Intro to Business Q&As: Max Richardson – Cushee

Members: Max Richardson (Leadership and Management); Quinlen Sutherland (Marketing); Leah Clarke (Finance); Drew Wright (Supply Chain); Vincent Elliot (Sales); Makenna Smith (Sales)

Product: Portable seat cushions

Grade: 10

Why should somebody buy from your business? 

“I think a lot of people should buy our product, Many people complain about the comfort of school chairs, and I know—especially as someone who has injured their back—that a little extra cushion makes a significant difference. We are also donating 10% of our profits to the Clean Air Task Force to try to make a small dent in the effects of climate change.

How did you decide on the product you’re selling? 

“We spent a lot of time analyzing common problems that students face at FHC, and after a couple of days of brainstorming and debating between products, we chose the Cushee in a 4-2 vote amongst our company.”

What has the planning process looked like so far? What’s next? 

“So far, it’s been a lot of product testing and product manufacturing, as well as just securing the capital necessary to start. Very recently, we’ve started to attack the marketing aspect, making a TikTok and Instagram, @CusheeSeats. I think the next step is to build up that hype around the product before we are ready to sell and meet that expectation at the point of purchase.”

Explain how your business is similar to a real business.

“Well, our business is similar in almost every aspect. We face a real risk of losing money, we work interdependently with each other to create a good environment, and we do really have to create the buzz and sell the products. The only small difference is obviously the great target market of the school and the great resources they provide.”

What does teamwork look like for your business? 

“Although we all have our own separate departments, it’s really a large team effort. While I [might] go to [somebody] first for financial stuff, because we have such a good group of hardworking people, really anyone can complete any task; it’s a matter of efficiency.

What “real world” skills have you learned from Intro to Business? 

“So far, because we haven’t reached the actual selling part yet, we’ve learned a lot about working together as a group and advertising to large audiences through various marketing challenges and overall group work.”

If you encountered a grizzly bear in nature, how would you respond? 

“Fight it, definitely. I’m running straight at it.”

What’s your favorite word?

“Cushee or Tushee, neither of which are real words.”