Executive Summary

   January 14, 2012  Leave a Comment on Executive Summary

Introduction

 

In the heart of the world renowned USA city of Los Angeles California on the major corridors of Gage Avenue and Saint Andrews Place resides the South Los Angeles Conference Center (SLACC), which serves as the perfect host to hundreds of successful banquets, receptions, Quinceañeras, Bar Mitzvahs & Bat Mitzvahs, business seminars, community meetings, theatrical plays, and educational training sessions.  You are hereby cordially invited to visit and see firsthand Los Angeles’ most positive urban asset for holding your special event.

The SLACC is located in the Canterbury Knolls district, a light industrial and commercial area at the corner of Saint Andrews Place and Gage Avenue.  In a safe and secure commercial 70,000 square foot complex, upstairs represents the major share of the SLACC ‘s operation. The SLACC strategy is to secure a fraction of the banquet and business meeting gross domestic annual spend.  A significant share of this market is directly proportional to disposable income of companies, nonprofit organizations, schools, and private parties.

The Company

The investing company owned by Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ and Teresa Casasola has been operating for nearly 25 years.  The owners have operated their current enterprise since 1984, with 12 mobile food and beverage trucks at Adams Boulevard and Western Avenue. Expanded their operation from that location five years later, they operated from two owned buildings on 46th Street & Western Avenue.  In 2005, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) place an eminent domain to this section of the city to build Barack Obama Global Preparatory Academy.  Consequently, in 2006, a $3.3 million acquisition of 80K sq. ft. two-story mixed-use building at Gage Avenue and Saint Andrews Place.

The SLACC is an expanded operation from the Good Times Banquet Hall. The company is engaged in the production of business and social events.  The SLACC has recently applied for parking and zoning permits that will greatly enhance the operations making it well-positioned to market its event hosting beyond its present weekend special event programs.  The company is dedicated to providing the highest quality service. The focus of this business plan is to identify its future target clients, explain its marketing strategy, and to improve its internal procedures so it can substantially increase profitability and community benefits.

The current building once had access to the City of Department of Water and Power, however, it cancelled easement rights with a 50 mobile truck capacity.  From 2006-10, the owners invested roughly $2.5 million in building code compliance, restoration and utilization standard upgrades. In 2009, the Good Times Banquet Hall was created to take advantage of the surplus space of the building.  This expanded space allowed Teresa and Rudy to concentrate on providing a nicely appointed place for social gatherings with a purpose. In addition, there are eight light industrial tenants in the complex that add to the annual business revenue.

The South Los Angeles Conference Center (SLACC) is an emerging business venture with Teresa and Rudy Casasola as owners and proprietors, jointly teaming with two nonprofit organizations – the South Los Angeles Economic Development Partnership (dba, Southland Partnership Corporation) and United Latinos in America (dba, ULA).  This is a working strategic alliance formed to help retain and expand event activity at 6236 S. Saint Andrews Place, Los Angeles, CA 90047.  By using existing resources more effectively, the SLACC mission is to host business and social events in a first-class environment. It is a place to utilize, enjoy, learn, and discover.

The SLACC will work to attract film production and arts appreciation for a wide spectrum of local cultural communities and visitors alike.  It will also be a workplace of inclusion and respect, with a main focus on the development of business and job growth.  The SLACC mission includes special consideration for the cultural diversity of Los Angeles, thereby offering an economic benefit from this joint venture is that the SLACC is dedicated to open community residents sustainable work opportunity and experience with transferable skills associated with the hospitality/catering industry.  Participants will be encouraged to gain additional work experience in the restaurant and food services industry while making the transition from school to work and will allow them to develop entrepreneurial skills that will be transferable to any job in the future.

Company Summary

The South Los Angeles Conference Center (SLACC) consists of an expanded venture starting with the Good Times Banquet Hall business model with two non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, both practicing public benefit services since 2000.  Our newly designed mission focuses on the development of businesses growth for the south Los Angeles region by providing a space for year-round business exchange of training and a working environment for meetings and catered graduations or certifications.

The SLACC project serves to enlarge the Good Times Banquet Hall that solely focused on social activities, where the SLACC combines business services with other important aspects of growing and expanded small enterprises.  The current surge in the mobile restaurant activity, in collaboration with nonprofit job/training needs, will help in building the meeting and banquet services business.  Using the well-established Good Times Banquet Hall business, the SLACC programs will continue to meet those services provided for weekend events to include week-day business programs that augment our core business services.

The SLACC essentially takes up 10{ccc488d5a2ce4d1842f7a5a096256d3759c870d7ef5844ed8e9a39b694d97103} of the space dedicated to Western Catering Company that accommodates 26+ mobile Meal Trucks, food/beverage warehousing, 8 industrial office and commercial use tenants ($.054 per square foot).  These independently owned and operated mobile trucks have access to the warehousing food and beverage refreshing services 7 days a week from this location.  The mobile units are essentially full-service kitchens, each staffing independent contractors with 2-4 people, serving an ethnically diverse community with refreshment of food, snacks and beverages.

The SLACC strives to become a conference/banquet hall “anchor” for a south Los Angeles district named Canterbury Knolls.  Besides a presentation space unlike any other, we will have a “training” aspect, concentrating specifically on our realm of expertise mobile food truck operations, complementing the other light industrial tenants occupying 6236 South Saint Andrews, to form a well rounded business network.  The following highlights the history of the mobile truck operations:

  • 1984, 12 mobile food and beverage trucks located at Adams and Western – 8th CD
  • 2005, eminent domain from two buildings at 46thStreet & Western Avenue, doing lunch truck catering services for fourteen years.
    • LAUSD made way to build Barack Obama Global Preparatory Academy
  • 2006, a $3.3 million acquisition of 79K sq. ft. two-story mixed-use building at Gage Avenue and Saint Andrews Place.
    • DWP parking, cancelled easement with 70 mobile truck capacity
  • 2006-10, a $2.5 million code compliance, restoration and utilization standards
  • July 2011, a joint project to develop the South Los Angeles Conference Center (SLACC)

The Los Angeles Council District-8 is an important ally, as a supporter of the SLACC and co-presenting groups, Southland Partnership Corporation and United Latinos in America, as well as other city and county collaborative community supporters, including, but not limited to;

There will be of tremendous importance the need to develop business programs and alliances.  For example, Rudy Casasola, Proprietor and General Manager for the SLACC facility and programs, will direct all operational areas, including sponsorship and programming.  Teresa Casasola, is the Director of Event Integrity, to ensure programs operate properly in maintaining the facility.  Dean Jones is the marketing arm responsible for building training programs and SLACC branding among business and residents alike. Billy Williams and Roberto Recillas have strong ties to public school student motivation and parenting education that tie perfectly in training programs for SLACC.

Company Ownership and Management Team

This business will continue as a simple proprietorship, owned by its founders Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ and Teresa Casasola.  As the operation grows, the owners will consider re-registering as a limited liability company or as a corporation, whichever will better suit the future business needs of the joint venture between the Southland Partnership Corporation and United Latinos in America.

The SLACC is new, but adds to an ongoing concern that begins with very little debt, and our idea behind this type of start-up plan is to keep overhead at a bare minimum so that the service business can thrive on the knowledge and expertise of Teresa and Rudy Casasola.  The second largest expense upon startup and the largest ongoing expense affecting free cash flow is the facility maintenance, i.e. water, power, and building maintenance.

The Good Times Banquet Hall was established at the beginning of 2009, and experienced losses resulting from inadequate parking and operating permit restrictions.  These obstacles are under review and will hopefully be resolved by January 2012.

The Management Team

The SLACC will continue with the leadership of Teresa and Rudy Casasola who are the founders and very experienced with coordinating successful events at this location.  Billy Williams is the President of United Latinos in America (ULA), a strategic partner in the SLACC project has tremendous sales and community outreach background within the industry, having spent the last ten years working with nonprofit community-based organizations.  ULA Executive Director, Roberto Recillas, has a training and community outreach background, previously working with Personal Involvement Center, the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Sheriff Department and other local community nonprofit groups.  Dean Jones is sharing his management and consulting experience with many Fortune 500 corporations, in addition to having helped develop and manage the Los Angeles Black Business Expo that included all of the elements of event and hospitality industry work.

Objectives

The business goals of the South Los Angeles Conference Center for the year 2012 are:

  1. To confirm and serve 50 business conferences, luncheons, seminars, and/or workshops for major public/private organization space rental and catering service clients.
  2. To generate over $20,000 monthly in earned income by the end of the first year from meeting space fees and related banquet catering services.
  3. To keep a strong gross profit margin of at least 60{ccc488d5a2ce4d1842f7a5a096256d3759c870d7ef5844ed8e9a39b694d97103} from sales of services.
  4. To receive at least $125,000 in the first year from newly developed funding sources such as grants that will come over time depending on deadlines and qualifications.
  5. To develop and maintain a strong client base of local community groups and faith-based organizations.
  6. To develop an outreach program that includes new markets and opens the doors for the ultimate programming goal: The 100 Black Men, Crenshaw Chamber of Commerce, Vermont/Slauson Economic Development Corp, Neighborhood Empowerment Council, and the like.

Keys to Success

  • Confirm zoning permit and parking approvals
  • Cultivate an identity (brand) for the South Los Angeles Conference Center among other nearby businesses with 15 or more employees.
  • Expand our customer base from banquets to workshops and business training.
  • Expand the donor/corporate partner base and corporate contributions that add to the financial resources of quarterly/monthly on-site ‘Gourmet Truck Training’ programs.
  • Provide programs with entrepreneurial job skills that can open doors to future employment opportunities.

The Market

Los Angeles county has nearly 10 million residents, plus a huge visitor count, the most for the state of California.  Tourism and hospitality ranks as the number one job creator in Los Angeles County with over 456,000 people employed in catering jobs.  Annually, the banquet and event industry in the Los Angeles County receives over $14 billion and whereas Los Angeles is commonly associated with the entertainment industry that is home to Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Sony, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and Walt Disney Studios, all of the major film corporations of the world.

The Products

The SLACC is reasonably priced as a flexible alternative to expensive Los Angeles hotel conference centers. Comparatively, our services are delivered in the first-class fashion that you are accustomed to with presenting your events an auditorium, classroom, or banquet style setting.  The SLACC has two adjoining conference rooms that accommodate 250+ people each for dinner style and as many as 500 for auditorium seating.  The SLACC even comes complete with an on-site fresh flower shop for making the most unique floral center pieces for guest tables and custom room decorations.  Whereas similar venues corral you into their expensive packaged catering and service plans, we give you precisely the items you want and at very affordable prices.  Our flexible arrangements make your event made-to-order and at the same time help save you money.

The SLACC is located in Los Angeles’ traditional industrial district, adjacent to safe residential neighborhoods and near major freeways making it easy for your guests to appreciate.  Valet parking awaits your guests and our full-time event management staff members make sure your event goes off without a hitch.  From coffee and snacks to a full menu of gourmet catering options, we take care of you and your guests from start to finish.  Allow our conscientious staff to help you make sure your next event comes complete with memorable Good Times!

The Customers

The SLACC will be concentrating on two different target customer segments.  The first is public and private business organizations, which is a group of organizations forecasted to account for 60{ccc488d5a2ce4d1842f7a5a096256d3759c870d7ef5844ed8e9a39b694d97103} of the SLACC‘s business in 2012.  As the economy swings upward yielding more disposal income, this group will comprise all of of the Monday – Friday work week use of the SLACC.  There are over 500 potential customers in a 10 mile radius, including the following current and past customers, such as;

  • Community Redevelopment Agency – South LA Region
  • El Sembrador
  • Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
  • Los Angeles Office of Education
  • Los Angeles Police Department
  • Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department
  • Los Angeles Unified School District
  • Neighborhood Empowerment Council
  • POWER Collaborative Network
  • Power of Love Christian Fellowship Church
  • Southern California Falcons Youth Football & Cheer Organization
  • Southland Partnership Corporation
  • St. Michaels Catholic School
  • United Latinos in America

The second group of customers are individuals, customers who use the SLACC sporadically, when ever the occasion arises.  This target group grows at 20{ccc488d5a2ce4d1842f7a5a096256d3759c870d7ef5844ed8e9a39b694d97103} rate from referrals and awareness from word-of-mouth and social media promotion of the the SLACC.  The type of events are vast, including, but not limited to; Banquets/Luncheons • Business Seminars • Ballroom Dancing Clubs • Community Meetings • Filming • Educational Training Sessions • Motion Picture Production • Theatrical Plays • Receptions • Rehearsals • Warehouse Close-out Expos • Youth Programs: Bar Mitzvahs & Bat Mitzvah • Quinceañeras.

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