Against Working Mothers

Fatima Saucedo Mr. Lewton English 101 6 December 2012 The Value of Stay-At-Home Moms Now days, many people tend to look down at stay-at-home moms rather than working mothers. This happens to many women, making it more difficult for them to choose between their children or work. For the first time in twenty-five years, the percentage of mothers returning to the workforce has fallen from fifty-nine percent in 1998 to fifty-five percent in 2000 (Adrienne Fox, Jan. 2002). This shows that women have more of a lifestyle choice rather than an economic choice.For mothers, it is a hard decision to make, but staying at home with their children is a better choice. Children need the affection and attention of their mothers. The reason I am against working mothers is because it is important to have a motherly figure during growth, as children behave better, and daycare is not the appropriate substitution for proper motherly care. Stay-at-home mothers also have the privilege of enjoying their chil dren’s â€Å"firsts†. Their first steps, their first words, and their first haircut.Experiencing these â€Å"firsts† while giving them praise and encouragement will induce children to feel secure and wanted. According to Dr. Laurence Steinberg, a professor of physiology at Temple University in Philadelphia, good parenting helps lower the chances for anxiety, depression, eating disorders, antisocial behavior, alcohol and drug use. No mother would want their children growing up with a higher chance of these disorders or behaviors. Having a mother at home brings daughter and son to mother relationships closer, not only physically but also emotionally as well.Infants who receive enough attention †¦ from a loving adult right from the start are more likely to succeed socially and emotionally (Betty Holcomb)       It is risky for infants to be away from their moms for more than twenty hours per week. Psychologists claim babies who are separated from their moth ers may tend to act out in school, cause trouble in life, or even have poor relationships as adults (Betty Holcomb). A very important advantage a mother has is she can discipline her child more consistently when being at home.The child’s values and morals can be guided. Kids are going to behave better and act out less for attention; especially if these values and morals are enforced since newborns. Not only will they behave well in school, they will have good grades. This is because parents will be able to manage their time more effectively to be able to focus on their children’s education. The children’s homework will be making sure it is completed, with a stay-at-home mom looking out for them.In some families, it is actually less expensive for one parent to stay at home than to pay for childcare. Not only the cost of childcare is saved, there is also the issue of feeding the family. If there is a stay-at-home mom, the need for quick â€Å"take-out food† is dramatically reduced. This is usually the case for working mothers, because they are either too tired or do not have enough time to cook a meal for her family. Also, mothers do not need to worry about how their child is doing in daycare.Two studies, one by the National Institute of Child Health & Development and the other by the Institute of Child Development from the University of Minnesota have both found that children who spend all day in daycare have higher levels of stress and aggression than kids who stay at home with moms. The research in the year 2010 confirmed these results. They show that it continues to negatively impact even after they’ve reached adolescence. Just like the other studies, biological psychologist Megan Gunnar and her colleagues found stress in babies.In their research, three-month old babies who received the mother’s consistent care had less cortisol stress than those who did not (The Natural Child Project). On the other side, studies cla im that children of working mothers have more chances of being successful in life. From 1975 to 1990, the work labor force for women has grown especially for those with children (Howard Hayghe 1998). Mothers like to be independent and have a feeling of satisfaction; it makes them happier, therefore better mothers. They can’t be fulfilling happy if the know someone else is enjoying them in daycare.According to the opponents, children who are in daycare starting from one month and on have a better language and cognitive ability than children at home. Due to this they will tend to have higher reading scores as well (Peters 1997). Because it is important to have a motherly figure during growth, as children behave better, and daycare is not the appropriate substitution for proper motherly care, mothers should take in mind of staying at home with their children. Children shouldn’t be forced to a routine out of their reach. Not only will children of stay-at-home moms will be comfortable, but mom will too.

Fixation and Fixatives

ALCIAN BLUE RATIONALE FOR USE Alcian blue is a water soluble, amphoteric copper phthalocyanine, which is most often used as a basic dye. In general, alcian blue has an affinity for sulfated and carboxylated groups of acid mucopolysaccharides, but the specific group demonstrated is dependent on the dye solution pH. RECOMMENDED FIXATIVES 10% neutral buffered formalin and Bouin’s fixative. AVOID Chromate Fixatives MODE OF ACTION (1, 2, 3) Alcian blue binds electrostatically with the acidic groups in the mucopolysaccharide molecule.The components to be demonstrated are intensely stained if the dyer solution is used at the specific pH at which the reactive groups are fully ionized. To achieve full ionization of the reactive groups, some alcian blue methods begin with a rinsing of sections in the appropriate pH solution prior to staining with the dye solution. In general, strongly sulfated mucins react more consistently at low pH levels. Above a pH of 1. 0 their reactions are variab le. At a pH of 0. 2 only strongly sulfated mucosubstances will be demonstrated, while weak sulfated mucins stain well between a pH of 1. 0 – 2. 5, and often below 1. . Carboxylated mucins react with alcian blue at pH 2. 5. Alcian blue produces an intense greenish-blue or teal coloration. To ensure this colour is not lost during subsequent chemical and dye treatments, such as those found in the Alcian Blue-Verhoeff’s van Gieson procedure and Movat’s Pentachrome, alcian blue is converted to an insoluble pigment. By exposing alcian blue stained sections to a pre-heated 80Â °C alkaline alcohol solution, alcian blue is converted to the insoluble pigment, monastral fast blue. Further exposure of the sections to various decolorizers and dyes, fails to change the alcian blue intensity.QUALITY CONTROL AND CONTROL MATERIALS 1. Appropriate control tissues include colon and small intestine. If lung sections contain bronchi with mucous glands, are used as a control, the tec h should be aware that cartilage matrix will also stain at approximately pH 2. 5. 2. To avoid coloration of hyaluronic acid found in connective tissue matrix or amorphous ground substance, the tissue section can first be treated with a solution of testicular streptococcal hyaluronidase before staining with alcian blue. Testicular hyaluronidase requires only 2 hours of incubation versus 24 hours with streptococcal hyaluronidase. . Alcian blue powder solubility may decrease after storage of more than three years, but good staining results have been reported with dye lots older than three years (4). 4. The dye solution pH is critical to ensure demonstration of specific chemical groups. pH 0. 2 -only strongly sulfated mucins demonstrated pH1. 0 -strongly and weakly sulfated mucins pH 2. 5 -carboxylated and weakly sulfated mucins 5. To ensure the quality of staining at the appropriate pH, the section may be rinsed in the solvent solution prior to staining in the dye, i. e. , rinsing in p H 2. , 3% aqueous acetic acid solution prior to placing the sections in the pH 2. 5 alcian blue solution, which is prepared by combining alcian blue dye powder in a 3% aqueous acetic acid solution. 6. Some procedures indicate it is important to avoid rinsing the stained slides in water after treatment in alcian blue dye. Blotting the slides dry after staining is recommended. 7. It is important to avoid celloidinization of tissue sections because alcian blue has a strong affinity for celloidin. 8. A white haze may appear on the back of the glass slide after staining with nuclear fast red and contact with the air.Moistening a kimwipe or facial tissue with saliva and rubbing the back of the glass will remove the haze. Follow this with cleaning of the glass using a kimwipe moistened with 100% ethanol to remove the saliva. 9. Cut paraffin sections at 4-6 microns. REFERENCES 1. Bancroft J. D. and Stevens A. : Theory and Practice of Histological Techniques, 2nd edition. Churchhill Livingst one, 1982. 2. Kiernan J. A. : Histological and Histochemical Methods: Theory and Practice, Pergamon Press, 1981. 3. Sheehan D. C. and Hrapchak B. B. : Theory and Practice of Histotechnology, 2nd edition, C.V. Mosby Co. , 1980. 4. Shrenk E. : Note from the Biological Stain Commission-a newly certified dye-Alcian blue 8GX. Stain. Tech. 56(3), 129, 1981. ALCIAN BLUE pH 2. 5 SOLUTIONS a. 1% Alcian Blue Solution – pH 2. 5 Alcian Blue 8GX (C. I. 74240)1gm 3% Glacial acetic acid100ml (3 ml. glacial acetic acid to 97 ml. distilled water) Add a crystal of thymol to prevent mold growth. The solution can be filtered and reused. b. Nuclear Fast Red (Kernechtrot) Solution (pg. 19) PROCEDURES (1, 2) 1. Deparaffinize and hydrate slides to distilled water. (See Note 1) 2.Stain in alcian blue solution for 30 minutes. Filter solution back for reuse. (See Note 2) 3. Wash for 2 minutes in running tap water. 4. Rinse in distilled water. 5. Counterstain in nuclear fast red for 3 to 5 minutes. Quic kly transfer slides to distilled water. Filter solution back for reuse. 6. Rinse slides in distilled water. 7. Dehydrate, clear, and mount. If a cloudy haze appears on the side refer to quality control information, #8. COLOR RESULTS Carboxylated and weakly sulfated acid mucins – light blue to medium greenish blue Nuclei-reddish pink.NOTE 1. After step 1, the slides may be placed in a pH 2. 5, 3% aqueous acetic solution for 1 minute, then proceed to step 2. 2. After step 2, the slides can be blotted dry, instead of rinsing in running tap water and distilled water. Continue the procedure with step 5. REFERENCES 1. Lev R. and Spicer S. S. : Specific staining of sulphate groups, with Alcian blue at low pH. J. Histochem. Cytochem. , 12:309, 1964. 2. Sheenhan D. C. and Hrapchak B. B. : Theory and Practice of Histotechnology, 2nd edition. C. V. Mosby Co. , 1980

Business Plan Bar & Grill Essay

This is a business plan. It does not imply an offering of securities. 1.0 Executive Summary1 Chart: Highlights2 1.1 Objectives2 1.2 Mission2 1.3 Keys to Success2 2.0 Company Summary3 2.1 Company Ownership3 2.2 Start-up Summary4 Table: Start-up4 3.0 Products and Services5 4.0 Market Analysis Summary6 4.1 Market Segmentation6 Table: Market Analysis7 Chart: Market Analysis (Pie)7 4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy7 4.3 Service Business Analysis8 4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns9 5.0 Web Plan Summary9 5.1 Website Marketing Strategy9 5.2 Development Requirements9 6.0 Strategy and Implementation Summary9 6.1 SWOT Analysis10 6.1.1 Strengths10 6.1.2 Weaknesses10 6.1.3 Opportunities10 6.1.4 Threats10 6.2 Competitive Edge10 6.3 Marketing Strategy11 6.4 Sales Strategy11 6.4.1 Sales Forecast12 Table: Sales Forecast12 Chart: Sales Monthly13 Chart: Sales by Year13 6.5 Milestones14 Table: Milestones14 7.0 Management Summary14 7.1 Personnel Plan14 Table: Personnel15 8.0 Financial Plan15 8.1 Start-up Funding16 Table: Start-up Funding16 8.2 Important Assumptions17 8.3 Break-even Analysis17 Table: Break-even Analysis17 Chart: Break-even Analysis17 8.4 Projected Profit and Loss18 Table: Profit and Loss18 Chart: Profit Monthly19 Chart: Profit Yearly19 Chart: Gross Margin Monthly20 Chart: Gross Margin Yearly20 8.5 Projected Cash Flow21 Table: Cash Flow21 Chart: Cash22 8.6 Projected Balance Sheet23 Table: Balance Sheet23 8.7 Business Ratios25 Table: Ratios25 Table: Sales Forecast1 Table: Personnel1 Table: Profit and Loss2 Table: Cash Flow3 Table: Balance Sheet5 1.0 Executive Summary [Company Name] Contact: [Name] Direct Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX Address: [Address] [City, State ZIP] Email: [Email Address] Introduction The long-term goal of [Company Name] is to serve quality food, have outstanding customer service and run and maintain a cost efficient base without sacrificing quality. [Company Name]serves high quality food and beverages in an inviting and friendly atmosphere at reasonable prices. [Company Name] is expanding its exposure through effective marketing as well as introducing the area to market segments that have not yet discovered the Company. Location [Company Name]is headquartered in Dwight, North Dakota which is located in Dickey County. The [Company Name] will be located on the site of the original [Company Name], which was built in 1961. This location is a landmark that sets on Highway 1 and 11 along the James River. The [Company Name] is nested nicely near the South Dakota border between Ellendale and Oakes, ND. The Company [Company Name]is a steakhouse concept which will offer a comfortable, friendly atmosphere. The Company’s owner is [Name], who established the restaurant as a Limited Liability Corporation. [Name] has 15 years of industry experience as a bartender and 8 years of experience as a cook. [Company Name] will be open 5 days per week. Serving dinner Tuesday-Wednesday from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm; on Thursday – Saturday dinner served from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Furthermore, the restaurant will be open one (1) Sunday a month on trial basis. Lunch will be served from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. The restaurant will also be set-up as an all you can eat buffet style restaurant. Our Services [Company Name]’s menu will feature char broiled steaks, chicken, shrimp, burgers and a variety of basket foods along with occasional weekend specials of prime rib and barbecued ribs. Beverages will include various beers, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. The Market [Company Name] will focus on local residents and anyone passing by who wants to enjoy a good meal in a comfortable, friendly, down home atmosphere. [Company Name]’s market segmentation scheme is fairly straightforward and focuses on the target market, Dickey County, North Dakota residents. These customers prefer certain services and quality of food and it’s the Company’s duty to deliver on their expectations. Financial Considerations The current financial plan for [Company Name] is to obtain grant funding in the amount of $350,000. The grant will be used to get acquisition of the property, contents and rights to the business. Chart: Highlights [pic] 1.1 Objectives [Company Name]has three main objectives: †¢ To serve quality food. †¢ To have outstanding customer service. †¢ To run and maintain a cost efficient base without sacrificing quality. 1.2 Mission [Company Name]’s mission is to serve high quality food and beverages in an inviting and friendly atmosphere at reasonable prices. 1.3 Keys to Success [Company Name]’s keys to success are location, quality service and delicious food. 2.0 Company Summary [Company Name]is headquartered in Dwight, North Dakota Contact: [Name] Direct Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX Address: [Address] [City, State ZIP] Email: [Email Address] The [Company Name] is located in Dwight, North Dakota, which is one mile west of the city Ludden in Dickey County. The Company is a start-up restaurant, owned by [Name], who has 15 years of industry experience as a bartender and 8 years of experience as a cook. Additionally, [Name] has 10 years of experience as an Administrative Assistant. [Company Name]is a steakhouse concept which will offer a comfortable, friendly atmosphere. The menu will feature char broiled steaks, chicken, shrimp, burgers and a variety of basket foods along with occasional weekend specials of prime rib and barbecued ribs. Beverages will include various beers, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. The [Company Name] will be located on the site of the original [Company Name], which was built in 1961. This location is a landmark that sets on Highway 1 and 11 along the James River. The [Company Name] is nested nicely near the South Dakota border between Ellendale and Oakes, ND. [Company Name]will be open 5 days per week. Serving dinner Tuesday-Wednesday from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm; on Thursday – Saturday dinner served from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Furthermore, the restaurant will be open one (1) Sunday a month on trial basis. Lunch will be served from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. The restaurant will also be set-up as an all you can eat buffet style restaurant. [Company Name]will be closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The lounge will be open Tuesday – Saturday from 5:00 pm to 1:00 am. The rest of business structure has not been identified as of date. There will be an attorney and accountant determined at a later date. 2.1 Company Ownership [Company Name]is a Limited Liability Corporation. The owner of the start-up restaurant is [Name], who has 100% ownership of the business. 2.2 Start-up Summary The following table and chart shows the start-up costs for [Company Name], LLC Table: Start-up |Start-up | | | | | |Requirements | | | | | |Start-up Expenses | | |Software (Cost/Inventory Control) |$500 | |Liquor/Food License (State/County) |$1,800 | |Inspections |$1,000 | |Supplies |$2,500 | |Utilities Deposit |$1,500 | |Legal & Accounting fees |$5,000 | |Propane Tank & 1st Fill |$3,000 | |Total Start-up Expenses |$15,300 | | | | |Start-up Assets | | |Cash Required |$0 | |Start-up Inventory |$26,000 | |Other Current Assets |$30,950 | |Long-term Assets |$329,800 | |Total Assets |$386,750 | | | | |Total Requirements |$402,050 | Chart: Start-up [pic] 3.0 Products and Services [Company Name]is a comfortable, inviting restaurant designed to make its customers feel at home. The dining side has a sizzling 48†³ gas powered grill and char boiler which will make all steaks to perfection. [Company Name] Menu: The following meals come with the customer’s choice of potato, baked, hash brown or fries. Meals also include a trip to the full salad bar! All steaks are hand cut daily and charbroiled to perfection. Steaks Choice Sirloin 10 oz †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $13.75 House Sirloin 8 oz †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $12.50 Petite Sirloin 6 oz †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $9.75 Beef Tips-grilled or hand dipped in batter-deep fried†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $12.50 Rib eye 12 oz†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. $16.25 Rib eye 10 oz †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $14.75 Steak and Shrimp 6 oz sirloin steak with three deep fried shrimp †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $15.50 Seafood Walleye dipped in batter and deep fried †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $15.75 4 Jumbo shrimp served with tater sauce or red sauce†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. $13.50 Cod (Torsk)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $11.50 Chicken  ¼ pc dinner†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $11.50  ½ pc dinner†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $13.50 Baskets All baskets served with fries or onion rings. Burgers are  ½ lb handmade served on toasted bun. Hamburger basket †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $7.50 Cheese burger basket†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. $7.75 Burger basket served w/cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $8.50 Chicken Strip (4 pc) basket †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $8.75 Chicken Drummies (6) basket †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $8.75 Breaded Tip basket †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $9.25 Appetizer Platter Chicken drummies, Onion rings, Cheese sticks, Mushrooms, Mini Egg Rolls. Served with Ranch Dressing†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $15.25 Beverages Coffee †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $1.00 Tea †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $1.00 Soda†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. $1.50 Milk†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $1.50 4.0 Market Analysis Summary The U.S. restaurant industry, which consist of fast food, casual dining and upscale chains, is facing its toughest stretch in three decades. This is due to declining guest traffic, declining average check, and a decline in sales. To survive, restaurant operators will need to balance incentives and discounts with added value and brand enhancement. Steak restaurants comprise less than 5% of the total restaurant market. Service oriented steak houses have room to grow. Meat and potatoes are still what Americans want, and they want it with good service. [Company Name]will focus on local residents and anyone passing by who wants to enjoy a good meal in a comfortable, friendly, down home atmosphere. [Company Name] intends to cater to a wide group of people. The Company wants everyone to feel welcome and relaxed in a friendly atmosphere with a large menu selection. It is its goal to have the â€Å"most tender, tastiest steaks† in the area. [Company Name]has the services necessary to flourish within this industry. By delivering superior customer service, offering affordable prices and developing an outstanding reputation, [Company Name]’s potential is excellent. 4.1 Market Segmentation Individuals going out to spend good money on meals or beverages want a variety of items to choose from. Additionally, these individuals want to dine at an establishment with consistent business hours. [Company Name]will be more than willing to offer that to all customers who walk into the business. The Company wants to create an environment that is fun, friendly and comfortable with prices that are very competitive. Customers are the first priority. [Company Name]’s market segmentation scheme is fairly straightforward and focuses on the target market, Dickey County, North Dakota residents. These customers prefer certain services and quality of food and its Company’s duty to deliver on their expectations. The information contained in the market analysis table, displays [Company Name]’s main markets. All of [Company Name]’s clients will benefit from its delicious food, atmosphere and exceptional customer service. Table: Market Analysis |Market Analysis | | | | | | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |Sales | | | | |Food |$259,480 |$275,049 |$291,552 | |Dining Beverage |$14,400 |$15,264 |$16,180 | |Bar Beverage |$30,928 |$32,784 |$34,751 | |Total Sales |$304,808 |$323,096 |$342,482 | | | | | | |Direct Cost of Sales | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |Food |$90,800 |$96,248 |$102,023 | |Dining Beverage |$1,440 |$1,526 |$1,618 | |Bar Beverage |$9,588 |$10,163 |$10,773 | |Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales |$101,828 |$107,938 |$114,414 | Chart: Sales Monthly [pic] Chart: Sales by Year [pic] 6.5 Milestones In order to achieve the growth and marketing goals that have been outline in this business plan, [Company Name]has deadlines to meet and ideas to implement. Some of these are outlined below: 1. Obtain grant funding in the amount of $350,000 to improve business 2. Acquisition of the property, contents and rights to the business Table: Milestones |Milestones | | | | | | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |Owner/Manager |$33,600 |$34,272 |$34,957 | |Head Cook |$16,800 |$17,136 |$17,479 | |Asst. Cook |$7,776 |$7,932 |$8,090 | |Head Waiter |$12,180 |$12,424 |$12,672 | |Waiters |$13,080 |$13,342 |$13,608 | |Bartenders |$8,352 |$8,519 |$8,689 | |Dishwashers |$6,264 |$6,389 |$6,517 | |Total People |14 |14 |14 | | | | | | |Total Payroll |$98,052 |$100,013 |$102,013 | 8.0 Financial Plan The current financial plan for [Company Name]is to obtain grant funding in the amount of $350,000. The grant will be used to get acquisition of the property, contents and rights to the business. The following sections of this plan will serve to describe [Company Name]’s financial plan in more detail: †¢ General Assumptions †¢ Break-even Analysis †¢ Profit and Loss †¢ Cash Flow †¢ Balance 8.1 Start-up Funding [Company Name]’s start-up costs are detailed in the Start-up Table. The following table shows how these start-up costs will be funded. Table: Start-up Funding |Start-up Funding | | |Start-up Expenses to Fund |$15,300 | |Start-up Assets to Fund |$386,750 | |Total Funding Required |$402,050 | | | | |Assets | | |Non-cash Assets from Start-up |$386,750 | |Cash Requirements from Start-up |$0 | |Additional Cash Raised |$0 | |Cash Balance on Starting Date |$0 | |Total Assets |$386,750 | | | | | | | |Liabilities and Capital | | | | | |Liabilities | | |Current Borrowing |$0 | |Long-term Liabilities |$0 | |Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills) |$0 | |Other Current Liabilities (interest-free) |$0 | |Total Liabilities |$0 | | | | |Capital | | | | | |Planned Investment | | |Owner |$10,000 | |Outside Financing |$350,000 | |Additional Investment Requirement |$42,050 | |Total Planned Investment |$402,050 | | | | |Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses) |($15,300) | |Total Capital |$386,750 | | | | | | | |Total Capital and Liabilities |$386,750 | | | | |Total Funding |$402,050 | 8.2 Important Assumptions The table below presents the assumptions used in the financial calculations of this business plan. The average percent variable cost is estimated to be 33%. The estimated monthly fixed cost is $13,705. 8.3 Break-even Analysis For the break-even analysis, the monthly revenue needed to break-even is $20,581. The break-even analysis has been calculated on the â€Å"burn rate† of the Company. [Company Name]feels that this gives the investor a more accurate picture of the actual risk of the venture. Table: Break-even Analysis |Break-even Analysis | | | | | |Monthly Revenue Break-even |$20,581 | | | | |Assumptions: | | |Average Percent Variable Cost |33% | |Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost |$13,705 | Chart: Break-even Analysis [pic] 8.4 Projected Profit and Loss [Company Name]’s Pro Forma Profit and Loss statement was constructed from a conservative point-of-view, and is based in large part on past performance. The income for Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 are $304,808, $323,096 and $342,482, respectively. The net profit for the same period is $26,961, $36,035 and $42,838, respectively. The percentages of the net profit sales for this period were 8.85%, 11.15% and 12.51%, respectively. Once the Company receives grant funding to add the new assets, the depreciation of the building will be over a 20 year period, while the equipment will be depreciated over a 7 year period. Table: Profit and Loss |Pro Forma Profit and Loss | | | | | | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |Sales |$304,808 |$323,096 |$342,482 | |Direct Cost of Sales |$101,828 |$107,938 |$114,414 | |Other Costs of Sales |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Cost of Sales |$101,828 |$107,938 |$114,414 | | | | | | |Gross Margin |$202,980 |$215,159 |$228,068 | |Gross Margin % |66.59% |66.59% |66.59% | | | | | | |Expenses | | | | |Payroll |$98,052 |$100,013 |$102,013 | |Marketing/Promotion |$6,250 |$6,438 |$6,631 | |Depreciation |$12,045 |$13,143 |$13,143 | |Supplies |$600 |$618 |$637 | |Utilities |$8,400 |$8,652 |$8,912 | |Insurance |$5,004 |$5,004 |$5,004 | |Maintenance |$1,200 |$1,236 |$1,273 | |Office Expense |$1,800 |$1,854 |$1,910 | |Payroll Taxes |$9,805 |$10,001 |$10,201 | |Phone/TV/Internet |$1,800 |$1,854 |$1,910 | |Propane |$12,000 |$12,360 |$12,731 | |Property Tax |$2,508 |$2,508 |$2,508 | |Acct & Legal |$5,000 |$0 |$0 | | | | | | |Total Operating Expenses |$164,464 |$163,681 |$166,871 | | | | | | |Profit Before Interest and Taxes |$38,516 |$51,478 |$61,197 | |EBITDA |$50,561 |$64,621 |$74,340 | | Interest Expense |$0 |$0 |$0 | | Taxes Incurred |$11,555 |$15,443 |$18,359 | | | | | | |Net Profit |$26,961 |$36,035 |$42,838 | |Net Profit/Sales |8.85% |11.15% |12.51% | Chart: Profit Monthly [pic] Chart: Profit Yearly [pic] Chart: Gross Margin Monthly [pic] Chart: Gross Margin Yearly [pic] 8.5 Projected Cash Flow [Company Name] is a start-up Company that has applied for a grant of $350,000. The Company forecasts that it will receive funding in the month of October. During this period, the Company will get acquisition of the property, contents and rights to the business. The following table displays [Company Name]’s cash flow, and the chart illustrates monthly cash flow in the first year. Monthly cash flow projections are also included in the appendix. Table: Cash Flow |Pro Forma Cash Flow | | | | | | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |Cash Received | | | | | | | | | |Cash from Operations | | | | |Cash Sales |$304,808 |$323,096 |$342,482 | |Subtotal Cash from Operations |$304,808 |$323,096 |$342,482 | | | | | | |Additional Cash Received | | | | |Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Current Borrowing |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Other Liabilities (interest-free) |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Long-term Liabilities |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Sales of Other Current Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Sales of Long-term Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Investment Received |$350,000 |$0 |$0 | |Subtotal Cash Received |$654,808 |$323,096 |$342,482 | | | | | | |Expenditures | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | | | | | | |Expenditures from Operations | | | | |Cash Spending |$98,052 |$100,013 |$102,013 | |Bill Payments |$136,504 |$176,166 |$184,277 | |Subtotal Spent on Operations |$234,556 |$276,179 |$286,291 | | | | | | |Additional Cash Spent | | | | |Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Other Liabilities Principal Repayment |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Purchase Other Current Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Purchase Long-term Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Dividends |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Subtotal Cash Spent |$234,556 |$276,179 |$286,291 | | | | | | |Net Cash Flow |$420,252 |$46,917 |$56,192 | |Cash Balance |$420,252 |$467,170 |$523,361 | Chart: Cash [pic] 8.6 Projected Balance Sheet [Company Name]’s net worth is $763,711, $799,746 and $842,583, for Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3, respectively. Table: Balance Sheet |Pro Forma Balance Sheet | | | | | | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |Assets | | | | | | | | | |Current Assets | | | | |Cash |$420,252 |$467,170 |$523,361 | |Inventory |$10,924 |$11,342 |$12,023 | |Other Current Assets |$30,950 |$30,950 |$30,950 | |Total Current Assets |$462,126 |$509,462 |$566,334 | | | | | | |Long-term Assets | | | | |Long-term Assets |$329,800 |$329,800 |$329,800 | |Accumulated Depreciation |$12,045 |$25,188 |$38,331 | |Total Long-term Assets |$317,755 |$304,612 |$291,469 | |Total Assets |$779,881 |$814,074 |$857,803 | | | | | | Table: Balance Sheet (Continued) |Liabilities and Capital | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | | | | | | |Current Liabilities | | | | |Accounts Payable |$16,170 |$14,328 |$15,219 | |Current Borrowing |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Other Current Liabilities |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Subtotal Current Liabilities |$16,170 |$14,328 |$15,219 | | | | | | |Long-term Liabilities |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Liabilities |$16,170 |$14,328 |$15,219 | | | | | | |Paid-in Capital |$752,050 |$752,050 |$752,050 | |Retained Earnings |($15,300) |$11,661 |$47,696 | |Earnings |$26,961 |$36,035 |$42,838 | |Total Capital |$763,711 |$799,746 |$842,583 | |Total Liabilities and Capital |$779,881 |$814,074 |$857,803 | | | | | | |Net Worth |$763,711 |$799,746 |$842,583 | 8.7 Business Ratios The table below presents ratios from the full-service restaurant markets as a reference. Table: Ratios |Ratio Analysis | | | | | | | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |Industry Profile | |Sales Growth |n.a. |6.00% |6.00% |1.65% | | | | | | | |Percent of Total Assets | | | | | |Inventory |1.40% |1.39% |1.40% |6.34% | |Other Current Assets |3.97% |3.80% |3.61% |43.25% | |Total Current Assets |59.26% |62.58% |66.02% |53.12% | |Long-term Assets |40.74% |37.42% |33.98% |46.88% | |Total Assets |100.00% |100.00% |100.00% |100.00% | | | | | | | |Current Liabilities |2.07% |1.76% |1.77% |25.40% | |Long-term Liabilities |0.00% |0.00% |0.00% |73.91% | |Total Liabilities |2.07% |1.76% |1.77% |99.31% | |Net Worth |97.93% |98.24% |98.23% |0.69% | | | | | | | |Percent of Sales | | | | | |Sales |100.00% |100.00% |100.00% |100.00% | |Gross Margin |66.59% |66.59% |66.59% |58.06% | |Selling, General & Administrative Expenses |57.75% |55.44% |54.08% |23.02% | |Advertising Expenses |2.05% |1.99% |1.94% |1.74% | |Profit Before Interest and Taxes |12.64% |15.93% |17.87% |6.52% | | | | | | | |Main Ratios | | | | | |Current |28.58 |35.56 |37.21 |1.25 | |Quick |27.90 |34.77 |36.42 |1.00 | |Total Debt to Total Assets |2.07% |1.76% |1.77% |99.31% | |Pre-tax Return on Net Worth |5.04% |6.44% |7.26% |4325.19% | |Pre-tax Return on Assets |4.94% |6.32% |7.13% |29.65% | | | | | | | Table: Ratios (Continued) |Additional Ratios | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | | |Net Profit Margin |8.85% |11.15% |12.51% |n.a | |Return on Equity |3.53% |4.51% |5.08% |n.a | | | | | | | |Activity Ratios | | | | | |Inventory Turnover |10.09 |9.70 |9.79 |n.a | |Accounts Payable Turnover |9.44 |12.17 |12.17 |n.a | |Payment Days |27 |32 |29 |n.a | |Total Asset Turnover |0.39 |0.40 |0.40 |n.a | | | | | | | |Debt Ratios | | | | | |Debt to Net Worth |0.02 |0.02 |0.02 |n.a | |Current Lab. to Liab. |1.00 |1.00 |1.00 |n.a | | | | | | | |Liquidity Ratios | | | | | |Net Working Capital |$445,956 |$495,134 |$551,114 |n.a | |Interest Coverage |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |n.a | | | | | | | |Additional Ratios | | | | | |Assets to Sales |2.56 |2.52 |2.50 |n.a | |Current Debt/Total Assets |2% |2% |2% |n.a | |Acid Test |27.90 |34.77 |36.42 |n.a | |Sales/Net Worth |0.40 |0.40 |0.41 |n.a | |Dividend Payout | 0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |n.a | Table: Sales Forecast Sales Forecast Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12SalesFood$19,346 $19,733 $20,128 $20,531 $20,942 $21,361 $21,788 $22,224 $22,668 $23,121 $23,583 $24,055 Dining Beverage$1,000 $1,102 $1,124 $1,146 $1,169 $1,192 $1,216 $1,240 $1,265 $1,290 $1,316 $1,340 Bar Beverage$2,306 $2,352 $2,399 $2,447 $2,496 $2,546 $2,597 $2,649 $2,702 $2,756 $2,811 $2,867 Total Sales$22,652 $23,187 $23,651 $24,124 $24,607 $25,099 $25,601 $26,113 $26,635 $27,167 $27,710 $28,262 Direct Cost of Sales Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12Food$5,705 $5,990 $6,290 $6,604 $6,934 $7,281 $7,645 $8,027 $8,428 $8,849 $9,291 $9,756 Dining Beverage$102 $105 $108 $111 $114 $117 $121 $125 $129 $133 $136 $139 Bar Beverage$602 $639 $664 $697 $732 $769 $807 $847 $889 $933 $980 $1,029 Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales$6,409 $6,734 $7,062 $7,412 $7,780 $8,167 $8,573 $8,999 $9,446 $9,915 $10,407 $10,924  Table: Personnel Personnel Plan Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12Owner/Manager$2,800 $2,800 $2,800 $2,800 $2,800 $2,800 $2,800 $2,800 $2,800 $2,800 $2,800 $2,800 Head Cook$1,400 $1,400 $1,400 $1,400 $1,400 $1,400 $1,400 $1,400 $1,400 $1,400 $1,400 $1,400 Asst. Cook$648 $648 $648 $648 $648 $648 $648 $648 $648 $648 $648 $648 Head Waiter$1,015 $1,015 $1,015 $1,015 $1,015 $1,015 $1,015 $1,015 $1,015 $1,015 $1,015 $1,015 Waiters$1,090 $1,090 $1,090 $1,090 $1,090 $1,090 $1,090 $1,090 $1,090 $1,090 $1,090 $1,090 Bartenders$696 $696 $696 $696 $696 $696 $696 $696 $696 $696 $696 $696 Dishwashers$522 $522 $522 $522 $522 $522 $522 $522 $522 $522 $522 $522 Total People14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 Total Payroll$8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171  Table: Profit and Loss Pro Forma Profit and Loss Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12Sales$22,652 $23,187 $23,651 $24,124 $24,607 $25,099 $25,601 $26,113 $26,635 $27,167 $27,710 $28,262 Direct Cost of Sales$6,409 $6,734 $7,062 $7,412 $7,780 $8,167 $8,573 $8,999 $9,446 $9,915 $10,407 $10,924 Other Costs of Sales$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Total Cost of Sales$6,409 $6,734 $7,062 $7,412 $7,780 $8,167 $8,573 $8,999 $9,446 $9,915 $10,407 $10,924 Gross Margin$16,243 $16,453 $16,589 $16,712 $16,827 $16,932 $17,028 $17,114 $17,189 $17,252 $17,303 $17,338 Gross Margin %71.71% 70.96% 70.14% 69.28% 68.38% 67.46% 66.51% 65.54% 64.54% 63.50% 62.44% 61.35% ExpensesPayroll$8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 Market ing/Promotion$750 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 Depreciation$0 $1,095 $1,095 $1,095 $1,095 $1,095 $1,095 $1,095 $1,095 $1,095 $1,095 $1,095 Supplies$50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 Utilities$700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 Insurance$417 $417 $417 $417 $417 $417 $417 $417 $417 $417 $417 $417 Maintenance$100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 Office Expense$150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 Payroll Taxes10% $817 $817 $817 $817 $817 $817 $817 $817 $817 $817 $817 $817 Phone/TV/Internet$150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 Propane$1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 Property Tax$209 $209 $209 $209 $209 $209 $209 $209 $209 $209 $209 $209 Acct & Lega l$5,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Total Operating Expenses$17,514 $13,359 $13,359 $13,359 $13,359 $13,359 $13,359 $13,359 $13,359 $13,359 $13,359 $13,359 Profit Before Interest and Taxes($1,271)$3,094 $3,230 $3,353 $3,468 $3,573 $3,669 $3,755 $3,830 $3,893 $3,944 $3,979 EBITDA($1,271)$4,189 $4,325 $4,448 $4,563 $4,668 $4,764 $4,850 $4,925 $4,988 $5,039 $5,074  Interest Expense$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0  Taxes Incurred($381)$928 $969 $1,006 $1,040 $1,072 $1,101 $1,126 $1,149 $1,168 $1,183 $1,194 Net Profit($890)$2,166 $2,261 $2,347 $2,428 $2,501 $2,568 $2,628 $2,681 $2,725 $2,761 $2,785 Net Profit/Sales-3.93% 9.34% 9.56% 9.73% 9.87% 9.96% 10.03% 10.07% 10.07% 10.03% 9.96% 9.86% Table: Cash Flow Pro Forma Cash Flow Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12Cash ReceivedCash from OperationsCash Sales$22,652 $23,187 $23,651 $24,124 $24,607 $25,099 $25,601 $26,113 $26,635 $27,167 $27,710 $28,262 Subtotal Cash from Operations$22,652 $23,187 $23,651 $24,124 $24,607 $25,099 $25,601 $26,113 $26,635 $27,167 $27,710 $28,262 Additional Cash ReceivedSales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received0.00% $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 New Current Borrowing$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 New Other Liabilities (interest-free)$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 New Long-term Liabilities$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Sales of Other Current Assets$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Sales of Long-term Assets$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 New Investment Received$350,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Cash Received$372,652 $23,187 $23,651 $24,124 $24,607 $25,099 $25,601 $26,113 $26,635 $27,167 $27,710 $28,262 Table: Cash Flow (Continued) Expenditures Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12Expenditures from OperationsCash Spending$8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 $8,171 Bill Payments$299 $8,830 $5,065 $6,547 $12,875 $13,296 $13,734 $14,188 $14,661 $15,152 $15,663 $16,194 Subtotal Spent on Operations$8,470 $17,001 $13,236 $14,718 $21,046 $21,467 $21,905 $22,359 $22,832 $23,323 $23,834 $24,365 Additional Cash SpentSales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Other Liabilities Principal Repayment$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Purchase Other Current Assets$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Purchase Long-term Assets$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Dividends$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Cash Spent$8,470 $17,001 $13,236 $14,718 $21,046 $21,467 $21,905 $22,359 $22,832 $23,323 $23,834 $24,365 Net Cash Flow$364,182 $6,186 $10,415 $9,406 $3,561 $3,632 $3,696 $3,754 $3,803 $3,844 $3,876 $3,897 Cash Balance$364,182 $370,368 $380,783 $390,189 $393,750 $397,382 $401,078 $404,832 $408,635 $412,479 $416,355 $420,252 Table: Balance Sheet Pro Forma Balance Sheet Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12AssetsStarting BalancesCurrent AssetsCash$0 $364,182 $370,368 $380,783 $390,189 $393,750 $397,382 $401,078 $404,832 $408,635 $412,479 $416,355 $420,252 Inventory$26,000 $19,591 $12,857 $7,062 $7,412 $7,780 $8,167 $8,573 $8,999 $9,446 $9,915 $10,407 $10,924 Other Current Assets$30,950 $30,950 $30,950 $30,950 $30,950 $30,950 $30,950 $30,950 $30,950 $30,950 $30,950 $30,950 $30,950 Total Current Assets$56,950 $414,723 $414,175 $418,795 $428,551 $432,480 $436,499 $440,601 $444,781 $449,031 $453,344 $457,712 $462,126 Long-term AssetsLong-term Assets$329,800 $329,800 $329,800 $329,800 $329,800 $329,800 $329,800 $329,800 $329,800 $329,800 $329,800 $329,800 $329,800 Accumulated Depreciati on$0 $0 $1,095 $2,190 $3,285 $4,380 $5,475 $6,570 $7,665 $8,760 $9,855 $10,950 $12,045 Total Long-term Assets$329,800 $329,800 $328,705 $327,610 $326,515 $325,420 $324,325 $323,230 $322,135 $321,040 $319,945 $318,850 $317,755 Total Assets$386,750 $744,523 $742,880 $746,405 $755,066 $757,900 $760,824 $763,831 $766,916 $770,071 $773,289 $776,562 $779,881 Table: Balance Sheet (Continued) Liabilities and Capital Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12Current LiabilitiesAccounts Payable$0 $8,663 $4,854 $6,118 $12,432 $12,839 $13,262 $13,700 $14,156 $14,631 $15,123 $15,636 $16,170 Current Borrowing$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Other Current Liabilities$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Current Liabilities$0 $8,663 $4,854 $6,118 $12,432 $12,839 $13,262 $13,700 $14,156 $14,631 $15,123 $15,636 $16,170 Long-term Liabilities$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Total Liabilities$0 $8,663 $4,854 $6,118 $12,432 $12,839 $13,262 $13,700 $14,156 $14,631 $15,123 $15,636 $16,170 Paid-in Capital$402,050 $752,050 $752,050 $752,050 $752,050 $752,050 $752,050 $752,050 $752,050 $752,050 $752,050 $752,050 $752,050 Retained Earning s($15,300)($15,300)($15,300)($15,300)($15,300)($15,300)($15,300)($15,300)($15,300)($15,300)($15,300)($15,300)($15,300)Earnings$0 ($890)$1,276 $3,537 $5,884 $8,311 $10,812 $13,381 $16,009 $18,690 $21,415 $24,176 $26,961 Total Capital$386,750 $735,860 $738,026 $740,287 $742,634 $745,061 $747,562 $750,131 $752,759 $755,440 $758,165 $760,926 $763,711 Total Liabilities and Capital$386,750 $744,523 $742,880 $746,405 $755,066 $757,900 $760,824 $763,831 $766,916 $770,071 $773,289 $776,562 $779,881 Net Worth$386,750 $735,860 $738,026 $740,287 $742,634 $745,061 $747,562 $750,131 $752,759 $755,440 $758,165 $760,926 $763,711  INFORMATION AND FORMS ARE PROVIDED â€Å"AS IS† WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF ANY KIND INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NONINFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL DOCSTOC, INC., OR ITS AGENTS, OFFICERS , ATTORNEYS, ETC., BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF INFORMATION) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE MATERIALS, EVEN IF DOCSTOC HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. They are for guidance and should be modified by you or your attorney to meet your specific needs and the laws of your state or jurisdiction. Use at your own risk. Docstoc ® is NOT providing legal or any other kind of advice and is not creating or entering into an  Attorney-Client relationship. The information, reports, and forms are not a substitute for the advice of your own attorney. The law is a personal matter and no general information or forms or like the kind Docstoc provides can always correctly fit every circumstance. Note: Carefully read and follow the Instructions and Comments contained in this document for your customization to suit your specific circumstances and requirements. You will want to delete the Instructions and Comments from open bracket (â€Å"[â€Å") to close bracket (â€Å"]†) after reading and following them. You (or your attorney) may want to make additional modifications to meet your specific needs and the laws of your state. The Instructions and Comments are not a substitute for the advice of your own attorney. ââ€"Å  Where within this document you see this symbol: ââ€"Å  or an instruction states â€Å"Insert any number you chooseââ€"Å ,† or something similar, or there is a blank for the user to complete, please note that although Docstoc believes the information or number may be any that the user chooses, and that there is no law governing what the information or number should be, you might want to verify this, including by consulting with your own attorney practicing in your state. Because the law is different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and the laws are subject to change, Docstoc cannot guarantee—and disclaims all guarantees—that it is correct for the information or number to be anything that the user chooses. The information, forms, instructions, tips, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, reports, and services in and through Docstoc are not legal advice, but are general information / forms on general issues often encountered designed to help Docstoc users, members, purchasers, and subscribers address their own needs. But information, including tips, general forms, instructions, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, and reports, no matter how seemingly customized to conform to the laws and regulations applicable to you, is not the same as legal advice, which may be the specific application of laws and regulations by lawyers licensed to practice law in your state to the specific circumstances and needs of individuals and entities. Some states, counties, municipalities,  and other governmental divisions, have highly specific laws and regulations, and our information / forms / reports may not take all those specific laws and regulations into consideration, although we tried to do so. Docstoc is not a law firm and the employees and contractors (including attorneys, if any) of Docstoc are not acting as your attorneys, and none of them are a substitute for the advice of your own attorney licensed to practice law in your state. The employees or contractors of Docstoc, who wrote or modified any form, instructions, tips, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, and reports, are NOT providing legal or any other kind of advice and are not creating or entering into an Attorney-Client relationship. Any such form, instruction, tips, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, and reports were most likely NOT prepared or reviewed by an attorney licensed to practice law in your state, and, therefore, the employees or contractors could not provide you with legal advice even if they or Docstoc wanted to. Even though we take every reasonable effort to attempt to make sure our information / forms / reports are accurate, up to-date, and useful, we recommend that you consult a lawyer licensed to practice law in your state if you want professional assurance that our information, forms, instructions, tips, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, and reports; your interpretation of it or them; and the information and input that you provide are appropriate to your particular situation. Application of these general principles and wording to particular circumstances should be done by a lawyer who has consulted with you in confidence, learned all relevant information, and explored various options. Before acting on these general principles and general wording, you might want to hire a lawyer licensed to practice law in the jurisdiction to which your question pertains. The information, forms, instructions, tips, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, and reports, available on and through Docstoc are not legal advice and are not guaranteed to be correct, complete, accurate, or up-to-date. Because the law is different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, they are subject to changes, and there are varying interpretations and applications by different courts and governmental and administrative bodies, and Docstoc cannot guarantee—and disclaims all guarantees—that the information, forms, and reports on or  through the site and services are completely current or accurate. Please further note that laws change and are regularly amended; therefore, the provisions, names, and section numbers of statutes, codes, or regulations, and the types of permits or licenses within any forms or reports, may not be 100% correct, as they may be partially or wholly out of date and some relevant ones may have been omitted or misinterpreted. Docstoc is not permitted to engage in the practice of law. Docstoc is prohibited from providing any kind of advice, explanation, opinion, or recommendation to a consumer about possible legal rights, remedies, defenses, options, selection, or completion of forms or strategies. Communications between you and Docstoc may be protected by our Privacy Policy (http://premium.docstoc.com/privacypolicy), but are NOT protected by the attorney-client privilege or work product doctrine since Docstoc is not a law firm and is not providing legal advice. No Docstoc employee, contractor, or attorney is authorized to provide you with any advice about what information (again, which includes forms) to use or how to use or complete it or them. Entire document copyright  © Docstoc ®, Inc., 2010 – 2013 All Right ReservedINFORMATION AND FORMS ARE PROVIDED â€Å"AS IS† WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF ANY KIND INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NONINFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL DOCSTOC, INC., OR ITS AGENTS, OFFICERS, ATTORNEYS, ETC., BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF INFORMATION) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE MATERIALS, EVEN IF DOCSTOC HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. They are for guidance and should be modified by you or your attorney to meet your specific needs and the laws of your state or jurisdiction. Use at your own risk. Docstoc ® is NOT providing legal or any other kind of advice and is not creating or entering into an Attorney-Client relationship. The information, reports, and forms are not a substitute for the advice of your own attorney. The law is a personal matter and no general information or forms or like the kind Docstoc provides can always correctly fit every circumstance. Note: Carefully read and follow the Instructions and Comments contained in this document for your customization to suit your specific circumstances and requirements. You will want to delete the Instructions and Comments from open bracket (â€Å"[â€Å") to close bracket (â€Å"]†) after reading and following them. You (or your attorney) may want to make additional modifications to meet your specific needs and the laws of your state. The Instructions and Comments are not a substitute for the advice of your own attorney. ââ€"Å  Where within this document you see this symbol: ââ€"Å  or an instruction states â€Å"Insert any number you chooseââ€"Å ,† or something similar, or there is a blank for the user to complete, please note that although Docstoc believes the information or number may be any that the user chooses, and that there is no law governing what the information or number should be, you might want to verify this, including by consulting with your own attorney practicing in your state. Because the law is different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and the laws are subject to change, Docstoc cannot guarantee—and disclaims all guarantees—that it is correct for the information or number to be anything that the user chooses. The information, forms, instructions, tips, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, reports, and services in and through Docstoc are not legal advice, but are general information / forms on general issues often encountered designed to help Docstoc users, members, purchasers, and subscribers address their own needs. But information, including tips, general forms, instructions, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, and reports, no matter how seemingly customized to conform to the laws and regulations applicable to you, is not the same as legal advice, which may be the specific application of laws and regulations by lawyers licensed to practice law in your state to the specific circumstances and needs of individuals and entities. Some states, counties, municipalities, and other governmental divisions, have highly specific laws and regulations, and our information / forms / reports may not take all those specific laws and regulations into consideration, although we tried to do so. Docstoc is not a law firm and the employees and contractors (including  attorneys, if any) of Docstoc are not acting as your attorneys, and none of them are a substitute for the advice of your own attorney licensed to practice law in your state. The employees or contractors of Docstoc, who wrote or modified any form, instructions, tips, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, and reports, are NOT providing legal or any other kind of advice and are not creating or entering into an Attorney-Client relationship. Any such form, instruction, tips, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, and reports were most likely NOT prepared or reviewed by an attorney licensed to practice law in your state, and, therefore, the employees or contractors could not provide you with legal advice even if they or Docstoc wanted to. Even though we take every reasonable effort to attempt to make sure our information / forms / reports are accurate, up to-date, and useful, we recommend that you consult a lawyer licensed to practice law in your state if you want professional assurance that our information, forms, instructions, tips, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, and reports; your interpretation of it or them; and the information and input that you provide are appropriate to your particular situation. Application of these general principles and wording to particular circumstances should be done by a lawyer who has consulted with you in confidence, learned all relevant information, and explored various options. Before acting on these general principles and general wording, you might want to hire a lawyer licensed to practice law in the jurisdiction to which your question pertains. The information, forms, instructions, tips, comments, decision tree alternatives and choices, and reports, available on and through Docstoc are not legal advice and are not guaranteed to be correct, complete, accurate, or up-to-date. Because the law is different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, they are subject to changes, and there are varying interpretations and applications by different courts and governmental and administrative bodies, and Docstoc cannot guarantee—and disclaims all guarantees—that the information, forms, and reports on or through the site and services are completely current or accurate. Please further note that laws change and are regularly amended; therefore, the provisions, names, and section numbers of statutes, codes, or regulations, and the types of permits or licenses within any forms or reports, may not be 100% correct, as they may be partially or wholly out of date and some  relevant ones may have been omitted or misinterpreted. Docstoc is not permitted to engage in the practice of law. Docstoc is prohibited from providing any kind of advice, explanation, opinion, or recommendation to a consumer about possible legal rights, remedies, defenses, options, selection, or completion of forms or strategies. Communications between you and Docstoc may be protected by our Privacy Policy (http://premium.docstoc.com/privacypolicy), but are NOT protected by the attorney-client privilege or work product doctrine since Docstoc is not a law firm and is not providing legal advice. No Docstoc employee, contractor, or attorney is authorized to provide you with any advice abo ut what information (again, which includes forms) to use or how to use or complete it or them. Entire document copyright  © Docstoc ®, Inc., 2010 – 2013 All Right Reserved ———————– Business Plan for Restaurant Bar and Grill This Business Plan for a Bar and Grill Restaurant allows entrepreneurs or business owners to create a comprehensive and professional business plan. This template form allows a business to outline the company’s objectives and detail both current company information as well as any past performance. Companies should include a complete market analysis in their plan to help showcase why their business strategy will be effective in the market. Future company plans, including production targets, management strategy, and financial forecasting, should be used to demonstrate and confirm that the company’s short-term and long-term objective can and will be met. This model plan can be customized to best fit the unique needs of any entrepreneur or owner that is seeking to create a strong business plan. Business Plan for Restaurant Bar and Grill This Business Plan for a Bar and Grill Restaurant allows entrepreneurs or business owners to create a comprehensive and professional business plan. This template form allows a business to outline the company?s objectives and detail both curren[pic][?]

What Happened to the Mayan's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What Happened to the Mayan's - Essay Example Maya civilization reached its civilization peak around 750 A.D. After two hundred years, Maya civilization disappeared and collapsed in a mysterious manner. Several theories got made to explain the collapsing of the civilization. Some people believed that the ritual warfare between the Mayans and their neighbors caused their downfall (Childress, 1992). The Mayans flee their homes for survival due to lack of food and the raging war. This also led to another theory of corrupted and faulty officials in their system of power. Others believed that the downfall was as a result of deterioration of their agricultural system. The mystery gets well elaborated by this theory. Mayans relied heavily on agricultural activities. They believed that their ever increasing population resulted to high demand of food and shelter. The worn out soil was not able to support the demanding population. Hence, people got forced to leave their homes in pursuit of greener pasture. Apart from soil deterioration, the region experienced a massive drought (Scholl, 2009). A direct proof of showing that Maya areas experienced a massive drought during the ninth century got discovered at Yucatan region in Mexico. A team of researchers from the University of Florida conducted research at Lake Chichancanab and found reliable evidence to proof Gill’s theory. The scientists got concerned in past climates, and carried their research by extracting mud from the bed of the lake. Shells and seeds got removed from the mud and taken to laboratory for further analysis (Scholl, 2009). The findings in the laboratory indicated that Maya experienced a massive drought during the ninth century. Hence, it provided the much needed evidence in Gill’s theory of drought in

SAT promt essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SAT promt - Essay Example Mother Teresa was an ethnic Albanian, Catholic nun who arrived in India in 1931. Seeing all the poverty, pain and disease around her, she really doubted whether she will be able to make a difference in the life of the suffering humanity that surrounded her. She had no funds at her disposal and no material means to support her plans. To get over this problem, this brave Catholic nun devised a strategy. She decided to focus on the immediate person suffering before her, without getting disheartened by the big picture comprising of millions of suffering people. Hence, her mission which started with serving a single old man dying of leprosy in a gutter, gradually evolved into a big charity and this Catholic nun was able to bring happiness and peace to the life of millions of people. Especially in India, people harbor such respect for Mother Teresa that they fondly remember her as the Saint of the Gutters. The life of Mother Teresa not only teaches the value of being sincere and dedicated in the accomplishment of small things, but also stands as a beacon that warns the people who want to bring about a change in the world, to never get frustrated by admitting that they are too small to serve any pragmatic purpose. Most of the worthy endeavors mostly begin with a small act or gesture of kindness, courage or compassion. Nature has its own unique way of supporting the efforts of good people who intend to achieve a big goal by starting with small things. The overall impact of these small things when accumulated over time gives way to a surge of change that is too strong and too big to be restrained by obstacles, scarcities and resistance. It is quite possible that one would never have had a Mother Teresa in this world, if a frail Catholic nun in Calcutta would have got dismayed by the big size of suffering around her and would have given up on the very first old man that needed her help an d

The History of Warfare in the Perspective of John Keegan Essay

The History of Warfare in the Perspective of John Keegan - Essay Example The samurai were roughly considered as Japanese counterparts of Western European knights during their time. The Japanese were a literate a people, and the literary culture of the samurai was highly developed (Keegan 42). The samurai also developed a strong code of ethics that revolved around loyalty, self-denial, and honor to his lord and clan, and also being in constant readiness to die in the face of duty or failure. These set in mind the samurai’s striving for perfection in the art of war, especially in swordsmanship and the martial arts: It was fostered by Zen Buddhism, which stressed the ‘two supreme ideals – fidelity and an indifference to physical hardship’. It was reinforced by the culture of the warrior class, ‘a culture that paid meticulous attention to the formal, the ceremonious, and elegantly expressed in life and art’; Japanese swordplay was as much an art as a skill, governed by rules of deportment and gesture which epitomized th e Japanese concern for style in every aspect of existence (Keegan 45). The introduction of firearms in Japanese warfare during the 16th century was initially accepted at first due to practical reasons in relation to the ever-changing landscape of war during that time. ... Also, guns were unquestionably a symbol of foreign intrusion and were associated, illogically but inescapably, with the spread of Christianity (Keegan 44). It was for this reason that during the Tokugawa Shogunate period, all firearms in Japan were banned, therefore reversing the military advantage it once enjoyed for the sake of maintaining the samurai status quo. The next question to ask is when societies and organizations are most likely to originate or adapt to new military technology. The answer simply lies in necessity. The harsh realities of war and battlefield set the precedence that societies and organizations must adapt or completely change the way they wage war. During the First World War, nations developed several new military technologies to gain battlefield dominance that would ensure victory in the war. The invention of the machine gun, the breech loading shell cartridge rifles and artillery served as the initial technology for such dominance, but this led for all comb atants to take up trench warfare with much horrific loss of life for the attacking side since all combatants were equipped with such technology on the onset of hostilities. The invention of the tank was the second solution, but the machines produced were too few in number, too slow and cumbersome to impose a decisive alteration to tactical conditions (Keegan 313). The tank was developed as a defense, and because of it, there was no need to send waves of soldiers that will be cut down by deadly volleys of bullets and artillery shells. The last inquiry deals about specific characteristics of societies, technologies, and organizations in relation to their readiness to adapt to military changes. A specific characteristic is conditioned on society possibly

Relationship management as a means of developing competitive edge Assignment

Relationship management as a means of developing competitive edge - Assignment Example This research will begin with the concept of relationship management and an overview of the organization which is used as an example for the implementation of this marketing concept. The area of research for this paper is the concept of relationship marketing and its application in the business scenario. Relationship marketing (RM) is defined as â€Å"the process of identifying and establishing, maintaining, enhancing, and when necessary terminating relationships with customers and another stakeholder, at a profit, so that the objective of all parties involved are met, where this is done by a mutual giving and fulfillment of promises†. The company being considered is called New Star Company and it was a pop music club before it merged with another company after which it became a fan club. After the merger, New Star Company still kept the members of its pop-music club with the intention that they would bring in new members into the fans club. They need to gain a foothold in the Chinese market and are looking into business strategies which will enable them to attract new members to their fans club, yet at the same time be able to retain their existing base of members. Relationship Management is about attracting, maintaining and enhancing the relationships between an organization and its customers. This marketing strategy came about as a result of the effects of low growth rate and deregulation which made it necessary for an organization to determine how they could maintain their existing customer base instead of developing new ones.... d are looking into business strategies which will enable them to attract new members to their fans club, yet at the same time be able to retain their existing base of members. In this research we will examine how relationship management can work as an effective business stra0tegy for the company to gain new members. Review of Relationship Management Relationship Management is about attracting, maintaining and enhancing the relationships between an organization and its customers. This marketing strategy came about as a result of the effects of low growth rate and deregulation which made it necessary for organization to determine how they could maintain their existing customer base instead of developing new ones. Relationship marketing involves using satisfied customers as a way for attracting n0ew customers. This means using the element of customer loyalty to gain strength in a new market, which calls for interaction between an organization and its customers, wherein it is necessary for both parties to share the same philosophy to successfully interact. The power of relationship marketing is seen in its unique feature of trying to establish a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship between an organization and its customer. In order to do this, relationship marketing focuses on gaining as much knowledge as possible on customer preferences and implementing these preferences into product and service design. "Relationship marketing is a long term orientation, all marketing activities directed toward establishing, developing, and maintaining successful relational exchanges". Kolter (2000) Difference between relationship marketing and transactional marketing In we need to understand how relationship marketing can benefit an organization we need to see how

World War 2 History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

World War 2 History - Essay Example The biggest obscurity that remains is who should bear the culpability of the Holocaust. Millions of questions fizz out of the World War II brutality, but unfortunately, neither satisfactory answer has ever been reached nor is there any in the near future. The answers to evolving questions still remain oblivious with many wondering about the motives and the driving force behind the Holocaust. However, through their stories, Christopher Browning, Sledge Barrow, and Gerald Linderman try to explore some of the drivers of such brutalities witnessed with â€Å"ordinary men† of Reserve Police Battalion 101 during World War II. Browning attempts to shed light on the outrageous behavior of â€Å"ordinary men† of Reserve Police Battalion 101 in the period of German invasion of Poland. On the other hand, Sledge explores the physical and psychological tortures that the United States marine went through in their bid to survive during offensive action in Peleliu and Okinawa, which wa s also reflected by Linderman. All these men crafted literature on the experiences of ordinary men during the war, which compelled them to execute horrific and baffling actions. The main role of Reserve Police Battalion 101 in Poland was to clear ghetto and to extradite the Jews to rear regions by train. According to Browning, most of the members of this group were neither Nazis nor trained for war (3–4). Interestingly, the men turned out to be one of the most efficient executioners of innocent civilians. Jozefow, Poland, marks the group’s initial murder stage, which became a future plan for successive murder operations. The Battalion commander, Major Wilhelm Trap, came up with a solution for those who could not accomplish the task of killing their victims by relieving them of their duty. However, only a few members bought his idea of the reprieve offer. It beats logic and exposes extreme meanness when ordinary men were matched one-on-one with their victims, which pres ented the murders as more individual. The men felt resentment and depression from the killing when they later retreated into their camps (Barrow 69). The commanders of the men resorted to making alcohol accessible, perhaps, to frozen the feelings and experience and also to help the men to cope. Browning further argues that some of the members of Reserve Police Battalion 101 requested to quit when the executions began, while others seemed to enjoy their role (70). The idea of taking lives is quite a traumatizing experience. Apparently, those who were leaving were so withdrawn to pull the trigger with their weapons, and more so, on a face-to-face execution basis of their victims. As the battalions participated in numerous operations to capture and exterminate the Jews, they became more oriented to killing and would even derive pleasure from killing their victims (Browning 127). In spite of the reluctance to shoot their Jew victims, it did not make any better their callous capture and delivery of the Jew captives to their murder sites. Browning argues that "Spared direct participation in the killing, the men...seemed scarcely to have been disturbed" (Browning 90). Quite a large number of the battalions took part in organized murders in their attempt to â€Å"cleanse† Poland. The successive executions were based on the plan developed in Jozefow, when the very first executions were made efficiently and effectively by the ordinary men. In the later killings, the Jews were led to the forest, ordered to lie down and then gunned on their necks. Because of their involvement in countless shootings of the Jews, the men became so murder-oriented that they even became efficient in dispelling the killings from

EUROPEAN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

EUROPEAN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT - Essay Example But the relationship between the trade activities and economic development is more complex than it seems because it can’t be said for sure that improved trade activities will definitely lead to economic growth of the nation, although there are numerous evidences which support the nexus between economic development and prosperity and improved business activities. An open economy supports the relationship between economic growth and improved trade activities (Europa-a, n.d.). All of the members of the Europe Union were aware of the relationship between economic growth and trade activities as they were benefited from the free trade affairs between the EU nations which not only supported their trade activities but also enhanced their economic growth. Since the initiation of the integration process, European nations have maintained their enlargement policy which significantly impacted the economic conditions of the member nations. It was also perceived that in the near future whate ver changes are introduced in the EU regulations and policies, it’s going to have a direct impact on the economic and trade performances of the current and upcoming members of the Europe Union. From the primal stages of development of European Union as Single Market, the intra industrial trade activities have remained prominent. This has supported the new members to adhere themselves to the community by making minor adjustments in their overall industrial structure (Frias & Iglesias, 2004, p.55). The integration process of European nations had started during 1940s and has developed significantly since then. However, several events have interrupted their process of integration. Such phases are popularly known as the phases of crises and scarcity of economic resources resulting from events of wars and economic turmoil. These unstable conditions lead to changes in the policies of EU which was tailored to resist the consequences. Considering these

Lee Valley Segmentation Essay Example for Free

Lee Valley Segmentation Essay Background Lee Valley——a family-owned business which has been providing customers of woodworking and gardening tools since 1978.Their reputation is based on three principles: 1. Customer satisfaction: Any product may be returned within 3 months and no cost to the customer (for shipments within North America, they will refund your return parcel post costs). 2. Integrity: Product descriptions are matched with the product——even if the product is roughly made, they will give you accurate descriptions. 3. Treat the customer like a friend. â€Å"About one third of their total sales volume is in products of their own design. The vast majority of these are Veritas ® brand products made by Veritas Tools Inc., their manufacturing arm. They have a research and development team of 11 people and 130 more in manufacturing. And, to reinforce the part about listening to customers, they have a number of customers earning royalties on products that they manufacture based on designs received from them† (Lee Valley). Objective Both woodworking and gardening must have a 2.5% increase in total sales in the next fiscal year. To achieve this goal, management has allocated a budget of $500,000—exclusive of the cost of printing and mailing the catalogues. This budget is intended to fund the prospecting activities of both product lines. Current Situation Analysis Since Lee Valley launched its e-Commerce site in 2000, internet sales have been an increasing percentage of total sales. When launched, the sitegenerated about 20% of total sales, with phone sales being 70% and sales from mail at 10%.By 2010, Internet sales have reached 70% of total sales, which phone sales at 25% and mail at 5%. [pic]Fig. 1. Percentage of total orders generated by e-commerce from Lee Valley Tools Ltd. [pic] Fig. 2. Percentage of total orders generated by e-commerce from Lee Valley Tools Ltd. According to the pie charts illustrate above, Internet sales have already dominated the total sales of Lee Valley since its e-Commerce site launched in 2000.About 70% of the total customers obtain their products online in 2010 which means that new market segmentation and promotion which focus on online shopping must be generated to accommodate the needs of existing customers as well as new customers. Customer Segmentation——who the firm will serve Geographic Variables In views of the database surveyed by Euromonitor International in 2012, Home and Garden reveals emerging markets and are growing in popularity, developed countries remain, by far, the highest spenders on gardening products. Higher levels of urbanization and incomes, combined with greater access to a wider range of goods and services in cities, are key factors underpinning demand. -All countries with per household expenditure higher than US$1,000 have more than three quarters of their population. -Economic growth and urbanization are the main forces behind the growth in home and garden in developing countries. Demographic Variables According to the Gardening Market Research, the most popular lawn and garden activities included lawn care (48% of households), growing indoor houseplants (31% of households), flower gardening (30% of households), and landscaping (27% of households). The customer profile indicated from Lee Valley shows that the average gardening buyer characteristics are as follows: -Age: average 47 -Gender: 65% female -Income: average household income $72,017 -Education: 60% have a college education -68% are married -82% are homeowners Psychographic Variables In general, gardening enthusiasts also have their distinguishing lifestyles and personality traits, such as: -Environmental friendly -Family-oriented -Seeking freedom and relaxation -Living a simple and peaceful life -Retired, enjoy DIY and private time -Focus on landscaping Behavioral Variables 1. User status Regular users are those who have their regular schedule for purchase in gardening, most of whom have their own projects. Potential users are people who are intending to access to the market but still with different reasons of hesitation or lacking of stimulation. Ex-users are those who used to purchase gardening tools in the past or 2. Intensity of use In the â€Å"Pareto’s Law†, 20% of the customers are heavy users but the remaining 80% are only light users. That indicates companies should emphasis on the most valuable group of customers who are come from the 20%.It dosen’t mean the rest parts are non-essential. Frenquency of order in terms of the climate where the customers live as well as the purpose of purchase. 3. Innovativeness Since 2000, there has been a double-digit growth in the e-commerce sector; statistics have shown that more than 80% of regular online shoppers have used Internet to purchase products or services, while 50% of the online population recorded to have shopped online more than once. According to statistics from Invesp Blog, shoppers by age group is as follows: 18-30 years (54%), 31-44 years (68%), 45-54 years (64%), 55-65 years (68%), 66 years and up (48%). Teens and the young generation find entertainment and social networks online, whereas older generations use the internet as a tool for research, shopping and banking. According to statistics researched in 2009, Generation X (internet users ages 33-44) continues to lead in online shopping. Fully 80% of Generation X internet users buy products online, compared to teenage online users between ages of 18-32, the next runner-up, which constitute 71% of online shopping total. However, there is a decline of internet shopping between the ages 64-72, accounting to 56%, and 47% of online users between the age 73 and older. Global E-commerce sales are growing by more than 19% a year and will be of almost $1.4 trillion by 2015. Lee Valley has a large numbers of customers (70%) ordering online, which illustrates that customers with these certain characteristics are the key part of gardening market. Most people between 35 and 55 years have their own house and garden, 68% of them are married and they are more willing to live a high quality of life with their families. They prefer to online shopping because it is more convenient and can save most of their time as well as money. As far as I am concerned, I suggest Lee Valley to build up collaborative relationships with multinational internet corporations like eBay to extend their market size. At the same time, cut the budget on printing the catalogues and put it to social media so as to attract more new customers. Meanwhile, loyalty program to exiting customers is also indispensable. For instance, gathering different suggestions from loyalty customers and meet their special demands will not only increase the order frequency but also improve the customer satisfaction. Works Cited Datagraphics, Home and Garden. â€Å"Urban Countries Spend the Most in Home and Garden.† Euromonitor International. N.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. Khalid. â€Å"How Big is E-commerce Industry.† invesp Blog. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. Lee Valley. â€Å"About Us.† Lee Valley Veritas. N.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. National Gardening Association. â€Å"Garden Market Research.† National Gardening Association. N.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. Pew Research Center. â€Å"Generations Online in 2009.† PewResearchCenter Publications. Pew Research Center, 2009. Web. 21 Sept. 2012.

Marriage in African Traditional Society

Marriage in African Traditional Society Marriage is an important step in the life of every human on earth. Different cultures have different rituals and beliefs about marriage. Love, economic status, religious beliefs, and social acceptance are just a few reasons individuals marry across differing cultures. To understand various form of marriages among the Kenyan societies and specifically the Akamba, we shall look at length the systems of marriages that existed. Kenyan culture is very diverse and full of tradition based on social norms that have been around for generations. Social life is patterned around a strong clan and extended family ties. This plays a vital role in the marriage process. Kenyans attempt to maximize rewards and minimize costs. This is done by comparing what one gives up compared to what they receive in marriage. A husband may receive social status, sexual enhancement, increased labor, and the knowledge that his blood-line will continue, while giving up some sort of economic compensation to the family of the wife. The wife may receive resources, adult status as a wife, and protection in return for her labor and obedience to her husband. Marriage is a recognized union of a man and a woman as husband and wife, a union that is intended to last their joint lives. Mutisya(2004) cites a case of Rex vs Amkeyo, the then Chief Justice, Sir Robert Hamilton, that stated: In my opinion, the use of the word marriage to describe the relationship entered into by an African native with a woman of his tribe according to tribal custom is a misnomer that has led in the past to a considerable confusion of ideas the element of a so-called marriage by native custom differs so materially from the ordinary accepted idea of what constitutes a civilized form of marriage that it is difficult to compare the two. However, in the African mind, it is considered as a serious affair and one that demands high commitment. There are no half-measures in Akamba marriages. A man who engages in dubious marital relationships is a mutuanya, a vagabond despised by everyone in the community. Likewise, a woman without a proper husband is referred to as a mukoma nthi, one who sleeps on the floor, a person of no fixed abode. Among the Akamba, a virgin bride brought shame to her family; her virginity was an indication of ill preparation before marriage, therefore young women were ritually deflowered by elder men from whom they received sexual teachings. In the same vein, pre-marital sex was permitted for both boys and girls to prepare them adequately for their conjugal responsibilities in marriage. Among the Akamba, marriage had the specific purpose of perpetuating ones lineage and in the process, bestowing social status on the man and his wife. When a boy and girl came to a secret agreement that they were in love and wanted to marry, upon agreement, the young mans father would approach the girls parents on the matter. This was followed by the first sign of sealing an in-law relationship uthoni with two goats mbui sya ntheo. The young suitor then prepared the best beer uki, which was taken to the girls father, followed by a negotiation on the bride-wealth. The Akamba married woman was more or less the head of the family in the long run, since the husband had little control over her in the day to day management. If such a freedom to manage the home was absent, the husband had the danger of his wife becoming exasperated and running away. At all costs, the husband had to avoid such situations of a wife running back to her parents, because he would definitely not recover the dowry he gave to her parents, which could only happen if his former wife re-married. In the case of re-marriage, the new husband was obliged to refund the entire dowry paid to the former husband. In the final analysis what this system did was to reduce exceedingly the number of divorce cases. The Akamba men were socialized to worship physical power fighting, cattle raiding, and so on. The women maintained a closely guarded culture of oppression in which men were excluded from all intellectual activities. The mens only tasks were to raid cattle and guard the community. When they were not doing that, they were allowed to spend their time drinking beer or socializing. They were excluded from all creative activities where thought and tact would have been necessary. In deed, even in worshiping Mulungu the Akamba God, the men were excluded. The women had their own well organized religion called Kathambi. Their goddess, Kathambi, is the goddess of rain and fertility. The women associated rain and fertility with womanhood. And since men dont give birth or menstruate, they were deemed incapable of communicating with Mulungu. The congregation of Kathambi worshiping women was called Ngolano and the congregation was led by woman priestesses (who had stopped menstruating and giving birth) in shrines called mathembo, composed of thick forests or huge trees. Ghost Wives (Mulewa) Mulewa Muthiani goes about her business just like any other widowed woman in her village in Ukambani. But there is one difference between her and normal widows Mulewa never met her husband. In fact, she was married to him after he died, about 30 years ago. Mulewa is what is referred to in Ukambani as a ghost wife. And while she never set eyes on Muthiani, her husband, she knows for a fact that he once lived, and even if now long dead, he continues to live as a spirit. This she knows because when she was being married, her mother in-law, Muthoni who died in 1992 told her that she was being married to bear children for Muthonis son, Muthiani, who died in early childhood. Yes, she has children five in fact who were fathered by different men and who bear her dead husbands name. Stanely Kimanga. It was considered highly important for every Akamba man to be married because it was his wife and children that would guarantee keeping his memory beyond his death. If an Akamba man died before marriage, the father arranged to obtain a wife (Mulewa) for the dead son. Such a girl was married to the name of the dead unmarried man and bore him children, usually by his brother (cf. Middleton, p. 90). In 1967 C. W .Hobley wrote in Bantu Beliefs and Magic: There is a curious custom in Ukambani If a young unmarried man is killed away from his village, his Imu or spirit will return there and speak to the people through the medium of an old woman in a dance and say: I am so-and- so speaking, and I want a wife. The youths father will then make arrangements to buy a girl from another village and bring her to his, and she will be mentioned as the wife of the deceased, speaking of him by name Among the Akamba, a woman could be married to a man who was long dead and such a woman was called Mulewa ghost wife. Athough the ghost wife never met her husband, she knew he once lived and continued to live as a spirit. Mulewa was therefore expected to bear children for her dead husband by sleeping with other men. The ghost wife cultural practice also catered for male children who died in infancy. The bereaved mother counted the years until the dead baby would have reached marriageable age, then she would find him a bride. Before a girl was identified to be a ghost wife, there had to be evidence that she had already produced a son. The continuation of the dead mans lineage and that of his father was of prime importance. Even if daughters remained at home and produced children, they were not perceived as continuing the lineage of their maternal grandfather because kinship in the Akamba community was patrilineal and the children of daughters would not belong to the same clan as their grandfather. A ghost wife was accorded the privileges of a normal wife and her right of inheritance was protected and she received what her dead husband would have received from his parents. Woman-to-Woman Marriage (Iweto) The practice of women marrying women is somewhat common in certain societies in West Africa, Southern Africa, East Africa, and the Sudan. Yet, besides a total lack of discussion in the popular media, what is typically called woman-woman marriage is the subject of a very small body of academic literature. Cross-culturally, women take wives under three circumstances, all of which increase the status of the female husband: 1) barren women and widows take wives to obtain rights over children produced; 2) rich women accumulate wives to gain prestige and wealth in the same way men do through polygyny; and 3) in some societies where women have the right to have a daughter-in-law, women without sons can exercise their right to a daughter-in-law by marrying a woman and giving her to a non-existent son. In each of these situations, African women are able to manipulate the existing system through woman-to-woman marriage in order to achieve higher social and economic status. Woman-to-woman marriage can also be beneficial to persons other than the female husband. Woman-to-woman marriage involves the following persons: 1) the female husband herself; 2) if the female husband is already married, her own husband (the female husbands husband); 3) the woman who is married by the female husband the wife; and 4) the lover(s) of the wife who may father her children. To obtain a full understanding of the topic, it is important to examine the motivations not only of the wife, but also those of the wifes lover(s) and the husband (if any) of the female husband. The Akamba practiced woman-to-woman marriage (Gynegamy) known as Iweto All ceremonial aspects of this marriage were observed, bride-wealth was paid to the girls father, and all rules of divorce applicable in the Akamba community were adhered to. This marriage involved one woman marrying another woman, thus assuming control over her and her offspring. The Akamba female husbands resorted to this form of marriage to further their social and economic positions in society. Barren women and widows took wives to obtain rights over children produced. Rich Akamba women accumulated wives to gain prestige and wealth in the same way men do through polygamy. The Akamba women who had no sons exercised their right to a daughter-in-law by marrying a woman and giving her to a non-existent son. The Akamba allowed a woman who had no sons to marry another woman. This was usually after widowhood, but could also be during the husbands lifetime. The bride worked for and looked after the elderly woman she had married but was free to choose male partners as she pleased, since the purpose for her union with the elderly woman was to have sons. Any children born belonged to the family group, and the sons would inherit the property. Among the Akamba it was and still is the wifes duty to provide food for the family from the family cultivated land. The wife could ask for divorce if the plot of land was too small and the husband refused to negotiate a larger piece of land (cf. Penwill, pp. 15-18). Christian view of both types of Marriages In traditional thinking, ancestors are an essential link in a hierarchical chain of powers stretching from this world to the spirit world. Insofar as African traditional religion can be defined by specific religious actions, the cult of the ancestors is its most common and essential activity. In order to understand the importance of ancestors one must realize that in the African view, death is not thought to end human relationships. Rather, those who die enter the spirit world in which they are invisible. Deceased ancestors are integral to the traditional African social structure. In a culture where tribe, clan and family are of utmost importance, ancestors are the most respected members of the family. To be cut off from relationships with ones ancestors is to cease to be a whole person. Moreover, the ancestors sanction societys customs, norms and ethics. Without them, Africans are left without moral guidelines or motivation, and society is powerless to enforce ethics. However, the bible is clear on when should a union between a woman and a man end, in case of the ghost marriages. A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.( 1st Corithians 7:39). This outlaws the connection in matrimony between the dead and the alive. It also cautions against tokenism where one worships a dead person. It is through Christ that all that have died will rise again. However, woman to woman marriages of Ukambbani are not same with lesbianism. It was a place to take care of each other and involved no or little sexual intimacy. Christian teachings prohibit marriage and sexual activities between same genders but encourage people to take good care of each other. ( 1st John 3:16). It was love that guided these relationships. References Cited Cadigan, R. Jean (1998), Woman-to-woman marriage: practices and benefits in Sub-Saharan Africa. Comparative Perspectives on Black Family Life. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, vol 1 Dundas, C. (1913), History of Kitui, Journal of Royal Anthropological Institute, Vol 43 pp480-549. Kimanga, S. (6 October 2004), The ghost wives of Ukambani, All Africa News, http://allafrica.com/stories/200410060072.html, Accessed 18th July 2010 Lindblom, G., (1969.) The Akamba in British East Africa, 2nd Edition, New York: Negro University Press. Middleton, J. (1953), The Central Tribes of the North-Eastern Bantu, London: International African Institute. New International Version, Holy Bible Penwill, D.J., (1951), Kamba Customary Law, London: Macmillan and Company. Roy M,M. (2004), Akamba Marriage Customs. Nairobi: Roma Publishers Limited. Mueni, E. (2010) Personal interview (0726 43-0331) Terry, M. (2010) Personal Interview (0721- 738524)