Growth Opportunities for Verdant Leisure: An Analysis

This report discusses growth opportunities for Verdant Leisure, including merger and acquisition, geographical expansion, innovation, and business re-positioning. It also analyzes Ansoff's matrix and funding options, as well as exit/succession options and a proposed business plan for the company. The report includes a SWOT analysis of Verdant Leisure's internal environment.

Unit-42
Growth opportunities

Table of Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................3
Growth opportunities.........................................................................................................................3
Ansoff’s matrix..................................................................................................................................3
Funding..............................................................................................................................................3
Exit/Succession options.....................................................................................................................3
Defining terms...................................................................................................................................3
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................3
References:............................................................................................................................................3

Introduction
SMEs are the Small and Medium Enterprises which have turnover less than 60
million dollars and have fewer employees than 250 (Dörnyei, 2020). In SMEs there are three
different categories of enterprises i.e. medium sized, micro-business and small business. All
the categories are defined through their turnover and number of employees.
Verdant Leisure is a privately owned SME which offer holiday homes. It is acquired
by Lancaster, Lancashire, United Kingdom and have 51-100 employees currently working in
it. The company offers self-catering holidays and holiday home ownership. The report will
discuss about various growth opportunities, Ansoff matrix, succession options and business
plan for Verdant Leisure.
Growth opportunities
Growth opportunities refers to the opportunities which business can use to develop
and expand their business. The various growth opportunities available to Verdant Leisure are
following:
Merger and acquisition
Merger refers to collaboration of two businesses, forming one business. Acquisition
refers to the acquiring one business by another business (Maung, M. and et.al., 2019).
Verdant Leisure can use any of the method to grow business.
Pros and cons: The major benefit the chosen company can have through this strategy is
increased market share with minimum investment of costs. However, the ownership of
business can get influenced.
Geographical expansion
This strategy refers to expanding business on the basis of geographical segments. The
company can expand its business in local and global level.
Pros and cons: The major advantage of this strategy is the company can improve its business
image and get a competitive edge over its competitors. However, geographical expansion can
be very expensive for the company to implement.
Innovations

Innovation refers to the introduction of improvements or new processes, techniques or
products and services (Nicholls, 2018). Verdant Leisure can invest in R&D to bring
innovations in services and grow its business.
Pros and cons: This strategy will allow the company to attract new customers as well as
retain their existing customers. It can also enhance its market share through introducing new
services. However, they can be very costly and time consuming.
Business re-positioning
Business re-positioning refers to the process of changing the perceptions of consumer
about the offering their products. Company can use various marketing tactics and re position
its business.
Pros and cons: The chosen company can use this method and retain its existing customers.
However, this strategy cannot help company to attract new customers.
Ansoff’s matrix
Ansoff’s matrix is a framework which provide various options through which
companies can identify, analyse and plan their future strategies for growth. It also provides
the risks associated with each strategy.
Definition
As per the views of Zanjani and et.al. (2020), Ansoff matrix refers to product/market
expansion grid which provide various opportunities to business for growth and development.
Market penetration
Market penetration is the strategy in which companies promote and use other tactics
for their existing products and services in their existing markets (Loredana, 2017). Verdant
Leisure can use this strategy and promote its current services in the existing markets through
advertisements, promotion, distribution channels, pricing and other methods to develop the
business.
Pros and cons:

This strategy involves least risk and least costs.it can and the company can take
advantage of low prices for fast growth. However, this strategy cannot work for all the
products and businesses.
Product development
Product development refers to introduction of new product in the existing market
(Dawes, 2018). Verdant Leisure can use this strategy and introduce new products through
innovations to attract new customers. This strategy involves extensive research and
development.
Pros and cons
This strategy can help the company to retain its existing customer base while
attracting new customers and also create a culture of innovation. However, changing
preferences of customers and market trends can cause product to be worthless.
Market development
Market development strategy refers to the strategy in which existing products are
introduced in new markets (Cleberg, 2019). Verdant Leisure can divide its customers into
different segments and enhance its market share. The company can cater to a distinct
customer base, enter a new domestic market or a foreign market expanding regionally and
internationally.
Pros and cons
This strategy can help the company to deal with new customer segment, expand the
business in a foreign market and enhance sales through introduction of new methods of
product usage.
Diversification
Diversification is the strategy in which companies introduce new products in new
markets (Zanjani and et.al., 2020). Verdant Leisure can introduce new products in new
customer segments through research and development and tap untouched market segments
and customer base.
Pros and cons:

Diversification can help the company to grab new customers and increase its market
share. It can also help the company to generate new streams of revenue. However, this
strategy is very risky and also need huge investments and research. The company can either
diversify its business between existing business and a completely new line of products.
Funding
Funding are the sources of finance which represents an act of contributing to finance a
project, need or activity. It can be short term or long term based upon the need.
Definition
As per the Olufunwa, Waziri and Olorunmolu (2018), funding is an act of providing
resources in form of money or values such as efforts of time.
Bank loans
Bank loans refers to the money which banks provide to business in exchange of
charging small amounts of interest amount. These are the most commonly used funding by
SMEs. Banks provide money to companies on the adequate return on their investment. Banks
can also advice the chosen company about best services for its financial needs.
Pros and cons
Bank loans can provide various advantages such as customized repayment, low
interest rate and personalized services. However, banks provide loans only to the companies
who have excellent credit and sound track records.
Debentures
Debentures are the financial debt instruments which meet company’s financial needs.
This funding brought by shareholders of the company in form of bonds for which they are
provided with interest (Bessière, Stéphany and Wirtz, 2020). These are short term and have
various categories loans which provide companies with capital needs.
Pros and cons
Debentures can be very beneficial for the companies which have less risks and can be
more advantageous at the time of inflation. They can also save company from huge income
taxes and does not influence company’s ownership. However, borrowing debentures can
reduce the borrowing capacity of the company and put burden of repayment on the company.

Angel investors
Angel investors are the sources of funding which use their own money to provide
financial backing for SMEs for their start-up and other plans.
Pros and cons
Angel investors can be very beneficial for they are willing to take huge risks for
chosen company. Their money is not necessarily loan and increases the chances of success.
However, they can set higher bars and influence the ownership of the company because there
are strings attached.
Government grants
Government agencies can fund their business through subsidies and grants.
Government grants does not include financial or technical assistance (Olufunwa, Waziri and
Olorunmolu, 2018). Government grants are widely available to the business which are doing
business which can provide potential benefits to the society or excellent plans.
Pros and cons:
Government grants are available in a range of categories. The primary benefit of this
funding is that the money is free and business do not have to repay the money. However,
crafting the proposal for grant is very challenging. They are for short term and have very
strict criteria.
Exit/Succession options
Definition
According to Hawkey (2017), Exit or succession options refer to the planning of the
procedure of identifying successors within the business and also to provide them an
opportunity to replace the existing owners from the business
Succession and exit options are same. Succession or exit planning refers to identifying
and transferring the management of a company to other business or person. As an SME
Verdant Leisure have following options for exit and succession:
Liquidation: Liquidation refers to the process of selling all the assets of the company.
Verdant Leisure can use this technique to exit its business.
Pros and cons

It is the easiest method to exit the business and there are no negotiations are involved.
Through this method the owners do not have to worry about the transfer of control (Coupland
2017). However, the company will only get the market value of the assets and it can destroy
the business relationships with its clients and suppliers.
Acquisition
Acquisition refers to the process of exiting business by selling one business to another
business. The chosen company can use this strategy to exit its business through success the
business to the target potential acquirer.
Pros and cons
Verdant Leisure can use this strategy and get more payment than its business worth
than to anyone else. Another advantage of this method is that it can help the company to raise
the price to stratosphere (Brand, 2021). However, the business might be unattractive to other
businesses and they can be messy and difficult.
Direct succession
Direct succession refers to exiting business through passing the ownership or
management to partner, family, a group of employees or a member (Richards, Kammerlander
and Zellweger, 2019). The chosen company can use this method and pass on the business to
any of the parties such company’s employees, members, partners or the family of owner.
Pros and cons
Direct succession can offer various advantages to Verdant Leisure such as the
company do not have to completely apart from business. The company can transfer business
to trusted successors. However, direct succession can be less profitable and can cause
conflicts in business and personal relationships.
Business Plan
A business plan is a document which describes a company’s business activities,
objectives and various strategies to attain its objectives. The purpose of business plan is to
create effective strategies, determining future financial needs ad to attract investors as well.
Definition

As per the views of Smith, Ulbrich and Watts (2021), business plan is a writer
document which is create to describe the business ideas and all the internal and external
business processes and elements involved in a new venture.
Smart analysis
Smart analysis is the framework for formulating business objectives (Osman, 2019). It
outlines the strategy for reaching an objective:
Specific: The goal should be clear and based upon particular
Measureable: The success of objective should be measurable.
Achievable: The objective must be attainable by the management.
Realistic: The objective must be based upon real facts and must be realistic.
Time-bound: The objective must be achievable within a particular time.
Business plan for Verdant Leisure
Executive summary
The new business plan of Verdant Leisure is to introduce party boats and party bus services
in its business. The company will be providing rental services of boats and buses in which
customers can party.
Company summary
Verdant Leisure limited is private leisure, travel and tourism company. It is a boutique
holiday park operator which offers self-catering holiday home ownerships and holidays. It
offers numerous of holiday which suits to all budgets.
Growth of business Objectives: The company concentrates upon growing its business
through following objectives:
 Expansion of business in local market
 Expansion of business and its market share
 Expansion of business in global market.
Products
 Existing products: The Company offers holiday homes, holiday packages, travel

packages and holiday parks.
 New products: The new products will be Party Boats and Buses on rent.
Market analysis: Market analysis of Verdant Leisure’s new business plan is as follows:
 Target customers: Target customers of new business plan are premium youth
segment of customers. However, the company will also provide services to middle
class segment in which it will be providing limited services.
 Competitors: Major competitors of the company are following:
 Pricing strategy: The pricing strategy for new business plan will be price skimming.
The company will set the prices of the service high. For the middle class segment the
prices will be mediocre.
 Promotion strategy: The company will use the following methods for promotion
 Strategy and implementation: Here the strategy is product development. The
company will be offering new product in its existing markets. Pricing strategy will be
price skimming and distribution strategy will be through direct and online both the
channels.
Firth Cottage
Costley and Costaly
hoteliers
Competitors
Promotion
Advertisement Celebrity
endorsement
Newspaper
advertisement

Management summary: Management summary of the new business plan is as following:
Team leader Managers of the department will be leaders of their individual
teams.
Structure of
business
The existing structure of the company is a private corporation.
However for new business plan, it will partner with other
companies.
Team For new business plan employees will be divided into 10
different teams.
Board The Board of Directors will remain same.
Financial plan: Financial plan of business plan will be as following
Budget of Business Plan
Particulars Amount (in
Millions)
Amounts (in
millions)
Operating expenses 15600
Accounting and legal expenses 6600
Advertisement expenses 5330
Depreciation 2860
Insurance 6980
Interest expenses 1000
Maintenance expenses 6545
Taxes and licenses 5645
Travel 8900
Total expenses 59,460
Total income 90,000

Net income 30,540
Environmental analysis
Internal environment of verdant Leisure can be analysed through SWOT analysis
Swot analysis is a framework in which companies can analyse its internal strengths to grab
external opportunities and over its weaknesses to eliminate threats (Teoli, Sanvictores and
An, 2019).
Strengths: Strengths are the elements or business in which companies excels in. the strengths
of Verdant Leisure include higher satisfaction of its customers and successful track record of
complimentary firms through mergers and acquisition. The company have strong cash flow
and also a successful record of product development. The company offers a wide range of
offers in all budgets which helps the company to attract new customers and retain its existing
customers as well. Also the workforce of company is also highly skilled. The company can
leverage all its strengths and introduce its new products. As it has a strong customer base, the
chances of success for business plan are high.
Weaknesses: Weaknesses are the elements in which a company lack. There are some factors
which Verdant Leisure can improve. The company is not strong in forecasting market trends
and demands of customers. The day inventory of company is very high as compared to its
competitors. Even though the services of company is successful, but it’s positioning and
selling preposition is not clearly defined. Also the company needs to have more investment
for research and development.
Opportunities: Opportunities are the elements which companies can provide potential
benefits and competitive edge to companies. There are various opportunities available to
Verdant Leisure which it can use to achieve a competitive edge. New taxation policy can
provide the company can provide the company new streams of revenue generation. Market
developments can also help the company to gain competitive advantage and stable cash free
will provide opportunity to adjacent product segments. The company can also enhance its
customer base through online distribution channels.
Threats: Threats are the factors which have the potential to harm a company. With the
success of company’s success there are various threats which Verdant Leisure can face. The

major threat is competition. There is intense competition and the company is unable to
provide regular supply of innovative services. There are various local suppliers who deal in
the same business. Global companies also poses huge threat to company.
Conclusion
From above discussion it can be concluded that, SME are small and medium
businesses which have fewer employees. Verdant leisure can use various growth
opportunities and expand its business such as innovations, market penetration and
diversification. There are various exit or succession options available to business. Company
can develop the new business plans through its strengths and available opportunities.
References:
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