Small Business Owners, Joshua and Irene Vecchione, Make
Entrepreneurial Success Appear to be Childs Play
Slide 4
Entrepreneurial success does not come easily, but through hard
work, persistence and an element of risk taking, small business
ownership can be financially profitable and personally rewarding.
Case in point, the Joshua and Irene Vecchione Toy Town Inc. toy
store of Ladera Ranch, CA. Widely recognized for its creativity as
a business venture and its extensive community outreach, Toy Town
Inc. is part of the Small/Business Entrepreneur Industry
Sector.
Slide 5
Joshua Vecchione, known to locals as simply Joshua, established
Toy Town Inc. in 2004 when the new community of Ladera Ranch opened
its second major shopping center; Mercantile West. Today, Toy Town
Inc. is still an original tenant of the center and a hub of
activity for a close knit community.
Slide 6
As a natural people person, Joshua has learned to combine his
outgoing personality and a passion for business ownership.
Previously, Joshuas small business experience was in another
product; fine jewelry. Over safety and theft concerns, Joshua
contemplated creating a new small business. Among consideration was
a coffee venue, but when a small business opportunity in Irvine, CA
led to a management position in a toy store, the future of Toy Town
Inc. became an inevitability.
Slide 7
Write a Business Plan Search for Store Location Lease
Negotiations Capital Outlay & Finance Store Design &
Fixtures Inventory Acquisition Hire Employees Advertising Campaign
Word of Mouth Marketing Community Awareness The Entrepreneurs
Checklist Before the open sign is put out, small business owners
have an extensive check list to complete.
Slide 8
Taking Care of Business Means: Tracking Sales Restocking
Inventory Organization Hiring Help Family Assistance Jack of All
Trades Long Work Hours
Slide 9
In the early years of Toy Town Inc., the Vecchione family
experienced brisk sales. Becoming residents of the Ladera Ranch
community offered another layer of kinship between Toy Town Inc.,
and a young vibrant community. Raising their own family alongside
neighbors allowed the Toy Towns customer base to blossom into a
large following.
Slide 10
Community Involvement is a hallmark of the Toy Town, Inc.
business. Chamber of Commerce Coble Family Fundraiser Business
Advocacy Disaster Relief Efforts Middle & High School Career
Fairs Childrens Theatre Program Chronic Condition Support
Group
Slide 11
Strategic Business Tactics Unique Inventory Extraordinary
Customer Service Robust Economy Loyal Customer Base Community
Involvement Early Success
Slide 12
An old saying, What goes up must come down certainly applies to
the once economically booming South Orange County suburban area of
Ladera Ranch. Once global recessionary times begin in 2008, sales
at Toy Town, Inc. are hard hit. Local residents of the quaint
community curb their spending habits, leaving local businesses to
struggle in meeting overhead expenses. In the high rent center of
Mercantile West, many businesses shutter their doors. Toy Town,
Inc. contemplates closure, but instead turns to survival marketing
and its deep community ties to weather the economic climate.
Slide 13
An Economic Recession Leads to a Set Back: Ladera Ranch
Residents Face Foreclosures Economic Slow Down is Widespread Toy
Town, Inc. Experiences Sales Decline Mercantile W. Center Tenants
Face Eviction Toy Town, Inc. Contemplates Closure Local Publicity
Highlights Business Plight
Slide 14
Creative solutions focus on: increasing cash flow, maintaining
customer loyalty and stepping up community visibility. Birthday
Wish List Business Consulting Business Branding Community
Involvement Curbside Orders Facebook Gift Baskets Merchandise
Donations Treat Employees Well Pre-Purchase Club Cards Publicity
Store Credit Reward Loyalty SaveToyTown.com
Slide 15
Owner Joshua Vecchione thinks outside the box to maximize sales
and name recognition in a tough economy. Not one to give up easily,
Joshua pulls out every conceivable marketing idea to just keep
swimming. Some plans are simple and basic business practices. Other
ideas are creative, and in some cases, down right genius. Even
distinguished publications such as The Wall Street Journal take
note. Highlighting here a few of Toy Town Inc.s survival marketing
tools provide practical assistance to any entrepreneur regardless
of economic conditions.
Slide 16
Sleeping Toddler in Your Car? No time to shop for a party gift?
No problem, Toy Town, Inc. can provide curbside service in no time.
One quick phone call and a short drive by on the way home and your
purchase is ready and delivered to your car at the stores curb. It
is the drive through option for the hurried shopper. A sampling of
the creative solutions to keeping sales brisk seen here in a
business card handout.
Slide 17
Raising capital with Pre-Purchase Club Cards tied to customer
discounts and special events brings in much needed cash flow and
increases customer loyalty for the small retail business
owner.
Slide 18
Despite concerted marketing efforts, sales for Toy Town, Inc.
at the height of the recession were off by 50%. Contemplation of
shuttering the business and starting afresh in another venture was
seriously considered by Joshua and Irene Vecchione. However, once
the word was out about the slumping sales, a rallying cry to Save
Toy Town came from the same Ladera Ranch community the Vecchiones
had so faithfully supported. A web site was designed and word was
spread online and in line at local businesses that the future of
Toy Town, Inc. was in jeopardy.
Slide 19
Within hours, residents flocked to the store to buy any
possible toy purchase that might be needed. Within days, the Toy
Town, Inc. toy store had nearly sold out of their merchandise. A
personal letter to the community was posted next to the stores Open
sign thanking customers for their outpouring of support. Truly, it
was a scene Toy Town, Inc. will never forget as they realized, yes,
it is a wonderful life, recession or not.
Slide 20
Reinvigorated from community support, Joshua presses on, but it
is not business as usual. Out of necessity, a new idea emerges to
help supplement the stores income. For those wanting to start their
own business, Joshua Vechchione has taken on the role of a
freelance entrepreneurial consultant. From start to finish, Joshua
will help launch a clients retail small business.
Slide 21
Consulting services include: Business Plan Development Location
& Lease Assistance Store Set Up Vendor Suggestions Cost
Efficiency Analysis One Year of Inventory Purchasing Entrepreneurs
that survive in the long haul know how to adapt themselves to
change.
Slide 22
Not to be forgotten, the secret weapon of any fine business is
its personnel. Keeping your staff happy and productive is a key
ingredient to a successful business. No customer will forget a sour
salesperson and thereby dooming any businesses marketing efforts.
Making workers a part of the team and giving them a vested interest
in the establishments success are resources well invested. Family
friends and co workers at Toy Town, Inc. Eli Pavoni and Karen
Nagel.
Slide 23
Be it the use of social media, taking special orders, knowing
their customers base, being involved in service and charitable
outreach, and community participation in areas such as: Childrens
Theatre Support Group for the Chronically Ill Ladera Ranch Chamber
of Commerce Local Ballroom Dancing Classes there are few places and
organizations of Ladera Ranch the Vecchione family has not become a
part of. In truth, they are both a social and socially aware iconic
family that has developed a reputation as the go to business for
professional and personal challenges in need of support.
Slide 24
Toy Town Inc. is an example of what the mom and pop store of
yesteryear represented. Before box chain stores and large corporate
retail discounters became a way of life for the American consumer,
small businesses were the center of social activity and commercial
enterprise. Today, if done correctly, small businesses can continue
to thrive and remain a part of our American business heritage while
continuing to adapt itself to the changing technologically driven
trends of our times.
Slide 25
The need to shop and gather together as a group is still an
important part of the shared human experience. It takes a skilled
people person to bridge the gap between sales and customer service
that is sincere and heartfelt. The personal touch is something that
the consumer can simply never find by shopping online. It is still
something to be experienced in person.
Slide 26
Curbside Orders Waiting to Go Also Available ~ Custom Prefilled
Party Bag Favors ~ Making Party Planning Easy & Convenient
Just, Joshing around makes Toy Town, Inc. fun for all.
Slide 27
Thank you to Toy Town, Inc. for their generous donation of time
and assistance in the education of future entrepreneurs. We wish
you all the best as you continue your business and community
endeavors. Thank you to Saddleback Community College and the SOCCCD
Collaborative 2009-2010 CTE Grant Funded Externship program for
making this presentation possible. Thank you to the Capistrano
Laguna Beach ROP (www.capolagrop.org) for the outstanding Career
& Technical Education they provide for South Orange County high
school and adult students.www.capolagrop.org
