(R)

Consumers in the guitar modification and custom made market, experience an overwhelming expense for changing the design of their guitar Berry, (n.d.)(see appendix 2). With Aiden's sustainable wood workshopping alongside my approach to sustainable guitar decorating we will be creating a "Swap Top" ergonomic wooden guitar accessory that will be made to fit on the main face of a guitar. Maintaining professional hand crafted designs at a much cheaper price. This allows consumers to switch between designs depending on mood/genre, a non commitment design which now lets people save money by owning one guitar rendered with multiple looks.

What has given rise to this gap-

Custom made guitars are high in price justifiably with the time (labor costs), the production, paying the tax/lease

for the business and the material being full retail price compared to chain guitar producers who can receive whole sale discount (No date) Reddit.com. Why are custom made guitars so expensive? (no date) the price for a guitar to be bespoke is understandable via the constraints on the out costs. (see appendix 2 for more info)

How was it identified and how it can be filled

When searching " Custom made bespoke guitars" you receive a range of options from reworked Fender guitars - (expensive). Fender Stratocaster Surf Green Heavy age relic (no date) to custom made guitars on eBay with unknown markings (cheaper) Your own Custom bespoke guitar. Your design, Your spec. Deposit only (no date).This has left a gap open for our business to thrive, with an already purchased standard fender guitar for example, we can offer the look of a bespoke and custom made version with our "Swap Top " accessory for a lot cheaper, resulting in sustainable and reversible up cycling. If you like the look of your guitar and only want to change the sound you can receive an expense aware set up by Aiden, If you want to receive a smaller "Swap Top" design we will also offer a custom made pick guard! Our products and business as a whole is built from absolute sustainably sourced materials from resourceful woods and eco aware art materials. (see in appendix 3 &4)

Why am I the best person to do this and what have I achieved so far-

(See examples in appendix 2)

In my appendix you will see the guitars I have decorated and painted, showing my skills in this field of work before the business that qualifies me for this line of work, these are designs that I want to take to the next level with my 3D sustainable materials bringing the guitar out of the frame, whilst remaining practical .I have a passion for allowing musicians to get creative with their instruments and I want to create a 1-1 space for them to voice their artistic vision with me when designing their look leading to them receiving exactly what they want. I will also be adding a personal touch to my designs by creating a feature of my customers birth stones to the guitar which will be known as my own personal USP.

ASG Guitars

• Legal Entity-

  "General Partnership" second year we will transition into a "Limited Company" for added protection (See Appendix (1)

• Ownership-

  "Co Founder" and "President" (Mia Quartley-me)

  "CEO" (Aiden Stephenson)- A partnership that will split costs, profit and debts. ( See Appendix 6) 20 essential business roles within an organization (No date)

  
  

• Significant Assets-

Tools, Art Materials, Rented Space and wood suppliers Law Insider. (n.d.)

The main features of both company and sectors I will be operating In-

• In the curating of the products within the business I will be guitar decorator, painter and adding any other creative fixtures on the finishing of our "Swap Top" that has been created and designed by my partner and luthier Aiden, I will also be company director which is a management role that has the same high profile decision making as Aiden's role as "CEO". 20 essential business roles within an organisation (No date).

  
  

  Within the company I will be applying my creative skills to the advertising and marketing of our "Swap Top" accessory via our vibrant and consistent social media presence, I will then be creating an advertising campaign to push our ethos of sustainability and the sales of our product.

  
  

  I will be the "Customer Communications Director " in receiving clients contacts and setting up in depth 1-1 discussions for their creative visions. (Please see appendix 6 & 8)

  
  

• Why Are these Choices Appropriate for My business idea-

  
  

  These choices are appropriate for our business because a "limited Liability Company" has the most positives for a small company, it has limited liability financially so we won't have to fully be responsible for bigger debts LC VS LLC: Everything you need to know (no date) If the business falls under we won't loose out on any more money than what we have invested in. I am a director as I have founded the business with Aiden but it was his starting idea for the product, despite the label difference the financial parts within the business will be fairly split between us as well as management decisions which a "limited liability company "model allows and is a "General Partnership's" main appeal Elliott, (2022)

  (See Appendix 1 for more information)

As a business we will be creating a sustainable, unique and most importantly an expense aware item to handmade guitar luthier and custom design work.

Our Vision:

To be a trustworthy brand/service who will accomodate aesthetic instrument needs with our invention and craft.

Aims & Objectives:

Our Aim together is to use sustainably sourced materials via wood and paint/ art amenities to keep our work inline with our ethos to better our planet.

My personal aim as a designer will be to communicate with artists on what their style, genre of music and creative goal is to execute their bespoke guitar vision

Our business objective is to break even with our cash inflows and expenditure and have a starting profit no matter the amount for the first year.

I will ensure each product will be crafted uniquely making our work one of a kind to each guitarist.

Values:

• Eco Friendly

• Individuality

• Sustainability

• Economically Aware

  Forsey, (2019)

KPI'S:

• NET profit Margin: £13,783 Klipfolio (n.d.)

• Income for Each of Us= £6,891.50 Klipfolio (n.d.)

• Targeted customers= 518 (Please see appendix 10)

Sole Trader (Primary Research):

• “When self employed make sure to keep up with tax returns”. "Raf" (guest speaker in class)

• “ You can expense a-lot of things, at home bills, paying phone bills etc.” 'Raf'(guest speaker in class) This seems like a viable option for us as we need to be aware of low income when starting as a business, the negative however is us being in a partnership as " a partnership is like two sole traders coming together" gardandco (n.d.)

• “ The admin is just paying for somebody to do it an accountant for example”. "Raf" (guest speaker in class)

Limited Partnership:

• This does have a sense of security dissimilar to a sole trader where "protection from personal financial liability beyond the amount of their investment." Meaning I wouldn't loose out on any more money than I invested in. Tarver, E. (no date)

• "Ownership can be harder to transfer than other entities, such as an LLC" Tarver, E. (no date) if anything was to happen with the business it will be difficult to prove a necessary change for new ownership.

• From this research I can see that this limited partnership isn't the best for sharing fairly with a close business partner and this position doesn't have much control "Limited partners barred from management decisions".Tarver, E. (no date)

  
  

General Partnership:

• "Company structure that requires all of its partners to share in the profits, managerial responsibilities, and liability for debts of the business." Elliott, (2022)This is the best option I have seen so far because of the complete split between profits and expenses, which is what me and my partner want. "The partners share the profits and responsibilities equally unless the legal partnership agreement states otherwise" Elliott, (2022)

• "GP can be created with nothing more than a handshake or verbal confirmation." Due to us having a close relationship before going into business this suits us, but we would also sign a contract because "Such a loose agreement leaves no paper trail for the partners to go back to when things go south," Sutton said.

  Elliott, (2022)

  
  

  Limited liability Company:

• "Gives all partners limited financial liability" This is a good benefit as the financials will be split fairly.

• "For groups of professionals such as lawyers or accountants." However this seems to be more suited to professional and bigger business for security, this wouldn't necessarily a bad thing to have more security despite having a smaller business.

• "All members have the right to participate in management" Elliott, (2022) For our two person business to start with this is exactly what we need, but as we grow and possibly hire more people this could be an issue. "Each member shares equal company obligations and privileges" Elliott, (2022)

  It's comparable to a general partnership (GP) but offers limited liability protections.

• "For small businesses, incorporating as a limited liability company is usually the best choice". LC VS LLC: Everything you need to know (no date)

  
  

  Limited company:

  
  

• "A limited company is one of the most popular legal structures for all types and sizes of businesses in the UK" Craig, (2024) The most popular status is very appealing as it shows how it is a good business model.

• "Should your company run into trouble, your personal assets will be secure". "The business is entirely separate from the people who own and manage it". Craig, (2024). This seems very helpful as we have more protection should our business fail. It shouldn't matter however about owning and managing as we will be doing both.

  
  

  • "They can be inspected by other businesses and members of the general public" Craig, (2024) Seems like quite a privacy violation for the inner business workings, but may be helpful in gaining attraction.

• "Creating a valuable and trusted brand identity" Craig, (2024) This is a very good appeal for the business as we want to be perceived as 'trusted' within the business.

• "Attracting new clients and investors" Craig, (2024) Meaning more opportunity for our business to succeed.

From this research me and Aiden have agreed that our company needs to start with the support that a General partnership offers to company's run by a partnership, the longevity of a general partnership may be harder to sustain than the limited company in particular financially as we will have a lot more coverage financially and security.When we start making more money we can then hire an accountant to secure our profits and outgoings and keep on track with business so we stay afloat.

Business Costs:

Cash Inflows-

• Customers per product= estimated 7 for the first month based on how many people answered questionnaire (See appendix 9) Rising each month

  • Pricing swap top at £100 included fitting

  • Pick Guards price= £50

  • Arts Council=1,000-100,000 if needed to make profit Arts Council (n.d.)

  
  

Cash Outflows:

Average Costs:

• Rent - £1183 per calendar month

• Utilities- £82 PCM for two people average Brighton price Expatistan (n.d.)

• Phone expenses= 106.00 PCM. Expatistan (n.d.)

• Insurance= 3.90 PCM Simply Business. (n.d.)

• Business Cards- 13.95 ( 1 time purchase) instantprint. (n.d.)

  
  

  Resources art material:

  
  

  • White Paint- £41.50 1ltr covers 10m squared (1 time Purchase)Coat Paints Mindful (no date)

  • Sari ribbons- £11.95 100g(1 time purchase) quality recycled soft silk sari ribbon knit crochet woven yarn 100 grams (no date)

  • Gem stones- £3.99 500+ (1 time purchase)Crystal Tumblestone (no date)

  • 1 bottle of Glue= £14.75 + £14.75= £29.50 for 2 (repurchased during year)50,000+ art supplies: Your art superstore (no date)

  • Acrylic- £24.49 (1 time purchase)G., E. et al. (2023)

  • Corks 25 each= £5.85 + £5.85=£11.70 for 50 (repurchase during year)

    (See appendix 4 for references)

    
    

    Guitar Luthier resources

  • Band saw= £625.00 (1 time purchase)

  • Wooden pickguards with selection of 6 woods- £108.78 which makes 48 pick guards

  • "Swap Top" wood =£41.25 for 91 "Swap Tops"

  • 
    

• (Please see Aidens appendix 6-8here) notion (n.d) for research into these wood cites, prices and their sustainability

  
  

  Morah,(2008,

  (n.d.). Tutor2u.net.

Related barriers with entry-

• Patent ideas, meaning we will have to force copyright against our product filing in forms as our product could be easily copied So we will use a "Patent form 7" Intellectual property office (n.d.).

  Econmics Help (n.d.)

• Geographical barriers, since our 1-1s are for creativity they are also for template and measuring in person guitars, meaning the closer area for in and around Brighton is more suitable than global or even national at this stage, this could stop us from achieveing greater money. Econmics Help (n.d.)

Suppliers-

• £625=Band Saw

• Swap Top =£41.25

• Pick Guard Wood 6 piece =£108.78

  (See Aidens Appendix 6 for research and citing) notion(n.d)

• "Reclaimed wood allows artists to create unique and visually striking pieces while reducing deforestation and waste"Want to create sustainable art? here is your comprehensive guide. (2023)

  
  

  Unique Materials :

• Bulk recycled Sari Ribbon- quality recycled soft silk sari ribbon knit crochet woven yarn 100 grams (no date)

• Recorked Uk- Mixed used wine corks (no date)

• Coat Paints.-Coat Paints Mindful (no date)

• Daler Rowney paint- G., E. et al. (2023)

• Crystal Tumblestone Crystal Tumblestone (no date)

• Starch Glue- Basket: 50,000+ art supplies: Your art superstore (no date)

  (See appendix 3&4) for more information on sustainability and these suppliers

  
  

  Customers-

We will market our "Swap Top" product to session musicians as session musicians have a need for changing their look due to genre changes when switching between bands "How to become a session musician: We talk salary & skills (2024) using our accessory to do this with their instruments (See appendix 8 for more)

Also musicians on a budget- Otherwise our accessory will be a "want" for our customers, and to not have to buy multiple guitars for look purposes. Refer to (appendix 9) for the questionnaire on student musicians"

• Substitute Products-

When researching the product no one else has had the idea as of yet, however there are business's who have the same ethos while creating a full guitar. Pick guards that are custom made may be considered a substitute product as our invented product could be seen as a larger scale pick guard (see more in appendix

• Competition-

The"cheaper sustainable full guitar alternatives" include:

• "Ruokongas" guitars have a very similar ethos with sustainability "I’ve compiled into this article up-to-date information about the CITES regulations of the species we use" Ruokangas, J. (2022) (please see more in appendix 4)

(R)

How Will The business succeed in the market-

As touched on we have got the unique opportunity as a predominantly guitar set up company to have a cheap, interchangeable and practical option to the bespoke custom guitar market (see appendix 5 for example). Our business is small, eco friendly and best of all budget friendly. The Idea we have displayed has yet to be thought of by any other guitar custom made company's (see appendix 5) and this is ultimately our company's USP. Alongside our company's main business of guitar set up's that will also be cheaper and fully sustainable, it will ensure our "Swap Top" product not seeming 'gimmicky'.

What Is Unique and innovative-

Our Innovativity is our "Swap Top" invention of course, which promotes uniqueness. The luthier/designer business enthralling the product will have it's specific innovativity and quirks, within my decorating sector I will be communicating with our customers via a 1-1 tattoo/hair consultation method (See appendix 5 for example of other companies) Solstice Guitars. (n.d.), for both "swap top and average luthier set up Making the designing experience personable. When decorating I will be using unusual materials that aren't just paints to achieve 3D effects if the customer wants this, if paint is used it will be resourcefully sourced. (see appendix 3)

I will be adding a gem stone design of the birth month of each customer to have a more personable experience, which will be my signature addition and I will create my designs with prescribed mood lighting, songs given by the customer. making this experience as meaningful as possible. Each design will also have my signature "Quartzdesigns" pushing my brand name along with "ASG guitars" to hopefully achieve a household name.

How is this offering difference from other competitors- how do I know-

Our competitors do have the need for resourcefulness and have a similar ethos (see appendix 4&5) Ruokangas,(2022) yet their prices can be lowered which is where we come in (see example in appendix 4 ) reverb.com. (n.d.) achieving resourcefulness without the bigger price tag. The "Swap Top" is a cheaper alternative completely that offers the best of non commitment. Everything that can make guitar modifications and or custom mades intimidating is covered and improved with our invention:

• Cheaper

• Only an Aesthetic Change on the face of the guitar

• interchangeable and commitment free

  
  

what is the value for the customers-

The main value we see is for musicians to experiment with their look via their instrument but not having to spend a lot to do this. Our main customers will be targeted to session musicians who need to change their instrument via aesthetics for the session bands they will be playing with and the genre changes that would happen (see appendix 8)How to become a session musician: We talk salary & skills (2024) , Customers who have a need for bettering the world due to climate change and the resources we won't be exhausting, if so our company will be meaningful and have value to them.

who is involved in the business-

Me - Mia Quartley - guitar decorator and marketing specialist , President of ASG Guitars

Aiden Stephenson- guitar luthier, finance manager, CEO Of ASG Guitars. 20 essential business roles within an organization(No date)

(see more in appendix 6)

what skills do they possess-

Aiden :

• Built their own instrument using creative techniques

• studied business in gsce

• went on to build a custom made pedal board for instrument

• an experienced guitarist and is knowledgable of the components of a guitar very well.

Mia:

• creatively enhanced the design of her own guitar

• studied art GCSE passing with an exemplary mark

• Prides herself on very good customer assistance, care and experience.

• partaken in Volunteer work- Working without the money incentive, recycling clothes - bettering my sustainability mindset

and what roles will they undertake-

Mia-

• (Customer Communications/Customer service Representative)

• Marketing Specialist

• Decorator/embellisher

• Both Designing 20 essential business roles within an organization(No date)

I will be exploring different textures and art styles when designing using un replicated techniques to make a guitar truly one of a kind. I will use customer orientated details such as birth stones for motif's and sign my name "Quartz Designs" to build the brand. As Marketing Manager I will document our workspace, inline with communications by answering direct messages and enquiries via social media/email.(see more in appendix 6) 20 essential business roles within an organization(No date)

Aiden-

• Guitar Luthier - Build, Solder

• Finance Manager 20 essential business roles within an organization(No date)

• Both Designing

• Additional guitar services

• How will you create awareness of your product and services?

As the product/service will be predominantly around the Brighton area due to the 1-1 aspect and template building, we will create awareness first with spoken word to fellow music students (see appendix 9), starting with student customers we will be appealing cost wise and market this via business cards given to customers to pass on to friends and hone in on and appeal to our demographic of session musicians/students (see appendix 8) ‘it feels like an extra limb’ – musicians on the bond with their instruments (2020),on the business cards. Our social media will be well documented and will be centralised around our sustainability ethos, using a marketing campaign where we can even partner with a non profit organisation to plant trees in retrospect to the wood we use for our "Swap Top" driving our sales with eco activists (See appendix 8)

• Include a detailed description of the target market and how the product or service should be perceived by customers-

Our product 'Swap Top' will be dedicated to servicing session musicians due to the interchangeable nature of the product and the need that session musicians have to change their appearance to suit the next genre/ band they will be playing for at a cheaper expense than buying a new instrument (see appendix 8). Our demographic still stretches because of the appealing cost towards students who want to experiment with new guitar looks (see appendix 9) without having enough money to purchase a brand new guitar. Then our range can also be enjoyed by guitar collectors who enjoy the aesthetics of a custom made guitar to display at home, Our product won't be perceived as 'gimmicky' yet absolutely useful and works as an alternative and a work of art in respect to the custom creative design influenced by our customers, following to be perceived as a friend to the environment with our sustainable materials, appealing to eco aware customers (see appendix 3) , to conclude our service will be perceived as sustainable and meaningful to the customers creativity.

• Consider the pricing strategy and the sales and distribution channels

• The distribution channel will be from us to consumer, no in between company.

• "Loss Leader" pricing strategy as this will be the best to guarantee our authentic selves by keeping a low price throughout our business's timeline. Helping us reach our trustworthy aim. CFO Perspective. (n.d.)

• The promotion strategy including promotion, advertising and viral marketing activities-

  • Vibrant social media presence

  • marketing campaigns that line with our ethos

  • (see more in appendix 8)

Arts Council (n.d.). Final Income and Expenditure. Arts Council Information Sheet. https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/Final_income%20and%20expenditure_for_Grants_for_the_Arts_activities_SEPT2016%20%20%20.pdf(Accessed: 07 April 2024).

Basket | 50,000+ Art Supplies | Your Art Superstore. (n.d.). {online] Available at: https://www.greatart.co.uk/cart/ [Accessed 7 Apr. 2024].

Berry, D.(n.d.). Why are custom made guitars so expensive? Quora. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://www.quora.com/Why-are-custom-made-guitars-so-expensive

Craig, R. (2024) Limited company advantages and disadvantages, Rapid Formations Blog. Available at: https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/blog/limited-company-advantages/ (Accessed: 13 March 2024).

Custom painted guitar. made by order - etsy UK (no date) Custom Painted Guitar. made by Order - Etsy UK. Available at: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1630021428/custom-painted-guitar-made-by-order?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_uk_en_gb_a-books_movies_and_music-music-musical_instruments-stringed_instruments-guitars&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQjwzZmwBhD8ARIsAH4v1gW0Cdfa98KC86nLxmC6a_TzCR2SlPsAgDoxmR1-7adapbYXRKdF4H0aAuPeEALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_325944408_51001310387_230118480921_pla-316238738805_c__1630021428engb_102858184&utm_custom2=325944408&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADutTMcHTuR7RORntQMti7U-bmsA7&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzZmwBhD8ARIsAH4v1gW0Cdfa98KC86nLxmC6a_TzCR2SlPsAgDoxmR1-7adapbYXRKdF4H0aAuPeEALw_wcB (Accessed: 29 March 2024).

CFO Perspective. (n.d.). The Four Pricing Strategies. [online] Available at: https://cfoperspective.com/the-four-pricing-strategies/.

Cash flow forecasting - example (Startup). (n.d.). Tutor2u.net. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://www.tutor2u.net/business/reference/cash-flow-forecasting-example-startup

Cuntz Guitars cwg-23s indian rose custom (no date) Buy musical instruments online from the market leader – Thomann United States. Available at: https://www.thomann.de/gb/cuntz_guitars_cwg_23s_indian_rose_custom.htm?glp=1&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzZmwBhD8ARIsAH4v1gXVqbZXmwhDxCjXY7L1qc_4NLiE8bS8zNtl6Fyz2F18QXpp46yNhLEaAoDfEALw_wcB(Accessed: 29 March 2024).

Crystal Tumblestone Crystal Chips 3 7mm: 100, 500, 1000 extra extra small polished - etsy UK (no date) Crystal Tumblestone Crystal Chips 3 7mm: 100, 500, 1000 EXTRA EXTRA SMALL Polished - Etsy UK. Available at: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/544613956/crystal-tumblestone-crystal-chips-3-7mm?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=bulk%2Bgemstones&ref=sr_gallery-1-9&frs=1&sts=1&content_source=a97fbfe3fd24e1c5c70ca396dd8ade235b3730bd%253A544613956&organic_search_click=1&variation0=687949626(Accessed: 31 March 2024).

Cost of living in Brighton and Hove, United Kingdom. Apr 2024 prices in Brighton and Hove. (no date) Expatistan, cost of living comparisons. Available at: https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/brighton-and-hove (Accessed: 07 April 2024).

Developer (2020) Benefits of eco-friendly paints, Shoreline Painting. Available at: https://shorelinepaintingct.com/blog/benefits-of-eco-friendly-paints/#:~:text=Eco%2Dfriendly%20paints%20are%20innovative,toxic%20and%20often%20water%2Dbased. (Accessed: 29 March 2024).

Expatistan (n.d.). Cost Of Living Brighton. https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/brighton-and-hove(Accessed: 07 April 2024).

Elliott, J. (2022) Which structure of business partnership is best for you?, CO. Available at: https://www.uschamber.com/co/start/strategy/business-partnership-structures#:~:text=A%20general%20partnership%20is%20when,a%20handshake%20or%20verbal%20confirmation. (Accessed: 12 March 2024).

Edgers (2017). The slow death of the electric guitar. [online] Washington Post. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/lifestyle/the-slow-secret-death-of-the-electric-guitar/.

Econmics Help (n.d.). Examples of Barriers For Entry. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.economicshelp.org%2Fblog%2Fglossary%2Fbarriers-entry%2F&psig=AOvVaw0dvYDHm_8A-yvJVdSIIrgw&ust=1712585617703000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBIQjRxqFwoTCPCOwNyksIUDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE(Accessed: 07 April 2024).

Fender Stratocaster Surf Green Heavy age relic (no date) reverb.com. Available at: https://reverb.com/uk/item/73346814-fender-stratocaster-surf-green-heavy-age-relic?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=18354914807&utm_content=campaignid=18354914807_adgroupid=_productpartitionid==merchantid=239747465_productid=73346814_keyword=_device=c_adposition=_matchtype=_creative=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADRxZYXLrsE-HR2z4gVipMu41YRCS&gclid=CjwKCAjw48-vBhBbEiwAzqrZVC1p4zqED3hNFO34tE72oYSu2Sq0hfpA-pTUZPlkX1ODRrCKlMGj2BoC060QAvD_BwE (Accessed: March 15, 2024).

Forsey, C. (2019). 18 Core Company Values That Will Shape Your Culture & Inspire Your Employees. [online] Hubspot.com. Available at: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/company-values

"Mass production = lower cost. Custom made = a single guitar, or very low numbers produced" Berry, (n.d.). This is a very good depiction of why custom made guitars tend to be more expensive, it is due to the fact that mass produced guitars use bulk materials to make the same design over and over, custom made is same amount of materials made differently and not in bulk meaning different guitars for each customer, the difference between our product is that we will be cutting down the price straight away by not making a full guitar and therefore using less materials. I will also be bulk buying materials and making the designs much different to compensate for that, also adding one or two obvious changes via decorative materials. "wood costs are another reason why custom shops are expensive". Wood costs would also be a task for us to tackle, with the longevity of our eco friendly sustainable supply of wood, if we are to get off cuts of wood etc. due to our "swap top" product not needing a lot of wood compared to a full guitar they will be cheaper due to the amount and quality of the wood, but it will have to be a continuous agreement with our supplier and may have to be in higher demand if the business is to succeed.

• What Has Given rise to The Gap In The Market-

  Because there are these factors : "labor costs." , "limited power tools", " not able to have a wholesale discount" and "wood costs being another reason why custom shops are expensive" Harga,(no date) . Small custom guitar shops have a lot of areas here to assume that their profit's may not match up to there outgoing costs because of the price of the materials needed, which leads to the need of raising the price for their business to just break even. It leaves a massive gap in the market for people who want a custom made guitar or a guitar that is one of a kind/ looks different without the excessive costs to have one. Which is where we can come in with a cheaper alternative for the customer and for us as a business to still make money, we also have the interchangeable addition to our product so people don't have to spend lots on a design they can ultimately change or restore to its original look.

  
  

• How was It Identified:

In the pictures above you can see the fender guitar is very expensive because of the originality and the brand name, the " Cuntz" guitar Cuntz Guitars cwg-23s indian rose custom (no date) is what my research above describes a smaller business having to price high, the third picture gives us an insight into the price for only a custom painting job on a guitar Custom painted guitar. made by order - etsy UK (no date), which helps me gage how much we should be promoting the price of our product if it's a custom paint decorate and wood invention- Etsy also says its a "rare find" meaning not a lot of people have this service available.

• Why Am I the best person for this What Have I done so far-

  Below are designs that I have experimented with so far, on my own guitars I will be also putting mood boards in of the "Swap Top" template and the 3D effects I want to showcase on the new product. Me and Aiden excel As guitars that he has made already I have been designing and decorating, meaning we are not starting an idea from scratch but instead enhancing it.

"Reclaimed Wood has become a versatile and often-used material in art".

Want to create sustainable art? here is your comprehensive guide. (2023)

"Eco-Friendly Paints" Developer (2020)

Natural Raw Materials:

• Bamboo.

• Stone.

• Cork.

• Straw Bales.

• Sheep's Wool.

• Adobe Brick.

• Terracotta.

• Recycled Plastic.

The top 50 sustainable materials for modern architecture and construction (no date)

"Reusable and refillable markers and pens made from recycled materials." "Faber-Castell is an icon in the art world and chances are, you have some" 7 eco-friendly art supplies for naturally sustainable creativity (2023)

" Quality art supplies from this creative cornerstone brand have increasingly taken on a sustainable focus in recent years.

"Recycled paper and cardboard". The Arty Teacher (2023)

"Willow withies are the perfect sustainable material as it is harvested each year simply by cutting the withies from the shrub right down to the ground."

"The willow beds also create a great habitat for wildlife" The Arty Teacher (2023)

"Sari ribbon is strips of recycled sari. Suitable for weaving, embellishments and surface decoration, it adds instant texture and colour to your piece of work." The Arty Teacher (2023)

Because the general partnership is an easy agreement that can easily be created even from a verbal agreement as spoken about in appendix 1, the contract isn't very complex and can be printed and filled in by us with ease, adding a massive layer of protection if anything went wrong between the partnership.

• Art resources from my "sustainable" cheapest alternatives:

  • Acrylic Paint "Winsor & Newton’s Eco-Friendly Art Supplies UK

    Price Range: $18–$80" "The Purest Pigments Last a Life Time" acrylic set- "£88"7 eco-friendly art supplies for naturally sustainable creativity (2023)

    
    

    Paint - Coat Paints Mindful (no date)

  • COAT is leading the charge with cleaner products, smarter solutions, and bigger thinking. COAT is B Corp Certified

  Sustainable principles, by coat 2023-24 (no date)

  
  

• Acrylic paint =£24.49

• G., E. et al. (2023)

  Daler Rowney paint - water activated oil paints are the alternative sustainability to acrylic paints harsh chemicals,Acrylic paint has environmental impacts as a result of its plastic constituents

  One option is water-mixable oil paints, that don't contain plastic the way acrylic paint does.

  milesmartin1218 (2019)

  
  

  
  

• Sari Ribbons:

  • Bulk recycled Sari Ribbon costing 100 grams at £7.18- unique designs. £4.77 postage=£11.95

    1 quality recycled soft silk sari ribbon knit crochet woven yarn 100 grams (no date)

  • "Recorked Uk" - recycled Wine corks, 25 for £5.85 free postage

    Mixed used wine corks (no date)

  
  

  • Crystal birth stones: 500 for 3.99 bulk buy

    free postage

    Crystal Tumblestone (no date)

    
    

  • Design sealant - "Starch Glue". £7.79

    450g with delivery postage £6.95 = £14.754 Basket: 50,000+ art supplies: Your art superstore (no date)

    
    

• Substitute products:

  pick guards that are custom made may be considered a substitute product as our invented product could be seen as a larger scale pick guard. This could deter costumers from buying our product if there was to be a custom pick guard cheaper than our "Swap Top" product.

• Competition:

  "Ruokongas" guitars have a very similar ethos with sustainability "The tonewood we use
  Most of the tonewood species we use do not require any certification. I’ve compiled into this article up-to-date information about the CITES regulations of the species we use" Ruokangas, J. (2022) they are making custom made interestingly designed guitars for a cheap price, in general customers may believe that their guitar makes more sense to purchase as it changes the sound as well as the custom look for a whole new guitar inexpensively. despite this our product is one of a kind that is still appealing, the next competition could be this brand or another brand easily copying our idea."You can tailor the specs exactly the way you want from our carefully curated choice of options"Ruokangas, (2022) Ruokangas also do not show the price listing of a guitar unless contacted this can be disheartening as a customer, second hand of these guitars go for cheapest "£2899" which is a price I am confident we can do better. reverb.com. (n.d.)
  

" Noden Guitars" has the basis to be a company that would benefit from our invention but the difference is that they don't have our invention to make their company completely unique to other modification and custom services and to ultimately stand out to customers as their website doesn't offer a lot of options.

Referring back to appendix (2) I have touched on to the fact that when searching online for our product nothing similar comes up which is why my research consisted of only custom made guitars, which leads to the gap in the market, above in this picture when simply typing in "guitar custom made interchangeable" or anything similar to try and fine our "Swap Top' invention the closest thing that has come up is interchangeable pick up's - these aren't comparable to our design as it is focused on sound rather than aeshetic.

"Appointments are 15-20 minutes and always FREE!"

"• Setup & Maintenance
• Structural Restoration
• Electronics & Troubleshooting
• Tone Enhancement
• Tuning & Intonation Problems
• Custom Build"

Solstice Guitars. (n.d.)

This is very similar to my consultation idea however paired with our unique product, it will have more innovativity, my plan to make my consultations different to this is to have it very personable as well as "free' like they market, with specified music playing and lighting to set the mood and this will link to what we'll post on our social media during the process of designing.

Who are they in a company sense?

Aiden 'CEO'-"A CEO is a leading role responsible for making top-level decisions" 20 essential business roles within an organization(No date)

"In smaller businesses, this role can be interchangeable with the president and it's common for an owner to hold this title." The title "CEO' like described here will be interchangeable between me and Aiden as I will be the company president. 20 essential business roles within an organization (No date)

Mia 'President':

"While many of the responsibilities are the same between these two roles, a president may take on additional tasks that a CEO may not." Meaning in a business sense me and Aiden have quite a similar title and responsibilities and if Aiden has any more control over a decision the 'CEO' role can be interchangeable with me as seen above. (No date) 20 essential business roles within an organisation

What Roles will they Take On :

Aiden:

Finance Manager:

"usually analyze costs and revenue and use this data to prepare financial reports. In smaller organizations, this business role may oversee several financial aspects of business operations, such as calculating and projecting incoming revenue and company expenses." As we will be splitting up the smaller yet important roles such as finance manager and marketing manager, Aiden will be ore fitting for the finance manager role because of the extensive mathematical skills that is needed and that I lack, for the pretence of the business and predicted profit and loss charts we will be calculating this together to have two mind's watching over the numbers. 20 essential business roles within an organization(No date)

Mia:

Marketing Specialist:

I will be taking the role as marketing specialist as I have the chance to apply my creative/art background to make interesting posts/ new ways of marketing. "Specialists perform several functions, such as gathering customer data, researching target demographics and optimising content for SEO purposes" So I will perform demographic driven marketing on social media platforms, consulting with Aiden during these, As a costumer communication specialist this will also benefit my role of gathering customer data. 20 essential business roles within an organisation (No date)

Customer Service Representative:

"A Customer Service Representative is the first person most customers communicate with when they have a problem." As described I pride myself on my customer service skills and think these are prescribed for this role,

"handle complaints, provide appropriate solutions for customers, and follow up to resolve any issues their customers experience." These are more towards customer complaints which I would deifnitley be able to fulfil efficiently , but I want my main customer communication to be positive also, via direct messages about their product and what they exactly want from it.

Kourmentza, (2022)

(No date) 20 essential business roles within an organization

Musicians who also enjoy art:

"Visual art uses colors, light, darkness, shapes, and more to invoke emotions. Music uses instruments, key changes, sounds, lyrics, and more to do the same. Many painters created works that were inspired by specific songs and genres, while many musicians have been inspired by paintings and other visual works of art." vuria (2021). This is a detailed account on what it means to be a musician with the creativity linking to the subject art, the similarities between each subject is unparalleled, it restores my idea that my art and designs would be appreciated by most musicians through their creativeness.

Session Musicians :

Statistics-

Session musicians are mainly men- white dominated age 40+ years old 30- 40 next in line.

67% Used to be music students before session work.

Studio musician demographics and statistics number of studio musicians in the US (2023)

"not playing the right instrument can prevent you from expressing yourself as quickly and as accurately as you would like" ‘it feels like an extra limb’ – musicians on the bond with their instruments (2020)

"A Session Musician backs another artist during live performances or in the studio. He or she must be able sight-read and to perform several different genres."How to become a session musician: We talk salary & skills (2024)

Social Media Marketing:

"It's not about how your page looks aesthetically but the consistency within your posts" Raff, guest speaker in class.

We will be marketing our product on the terms of it being unique and one of a kind, we will be advertising towards the cost effective aspect of our product, marketing towards creatives who enjoy not just the sound of their instrument but the aesthetics and art of their instrument.

Using a creative campaign:

Similar to "dove" use of social media marketing and the campaign of what beauty looks like to them empowering self love for women Mediatool, T. (2024) we could do a similar journey with our brand by using a meaningful message to further our brands aims and objectives looking at this it will be our sustainable and eco friendly mindset that will support our branding and bring people in with like minded views- musicians who are conscious about climate change/ deforestation. Sustainable by up cycling their guitar and not adding to the unsustainable guitar market Edgers (2017) too many guitars being made which leads to too much wood being cultivated and ultimately unsustainable deforestation. We could partner with non profit organisations to plant tres for example.

Slogans/ marketing phrases that can be used:

"Upcycling for the better of the world and for the better of your pocket"

"Swap don't Buy"

"make the guitar you already love better"

"If you like the sound change the look"

research what social media is most known for musicians to use and in specific guitarists.

Fender Stratocaster Surf Green Heavy age relic (no date)

Custom painted guitar. made by order - etsy UK (no date)

G., E. et al. (2023) Daler-Rowney Georgian water mixable oil colour set, Cowling & Wilcox Ltd. Available at: https://www.cowlingandwilcox.com/oil-colour/169-daler-rowney-georgian-water-mixable-oil-colour-set?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn7mwBhCiARIsAGoxjaL2q4NOoy-5uPVAggJU2jYo_-nb3fsTGUQFvgPDaj2S4FnDna4OhlUaAjUQEALw_wcB (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

gardandco (n.d.). Sole trader, partnership or limited company. Gardandco.co.uk. https://www.gardandco.com/what-we-do/business-law/business-articles/sole-trader-partnership-or-limited-company-2/#:~:text=Effectively%20a%20partnership%20is%20like,and%20liabilities%20of%20the%20partnership.(Accessed: 07 April 2024).

Harga,J (no date) Why are custom made guitars so expensive?  Quora. Available at: https://www.quora.com/Why-are-custom-made-guitars-so-expensive (Accessed: 29 March 2024).

How to become a session musician: We talk salary & skills (2024) Music Careers | Expert Advice - Careers In Music. Available at: https://www.careersinmusic.com/session-musician/#:~:text=A%20Session%20Musician%20backs%20another,to%20perform%20several%20different%20genres. (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

‘it feels like an extra limb’ – musicians on the bond with their instruments (2020) The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/feb/20/it-feels-like-an-extra-limb-musicians-on-the-bond-with-their-instruments (Accessed: 04 April 2024). The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/feb/20/it-feels-like-an-extra-limb-musicians-on-the-bond-with-their-instruments (Accessed:04 April 2024).

Intellectual property office (n.d.). Patent Form 7. Assets.Publishing.Service.co.uk. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6447cfdd529eda000c3b03e7/PF7.pdf(Accessed: 07 April 2024).

instantprint. (n.d.). Recycled Eco Friendly Business Cards Printing. [online] Available at: https://www.instantprint.co.uk/business-cards/recycled?&print-type=single-sided&turnaround=3-4-working-days&quantity=250 [Accessed 7 Apr. 2024].

juro.com. (n.d.). Partnership agreement template - free to use. [online] Available at: https://juro.com/contract-templates/partnership-agreement#exit

Kourmentza, E. (2022) Customer Service Representative job description, Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better. Available at: https://resources.workable.com/customer-service-representative-job-description#:~:text=A%20Customer%20Service%20Representative%20is,any%20issues%20their%20customers%20experience. (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

Klipfolio (n.d.). What Is a KPI? Klipfolio.com. https://www.klipfolio.com/resources/articles/what-is-a-key-performance-indicator(Accessed: 07 April 2024).

Law Insider. (n.d.). Significant Assets Definition: 227 Samples. [online] Available at: https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/significant-assets#:~:text=Significant%20Assets%20means%20assets%20having[Accessed 7 Apr. 2024].

LC VS LLC: Everything you need to know (no date) UpCounsel. Available at: https://www.upcounsel.com/lc-vs-llc(Accessed: 13 March 2024).

Looka . (n.d.). Create your own logo. [online] Available at: https://looka.com/logo-maker/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwq86wBhDiARIsAJhuphnwkeZy__aOqYYkFD8su64zKpx2g7Itvov0dLBpXuiFWyBw38jqs8UaAnamEALw_wcB.(Accessed :8 April 2024)

Morah, C. (2008, October 5). Business Startup Costs: It’s in the Details. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/09/business-startup-costs.asp

Mindful (no date) COAT Paints. Available at: https://coatpaints.com/products/mindful-eggshell (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

Mixed used wine corks (no date) Recorked UK. Available at: https://recorkeduk.org/collections/products/products/used-wine-corks-ideal-for-craft-weddings-fishing-fast-dispatch-from-uk-1?variant=37420735244 (Accessed: 31 March 2024).

Mediatool, T. (2024) 7 innovative marketing strategies and what we can learn from them, Mediatool. Available at: https://mediatool.com/blog/innovative-marketing (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

milesmartin1218 (2019) The Science of Painting: Oil Paint and the environment, The Artful Scientist. Available at: https://artfulscientist.home.blog/2019/05/28/the-science-of-painting-oil-paint-and-the-environment/#:~:text=Acrylic%20paint%20has%20environmental%20impacts,washable%20with%20soap%20and%20water. (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

Notion. (n.d.). Notion – The all-in-one workspace for your notes, tasks, wikis, and databases. [online] Available at: https://four-clover-667.notion.site/WB08-df496ec5b54442b690bac6bb663bd400 [Accessed 7 Apr. 2024].

(No date) 20 essential business roles within an organization | indeed.com. Available at: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/starting-new-job/business-roles (Accessed: 01 April 2024).

(No date) Reddit.com. Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/Guitar/comments/7l8pi9/question_why_are_set_ups_so_expensive/?rdt=55444 (Accessed: March 15, 2024).

Ruokangas, J. (2022) CITES - in attempt to save the little that is left of our planet, Ruokangas Guitars. Available at: https://ruokangas.com/support/cites-protecting-our-planet/ (Accessed: 31 March 2024).

reverb.com. (n.d.). Ruokangas VSOP Deluxe 2011 - 3 Tone Sunburst | Reverb UK. [online] Available at: https://reverb.com/uk/item/67451137-ruokangas-vsop-deluxe-2011-3-tone-sunburst [Accessed 7 Apr. 2024].

Solstice Guitars. (n.d.). Free Consultation. [online] Available at: https://solsticeguitars.com/free-consultation/ [Accessed 7 Apr. 2024].

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Simply Business. (n.d.). Public Liability Insurance. [online] Available at: https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/cs/welcome/public-liability-insurance-t-v2/?vwo_cpgn_id=166&vwo_grp=0&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiMmwBhDmARIsABeQ7xR15gKETcBZUYGsGsBfLAngRnIsasDboTGXFnhZo2K_xZt-Y7kZz0QaAj4pEALw_wcB&gad_source=1&utm_id=11613752811&utm_term=public%20liability%20insurance&utm_campaign=CORE+-+PL&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&mkt_source=adwords&mkt_medium=ppc&= [Accessed 24 Apr. 7AD].

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We will be pricing the swap top at £100 including fitting we have started the profit and loss sheet working from the outflows and inflows of the cash flow sheet, this will be retrospective to how much we will make and lose out on, via each headline throughout the months of the year, We will then be adding the additional costs of having to repurchase any materials throughout the year which have been roughly calculated via general knowledge and the amount of customers we would be getting - again a rough expectation.

Since our questionnaire musicians were guitarists who are 100% on board with our product in most areas they are the most promising guaranteed customers for the first month or two of business. This is how we have calculated the number of sales for the year doubling to 14 and for the next few months due to our social media advertising and business cards towards customers hopefully raising our sales.

This is still a rough number and on the larger scale of customers for the first year but seeing the larger end of the customer scale is good to plan how our materials will stretch out for the year and if we have to purchase any more. Due to my art materials like acrylic paint is to be mixed with water so they have a lot more use in them and would last the year and the amount of customers, the glue is also water mixable but I will be using a lot more of it so this will be repurchased in the year. With coverage paint this has a lot of uses with "10m squared" with the tin and will only be used as under coverage on the wood of the product. The decorative ribbons and gem stones should definitely last the year due to the amount of ribbons 100g that will be sparingly used and 500+ gem stones used sparingly .The corks may need to be repurchased.

Aiden has calculated separately the price for pick guards that will accompany the swap top due to our questionnaire receiving feedback from not wanting the whole change of a swap top because of genre and if people wanted a new and smaller change. Aiden will also be servicing guitars as part of the business as a whole, with no additional costs due to having tools already. (Please see Aidens appendix 8) notion (n.d) here for more information of his guitar endeavours within our business and a different description of the profit and loss chart for more information.

518 estimated customers at the end of the 1st year with servicing, pick guards and swap tops. I will be catering mainly towards the swap tops and pick guards on a smaller scale we will be halfing the profit all together as a partnership entails.

Gross profit=£29,797

Total Expenses=£16,014

Actual Profit=13,783

Split actual profit for each of our income

=6,891.50

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