First Screen

INFLA CUSH

A Product By: CUSH’N’

Part 1: Strength of Business Idea

Low Potential (-1) Moderate Potential (0) High Potential (+1)

1. Extent to which the Weak Moderate Strong

idea:
● Takes advantage of
an environmental
trend
● Solves a problem
● Addresses an
unfilled gap in the
marketplace
2. Timeliness of entry to Not timely Moderately timely Very timely
market
3. Extent to which the Low Medium High
idea “adds value” for
its buyer or end user

4. Extent to which the Very satisfied Moderately satisfied Not very satisfied
customer is satisfied or ambivalent
by competing products
that are already
available
5. Degree to which the Substantial changes Moderate changes Small to no
idea requires required required changes required
customers to change
their basic practices or
behaviour’s

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Explanation:

1. By introducing INFLA CUSH into the market, team CUSH’N’ is actually solving
a problem faced by a large number of individuals who face problems regarding
the comfort level of the chairs they sit on. Mostly this problem is faced by
students and office workers as due to the uncomfortableness of the chairs they are
unable to concentrate properly on their study/work. Similarly, CUSH’N’ also
tends to fill an unfilled gap in the market through designing inflatable cushions
which were never introduced in the market before.

2. It’s very timely to introduce these inflatable cushions in the market as the
individuals of this generation are taking physical health care problems very
seriously and the uncomfortableness of the chairs surely cause constant back and
hip pain which sometimes also get converted into serious back-bone problem. So,
these cushions help in getting relief from the uncomfortableness of the chairs.

3. The idea adds value for the customers in the form of its compatibility and
uniqueness, as these types of inflatable cushions will be introduced in the market
for the very first time, the other cushions which are already available in the market
are cotton filled cushions which cannot get deflated and act as an extra luggage to
carry around.

4. The customers are not satisfied from the type of cushions available in the market
due to their size and price level. The cushions available in the market are cotton
filled which are very difficult to carry around wherever a person goes. Similarly,
the price of the cotton filled cushions usually start from 1000 rupees which are not
affordable for many individuals.

5. The customers are required to carry these cushions with themselves wherever they
go as basically these cushions will become a part of their routine carried items.
The customers are then required to inflate and place the cushion on the seat before
sitting, except that no change is required in the behavior or basic practices of the
customer.

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 Part 2: Industry-Related Issues

Low Potential (-1) Moderate Potential (0) High Potential (+1)

1. Number of competitors Many Few None

2. Stage of industry life cycle
Maturity phase or Growth Phase Emergence phase
decline phase
3. Growth rate of industry Little or no growth Moderate growth Strong growth

4. Importance of industry’s Ambivalent Would like to have Must have

products and/or services to
customers

5. Industry operating margins Low Moderate High

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Explanation:

1. In Quetta there are no competitors at all. Through out Pakistan there may or may
not be any direct competitors because we didn’t find any product similar to our
Infla Cush on Daraz, OLX and many other online retail platforms. Our only direct
competitors are foreign companies such as Ever Relief and LSA (life’s simple
answers) which sell inflatable pillows and cushions. On the other hand, we do
have indirect competitors which are basically all the brands who manufacture and
sell normal cotton filled cushions.

2. The cushion industry as a whole is in its maturity phase but if talk only about
Inflatable cushion industry then its in growth phase because in many under
developed and developing countries people have yet to discover it and
understands its portability factor.

3. In the past few years Inflatable cushion industry is showing strong growth. This is
mainly because now-a-days people are more concerned about their own and the
health of their children as they simply want to live a healthy and comfortable life.
Due to this reason more and more people are buying products that focus on health
and comfort.

4. Sitting for long periods on uncomfortable chairs causes backache, neck sprain,
stiff body postures, and other health issues resulting from your body stiffening.
Infla Cush turns these uncomfortable chairs into comfy ones solving all the
problems caused by them. Thus, all the office workers, security guards and
students who have to sit for long periods of time on these chairs would like to
have Infla Cush.

5. Industry operating margins are high because the cost of making inflatable
cushions is very low as its materials are cheap (which include a polyethene film, a
smooth cloth and a valve). Margins get bigger as production quantity increases so
companies who are manufacturing inflatable cushions in high quantities have to
bear very less manufacturing costs.

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Part 3: Target Market and Customer-Related Issues

Low Potential (-1) Moderate Potential (0) High Potential (+1)

Identification of Difficult to identify May be able to identify Identified

target market for
the proposed new
venture

Ability to create Unable to create May or may not be able Can create
Barriers to entry to create
for potential
competitors

Purchasing power Low Moderate High

of customers

Ease of making Low Moderate High

customers aware
of new product

Growth potential Low Moderate High

of target market

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Explanation:

1. The target market was easy to identify as this problem was faced by people who
have to sit for long periods of time on chairs that are uncomfortable. Team
CUSH’N’ identified that this problem is mostly faced by students, office workers,
and security guards. Thus, developing a product which can solve their problem
and help them get rid of the pains they experienced.

2. As Infla Cush is a type of product which has never been introduced in the market
before so there is a high probability that team CUSH’N’ can create barriers for
potential competitors by providing some additional features along with their
product like warranty service, refund in case of any damage at the time of selling.
Similarly, barriers can also be created by filing multiple design patents for Infla
Cush.

3. The customers of Infla Cush are the students, office workers, and all those
individuals who have long periods of sittings. The purchasing power of these
customers depends on their monthly allowances/salaries which can be between
medium to high thus making their purchasing power moderate. Also, Infla Cush is
made so durable that after buying it the customers won’t have to worry about their
health for a subsequently longer period of time thus making it a one-time buy
product which lies within the financial powers of our customers.

4. As the product is mainly designed for the students so we can easily provide
awareness of our product through campaigns in the educational institutions.
Similarly, team CUSH’N’ is planning to collaborate with the public health
awareness departments by introducing our products in their campaigns thus
creating awareness among our customers.

5. The growth potential of target market is high as the industry is growing stronger
day by day thus attracting a large pool of customers everyday who have concerns
regarding their health and want a solution that they can use anywhere anytime.
Infla Cush have all these qualities required by these individuals.

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Part 4: Founder- (or Founders-) Related Issues

Low Potential (-1) Moderate Potential (0) High Potential (+1)

Founder or No Experience Moderate Experience

Experienced
founders’
experience in
the industry

Founder or No Skills Moderate Skills Skilled

founders’ skills
as they relate
to the proposed
new ventures
product or
service

Extent of the None Moderate Extensive

founder or
founders
professional
or social
networks in
the relevant
industry

Extent to which Weak Moderate Strong

the proposed new
venture meets the
founder or
founders
personal goals
and aspiration

Likelihood that Unlikely Moderately Very Likely

a team can be put Likely
together to launch
and grown the
new venture

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Explanation:
1. This is the first ever business venture initiated by team CUSH’N’, any of the team
member has no experience prior to this venture, hence the entire team is new to
the business world, but this lack of experience is compensated by teams’
knowledge of the target market and customer needs. Team CUSH’N’ also have a
benefit of being students of business.

2. To make inflatable cushions one must have the knowledge of following things:
 Cutting polythene films in proper shape and design.
 Operating sealer machine.
 Inserting valves.
Hence the entire process of developing inflatable cushions require basic skills of cutting
polythene films, operating the sealer machine, and inserting valves which are possessed
by members related to the production department of team CUSH’N’. Similarly, each
member of the team being the students of business administration also has acquired basic
accounting skills and knowledge which will be helpful in determining costs and
calculating revenue and profit. In addition, the team also possesses the knowledge and
skills regarding different marketing strategies.

3. One of the member of the team has good connections with individuals who are
skilled in cutting polythene films in proper shapes and designs. Apart from him
one of the co-founders also has good connection with stores which use the sealer
machines for pressing different materials. Except them no other members have
any connections either personal or social in the relevant industry.

4. The extent to which this new venture meets our personal goals and aspirations is
very strong. Our goal is to provide comfort to every office worker, security guard
and student who has to bear pain due to sitting on uncomfortable chairs for long
periods of time. All of the team members are extremely motivated towards
achieving this goal as all of us have experienced backache, neck ache and hip pain
due to sitting on uncomfortable chairs for long periods of time.

5. We already have put together a team comprising of 8 members. Each of these

members are grouped in teams of two and have given the control of different
departments in accordance with their abilities and skills. In future, if needed we
will expand this team.

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 Part 5: Financial Issues

Low Potential (-1) Moderate Potential (0) High Potential (+1)

1. Initial capital investment High Moderate Low

2. Number of revenue
drivers (ways in which the One Two to three More than
company makes money) three

3. Time to break even More than two years One to two years Less than one year

4. Financial performance of Weak Modest Strong

similar businesses

5. Ability to fund initial Low Moderate High

product or service
development and/or
initial start-up expenses from
personal funds or via
bootstrapping

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Explanation:

1. As the production cost of the cushions is very low. The cost for producing one
cushion is 250 Rupees, so even if we produce 50 units of cushions, initially it will
cost us 12,500 Rupees and we have allocated around 7,500 Rupees for packaging
and marketing. Thus, the initial investment required for starting this venture is
around 20,000 Rupees. (Excluding the one-time expense like the purchase of
sealer machine, registration of patent etc).

2. Initially there is only one revenue driver which is the product itself but in future
there is a probability that team CUSH’N’ introduces other products or services
which increase the count of our revenue drivers. One example is the introduction
of inflating pumps.

3. With the selling price of 500 Rupees, team CUSH’N’ is confident that they will
reach their break-even point within the time span of one week, or when we sell 40
units of cushions out of 50 units in the first week.

4. The inflatable cushion industry is growing rapidly and is expected to reach the
milestone of a billion-dollar industry. In essence, the financial performance of
businesses in this industry is strong as more and more people are having concerns
regarding their health and want a portable and easy solution.

5. Since our initial cost for starting this venture is very low it can easily be funded
through fund raising from the team members.

The business idea is financially feasible as the project will be profitable

even from the first month.

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Overall Potential

Score Overall Potential of the Suggestions for

(-5 to +5) Business Idea Based on Improving the
Each Part Potential

Part 1: +4 High potential

Strength of Business Moderate
Idea potential
Low potential

Part 2:
Industry-Related +2 High potential Introducing features
Issues Moderate for making the
potential product a “must
Low potential have” for customers

Part 3: High potential

Target Market and +3
Moderate
Customer-Related potential
Issues Low potential

Part 4:
+1 High potential Founders are
Founder- (or
Moderate required to develop
Founders-) Related
potential professional and
Issues
Low potential social relations in
the relevant industry
Part 5:
Financial Issues +3 High potential Must find ways to
Moderate increase the number
potential of revenue drivers
Low potential

Overall Assessment +13 High potential

Moderate
potential
Low potential

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Summary:

After the thorough analysis of all parts of business idea, it turns out that this
business idea can be effective and feasible. Since the overall assessment score is at +13
on the first screen analysis, it shows a very good potential of working this idea out. Most
parts of the business plan are also at the high potential rate that can help the entrepreneur
to gain profit further. The few concerns regarding this business are the lack of
professional relations in the relevant industry and the lack of experience of the
entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs must develop and maintain contacts in the industry in
order to get the product introduced in the market to its full potential.

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