All$-$Star Real Estate Inc. is a relatively new licensing and educational business on the outskirts of downtown Vancouver. Currently, it is housed in a three$-$story building with twelve presentation$/$ training$/$assessment rooms $($on average, each room has $27$ seats$).$ As Vancouver is a real estate hotbed with lots of real estate activity, the ownership and management are trying to find ways of expanding business operations. Hence, they have contracted you, a talented team of MBAs with accounting$/$finance expertise, to supply a business report analyzing the current issues faced by the business with specific, detailed recommendations.

All$-$Star attracts a mix of local and international customers. The institution offers competitive licensing and course$/$workshop enrollment rates to similar, smaller$-$sized businesses in the region, but All$-$Star has benefitted from the highest growth rate and, hence, now enjoys the largest employee and customer groups. The business has quickly filled to nearly $100\%$ of its physical capacity in three short years $($some availability must be maintained for emergency meetings and events$).$ Hence, it needs to explore expansion options so that it can continue to serve new customers and generate higher profits.

Based on sales data and surveying of customers, the top motivation for entering business with All$-$Star is to obtain realtor or real estate appraisal licensing$-$ this is often the main goal of local customers. However, a close secondary goal for individuals outside the country has been to understand Vancouver real estate better. With this knowledge, they can make better investments or help wealthy clients, friends, and family members back home achieve their investment objectives in the Vancouver area. Some customers have even reported that they have opted to move to Vancouver after enrolling in a course with All$-$Star and seeing the beautiful city!

The sales data and survey results have the marketing director, Shelly, reconsidering the business$$s marketing strategy. She is wondering if the business$$s marketing should promote an investment bridge, or even living bridge, into Vancouver$-$ even though there are other factors which could impact one$$s ability to move or invest here. Shelly understands that advertising should be tasteful and ethical but also wants it to be effective so that she can impress the higher ups with her work.

Local residents and news outlets have raised concern over the availability and cost of real estate in Vancouver. All$-$Star employees have heard a growing number of complaints from Vancouver residents about their part in making the local housing situation worse. Although they have pointed out that All$-$Star also offers workshops and courses on real estate development, and others on renting units out, All$-$Star seems to continue to get its share of hate in the city. Shelly wants advice on how the business can market itself for growth and still improve its brand locally.

A real estate oversight board, managed by the BC government, has recently warned All$-$Star that it will be regulating the growth of such businesses$/$industries more closely in the upcoming year. In fact, it is highly likely that All$-$Star would need to cap customer numbers at end$-$of$-2024$ levels. Hence, management believes this to be the business$$s final real opportunity to grow without restrictions from the oversight board. The business$$s President, Don, is urging you to analyze two options under consideration carefully and give a detailed recommendation.

As a starting point for analysis of expansion plans, Don is suggesting that you look at the financials for the year just ended. At the end of the year, the business had $2,420$ currently$-$enrolled customers $($the year had started with $1,780$ customers$)$ and had delivered over $400$ courses$/$workshops in the year!

Figure $1$: Selected revenues and expenses for $2023$:

Revenues $$22,600,000$

Salary expense$-$ Admin$/$staff $4,300,000$

Salary expense$-$ Trainers $5,200,000$

Salary expense$-$ Executives $1,900,000$

Rent expense $3,000,000$

Marketing expense $1,400,000$

Interest expense $800,000$

Supplies expense $300,000$

Other expenses $200,000$

Don mentioned that he considered the building$$s rental agreement to be quite favourable as the landlord has been great at addressing the institution$$s needs in a timely manner. Since the business moved to the space a year ago, many of its operating expenses have been included in the rental agreement including internet, electricity, natural gas$/$heating$.$ The only significant recurring expenses All$-$Star covers are security and janitorial services$-$ the admin$/$staff salary expense includes three security guards $($one for each floor$)$ and two janitors. Don mentions that as the business has roughly doubled in size over the past year, the following expenses have also roughly doubled:

$$ Salary expense$-$ Admin$/$staff

$$ Salary expense$-$ Faculty

$$ Supplies expense

$$ Other expenses