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Star t  Y our Own Business


                      •   Capturing very desirable locations and expanding through acquisi-
                        tions, starting new stores, and franchising.
                      •      Mobilizing fi nancial resources for new locations.


                             Market Characteristics
                     The retail beading business is a regional and fragmented market. Competi-
                   tion is local, and there are no dominant branded beading competitors. There
                   are 10 beading stores in our geographic market within a 10-mile radius. What

                   is missing in this attractive and profitable beading market is a social commu-
                   nity environment. As the first mover, we will have a short-term  advantage.

                   Other competitors will be able to copy our best practices and to replicate our
                   concept. However, through an aggressive local advertising and promotion
                   program, we intend to capture market share quickly. Once captured, the cus-
                   tomers would be ours, and we would not take them for granted.



                   Competition

                   Competitors        Location   Social   Supplies  Classes    Café
                   The Beading Café  Brookline    Yes       Yes       Yes      Yes
                   Bead Company of   Cambridge,   No        Yes       Yes      No
                   America           Boston

                   Red Crystal       Watertown    No        Yes       Yes      No
                   Beads Boston      Newton       No        Yes       No       No
                   Beautiful Creations  Winthrop  No        Yes       No       No
                   Ancient Stars     Watertown    No        Yes       No       No
                   Belle Art Supplies  Newton     No        Yes       No       No
                   Rose Garden       Brookline    No        Yes       No       No
                   Bini’s Tree House  Boston      No        Yes       No       No
                   Personal Jewels   Cambridge    No        Yes       No       No

                         The Team
                     The company has a strong management team of two seasoned beading enthu-
                   siasts with extensive experience in, and knowledge of, the beading business.
                          Maria Alejandra Figaredo , CEO, brings extensive aesthetic and oper-
                   ational experience to this present position, as well as 15 years as a bead-
                   ing hobbyist. She worked part time as a supervisor in a jewelry store in




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