Business Development Series – Archive

General

• Overview of Series – slides with narrative (15 min)
• Series Outline Version 1.0 –  Subject to change as we determine needs
• Contact Sheet – Please add your name and the contact info you are willing to share with other participants.
• Facebook Group – Please join “HFU Regenerative Business Development Group” for updates and dialog.
• Participants Showcase – Version 10/6/17
• Oahu RC&D Hawaii AgriBusiness Workbook (2009) – a good “print” resource and overview
• Maui Ag Design Conference Report (2010)
• Marinerʻs Catch – Tried and true succinct sample business plan for a loan proposal  (1980ʻs)

Week 1 – Introduction/Overview – The live videos of the this weeks first webinar sessions are pretty punk.   We are working to improve the process for next week (mainly getting a helper – if you are interested let me know).  I did make a version of the slides with audio narration.

• Slides
• Slides with Audio Narrative (15 minutes)
• Video Welcome, Goals
• Video Review of Schedule
• Video Lean Methods & Business Models
• HOMEWORK  for Week 1 
• Blank Business Canvas – Powerpoint version
• Blank Business Canvas – Google Slides version
• Blank Business Canvas – Keynote version

Week 2 – Business Models –

• Slide (Agenda)
• Vincent Mina – Kahanulani Greens – business model video from class
• Vinceʻs slides – expanding the 1-page canvas in to a presentation
• Bob King on Pacific Biodieselʻs business model, its evolution and future in Q&A in webinar.
• Nutrient Cycling Business Model Canvas – demonstrates use of cash flow and social impact metrics
• Video Tutorial on how to do a simple cash flow projection (18 minutes).
• Cash Flow Projection Template – Google Sheet Version
• Cash Flow Projection Template – Excel Version
• HOMEWORK for Week 2

Week 3 – Market Research

• Slides (Agenda, Market Research Matrix, Breakeven)
• Value of Tools Like Zoom – for market research and business development (video of class)
• Marketing Research Matrix – 4 kinds of market research with discussion (video from class)
• Tool Sharing Service – presentation and discussion of first pass at model (video from class)
• Mamaki Tea & Small Scale Value Added Kitchen – two different models (video from class)
• Intro to Break-Even Analysis  – Definitions, discussion and several problems worked out (video from class)
• HOMEWORK – Week 3

Week 4 – Market Research – Deeper Dive

• Review and Interview with Christian Zuckerman – Kahumana Farm/Housing/Learning/Retreat Community in Waianae, Oahu (45 min video)  See also
• Discussion with Eli Nygren on research to create a sake brewery and bring back rice growing to Hawaii (30 min).
• Evening Introductions (23 min)
• Discussion of Market Research Experience over the last week. Briana Rodriques shares her notes.
• Christopher Spezzano talks about his research over the last year in designing web tools (Form & Matter) to help match small local growers to aggregators, stores and direct to customers. Aram Armstrong who has worked as an interaction designer with IDEO and Eli Nygren who is a user interface specialist working in Japan and Maui, join in.   I am hoping to get their help in upgrading how we are able to share and collaborate around developing our business models.  Stay tuned.
• HOMEWORK – Keep up the good work.  Next week we take a deeper dive on forecasting and developing financial projections.   Chaz Berman of Growers Secret a business that grew out of the mushroom operation the site for which the Farmers Union is looking at on Hana Highway in Haiku. The current R&D is in the former clinic at Puunene and Hanson Rd. where Tim Gunterʻs Maui Earth Composting is located.   Chad is the CEO and is based in SF.

Week 5 – Cash Flow, Forecasting, Pricing & Pivots

• We talked with Chaz Berman, CEO of Growers Secret – a company that started as a mushroom farm and is now an international soil amendment company with offices in SF and R&D in Puunene.
• Teena Rasmussen – who just sold her 40-year old flower farm, shares lessons about understanding costs, pricing, the importance of consistency and collaboration.  Teena has also always supported small business development and is currently the Maui County Economic Development Coordinator.
• Updates on Market Research from participants. Brianaʻs notes on her research.
• Forecasting and the inter-relationship between historical and future oriented financial statements.
• HOMEWORK – Continue evolving your models including some cash flow projections.  We are also gearing up to create a class page with photos, short bios, and links to your business development website (more later).  Please send a short bio and photo and any links to class participant Eli Nygren  by noon next Tuesday.
• Next Week –  Financials – Deep Dive on Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, Ratios – and Valuation:  How much is your idea worth?   How do you figure out how much ownership you need to give in return for investment?  How do you value your contribution to a joint venture?   How do you sell your business when you are ready to move on?

Week 6 – Demystifying Financials

• Review and Deeper Dive on various kinds and uses of financial statements
• Slides
• Video – Extending 12 month projection to 5 years, simple valuation, review of Marinerʻs Catch
• Excel Spreadsheet extending the simple cash flow projection from earlier
• Marinerʻs Catch – sample business plan

Reminder to send photo and bio to Eli Nygren  by noon next Tuesday.

Next Week – Creative and Appropriate Ways to Raise Funds

Special Session – Monday Noon with Jenny Kassan – an attorney pioneer in direct public offerings.  Please have a look at her website.

Wednesday Lunch –  Amy Cortese, author book and blog Locavesting – TEDxMaui Speaker.

Week 7 – Creative and Appropriate Ways to Get Money For Food System Projects

• Amy Cortese – Brooklyn based author and coiner of the term “Locavesting” TEDxMaui Talk from 2012
• Amy Cortese – video with class what has happened since her talk and what is exciting and useful now.
• Links from Amy
  • https://gridshare.com/ – crowdfunding site for renewable energy
    https://neighborly.com/ – crowdfunding meets muni bonds
    www.locavesting.com – community capital news & resources
    www.investibule.co – crowdfunding aggregation site (for investors that want to try out crowdfunding & align their $ with their values)
  • Colleague Dan Miller is about to launch a crowdfunding site for farmers – stay tuned.
• Jenny Kassan – Oakland based attorney pioneer in helping people raise equity investment from their communities.  Website includes intro to her “Six Steps To Prepare to Raise Money”
• Video from Jennyʻs discussion with class.
• Links from Jenny
  • A private regulatorʻs view of funding sites they regulate – FINRA 
  • A dash board on equity crowd funding activity by a private group monitoring and educating people about this new approach to democratizing investing.
  • A Preview of Jennyʻs new book “Raising Money on Your Own Terms” –  to be published on October 8th.

NEXT WEEK – Focus on impact investors.  Guest James Frasier of Natural Investments.

Week 8 – Social Impact Investing, Metrics & Preparing to Make A Pitch

• Video of Discussion with James Frasier of Natural Investments
• Due Diligence Check List – After you have an interested investor you must be prepared for a detailed due diligence review.
• B-Labs – Metrics, Certification, Database and Rankings for B-Corps
• 2011 Overview of Hawaiiʻs Sustainable Business Corporation (legal entity like B Corp)
• 2015 Update on HIʻs SBC progress
• Jenny Kassanʻs just funded accelerator for B Corporations
• Video of evening group discussion (should be available on Friday)
•  Arumʻs suggested aids for developing a pitch – See his Facebook Post
  • https://www.slideshare.net/esa…/value-proposition-canvas-101
  • https://strategyzer.com/books/value-proposition-design 
  • http://torgronsund.com/…/7-proven-templates-for-creating-v…/
  • Arumʻs Example https://sites.google.com/view/resiliencegames/
• Davidʻs slides differentiating “mission” and “pitch”

NEXT WEEK – Focus on Relationships – Developing, Maintaining, Putting Things in Writing –  with guests John Hauoli Tomoso (Episcopal Priest and Executive Director of Tri-Isle RC&D), and HFU member and attorney Michael Moskowitz.

Week 9 – Relationships – Review/Preview of Series – Legal, Accounting, Negotiation – Cultural Competency.

• Lunch Session Video
• Dinner Session Video – Featuring John Tomoso on Cultural Competency
• DF Slides – Review/Preview – Operations/Agreements
• Links – to legal agreement templates & collaboration tools

NEXT WEEK – Accounting systems for finance, safety and social metrics.

Week 10 – Systems for Accounting, Time Management, Social Metrics, Food Safety

• Video – Update on Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) from Annabella Bruch & quick look at Sapere cloud based HACCP and GMP system.
• DF Overview on Accounting, Time/Project Management, Social Metrics

Week 11 – The Fifth P – Promotion – Social Media, Public Relations, Food as Medicine

• Danielle Miller – video – Overview of Social Media Management – https://mmmsocialmedia.com/
• Tony Talalay – CEO of Brassica Protection Products (http://brassica.com/) – Video – sharing the story of developing a international health-focused product, fresh broccoli sprouts, out of top medical school, Johns Hopkins University and being forced to pivot to supplements.  Tonyʻs slides.
• Katie MacMillan – video – Hawaii based Public Relations and Communications Consultant – Why are events important for promoting your business, how to develop or find them, and how to make the most out of them. Contact Katie

Week 12  –  Negotiation –

• Dale Bonar video –  was the first executive director for the Hawaii Islands Land Trust – currently working on affordable farming land trusts
• Joel Edelman video – “Mindful Maui Lawyer” focused on agreements and problem prevention and when inevitable disagreements happen, smoothly reach positive outcomes. https://www.joeledelman.com/about
• “Getting to Yes” – 11 page pdf summary of classic book in table form.   Book review

Coming Shortly – Survey and Discussion of What is Next?