1. 1
www.bixal.com – 3050 Chain Bridge Rd., Suite 310, Fairfax, VA 22030 – P. 703-634-5701 – F. 703-634-5745
PERSONAS
CLIENT: BusinessUSA
PROJECT: Strategic Marketing
DATE: November 26, 2014
PERSONAS OVERVIEW AND INTRODUCTION
The following initial personas were developed based on the persona and audience segmentation
workshop held on November 17, 2014 with input from the joint BusinessUSA and Bixal marketing team.
These personas are intended to serve as the starting point for future persona development, but reflect
BusinessUSA’s more immediate need to focus on users that fall in the three categories ranging from
potential entrepreneurs to more mature small businesses.
The intent is to further refine these personas once interviews with users and other stakeholders have
been conducted. Additional personas will be created and refined in the weeks and months ahead,
based on interviews, research and additional input from BusinessUSA.

2. 2
Derek
Pre-revenue companies – potential
entrepreneurs with no revenue
MeetDerek
Derek works as an accountant, but dreams of
opening a craft brewery. On the weekends, he likes
to go to beer festivals and tastings at local watering
holes. Derek likes to research beer trends and news
online when taking a break at work. He spends
hours reading articles about others who have
opened their own microbrewery. He may research possible locations to
start his business, different types of beer to make, or potential
company names, but does not fully understand what is involved in
launching a business.
Derek has saved money needed to start his venture, but is very
nervous about leaving the security of his desk job. He needs to look
into financing options, as well as decide if he can afford to start his
venture full time from the beginning. If he had a better understanding
about how others had made a similar transition, he would be better
prepared on how to proceed. Derek is technically proficient and has no
trouble navigating the Internet.
Derek’s Barriers
• Derek does not know whether he should
start his business full-time or work up to
it
• Derek does not have any experience
starting a business
• He does not know how to create a
business model or which business
model is most relevant to his plans
Goals and Objectives
• Explore pertinent articles
• Consultations with an experienced
general counselor
• Connect with other people in similar
situations
• Understand what the first steps are to
beginning a small business
• Browse inspiring and engaging stories
about others in similar situations
BusinessUSAcontent that Might
Appealto Derek
Existing
• Start a business
• Access financing
• Trade shows and other networking
events for would-be entrepreneurs
New
• Articles on industries, customer
demographics, projections and success
stories
• Information on how to pitch to investors
• Information on how to market and sell
BusinessUSA’s Messaging Strategy
• Starting a new business is not as
complicated as one might think;
BusinessUSA can walk you through it
PersonalInfo:
Age: 43
Location: Chicago, IL
Education: Master’s
Degree
Phase: Dreamer
Industry: Food & Beverage
Salary: $90K
Online Hours: 40+ a week
Web Skills: Advanced

3. 3
Sophia
Early startup (0-3 years) – organizations with $0-
1 million in revenue and under 100 employees
Meet Sophia
Sophia fell in love with plants and flowers early in
life; she grew up spending her free time weeding
and pruning alongside her sisters. After much
encouragement from family and friends, she took
the plunge to open her own landscaping company.
Business has slowed down a little over the past few
months and walk-in traffic has decreased. She
wants to research new marketing ideas to drum up
more business but is not sure where to start.
Sophia is not very tech-savvy. She uses the Internet
when she needs to, but would rather obtain
professional guidance over the phone or in person.
She wants her company to grow steadily and
healthily and is interested in finding out what is
available to her as a minority woman business
owner. She is also bi-lingual, and interested in
resources in English and Spanish.
Sophia’s Barriers
• Sophia is not very comfortable finding
information on the web and needs some
help finding relevant answers to her
growing list of questions
Goals and Objectives
• Generate more revenue
• Learn about the opportunities available
to women and minority business owners
• Become educated on marketing best
practices
• Sit down for an in-person meeting with
an experienced business counselor
• Connect with other people in similar
situations
BusinessUSA’s Messaging Strategy
 Tools and resources for maximizing
opportunities for growth that are easy to
understand and apply
BusinessUSAContentthat Might
Appealto Sophia
Existing
• Access financing
• Contracting opportunities
• Events
• Request an appointment
• Content aimed at women and minority-
owned businesses
New
• Articles on industries, demographics,
projections and success stories
• Interactive checklists
• Information on how to market and sell
PersonalInfo:
Age: 32
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Education: High school diploma
Group: Woman-owned, minority-owned
Phase: Managing, growing
Industry: Service
Salary: $40K
Online Hours: 10+ a week
Web Skills: Intermediate

4. 4
Erica
Mature small business (3 years+) – organizations with $1-20 million in
revenue and under 100 employees
Meet Erica
Erica manages a successful 12-year-old company that produces women’s
clothing. She has her bachelor’s degree in fashion design and continues to
learn about marketing, sales and management through online courses, books,
and from colleagues. She also keeps up with current fashion trends by reading
blogs and magazines and attending fashion merchandising events.
Erica’s clothing line has become more popular in the U.S. and she
has recently been considering exporting to other countries. She
started researching trends and styles overseas, but is not sure what
kind of regulations there are or what steps to follow to get started.
Erica also employs nearly two dozen individuals, and therefore has
questions about health insurance for her employees in accordance
with the Affordable Care Act.
Erica is very comfortable with technology and teaches herself how to
use new programs that she finds useful. She is very active on social
media, does her research and shopping online, and is more
comfortable chatting online with a customer service representative
than talking on the phone or in person. She is interested in finding the
correct answers quickly.
Erica’s Barriers
• Erica wants to grow and expand her
business but does not know where to
find the right information
• Erica is impatient in getting answers
Goals and Objectives
• Learn exporting best practices
• Learn about the laws and regulations
concerning exporting
• Generate more revenue
• Acquire a step-by-step checklist that will
lay out her plan
• Connect with people who have been
successful in similar situations
• Business matchmaking
BusinessUSA’s Messaging Strategy
• BusinessUSA can help businesses
expand by maximizing opportunities and
avoiding growing pains
BusinessUSAContentthat Might
Appealto Erica
Existing
• Exporting
• Events
• Regulations
• Taxes
• Healthcare
New
• Articles on industries, demographics,
projections and success stories
• Interactive checklists
• Economic indicators
• Succession planning
• Product development strategies
Personal Info:
Age: 46
Location: New York, NY
Education: Bachelor’s
degree
Group: Established
business, woman-owned,
Phase: Managing, growing
Industry: Retail
Salary: $58K
Online Hours: 40+ a week
Web Skills: Advanced