Clearview Hearing Center

Words in [brackets] are blanks you fill in with your own details when you adopt this sample in Supreme Plan AI.

Executive Summary

Clearview Hearing Center is an audiology clinic in Ohio. We test hearing, explain the results in plain language, fit and program hearing aids, clean ears and provide follow-up care for as long as a patient has their aids. Our audiologist holds a doctoral degree and sees each patient for as long as they need. We carry several manufacturers and are not tied to any one brand.

Hearing loss is common and often goes untreated for years. People wait because the cost seems high, they are unsure it will help or they do not know where to go. Untreated hearing loss makes conversation hard and isolates people. Over-the-counter hearing aids now exist for adults with mild to moderate loss, and many people still want an exam, a fitting and care from a professional.

Here is what our numbers show. We expect about 190 hearing aids (about 95 patients with two aids), 620 diagnostic tests, 900 battery, repair and accessory sales and 260 ear care services in Year 1, which brings in sales of $547,100, growing to $1,873,690 by Year 5. Hearing aid margins are high, about 57% after the cost of the device, and the clinic needs steady marketing to find patients. We expect a loss of about $21,800 in Year 1 and a profit from Year 2 ($144,100), growing to about $321,800 by Year 5.

We need $240,000 in total. Of that, $158,300 is startup costs (the sound booth, test equipment, the build-out, demonstration devices, licenses and setup) and the rest is cash to cover the first months. I am putting in $50,000 of my own money, and I am asking for a $190,000 SBA loan.

I am Dr. Susan Okoye, a licensed audiologist (AuD) with 12 years of experience in private practice and hospital settings. These numbers are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end of this plan, not promises.

Company Description

Clearview Hearing Center is a small, independently owned audiology clinic in Ohio, planned as a professional limited liability company. We will lease about 2,000 square feet in a medical office building near physicians, with parking and an entrance without steps.

Our mission. To help people hear better and stay connected, with honest advice and long-term care.

What we believe. Good hearing care starts with listening. We test carefully, explain results without jargon, recommend only what helps and tell patients about over-the-counter options and when they are enough. We stay with patients through the adjustment period and for years afterward.

What we offer:
- Hearing tests. A full diagnostic exam and a written report.
- Hearing aids. Prescription devices from several manufacturers, with fitting, programming and follow-up visits included for the warranty period.
- Ear care. Ear wax removal, tinnitus support and hearing protection.
- Batteries, repairs and accessories. Cleaning, repairs and devices for phone and television use.
- Community education. Free talks on hearing loss and communication.

Who we serve. Adults of all ages, mostly adults 55 and older, within about 25 miles.

What we do not do. We do not diagnose medical ear conditions without a physician and refer patients with warning signs, such as sudden hearing loss, to a medical doctor. We do not promise that hearing aids will restore normal hearing.

How we are run. I am the owner and audiologist. A front office coordinator is on the team from the start. A hearing care assistant joins in Year 2, and an associate audiologist in Year 3. A small advisory group of an ear, nose and throat physician, a patient and an accountant tells us what is working.

Where things stand today. We have a lease option, equipment quotes, a pricing sheet and letters of interest from three primary care practices, an ear, nose and throat physician and a senior center. Before we begin, our attorney will review the lease, patient agreements and return policy, and we will confirm what the state licensing board requires.

Problem & Opportunity

Many adults with hearing loss do not get help. Studies find that people often wait years from noticing a problem to getting hearing aids. Reasons include cost, stigma, not knowing where to go and uncertainty about benefits. Traditional Medicare does not cover hearing aids, though some Medicare Advantage and private plans offer an allowance.

The market has changed. Over-the-counter hearing aids for mild to moderate loss are available at stores and online, which has lowered prices and increased confusion. Many people need an exam to learn what kind of loss they have, whether a medical condition is involved and which device fits.

Patients also report that the bundled and unbundled prices of hearing aids are hard to compare, and that some retailers sell devices with little follow-up. A fitting visit, programming and several adjustments are what make hearing aids work.

For a new clinic, the barriers are equipment, a sound booth and the time needed to build referral relationships and community awareness. Marketing is a major cost.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Demand will grow as the population ages. We will use the most recent numbers for our area in our final plan and will not overstate them. We do not know how quickly patients will come, so our plan includes a large marketing budget and cash to cover the first months.

Products & Services

Clearview will test carefully, fit the right device and stay with patients after the fitting.

How it works, step by step:
1. Appointment. Patients book online or by phone, or are referred by a doctor, and receive a questionnaire.
2. Hearing test. The audiologist performs a full diagnostic exam, reviews results with the patient and family and refers to a physician when needed.
3. Recommendation. We explain the choices, including over-the-counter and prescription devices, and give a written price list that shows the device, fitting and follow-up separately.
4. Fitting. We program the devices to the patient's hearing with real-ear measurement and teach care and use.
5. Follow-up. The patient returns within two weeks and again at one month, and visits are included for the warranty period.
6. Trial period. Patients have a trial period under state rules and can return devices.
7. Ongoing care. We clean and check devices at regular visits and offer repairs and a loss-and-damage plan.
8. Quality. We track returns, follow-up visits, satisfaction and referrals.

Why this approach is strong. A careful exam, a clear price and real follow-up are what many patients lack elsewhere.

Market Analysis

Who we serve: adults with hearing concerns, mostly adults 55 and older, and the doctors and community groups that refer them.

Our primary group is adults with hearing loss within about 25 miles. We will use the census, state numbers and the most recent hearing loss prevalence research in our final plan. Our secondary group is primary care practices, ear, nose and throat physicians and senior centers.

How we sized our plan. We plan about 190 hearing aids in Year 1 (about 95 patients), 620 diagnostic tests, 900 battery, repair and accessory sales and 260 ear care services, growing to 570 hearing aids, 1,650 tests and 3,200 accessory sales by Year 5. Our Year 1 prices are about $2,050 per hearing aid (including fitting and follow-up), $120 per test, $65 per accessory sale and $95 per ear care service, rising about 3% a year.

Demand data. Letters of interest from three practices, an ear, nose and throat physician and a senior center cover about a quarter of the Year 1 devices. We do not count on any one referral source.

We do not fit devices for patients with medical warning signs until a physician has cleared them.

Competitive Landscape

Other options for patients, and what makes us different.

- Big retail hearing chains. They are large and have heavy marketing. We offer a doctoral-level audiologist who stays with the patient.
- Other independent audiology clinics. Many are excellent. We compete on access, transparency and follow-up.
- Hospital and ear, nose and throat clinics. They are trusted. We offer shorter waits and a focus on hearing care.
- Over-the-counter hearing aids. They are affordable for mild to moderate loss. We help patients decide whether they are enough.
- Warehouse club hearing centers. They offer low prices. We offer personal care and more brands.

What makes us different.
- A doctoral audiologist and plain-language results.
- Unbundled pricing that shows each part.
- Follow-up visits that are included.
- Honest advice, including when over-the-counter devices will do.

What we do not claim. We are new. Large chains have much larger marketing budgets. We plan to earn trust one patient at a time.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach patients.

Referrals. We will meet primary care physicians, ear, nose and throat physicians, speech therapists and senior center staff and offer to test patients they send. We do not pay for referrals.

Community. Free talks at senior centers and libraries, a free first screening and a seasonal hearing health day.

Online. A website with clear prices, a Google business listing with reviews, a short online hearing check and a newsletter.

Direct mail and local media. Targeted mailers to adults 60 and older and local radio. The plan budgets about $64,000 for marketing in Year 1.

Pricing. About $2,050 per device including fitting and follow-up, $120 per test and $95 for ear care in Year 1, posted on our website.

Operations Plan

How the business will run.

Setup (the 3 to 4 months before opening). We will form the PLLC, sign the lease, build out the clinic, install the sound booth and equipment, confirm the state license, set up manufacturer accounts, buy insurance and hire the front office coordinator. We will not see patients until we hold our licenses.

The clinic. About 2,000 square feet with a sound booth, two exam rooms, a fitting room and a waiting area. Rent is $3,667 a month in the plan.

Staffing. In Year 1: I serve as owner and audiologist. A front office coordinator joins from the start. A hearing care assistant joins in Year 2, an associate audiologist in Year 3 and a second in Year 5.

Costs. Hearing aids cost the clinic about $880 per device in Year 1, including warranty and accessories, and diagnostic tests cost about $40 in supplies and calibration.

Records and follow-up. We keep electronic records, schedule fittings and follow-up and send reminders.

Payments. Most patients pay at fitting. Some pay through insurance or a plan allowance, and about 6% of annual sales is owed to us. We keep about 4% of annual cost of goods in demonstration and stock devices.

Insurance. We carry professional and general liability, property, cyber and workers' compensation insurance. Insurance is about $7,000 a year in Year 1.

Management & Organization

The people who will run Clearview.

Dr. Susan Okoye, owner and audiologist. A licensed audiologist (AuD) with 12 years of experience in private practice and hospital settings. She leads patient care, hiring, manufacturer relationships and finance. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)

Associate audiologist (from Year 3). Sees patients and fits devices.

Hearing care assistant (from Year 2). Supports testing, cleaning and follow-up.

Front office coordinator. Handles scheduling, insurance and billing.

Outside advisors. An ear, nose and throat physician, an attorney, an accountant, an insurance broker and a free mentor from SCORE or the Small Business Development Center.

Staff pay in this plan is a full year per person: owner and audiologist $105,000, associate audiologist $92,000, hearing care assistant $48,000 and front office coordinator $36,000. Replace them with the pay you can offer where you live.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals and when we plan to reach them.
- Before opening (3 to 4 months ahead): get at least 4 letters of interest from referral sources, get equipment and lender quotes, confirm state licensing, form the PLLC, get an EIN and open a business bank account. Sign the lease only after the lender's commitment is in hand.
- Year 1: about 190 hearing aids, 620 tests and 260 ear care services; $547,100 in sales and a loss of about $21,800.
- Year 2: about 330 hearing aids, a hearing care assistant and the first profit; $985,092 in sales and a profit of about $144,100.
- Year 3: about 440 hearing aids and an associate audiologist; $1,360,505 in sales and a profit of about $240,200.
- Year 4: about 520 hearing aids; $1,656,805 in sales and a profit of about $303,600.
- Year 5: about 570 hearing aids and a second associate audiologist; $1,873,690 in sales and a profit of about $321,800.
Growth depends on winning and keeping customers, so treat the later years as goals, not promises.

What we check every week: new patients, tests per week, fitting rate, returns, follow-up visits, marketing cost per patient and cash in the bank.

Funding Request

How much we need and how we will use it. Total we are raising: $240,000.

How we got that number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds up three things:
- Startup costs of $158,300, listed item by item in the Startup Costs section: $28,000 for sound-treated audiometric booth; $46,000 for diagnostic equipment: audiometer, tympanometer, real-ear measurement and otoscopes; $10,000 for hearing aid programming and fitting systems, computers and practice software; $32,000 for clinic build-out: exam rooms, a fitting room and a waiting area; $7,300 for lease security deposit and first month of rent; $14,000 for demonstration hearing aids and opening accessories inventory; $2,000 for state business license and professional registrations; $5,000 for attorney and accountant: patient agreements, return policies and setup; $9,000 for sign, brochures and a website; $5,000 for staff training and the first insurance payments.
- The cash the business uses before it breaks even, about $3,738: because equipment and marketing are paid for before the first sales and patients take time to find the clinic.
- A cash cushion of about $73,750: three months of Year 1 operating costs.
- Together that comes to about $235,788, rounded up to the nearest $500: $236,000.
We are raising $4,000 more than that, $240,000 in all, to cover the loan payments and the extra cash the early years take. With this funding, the lowest year-end cash balance is about $50,400, at the end of Year 1.

Where the money comes from:
- My own money: $50,000.
- SBA 7(a) loan for startup and working capital: $190,000.

Kind of funding we are looking for. An SBA 7(a) loan through a bank or community lender, plus our own equity. Lenders for an audiology clinic look at the owner's license and experience, the referral letters and the marketing plan.

How we will pay it back. We expect a loss of about $21,800 in Year 1 and a profit of about $144,100 in Year 2, then a profit of about $240,200 in Year 3, a profit of about $303,600 in Year 4 and a profit of about $321,800 by Year 5. With this funding, the business has money in the bank at the end of every year of the plan. The loan is planned at sba 7(a) loan for startup and working capital at 12.75% over 10 years, about $2,809 a month. That is about $2,809 a month in all, and it is already included in our cash flow. We chose these as cautious planning rates; ask the lender for the real rates, which may be lower or higher.

What we are offering the lender: a personal guarantee, a lien on the equipment and business assets and the signed lease.

A smaller first step, if needed. If we cannot raise the full amount right away, we can start smaller and grow into this plan:
- Phase 1: start in a shared office or part-time space, which lowers build-out and rent.
- Phase 2: once you have steady referrals, move into your own clinic and follow this plan.
To plan the smaller start, make a copy of this plan (use Duplicate) and lower the numbers to match.

All numbers in this plan are estimates. We will update them as real results come in.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach before you send this plan:

- Your resume, audiology license and certifications.
- A personal financial statement (a list of what you own and what you owe; lenders usually provide a form).
- Business registration papers and your EIN (your business tax number from the IRS, free at irs.gov).
- The lease or lease option and a floor plan.
- Equipment and sound booth quotes.
- Manufacturer account agreements.
- Insurance quotes or proof of insurance.
- Your price list, patient agreement and return policy.
- Letters of interest from referral sources.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Hearing Aids (per device): about $2,050 in Year 1, rising to $2,307; about $880.00 in direct costs, rising to $990.45; about 190 in Year 1, growing to 570.
- Diagnostic Hearing Tests: about $120 in Year 1, rising to $135; about $40.00 in direct costs, rising to $45.02; about 620 in Year 1, growing to 1,650.
- Batteries, Repairs and Accessories (per sale): about $65.00 in Year 1, rising to $73.16; about $22.00 in direct costs, rising to $24.76; about 900 in Year 1, growing to 3,200.
- Ear Wax Removal and Other Services: about $95.00 in Year 1, rising to $107; about $24.00 in direct costs, rising to $27.01; about 260 in Year 1, growing to 950.
- Hearing aids about $2,050 each in Year 1 including fitting and follow-up, with about $880 in device and warranty costs; tests about $120 with about $40; accessories about $65 with about $22; ear care about $95 with about $24, rising about 3% a year.
- Pay (a full year, per person): owner and audiologist (aud) $105,000; associate audiologist $92,000; hearing care assistant $48,000; front office coordinator $36,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: clinic lease $44,000, utilities $4,000, professional liability and general insurance $7,000, practice management software $5,000, marketing, community seminars and direct mail $64,000, equipment calibration and maintenance $4,000, accounting and legal $5,000, supplies $6,000, licenses and continuing education $3,000, payroll taxes and benefits (staff) $12,000. These grow between 3% and 12% a year.
- Startup costs and equipment ($158,300 in Year 1, then $4,000, $4,000, $5,000, $5,000) are spread evenly over five years in the plan's books.
- Customers and payers pay about 22 days after service. Income tax at 21%.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and research.

Startup Costs