The document discusses the development of business cases and ecosystems in 6 steps: 1. It promotes developing businesses that provide meaningful work, reasonable quality of life, and dignity for all. 2. It introduces a platform for anyone to present a business concept and have it supported. 3. It encourages collective responsibility among business owners to form efficient partnerships, manage community wealth, and serve community members. 4. This reduces economic leakage and increases the likelihood of community self-sufficiency and sustainability.

1. From
Business Case
to
Business Ecosystem
in Six Steps
An Online Primer
to
Successful Business Case Development
within
Business Clusters and Business Ecosystems

2. Overview
• Why Business Clusters and Business Ecosystems…
• Business Case Development: Process Flow
• Business Sustainability: Process Flow
• Two-Way Flow of Wealth and Capital
• Responsibility for Wealth and Capital
• Community Investment Portfolio (CIP)
• Put Theory into Practice…
• 6-Step CIP Implementation Sequence
• Business Case Development: Key Questions
• Business Sustainability: Key Questions
• CIP Implementation: Key Questions Guide and Implementation Framework
• Call to Action!

3. Why Business Clusters and Business Ecosystems
• Assure the successful launch of new and expanded businesses that provide
– Meaningful work
– Reasonable quality of life
– Rightful dignity to people from all walks of life
• Introduce a platform whereby ANYONE with a business concept they are
passionate about can make its case and put it in play
• Encourage collective responsibility-taking among those with business cases to
– Form efficient interdependencies
– Manage community wealth
– Serve diverse community members
• Reduce dependency on investment from outside the community and thereby
– Curtail economic leakage
– Increase the likelihood of community self-sufficiency and sustainability

4. Business Case Development
Process Flow
What Is Your What Will Your Who Will Pay Why Would They
Business Concept? Business Deliver? for It? Pay for It?
Product / Value Chain
Origin? Volume? Service / Both?
Others? Price? Need? Convenience? Value?
Partner?
Colleagues? Name? New? Differentiated? End-User? Aggregator? Features? Timing? Functionality?

5. Business Sustainability
Process Flow
Open Multiple
Multiple / Collective Widespread Democratic Reputation
Location? Ownership? Communication Mediums of
Integrated? ? Leadership? Participation? Exchange? Polling? Management?
Products / Group Community Embedded Legally Reward for
Identification? Type? Value Chain?
Services? Development? Engagement? Intelligence? Constituted? Performance?
Map Model Track Make
Assets Clusters Flows Decisions

6. Two-Way Flow of *Wealth and Capital
What Is Your What Will Your Who Will Pay Why Would They
Business Concept? Business Deliver? for It? Pay for It?
Product / Value Chain
Origin? Volume? Service / Both?
Others? Price? Need? Convenience? Value?
Partner?
Colleagues? Name? New? Differentiated? End-User? Aggregator? Features? Timing? Functionality?
Investment OF Wealth
Individual Social Intellectual Natural Built Political Financial
Capital Capital Capital Capital Capital Capital Capital
Investment IN Wealth
Open Multiple
Multiple / Collective Widespread Democratic Reputation
Location? Ownership? Communication Mediums of
Integrated? ? Leadership? Participation? Exchange? Polling? Management?
Products / Group Community Embedded Legally Reward for
Identification? Type? Value Chain?
Services? Development? Engagement? Intelligence? Constituted? Performance?
Map Model Track Make
Assets Clusters Flows Decisions
* Visit YellowWood.org/WealthCreation.aspx for in-depth reports about wealth and capital

7. Responsibility for Wealth and Capital
What Is Your What Will Your Who Will Pay Why Would They
Business Concept? Business Deliver? for It? Pay for It?
Product / Value Chain
Origin? Volume? Service / Both?
Others? Price? Need? Convenience? Value?
Partner?
Colleagues? Name? New? Differentiated? End-User? Aggregator? Features? Timing? Functionality?
Investment OF Wealth
Individual Social Intellectual Natural Built
Capital Inventory
Capital Capital Measures
Capital Capital Management Financial
Political
Capital Capital
Investment IN Wealth
Open Multiple
Multiple / Collective Widespread Democratic Reputation
Location? Ownership? Communication Mediums of
Integrated? ? Leadership? Participation? Exchange? Polling? Management?
Products / Group Community Embedded Legally Reward for
Identification? Type? Value Chain?
Services? Development? Engagement? Intelligence? Constituted? Performance?
Map Model Track Make
Assets Clusters Flows Decisions

8. Community Investment Portfolio (CIP)
What Is Your What Will Your Who Will Pay Why Would They
Business Concept? Business Deliver? for It? Pay for It?
Product / Value Chain
Origin? Volume? Service / Both?
Others? Price? Need? Convenience? Value?
Partner?
Colleagues? Name? New? Differentiated? End-User? Aggregator? Features? Timing? Functionality?
Portfolio of Business Clusters
Investment OF Wealth
Individual Social Intellectual Natural Built
Capital Inventory
Capital Capital Measures
Capital Capital Management Financial
Political
Capital Capital
Investment IN Wealth
That Consist of Interdependent Business Cases
Open Multiple
Multiple / Collective Widespread Democratic Reputation
Location? Ownership? Communication Mediums of
Integrated? ? Leadership? Participation? Exchange? Polling? Management?
Products / Group Community Embedded Legally Reward for
Identification? Type? Value Chain?
Services? Development? Engagement? Intelligence? Constituted? Performance?
Map Model Track Make
Assets Clusters Flows Decisions

9. Put Theory into Practice…
Remember your business concept?
• Flesh it out
• Share it with others as they share theirs
• Develop your concept together with theirs
Here’s how…

10. Six-Step CIP Implementation Sequence
What Is Your What Will Your Who Will Pay Why Would They
Business Concept? Business Deliver? for It? Pay for It?
Product / Value Chain
Origin? Volume? Service / Both?
Others? Price? Need? Convenience? Value?
Partner?
Colleagues? Name? New? Differentiated? End-User? Aggregator? Features? Timing? Functionality?
1 2 3 4
Investment OF Wealth 5 6
Form Define Take Adopt Establish Build
Individual Social Intellectual Natural
Built Political Financial
a Capital Inventory
Business
Capital Capital Measures
Collective Collaborative
Capital
Capital Management Capitalthe
Governance
Capital
Group Clusters Responsibility Tools Structure Brand
Investment IN Wealth
Open Multiple
Multiple / Collective Widespread Democratic Reputation
Location? Ownership? Communication Mediums of
Integrated? ? Leadership? Participation? Exchange? Polling? Management?
Products / Group Community Embedded Legally Reward for
Identification? Type? Value Chain?
Services? Development? Engagement? Intelligence? Constituted? Performance?
Map Model Track Make
Assets Clusters Flows Decisions

11. Community Investment Portfolio
Implementation Sequence Framework
What Is Your What Will Your Who Will Pay Why Would They
Business Concept? Business Deliver? for It? Pay for It?
Share Your Ideas with Those Network among Your Invite Those WhoCare and Convene the Group
1 Who Care about You Community Members TheirContacts to Meet for its Initial Meeting
Catalogue Business Ideas by Develop Scenarios ThatAddress
Determine Capabilitiesof Value Chart the Two-Way Flow of
2 Value Chain Affiliations and
Chainsto Deliver Capital forEach Value Chain
Value Chain Capacitiesand
Interdependencies Capital
Determine Mediums Identify Critical Pointsin
Understand the Flow Associate Flows ofCapitals with
3 ofExchange for Each Form of Business Clusters to Measure
Dynamicsof Capitalsin Clusters Launch of Business Clusters
Capital Flows of Capitals
Formalize Means Collaborate on the Coordinate among Multiple
Manage Calendars, Tasks, and
4 ofCommunications and Access
Commitments
Development and Delivery of Endeavors and under Complex
to Document Trail Intellectual Property Conditions
Apply the
Charter an Investment Load Business Clusters into a
5 Community to Manage Its Community
PortfolioManagement Revise the Investment
GuidelinesDefined by the Community Charteras Needed
Business Cluster Portfolio Investment Portfolio
Charter
6 Compose a Two-Minute Tell about the Participants Provide Easy Access to Safeguard the
Elevator Speech about Your and Their Deliverables the Deliverables of the Reputations of All Participants
Business Ecosystem in Your Business Ecosystem Business Ecosystem in Your Business Ecosystem
Map Model Track Make
Assets Clusters Flows Decisions

12. Document Your Case
Key Questions
Is it a product or service or both? What is the motivation to buy:
Is it new? Is it differentiated? Price? Features? Value?
Do others deliver the same? Functionality? Convenience?
Does it help meet overall demand? Quality? Timing? Others?
What Is Your What Will Your Who Will Pay Why Would They
Business Concept? Business Deliver? for It? Pay for It?
Anyone working on it with you? Who is the customer:
How did you come up with the idea? Is it the end-user?
What is the background behind it? Is it another stop in the value chain?
Is it an aggregator?

13. Business Sustainability
Key Questions
In a given locality, which business cases: Are multiple mediums of exchange in use?
Deliver similar products and services? Is intelligence embedded within the system?
Contribute to similar value chains? Is there democratic polling among members?
Integrate across multiple value chains? Is the governance process legally constituted?
Is performance rewarded?
Are reputations managed?
Map Model Provide Decision Transfer Knowledge
Assets Clusters Support Information to Key Decision Points
What types of capital do we have: Is there open communication among stakeholders?
Individual? Social? Intellectual? Are collective leaders emerging among stakeholders?
Natural? Built? Are stakeholder groups following a development process?
Political? Financial? Is there widespread participation among stakeholders?
Where are they located? Is the larger community more involved with stakeholders?
Who owns / controls them?

14. 1 CIP Implementation:
Form a Group – Key Questions
Who can: Fill-in value chain gaps? When and where is the meeting?
Deliver key support services? What is the agenda?
Address capacity constraints? Who is the moderator?
Prompt more ideas? What is the process?
Invite Those Who
Share Your Ideas with Network among Your Convene the Group
Care and Their
Those Who Care about You Community Members for its Initial Meeting
Contacts to Meet
Who cares about you and your ideas? Why meet face-to-face?
Do the people with whom you share represent: Who will be there?
Customers? Colleagues? Value chain partners? Why discuss these ideas?
Who do they know with similar or related: What are the expected outcomes?
Ideas? Experiences? Know-how?

15. 2 CIP Implementation:
Define Business Clusters – Key Questions
What is a complete value chain? What actions in combination with
Which value chain functions: Are missing? one another: Influence capacity?
Are critical path? Apply to multiple value chains? Influence capital? Improve
What is the capacity of each value chain function? efficiency? Create wealth?
Catalogue Business Ideas Determine Capabilities Chart the Two-Way Develop Scenarios That
by Value Chain Affiliations of Value Chains Flow of Capital for Address Value Chain
and Interdependencies to Deliver Each Value Chain Capacities and Capital
Which business ideas: Deliver similar output? What kinds of capital are utilized?
Deliver to similar customers? Utilize similar input? Does control of capital change hands?
Integrate across multiple value chains? Does capital increase or decrease?

16. 3 CIP Implementation:
Take Collective Responsibility – Key Questions
Where do transactions occur in the business clusters? What are the capital requirements?
Who controls capital after the transaction? Can alternative capitals be used?
When does control over capital leave the community? How can the cluster be improved?
When does control over capital enter the community? Who else can be included?
Determine Mediums of Identify Critical Points Understand the Flow Associate Flows of
Exchange for Each in Business Clusters to Dynamics of Capitals Capitals with Launch
Form of Capital Measure Flows of Capitals in Clusters of Business Clusters
What are our choices for mediums of exchange? What is the rate of outflow?
What are their advantages and disadvantages? What is the rate of inflow?
What special skills do we need to adopt them? What influences the flow rates?
Can they all be adopted at one time? What factors affect degree of influence?

17. 4 CIP Implementation:
Adopt Collaborative Strategies – Key Questions
Which Services? Which Services?
System / Platform? System / Platform?
Apps / Tools? Apps / Tools?
Training / Tutorials? Training / Tutorials?
Collaborate on Coordinate among
Formalize Means of Manage
the Development Multiple Endeavors
Communications and Calendars, Tasks,
and Delivery of and under
Access to Document Trail and Commitments
Intellectual Property Complex Conditions
Which Services? Which Services?
System / Platform? System / Platform?
Apps / Tools? Apps / Tools?
Training / Tutorials? Training / Tutorials?

18. 5 CIP Implementation:
Establish Governance Structure – Key Questions
Do the clusters have: What did we expect?
Requisite diversity? Priorities? What happened?
Interdependencies? What did we learn?
Critical path? What would we do differently?
Charter an Investment Load Business Clusters Apply the Portfolio Revise the Investment
Community to Manage Its into a Community Management Guidelines Community Charter
Business Cluster Portfolio Investment Portfolio Defined by the Charter as Needed
Who can invest? How are decisions made?
How do they invest? Is there a Plan B and a Plan C?
How is success measured? How big can the portfolio become?
How are the risks managed?
How are the returns distributed

19. 6 CIP Implementation:
Build the Brand – Key Questions
Who participates in the business ecosystem? How do you: Evaluate participant
What is their association with deliverables? performance?
What are their ecosystem experiences? Ensure participant compliance?
How can others identify with them? Manage the storytelling about participants?
Remediate poor participant performance?
Safeguard the
Compose a Two-Minute Tell about the Participants Provide Easy Access to
Reputations of All
Elevator Speech about Your and Their Deliverables the Deliverables of the
Participants in Your
Business Ecosystem in Your Business Ecosystem Business Ecosystem
Business Ecosystem
What is the business ecosystem? How does one participate in the business ecosystem?
Why is it important? What mediums of exchange are available?
What does it provide of value? How does one conduct transactions in the ecosystem?
How do you engage with it? What roles can one play in the business ecosystem?

20. Community Investment Portfolio
Implementation Sequence Framework
What Is Your What Will Your Who Will Pay Why Would They
Business Concept? Business Deliver? for It? Pay for It?
Share Your Ideas with Those Network among Your Invite Those WhoCare and Convene the Group
1 Who Care about You Community Members TheirContacts to Meet for its Initial Meeting
Catalogue Business Ideas by Develop Scenarios ThatAddress
Determine Capabilitiesof Value Chart the Two-Way Flow of
2 Value Chain Affiliations and
Chainsto Deliver Capital forEach Value Chain
Value Chain Capacitiesand
Interdependencies Capital
Determine Mediums Identify Critical Pointsin
Understand the Flow Associate Flows ofCapitals with
3 ofExchange for Each Form of Business Clusters to Measure
Dynamicsof Capitalsin Clusters Launch of Business Clusters
Capital Flows of Capitals
Formalize Means Collaborate on the Coordinate among Multiple
Manage Calendars, Tasks, and
4 ofCommunications and Access
Commitments
Development and Delivery of Endeavors and under Complex
to Document Trail Intellectual Property Conditions
Apply the
Charter an Investment Load Business Clusters into a
5 Community to Manage Its Community
PortfolioManagement Revise the Investment
GuidelinesDefined by the Community Charteras Needed
Business Cluster Portfolio Investment Portfolio
Charter
6 Compose a Two-Minute Tell about the Participants Provide Easy Access to Safeguard the
Elevator Speech about Your and Their Deliverables the Deliverables of the Reputations of All Participants
Business Ecosystem in Your Business Ecosystem Business Ecosystem in Your Business Ecosystem
Map Model Track Make
Assets Clusters Flows Decisions

21. Call to Action!
Get started:
• Explore your business idea
– http://localfoodsystems.org/explore
• Place your idea on the map
– http://localfoodsystems.org/businesscaseapp/manage
• Join forces and collaborate
– http://localfoodsystems.org/collaborate
• Grow business and community capital
– http://localfoodsystems.org/cip