- this skill is valuable because it will be at the center of the business model and my ability to perform engaging presentations will be an enormous factor in the success of my organization.
- Rare - public speaking is not very rare, as it is important to many different careers.
- Imitable - while not a rare skill, public speaking takes practice to get good at. Many people can imitate this but not without work and a certain amount of talent.
- Non-Substitutable - There is no good replacement for strong public speaking skills
Human capital: my specialized education in zoology. I am about to complete a college degree in zoology and have hands-on experience with exotic animal husbandry that will only expand as I pursue zookeeping and gain the qualifications that will be necessary to make Animal Discovery real.
- Valuable - this education and experience might be THE most important resource that I have, since it would be laughable for anyone to consider starting an organization like this without this resource. You can't run an educational outreach organization without an education in whatever subject you're teaching.
- Rare - zoology is an uncommon degree, though there are several other degrees that can provide a similar education. Within the animal field this knowledge is fairly common, though the hands-on experience is more unique.
- Imitable - This education cannot be easily imitated in a short amount of time. In order for a competitor to imitate this, they would need to spend several years doing so.
- Non-Substitutable - This is the other component to making the presentations work, and it cannot be replaced with other resources.
Social Capital: my connections to experts in the field, namely zookeepers and other professionals who work in biology education. This resource will continue to expand.
- Valuable - These connections are valuable because they can be additional resources of information that can give me feedback on how I can improve my presentation of information to maximize the educational side of my presentations while maintaining their entertainment value. They can also be a resource for animal husbandry information and training techniques, should I need assistance with that.
- Rare - the animal care field is fairly close-knit in the sense that everyone who has been in it for more than a few years will end up knowing a lot of people from many different facilities. Thus, within the field, connections like this are common, but they are pretty rare for anyone who isn't in the field already.
- Imitable - this social capital is difficult to replicate without building a similar resume to mine.
- Non-Substitutable - This could potentially be replaced by the internet, but I believe it would be an inferior substitution. It is difficult to replace the knowledge of experts.
Lack of competition in certain areas. This isn't true of Florida, but in many other states there are not many organizations like this, and since this business would be limited to the region in which it exists all I need to do is establish it in an area where competition is sparse.
- Valuable - it is important to avoid competition since this organization would operate in an already niche market to begin with.
- Rare - as mentioned before, competition for this market is unevenly distributed, so the rarity of it depends on where you go.
- Imitable - There are several regions that have a lack of competition for this market, but in order for a competitor to imitate it they would likely need to locate themselves in a place that doesn't overlap with Animal Discovery, so I don't see this being a major issue.
- Non-Substitutable - This can't be easily replaced, though there are possible work-arounds involving a strong social media presence that would be beneficial to work towards anyway.
- Valuable - I think this aspect is very important for good word-of-mouth marketing. People are more likely to tell their friends about an experience if it is unique, and unique experiences are inherently interesting.
- Rare - again, this depends on the level of competition in the region, but the unique nature of the service means that consumers will have to come to Animal Discovery if they want the Animal Discovery experience.
- Imitable - competitors may be able to achieve a similar service, but it would be nearly impossible to imitate perfectly.
- Non-Substitutable - I cannot think of anything that could be a good replacement for this.
Wide audience appeal: the main service, while marketable to specific types of clients, is something that can appeal to a wide range of audiences. Almost everyone is at least somewhat interested in learning about exotic animals, especially children, and the presentations can be tailored to fit specific themes and age groups.
- Valuable: the ability to appeal to many different audiences is valuable because it increases the number of clients who would find our services attractive.
- Rare - there are few subjects that are as widely appealing as animals are. I would say this quality is decently rare.
- Imitable - there are ways for this quality to be imitated, but not very many.
- Non-Substitutable - it would be hard to substitute this quality for something else, but one possible option would be to focus on a specific type of audience and really cater to that segment such that we increase our presence in that specific market.
- Valuable - it is extremely important in the modern day to have a good online presence, or at the very least and good, easily navigated website that potential clients can use to find information about our service and how to give us their business.
- Rare - the rarity of this resource is decreasing every year, but that only makes it even more important for my organization to have a strong online presence so it can stand out.
- Imitable - this resource is fairly easy to imitate, but success depends on how well utilized the information is.
- Non-Substitutable - There are alternatives to this resource, but I don't think they would be as effective at reaching new consumers.
The collection of animal ambassadors: The animals themselves that will assist during presentations to teach people about their species and unique adaptations. They will consist of rescued animals and my personal collection. This resource will expand as the organization grows.
- Valuable - this resource is very much at the heart of the organizational model, and therefore extremely valuable.
- Rare - collections of exotic animals are uncommon at best.
- Imitable - the exact collection will likely be very difficult to replicate, though competitors with access to lots of other resources may be able to create a similar collection. It would require them to have certifications and qualifications that come from experience in the field though, so it wouldn't be easy.
- Non-Substitutable - the service wouldn't be the same without the animals. The presentations could still convey the same information with pictures and videos, but it would not be as engaging of an experience and therefore wouldn't be as good of a service.
Determining the most valuable resource is very difficult because there are many that work in conjunction with each other to create a strong service. If I have to pick one, I would say it is probably the animals themselves, as they are essential to a few of the other resources (uniquness, wide appeal, etc). They are the most difficult thing for a competitor to replicate, and they are a huge part of what will give "heart" to the organization. The service truly wouldn't be the same without them, and the resources that involve reaching people (public speaking, tech-savvy people, my zoology knowledge) wouldn't have as much to market on without the animals. The main purpose of the organization is to provide a permanent home for displaced exotic animals, and the marketable service is the means of providing for them.
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