Cayman Islands edition

Every plan starts with the place. Read Cayman Islands as your customer does before you choose a sector.

• A small island economy built on finance, tourism and construction. Most goods are imported, so freight and duty shape every price.
• No income tax, so costs sit in duty, licence fees, rent and pay. Work out landed cost for every item.
• Many workers are on work permits; hiring rules favour local hiring, so check them.
• Small market: one strong niche beats a broad range. Word of mouth is powerful.

Activity. Write a one-page market page with sources and dates. Ask two local people to correct it.

Standard to meet. Cite a source and a date for every line, have two local readers confirm the facts, and name one risk with a response.

The global list has 75 sectors in 8 clusters. Pick by local fit, not by fashion.

• Cluster A, Online selling and marketing: Fit for imported-goods retail and subscriptions; plan duty, freight and delivery times by sea or air.
• Cluster B, Technology and digital services: Fit for services to firms and finance companies: security, privacy, cloud, testing and IT support.
• Cluster C, Health, care and wellbeing (regulated): Regulated. Practise only with the right licence and registration. This course teaches planning, not practice.
• Cluster D, Mobility, aerial and space (regulated): Regulated; airspace, harbour and road rules are strict. Boat and charging ideas fit tourism; plan on paper first.
• Cluster E, Energy, building and environment: Strong fit for solar, water and plastic alternatives: costly imported energy and fragile reefs raise the value.
• Cluster F, Food and farming: Strong fit for vertical farming and ghost kitchens: imported food is costly and land is limited.
• Cluster G, Money services (regulated): Regulated money services; plan as a partner of a licensed firm only.
• Cluster H, People and business support: Coaching, coworking and outsourcing fit a finance-led island with many small advisers.

Activity. Rank six sectors from at least three clusters. Choose one and write the reason in three lines.

Standard to meet. Score six sectors on five criteria, state the reason for your choice, and mark any regulated sector as planning only.

Rules differ by place. Check current rules with a licensed local adviser before you act for real.

• A trade and business licence is needed before trading; the type depends on the activity and on who owns the business.
• Ownership and work-permit rules can affect who may start and who may be hired; check them first.
• Companies are registered with the registry; keep the registered office and yearly filings current.
• Some activities (food, health, money, tourism) need extra approval; list yours before the first order.

Activity. Build a licence table for your chosen sector with issuer, cost, time and the date checked. Do not apply; this is a plan.

Standard to meet. Complete the table with a public source for every row, put the steps in a logical order, and write one question for an adviser.

Trust is the real product. Protect customer data and keep your promises in writing.

• The data protection law sets eight principles; read the plain-language guide from the regulator.
• Say in plain words what you collect and why; give a way to see and correct it.
• Report a data breach quickly and keep an incident log.
• Many customers are overseas finance and tourism clients: keep a list of every place customer data goes.

Activity. Write the five-line notice and a data map for your plan. Ask a peer to find any gap.

Standard to meet. Write the notice in plain words, list every tool in the data map, and write and date the refund and complaint steps.

Go where your customers already are, in the language they use. Language: English; Spanish helps with some staff and customers.

• Channels: word of mouth, messaging apps, hotel and tourism partners, local social groups.
• Language: English first; add Spanish for community offers.
• Payments: bank transfer and local payment methods; show prices in KYD with landed cost explained.
• Trust: licence number, local address, delivery days and a refund note on every page.

Activity. Test two channels with 20 people. Record results in a table and write the next change.

Standard to meet. Test has a start and end date; results are counted, not guessed; one change is chosen and justified.

Know your numbers in KYD. Tax rule in one line: No income tax or sales tax; import duty and fees are the main costs; check the current rates.

• Write KYD next to every number.
• Contribution per unit = price minus the cost of each unit.
• Break-even units = fixed monthly cost divided by contribution per unit; round up.
• Add tax and duty explicitly; never bury them in a price.
• Check against a worse case: if sales are 25% lower, do you still cover costs?

Activity. Build your own sheet in KYD: price, unit cost, fixed cost, contribution, break-even and a 25% worse case. Put the tax and duty rules in a separate line with a source.

Standard to meet. Complete all six lines of the sheet in KYD, have a peer check the arithmetic, and show the worse case.

Plans become real through people. Hire, partner and write every promise down.

• Work permits and local-hiring rules apply; plan time for approvals before a start date.
• Pension and health-insurance contributions apply to staff; check the rates and budget them.
• Seasonal tourism swings need flexible staffing; write a seasonal roster.
• Partner with a local training body or business chamber to find helpers and to practise.

Activity. Write one role card and one partner letter (what each side gives). Role-play a first meeting for 10 minutes.

Standard to meet. Write a role card with pay in local currency, hours and a review date, balance the partner letter, and keep signed copies of both.

Finish with a one-page launch plan and a plan to review it every month.

• Dates: first test, first order, first review.
• One measure per week: enquiries, orders or revenue; pick one.
• A monthly review: what we planned, what happened, what we change.
• Keep a risk list with a response for each; include a rules change.
• Local caution: Import duty can change a price by a lot: always work in landed cost.

Activity. Write the launch page and present it to two people for 10 minutes. Record their questions and your answers.

Standard to meet. Plan has dates, one weekly measure, a go or no-go rule and a risk list; presenter answers three questions with evidence.