to bridge the gaps between the normal and disabled / disadvantaged people via pedagogical and innovative approaches, hence creating social equity and a better lifestyle. SHOMZ sells products produced by the disabled people online and the profit earned is to provide an income of the producer and re-employ another person to produce another product and the cycle goes. SHOMZ’s mission to ensure its customers live healthy, so it promotes health education by messages delivered along with the product. Anyone can help a disadvantaged person by simply buying a product and ‘’employ on the go’’. Employment is made easy where no interviews nor applications are needed by the employees except their skills in production. This helps increase the income of the prson and motivates them work more, produce more and earn more. You buy one, you employ one. People can simply embark a change with a click of a button. People simply a life of a person with each product they buy. SHOMZ also grows to offer social solutions in education by improving conditions in some places and help enrolling others into schools. It also provides health care solutions by offering medical interventions and purchasing implants and prosthetic limbs by mass selling of products. SHOMZ is an enterprise established as a tribute to DIS IS ABILITY national project.

2. THE COMPANY AND THE CONCEPT:

SHOMZ is a social enterprise that sells hand made products of the disabled and disadvantaged people online. Through selling their products, the company’s producers are its own beneficiaries (benefiting from the company establishment). This allows the current increase in the employment of the disadvantaged / disabled people. Our products are simply hand made and gathered from several places and people who are not employed (disabled / disadvantaged), but have abilities to produce certain objects and are usable. SHOMZ is an online mall where different disadvantaged / disabled people get to sell their products online. SHOMZ team researches the disadvantaged people in Egypt and screens their hidden abilities via a program that reveals their abilities, then according to the quality of the products they produce, we either start picturing and putting naming their product and upload its details on the website, or we enroll them into a workshop to further rise up with the standards of their products. Then they are ready to get their products into the market. By this sense, the disadvantaged person doesn’t get donation by itself but actually gets the idea of even starting their own business. SHOMZ is the enterprise that promotes others start-ups and scale-ups. Via this approach, we get to empower and encourage this person to work more and the more he works, the more profit he makes. The simple product is sold with 5 times its production cost which will also remain cheap. The total money got from selling this product is divided as follows (full reimbursement of the production cost (20 %)– 100 % profit for the disabled person (20%) – (20%) allocation for a purchase of raw materials to another person willing to produce his product and sell it and join this scheme – (20%) covering overhead expenses – (20%) enrolling the person into the workshop to develop their product) For example: A chair costs $20 to be produced. We sell it with $100. This $100 is divided as follows: $20 full production cost reimbursement $20 100% profit over the production cost to the producer (disabled / disadvantaged)

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$20 purchasing raw materials for another disabled person $20 enrolling a person to a workshop to develop their product $20 Covering overhead expenses in running the enterprise. (profit) The enterprise will start with a capital based on personal investments and donations and being run with a group of volunteers and members with professional skills in each department. SHOMZ is to sell its products for the public with ‘’pay cash on delivery’’. It is to also employ the people that will be running this enterprise and hence creating job opportunities for the disabled by selling their goods, making them business people on a bigger scale and for the normal graduates. SHOMZ is to prove that disability is to be looked at as people with different abilities and shed the lights on their hidden talents and potentials.

3. THE COMPANY STRATEGY:

SHOMZ is to work in selling products of the disadvantaged / disabled (dd) online. On the long term, the enterprise is to grow with an on field store selling the same products and being run by DD people. The enterprise is to start operating in Cairo as a pilot project selling around 10 products with cash on delivery and free shipment. After an 4 months operations evaluation, and according to the profits, the enterprise is to expand into different districts until it grows to be national. Cairo is the main operation city for a year. Competitive forces: 1. Existence of online selling companies like amazon and eBay. But they are purely

business and for profits. 2. Current turbulent economic situation of the country. 3. Unstable political situation hindering the progress of lots of emerging companies. 4. Lack of security and safety for our shipments. 5. Approvals from authorities to start up the enterprise Driving forces: 1. Creating an enterprise for a humanitarian cause amidst the new Egyptian revolution

and enthusiasm of more youth to engage in social work. 2. The creativity and magnitude of beneficiaries being the producers and increasing

the rate of unemployment and decreasing social exclusion. 3. Support from NGOs and some agencies. The enterprise is to function for one year only in Cairo with possibilities of expansion after a year of evaluation. Then it is to spread to neighboring cities. * SHOMZ is to support all excluded sectors and refugees. Upon discovery of similar potentials in refugee countries, this is where the project is replicated to help in their economic development and minimize their sufferings. Syrian refugees have been rising and after we stabilize our enterprise, we wish to replicate the idea to minimize sufferings of these people and others worldwide with a focus on the developing countries. SWOT Analysis: A- Strengths: 1. Creative and innovative options 2. Variety of products 3. Strategic acquisitions 4. Efficient chain distribution

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5. Brand message ‘’for you and us’’ 6. Customizable B- Weakness: 1. Defects in products by some producers 2. Long term sustainability problems 3. Some changes in management 4. Presence is only online for a long period 5. Lack of support from people about social enterprises 6. Young start-up enterprise C- Opportunities: 1. High demand on environmental friendly products 2. More job opportunities for the public and DD 3. Emergence of new cheap household products suiting all social classes 4. Cash on delivery for more credibility and on spot rejection if didn’t like the product. 5. Expand to other less developed places to reveal hidden potentials and abilities. 6. Increase services and product portfolio through acquisitions D- Threats: 1. Rising raw materials costs in regards to national economic instability 2. Online security 3. Presence of online shopping companies with stronger reputations but for profits. 4. Perception of a company for profit and taking DD for granted.

VISION: Advancing to a new era where employment is made easy on the go putting an end to DD social exclusion and rising with their quality of life. MISSION: SHOMZ is to employ a DD with every one product sold. Employment made easy and on the go. SHOMZ aims in providing the suitable atmosphere for its beneficiaries (original people it is serving) to sell their products and showing their nascent abilities. This is done by embracing a spirit of cooperating and mutual understanding with unflinching determination for social equity. SHOMZ aims in eliminating unemployment and offering jobs to everyone via its creative and sustainable approaches. SHOMZ is to redefine how a social enterprise can change how employment is done and how simplicity and creativity can change lives and offer opportunities. OBJECTIVES: SHOMZ aims in bridging the gaps between the different social classes where a normal human being can simply act as an employer and an investor. Buy one and employ one. For every product sold, a DD is employed. The enterprise functions for the better good. 1. Increase sales of households equipment in Egyptian Houses 2. Increase the number of employment of DD and offering them more opportunities 3. Eliminating social exclusion between different social strata and increasing DD

involvements in the society 4. Transforming ideologies of the Egyptians into an Egalitarian Ideology. 5. Increasing brand awareness and being environmental friendly. 6. SHOMZ getting to work nationally and spread to neighboring countries. 7. In 5 years, gets to open a store on ground being run with DD and spreads. 8. Promoting Health Education messages with basic plans for diseases prevention

(designed accordingly for each place demands and prevalence of diseases) with each product being sold.ß

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BUSINESS STRATEGY:

SHOMZ will enter the E-commerce market with selling products via an online

platform but with a different strategy. The product being sold are purely and genuinely hand made products by DD Egyptians to help in supporting the Egyptian Economy and impact other’s lives. SHOMZ is to have its own brand existence in the market. This is what makes SHOMZ unique among other online selling companies that basically sell products by other multinational companies. As a start up, products will be sold via an online order made by filling an online simple document and the order is processed. A call center is to be fully established in 5 years being manage and run by completely DD people. What will attract our customers is our complimentary health education awareness provided in each product making SHOMZ the leading individual friendly company in productions, lifestyle and healthcare.

Product

Customer buys

Reimbursement prodn. Costs + profits

+ income to DD

Employment of another DD by providing new raw

materials

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4. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES:

SHOMZ is to sell household products as chairs, tables, brooms, and expand to include more products of other DDs. The products are hand made by the DD and they are made from environmental friendly materials hence no factories involved reducing the rate of pollution. The products are to be produced with the Egyptian Arabesque designs giving our range of products a sense of authenticity and belonging. The range of products will be of value for all houses and of different age groups and to both genders. Our products can also be deployed into offices. Each product being sold will have a complimentary package of health education upon request. This package is to promote for health education and reach audiences easily and leads the desired impact. The health education strategy is to create mass awareness of certain communicable diseases and to encourage the emergence of a new generation of healthy Egyptians well equipped with the necessary fundamentals of being healthy. SHOMZ aims in having the beneficiaries of this social enterprise the entire public. The DD are the immediate beneficiaries where they are also the suppliers of our products. Each DD will be given the opportunity to write an acknowledgment letter to their anonymous buyer to help create a deep sense of appreciation and encourage philanthropy. Each producer will act as a shareholder of the enterprise having SHOMZ being a leading enterprise where all its shareholders are the DD. Each DD will be dealt with as a business person with all privileges given to protect their copyrights and intellectual property. SHOMZ aims in further investing in their producers and will hence enroll them into training workshops to further develop their products and hence creating a long term / permanent employment and sources of income for DD. - Technological impact: SHOMZ will function as an E-Commerce enterprise with a philanthropy strategy creating a revolution in technology and philanthropy. A call center will later be established to be completely run by DD. The digital presence of SHOMZ will help link technology with philanthropy. - Distribution Channels: SHOMZ will deliver their products by a hired individual with a standard day of shipping. Shipping is done after proper secured packaging of the products is maintained. * Disadvantaged and disabled SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS:

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PRODUCT

SOCIAL EQUITY

SUSTAINABILITY

SOCIAL AWARENESS

EDUCATION

EMPLOYMENT

OPPORTUNITIES

HEALTH CARE

+

+

+

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5. MARKET RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS: SHOMZ is an Egyptian Enterprise, a tribute to Dis IS Ability national project, that provides hand made house hold products to the public. The products are made by DD and will target both genders and all age groups. A quality assurance supervisor will ensure mentor the producers to produce products that fit into the market. *Target Market Analysis: A- Geographic: Predominantly in Egypt with its Headquarters in Cairo. Potentials of expansion abroad where disadvantaged and disabled are neglected. B- Psychographic: People interested in social work, but incapable of giving their time and interested in environmental friendly household products. C- Demographic: Mostly 15-55 aged men and women with Internet access willing to help others and buy such products. Middle class people are the majority of our reach with proper education and ease of computer access. Equality of distribution is maintained despite religious beliefs or ethnic backgrounds. D- Behavioral: User and environmental friendly, stylish and ease of producing customizable products. It is offered with affordable prices and maintains a sense of urge to help others and creates the feeling of mental and soul satisfaction knowing that the small amount of paid money is going to employ and revive another person. *Customers are interested in buying such products as they will know that the moment they open the website, they are considered indirect social advocates and employers knowing that one transaction (one product bought) will help secure life of sustainability to another disabled and disadvantaged person along with themselves getting health education awareness. Later on a portion of the money will go in improving healthcare status (medical interventions – purchasing prosthetic limbs or cochlear implants), improving education conditions and enrolling a person into a class with every 10 transactions.

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* National Market Competitors Analysis:

SERVICE Souq.com Dubbizzle Sukar Jumia

1st come 1st serve

Sell and buy

CSR

Significant impact

Replicable

Prices Depends on market demand and offers promotions

You put your price and contact details

Depends on market demand and offers promotions

They have a warehouse and depend on market demand and supply.

Products Almost everything Almost everything Almost everything Almost Everything

Brand Product NA NA NA NA Social Awareness

NA NA NA NA

*International Market Competitors Analysis:

TOM’s KEDS BOBS

Description Sells shoes. For every shoe you buy, you automatically donate one for a person in need to wear one.

Sells all shoes and then expanded to involve all kinds of footwear suiting both genders and different purposes. It partners with some celebrities adding their touches and signatures into Keds products.

For each shoe you buy, a donation is made to soles4souls non profit that gives two pair of shoes to people in need.

Strengths - “One for One” message - Innovative options - Price - Offers more than just purchasing a pair of shoes

- Well-established brand - Variety of shoes available - Reasonably priced

- Donates two pairs of shoes to a charitable cause - Simplistic shoe design - Variety of colors, designs and fabrics

Weakness - Minimal advertising - Young company - Less extensive perception of brand

- Considered “old-fashioned” - Quality of the products – plastic - Not water-resistant.

- Limited shoe variety (women and children only) - Minimal advertising and/or promotions.

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6. OPERATIONS PLAN:

*Location: SHOMZ is based in Cairo, Egypt to start functioning in a small room of rented office until it grows having its own Office. Current address: 7, Abbas Zaazoue, Branch from Tayaran street, 7th District, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt. *Land and facility requirements: SHOMZ is to have its owe office and in a descent place to provide a suitable atmosphere for its beneficiaries and employees to work with creativity. It is to be away from the hectic crowded city of Cairo. It will include all necessary equipment and tools to help make the place run as smoothly as possible with proper internet connection, PC, desks, closets, and its own electrical equipment. *Facility layout / improvements / work flow: SHOMZ is to be designed by products of the disabled and enriched with the Egyptian Arabesque design. It is to continuously grow according to the current budget. *Suppliers and equipment requirements: After several quotation purchase statements, we will choose the cost benefit retail store to purchase the following (stationary – desks – PC – Projector – Hard Disk – Printer – Professional camera – Internet Router – SHOMZ designed bags and envelops – primary demonstration of the raw materials for the DD). We are to partner with a specific store to offer us all our equipment with reasonable prices and for future collaborations.

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7. ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT TEAM:

The project is functioning with a decentralization strategy giving each division its freedom in work and opening doors for creativity. A protocol of the enterprise execution is given to all division heads emphasizing on the communication methodology and linking. Periodic bimonthly meetings are conducted for updates and planning the next phases. Decentralization strategy is used to eliminate work jeopardy when one of the heads in unavailable at work. This helps create a productive outcome.

Compensation plans are planned for 10 leaders in the enterprise to stimulate their desire in commitment and dedication.

Pioneer Vision Achievers

Stability wing

Head

Pillar builders

S H O M Z

MARKETING DIVISION PUBLIC RELATIONS / AFFAIRS DIVISION

ENTERPRISE VICE COORDINATOR (COO)

ENTERPRISE FOUNDING MANAGER (CEO)

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

HUMAN CAPITAL DIVISION

TREASURY / FINANCIAL DIVISION

MONITORING AND EVALUATION / QUALITY ASSURANCE UNIT

VOLUNTEERS AND MEMBERS

PRODUCT SUPPLIERS / SHAREHOLDERS (DIFFERENTLY ABLED)

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ENTERPRISE FOUNDING MANAGER

(CEO)

1. Founding enterprise 2. Strategy and infrastructure setup 3. Ensure proper leadership and management 4. Choosing board 5. Fundraising and training 6. Spokesperson

ENTERPRISE VICE COORDINATOR (COO)

1. Ensure planned vision and mission in action. 2. Coordinate operations execution 3. Setup meetings and logistics / follow up 4. Represent Enterprise if CEO absent. 5. Recommendations for development 6. Work with CEO

MARKETING DIVISION (MD)

1. Marketing plan and strategy (product – pricing – distribution – promotion) 2. Market research 3. Marketing calendar and budget. 4. Propose market objectives 5. Follow up on competitors’ updates 6. Research new plans.

PUBLIC RELATIONS / AFFAIRS DIVISION (PR) 1. Designs and production 2. Brand maintaining 3. Pictures and Videos production and editing 4. Web design 5. PR campaigns 6. Social networks 7. Media coverage 8. IT support 9. Works with all division (specially marketing)

HUMAN CAPITAL DIVISION (HC)

1. Recruitment plans 2. Meeting minutes 3. Archive record keeping and tracking 4. Members assistance and database keeping of entire enterprise 5. Administrative tasks. 6. Works with all divisions.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION (R&D)

1. Researching and screening cities for disabled and disadvantaged people with potentials for producing products. 2. Research proper raw materials 3. Research and develop producers

TREASURY / FINANCIAL DIVISION (T)

1. Monitoring and documenting all financial matter 2. Bills collection and ensure our safe bank account 3. Legal consultations and advices on financial situation and periodic statement reports and recommendation.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION /

QUALITY ASSURANCE UNIT (MEQAU)

1. Monitor and evaluate progress 2. Periodic reports on problems and progress 3. Investigate problems and crisis management plans 4. Interfere in rising up with standards. 5. Quality products.

PRODUCT SUPPLIERS / SHAREHOLDERS

(DIFFERENTLY ABLED) (PS)

1. Saving intellectual property and copyrights. 2. Ensure proper service, needs met, products up to standards 3. Agreements of products release 4. Enroll in workshops.

VOLUNTEERS AND MEMBERS (VAM)

1. Ensure members needs are met, follow up and continuous motivation plans and activities. 2. Ensure merit system and benefits are in action 3. Ensure proper working atmosphere.

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8. FINANCIAL MATTER: * Budget:

PRODUCT UNIT COST (USD) QUANTITY X UNIT COST(USD) (CALCULATION) TOTAL (USD)

Professional Camera 1050 1 * 1050 1050

Website (all inclusive) 2750 2750

Hard Disk 200 1 * 200 200

Wrap bags 2 2 * 100 200

Shipment rent 100 per month 100 * 12 1200

Office rent (All inclusive) 1200 per month 1200 * 12 14,400

Projector 450 1 * 450 450

Board allowances 500 10 * 500 $ * 12 months 60,000

Printer 250 1 * 250 250

Desks 230 4 * 230 920

Raw materials for production (Bamboo)

20 10 * 20 200

Mobile calls 10 10 people * 10 $ * 12 Months 1200

Stickers 1 100 * 1 100

Flyers 0.5 200 * 0.5 100

Flags 5 100 * 5 500

Roll Ups 40 10 * 40 400

Posters / Banners 2 200 * 2 400

T O T A L 84,320

* Start up costs (Capital):

1. Grants and donations 2. Personal investment

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9. CRITICAL RISKS, PROBLEMS AND ASSUMPTIONS:

RISK PLAN TO OVERCOME

High start up capital Fundraising events and dinners

Lack of governmental support Proper proposal and business plan along with elevator pitch for presentation

Small number of producers Focus on rising up with their standards via workshops to increase their productivity

Less number of people visiting the website

Proper Marketing and increase media presence

Lack of commitment from members Offer benefits and motivation events

Improper time management and skipping of deadlines

In the Ghantt Chart, put an error margin of a certain period of time

Accusation from several agencies and people on taking the disabled for granted

Proper meeting to explain the idea and evidences of success

Poor shipment of products Manage with a courier agency

Unable to properly deal with products selling and exposure

Start a warehouse and hire a store manager.

Unavailability of raw materials Go to alternatives in production.

Legal firm papers hassle Use help from the legal lawyer of the firm and proper consultations

Poor reach to places beneficiaries Increase manpower and open call for employment nation-wide via media

Website flaws and instability Use a strong domain and invest in its security and stability.

Inter personal conflicts in the workplace

Arrange debates and investigations if problems escalade.

Lack of availability of land proper for office space

Work from the same old room and at home online. Ask for support from the property holders.

The beneficiaries not willing to participate due to self confidence problems.

Arrange a seminar and personal conversations by psychologists and role models in the disability to help get the person out of the fear zone and explain the opportunities ahead.

Disharmony between each division work and their fellows

Proper communication session to be given and periodic meeting for updates with reminding them of the working protocol.

Unable to convince corporation to invest in the enterprise.

Use public figures to deliver the message along with a documentary to shed the light on the magnitude of the problem. We can also use a ministry official that supports the idea and issue a statement of support.

Difficulty in reaching certain rural areas.

Partner with Local organizations to facilitate our work.

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10. REFERENCES:

1- Adams, Indiana. “TOMS vs. BOBS: There is a Difference.” Editorial. Adored Austin. N.p., 22 Nov. 2010. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.adoredaustin.com/2010/ 11/toms-vs-bobs-there-is-difference.html>

2- https://souqteam.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/souq-analysis-document.pdf 3- http://averima.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/toms-pr-plansbook.pdf

4- Keds. “Our History.” Editorial. Keds Shoes. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.keds.com/store/SiteController/keds/ourstorypage>.

5- TOMS. "One for One Movement." Editorial. TOMS Shoes. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.toms.com/our-movement>.

6-http://www.strategicmanagementinsight.com/swot-analyses/amazon-swot-analysis.html