Assignment 23-Your Venture's Unfair Advantage

Resources/VRIN Analysis:
1. Entrepreneur parents
This is valuable because not everyone has it, so growing up in this atmosphere I have learned a lot of the traits necessary to be a successful entrepreneur, and by having this I have immediate help if I am confused about starting a business, etc. or anything that goes along with that. People may be able to get this same help from friends who are entrepreneurs, but no one is as eager to help you as your parents are.
2. A personalized product
This is valuable because consumers increasingly prefer customized products because they don't like the "one size fits all" perspective that many businesses are still working under. Although there are many different businesses that incorporate this, there doesn't seem to be any in this specific market. There are not other resources that can provide the same benefits because of the fact that consumers each get unique benefits from the products they created for themselves.
3. Friends with coding abilities
Not everyone knows people with this ability, so having someone like this would make it cheaper to create this online platform and to be able to work out kinks in the system quicker. It would also be valuable because I could potentially learn tips and tricks to fix kinks myself. This is imitable by hiring tech personnel, but at a high price tag.
4. Cheaper input costs
Because there would not be a literal storefront, the input costs would be cheaper because the middle man is taken out of the equation since products go from manufacturing straight to consumer. This leaves out the cost of delivering products to stores, stocking shelves, etc. There are businesses who already do this and are reaping the same benefits, but there are very few beauty/hygiene companies who do not sell their products in a storefront, so it would be unique.
5. Cheaper initial financial hit
As I said before, there would not be an actual storefront, so fixed expenses would be drastically lower than if there was. Products could be manufactured at a shared facility and logistics handled by an outside company, so most of the money spent at first may be put into marketing and sales efforts. This is unique because many companies spend a lot of their launch time trying to make back all the money they spent, so I would be in this position to a much lesser degree.
6. Encompasses a popular societal shift
It is no secret that organics and natural alternatives are becoming a growing trend in our society because consumers are realizing the detriments of all the products we are currently using. This product is right in line with what consumers want nowadays, so using this leverage to sell the product will make marketing and promotion much easier. The facts are on our side, so this advantage is only imitable if another company truly uses clean ingredients and can back it up with facts.
7. Transparency with consumers
Consumers are always wanting companies to be more and more transparent with them and for products to have ingredients on the label that they're actually able to pronounce. By creating their product themselves, they know exactly what's going in it and are able to see the benefits of each ingredient through the information provided on the website. This is imitable, but no one is doing it because many companies just simply don't care. In turn, this would reflect better on the company and allow us to gain a better place in consumers' minds. 
8. An education in Finance
Some business owners have never even taken a class in business. While many entrepreneurs do have this education, it is an important resource because half of opening a business is simply knowing how to handle money. Some business owners are clueless so they take out ridiculous loans that take decades to pay back, so having this knowledge will aid in making efficient decisions that move the company forward.
9. Friends who have pursued ventures
I have several friends who have pursued their own business ventures, so they would be able to give me advice that they may have wished they had when they began their journey. Many entrepreneurs make mistakes in the beginning that could have been avoided or minimized by having a strong mentor provide guidance. Not everyone has this resource, so it could be something that would help me get ahead.
10. Connections to logistics resources
I am connected with a couple people through my parents who are in the business of logistics, so this would make it easier to get initial orders out without having to spend a ton of time finding a reliable logistics provider. Many businesses like this may go through a couple of logistics companies before finding one that works for them. Having a connection on the personal level would give more accountability and reliability, so orders may be filled faster and customers would be happier.

My top resource is the smaller initial financial hit. This holds many businesses back as they spend a lot of time trying to secure loans for their facilities and inventory, but having a just-in-time operation would reduce many of these initial costs and allow me to put that money elsewhere like marketing and promotions.