Tips For Positioning Your Company In Front of Investors

First impressions mean everything when you are presenting your company to a potential investor. Positioning your company so that it attracts the right investors can be a very challenging process. Yet somehow, majority of entrepreneurs forget that the investors that they are presenting to often have started up and sold multiple companies – after all, that is the precise reason why they are angels.

All entrepreneurs must remember one thing: these investors can smell exaggeration and a shaky plan from the first paragraph of an executive summary – 100% of the time. This is no joke!

Having said this, we often review business plans with the same mistakes over and over again. We wish to share some of our insight so that your company does not fall into the same trap. The Next Idea recommends that you follow these simple points before sending any investor your business plan.

1. Be realistic in your financial projection. There is very little reason to believe that you will capture 8% of the US GDP through your proprietary transaction engine or that although you are losing $1million for the first two-years of operation, you will make a profit of $36 million on your third year.
2. Make sure your assumptions are based on sound research, as investors will question you heavily on your financial forecasts. Any declaration that your company plans to ‘Capture 1% of the market’ is a sure way to lose any potential investor.
3. Investors are never interested in ‘who will sign’ a massive contract with your firm in two weeks and that you cannot disclose who it is. Investors want to hear who your current customers are and what your current business development strategy is. The same advice goes for any assertion of signing ‘rainmaker’ personnel once funding is completed. Start ups should be especially cautious about making claims of confirmed accounts or clients.
4. Regardless of what your company is doing, you have competition. There are two levels of competition: direct and indirect. Be realistic and present the threats as they are because the truth ‘will’ surface and when it does, you will lose tremendous credibility. Stay away from making claims that the ‘100lbs gorilla’ of the industry is too slow or too caught up in its own bureaucracy to be able to directly compete with you.
5. BE REALISTIC. BE REALISTIC. BE REALISTIC. Build your business plan with this in thought: if I were an angel investor, why would I sign a $1 million check to fund this idea? Remember again that these people have been ‘around the block’ and that they can sense shaky with a simple glance at your business plan.

Above all – be clear in YOUR proposal.

Robert Ancill is CEO of Restaurant Consulting Services Group; The Next Idea. http://www.thenextidea.net. For information about Business Plans, Financial Forecasting and general start up advice please visit our site at: http://www.thenextidea.net

 

A scientific reason why red wine is good for you

With all the hoopla about red wine going around, you have to wonder if there’s something to it, or whether some wily French scientists have gotten carried away after a night of sipping a bottle of cabernet.

Robert Ancill, CEO of Food Consultancy, The Next Idea, reports that Researchers already knew that procyanidins, com-pounds commonly found in red wine, are good for your blood vessels and probably contribute to the long life spans found in southwestern France and Sardinia. But according to a study published in the journal Nature, by the William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary, University of London, what the researchers didn’t previously know was that levels of procyanidins varied in wines.

Those produced in southwestern France and Sardinia, places where wine is still made in the traditional way and allowed to fer-ment for up to three weeks (as opposed to the modern way of one week) tended to have much higher levels of the compounds—sometimes up to 10 times more. This is because the process allows for the full extraction of procyanidins from the skin and seed of the grape. Scientists believe this in turn promotes artery health and longer life spans.

The Next Idea (www.thenextidea.net) is a Retail Food and Restaurant Consultancy committed to improving the quality and Healthfullness of the  products available to the US Consumer.

 

Feedback – By Maerav Chiprut, VP Training The Next Idea

Improve your management style over lunch

Who knows best how well you’re performing as a manager? Your employees, that’s who. But getting them to speak or write freely on the subject can be difficult. Especially if you run a small department, anonymity is crucial to them. So make it pleasurable instead of a chore for your team. Send them out to lunch together annually or twice a year—on the company’s dime—and instruct them to talk about Your management skills. One person in the group will be responsible for taking notes and compiling a report for you that summarizes all that was said without citing or giving away who said what. Maerav Chiprut, The Next Idea’s VP Training services says: ‘Yes, there may be some painful moments as you read through the feedback, but there will also be insights. You may discover that what you intended to do in some circumstances was perceived in an entirely different way by your employees. You may also learn what you’re doing well that’s appreciated, and what you need to do more of. Everyone wins with this kind of feedback approach’

And remember – Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things

For More Information Please View : http://www.thenextidea.net

 

Why are we hearing so much about obesity?

Headlines scream it, marketers cash in on it, even employers are making a to-do about it. Americans need to lose weight. Robert Ancill, CEO of Food Consultancy The Next Idea, says: “Here’s the skinny: From 1980 to 2004, the rate of obesity doubled in the United States. Over the 2005–2006 period, more than a third of the U.S. population was obese, which translates into more than 72 million Americans struggling with significant weight problems, according to the National Center for Health Statistics”.

What is worse – The number of overweight school-age children in the United States has increased more than 60 percent since 1988.

Ancill says: “The problem is just getting worse not better, it is imperative that all Food outlets begin to understand their responsibility in providing products that have health attributes as opposed to just a healthy profit margin!

The Next Idea (www.thenextidea.net) is a Retail Food and Restaurant Consultancy committed to improving the quality and Healthfullness of the products available to the US Consumer.

For More Information Please View : http://www.thenextidea.net

 

Free-Range Eggs – Are they worth it?

Robert Ancill, CEO of Food Retail Consultancy, The Next Idea reports: If you have purchased a dozen eggs lately, you might have been a bit flummoxed when trying to decide whether to put out more of your hard-earned cash for the free-range variety. How do you know if paying the extra price for this “boutique” variety of eggs is worth it?

First, you have to understand just what the term free-range means, and that its definition can be a matter of perspective. Warning: It’s not all that simple. According to Mother Earth News, true free-range chickens eat a natural chicken’s diet that includes “all kinds of seeds, green plants, insects and worms, usually along with grain or laying mash.” True free-range chickens also spend time out of doors walking around and foraging—something factory farm birds can’t do. In addition, factory farm birds are usually fed cheap mixtures of corn, soy, and cottonseed meals with additives. Here’s the confusing part: The USDA defines free range as birds merely having access to the outdoors. Some manufacturers are taking advantage of this definition by leaving tiny doors open on huge sheds, which in turn leaves the door open for the manufacturers to label their eggs as “free range.” So what’s a consumer to do?

Ancill says, “Know what you’re getting for your money”. According to Mother Earth News–sponsored tests, free-range chickens produce eggs of superior nutritional value as compared to eggs from factory hens. In addition, when compared to the official USDA nutrient data for commercial eggs, the eggs from free-range chickens contained up to :

• Two-thirds more vitamin A
• Double the omega-3 fatty acids
• Triple the vitamin E
• Seven times more beta-carotene
• One-third less cholesterol
• One-quarter less saturated fat

To find out the names of reliable sellers of eggs from pasture-raised hens in your area, check out www.eatwild.com or www.localharvest.org.

The Next Idea (www.thenextidea.net) is a Retail Food and Restaurant Consultancy committed to improving the quality and Healthfulness of the products available to the US Consumer.

 

Healthy Diet – Key requirement for a Healthy Body and Mind

Importance of Health

“Health is Wealth” – This is a very well said proverb, universal truth for every person living anywhere in the world irrespective of any factors. Even in this damn economic world people are aware with the benefits of a healthy body and mind. They care for their health more than earlier days. Nutrition is among key priorities for elderly, young and kids.

Need for Healthy Diet

For a good health, you need to have healthy and nutritious diet, that too on time regularly. A good diet is important for good health. A healthy and nutritious diet can help to maintain a healthy body weight and reduce the risk of a number of diseases including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis or malnutrition.

What is Healthy Diet

A balance and healthy diet consists of all required components essential for body. A diet based on cereals, breads, potatoes, fruits and vegetables is a healthy and balanced diet. That also includes limited amounts of dairy products (like milk, butter, cheese and curd), meat, and limited amount of fat or sugar ingredients.

No single food can provide all the essential nutrients that the body needs. Therefore, it is important to consume a wide variety of foods to provide adequate intakes of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, which are important for health. When fresh fruits and vegetables are unavailable, canned goods can be a healthy alternative to fulfill the need for adequate intake.

Guidelines for a healthy diet:

1. Eat a variety of different foods, several times a day
2. Follow principle of light and frequent eating policy
3. Eat plenty of foods rich in starch and fibre
4. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and green vegetables
5. Avoid food with high fat ratio
6. Limit food and drinks with sugar too often
7. If you are a drinker, drink alcohol sensibly
8. Drink sufficient amount of water several times a day
9. Limit excess intake of coffee and tea

If you follow above guidelines, and take care of your healthy diet needs, you’ll reduce your chances of being ill or malnutrition. Remember a healthy and peaceful mind resides inside a healthy body. So, keep yourself healthy and full your life with yours and your loved one’s cheers.

For More Information: www.thenextidea.net

 

Innovative and Unique Solutions for Restaurants

Receiving payments is sometimes very cumbersome task for Restaurants, especially during weekends, festivals or wedding occasions. The customers footfalls increase dramatically on such situations. That results long queues of waiting for payment, which is frustrating for customers as well owners. Such problems are common with fast food joints, self service restaurants, or take home service providers.

There is always a strong need for an alternate payment method, because traditional card swipe process is time taking. The Next Idea Restaurant Consultants has been a pioneer in providing restaurant consultancy services. They understood the problems with traditional payments processes, and come up with an innovative, less time taking, and easy solution.

Tap N Go – Answer to Payment Receiving Problems

Contact less (“Tap N Go”) credit card payments is the latest technology in accepting credit card payments – the technology speeds up customer transactions, therefore reduces lines, wait times, and transaction problems. That results a pleasant dining experience for customers and pleasant customer service experience for restaurant owners. Over the next five years “Tap N Go” will replace swipe processing in high volume outlets that need to provide convenience and quick service. Therefore now is the best time to install, ahead of your competitors, and offer your customers a new hassle-free payments experience. The facility will add another milestone in your service areas, making you ahead of your competitors.

Contact less “Tap N Go” services is changing the way customers pay for small purchases. Consumers love the convenience of just tapping their cards to pay at merchants counters. Installation is very easy, and the technology is compatible with almost all POS equipment. The Next Idea (www.thenextidea.net) is the primary distributor of this new technology, as part of our launch this week, we are offering a variety of incentives for new clients.

The Next Idea provides international restaurant consulting and offers advice and consulting in all aspects of restaurant operations, development and management. For more details regarding our Tap-N-Go services call us at 818-992-6133 or 818-448-9888, you can also contact us via a mail to info@thenextidea.net. Visit us at : http://www.thenextidea.net.

 

Mediterranean diet

What is the next phase in healthy eating?

According to Robert Ancill, President of The Next Idea, Los Angeles based Restaurant Consultancy consumers are taking increasing interest in Mediterranean cuisine.

In 2007, The Journal of the American Medical Association reported, a combination of the Mediterranean diet, moderate exercise and drinking, and no smoking can

lower mortality rates by 65 percent.

What is the Mediterranean diet? It’s heavy on the olive oil and light on meat and dairy. It also includes lots of fish, vegetables, seeds, grains, nuts and legumes.

The first study was conducted over 12 years (1988–2000) by researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and other European universities. Twenty-three hundred healthy people between the ages of 70 and 90 were surveyed about their eating habits and physical activities.

Another study conducted at the Second University of Naples found that people who suffered from “metabolic syndrome” improved after following a

Mediterranean diet. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Symptoms include being fat around the middle, having high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and improper processing of glucose. After two years, only 44 percent of those on the Mediterranean diet still suffered symptoms.

Ancill reports that The Next Idea has experienced a larger than normal interest in Mediterranean concepts both from entrepreneurs and restaurant investors. In a recent interview Robert Ancill commented; “Possibly we will eventually see a Healthier consumer if such a trend gains traction in the market place, the question is whether operators will understand the unique economics of executing a Mediterranean menu”.

For More Information : www.thenextidea.net

 

Importance of Interiors in Restaurant Business

If you are opening a new restaurant, owning an existing restaurant, or just came up with a restaurant business plan. You should give stress on looks of your restaurant business setup. Exterior and interiors both are important aspects, but your customers will spend more of their time inside your restaurant, so interior designing consideration is more important.
Look and feel is a pleasing factor, in hospitality it is one of the most important factor. It can have positive effects on your restaurant business and provides proper returns of money invested in interior designing. Excellently designed interior of your restaurants provides a soothing and comfortable dining experience to your customers.

It is true that walls, furniture, utensils, textures and colours, employee dresses, paintings, lightings, and carpets, everything is representing your restaurant. Together they make the visual impact of your restaurant. Its not yet over, very soon your design will become your brand identity. We can easily notice a single theme accepted by all key players of Restaurantand Café Industry . Take example of McDonalds, or Café Coffee Day, you will find a common there in every outlets of these restaurant chains. This common theme is in fact a part of their brand identity promotion.

This visual impact is the first appearance of your service offerings to your customer. Your interior designing theme will decide your customer’s mood, that mood will decide their selection of cuisine presented in your menu. It is not easy to decide about interiors of your restaurant. You need to take help of experts in this field to maximize the benefits of your investment.

There are several Restaurant and Café consultants providing interior designing services. Even there are several interior designers expert in hospitality interior designing services. They know how to create an effect through interiors using different arrangements, perfect placements of furniture, attractive lighting painting, and perfect blend of colours and textures.

The Next Idea is a pioneer is providing interior designing services to its numerous clients in hospitality industry. Next Idea experts have several years of experience of developing restaurants and creating perfect ambience for future customers of its restaurants and café business clients.

For more information of The Next Idea services and offerings, please visit: http://www.thenextidea.net.

 

Services Provided by Restaurant Consultants

Restaurant Consultants are helping people interested to start their own restaurants, or re innovating old restaurants. For a long time, it was very difficult for newcomers in this filed setting up a new restaurant, to select a suitable place, to design interiors in most effective and eye catching manner, to select cuisines, menu, and other little things, which may affect the overall business. The marketing and advertisement was a tougher task which must have been a nightmare for prospective restaurant owners.

Earlier, in absence of perfect blend of everything, one can’t expect good business. Running a restaurant takes high level of energy, capital, and manpower. At the end, due to insufficient business most of the restaurant owners either sell their restaurant or lease to popular chains.

But current scenario is different, now there are several Restaurant and Café Consultants in market. They are experienced player of this field, having team of people with diverse set of experience in travel and tourism, dining and leisure industry. If you contact a Restaurant Consultant for his services, you don’t need to do any market survey, consult an interior designer, or a marketing and advertising agency.

Restaurant Consultants provides one stop services of every task related to a Restaurant. They help in developing a Restaurant Business Plan, selection of the best possible venue for restaurant, interior and exterior design to attract people and to make his visit pleasant, cuisines selection, menu design, employee training or marketing and advertising. If taken individually these things seem less important, but together they make great impact over business. A well designed menu or a well trained staff can increase number of placed order by a customer. If it happens a few times a day, it can affect your whole business transactions on a monthly basis.

In other words if you start your Restaurant Setup, with help of a Restaurant and Café Consultant, you add the amount of experience carried by the team, which in turn transforms the prospects of your business. You’ll see your Restaurant Business providing you the taste of success, satisfaction and wealth at same point of time.

The Next Idea is a highly innovative and experienced team of restaurant and leisure consultants, who have successfully opened and managed more than 250 restaurants, bars, and hotels worldwide. For more information or queries, feel free to visit our website: http://www.thenextidea.net.