After reviewing the websites from the Learning Activities page for LP10 (#5) on franchise opportunities, summarize your insights and franchise research, and answer the following questions with a recap of your summary on the discussion board. Be sure to identify the franchise you researched in the discussion post.

Identify one franchise opportunity that you would consider, and answer the following questions:

1. What attracts you to the idea of franchising?
2. Are opportunities in franchising comparable to starting a business from scratch? What are the pros and cons?
3. What are the long-term prospects for owning the franchise you researched? Can you make an equivalent amount of net income compared to starting your own business?

LP5 Assignment: Calculating Financial Ratios

Business is a numbers game, and survival in the marketplace depends on having the right numbers in black ink. It is necessary to compare your venture to other businesses in your industry by calculating key financial ratios. Review the financial ratios in Figure 8.10 in Chapter 8 of your text.

Go to BizStats by BizMiner and select “Financial Benchmark Reports” – Select “Sole Proprietorship” or “Corporation” or “S Corp” – Select your Industry (for example, Retail – food & beverage), then you will see various business statistics and financial ratios. Look at the Industry Financial Ratios for your industry at the bottom, and recap this specific information in a 1-2 page paper including the industry you chose.

Submit this assignment to your instructor via the dropbox “LP5 Assignment: Calculating Financial Ratios.” This assignment is worth 75 points.

*Note: The research compiled for this assignment will be utilized in a future class. Also, submit your assignment to the Locker. Go to My Home – My Tools – Locker – upload files

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LP6 Assignment: Research SBA Programs

Directions: Write a one to two page paper researching SBA Loan programs at the Small Business Administration’s website. Also, contact the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) in your area to see what support services are offered for entrepreneurs as well as financing options through the SBA.

Submit this assignment to your instructor via the dropbox “LP6 Assignment: Research SBA Programs.” This assignment is worth 75 points.

LP7 Assignment: Family Business

Directions: Going into business with a family member makes up a major portion of new businesses launched every year. However, family businesses present unique challenges for start-ups. It is important to ensure you have established the best business entity and reviewed appropriate resources before forging into a family business venture.

Research in your own community those types of businesses that are family-owned. Categorize the most common business opportunity (e.g., car dealerships, restaurants, real estate firms, accounting firm, etc) in regard to industry and the legal form chosen for this business. Review the following websites on family businesses: Resources – Family Businesses.

Write a one to two page paper defining keys to success and considerations for building a family business. Also compare the choice of business entities and identify the best legal form for your business based on your research in the community.

Submit this assignment to your instructor via the dropbox “LP7 Assignment: Family Business.” This assignment is worth 75 points.

LP8 Assignment: Human Resource Policies

Directions: Even small businesses should develop personnel policies to cover hiring, firing, and managing employees. This manual can assist in avoiding legal trouble with employees as well.

A source that assists in the development of policies and procedures can be found at Nolo – Law for All sponsored by Nolo. Another source that allows you to develop policies using online software is located at HR Tools hosted by Insperity.

Also review the Business Owner’s Toolkit by BizFilings for information on policies regarding employees. (Go to People Who Work for You – review Recruiting and Hiring, Benefits, rules, motivating, disciplining, terminating.) Additional websites to review for Labor Law Compliance: Go to Resources – Human Resources: Labor Law Compliance. After reviewing these sources, prepare your policies in one to two pages that would address the following for your employees:

• Guidelines regarding hiring practices including interviewing prospective employees
• Background screening
• How to apply labor law compliance in hiring practices

Submit this assignment to your instructor via the dropbox “LP8 Assignment: Human Resource Policies.” This assignment is worth 75 points.

LP9 Assignment: The Small Business Owner’s Tax Compliance

What are the laws when it comes to taxes? What forms do I have to fill out? The Internal Revenue Service publishes a “Tax Guide for Small Businesses” which can be reviewed at the IRS website. Make a list of any questions you might have.

Also review the websites at the Business Owner’s Toolkit by BizFilings (look at Controlling Your Taxes) and Internal Revenue Service’s Small Business Taxes & Management (IRS regulation updates).

Review the tax material provided in Chapter 12. Make a list of all tax forms you will need and print them out. Read through the IRS Small Business Tax Guide. Make a list of any questions you might have and any tax forms needed. Recap your findings in a one to two page paper addressing the necessity of good record keeping and compliance with tax regulations.

Submit this assignment to your instructor via the dropbox “LP9 Assignment: The Small Business Owner’s Tax Compliance.” This assignment is worth 75 points.

LP10 Assignment: ABC Sporting Goods

ABC Sporting Goods

Examining the asking price of a business includes reviewing all past records and assessing the future financial outlook for the business, the economy, and the industry. You are buying the future not the past.

Critical Assumptions for ABC Sporting Goods:

• ABC Sporting Goods is a small business, operating as a corporation.
• ABC has been in business for 15 years.
• The owner draws a salary listed under officers’ compensation.
• The store has been in the same location for the past seven years and has a Triple Net Lease (i.e. pay real estate taxes, building insurance, and maintenance).
• Sales decreased slightly in the past two years, but the company has tried to maintain market share by lowering their prices. This has impacted both gross and net profit.
• The owner wishes to sell his business and retire. The stress of running the business for the last 15 years, for 10 or 12 hours a day has begun to impact his health.
• The owner feels that the business has a good reputation with many loyal customers.
• He believes the business should be valued at $750,000.

Review attached spreadsheet for Financial Information on ABC Sporting Goods: Profit & Loss

Directions:

Part I. Complete the following ratio analysis for ABC sporting Goods.

Utilize:  BizStats at http://www.BizStats.com

Go to Industry Financials on the Blue Navigation Bar

Select – Corporations 249 not Sole Proprietorships 141

Select Retail Trade

Select Sporting good – Hobby book – Music

Calculate the following ratios: (Based on the last 3 year average)

• Return on sales (net profit divided by gross revenues)
• Return on assets
• Return on net worth
• Quick ratio
• Current ratio
• Inventory turnover (gross sales divided by inventory)
• Assets to sales ratio
• Total liabilities to net worth

Compare these ratios to those found in BizStats. Comment on any differences and how they impact the value of the business. Identify any significant trends in the business.

Part II. Estimate the business value using BizStats – Valuation Rule for Sporting Goods Stores at BizStats.

Under reports/valuation/valuation-rule-thumb.php

Adjust the business valuation based on your completed calculation and the ratio and trend analysis performed in step I.

Part III. Calculate the viability of purchasing the business based on the following parameters:

You can finance the business for 20% down with an interest rate of 5%, amortization over 20 years. Use the following formula:

Purchase price $100,000, down payment 20% or $20,000 which results in $80,000 being financed.  

For $1,000 financed at 5%, the factor to calculate your monthly payment is .66x for every $100 borrowed. That equals $66/month or $792/year.

We now can calculate the free cash flow available to pay the loan amount. We can use the following formula:

Net Profit

+interest paid (use previous years amount from P&L)

+Depreciation and amortization

= Cash flow

For example, if we have $10,000 for our cash flow and our payments are $528 x 12 months = $6,336; then to calculate our DSC or debt service coverage ratio, we divide the Cash flow by the annual debt service or $10,000 / $6,336 =1.58x. If we borrowed $400,000 our monthly payment is $2,640 or $31,680 and if our cash flow is $100,000 then the DSC is 3.16x. Anything greater than 1.20 is considered to be adequate. Comment on the result.

Submit this assignment to your instructor via the dropbox “LP10 Assignment: ABC Sporting Goods.