BEAT THE BANK
Dual Business Showdown
Can you make smarter choices than the bank expects?
Grades 7–12 Workshop
TWO FAMILIES, ONE CHALLENGE
FAMILY A — THE FARM
Inherits 40 acres, 15 min south of Saskatoon
Wants to start a U-Pick farm
�Needs the total of $120,000
FAMILY B — THE CITY
Inherits $80,000 in cash
Wants to open a drink shop on 8th Street
Needs the total of $120,000�
The bank ALWAYS gets paid. Can YOU earn more than the bank takes?
HOW TO PLAY
4 VOTES
You'll vote 4 times — each choice changes your business's fate
HOLD UP YOUR CARD
⬜ White • 🟠 Orange • 🟢 Green
MAJORITY WINS
The most popular color decides the path
BOTH BUSINESSES
You're running the Farm AND the City shop
THE FARM
40 acres south of Saskatoon — what will you grow?
FARM
What should we grow?
Each crop has different startup costs, season lengths, and earning potential. Choose wisely — this decision shapes everything that follows.
Saskatoon Berries
Startup: $35,000
Season: 6 weeks
Expected: ~2,500 visitors
✓ Local brand, premium price ($25 avg)
✗ 2–3 year wait for full yield
Strawberries
Startup: $22,000
Season: 3 weeks
Expected: ~4,000 visitors
✓ Proven demand, low startup
✗ Very short season
Pumpkin Patch
Startup: $25,000
Season: 5 weeks (fall)
Expected: ~3,500 visitors
✓ Instagram-friendly, corn maze!
✗ Fall only, weather dependent
FARM
VOTE 1 — What do we grow?
Hold up your card NOW!
⬜ WHITE
Saskatoon
Berries
Premium price
6-week season
$35K startup
🟠 ORANGE
Strawberry
U-Pick
Proven demand
3-week season
$22K startup
🟢 GREEN
Pumpkin Patch
+ Corn Maze
Instagram-ready
5-week fall season
$25K startup
FARM
How should we price it?
Higher prices mean more money per customer but fewer customers show up. Lower prices bring crowds but tighter margins. What's the sweet spot?
PREMIUM
1.5× base price
Only 70% show up
Base Revenue × ?
MID-RANGE
Standard price
100% show up
Base Revenue
VALUE
0.65× base price
150% show up!
Base Revenue × ?
The math: Revenue = Price per customer × Number of customers
FARM
VOTE 2 — Pricing Strategy
Hold up your card NOW!
⬜ WHITE
PREMIUM
Charge more
✗ Fewer customers
✓ Higher revenue per visit
🟠 ORANGE
MID-RANGE
Standard pricing
Steady customers
Balanced approach
🟢 GREEN
VALUE
Charge less
✓ Lots of customers
✗ Tight margins
THE CITY
8th Street, Saskatoon — what drink shop will you open?
CITY
What drink shop do we open?
8th Street is busy, but competition is fierce. Each concept has different costs and customer bases.
Bubble Tea
Startup: $85,000
Avg sale: $8/drink
Expected: ~150 customers/day
✓ Trendy, less local competition
✗ Niche audience, seasonal?
Coffee Shop
Startup: $95,000
Avg sale: $6/drink
Expected: ~200 customers/day
✓ Huge market, daily habit
✗ Starbucks, Museo, etc.
Hybrid Concept
Startup: $110,000
Avg sale: $7/drink
Expected: ~170 customers/day
✓ Broader appeal
✗ Two supply chains, complex
CITY
VOTE 1 — What drink shop?
Hold up your card NOW!
⬜ WHITE
Bubble Tea
Trendy & unique
$8 avg spend
$85K startup
🟠 ORANGE
Coffee Shop
Proven demand
$6 avg spend
$95K startup
🟢 GREEN
Hybrid
Concept
Best of both worlds
$7 avg spend
$110K startup
CITY
VOTE 2 — Pricing Strategy
Same tradeoff — price vs. volume. Hold up your card NOW!
⬜ WHITE
PREMIUM
Artisan vibes
Fewer customers
$$$$ per drink
🟠 ORANGE
MID-RANGE
Competitive pricing
Steady traffic
Balanced
🟢 GREEN
VALUE
Undercut everyone
Packed shop
Razor-thin margins
CRISIS HITS!
Every business faces unexpected challenges. How will you respond?
Your earlier choices determine what crisis you face!
FARM CRISIS
Crisis: SASKATOON BERRIES
DROUGHT SUMMER — The driest summer in 20 years. Your berry bushes are struggling and yield is dropping fast.
VOTE 3 — How do you respond? Hold up your card!
⬜ WHITE
Buy Irrigation
System
Spend $15K now
Save 90% of crop
Long-term investment
🟠 ORANGE
Pivot to
Farm Market
Spend $5K
Buy others' fruit to sell
Only save 60% revenue
🟢 GREEN
Run Farm
Day Camps
Spend $8K on setup
Pivot to experiences
Save 65% revenue
FARM CRISIS
Crisis: STRAWBERRIES
RAIN EVERY WEEKEND — Your 3-week season is here, but it's pouring rain every Saturday and Sunday. Customers won't come to pick in the mud.
VOTE 3 — How do you respond? Hold up your card!
⬜ WHITE
Build Covered
Picking Areas
Spend $12K
Keep 85% of customers
Weatherproof!
🟠 ORANGE
Switch to
Online Orders
Spend $4K on delivery
Only keep 60% revenue
But no weather risk
🟢 GREEN
Host a Berry
Festival
Spend $7K
Create event buzz
Keep 75% revenue
FARM CRISIS
Crisis: PUMPKIN PATCH
WARM OCTOBER — It's 22°C in October. Nobody's in a fall mood. Families are at the beach, not the pumpkin patch.
VOTE 3 — How do you respond? Hold up your card!
⬜ WHITE
Go All-In on
Halloween
Spend $10K on décor
Haunted maze event
Keep 85% revenue
🟠 ORANGE
School Field
Trip Packages
Spend $3K marketing
Guaranteed groups
Only keep 60% revenue
🟢 GREEN
Add Hot Food
Stand
Spend $8K
Apple cider + treats
Keep 80% revenue
CITY CRISIS
Crisis: BUBBLE TEA
NEW COMPETITOR — A chain bubble tea shop opens just 2 blocks away on 8th Street with lower prices and a big marketing budget.
VOTE 3 — How do you respond? Hold up your card!
⬜ WHITE
Launch Loyalty
Program
Spend $5K
Reward repeat customers
Keep 80% revenue
🟠 ORANGE
Create Unique
Menu Items
Spend $8K on R&D
Stand out from chain
Keep 90% revenue
🟢 GREEN
Relocate
the Shop
Spend $20K to move
Avoid direct competition
Only keep 65% revenue
CITY CRISIS
Crisis: COFFEE SHOP
RENT HIKE — Your landlord raises rent by 20%. That's an extra $14,000/year eating into your already tight margins.
VOTE 3 — How do you respond? Hold up your card!
⬜ WHITE
Absorb the
Rent Hike
Pay $14K extra/year
Keep all customers
But profits shrink
🟠 ORANGE
Renegotiate
the Lease
Costs nothing ($0)
Keep 92% revenue
Risky — might fail
🟢 GREEN
Move to New
Location
Spend $25K to move
Lower rent area
Only keep 70% revenue
CITY CRISIS
Crisis: HYBRID CONCEPT
SUPPLY CHAIN CHAOS — Managing two supply chains (tea AND coffee) is a nightmare. Costs are spiraling and quality is dropping.
VOTE 3 — How do you respond? Hold up your card!
⬜ WHITE
Simplify
the Menu
Spend $3K redesign
Cut weak items
Keep 75% revenue
🟠 ORANGE
Find New
Suppliers
Spend $6K sourcing
Better quality & cost
Keep 90% revenue
🟢 GREEN
Pivot to
One Concept
Spend $10K rebrand
Focus = better quality
Keep 80% revenue
THE FINAL PLAY
It's September. The holidays are coming. One last decision for each business.
FARM
VOTE 4 — Year-End Strategy
Your farm's been running all season. Do you push for more or protect what you have?
⬜ WHITE
EXPAND
Borrow $20K more
Big holiday push
+40% revenue boost
High risk!
🟠 ORANGE
HOLD
STEADY
No extra cost
No extra revenue
Play it safe
Protect your cash
🟢 GREEN
ADD A
SIDE HUSTLE
Spend $8K
Farm store / market
+20% revenue boost
Moderate risk
CITY
VOTE 4 — Year-End Strategy
The holiday rush is coming. How do you play it?
⬜ WHITE
EXPAND
Borrow $20K more
Holiday drink specials
+40% revenue boost
High risk!
🟠 ORANGE
HOLD
STEADY
No extra cost
No extra revenue
Keep what you've built
Safe play
🟢 GREEN
ADD
CATERING
Spend $8K on setup
Office & party orders
+20% revenue boost
Moderate risk
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH
Let's see the numbers...
→ SWITCH TO EXCEL ←
Open the Beat the Bank spreadsheet and reveal the results!
WHAT DID WE LEARN?
THE BANK ALWAYS GETS PAID
Interest is owed whether you make money or not
EVERY CHOICE HAS A COST
Even "doing nothing" is a decision with consequences
RISK vs. REWARD
Bold moves can pay off — or wipe you out
REAL BUSINESSES FACE THIS
Every shop on 8th Street, every farm near Saskatoon
FARM
Key: How should we price it?
Higher prices mean more money per customer but fewer customers show up. Lower prices bring crowds but tighter margins. What's the sweet spot?
PREMIUM
1.5× base price
Only 70% show up
Revenue × 1.05
MID-RANGE
Standard price
100% show up
Revenue × 1.00
VALUE
0.65× base price
150% show up!
Revenue × 0.975
The math: Revenue = Price per customer × Number of customers