Executive Summary

Welcome to SIENNA, SIENNA is software that will evolve in to networking business software the likes of which have not yet been imagined. My peers describe Sienna as “FACEBOOK for business” I like to consider her “The Global Distribution System”.

Sienna is not a new concept; she is the next evolution of my companies 11 year journey in software development and high end tourism. Once developed for the travel industry the software will be adapted to function in all industries and be available to the public.

In a nutshell we have made a database and website of African travel venues www.ExperienceAfrica.com .This website has been duplicated and its contents shared with other companies. In turn these other companies have uploaded there venue, all venues are added are displayed across the network. The best example is the website www.AfricaConcierge.com created for SOTHEBY’s REALTY. We have tested the market and demand from other companies is very high. In the financials supplied I have calculated a further 8,855 similar connections over 60 months will generate +/-£60,000,000. This is for an international selection of travel companies not just African.

The way Sienna makes money is by acting as a warehouse for travel venues. In the travel industry there is a public tariff and an agent tariff. The agent tariff is typically 20% less than the public pay. This said the more business you provide the bigger your discount or STO as it is known in the trade. My companies can achieve higher STO’s often 40% which allows us to sell to other Tour operators at a 20% discount whilst retaining 20% for ourselves.

The GDS (Global Distribution System) holds the availability for most of the worlds Hotels and Flights. VIRGIN HOLIDAYS will already have high STO agreements with many of these venues. By integrating the GDS into Sienna’s database we can offer our affiliate companies a very comprehensive global offering. Add this to the venues contributed by our affiliates and in a few years we will be the world’s most comprehensive travel warehouse.

Sienna’s first phase is not aimed at big Tour Operators and Travel Agents. It will be target at regionalised local agencies that see merit in expanding into new areas.

To aid our expanding affiliate companies further a large range of Financial, Customer Relations & Client Tracking tools will be developed and offered freely as part of the package along with glossy broachers. If you give an independent operator: the website, the discounts, the GDS link, customer relations and financial software plus a strong print media presence, you give them the power of a travel agent. They already have the clients or they would not be in business, now they just have a lot more to offer their clients and the tools to cope with their increase in business.

So that’s the basics but you will notice the financials have 2 more income streams. These are for existing companies that use the system but do not contribute their own venues and new business start-ups.

The business tools themselves are not solely to help our affiliate businesses. They are also there to promote viral (word of mouth) marketing and blogging. By connecting the financial software strait into VIRGIN MONEY and customising Sienna’s tools to the general public and other industries we make a good standalone product. Offering this to the public by free download will increase usage and exposure. Later freely distributing the software with new computers will see Sienna reach a global audience. Software upgrades can be charged for so creating an additional revenue stream. Microsoft may try to object to this but I’m sure a deal can be done.

Ease of use and good visuals will be a big key to Sienna’s success. The creation of a SIM computer management game will make an excellent tutorial and itself become a truly original marketing tool if we offer the ten players who attain the most points a £50,000 business start up kitty along with some good advice.

Making a TV Reality show of these 10 players, tracking their progress will make popular viewing and expose the world to possibilities of starting or improving their business using the Sienna Software. If Sir Richard, myself and other VIRGIN executives were to guide a contestant each the show would have global appeal. One could call it “Who wants to be a Sienna Millionaire”

There is much to be gained by working with Google and Face Book, I’d suggest an early approach and deal be made before they realise the potential of Sienna.

SIENNA SHOPPING, when SIENNA has grown to a significant size and becomes invaluable to suppliers, we will switch from business to business to direct to public sales, I estimate 80% of retailers will not object, once open to the public prices will rarely be beaten and so falling in line with VIRGIN’s key “championing the consumer” and “value for money” brand promises.

The financials presented are solely for the niche travel industry. They predict a figure of around £3,000,000 will need to be invested before profit is achieved. Income from the niche travel trade should reach around £120,000,000 in 5 years. Using VIRGIN’s network of other companies specialising in many industries, I’d hope for a least another 100 types of businesses to make similar figures. SIENNA SHOPPING will also prove very profitable and as a bonus VIRGIN MONEY and VIRGIN HOLIDAYS will have a lot more clients