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Internet Commerce Metrics and Models in the New Era of AccountabilityInternet Commerce Metrics and Models in the New Era of Accountability

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Internet Commerce Metrics and Models in the New Era of AccountabilityInternet Commerce Metrics and Models in the New Era of Accountability

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Step 3. Business Plan and Seed Funding

Bringing an idea to fruition requires systematic planning. A business plan primarily acts as a guide for the founding team and as a communication tool to tell others the elements of your business. A good business plan will contain the following sections:

  • Executive Summary. Typically a 3–5 page summary that's concise and effective. This is the document that's read most often by potential investors.

  • Market Opportunity. Why is the idea worthy of pursuit, and what is the aggregate potential?

  • Company Strategy. Given the market opportunity, how will your company seize the market? How large is the prospective revenue? What's the key capability that's exclusive to your company?

  • Competitive Analysis. A demonstration of your understanding of existing and prospective competition and the rationale to defend against them.

  • Management Team. Who are the identified players in your company to execute to this strategy?

  • Operational Plan. What are the specific plans in place for infrastructure, technology development, hiring, partnering, marketing, and sales?

  • Financial Analysis. Detailed projections of cost and revenue and a return on investment (ROI) analysis. This tells the investor the potential (optimistic) value of investing in your company. A small sensitivity analysis based on realistic assumptions provides for boundaries on expectations.

Once you have your business plan figured out, you need to chase investors and get their attention. Find out where the potential investor can be found; for example, at the golf course, conferences, through common friends, and so on. Relationships are the key; find someone who can vouch for you to a potential investor. Entrepreneurs can go through a considerable length of time before they get their first funding. Be prepared.

When do investors fund? These are the critical ingredients:

  • Market: Potentially large and profitable. Can be "secured" against the competition.

  • Capability: Proprietary technology, process, or strategic agreements or relationships.

  • Management: Encompassing entrepreneurial experience, operational experience, passion, and commitment.

While all three are essential for success, typically investors will not fund until assured that capable management is in place.

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Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

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Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

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Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


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Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
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  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
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  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
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Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020