Ashton Gregory, Owner

Crystal Thompson, Owner

Exploraholics
2131 South Eastgate Ave
Springfield MO 65809

May 12, 2022

Jordan Payne, SBA Business Development Officer

Mid-Missouri Bank
3546 East Sunshine Street
Springfield, MO 65809

Dear Mr. Payne,

Attached to this letter is a plan for our business, Exploraholics. We have carefully considered the needs of
our business and why it will be a worthwhile investment for your bank. I hope you will consider the loan
we are asking for. Thank you for your time and consideration.

While the surrounding areas like Branson have abundant tourism companies and vacation planning
services, Springfield lacks them. Exploraholics wants to get people interested in Springfield by helping
them plan a budget-friendly, fun vacation. I believe our business can make an annual $76,000 profit once
we get our doors open to the public.

We appreciate the time you take to consider Exploraholics. Please feel free to contact us with any
questions you have. We would be more than happy to come in and discuss our business plan.

Best Regards,
Ashton Gregory and Crystal Thompson, Exploraholics Owner

I. Executive Summary

A. The main idea of the proposal: Exploraholics location of the business will be 2131 S Eastgate
Ave, Springfield MO 65803. Our mission is to provide everyday people with budget-friendly,
hassle-free vacation planning. Exploraholics is a tourism company in Springfield, Missouri, and
 the nearby areas. We provide information about a variety of activities such as, purchase tickets,
hotels, parking, and set up bundles for multi-day adventures. We do all the research, planning,
and executing parts for a fun day(s) exploring the town. This business would be a general
partnership. The first owner, Crystal Thompson, has an associate degree in business and
marketing. She has 5 years of experience as the manager of a small marketing business. The
second owner, Ashton Gregory, has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and is a licensed public
accountant. She has 10 years of experience working as a Certified Public Accountant at a local
firm. Our main competitor would be websites that book flights and hotel rooms, such as Trivago,
Hotwire, and Kayak, but Exploraholics can do everything for you to get your much needed
vacations from offering adventures, all rentals, and tickets for certain events. We can do it all!

II. Introduction and Company Background

A. Description of Business: Exploraholics is a tourism company for Springfield, Missouri, and the
nearby areas. We provide information about a variety of activities, purchase tickets, hotels, and
parking, and setup bundles for multi-day adventures. We do all the research, planning, and
executing parts for a fun day(s) exploring the town. Customers can have as much control over
planning as they want, or they can leave it all up to us. Once a customer contacts us, our work
begins.

To start our planning phase, we ask for the following information: 

 How many people are attending the events? What are the ages of the attendees?
 When are the arrival and departure dates? 
 Would they like a hotel room or do they have other arrangements? 
 Is a rental vehicle needed? 
 Do they have a budget? Per day? Per activity? For the total trip? 
 Are there any preferences for activities? Nature, sports, cinema, museums, historic sites,
etc.?

This information will allow our company to find great deals, bundles, and savings on all
purchases, attracting customers to use our service rather than do it themselves. We would be
paid a fee in advance to compile all the above information, plan their trip, and ensure everything
is in order. Once a total is found, the customer will pay that total in addition to the remaining
fee for our service. Tips are welcomed and encouraged during all stages of our service. 

While our main service would turn a profit, it would be an exceedingly small one. To generate a
greater profit, we would partner with other companies to advertise their activities, hotels, car
rental services, etc. to our customers for a fee. 

B. Ownership of Business: This business would be a general partnership. The first owner, Crystal
Thompson, has an associate degree in business and marketing. She has 5 years of experience as
the manager of a small marketing business. The second owner, Ashton Gregory, has a bachelor’s
degree in accounting and is licensed as a public accountant. She has 10 years of experience
working as a Certified Public Accountant at a local firm.
 C. Competition: The reason Exploraholics has an advantage over other adventure seeking
businesses is because we can do it all or very little with a broad range of assistance to get you to
your desired destination. Our main competition would be websites that book flights and hotel
rooms, such as Trivago, Hotwire, and Kayak, but Exploraholics can do everything for you to get
your much needed vacations from offering adventures, all rentals, and tickets for certain events.

D. Mission Statement: To provide everyday people with budget-friendly, hassle-free vacation

planning.

III. Operations Plan

A. Staffing Needs: Exploraholics as a business in the start-up phase would start off with a crew
of 5, and as the business were to expand, we would add more representatives. To start off we
would have a software/advertising employee who would not only advertise our business on
social media but also maintenance our technology, a receptionist who would take any and all
calls along with emailing and taking messages for the business, a janitor who would keep the
office clean, and the two owners. One would manage the financial aspects along with any other
business-related issues. The other owner act as a manager of sorts in charge of scheduling, fix
any day-to-day situations or problems that may arise, and making business decisions with the
other owner. The four day-shift employees would double as a representative for the company
helping customers and planning their vacations. As a startup we would only need one of each,
along with everyone doubling on job duties. We are open six days a week, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM,
Monday through Friday, 1:00PM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, and closed on Sunday. Every person is
needed every day.

Employee Monday Tuesday Wednesda Thursday Friday Saturday

y
Receptionis 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 1P-5P
t
Accountant 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 1P-5P
Manager 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 1P-5P
Technician 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 1P-5P
Janitor 5:00-10:00 5:00-10:00 5:00-10:00 5:00-10:00 5:00-10:00 5:00-10:00

B. Location Analysis: The location of our business will be 2131 S Eastgate Ave, Springfield MO
65809. This location is an office building which would allow us to stay in a smaller space that fits
Exploraholics. Some big advantages of using this location are the number of drivers that travel
past our location while travelling and the number of people that reside in the town of
Exploraholics is located. A disadvantage of using this location is that it may be harder to find due
to being in an office building with many other companies. Our property is right on the highway
and is close to the heart of Springfield which is great for business. We are located on highway 65
across from a big neighborhood. We are located where our customers that want our service can
easily find us and easily see our establishment. There will be plenty of parking for each of our
travel planners and our customers that have appointments to book their trips. I feel as if we do
not have very many businesses around us to compete. We have tons of traffic passing our
establishment on the highway but very little traffic on the road where we are located. There is
also very little foot traffic that is passing our business which could hurt us. Our services are for a
wide range of people since we plan vacations so I think having our company established in
Springfield could help us bring new customers. Our business will be leasing the office space and
building our own team in that office. We are leasing this office space to fit our needs with the
right set up to effectively work with our clients and get them to wherever they dream of. This
office space also allows our business to be advertised all day and all night since we also get a
light up boards with our business name on it. We chose to lease instead of buying because our
business is small and not worth the hassle of buying a space.

C. Equipment and Supplies:

 Reception Area: one desk, one desk chair, one phone, one computer, one printer/copier
combination machine, copy paper, writing utensils (pens, pencils, highlighters, etc.), one
stapler, one filing cabinet, four comfortable chairs, one coffee table, two trashcans, and
décor
 3 Offices: three desks, three desk chairs, three phones, three computers, writing utensils
(pens, pencils, highlighters, etc.), three staplers, three filing cabinets, six additional
chairs, three trashcans, and décor
 Conference room: one conference table, twelve desk chairs, one projector, one
projector screen, and one trashcan
 Utility room: one vacuum, one mop, and additional cleaning supplies (disinfecting
products, fragrance sprays, multipurpose cleaners, etc.).
 Restroom: toilet paper, hand soap, and one hand dryer (installed by us).
 Communal area: one refrigerator, one microwave, one coffee pot, cups, paper towels,
soap, silverware, one trashcan, two couches, one coffee table, one table with four
chairs, one TV, one communal printer/copier combination machine, and a Wi-Fi router

D. Layout:
IV. Management Plan

A. Self-analysis: While our entire teams consist of five people, only the two owners, Ashton
Gregory and Crystal Thompson, are a part of the management team.

Crystal Thompson has an associate degree in business and marketing and 5 years of experience
managing a small marketing business. Her conceptual skills include:
 Active listening
 Presentational communication
 Intuitive thinking
 Organization
 Leadership
 Persuasiveness
 Prioritization

Her technical skills include:

 Microsoft Office software
 Client relations
 Telecommunication
 Human resource management software
o QuickBooks

Her human resource management skills include:

 Conflict resolution
 Flexibility
 Commitment
 Patience

Based on her experience and skills, Crystal Thompson will be an excellent people-person
manager. Her communication skills are immaculate, she has incredible leadership capabilities,
and she can the technical skills to aid her in this position.

Ashton Gregory has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and 10 years of experience as a certified
public accountant (CPA) at a public firm. Her conceptual skills include:
 Organization
 Stability
 Strategic planning
 Critical thinking
 Decision making
 Multitasking
 Prioritization

Her technical skills include:

 Analytics
 Microsoft Office software
 Statistics
 Client relations
  Telecommunication
 Accounting software
o QuickBooks

Her human resource management skills include:

 Flexibility
 Commitment
 Patience
 Negotiation

Based on her experience and skills, Ashton Gregory will be an excellent analytical manager. She
has many critical thinking skills with the communication skills to allow her to accurately voice
her problem-solving solutions. Her technical skills allow her to construct appropriate
documentation of any and all happenings at the business.

B. Organizational Structure:

Accountant: This position is responsible for the business’s finances. They will collect, document,
and adjust the company finances to accommodate for expense. They will prepare audits, track
bank statements, and keep accurate records of all business transactions. Additionally, they will
be a representative of the company. They will work closely with customers to plan, budget, and
book trips.

Manager: This position is responsible for the business management section. They will interact
with customers, other businesses, and sponsors to ensure the best fit for the business. They will
be in direct supervision of the employees. They are also responsible for hiring, firing, training,
and scheduling employees. Additionally, they will be a representative of the company. They will
work closely with customers to plan, budget, and book trips.

Technician: This position is responsible for technical support and social media advertising. They
will monitor web analytics of the business website, post advertisements on social media, and be
the general technician for the business’s electronics. They will interact and assist any customers
via social media. Additionally, they will be a representative of the company. They will work
closely with customers to plan, budget, and book trips.

Receptionist: This positions is responsible for customer greetings and support. They will greet,
direct, and assist any customers that contact the business in person, telephone, or email. They
will keep all important files related to each customer’s transaction safely stored and organized.
Additionally, they will be a representative of the company. They will work closely with
customers to plan, budget, and book trips.
 Janitor: This position is responsible for keeping the offices clean. They will complete basic
cleaning duties daily and deep-cleaning duties monthly.

C. Human Resources: For now, we have sufficient staffing. However, when it comes time to
attract new employees, we will do the following:

 Offer competitive wages and benefits

 Strive to hire individuals that contribute to our team culture and dynamic

To ensure we reach a diverse population for our job postings, we would use multiple
mediums. These mediums would include:

 Social media
 Job fairs
 College bureaus
 Online job listings (Indeed and LinkedIn)

Manager Accountant

Receptionist Technician Janitor

When it comes to interviewing and hiring the plan is as follows:

 Create detailed job postings that include position title, qualifications/requirements,

position expectations, typical workflow, and any other relevant points
 Post job listings online with links to our application forms that are able to be completed
and submitted digitally. In addition to this, we will also have candidates complete a
personality inventory.
 We plan to have one member of our team conduct an initial 1 on 1 interview and then if
it is felt the candidate is strong, we will conduct a panel interview since we are seeking
to build a strong culture and we need everyone on the same page.
 Upon determining which candidate best fits our needs, we will extend an offer of
employment.
V. Marketing Plan

A. Business Environment: With the peak of the pandemic ending, the economy is looking up.
Travel restrictions are being removed, and people are ready to take advantage of that. This is
wonderful news for Exploraholics, as we specialize in the vacation planning people are looking
for. To adapt, Exploraholics would look to expand in terms of faculty size, service pools, and
business partnerships. There are no expected changes in technology, demographics, or
competition that would greatly impact Exploraholics in the near future.

B. Market Segment Analysis:

1. Characteristics of our target market: Our primary user will be families from the age
23-45 that live in Springfield because they have a double income. Our service would be
used by many races and religions due to the type of business we run. Our target market
is going for customers that make $40,000 and up in a yearly income.

2. Size of the market: Springfields total population is 167,051 (2019). Out of the full
population, our target market would be around 50,000. I got to this number because
there are 78,000 households in Springfield with an average of 3 people per home. This
allowed me to narrow down households that do not fit our target market characteristics
and end up with 50,000. Additionally, an estimated 3,000,000 people visit Springfield
throughout the year for tourism purposes.

C. Market Mix

1. Product Strategies: The goal of our company is to provide customers with a vacation
that suits their desires. Not only this, but we also strive to take the stress out of
vacation. Coming to a new place can be overwhelming, and it's possible to miss out on
some amazing attractions. That's where we come in. Whether it be observing the local
wildlife, taking in a show, or touring local points of interest, we put in the time and
effort to ensure our clients will have an enjoyable vacation.

Our staff have exceptional knowledge of the area's attractions and work diligently to
schedule your vacation. We tailor it to your specifications. It doesn't matter if you're an
early bird, all-nighter, nature buff, or shopaholic, we want to help make your vacation as
stress free as possible! We can and will book everything from your hotel room to your
dinner reservations, wild adventures, and even arrange for transportation.

2. Price Strategies: Due to the nature of our business, specific pricing is not possible to
give. All vacations are different, but our fee always remains the same; a 6.5% tack on to
the total cost of everything included in the vacation package. While a flat fee would be
simple enough, we like to think of our pay as a thanks for a job well done. We also chose
the percent model as it creates fairness for both our employees and our clients. We
honestly believe that the greater work or effort put in, the more one should be paid. On
the other hand, if the customer wants a more budget friendly vacation, our relatively
low service rate helps make this possible.
 3. Placement Strategy: Our service is provided to customers directly. We offer our
services through online interactions, in-person meetings, over-the-phone consultations,
or any combination of those options. With our direct approach to selling our service, we
rely heavily on promotional success.

4. Promotion Strategy: To promote our service, we would use a variety of mediums. For
the most part, our advertising would be digital, but we would also put some ads out on
the local radio stations and signs/billboards at the city limits. The variety of promotions
would widen our service pool. Once we have potential customers, discounted prices on
various aspects of vacation planning from our business partnerships would keep them
interested.

Our advertisements through social media would be beneficial as it would catch the eyes
of people searching for the same keywords we use in our posts. They, however, would
be limited to people specifically searching for Springfield vacation information. Then,
advertisements through local radio stations would reach an abundance of people living
in or traveling through Springfield. Radio advertising is in the intermediate price range,
but it has the potential to reach 75% of the local population daily. Lastly, billboards and
the Exploraholics office sign advertising our business would be primarily used to capture
the attention of Springfield visitors. Using billboards at city limits would allow people to
associate Exploraholics with Springfield vacationing, but it does come at a steep cost.

VI. Financial Plan

A. Capital Needs:

 Lease for 2 years: $3,500 each month, $84,000

 Renovations: $1,500 fresh wall of paint and new sign in front of business.
 Kitchen (Communal Area): $7,500 for all supplies and appliances.
 Receptionist Area: $4,000 for desk, chairs, filing cabinets, and supplies
 Conference Room: $3,500 for conference table, chairs, and projector equipment.
 3 Offices: $7,500 for desk, chairs, equipment, and supplies.
 Restrooms/Utility: $800 for cleaning supplier and toiletries.
 Total Financing: $108,800 which I would round up to $110,000 for any surprises along
the road.

B. Accounting Records: An Exploraholics owner, Ashton Gregory, will be keeping our accounting
records. She has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from an accredited university, and is board
certified as a public accountant. Her field experience includes 10 years of work as a certified
public accountant (CPA) at a public firm.

C. Financial Statement:

Exploraholics
Income Statement
2022 ended December 2021
 Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4
REVENUE 75,000 85,000 90,000 80,000
Partner Adverts 45,000 48,000 50,000 45,000
Services 30,000 37,000 40,000 35,000
EXPENSES (63,375) (63,375) (63,375) (63,375)
Advertising 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500
Insurance 825 825 825 825
Internet 300 300 300 300
Telephone 150 150 150 150
Rent 10,500 10,500 10,500 10,500
Salaries 46,600 46,600 46,600 46,600
Supplies 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500
Utilities 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
NET PROFIT 11,625 21,625 26,625 16,625

VII. Conclusion

In conclusion to the “Exploraholics” business plan, our mission is to serve Springfield and its
surrounding communities, including the 3 million estimated tourists in the region, with the best
we have to offer. As a business Exploraholics will not only bring in more revenue for small
businesses but create more tax revenue for the communities. If we think about the estimated
number of tourists, let's say 25% of them in the future will use us to help plan their stays. That's
750,000 people we are servicing. Let's say we only ask for $110,000, giving let's estimate a year
to buff out any imperfections and get our business out there, it is ok to say we could pay the
money back and then some in about 2-3 years. The $110,00 would go to a lease, renovations,
office equipment and utilities, which are the basics to get us going. As a business we plan a
vacation to the family's interests, which means businesses that may get overlooked sometimes
finally can have a chance to impress. This tailored get away will have them coming back to us
repeatedly. We have a chance to get small businesses back on their feet and get more people
visiting the region. With our top-of-the-line equipment, knowledge of the area, and the skills we
all bring to the table we can get this business running and make it flourish.