In This Paper Students Will Analyze And Discuss Small Busine

In This Paper Students Will Analyze And Discuss Small Business Growth

In this paper, students will analyze and discuss small business growth in terms of growth strategy, business forms, short and medium-term goals, financing assistance, organizational structure and staffing needs, customers and promotion, and ethics and social responsibility. Students are expected to apply business and management concepts learned in our course. By completing this assignment, students will meet the outcome(s) 4 to 5 pages Case Study: Planning for Growth Kelly’s Sandwich Stop is one of the best-known and most loved sandwich concessions in town. In business for about five years, she sells sandwiches and other lunch items made from locally produced food from her mobile food trailer. Kelly’s passion and talent for creating reliably fresh, tasty lunch fare popular among a business clientele (largely employees and shoppers) has made her small enterprise a booming success.

In the last year, Kelly added a bicycle-towed concession that travels to different strategic locations in town, selling her popular sandwiches to customers who work beyond walking distance of Kelly’s Sandwich Stop. She now has a total of four employees, all part-time, working both concessions. Because she caters to urban customers, her concessions operate on weekdays from 10 am to 2 pm. To promote word-of-mouth advertising, Kelly uses Facebook to publish her daily menus and the locations of the bicycle concession. As a sole proprietor, Kelly has been pleased with her lunch business success.

Now it’s time to get serious about the future of her business. In the short and medium term, she wants to see it grow into a potentially more lucrative enterprise, implementing a greater variety of food products and services, and increasing her competitive edge in the region. Ever the ardent entrepreneur, Kelly’s long-term dream is to develop her creative, health-conscious culinary skills and services into a wider clientele outside the region. An opportunity has arisen to lease restaurant space about 10 miles away from her trailer concession location, close to a mall and the suburbs and nearer to her local food producers. Kelly has jumped at the chance.

While she has hired professional business consultants to help her set up the space, design the menu, and implement the opening of the restaurant, she must also consider the short- and long-term financial, HR, and management needs of such an expansion. Kelly is particularly sensitive to her relationship to her customers, employees, and the community.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Small businesses serve as vital engines for economic growth, innovation, and employment in communities worldwide. Kelly’s Sandwich Stop exemplifies the success of a well-managed small enterprise that leverages local resources and customer loyalty to achieve growth. This analysis explores Kelly’s growth strategy, business structure, fiscal planning, organizational needs, marketing approach, and ethical considerations, applying core management concepts to evaluate her expansion plans.

Growth Strategy

Kelly’s aspiration to diversify her offerings and expand geographically signifies a proactive growth strategy. Her short-term goal focuses on scaling her current operations by adding new product lines and increasing promotional efforts, especially leveraging social media platforms such as Facebook. Medium-term ambitions include establishing a fixed restaurant location, which promises greater stability and customer reach. These strategies align with market penetration and market development approaches outlined by Ansoff’s Product-Market Growth Matrix (Ansoff, 1957). She aims to capitalize on her brand reputation while broadening her service portfolio and territorial presence.

Business Forms and Organizational Structure

Currently operating as a sole proprietorship, Kelly benefits from simplicity and direct control over her business decisions. However, her expansion necessitates a review of this structure. Transitioning to an LLC or corporation could provide liability protection and facilitate investment, especially with a new restaurant venture (Grossman & Olsen, 2017). Her current staff of four part-time employees may need to be expanded and formalized into a more structured team, possibly requiring management hierarchy, training programs, and HR policies aligned with the larger operation (Dess & Picken, 2000).

Short and Medium-Term Goals

In the short term, Kelly’s goals include setting up her new restaurant location, designing an appealing menu that reflects her health-conscious brand, and executing effective marketing campaigns to attract customers. Medium-term objectives involve establishing a sustainable customer base, improving operational efficiency, and exploring additional revenue streams such as catering or online ordering. Strategic planning tools like SWOT analysis and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can support her in monitoring progress and adjusting strategies as needed (Kaplan & Norton, 1992).

Financing Assistance and Management Needs

Expansion requires significant capital investment that may involve loans, investor funding, or grants. Kelly must prepare detailed financial projections and seek appropriate financing options. Financial planning should include liquidity management, cost control, and contingency reserves to mitigate risks (Brealey et al., 2011). Additionally, expanding her team will require effective HR management, including recruitment, training, and maintaining a positive workplace culture aligned with her community-sensitive ethos (Fernandez-Araoz et al., 2016). Her management approach should emphasize transparency, motivation, and community engagement.

Customers, Promotion, and Ethical Considerations

Kelly’s loyal customer base, mainly local urban workers and shoppers, is central to her business strategy. To attract new customers, she can implement promotional campaigns, loyalty programs, and community involvement activities (Kotler & Keller, 2016). Ethical practices in sourcing ingredients, waste management, and transparent communication reinforce her social responsibility. Given her community focus, Kelly must maintain high standards for food safety, employee treatment, and environmental sustainability, fostering trust and goodwill (Crane & Matten, 2016).

Conclusion

Kelly’s growth trajectory exemplifies how small businesses can strategically evolve to harness new opportunities while maintaining core values. A combination of tactical planning—such as market expansion, organizational restructuring, and financial management—coupled with ethical commitment, will position her enterprise for long-term success. By applying management concepts, Kelly can navigate the complexities of business growth, ensuring sustainable development that benefits her community, employees, and customers alike.

References

• Ansoff, H. I. (1957). Strategies for Diversification. Harvard Business Review, 35(5), 113-124.
• Brealey, R. A., Myers, S. C., & Allen, F. (2011). Principles of Corporate Finance. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Crane, A., & Matten, D. (2016). Business Ethics: Managing Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability in the Age of Globalization. Oxford University Press.
• Dess, G. G., & Picken, J. C. (2000). Changing Roles of Top Management Teams in Small Organizations: A Contingency Perspective. Journal of Small Business Management, 38(3), 1–17.
• Fernandez-Araoz, C., Nohria, N., & Wolf, G. (2016). HR’s Future: The CEO Agenda. Harvard Business Review, 94(1), 91-98.
• Grossman, R., & Olsen, M. (2017). Small Business Start-Up and Management. Pearson.
• Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. (1992). The Balanced Scorecard: Measures that Drive Performance. Harvard Business Review, 70(1), 71-79.
• Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Marketing Management (15th ed.). Pearson.