Chiara Carra

SkateInk - Starting a Small Business

Global Context - Personal and Cultural Expression

Goal - To gain experience in entrepreneurship and build skills that could prove vastly useful in life.

Introduction

Creating and running a successful small business requires and develops research skill, as well as creativity, organisation, self-discipline, and communication. The products/services the business has to offer are custom decorated skateboards, which are a great tool for self-expression, a topic I hope to explore and learn about through my project. The skateboards will be designed, and hand painted by me, which will help me express my passion for art, and improve as well as share my work, benefiting myself and others. My project is an outstanding opportunity to develop my skills as a learner, gather new, and important skills, and connect with people in the community. Although I wish to pursue a career in the field of science, this project is a great occasion for me to branch out and experience a different field of work I show great interest in, business. I will explore self-expression using my passion for the arts and by communicating with others. The personalised products offered by my business, present an opportunity for me to express myself as an artist, and for my clients to express themselves as individuals. I will also explore personal and cultural expression, and how identity, values, messages, and ideas can be expressed through designs, colours, apparel, and art in general. By communicating with the target market, I shall connect with others, and help them express themselves whilst expressing and developing my artistic style. The product will therefore be a mutually beneficial mean of self-expression for myself and my client. I will most likely be introduced to patterns, presented through the common culture of my clients, and I hope to branch out, and be able to experience the means of self-expression of several cultures. 7

Process and Thinking

Copious amounts of research must be carried out to ensure the business’ success and authenticity. I have found that various marketing tools must be observed and utilised such as the following (that I have investigated): SWOT analysis - A strategic planning technique that identifies the company’s strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, as well as its stance in regard to competition. STEEPLE analysis - A strategic planning tool that deals with macroenvironmental, external factors, an overview of various external fields and their effect on the business.

MARKETING MIX - A foundation model for a business, which consists of a set of marketing tools that the firm uses to pursue its marketing objectives in the target market. VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT - Two complementary statements aimed at creating and reinforcing a clear identity, communicating shared values, and a sense of purpose that all stakeholders identify with, which will help the business to maintain focus, and reach its goals.

Other research areas I investigated were:

Advertising How to reach the target market? How to advertise effectively (platform, format, etc.)? Etc.

Materials What materials to use? Where to get them? Quality and risks? How to use the materials? Etc.

Cost, Revenue & Profit How much will it cost me? How to price? How much have I spent? Etc.

Selling & Shipping How will I sell the product? How will I get it to the customer? What platforms? Etc.

Target Market Market target properties (likings, needs, limits, etc.)? Competition? Effect of target market? Etc.

Entrepreneurship How to create a brand? How to start a business? How to make it successful? How to identify my business? Etc.

Product pt. 2 - Skateboards and Business

Product After communicating with the client, the skateboards are created following the ensuing process:

1. Create a sketch using a digital stylus. 2. Sand the surface of the skateboard and apply masking tape to the edges. 3. Spray-paint a few coats of white spray paint to create a base. 4. Sketch the design on the skateboard with a pencil. 5. Build up even colour using layers of paint, on larger areas. 6. Add finer details, once again using layers of paint. 7. Add the finest and final details (e.g. outlines) using fine tipped paint-pens. 8. Add final touch-ups and let dry. 9. Remove tape and add fixing coat.

Product pt. 1 - Skateboards and Business

The final product of my project is a small business, that although it is in its early stages I am running as a young sole trader. The service provided by the business The business provides a service/product, rooted in self-expression through skateboards. Clients communicate with the artist to create unique, hand painted and designed skateboards, that reflect the identity of the clients authentically and aesthetically. Vision Statement Provide clients with unique, hand-painted, and individually designed, highquality apparel, to authentically express themselves. Work with professionalism and strong communication for the experience to be a beneficial for both the client and the artist and to create a product that will be close to both their hearts.

Mission Statement Our company, SkateInk provides high-quality skateboards, each designed, and hand painted based on request, to best reflect the client, and the message they wish to communicate to the world in a personal, aesthetic, and authentic manner.

Product pt. 2 - Skateboards and Business

Social Media/Advertising Platforms Through an accurate profiling of the target market, I identified the best platforms to reach out. The most suitable proved to be TikTok, which allowed me to share the process of creating my skateboards with hundreds of people and is found to be the easiest way to reach a lot of people. I received positive feedback, through the comment section. The creation of said TikTok page followed strict rules, based on research to ensure, authenticity, quality, and success. Here is a website I made with more information and videos.

Connections and Communications

It is undoubtedly important to establish a target market as it is one of the bases of building a successful business strategy therefore business. The target audience influences the product, where and how it is advertised, the prices, etc. Self-expression is the focus of my business and project; thus, I must communicate and get familiar with my target market. To create an accurate and applicable profile of the target market, I conducted surveys with members of the target market. Interview with skaters – findings: I reached out to people who have a passion for skateboarding and found out about the significance of their skateboards. “it is fun to skate around town, and to hang out in skate parks.” “Skateboards are very personal to us skaters, and the way they look are one of the main focuses when buying them.” “Design wise I look for something that reflects me or is just simply visually appealing. The colours and patterns are important.” Through my project I notably developed my communication skills. I communicated with the target market, professionals in the field of business, and fellow young entrepreneurs and applied their knowledge to my project.