Your Venture's Unfair Advantage

1. Personal experience: I am a plant-based eater that attends UF and I have the same struggles that my target market has when it comes to finding quick and healthy plant-based food options to eat when I'm on campus.

• Valuable: This is valuable because I can relate to my customers on a personal level. I know what they want and need because I share their struggles. And having the background knowledge and connecting with them on a personal level gives me an edge.
• Rare: This is not super rare, as many people today eat plant-based, or are at least focused on living a healthier lifestyle. 
• Inimitable: I would not consider my personal experience to be inimitable, as the health food sector is growing and new health-food products and services are constantly popping up. 
• Non-substitutable: There isn't a substitute for having personal experience and a personal connection because that is unique to me. 

2. Uniqueness of Venture/Lack of Direct Competition: There are no fast food restaurants on UF's campus that cater to those eating a plant-based diet.

• Valuable: The fact that my business venture is unique and has not been successfully fulfilled will make my business plan valuable.
• Rare: There are no fast food restaurants on campus that are tailored towards people who eat a plant-based diet. 
• Inimitable: The business idea itself is something that could be copied at other universities, however, this business venture hasn't already been done before, at least not at UF.
• Non-substitutable: The only substitute for those who struggle to find quick and healthy plant-based options when on campus is to bring a lunch from home, walk to Publix, or go to one of the standard fast food restaurants and get the one stereotypical "healthy option."

3. Social Capital: As a student myself, I have contact with college/UF students and faculty who spend a lot of time on campus and want more healthy options.

• Valuable: Their experiences and perspectives are invaluable. Talking to them could help me figure out how to give them exactly what they want and need, and it would definitely push the business venture forward and onto UF's campus.
• Rare: This is not rare. There are so many students at UF, it's not rare at all that I have contact with students. But the fact that I myself am a student gives me more of an insider's perspective than someone who is not a student. 
• Inimitable: This could be imitated, but not with the passion and drive that I have.
• Non-substitutable: The power of direct communication cannot be substituted.

4. Publicity: There has been a cultural shift towards more sustainable living. Vegan and sustainability are huge buzzer terms in the media right now, and they're continuing to grow in popularity.

• Valuable: Media is super valuable. The more people that hear about the business, the better. And the more people are already looking for the business, even better. 
• Rare: It's not rare that a new business, especially a restaurant, gets a lot of publicity. 
• Inimitable: Anyone who enters this health-food sector could get the same amount of coverage, but if many competitors follow suit, the media will care less with each new entry. It would be very important to be the trail-blazer.
• Non-substitutable: As an advertising major, I know how to create a strong social media campaign and organize media coverage myself. I could also come up with some strategic sales tactics to create buzz and encourage students to come in to try our food risk-free. After all, college students love food and free/discounted stuff. 

5. Social Capital: As a health-food influencer on Instagram, I have worked with many health-food brands and companies in the past.

• Valuable: This is super valuable because these relationships can help me figure out how to maintain customer loyalty and learn more about the ever-evolving market. 
• Rare: This is relatively rare because most people do not have these relationships with popular brands. 
• Inimitable: This could only be imitated by other influencers with access to these brands. 
• Non-substitutable: I could not substitute their knowledge with any other knowledge. Their experience and expertise is vital. However, I could get it from other health-food brands, stores, and restaurants.

6. Unmet Market: The vegan/plant-based community is a market that has been utilized in Gainesville and all over the country, but not on UF's campus. Students do not want to have to drive across town to get quick, healthy plant-based food. Students need access to these foods on campus. Plus, whether they are vegan or not, students want to have more healthy options.

• Valuable: The fact that there is an unmet market is incredibly valuable because it means there is a need that hasn't been met. This business could be a valuable place for students to conveniently fuel themselves up with healthy and sustainably sourced food. 
• Rare: The idea for a plant-based restaurant is not rare in Gainesville. However, there are no healthy fast food restaurants on campus, let alone a plant-based and sustainably sourced fast food restaurant. 
• Inimitable: I think that many business ventures can and do target the vegan/plant-based community. 
• Non-substitutable: This business could easily be substituted by students making their own plant-based meals at home and bringing them with them on campus. 

7. Social Capital: As a health-food influencer on Instagram, I have established many strong relationships with other healthy, plant-based influencers, including several at UF.

• Valuable: This is valuable because the relationships I have with fellow health-food influencers, specifically at UF, can help push me forward and help me spread the buzz about the restaurant. 
• Rare: This is somewhat isn't super rare because many college students have popular Instagram accounts dedicated to food and sharing vegan recipes. 
• Inimitable: This could be imitated by other people, especially college students, with Instagram accounts dedicated to healthy/plant-based food. 
• Non-substitutable: I could not substitute their knowledge with any other knowledge, especially since these people are also UF students.  

8. Meaningful Business Venture. Even though this is a business venture, I am super passionate about helping people take better care of themselves holistically. It's about more than just eliminating processed food and meat. It's really about taking better care of ourselves and our environment.

• Valuable: This is valuable because it gives me a way to connect with people beyond just selling them delicious food. 
• Rare: This isn't super rare, but you can tell a big difference between going to eat somewhere where you're just another number, another mouth to feed. I don't just want to sell people food, I want to connect with them and help them live a better life. 
• Inimitable: I think other businesses, especially other local restaurants in Gainesville, share this same heart and soul and love for serving the people of Gainesville.
• Non-substitutable: There are no substitutes when it comes to the feeling you get when you enter a restaurant and feel welcome and at home.

9. Sustainable Business Venture. In order to serve delicious, healthy, and sustainably sourced food, we will work with local farmers and create a menu that is centered around fresh, seasonal ingredients.

• Valuable: This is valuable because it gives people another reason to feel good about supporting the business. 
• Rare: This is very rare because fast food restaurants are the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and water waste. 
• Inimitable: It may be replicable by other new fast food restaurant models, but traditional fast food restaurants could not feasibly make the switch to using fresh ingredients from local farmers. 
• Non-substitutable: There is no substitute for fresh, sustainable ingredients than going directly to the source and using ingredients from local farmers. 

10. Passion. I grew up in a big family with Italian roots. Taking the time to prepare a delicious meal and sharing it together around the table was the ultimate expression of love. Cooking food is my favorite outlet and and expression of my love for myself, my friends, and my family.

• Valuable: This is not only valuable, but truly essential to the success of this business because through the good days and the bad days, passion is what will sustain me and the business. 
• Rare: This is not all that rare, but it is vital. 
• Inimitable: I don't think being passionate is something that can be replicated. It is something you either possess or not. It also depends on what it is you are passionate about.
• Non-substitutable: There are other traits one could possess that could help them achieve their goals, but passion is very important in terms of staying motivated and overcoming obstacles.  

After conducting the VRIN analysis, I think my top resource is my passion (#10). While anyone could easily start a similar business and find success with it, I believe that because of my experiences and the love for cooking that has been passed down in my family for generations, I will be able to bring something new to the table. Whether that be an innovative menu, a beautifully designed restaurant space, sustainable packaging, or just delicious food, I know that my vision will not be matched by anyone else because my experience and expertise is unique to me.