My Venture's Unfair Advantage

1. Certified RAD (Rape Aggressive Defense) Instructors with at least three years of experiences
1. VALUE: these instructors will have knowledge in not just physical defense mechanisms but crisis management providing a more qualitative experience for customers
2. RARE: it is difficult to find these instructors in places outside of college towns and even then not many colleges have implemented the RAD program to begin with
3. INIMITABLE: this business venture may not be the hardest to copy, but it definitely sets itself a part from other similar self-defense classes since it is specifically catering to women between the ages of 17-30
4. NON-SUBSTITUTABLE: there is a risk of substitutes, such as the RAD program itself that offers solely self-defense classes for free, but it only offers a limited amount of sessions and I think that sets our service a part
2. Safe, inclusive space for all women, especially women of color
1. VALUE: This service has value because it provides a sense of camaraderie for a marginalized group of individuals (women and women of color)
2. RARE: there are not a lot of services that specifically cater to safety and inclusive especially when facilitating some form of physical activity. This service is big on emphasizing well-being and security, and it is not common to see that in these kinds of businesses
3. INIMITABLE: While implementing a safe, inclusive space can be imitated, what makes this business venture different from others is that it is big on empowering women who have shared dangerous and scary experiences. It is empowering because it is an outlet and that can be difficult to imitate with a different service.
4. NON-SUBSTITUTABLE: this may sound a bit redundant, but it is hard to substitute a safe and inclusive space for women without having a very specific service and not many services can attest to that to begin with
3. Low barriers to entry- there aren’t many self-defense workshops that include a combination between crisis management education and Krav Maga defense techniques
1. VALUE: with low barriers of entry, this service can establish a competitive advantage by being the first entrant into this niche market
2. RARE: clearly if there are low barriers of entry, then the service must already be rare so it’s only a matter of maintaining that advantage which can be done by through customer loyalty
3. INIMITABLE: a lot of businesses especially in the health/physical exercise industry tend to have high barriers of entry therefore it would be hard to imitate this advantage
4. NON-SUBSTITUTABLE: other products or services can’t necessarily control whether the market they’re venturing into has low or high barriers of entry. They can only seek markets that may have these low barriers and even then they would need to find a product that would fit in that market.
4. Geographical advantage - the targeted customer tends to live in college towns and cities
1. VALUE: Location is integral to understanding your customer. Since the business will be located where the prototypical customer lives, the proximity and availability of the service will add value to the business
2. RARE: Since cases of violent crimes are high in university campuses, especially in Gainesville, this geographical advantage is rare because it does not cater to a lot of businesses or services and yet it does to this one
3. INIMITABLE: This is a difficult resource to imitate as well, since it all depends on who this service is catering to
4. NON-SUBSTITUTABLE: It can be hard to interpret whether this resource is substitutable or not
5. Cheap overhead - location anywhere on campus, does not necessarily need to have a designated office space or building
1. VALUE: This resource is valuable because it allows for a quality experience for customers at a reasonable price, since there is no need to compensate for unsurmountable costs
2. RARE: Other businesses may need their own office in a building or place, therefore expenses add up and therefore they have to raise their prices. This resource is rare because more often times then not, a lot of money tends to go into businesses fixed costs such as rent.
3. INIMITABLE: This is hard to imitate because once again, for most businesses overhead tends to be expensive because rent and overhead is inevitable especially if they own a part of a building or an office space
4. NON-SUBSTITUTABLE: This can be substitutable for the most part since businesses can find ways to lower rent especially if they choose specific locations that offer cheap rent
6. Low payroll costs- not as many employees, only a couple of instructors and a manager (aka me)
1. VALUE: With only a few instructors, payroll can go down and price quotients for customers can be relatively inexpensive as well. The contribution margin will also increase and more money can be allocated towards upgrading aspects of the service
2. RARE: This is a small business, therefore having fewer employees and low payroll is not that uncommon.
3. INIMITABLE: This can be difficult to imitate, especially if a competing business does not have the means to lower their payroll costs with a substantial employee base. But it depends on the business model and whether it supports lower payroll costs.
4. NON-SUBSTITUTABLE: It can be difficult to substitute this resource, especially if a competitor’s business plan cannot support lowered payroll costs
7. Free or low cost marketing techniques - social media websites, word-of-mouth, as well as basic flyer-ing throughout college campuses
1. VALUE: it’s freeee! Once again this money can be allocated to other costs that add more value to the customer experience, such as punching bags or Krav Maga training gear
2. RARE: This is not that uncommon, a lot of businesses utilize this tactic especially if they’re a start-up
3. INIMITABLE: I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s inimitable, for other companies have used these tactics before. But it is a good resource to have especially when lots of other companies have to spend actual money on marketing to have their product reach their target customers
4. NON-SUBSTITUTABLE: This resource is not non-substitutable because you can’t get any better than free marketing
8. Potential job opportunities for loyal and experienced customers
1. VALUE: Not only are we promoting quality service but we’re enabling potential growth and opportunity for our customers. They have the ability to become a part of our mission.
2. RARE: Not many companies encourage their customers to join their mission. Their main goal is to sell their product and/or service and expect customer loyalty. I think this resource is seldom found in many companies.
3. INIMITABLE: This can be imitated, other companies have done this before. But this opportunity and resource can be difficult to imitate because every new business’s policy may differ from one another.
4. NON-SUBSTITUTABLE: I don’t believe this resource is substitutable unless providing volunteer opportunities can be put on the same level with this opportunity.
9. Cheaper membership option than the gym alternatives
1. VALUE: Not only are you providing a physically active service and educational experience, but it’s at a reasonable price
2. RARE: Cheaper membership are not a rare resource to have, but not all companies follow that
3. INIMITABLE: For what this service is offering at a low low price, it would be hard to imitate this business plan and make a reasonable profit
4. NON-SUBSTITUTABLE: The only way this could be substitutable is if a nonprofit company decided to utilize a similar service but give it out for free
10. A unique mission to provide safety, security, and confidence for all women and their respective marginalized groups
1. VALUE: We are not here to generate revenue, we are here to make a difference and to positively affect the lives our customers through safety and security
2. RARE: This mission is very uncommon, and showcases the altruistic side of business
3. INIMITABLE: This mission is hard to imitate because it is specifically targeting a niche market along with a niche concern. Not many for-profit businesses provide a service that is driven on the well-being of marginalized groups, such as women of color
4. NON-SUBSTITUTABLE: There are alternative businesses, as aforementioned, that may provide a similar mission at a pro-bono price

I believe the most important resources I have so far is my second one and my last one, and that’s solely focused on the mission. Yes, cheaper overhead and lower payroll are some great resources to have for a successful business venture but at the end of the day it’s about whether my business will help and fulfill my future customers’ needs. With a mission centered on impacting individuals, especially women and women of color, it will not matter if there is substantial revenue generated in the beginning. It will be about bringing back a sense of safety and security to our customer and creating a safe space for them. It will be our responsibility to make them want to become a part of a community that cares about them and their well-being.