Introduction: Background
The proposed business is web based and will provide online solutions to people with health problems such as hypertension. This is because many people have been affected by varied health complications. Many types of unhealthy foods have appealed to the youth who are now in danger of obesity-related complications among other serious illnesses (Putnam 2012). Coupled with the rising numbers of health issues and deaths has influenced the establishment of this internet platform.
Company Overview
Primarily, the business will take the form of a partnership which after one to two years, depending on the business’ break-even analysis; will be transformed into a limited liability company. There will be three partners and one support personnel. Generally, they will head small established divisions divided into accounts and management, communication and production, research and development in addition to marketing. Two partners will be doctors and the other one, a web-based communications specialist. One of the support personnel will help the web specialist while the other one will be a nutritionist.
Product/Service
The service is about provision of professional advice and counseling on various health complications. Specifically, it will be a communication platform between the affected and doctors. The market will be different from other similar platforms in terms of providing professional counseling and advice services tailored to every customer’s needs. Furthermore, the deaths of many people due to obesity-related complications and the rise in use of the internet, has created a major need for providing this service. Cutting-edge technology in the medical industry will also contribute to the success of establishing this e-business platform.
Sales and Marketing
The price for the service will depend on preliminary evaluation of how the customers will embrace the service. However, the price will be set in terms of sessions attended with the doctors with each session going for a minimum of 20 dollars. This is because some of the service (information) to be provided is available in the internet.
Higher prices will be quoted for services involving information not easily available on the internet or anywhere else. Basically, the service will be available to all people who surf the internet meaning all peoples from all over the world. Marketing will primarily involve a social marketing strategy through all social sites especially Face book and Twitter in addition to the website.
Finance
Start-up costs will include costs incurred in setting up internet and networking connections and purchase of computer equipment as well as creation of a detailed website. Others will include fees for the e-business registration process, salary expenses and internet networking costs. This will initially require capital amounting from five thousand dollars. To stay in business, the firm will require minimum capital of eight thousand dollars. The product price, being dependant on attended sessions and how the consumers will embrace the service, will enable the business to gain profits after a short time if the strategy works favorably.
Profits and the break-even point
Generally, the break-even point is where the company’s gains equal losses whereby the service provided, brings in profits. This will be based largely, on emphasis to effective communication and provision of relevant information to the consumers. The website will be updated periodically to ensure its consumers can easily navigate and understand services on offer. Depending on the marketing strategy, two to five months will be enough for the business to start making profits. The service will undergo a pilot testing period to assess consumer demand for the service. Clients needed for the business to make profits on the stipulated time-span will have to be many as many people turn to bogus and free information on the internet.
Funding
Funds for start-up will partly be contributed by the members. Since the business is bound to grow fast, other monies will be sourced from investors. This will be dependent upon drafting a detailed business plan and demonstrated commitment and promise in implementing planned strategies (Morin par.1-12). Expected returns on investments will be 40%, to be given after one year. After two years, the investors will have an option of buying shares in the company or joining the partnership for eventual transformation into a limited liability company.
Summary
Newspapers are awash with news of ever increasing cases of various health complications all over the world. This has led to establishment of online health experts such as the Mayo Clinic and WebMD in a bid to help the affected. Patients will upload necessary information about their health status while the doctors will indicate their qualifications on the established website. They will also be required to upload their photos and answer simple health background questions on dietary habits as well as nutritional likes and dislikes. Other factors such as occupation, nationality, sports activities, geographical location, blood type, age, weight, diseases in addition to any relevant family health histories will also be uploaded. The established website will enable communication between the doctors and the patients. In this case, doctors will leave relevant solutions to the patients on the website but in their personal online accounts. In addition, the site will cater for whole-health problems as well as cater to travelling people.
The doctors will give advice tailored to individual needs. The obese people will receive samples and coupons for health products through e-mails and postings on the website. A restaurant database will be established indicating dietary suggestions on foods from various nearby restaurants and organic-foods joints. In addition, a nutritional breakdown of various foods will be indicated regarding individual daily diet requirements. Advice on recipes and dining out options as well as complimentary foods will also be posted on the website. The site will also provide detailed information about various illnesses including the causes and consequences (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Overweight and Obesity par.1).
Works Cited
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Overweight and Obesity, 2012. Web.
Funding Universe. WebMD Corporation: company histories and profiles.2003. Web.
LinkedIn Company. WebMD: overview. 2012. Web.
Morin, Paul. “Raising Capital – 7 Potential Funding Sources and What They Look For.” 2011. Web.
Putnam, Cheryl. “Childhood Overweight and Obesity”. Journal of Consumer Health on the Internet. 16, (2012) 1. Web.
Yahoo. WebMD Health Corp. (WBMD). Yahoo Finance. 2012. Web.