[xcoolaryan]

Originally Posted by pankajjudge

by dis word called EXCLUSIVELY i mean 2 say that we will design operations n marketing according to MBA ppl.. lets say ppl h work ex so dey have high purchasing power (compared to b tech)..for dem higene factor counts more n quality 2 ...late nite case presentations actually forced dem to hv different routine...so peak time shall b 11 pm to 5am in morning( though 24 hrs service factor will b there)...atlast u must hv a core competency....though later on v can move to enginees but currently we r planning to target MBA guys....

How can higene factor can be a core competency? I mean isn't this is what we expect when we go out for eating?

Extended timing can be convenient but then again, will it be sustainable if it is open to only MBA people at night? DO you really think all the crowd from insti., will come to your food court?

Originally Posted by Neo2000

Somebody should probably do a seminar on writing business plans. I have no idea how to write Financial projections and i like to think lots of non-MBAs are just as puzzled as i am over this section.

Btw, the TiE is for incorporated start-ups. Small timers like us dont qualify do we?

totally agree ... but now i think about it, TiE did have a session about this i guess .... i don't remember much about it though ...

nway, am planning to join TiE Mumbai from next month, so will be give regular update regarding all the programmes

[the_egonomist]

@pankajjudge

My two pence:

Its good you are thinking, thats the first step - vision.

However, when you plan to start a venture you would have to keep in mind what you want to do. Which would mean you should also keep in mind what you would do at a future stage with the business.

If you cater to only the needs of highly specialized groups, you are alienating against other groups who could potentially be your target consumers.

I think you need to refine your idea to embrace as many such groups as you can. That way you can ensure your venture has the potential to grow seemlessly.

Cheers.

p.s:Ignore my rather amateur attempt at putting my point across.

[xcoolaryan]

Originally Posted by pankajjudge

i cud nt make myself more clear...EXCLUSIVELY does not means dat only MBA guys can have pizza ..it means dat food chain will be in MBA colleges n shall b open for all ...u might have heard of CHAI UNCHAI which just opened in IIM B ....

i think you are talking about this Tata Tea opens Chai Unchai outlet in B'lore

But that still don't answer my basis question, how you gonna differntitate from others, do you have any expertise in food business or u knw any1 who gonna help you in this food venture & most imp., how u gonna finance it?

[pankajjudge]

i mentioned dat 11 pm to 5 am will be peak time ...but court will be open 24 hrs...higene factor is not a part of core competency....

i hv my cousin who is doing d same in US sumwhere...he got expertise...finance part i m really bad at...dat is where i am seeking help for in terms of ideas n process.......its just a thot came in my mind...i m seeking for d feasibility of implementation n ideas on how to go ? now as differentiation is concerned , dis is d part i m pondering upon for past few days..............d purpose of discussion here is to discuss the plan right frm d scratch....

very true

Eligibility Criteria

• The challenge is open to early stage entrepreneurs from across India who have already incorporated their companies
• The Business should have a focus on Technology or Services (i.e., covering IT, internet, software, telecom, mobile, education, BPO, KPO etc)

[Apurv]

Originally Posted by pankajjudge

i cud nt make myself more clear...EXCLUSIVELY does not means dat only MBA guys can have pizza ..it means dat food chain will be in MBA colleges n shall b open for all ...u might have heard of CHAI UNCHAI which just opened in IIM B ....

I think the MBA closed group limits the scalability of the business by a huge deal. Most b-schools would allow only one or two caterers on campus... maybe one for the mess and another for the cafeteria... and invite tenders for the same. So you are banking on the fact that you will place tenders for only b-schools and win all the bids. I don't think that is realistic.

I think engineering colleges and college campuses are equally good on purchasing power. Take Barista or CCD... are you saying that engineering college and BA/BCom guys in Delhi or Pune or Mumbai University do not have the purchasing power to buy a Rs 100 coffee from Barista? I think they are the LARGEST clientele for these cafes! So the basis that only MBAs will buy expensive and hygienic food at odd hours needs a recheck.

Taking the analogy further, now many b-schools will have 50 percent unprivileged class students due to the reservation. Assuming that none of them are from the creamy layer, they will not be able to afford the food sold in your cafeteria.

So basically here it is...
- you are designing a food cafeteria business for a limited segment of b-schools
- which have max 600-700 people on campus at any point of time
- half of whom can't afford your food
- and you can never win all the tenders for the b-schools.

On the other hand, in engineering college or university...
- you have several thousands of students on campus
- across all strata
- with heavy pocket money for a lot of people
- are most intensively involved in building a social life (hanging out with friends, dating)

And most importantly, you increase the universe of campuses where you can bid for franchise.

Cheers,

[Apurv]

Originally Posted by Neo2000

Somebody should probably do a seminar on writing business plans. I have no idea how to write Financial projections and i like to think lots of non-MBAs are just as puzzled as i am over this section.

Btw, the TiE is for incorporated start-ups. Small timers like us dont qualify do we?

Allwin comes back in June-end. You should bug him to organize something like this... he's the best guy for this!

[pankajjudge]

thanks for the analysis........great input ...me n my team will discuss on dis........keep on pouring more inputs for d same........

[xcoolaryan]

speaking of tenders in college campuses ... most of time it all comes down to contacts or whom you know .....

this is india & tender system is used to hide cheating / bribing

how you gonna fight the local guy who;s already operating this cafeteria for last 15-20 years & knows half the college by their names ... people tends to prefer familiar places unless the new places offer something really special ....

now, if you plan your cafeteria like CCD etc., then it becomes a costly proposition as all the interior & furniture will cost a lot ...

[the_egonomist]

@pankajjudge

As Apurv put it going by the assumption that MBA students would be willing to spend would be unfounded.

Consider this scenario, an average scenario of a MBA student would be someone who spent a lot on the tuition and hostel. Normally, in such a position a student would be looking to save and not spend exorbitantly.

Like with IT companies, chains are already targeting them with some cafe or food outlet with in their premises.

Cheers.

[xcoolaryan]

Originally Posted by Apurv

Allwin comes back in June-end. You should bug him to organize something like this... he's the best guy for this!

If such indeed goona take place, I request this treat to be extended to all the loyal PG ... not only to MODs

Originally Posted by the_egonomist

@pankajjudge

As Apurv put it going by the assumption that MBA students would be willing to spend would be unfounded.

Consider this scenario, an average scenario of a MBA student would be someone who spent a lot on the tuition and hostel. Normally, in such a position a student would be looking to save and not spend exorbitantly

but if you at other side, many student come with work-ex and they have their own money to spend (out of their saving), these student do mind shelling 100bucks for tea ....

so yes, there's market for such student who have higher spending power much such number of student will be quite limited and won't be able to sustain 24hrs cafeteria