Cow’s London

James and Serena Udderlie are interested in opening a Cow’s London franchise in London, Ontario. In order to do so, the Udderlie’s must prepare a loan application to the Confederation Bank of Canada.

The Udderlie’s are both well educated and employable. James completed his MBA in 1983 and Serena has received her Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education and a Master of Education. In addition to these degrees, they both claim to have an entrepreneurial spirit, but they would also like flexibility in their investment. They would like to continue with their current employment and would like to maintain a good family routine. They view the idea to franchise as an investment rather than a business venture.

The bank is requesting for concrete information before deciding on whether or not a loan is a good idea. They need to be assured that they can invest in the Udderlie’s idea and that the Udderlie’s will be able to pay them back. They have asked for pro forma income statements and balance sheets so that they are able to make an informed decision. The Udderlie’s need help preparing for a meeting so that they may receive financing from Confederation Bank. These needs include an evaluation of the overall idea, the preparation of the pro forma statements, what collateral options were available and to identify any potential issues that the bank may have. The Udderlie’s have also already done some widespread market research. James has a background in the area and can properly analyze market research. James had concluded that the target market was comprised of mainly employed individuals, so a high price point was feasible. The franchiser has well developed store design standards and specifications. James feels that the franchiser will offer a lot of support and will provides costs to aid with making a decision. The location meets the requirements for the target market and is also a high traffic area.

The sales forecasts that are provided (see attached) are based on information from the franchisor and exhibits attached to the case study. Many of the costs are variable and dependent on the amount of sales. Through reading the case study, we find that there will be no tax expense in the first operating year and the loss with carry forward for the next year. The Cow’s franchise may not me the best investment for the Udderlie’s. Both James and Serena do not want to invest a lot of time in a business venture, which is shown by the fact that they are already seeking to hire a full-time investment manager. The Udderlie’s will need to invest a lot of time into the franchise if they want it so be successful, and in order to receive the money they have invested back, it may take a few years. There are many other investing options available as opposed to getting a loan, such as small business grants.