deca startup business plan examples

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Chapter Name

Start-Up Business Plan

The purpose of the Start-Up Business Plan Event is to provide an opportunity for the participant to develop and present a proposal to form a business. The event provides an opportunity for a participant to develop and demonstrate mastery of essential knowledge and skills as they apply to the analysis of a business opportunity.

Career Opportunities

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Sample Exams

Exam blueprint.

The chart below shows the number of items per instructional area for the 2024-2025 exams used at the district level, chartered association level and the International Career Development Conference.

EXAM STRATEGIES

The exam blueprint is your best friend.

Use the exam blueprint to focus your preparation efforts. You may prioritize studying instructional areas with the higher number of questions listed the blueprint.

Keep Expanding Your Knowledge

As you advance in competition, exam items become more specialized to the Career Cluster. Therefore, you should start with an understanding of general business concepts in the Business Administration Core and build on the knowledge within the Career Cluster of your competitive event.

Review Your Work

Don’t just take the exam! After you take the exam, compare your answers to the exam’s key. If you incorrectly answer a question, re-read the question, note the correct answer, and then read the descriptive key. The descriptive key explains the correct answer and why the other answers are incorrect. This will also help you understand the performance indicator addressed in the exam question.

Focus Your Efforts Where They Need To Be

Each exam question is linked to an instructional area. For each incorrect answer, tally the instructional area it matches. If you are noticing a pattern of incorrectly answering questions within particular instructional areas, spend more time learning the knowledge and skills within those instructional areas. Spend more time reviewing the performance indicators under those instructional areas.

Form Study Groups

Because there are only seven DECA exams, chances are high that some of your fellow chapters are taking the same exam as you, even if they are in a different competitive event. Use this opportunity to form study groups. You could consider taking the exam together and discussing the questions and answers. You could even divide and conquer to prepare study materials to help understand performance indicators.

Get In The Mode

Recreate the testing scene. Find out from your chapter advisor the setting for your exam during competition. Will you be taking the exam online through an electronic device prior to the competition, or  using pencil and paper on-site during the competition? Find out how long you will have to take the test. Then try to replicate the setting using a practice test and using the same time frame you are given in competition.

Develop a Study Schedule

Make sure to study and prepare on a regular basis. Plan a study schedule and calendar leading up to your competition. Do not study right before you take the test. Instead, concentrate on being calm and confident in yourself when taking the exam.

Test Taking Techniques

When taking the exam, use these general test taking techniques:

• Familiarize yourself with the format.
• Read the question. Think about the answer.
• Read all choices before choosing your answer.
• Eliminate choices you know aren't correct.
• If you get stuck, circle and come back.
• Always take an educated guess.
• If time allows, review your work. ‍

Remain Positive!

Be confident. Refrain from engaging in negative discussions with other members prior to the exam, such as “I’m so nervous – I don’t know if I studied enough.”

Sample Role-Plays

Instructional areas.

Each role-play focuses on a primary instructional area. For each role-play, a majority of its performance indicators will focus on that primary instructional area. The following instructional areas may be used in this event's role-plays.

ROLE-PLAY STRATEGIES

Key elements.

The following key elements are always a part of each role-play scenario. Understanding the format and style of the role-play will help you become familiar, feel comfortable and easily identify the key elements so you can maximize your time developing your solution.

• Participant Role
• Company and Brief Description
• Deliverable
• Instructional Area

Performance Indicators

• Meeting Location

The performance indicators are your guide to a focused presentation! Apply them to the situation because they are always based on a real-life situation. Use industry knowledge that you have researched before competition to supplement what you know about your performance indicators. This helps demonstrate your proficiency.

What's the Ask?

At the end of any role-play situation, you are presented with what the judge is looking for from you. Make sure you address what the judge is asking while incorporating the performance indicators. You will want to wow your judge with your solution while explaining it by incorporating the performance indicators.

Communication is Key

Speak clearly so that the judge can understand what you are sharing with him/her. You have time to talk about your performance indicators within the situation—don’t rush and take the chance a judge didn’t hear you talking about something. Be natural and comfortable in your role in the situation. Nonverbal communication can be just as important as verbal communication. Smile and be confident to help demonstrate your professionalism.

Be Creative and Stand Out

Be calm, be professional and be enthusiastic. Don’t be scared of your competition. There are many creative ways to approach a role-play, and no one way is necessarily right, so focus on adding your own creative twist to what you do. Don’t just have a “Plan A”; exceed expectations by having options for your judge to select from if the situation calls for it. Setting yourself apart through innovation, creativity and quality ideas is the key way to stay in a judge’s mind long after all the competitors have finished presenting. What can you bring to the presentation that no other competitor will show your judge?

Connect with the Judge

Take time to make sure your judge is following your thoughts. You can ask your judge questions to make sure he or she has understood what you have shared. Near the end of the role-play, the judge will likely ask you questions. When you are preparing your presentation for the role-play, you may anticipate what questions the judge may ask. However, if you need a minute to consider the questions before answering, say so in a professional manner. This reflects your respect of his or her position and your desire to share an informed answer.

Speak the Language

When speaking with the judge, be as professional as possible, while still being personable and accessible. This means using accurate industry terminology when the situation calls for it. Do not be afraid to use sophisticated or rich vocabulary—with­out sounding like you’re just trying too hard to impress, because, of course, you still want to be relatable, friendly, and down-to-earth.

Make a Good Impression

Be friendly, make eye contact and give a firm handshake when you first meet your judge. Do not wait for them to introduce themselves; rather, take the initiative. While you might be nervous and feel awkward, taking initiative shows that you truly are mature, confident and comfort­able. Also, adhere to the dress code, because you come across as much more professional if you really do look like a business executive. You may also consider the career area in which you are competing. For example, as a competitor in Apparel and Accessories Marketing, you may want to wear something that will reflect an interest in fashion or a more creative point-of-view, without being outrageous. You want to leave a good impression with the judge, and of course, be rememberable.

WRITE IT LIKE  YOU MEAN IT

Participants in the Start-Up Business Plan will prepare a business plan proposal describing a business the participants want to develop. The body of the written entry must be limited to 10 numbered pages, including the appendix (if an appendix is attached), but excluding the title page and the table of contents.

WRITTEN ENTRY GUIDELINES

The written entry must follow the specifications provided in the Written Entry Guidelines section of the DECA Guide for the competitive event. In addition to the Written Entry Guidelines, participants must observe all of the standards on the Penalty Point Checklist. These standards are designed to make competition as fair as possible. Additionally, the Written Event Statement of Assurances and Academic Integrity Form must be signed and submitted with the entry.

Sample Written ENTRY

Written entry strategies, content is king.

The written entry is the foundation of your competitive event. It's your outline for your project or plan, and represents your process to achieving your outcome. Choosing the right written event and the right company, event, idea, product or topic is so important, because you want to be passionate about the work you will endeavor in this process. Be thoughtful when making your decisions using some of these key considerations:

• Is there enough data accessible?
• Can I get information I need from the company or about the product, event or idea?
• Are there real people I can engage with or enlist the help and expertise of?
• Is this cutting edge or has the potential to be?

First, But Last

The executive summary is one of the most important parts of your written entry. Not only is it likely to be one of the first parts of your entry the judge reviews, it also provides an overall summary of your entry. It should be dynamic, concise and effectively highlight the main points of your written entry all while including a call to action. Often, it is best to write the executive summary last so that you can identify the most relevant components to include. Some tips for an effective executive summary include:

• Start with a bang.
• Identify the problem solution and opportunity.
• Focus on what makes you stand out.
• Sell don't just tell.
• Include data and finances.
• Use graphics and formatting as appropriate.
• Imagine this is the only thing someone would read.

Review, Edit, Proofread

Once you have completed your written entry, review it against the written entry guidelines and written entry evaluation form to ensure you have addressed each item. If you believe items are missing or need improvement, revisit your written entry and improve those areas. You may also wish to ask consultants to read your written entry against the criteria and provide feedback. Often, that is the best way to determine if your written entry is clearly understood by someone other than you as the project creator(s). In addition, you should edit and revise your written work so that it is well-organized, professional, logical and error free.

Avoid Penalty Points

Penalty points can cause you to lose your chance for advancement quickly! Many times, they can easily be avoided. Some of the most common reasons for penalty points include:

• Not using the current year’s event guidelines.
• All participants or advisor not signing the Statement of Assurances.
• Leaving out sections in the body of the written entry.
• Having too many pages. Double check the number of pages allowed in your written entry.

Give your entry to a trusted advisor or peer to review against the Penalty Point Checklist.

PRESENT WITH PIZZAZZ

The participants will present the project to the judge in a 15-minute presentation. The judge is role-playing a potential source of capital for the business. The presentation begins immediately after the introduction of the participants to the judge by the adult assistant. Each participant must take part in the presentation.

PRESENTATION GUIDELINES

Each participant may bring a copy of the written entry or note cards pertaining to the written entry to use as reference during the presentation. Only visual aids that can be easily hand carried to the presentation by the actual participant(s)will be permitted. The participants themselves must set up the visuals. Wheeled carts, moving straps or similar items may not be used to bring visuals into the area. Set up time is included in the total presentation time. Participants must furnish their own materials and equipment. No electrical power or internet connection will be supplied. Alternate power sources such as small generators are not allowed. Sound may be used, as long as the volume is kept at a conversational level. Materials appropriate to the situation may be handed to or left with judges in all competitive events. Items of monetary value may be handed to but may not be left with judges. Items such as flyers, brochures, pamphlets and business cards may be handed to or left with the judge. No food or drinks allowed. If any of these rules are violated, the adult assistant must be notified by the judge.  

Presentation Strategies

First things first.

Consider your presentation your time to highlight the most important parts of your competitive event. In every case, you're trying to sell the judge that your idea, concept or plan is the best. Start with that in mind, and develop an outline for your presentation. Your ultimate goal is for the judge to choose your presentation. Consult the presentation evaluation rubric in the DECA Guide to ensure that your presentation includes information for all of the scoring criteria. You may also consider visual aids and if you'll use technology — but make sure they are relevant and meaningful to your presentation.

Brand Yourself A Winner

When creating your project and delivering your presentation, you are essentially developing a brand for yourself and your ideas. Make your presentation’s brand attractive and easy for your judge to remember by wrapping it in a strong visual package. Tie together all the elements of your project, from the charts and graphs of your written document, to your slide backgrounds, to the shirt you wear with a signature element, such as a particular color palette or pattern.

Stop, Look, Listen

A great portion of your presentation’s success isn’t dependent on what you say, but how you say it. Like any good speech, the judge may not recall every statistic, market segment or promotional idea that you deliver, but they will remember how you made them feel. That’s where confidence in your delivery comes in. Being excited, nervous and anxious about your presentation can cause your rate of speech to increase rapidly, making your words fly by in a blur. Always remember the power of pause. When practicing your presentation, incorporate pauses into your phrases. This will create a dramatic, ear-catching effect to keep your judge attentive to your presentation, plus it will emphasize important points and information. 

Eye contact is another way to connect with your judge. Locking eyes shows confidence in the points you’re delivering and is another way to keep your judge engaged in your delivery.

A memorable part of your delivery that will greatly affect how your judge feels is your tone of voice. Your tone should vary depending on the subjects you’re covering in your presentation. For example, presenting a charity that your Community Giving Project supports may be most effective with a serious, earnest tone, yet in sharing your creative marketing  ideas for an Integrated Marketing Campaign event, an excitable, vibrant tone would be great for expressing your creativity. No matter what tone you use, make sure you vary your expression. Nothing will lose a judge’s attention more than a flat, boring delivery that gives them no feeling about your topic. 

While relying on your innate ability to “wing it” is never recommended for competition, writing down paragraphs of perfect phrases, word-for-word, doesn’t guarantee that your presentation will turn out trophies either. Note cards are a handy tool to remember specific numerical data and exact quotes, but using them as a crutch for your memory could reduce your confident delivery, especially in form of eye contact with your judges. Instead, commit your presentation to memory as best as possible. If you thought it, developed it and wrote about it, you should be able, with a bit of practice, to present it well. Use your visual aid to help guide your talking points, with illustrations, diagrams or other images to help cue your words. 

Just because you reach your last slide doesn’t mean it’s time to thank your judge, shake hands and flee the room. The time after your formal presentation is crucial for further interaction with your judge. Take this opportunity to clarify parts of your presentation, show more of your personality and impress your judge with an ability to provide thorough answers to any questions they may have. The best way to flawlessly answer these questions is to prepare for them in advance. Use your advisors and peers as practice judges for your presentation, and request that they each ask you at least three follow-up questions to your presentation. You begin to become more confident delivering answers off-the-cuff and will begin to learn the most commonly asked questions of your presentation. Should your judge not immediately ask any questions, ask for them! 

To leave even more of an impact on your judge, provide them with a handout before you walk out the door, such as a brochure or outline. Use this strategy to highlight important takeaway points from your presentation, further brand yourself and your ideas, and keep a presence in front of your judge, even long after your final handshake. Make sure to have a final statement or call to action to show your judge that you’re interested in following through.

INSIGHTS INTO THE INDUSTRY

Industry trends are patterns or current happenings that occur within a specific industry. Keeping up with the industry helps give you a pulse on issues and trends that are affecting the industry. This knowledge can help you develop creative, relevant and timely solutions for your competitive event.

Great New Products Can Still Fail Without Marketing

Step-by-step approach to building a branding monopoly, consumer start ups adjust to new vc landscape, mistakes most early startups make, the basics of buying a franchise, effective pr strategies for your small business, key financial metrics every founder should know, the 3 levels of making cuts in your business, conquer the competition.

Not only do these interactive competition preparation tools help you expand your industry terminology, understand performance indicators and check your comprehension through exam items, they also help you prepare for DECA competition!

Expand your vocabulary

Broaden your knowledge

Check your comprehension

DECA Direct Online is your source for competition tips and career insights. Check out these articles and more on DECA Direct Online as you prepare for competition.

3 Written Event Competition Tips To Consider

The ultimate written event guide, 4 things you must remember while public speaking, deca goes lean in entrepreneurship.

DECA+ ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY ‍ A DECA+ subscription is required for each DECA chapter wishing to access the resources within the DECA+ site. The login is to be used only by the chapter and its members, and the login cannot be shared beyond the chapter. Under no circumstances may any of the content, including but not limited to exams, scenarios or sample written entries, in whole or in part, or any item within be published or posted on any website. Under no circumstances may any of the content, including but not limited to exams, scenarios or sample written entries, in whole or in part, or any item within be shared or distributed beyond the specific DECA chapter that has purchased the subscription.  Any chapter(s) which violates the DECA+ distribution and use policy will not be allowed to participate in the current school year’s chartered association conference or the International Career Development Conference. If any exams or scenarios are posted on a chapter or chartered association website in way outside of the distribution and use policy, the chartered association will not be eligible to purchase exams or receive scenarios from DECA Inc. for a period of one year for the first offense. Furthermore, further access to DECA+ by the chapter(s) in violation will be prohibited effective immediately for a period of no less than three years.

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Start Up Business Plan

Hello, the Texas DECA State Competition is coming up and I was hoping that I could get a few pointers from people who've went to state (or ICDC) in the event. Also, would anyone possibly be willing to read and critique our paper?

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Welcome to Mr. Birklid's DECA website

National Winner examples:

ENTR events:

First, our very own National Champion from 2019 , Kendra Huff’s “Fly By” Start Up business plan here

Start Up Business Plan

Innovation Plan Examples

Independent Business Plan Example

Franchise Business Plan

Integrated Marketing Campaign events:

IMC-Service

IMC-Product

Older examples from when the events were named differently, but still very similar sections and content!

Advertising Campaign Example

Fashion Merchandising Promotion Plan Example

Sports and Entertainment Promotion Plan Example

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5 Steps to Start a School-based Enterprise

School-based enterprises (SBEs) are effective educational tools to prepare students for college and career readiness. For many students, their work in an SBE is their first work experience; for others, it is an opportunity to build management, supervision and leadership skills. An SBE can be an essential part of the curriculum since the enterprise's primary function is to be an educational lab where marketing, finance, hospitality, business management, and entrepreneurial curriculums are put into practice.

Are you ready to get started? Follow these five steps to bring an SBE to your school.

1. CONDUCT MARKET RESEARCH

Market research blends consumer behavior and economic trends to confirm and improve your business idea. It is crucial to understand your consumer base from the outset. Market research lets you reduce risks even while your business is still just a gleam in your eye. Gather demographic information to better understand opportunities and limitations for gaining customers. This could include population data on age, wealth, family, interests, or anything else that is relevant for your business.

Then answer these questions to get a good sense of your market.

• Demand – Is there a desire for your product or service?
• Market Size – How many people would be interested in your offering?
• Economic Indicators – What is the income range and employment rate?
• Location – Where do your customers live and where can your business reach?
• Market Saturation – How many similar options are already available to consumers?
• Pricing – What do potential customers pay for these alternatives?

You will also want to keep up with the latest small business trends. It is important to gain a sense of the specific market share that will impact your profits. You can do market research using existing sources or research yourself and go direct to consumers (students at your school).

Existing sources can save you a lot of time and energy, but the information might not be as specific to your audience as you would like. Use it to answer general and quantifiable questions, like industry trends, demographics, and household incomes. Check online or start with our list of market research resources.

Asking consumers yourself can give you a nuanced understanding of your specific target audience. But, direct research can be time-consuming and expensive. Use it to answer questions about your particular business or customers, like reactions to your logo, improvements you could make to the buying experience, and where customers might go instead of your business.

Here are a few methods you can use to do direct research:

• Questionnaires
• Focus groups
• In-depth interviews

2. CREATE A BUSINESS PLAN

An effective business plan will give you a "sneak preview" of your venture's potential success. A realistic business plan will give you and your students great insight into your school-based enterprise's future success.

A business plan is a written document that clearly defines a business's goals and outlines the methods for achieving them. The business plan describes what a business does, how it will be done, who has to do it, where it will be done, why it is being done and when it has to be done. Most importantly, the business plan will tell you if your ideas make sound fiscal sense.

Below is an outline for a start-up business plan.

• Executive Summary – One-page summary of the business model
• Problem – List the top three problems your product/service is addressing
• Customer Segments – Who are the target customers?
• Unique Value Proposition – What is the single, clear, compelling message stating why your product/service is different and worth buying?
• Solutions – What are the top three features of your product/service? ‍
• Channels – What are the pathways to customers? ‍
• Revenue Streams – What is the revenue model and what are the lifetime values? What is the revenue and the gross margin?
• Cost Structure – What are the customer acquisition costs, distribution costs, human resources costs and other additional costs?
• Key Metrics – What are the key activities that must be measured?
• Competitive Advantage – What about your product/service means that it cannot be easily copied or bought?
• Conclusion – Specific request for financing, summary of key points supporting the financial request
• Bibliography
• Appendix – An appendix is optional. Include exhibits appropriate for the written entry, but not important enough to include in the body. These might consist of sample questionnaires used, letters sent and received, general background data, or minutes of meetings.

Creating a business plan offers numerous and unlimited ventures for use in your classroom. Connect to DECA's guiding principle of applying learning to provide meaningful and realistic educational opportunities. Related activities are virtually endless for the creative teacher as each topic in the business plan offers numerous assignments and will give a chance to apply learning for your students.

3. GET SCHOOL SUPPORT

Your business plan will help you figure out how much money you will need to start your business. If you do not have that amount on hand, you'll need to either raise or borrow the capital. Use the steps below to request support and funds from your school administration.

• Identify the purpose and goals of the school-based enterprise.
• Share your business plan.
• Identify the ideal SBE location.
• Share a breakdown of your start-up costs, including equipment, product and any refurbishing the identified location may need.
• Identify your accounting system and bookkeeping procedures.
• Discuss how revenues will be used.
• Address store security concerns and precautions.
• Identify the organizational structure and employee responsibilities.
• Share employee training plans.
• Share your proposed timeline for opening the SBE.

4. Apply for Licenses

Business activities that are commonly regulated locally include restaurants, retail and vending machines. Some licenses and permits expire after a set period of time. Keep track of when you need to renew them — it is often easier to renew than apply for a new one.

You will have to research your state, county, and city regulations. Industry requirements often vary by state. Visit your state's website to find out which permits and licenses you need. You will need to work closely with your administration to determine policies, procedures and guidelines for your district/school, especially for SBES focusing on food operations.

5. CONNECT TO AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE

An advisory committee should provide the school-based enterprise will realistic suggestions as to the store policies, procedures, equipment, and facility needs and usage. Their input on how to provide the best possible learning experience for students would be provided through their expertise and knowledge. The advisory committee for your SBE could also connect to an established school advisory committee for your program.

Congratulations, now you are ready to open your doors!

For more detailed information, this comprehensive guide for managing an SBE covers all facets of starting and managing a school-based enterprise. Whether you are already operating an SBE, or are considering implementing one in your school, this guide covers all the key topics vital to the success of an SBE, such as writing the business plan, holding job interviews, establishing operating policies and procedures, etc. Utilizing this guide will help build a solid framework for opening an SBE learning lab or will help existing SBEs refine their procedures to ensure the continued success of the SBE not only as a business but also a relevant extension of classroom instruction.

Debbie Taylor is DECA's leadership manager. In this role, she implements a comprehensive student leadership program for both the high school and college divisions. She is responsible for the Emerging Leader Series, student recognition programs and leads the DECA Inc. executive officer teams and elections.

Discussion Questions

Classroom connection, career cluster:, instructional area(s):, performance indicators:.

4 Tips to Elevate Your Chapter Meetings

As the new school year begins, look at these easy-to-implement tips to take your chapter meetings to the next level. With engaging chapter meetings, you can build your chapter’s recruitment and member involvement on your chapter’s journey to Be the One.

SBE Tips & Tricks for Success

Are you running an SBE this year? Well, whether it is food or retail, this is for you. Keep reading to learn three quick tips on how to stay successful with your SBE this school year.

Activate Your Chapter Early for Exclusive Benefits

Activate your chapter by September 30, 2024 to receive a free digital download of competition resources to help your chapter prepare for competition this year.

Be The One with Back-to-School Resources for Your Chapter

Your all-in-one kit to start the school year; watch for your back-to-school box to reach your chapter within the next few weeks.

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

High School

International business plan.

The International Business Plan Event involves the development of a proposal to start a new business venture in an international setting. Any type of business may be used.

Participants

Written entry page limit, appear before a judge, present plan, interview time, sponsored by:.

Essential Elements

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DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.