The Task
You’ve recently discovered a city-wide development initiative in Richmond offering $100,000 in seed funding to entrepreneurs with the strongest retail business plans. As someone considering launching a company after graduation, this is a unique opportunity to turn your vision into a reality alongside trusted partners. To qualify for the funding, your proposed business must operate within the fashion industry, be a brick-and-mortar retail boutique located in Richmond, and serve the needs of a distinct customer group. To be considered, you must also submit a complete and compelling final business plan following the provided template. This project is your chance to showcase innovation, market insight, and a clear strategy for building a successful fashion retail business.
Meet the Team
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Nao Ishibashi
FOUNDER & CFO
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Carmella Garner
FOUNDER & CMO
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Noah Miller
FOUNDER & COO
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D'Asia Robertson
FOUNDER & CEO
Skills Used
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Conducted in-depth market research to identify the shopping habits of men aged 25–40. Analyzed competitors to find market gaps and position Everyday Man as a unique menswear destination.
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Crafted a clear brand identity rooted in elevated everyday essentials. Defined the mission, tone, and values to reflect modern masculinity and versatility.
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Created detailed customer personas based on lifestyle and psychographic traits. Used these profiles to inform product selection and personalized marketing strategies.
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Planned a balanced product mix combining professional basics with casual must-haves. Focused on versatility to meet the day-to-night needs of the modern man.
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Developed realistic sales projections and startup budget plans. Included cost analysis, break-even forecasting, and pricing strategies to ensure profitability.
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Planned digital marketing campaigns across Instagram, TikTok, and email platforms with a $500/month ad budget. Created messaging with a relatable “come shop with us” tone to drive engagement.
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Designed a clean, story-driven store layout to enhance the shopping experience. Focused on curated outfits and ease of navigation for the customer.
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Performed a SWOT analysis to identify internal strengths and external opportunities. Used these insights to guide short-term strategies and long-term growth plans.
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Built a polished pitch deck with visual brand mockups and business insights. Presented the concept clearly and professionally to stakeholders and peers.
The Process
Ideation and Concept Development
Our concept for The Everyday Man was born from a collaborative brainstorming session where each team member contributed their unique insights and experiences. One teammate was passionate about starting a menswear resale store, while another recounted a customer at DSW who voiced frustration over having to visit multiple stores just to complete a single outfit. From this, we saw a clear market gap: men want convenience, but many retail environments cater to them in fragmented ways. We decided to merge these ideas into a single concept—a stylish, curated one-stop shop offering everything a man needs for everyday life, from casual basics to professional staples. The name The Everyday Man reflects both our target customer and our mission: to simplify men’s shopping experiences.
Planning and Organization
We began the business plan by creating a professional cover sheet that included our company name, logo, contact information, and the names of each founder. From there, we outlined our Table of Contents to ensure each section of the plan was clearly organized and easy to navigate. This helped us maintain consistency and keep the project on track.
Executive Summary & Company Overview
Next, we drafted the Executive Summary to briefly present our mission, key financials, the founding team, and an introduction to our brand and target customer. This was followed by a detailed Company Overview where we outlined our unique value proposition—convenience and curation for modern men—as well as our mission statement, core values, and SMART goals for the first year, five years, and beyond. Each founder’s role was clearly defined in the Management Plan, and we also established a credible Advisory Board composed of professionals in retail, marketing, and finance to guide our growth.
Industry and Customer Research
We conducted in-depth industry research to understand the current landscape of the men’s fashion retail market, including emerging trends, ongoing challenges, and potential opportunities for innovation. Our analysis included identifying both direct and indirect competitors, evaluating their product offerings, customer base, price points, and overall market positioning. To strengthen our understanding of our target audience, we created and distributed a digital survey to men within our desired demographic. The survey asked questions about their shopping habits, preferences, frustrations, and priorities when buying clothing. The responses helped us identify a clear demand for convenience, quality, and style in a single location—validating the Everyday Man concept. In addition to the survey findings, we used secondary data and customer behavior insights to build a well-rounded profile of our ideal customer, including both demographic and psychographic traits. We supported this research with five in-text citations and a formal Works Cited section to ensure credibility.
Marketing & Brand Strategy
Our marketing plan included both digital and traditional strategies tailored to our target customer. We created a brand image rooted in simplicity, masculinity, and authenticity, with keywords like “timeless,” “versatile,” and “effortless.” We built a visual identity using clean fonts and earthy tones, and planned year-long campaigns across multiple social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), local print magazines, and direct mail. We also incorporated unpaid advertising methods such as collaborations and customer-generated content. All promotions were aligned with our estimated $500/month budget and brand values.
Operations Planning
We carefully detailed our product assortment, identifying three key suppliers with diverse offerings to stock our curated inventory, featuring brands like KOTN, Norse Projects, and Everlane. We created projections for inventory value and long-term merchandising goals. For the boutique’s location, we selected a neighborhood in Richmond that aligned with our target customer’s lifestyle. We described how we would utilize the space—fitting rooms, layout design, and display areas—to elevate the in-store experience. The visual merchandising plan was built around a clean, organized flow to guide shoppers naturally through the store.
Staffing and Financial Planning
We outlined each founder’s specific responsibilities and payment structure and determined the need for one initial full-time staff member. We detailed weekly schedules to ensure proper floor coverage. Our financial plan included fixed costs, monthly and yearly sales forecasts, break-even analysis, profit/loss projections, and a pre-opening budget. Each calculation was supported by justifications based on market research and operating assumptions.
Appendices and Final Presentation
In the appendices, we compiled all supporting materials to enhance the strength and clarity of our business plan. This included a detailed pre-opening marketing calendar, a year-long promotional schedule, a customer profile map, and a day-in-the-life journal entry for our ideal customer. We also submitted visual assets such as our merchandising layout and mockups of sample window and sales floor displays to illustrate the in-store experience. To complete the submission, we included all required personnel documents—resumes, partnership agreements, personal financial statements, an organizational chart, and a weekly sales coverage chart—ensuring that our plan was both thorough and investor-ready.
The final step of the project was a Shark Tank-style presentation, where we had under 10 minutes to pitch The Everyday Man to a panel of judges acting as potential investors. This fast-paced pitch challenged us to clearly communicate our brand’s mission, business model, customer appeal, and financial potential in a concise and compelling way. We received valuable feedback from the panel, which helped reinforce the strength of our concept and highlighted areas for future growth and refinement.
The Outcome
The outcome of our business plan project was a strong success—we received an A for both the written plan and our Shark Tank presentation. Our concept for The Everyday Man was praised for its clear market focus, cohesive branding, and practical financial strategy. Throughout the process, I discovered just how passionate I am about marketing—especially in developing brand identity, connecting with target audiences, and crafting engaging promotional strategies. This project not only reinforced my interest in the fashion industry, but also helped me realize that marketing is where my creativity and business mindset truly align.