Step 1 - Brainstorming

Okay, the first step in any entrepreneurial effort is to see how marketable or commercially viable the idea is. So the trick for me is to finalize my idea. Since it is a business, my interest would be to get college students involved financially in the local businesses. From an informal scouting of the neighborhood, I noticed most of the businesses were corporate giants such as Starbucks, The Coffee Bean, Rubio's etc. Along with these businesses are local boutiques shops such as one that sells antiques. It will take a bit more research on my part to determine my 'TARGET' market, i.e. which businesses will actually benefit through my idea. Here are the factors i am looking for in an ideal client:

1. Relatively recently established - 2 years or sooner would be best.
2. Proximity to school - should not be farther than a 2 mile radius with the school as the center.
3. Flexible Management - management in place who are both competent and willing to take risks.
4. Product of the Business - This would be the main requirement of an eligible client in that their product is something college students need. An example is a cell phone store or a local textbook and stationery store.

A foray into the world of entrepreneurship

This is the first foray of mine into an organized business setup. The outline of my plan is to get college students more involved in their local businesses. My first mission is to see how knowledgeable college students are of the businesses surrounding them. My first college of choice is Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA. A listing of the businesses will follow soon. To test the waters so to speak, I will be setting up a survey with the School of Business at Mt. SAc. More will follow on my results. Bye for now.