Framing a Social Change Issue: Small Business Development

Olusanya Oyeyemi

Walden University

MMSL 6661

Dr. Pettis Perry

27 February 2016

Abstract

My social change idea is based on establishing a small business in my new location to bring African/Caribbean groceries closer to my ethnic group in the three communities around. Before now, they have to drive close to an hour before they can shop for any desired item from Africa and Caribbean culture or send money to their loved one. This service is what I am starting, to provide with my small available fund when Bank rejected my request to finance the project.

The short term desire for the proposed small business for my ethnic group groceries store in my new location is to start the business with as little as I could raise. Selling all African/Caribbean foodstuffs with other materials from these areas and sending and receiving money back and forth African countries and around the world. Achieving these will involve installing groceries shelves, buying cash registering machine that can access credit/debit card for easy payments.  Also, leasing a store and getting groceries store permit with business registration are the first steps follow by marketing with website designs, business cards, and leaflets.  Face to face advertisements in churches and all special gathering will be inclusive.

Long term desire is to add all other choices of groceries into the store so that any African/Caribbean that come to the store will not only shop for their ethnic foodstuff but also shop for other groceries either American or Mexican at the same price they will buy from big stores like Wal-mat, Starter Bros etc. More also, American and all other tribes in America will find their choice of groceries there as well.

Realizing this vision will first reduce the time and driving distance my ethnic group in my community and surrounding communities spend before they could shop for our groceries. Secondly, they will be doing all their grocery shopping at one stop. Before now we used to shop for some groceries from general groceries stores like Wal-mat, Starter Bros etc. and thereafter go to African store to buy African foods. This stress will be minimizing to one stop shopping for all Americans and visitors.

The one and only obstacle to making the needed change is finance. The moment I see financial institution that will finance the business, the needed change will be accomplished. Hopefully, when the business continues to grow, I believe financial institution will show up to invest in the business. They are scared to invest now because it is a new start-up business and they are afraid of investing for the possibilities of business failure. I am doing all within my capability to establish and sustain the business.

Social Change Action Plan Template

The social change problem is that there is no close African/Caribbean groceries store in my community and its three neighborhoods. It takes almost an hour to the nearest African/Caribbean store.

The importance of this store to my ethnic group is that they buy 80% of their groceries from this type of store, and buy other things like African dress and send money home to their loved ones. These and many other things are done in the store that makes it the number one shopping center for all this tribe in America.

My intended solution is to open an African/Caribbean store in our neighborhood to serve the four communities. My ultimate vision for this social change is to establish a one-stop shopping complex where all groceries need will be met, irrespective of your nationality or tribe.

 Highlight the actions needed in the following table:

Goals:	Action Steps What Will Be Done?	Responsibilities Who Will Do It?	Timeline By When? (Day/Month)	Resources A.    Resources Available B.    Resources Needed (financial, human, political & other)	Potential Barriers A.    What individuals or organizations might resist? B.    How?
Short-term Goal 1:	Step 1:	Ask African/Caribbean people in this area the need for a closer grocery store	This was done early January 2016	A. African/ Caribbean indigene in my church and those that I know in the community B. Same as above	A. B.
Short-term Goal 2:	Step 2:	Ask question about the business from the people already in a similar business/ Search for suppliers their requirement to become their agents	This was done in the middle of January 2016	A. African store in Florida B. A phone call, done the job	A. B.
Medium-term Goal 1:	Step 3:	Lease a suitable store in a strategic location, common to the four communities	This is in progress, 02/24/2016	A. Real estate in the community. B. Save money for it from my paycheck	A. B.
Medium-term Goal 2	Step 4:	Register the name of the business in the county and Get license/permit	The registration is in progress, and the 30 days publication will be done early March and License will follow same March 2016.	A. County B. Pay for it from my paycheck	A. B.
Long-term Goal 1	Step 5:	Get loan from Bank for Expansion	The bank limit is one year of successful business operation so, by around April 2017	A. Any bank can do as long as I have their requirements B. My credit score, income, and the store progress are factors	A. B.
Long-term Goal 1	Step 6:	Import goods directly from different countries	As soon as I get a loan for expansion, then I will start importing. This will be feasible starting from Aril 2017.	A. Go to Nigeria and my inquiry on food importation. B. Register with the department of Agriculture in United State for groceries importations	A. B.

My progress will be determined by maintaining the business and its expansion.

The benchmark is an advertisement that will reach everybody in the four community and inform them of a nearby African/Caribbean store that will reduce their stress to downtown.

The determination of my goal will be met when my customer confirms their satisfaction on the nearby grocery store that meets their needs.

My measure will depend on the constant satisfactory survey of the customers and expansion to all other communities in a similar scenario.