NAME: vallary Atieno

EMAIL: [email protected]

NAME: vallary Atieno

EMAIL: [email protected]

Articulate your Business Idea

and Motivation

PRE-SCREENING
WORKSHEET
Before you start, take note of this:
1. The questions in this template are a guide to help you discover yourself and articulate
your business idea.

2. This is a deeply reflective and personal exercise. Therefore, carve out some time, and
get in a quiet comfortable place.

3. If you intend to serve more than one customer segment, repeat this exercise for each
customer segment.

4. Have fun, and enjoy the process!

 What age bracket do your ideal customers belong to? What is their gender?
What is Income level? Location?

your ideal (Write your notes here)

customer
Age: Between: 18-30: Gender :Both male and female Location: Both rural and
urban schools .

segment? Former School Members: These are individuals who have graduated from
primary school, secondary school, high school, or university/college and are
interested in reconnecting with their former classmates. They may have
fond memories of their school years and are eager to rekindle old
Guidelines
friendships and relationships.
1. In the space provided,
write all the things you Busy Professionals: People with busy lifestyles who may have lost touch with
know about your ideal their former classmates due to career demands, relocation, or other life
customer. events. Reconnect provides them with a convenient and efficient way to
reconnect with old friends without the need for extensive time
2. Be as descriptive as
commitments.
possible.

3.Have you written all of

them? If not, add to the
list.
 What is your customer’s job-to-be-done that your business will help them achieve?
What are the gains you believe your customers want?

What What pains do you believe your customers wish they didn’t have?
(Write your notes here)
problem do Customer job-to-be done:reconnecting former school members from primary to

they face?
university with their classmates.
Gains:Recconnection with former classmates .
Community and support they will be part of a supportive community and will be able to
share common experiences and interests.
Networking opportunities and personal growth through community forums and
Guidelines mentorship programs.

1. Make sure to highlight your Pains

customer’s job-to-be-done. Emotional challenges Revisiting past memories and experiences.

2. In the space provided, write Time commitment:Attending an event for those who are busy and committed can be a
all gains, or pains, or both, challenge
that you can think of. Privacy concerns: Sharing personal information and memories on the platform can be
disturbing to some individuals.
3.Be as specific as possible.
most critical pain:Time commitment:Attending an event for those who are busy and
4.Out of everything in your list, committed can be a challenge because people are busy and different geographical
highlight most critical reach.
pain/gain, and explain why.
Gain:Community and support they will be part of a supportive community and will be
able to share common experiences and interests.
 How many people in your ideal customer segment would you estimate want the gains
described above, or are facing the pains you described above?
How big is this (Write your notes here)
The problem of reconnecting with former school members and fostering a sense of
problem? community among alumni is significant and widespread, affecting millions of individuals
worldwide.

Global Reach: This problem is not confined to a particular region or demographic. People
from all corners of the globe experience the challenge of maintaining connections with
former classmates as they navigate life transitions and geographical relocations.

Show all the steps you took to arrive at the estimate of X number of people would be
interested in your product/service.

Guidelines Geographical area like Nairobi with a specific range of 18 and above who graduated from
Nairobi University since the population or number of graduates change and maybe the
1. Show all the steps you took alumni association can‘t keep track of the number the number approximated woul be
to arrive at the estimate of X half the graduates
number of people would be
interested in your
Assumption: Graduates would like to reconnect with there former classmates using the
product/service.
example above.
2.Highlight all assumptions
you have made in your Geographical Focus that Nairobi kenya has a significant population of Nairobi University
reasoning. alumni to support creation and growth of Reconnect.

Age range that individuals aged 18 and above who have graduated from the University of
 How would you describe this product or service to a child (in very simple English)?
(Write your notes here)
What product I'd like to offer digital platform called “Reconnect." This platform would provide a range of fe
services tailored to the needs of individuals looking to reconnect with former school membe
or service key components:

would you like User Profiles: Users can create personalized profiles that showcase their educational backgr
interests, and experiences. They can also include photos, updates, and details about their cu

to offer your
help facilitate meaningful connections with fellow alumni.

Search and Connect: The platform would include robust search functionality that allows use
customers? and connect with their former classmates based on various criteria such as school, graduat
location, and shared interests
.
Community Forums: Reconnect would host community forums where users can engage in d
share memories, and collaborate on various topics related to their school experiences, hobb
interests.

Event Planning: Users can organize and participate in virtual reunions, networking events, an
gatherings directly through the platform. They can create event invitations, RSVP to events, a
with other attendees before, during, and after the event.

Guidelines Mentorship Program: The platform could facilitate mentorship opportunities between alumn
users to connect with mentors or offer mentorship to others based on their professional exp
Make sure your description is as career interests.
simple and as specific as
possible.
 Who/what are the direct and indirect competitors of your proposed business, and what do they off
What is Why do you believe that your product/service is better than those of the above competitors?

your (Write your notes here)

unique Direct competitors

value Alumni Class: A platform that focuses on connecting alumni from various schools and universities,
features such as class directories, reunion planning tools, and alumni news updates.
proposit Graduway: A global alumni networking platform used by schools, universities, and organizations to

ion? and reconnect alumni, featuring mentoring programs, job boards, and fundraising tools.

EverTrue: A fundraising and alumni engagement platform designed specifically for educational ins
offering features such as donor management, prospect research, and alumni community building

3 Indirect Competitors:

Social Media Platforms (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn): While not dedicated solely to alumni networking, t
platforms facilitate connections and interactions among users, including former school members.

Online Community Forums and Groups (e.g., Reddit, specialized forums): Platforms where users with
interests or backgrounds can engage in discussions and connect with like-minded individuals, incl
former classmates.

Alumni Associations: School-affiliated organizations that aim to foster connections among alumni t
events, newsletters, and other networking opportunities.
 What is your unique value proposition?
● Tailored Experience: Reconnect offers a highly tailored experience specifically designed for reconnecting former school members. Unlike generic
social media platforms or broad alumni networking sites, our platform focuses exclusively on facilitating connections and interactions among alumni
from primary to university/college.
● Comprehensive Features: Our platform provides a comprehensive suite of features, including user profiles, search and connect tools, community
forums, event planning, mentorship programs, and a resource hub. This ensures that users have all the tools they need to reconnect with former
classmates, engage with the community, and leverage alumni connections for personal and professional growth.
● User-Friendly Interface: We prioritize user experience and design, ensuring that our platform is intuitive, easy to navigate, and visually appealing.
Whether users are tech-savvy or less experienced with digital platforms, they can easily access and utilize all the features of Reconnect.
Highlight:
● The most important way in which Reconnect will solve the identified problem better than competitors is through its tailored experience. By focusing
exclusively on reconnecting former school members, our platform addresses the specific needs and preferences of users seeking to relive school
memories, rekindle friendships, and leverage alumni connections. Unlike generic social media platforms or broad alumni networking sites,
Reconnect offers a dedicated space where users can connect with individuals who share their school experiences, fostering a deeper sense of
community and belonging. This targeted approach ensures that users have access to a supportive and engaged community of fellow alumni,
enhancing their overall reconnection experience.
Let’s put it
“For [estimated no. of potential customers] [customer segment] that
all together want to [customer’s job-to-be-done] and have [pain] / want [gain], I

now.
intend to offer [product/service] which, unlike my competitors, will
provide [unique value proposition].”

(Write your notes here)

Guidelines
For estimated number of Nairobi University alumni aged 18 and above who want to reconnect with
1. Use all the main points their former classmates and have faced challenges such as loss of contact and limited networking
opportunities I intend to offer a digital platform called reconnect for university alumni such as
you highlighted in the
Nairobi University unlike generic alumni networking services Reconnect will provide unique value
previous slides to fill in the
preposition by offering a tailored experience that fosters a strong sense of community and support
blanks in the business
among users by focusing exclusively on university alumni and leveraging local partnerships and
idea statement provided events, Reconnect aims to provide a solution for alumni networking needs in Kenya.
here.

2. Is it too long? Too

complicated? Too vague?
If yes, try re-writing it to
make it simpler.
 Passion:
What motivates
What you love to do

you to pursue Humanitarian causes and

networking like meeting new

your idea?
people and listening to their
mindsets

Business idea: Your sweet spot

Guidelines Recconnecting former

classmates.
1. Remember the sweet spot
exercise you did before? Add
the results of your reflection to
Skills: Market gap:
the coloured boxes in this slide. What you’re good at What the world needs
2. Be as descriptive as possible
in highlighting what you love to Listen and be able to make
Platform that fosters
do, what you’re good at, and others talk about
meaningful connections.
what you believe the world themselves
needs.