Building a Business: a closer look into Mr. Santos’ Apprentice Project
Every senior who takes Mr. Santos’ economics class knows about the Apprentice Project after watching previous seniors create and sell a product to the whole CBA community. The selling frenzy and buzz around the Academy is unique each school year as each class competes against each other to generate the most profit for their respective charities in just one week.
However, many don’t know the preparation and time that goes into developing a product and creating a business. Mr. Santos uses laissez-faire tactics as the moderator of this project, leaving the success and operations of the business in the hands of his students. The seniors either work together and create a successful company and product, or they make one that fails.
In September, the four business classes were handed a piece of paper labeled “Apprentice Project” in a large font. Here, the departments of the business were explained, and the job descriptions of each category were outlined for each student to read. Three departments make up the business: Research and Development (R&D), Production and Operations (P&O), and Marketing.
On that same day, the class elects a business manager in charge of all operations to make sure plans are carried out successfully. Then three department heads are voted for and chosen for each category. After the final department heads are named, the remaining students decide which department they want to participate in. That department is then your home until selling in January.
Now it’s time to get creative.
Together as a class, the seniors bounce ideas off each other and figure out what kind of product they want to sell, whether an article of clothing, something CBA-themed or something entirely different. Once a general idea for a product is established, each department splits into groups to brainstorm how to make their product as effective as possible.
R&D is in charge of fine-tuning the product and figuring out how the product will be made. The group spends time figuring out what website can offer them the best deal and the best product with a budget of $1000. They also work on different styles of a particular product and figure out the charity organization to which the profits will be donated. The department is constantly working on new ideas while taking the time outside of class to ensure their product is adequately developed for selling.
P&O spends their time figuring out how the product will be sold once it is here. This meant figuring out a schedule for the week of selling as the department cross-examines each student’s free periods and how to maximize selling opportunities for their product. Also, P&O figures out how and where the product will be sold all over campus while considering purchasing and inventory management.
Lastly, marketing is all about getting consumers’ attention about the product. The marketing team incorporates unique promotion that sets their product above the competition, such as getting a well-renowned member of the CBA community to endorse the product, circulating coupons, and promoting their product online using social media. Such promotion also includes brainstorming and producing a commercial for the product that can be posted and shared. Usually, marketing teams develop flyers and posters that can be posted all over the school so students and faculty alike can be put on notice about the product.
As this brainstorming and collaboration are well underway throughout a few months, each class must also work on creating and presenting a business plan to the administration, who must first approve of the company’s product development and design. In this business plan, the business manager and department heads create a presentation that outlines plans, expectations and goals within each department to translate to the company’s overall success. The company also develops a business plan booklet given to each administrator that lays out this information organized and professionally in written format.
In this crucial step, mirroring real-world expectations, the four company representatives pitch their product in hopes of getting the green light to sell their product to the CBA body. If the presentation is a success, final adjustments are made, and the orders are placed. Now each class gears up for the one week where all their hard work will be on full display: selling week.
Once selling starts, it’s every company for themselves. One week, one mission: making money.
Students of all grade levels are bombarded by seniors selling their product every chance they can get as the seniors continue to sell from the moment the day begins to the moment everyone leaves at 2:30. Each class also looks for other ways to sell their product, such as selling at sporting events or other CBA events where alumni are present. Each product moves sells at its own speed and at different prices depending on the demand and quality of the product. Each company has to learn quickly how to make adjustments on the fly to create enough revenue at the end of the week to beat the competition.
After the last selling day, profits are counted, and a winner is declared. Win or lose, this hands-on experience is one of a kind for future businessmen coming out of the Academy each spring.
