Write Bike provides bicycle-specific correspondent services via written articles. It is a home-based business. Kraig Guthrie will be the sole employee and founder of Write Bike. He will create cycling-related articles for various print and online magazines on a freelance basis. Write Bike will be a home-based business that can leverage Kraig’s industry knowledge.
Services
Write Bike is able to produce a wide range of cycling related articles. Some of these articles will feature product reviews. Kraig is able to provide objective product testing by conducting extensive testing and using consistent criteria-based measurements. Write Bike also provides interviews, usually with industry leaders and professional racers. Kraig has raced at the elite race level in the past and is familiar with many racers. He can also offer interviews written to different publications. Kraig also will be selling reports on the annual bicycling industry trade shows. These are the top places to see new product launches. His extensive riding experience and education will allow him to provide training and fitness articles. Write Bike will write articles either on demand or speculatively.
The Market
A few years back, the only source for cycling information was the local bicycle shop or the printed magazine. Many cycling-specific websites now act as online magazines, thanks to the growth of the Internet. Write Bike sells articles either to print magazines or online magazines. Due to a consolidation phenomenon within the publishing industry, many different magazines are merging into larger units and many staff writers are being let go. Write Bike benefits from this because it increases demand for freelance articles. The two target market customers: print and online magazines, comprise a total of 350 potential customers, 250 and 100 respectively. These two segments of customers are growing at 2%-8% per annum.
Management
Kraig Guthrie has a lot of experience in writing bikes. Brown University awarded Kraig a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Journalism. While at Brown Kraig raced on their cycling team as well as wrote for the student newspaper. Upon graduation Kraig continued to pursue cycling, both at a competitive level as well as business related. Kraig rode as an elite bicycler at the Olympic Training sessions. Kraig also owned a bicycle shop that he ran for several years. Kraig moved to Shimano America, a leading bicycle component manufacturer. Kraig gained a deep understanding of the industry through a variety jobs and responsibilities at Shimano. Kraig’s knowledge of the industry and its people will be an asset in the creation of articles.
1.1 Mission
Write Bike is committed to writing well-written articles on the bicycle industry. By leveraging Kraig’s extensive network of colleagues within the industry, Write Bike is able to offer a rare insight of the industry.
1.2 Keys to Success
- Write well-written, informative articles for the bicycle industry.
- Continue to create a network to exchange information with other people and to expand the market’s acceptance of WriteBike’s articles.
- Always keep in mind the audience.
1.3 Objectives
- Write consistent and regular articles with multiple publications.
- Make a home-based, profitable business.
- Continue to develop and maintain a network of contacts within the bicycle industry.