How it Works
How it Works
Startup Academy offers a lot of support, guidance and materials, packaged for best-value turn-key project development.
FEC Business Plan
Complete Knowledge Library
Operators Forms & Manuals
Link Redirect: All of the above link to other FEC Network sites.
Startup Academy Options
The program is very organic and designed to fit the new developers immediate needs for today and tomorrow, or until the project is funded. We have packaged the program to offer the best support, and you can pick and choose which services and materials you need now and can always upgrade later.
Depending on where you are at in your project plan, and what type of support / materials / guidance you require, Startup Academy offers the best value from five different options:
Academy Bronze ~ 250 Rewards Points
This is our basic Academy class. Get your immediate questions regarding the business answered; what it takes, what you need, where to find it and how to use it.
If you are just researching and curious about the idea, but don't really know if it will work, or what it will take - the Academy Bronze program will answer those questions and help you to clearly understand what the opportunity is or isn't, and how to proceed. Includes the Startup kit (journal of business questions and other resources) to help you find and understand the information you need to get started.
1. Includes 30 minutes of telephone consultation and opportunity discovery.
2. A discussion of your market, the business and your business concept within that market.
3. A detailed look at your potential customer demographics and where to find them.
4. Based on the above - a discussion of your activity mix and potential startup costs and business variables.
5. A review of potential revenue, marketing strategies, operations, sales and customer service initiatives specific to a fun center.
6. Includes our Startup Summary - we use your local demographics to produce a business cash-flow analysis for you.
The central point of this program is to help you understand the business, what it takes to get open, potential startup costs, traffic and revenue, and if it makes sense for you to proceed with your project.
$92.50
Link Redirect: All FEC Network purchases are redirected to our secure estore at Amusement Hub.com
* Does not include members library, article database, business plan, fun center podcasts or the video webcasts.
** You can subscribe to the members library (fec business coach) here.
Academy Silver ~ 500 Reward Points
Once you formally start down the road of project development, the first real task is to put your initial discovery data and your market research into a living, breathing, amusement specific business plan. Academy Silver includes everything from the Bronze program and gets it into a complete and growing fun center business plan. If you have already got some research together - even better, use this industry specific plan with your own research, or as a great tool within the Startup Academy program.
The Academy Silver package includes all of the Bronze PLUS:
1. One full hour of telephone consultation time (class time).
2. Fun center business plan, including both the written plan and industry specific financial statements (preview here)
3. How to Start a Family Entertainment Center eBook (preview here).
4. One month unlimited subscription to the Members Article Library, including the Fun Center Podcasts and Amusement Business Video Webcasts.
Package Price: $197.95 ( Save $32.42 )
Link Redirect: All FEC Network purchases are redirected to our secure estore at Amusement Hub.com
Academy Gold ~ 750 Reward Points
For those that want to fast track their ideas, enroll in the Academy Gold program and get all the resources, materials and telephone consultation needed to rapidly go from "I wish I could..." to "I am glad I did...".
Includes all of the Silver PLUS:
1. The complete FEC Knowledge Library [all ebooks - immediate download] (preview here).
2. All Operational Forms and Employee Handbooks (preview here).
3. Three months subscription to the Members Article Library, Fun Center Podcast and Amusement Business Video Webcasts.
4. Two full hours telephone consultation (taken when ever you need it over one full year).
5. Six months enrollment in the Fun Center Mentoring (preview here).
6. Critique / review of your completed business plan (if requested).
Packaged Price: $395.97 ( Save $245.98 )
Link Redirect: All FEC Network purchases are redirected to our secure estore at Amusement Hub.com
Members Upgrades
Upgrade to any package (excluding monthly fec business coach subscriptions) within 60 days of your original purchase and take 15% off the upgrade price. (example; go from the Bronze package to the Gold package and take $59.55 off the Gold package price.
Payments are handled through PayPal and offer immediate enrollment and product downloads.
Academy Developer ~ 1,000 Reward Points
This is an actual 4-week course designed with progress in mind. It includes all of the Academy Gold materials with more hands-on coaching and direct, unlimited telephone support for 90 days. Beyond that, your Academy membership is good for a full year. Come back and use our resources at any time.
Over the next 4 weeks we will answer your most pressing questions and give you specific, step-by-step guidance to help you understand your local market opportunity, and develop your business concept to meet and prosper within your goals and that opportunity.
We provide an initial telephone consultation with follow-up course material on-line, via email and through the academy website. Each week (as you are ready) receive new course materials, resources and specific how-to instruction that keeps you on track and moving your project goals forward. All course material and consultations can go directly into the included Fun Center Business Plan.
By the end of this course you will have a completed business plan with supporting industry and community data that can be used in the process of finding potential partners and funding. More than that, you will have configured your concept and ideas into a workable plan that best meets your family entertainment center goals, your access to capital and your local market opportunity.
Fun Center Startup Academy Developers is a minimum of 4 weeks to complete, however you are able to proceed at your own pace. Something comes up - no worries, with your Fun Center Business Plan and your 12 month Members Subscription the materials are always available on-line when you are. Take up to 90 days to complete your plan, and if you still need more time - your members library subscription is good for a full 12 months.
Your business coach is available Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm west coast time. What could be easier or more convenient?
Already have some research and initial analysis done? Perfect - With your Fun Center Coach, and our FEC Business Plan you can jump into the course at any point.
Week One - Initial Analysis
Lets get going! Week One is about your plan, goals and business concept. An open discussion and analysis of your ideas and how they may or may not fit with your market opportunity. What is your local market opportunity? How will your plan compete against existing facilities or how can you prevent others from entering the market after you do? Your business concept & ideas vs. the local market. Is there a market, how much of a market, what kind of opportunity is it and how to best pursue it?
Week One;
1. Initial analysis to review your ideas and fun center concept. Discussions regarding your plans and what is involved in starting a family entertainment center.
2. How much will it cost to build, open and operate?
3. How much of a local opportunity is there?
4. Does your fun center concept mesh with your community opportunity?
5. Does your fun center concept mesh with your ability to find funding?
6. If not, there are alternatives.
7. What do I do now - and where do I find it?
Week One Homework: Market Demographics
What they are, why you need them, how they relate to your business goals, where to find them and how to put them to work for you.
Week Two - Market Demographics
Week Two is an analysis of your demographics. How many potential customers are there within your target market and how those numbers translate to revenue, facility design and opportunity.
Week Two;
From your week one research and homework :
1. How many customers are there within a reasonable drive-time that can and will come to your facility?
2. What is a reasonable drive time?
3. What is the revenue potential from these customers?
4. The business model - which market segment will maximize your investment?
5. Industry averages, visits and traffic projections based on your demographics.
6. Natural and psychological barriers that will prohibit guests from attending your facility.
7. What size of facility best suits your demographic opportunity and business model?
8. What do I do next?
Week Two Homework: Activity Mix
With a better sense of who your target customers are, how many can and potentially attend and the potential size of your amusement center facility, the next step is to formulate your activity mix. Using resources provided, research the amusement equipment market and start developing your activity mix.
Week Three - Activity Mix
Week Three builds on your market demographics by compiling a possible activity mix. Which activities will best suit your target market segment, what are their costs and what kind of a return can you expect from them. How a strong activity mix can maximize your facility's ' Play-a-bility factor' and help drive repeat visits.
Week Three;
From your week two research and homework :
1. Full review of your activity selection(s) and further discussion of which activities are most appropriate and profitable for your target market segment.
2. What costs are associated with these activities - are there alternate choices?
3. Which activities are a must-have and what are the pros and cons - labor, space requirements, maintenance issues?
4. Lease options, revenue splits and financing.
5. Facility overview : better to buy or lease your family entertainment center space?
6. How much space will I require and what can I afford?
Week Three Homework: Review
Spend some time in review of the last three weeks. Are your target demographics and market area accurate? This is the single most important driver when it comes to funding discussions. Review of activity list, does it make sense for you? Take the time now to review and adjust your Fun Center Business Plan against materials received and discussions. Upon completion we review and critique your plan, making what ever adjustments or improvement suggestions we can and complete your Executive Summary for you.
Week Four - Executive Summary
This is the most exciting step for many. All of the discussions, research, data and analysis from the above three steps now comes together in a first draft Executive Summary of your completed business plan. Use the summary to best present your ideas to partners and potential funders - and as a 'living' document to continue your project planning. The Executive Summary includes;
1. Total potential attendance and guest visits.
2. Gross revenues and sales potential.
3. Startup costs and facility budgets.
4. Amount of funding required.
5. Overview and summary of your business concept.
6. Executive Summary added to the Fun Center Equity Fund (6 months enrollment included).
Additional Materials Included in the Package: National Operating Statistics Amusement Industry
- Facility Definitions
- Glossary
- Number of Days Open
- Annual Attendance
- Length of Visits
- Year Round Staffing Averages
- Employees During Busiest Times
- Food & Beverage - Cost of Goods Sold
- Retail Operation Services Provided
- Admission Fee Structures
- Number of Guests on Busiest Day
- Parking Fee's, Strollers and Locker Rentals
- Gross Industry Revenues
- Revenue Sources & Per Capita Spending
- Expenses as Percentage of Gross Revenues
It's at this step where you can monitor and manage the full development costs and potential revenue of your project. This information is to be used as a starting guide ONLY, we make no implied or written guarantees with regards to financial projections, profits or costs.
Complete Package Price: $499.97 ( Save over $450! )
Enroll today and download our Startup Package; Business Plan, Complete eBook Library, Operational Forms, Employee Manuals and enrollment forms for the Fun Center Equity Fund Database, the Mentoring Project and the Academy Members Library. We've already enrolled you in Week One! The next step is up to you - fill out the initial business summary and lets get to work!