Sunglasses Line Business Plan [Sample Template]

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Are you about starting a sunglasses line? If YES, here is a complete sample sunglasses line business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.

Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a sunglasses line. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample sunglasses line business marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for sunglasses line businesses. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.

There are businesses that cannot be dominated by just few manufacturing brands and a sunglasses business happens to be one of them. The market for sunglasses is global in dimension hence a sunglass business can be domiciled in the united states but have their customer base in Africa.

If you are sure that this type of business is what you want to start after you must have conducted your market research and feasibility studies, then the next step to follow is to write a good business plan; a detailed blue print of how you intend raising your seed capital, setting up the business, managing the flow of the business, sorting out tax and marketing your services.

The truth is that it is one thing to have a fantastic idea cum business plan, it is another thing for the business plan to translate to profits, that is why it is important to assemble a team of experts to work with if you want to be successful with your sunglasses business.

Below is a sample sunglasses line business plan template that will give you the needed guide to write yours with little or no stress.

A Sample Sunglasses Line Business Plan Template

1. Industry Overview

Sunglasses or sun glasses (informally called shades) are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes.

Sunglasses business falls under the glasses & contact manufacturing industry and players in the industry manufacture ophthalmic goods, comprising of eyeglass frames and lenses and contact lenses. The industry also produces sunglasses and protective eyewear, such as goggles amongst others.

The Glasses and Contact Lens manufacturing industry are known to produce a wide range of eyeglass lenses and frames, contact lenses and protective eyewear. Prescription lenses are essential to the visually impaired, insulating this product segment from economic downturns.

While consumers have increased expenditure on glasses and contacts over the five years to 2018, competitively priced imports have satisfied a growing portion of consumer demand for industry products over the period. Going forward to 2023, the dollar is forecast to depreciate, reducing imports’ share of domestic demand for industry products.

Research conducted by IBISWorld shows that the Glasses and Contact Lens Manufacturing industry is concentrated in the West (19.3 percent of establishments), Great Lakes (18.4 percent) Mid-Atlantic (18.0 percent) and Southeast (17.6 percent) regions.

Glasses and contact lens manufacturers usually locate close to their downstream wholesalers, who in turn operate close to major population hubs. The West, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and the Great Lakes account for the majority of the US population and are the most densely populated.

By maintaining proximity to downstream customers, industry establishments can minimize transportation costs and turn inventory faster, bolstering margins. California has the highest concentration of industry establishments in 2017 with an estimated 13.1 percent, in line with the state’s 12.1 percent population share.

The Glasses and Contact Lens Manufacturing industry is indeed a major sector of the economy of most countries in the world. Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, the Glasses and Contact Lens Manufacturing industry generates over $7 billion annually from more than 827 registered and licensed glasses and contact lens manufacturing companies. The industry is responsible for the employment of over 26,090 people.

Experts project the glasses and contact lens manufacturing industry to grow at a -1.7 percent annual rate. The establishment in this industry that has a dominant market share in the United States of America are; J&J, Novartis, The Cooper Companies Inc. and Valeant.

The glasses and contact lens manufacturing industry that sunglasses business is part of is indeed a profitable industry and it is open for any aspiring entrepreneur to come in and establish his or her business; you can choose to start on a large scale with standard sun glasses and contact lens manufacturing factories both in the United States of America and in countries in Asia where you can get cheaper labor and raw materials.

2. Executive Summary

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. is a registered sunglasses manufacturing company that will be located at 1369 N. Washington Rd. Greens Fork, IN. We have been able to lease a facility that (a 10 thousand square foot facility) can fit into the design of the kind of standard sunglasses business that we propose launching.

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. will manufacture a wide range of sunglasses including; women’s sunglasses, men’s sunglasses, children’s sunglasses and all other related optical goods. We are set to service a wide range of clientele not just in the United States of America, but also all across the globe.

We aware that there are several eyewear manufacturing companies all around the United States of America, which is why we spent time and resources to conduct a thorough feasibility studies and market survey so as to be well positioned to favorably compete with all our competitors.

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. will ensure that all the sunglasses and related optical products that leaves of factory are of the highest quality and affordable. We want to build a business with a wide range of clientele base that cut across people of different financial status. We have a CRM software that will enable us manage a one on one relationship with our customers no matter how they may grow to.

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. will at all times demonstrate her commitment towards sustainability, both individually and as a firm, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible. We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our customers’ needs precisely and completely whenever they patronize our products.

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. is a family business that is owned by Alex Roman and his immediate family members. Alex Roman has a Degree in Production Engineering from Indiana State University with over 15 years’ experience in the glasses and contact lens manufacturing industry. He will be bringing in his vast experience to help build Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc.

3. Our Products and Services

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. will manufacture a wide range of sunglasses and other eyewear. We are set to services a wide range of clientele not just in the United States of America, but also all parts of the world. We will do all that is permitted by the law of the United States to achieve our business goal, aim and ambition of starting the business. Our product offerings are listed below;

Sunglasses (for men, women and children)
Eyeglass frame (i.e. fronts and temples)
Glass and plastic eye
Goggle (e.g. industrial, safety, sun and underwater)

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

Our vision is to become the leading brand in the glasses and contact lens manufacturing industry in Indiana and to establish a one stop sunglasses line business.
Our mission is to establish a world – class sunglasses line business whose products will not only be retailed in the United States of America, but also be exported to other countries of the world. Our business goals are to offer the best products at the most reasonable cost, with no minimums on sun lens edging; and to create partnerships that are mutually beneficial and profitable to both parties.

Our Business Structure

Our overall aim of starting a sunglasses line is to build a standard business in Greens Fork – Indiana. Although our sunglasses line business might not be as big as J&J, Novartis, The Cooper Companies Inc. and Valeant et al, but we will ensure that we put the right structures in place that will support the kind of growth that we have in mind while setting up the business.

Hence we are structured to deliver innovative products, exploit global scale, and respond to new opportunities and risks. We will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, honest, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of ten years or more. In view of that, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

Chief Executive Officer (Owner)
Production Manager
Human Resources and Amin Manager
Merchandize Manager
Sales and Marketing Manager
Sunglasses Designers and Making Experts
Accountants/Cashiers
Customer Services Executive

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO:

Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results
Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
Responsible for providing direction for the business
Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
Evaluates the success of the organization
Reports to the board.

Admin and HR Manager

Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
Carries out induction for new team members
Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
Oversees the smooth running of the daily office activities.

Production Manager:

Responsible for managing the daily activities in the factory
Ensures that proper records of sun glasses and other optical products are kept and warehouse does not run out of finished products
Ensures that the factory is in tip top shape and easy to locate
Interfaces with third – party suppliers (vendors) of raw materials
Controls eyewear distribution and supply inventory
Supervises the workforce in the sun glasses manufacturing factory.

Merchandize Manager

Manages vendor relations, market visits, and the ongoing education and development of the organizations’ buying teams
Helps to ensure quality of raw materials are purchased and used for the manufacturing of sunglasses and other optical products that we manufacture
Responsible for the purchase of raw material for the organization
Responsible for planning sales, monitoring inventory, selecting the merchandise, and writing and pricing orders to vendors
Ensures that the organization operates within stipulated budget.

Sales and Marketing Manager

Manages external research and coordinate all the internal sources of information to retain the organizations’ best customers and attract new ones
Models demographic information and analyze the volumes of transactional data generated by customer purchases
Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts
Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
Documents all customer contact and information
Represents the company in strategic meetings
Helps to increase sales and growth for the company

Sunglasses Designers and Making Experts

Responsible for designing and manufacturing of sunglasses, eyeglass frame (i.e. fronts and temples), glass and plastic eye, goggle (e.g. industrial, safety, sun and underwater), and other related optical products

Accountant/Cashier:

Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports
Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting
Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
Responsible for administering payrolls
Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
Handles all financial transactions for the organization
Serves as internal auditor for the organization

Client Service Executive

Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
Through interaction with customers on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products
Manages administrative duties assigned by the human resources and admin manager in an effective and timely manner
Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to customers when they make enquiries
Receives Visitors / clients on behalf of the organization
Receives parcels / documents for the company
Handles enquiries via e-mail and phone calls for the organization
Distributes mails in the organization
Handles any other duties as assigned by the line manager

6. SWOT Analysis

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. intends to become one of the leading sunglasses lines in the United States of America and we are aware that it will take the right business concept, management and organizational structure to achieve our goal.

We are quite aware that there are several eyewear manufacturing companies all over the United States of America and even in the same location where we intend locating ours, which is why we are following the due process of establishing a business.

We know that if a proper SWOT analysis is conducted for our business, we will be able to position our business to maximize our strength, leverage on the opportunities that will be available to us, mitigate our risks and be equipped to confront our threats.

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. employed the services of an expert HR and Business Analyst with bias in the manufacturing industry to help us conduct a thorough SWOT analysis and to help us create a Business model that will help us achieve our business goals and objectives. This is the summary of the SWOT analysis that was conducted for Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc.

Strength:

We are a company that pride itself in the quality of our finished products, the power of our team and the state of the art sunglasses manufacturing factory that we own. We have a team of highly trained and experienced sunglasses designers and support staff members that can produce top notch eyewear. We are well positioned in the heart of Greens Fork – Indiana and we know we will attract loads of clients from the first day we roll out our well – designed sunglasses.

Weakness:

One of the foremost weakness that may count against us is the fact that we are a new sunglasses line and we don’t have the financial capacity to compete with multi – million dollars’ glasses and contact lens manufacturing companies when it comes to manufacturing at a rock bottom price. So also, we may not have enough cash reserve to promote our sunglasses the way we would want to do.

Opportunities:

The fact that we are going to be operating our business in Greens Fork – Indiana provides us with unlimited opportunities to sell our sunglasses and other eyewear to a large number of individuals. We have been able to conduct thorough feasibility studies and market survey and we know what our potential clients will be looking for when they visit our eyewear manufacturing factory or showroom; we are well positioned to take on the opportunities that will come our way.

Threat:

Just like any other business, one of the key threats that we are likely going to be confronted with is economic downturn. It is a fact that economic downturn affects purchasing/spending power. Another threat that may likely confront us is the arrival of a new sunglasses production business in same location where ours is located. So also, unfavorable government policies may also pose a threat for our business.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

Market Trends

One common trend in the industry is that the demand for this product is driven by medical needs, fashion, demographics, and of course consumer disposable income. The profitability of individual sunglasses lines depends on their ability to design and market eyewear models that effectively target consumers’ tastes and preferences.

Large eyewear companies have economies of scale in distribution and marketing and small – scale eyewear companies can compete successfully by crafting customized eyewear based on their client’s preference.

With recent development, there will be influx of new consumers and this will put pressure on product developers to meet their unfamiliar preferences and needs. Developed economies placing their products in emerging markets will also have to adjust their pricing strategies to compete with local low-price manufacturers.

As part of marketing strategies, sunglasses lines now ensure that they have showrooms at different locations where they display their eyewear. As a matter of fact, it is even cheaper to purchase directly from these showrooms established by eyewear manufacturing companies as against purchasing from eyewear retail cum optician stores. It is a strategy that helps them increase sales for their business.

8. Our Target Market

People make use of glasses or contact lens either for medical reasons, fashion or safety reasons hence there are loads of people who make use of sunglasses cum eyewear.

In view of that, we have positioned our sunglasses line to service the clientele in the United States of America and other parts of the world. We have conducted our market research and feasibility studies and we have ideas of what our target market would be expecting from us.

We in the glasses and contact lens manufacturing industry to manufacture a wide range of sunglasses and other eyewear products for the following people;

Men
Women
Children

Our competitive advantage

A close study of the glasses and contact lens manufacturing industry reveals that the market has become much more intensely competitive over the last decade. As a matter of fact, you have to be highly creative with your designs and market approach, customer centric and proactive if you must survive in this industry.

We are aware of the competition and we are prepared to compete favorably with other leading eyewear manufacturing companies in the United States and the globe.

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. is launching a standard sunglasses line that will become the preferred choice of residents of Greens Fork – Indiana. Our sunglasses business is located in an ideal property highly suitable for the kind of company that we want to run.

One thing is certain, we can boast of having unlimited access to the latest and most efficient technology used in the production of sunglasses and other optical products. We are not averse to undertaking technical research and development and of course we have access to a highly skilled workforce. Our excellent customer service culture, showrooms, online store, various payment options and highly secured facility will serve as a competitive advantage for us.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our aims and objectives. We will also give good working conditions and commissions to freelance sales agents that we will recruit from time to time.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

Sources of Income

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. intends to manufacture and retail a wide range of sunglasses and other eyewear products in the United States of America. We are in the industry to maximize profits and we are going to ensure that we achieve or business goals and objectives.

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. will generate income by selling the following products;

Sunglasses (for men, women and children)
Eyeglass frame (i.e. fronts and temples)
Glass and plastic eye
Goggle (e.g. industrial, safety, sun and underwater)

10. Sales Forecast

One thing is certain when it comes to the sunglass business, if you manufacture various types of sunglasses and other related optical products, you will always attract customers cum sales and that will sure translate to increase in revenue generation for the business.

We have been able to critically examine the glasses and contact lens manufacturing industry, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast.

Below are the sales projection for Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc., it is based on the location of our business and other factors as it relates to sunglasses cum eyewear manufacturing start – ups in the United States;

First Fiscal Year: $300,000
Second Fiscal Year: $550,000
Third Fiscal Year: $750,000

N.B: This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor manufacturing same products in the same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

Prior to choosing a location for Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. we conducted a thorough market survey and feasibility studies in order for us to penetrate the available market and become one of the preferred brands for consumers not only in Greens Fork – Indiana, but also throughout the United States. We have detailed information and data that we were able to utilize to structure our business to attract the number of customers we want to attract per time.

We hired experts who have good understanding of the glasses and contact lens manufacturing industry to help us develop marketing strategies that will help us achieve our goal of winning a larger percentage of the available market in the United States of America.

In summary, Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. will adopt the following sales and marketing approach to win customers over;

Open our sunglasses line in a grand style with a party for all.
Introduce our sunglasses line by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to optical clinics, opticians, retailers, merchants and key stake holders in Greens Fork – Indiana and other parts of the United States
Ensure that we manufacture a wide range of sunglasses and other eyewear products
Make use of attractive hand bills to create awareness and also to give direction to our sunglasses showrooms
Position our signage/flexi banners at strategic places around Greens Fork – Indiana
Create a loyalty plan that will enable us reward our regular customers
Engage on roadshows within our neighborhood to create awareness for our sunglasses line
List our business and products on yellow pages’ ads (local directories)
Leverage on the internet to promote our business
Engage in direct marketing and sales
Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Regardless of the fact that our sunglasses business and showroom is well located, we will still go ahead to intensify publicity for the business.

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. has a long – term plan of opening our showrooms in various locations around Greens Fork Indiana and other key cities in the United States which is why we will build our brand to be well accepted in Greens Fork – Indiana before venturing out.

Here are the platforms we intend leveraging on to promote and advertise Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc.;

Place adverts on community – based newspapers, radio station and TV stations.
Encourage the use of word of mouth publicity from our loyal customers
Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Google+ and other platforms to promote our eyewear brand.
Ensure that our we position our banners and billboards in strategic positions all around Greens Fork – Indiana
Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas in and around our neighborhood
Advertise our sunglasses line in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site
Brand all our official cars and trucks and ensure that all our staff members and management staff wear our branded shirt or cap at regular intervals.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

We are aware of the pricing trend in the glasses and contact lens industry which is why we have decided to produce various qualities and categories of sunglasses.

In view of that, our prices will conform to what is obtainable in the industry but will ensure that within the first 6 to 12 months our products are sold a little bit below the average price. We have put in place business strategies that will help us run on low profits for a period of 6 months; it is a way of encouraging people to buy into our brand.

Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. will make available to her clients;

Payment via bank transfer
Payment with cash
Payment via Point of Sale Machine (POS)
Payment via online bank transfer
Payment via check
Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for sunglasses/eyewear purchased without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

We are aware that starting a standard eyewear company is indeed a capital – intensive business because the amount required in setting up a sunglass production plant is heavy. The bulk of the startup capital will be spent on leasing or acquiring a facility and also in purchasing the needed equipment.

You are also expected to purchase distribution trucks, raw materials, pay your employees and utility bills. These are the key areas where we will spend our startup capital on;

The Total Fee for Registering the Business in the United States of America – $750.
Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits as well as the accounting services (software, P.O.S machines and other software) – $3,300.
Marketing promotion expenses for the grand opening of Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. in the amount of $3,500 and as well as flyer printing (2,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of $3,580.
The total cost for hiring Business Consultant – $2,500.
The total cost for payment of insurance policy covers (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $9,400.
The total cost for long – term leasing of a standard warehouse and showroom – $100,000
The total cost for remodeling the warehouse and showroom – $20,000.
Other start-up expenses including stationery ($500) and phone and utility deposits – ($2,500).
Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $100,000
The total cost for Start-up inventory (purchase of sunglasses making tools and equipment and the purchase of sunglasses making raw materials inclusive) – $100,000
The total cost for counter area equipment – $9,500
The total cost for store equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – $13,750
The total cost for the purchase and installation of CCTVs: $10,000
The cost for the purchase of office furniture and gadgets (Computers, Printers, Telephone, TVs, Sound System, tables and chairs et al): $4,000.
The total cost of launching a Website: $600
The total cost for our opening party: $7,000
Miscellaneous: $10,000

We would need an estimate of $450,000 to successfully set up our sunglasses cum eyewear manufacturing business in Greens Fork – Indiana.

Generating Funds/Startup Capital for Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc.

Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. is a family business that is solely owned and financed by Alex Roman. He decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital to 3 major sources.

Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings
Source for soft loans from family members and friends
Apply for loan from the bank

N.B: We have been able to generate about $150,000 (Personal savings $100,000 and soft loan from family members $50,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $300,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited with the amount.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

Part of the plans we have in place to sustain and expand Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. is to ensure that we continue to deliver quality products, and improvise on how to do things faster and cheaper. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at the top burner.

From our findings, another factor that kills new business is financial leakages. In order to plug financial leakages, the management of Alex Roman® Sun Glasses, Inc. will adopt the use of payment machine and accounting software to run the business.

We are quite aware that our customers are the key component to the growth and survival of our business hence we are going to continuously engage them to give us ideas on how to serve them better and produce sunglasses based on their demand and the trend. We will not waste time in adopting new technology, international best practices and diversifying our services once the need arises.

Check List/Milestone

Business Name Availability Check: Completed
Business Registration: Completed
Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
Securing Point of Sales (POS) Machines: Completed
Opening Mobile Money Accounts: Completed
Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
Application for business license and permit: Completed
Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
Leasing of facility and remodeling the facility (sunglasses cum eyewear manufacturing factory and showroom): In Progress
Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
Generating capital from family members: Completed
Applications for Loan from the bank: In Progress
Writing of Business Plan: Completed
Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
Printing of Packaging, Marketing/Promotional Materials: In Progress
Recruitment of employees: In Progress
Purchase of eyewear making machines and equipment: Completed
Purchase of the Needed furniture, racks, shelves, computers, electronic appliances, office appliances and CCTV: In progress
Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
Creating Awareness for the business both online and around the community: In Progress
Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement (License): Secured
Opening party planning: In Progress
Compilation of our list of sunglasses and other eyewear products that will be manufacturing: Completed
Establishing business relationship with vendors – suppliers of sunglasses and other eyewear making raw materials: In Progress