Dear Susan,

Here attached please find Exercise 3: Business Model.  Sorry it has taken long,  I was held up with other issues I could not avoid.

I treat this as a draft, and sincerely need your comments and inputs.

Regards,

Nick

Hello Nick,

Thanks for submitting your draft of Exercise 3. I have the following comments for you to incorporate into your next revision:

1. Income to the Women Farmers Cooperative Society will be the total received from sales of the agricultural products you mentioned in your value proposition. It appears that the 6000 members of the cooperative will collectively generate $1.35 million each year. This is the number to use in your Income Fishbone Diagram. The 80% of the money returned to the beneficiaries will appear only as an expense, just as you have identified on the diagram labeled “Cost Drivers.”

2. Alternatively, you could show receipt only of $270,000 in commissions as income from your beneficiaries, if the beneficiaries will collect the earnings from the sales of their farm goods themselves. In this case, there would be no dividend paid and no associated expense.

3. Please explain the meaning of FAO and IFAD shown on your Income Fishbone diagram.

4. You show program costs of $178,230 per year. Does this number assume that all 6000 beneficiaries will receive training every year? If not, how many beneficiaries will be trained, and how often?

5. Please explain the expense identified as “Works ($27,230).”

6. Please state the number of staff members supported by the $77,050 personnel expense.

If you would like to submit one more revision of your business model, I would gladly accept it through Friday, February 29.

You mention your wish that “the political temperature in the two target countries will reduce.” I join you in that, and hope that you stay safe and well.

Regards,
Susan

Dear Susan,

Thank you very much for your valuable inputs.

Here attached please find a revised version of the Business model.

Regards!

Nick

Hi Nick,

Even though revisions to exercises are being accepted today, I generally haven’t been commenting on exercises that arrived on the application deadline, February 26, unless specifically requested, because I know most applicants will likely not be able to turn around a revision within such a short time.

But since you asked, I am more than happy to comment, and I think your initiative is admirable. You addressed each of my previous suggestions in your revision, and your business model is now clear. It demonstrates very good potential for the Women Farmers Cooperative Society to be scalable as well as sustainable. Additionally, your personal determination has shone throughout this application process.

It has been my pleasure to get to know you and your enterprise. I have learned a lot from you. I wish you all the best for success in the future!

Regards,
Susan

Thanks Susan,

I also wish you showers of blessings from the Almighty God!

Nick