Details
Solopreneur Business Program
- Price: 5,950 + GST
- Location: Via phone, internet and with 2 at location meetings in Greater Vancouver
- Schedule: Eleven 90 minute sessions spaced over 2 to 3 months plus 15 hours of project support.
- 9 Projects: Directly Applied Relevant Training
- Textbook: ROCK SOLID – How to Strengthen Your Company
Program Overview
Solopreneur – Business Strength Program (SBP) is a training program for individuals who are in business for themselves. It’s designed for enterprises with two or less employees. The goal is to get all the relevant details comfortably under control and process the business like a well-organized company.
The SBP is designed to help entrepreneurs understand how to create profitability and help them develop the tools to sustain it. The program also effectively addresses getting good value from their first hires and/or efficiently contracting out a portion of the workload. It’s a proven program that delivers results and solidly positions the company for profitable growth. Solopreneur – Business Strength Program was developed by BC’s most experienced business coach.
Participants must have access to a computer with Word and Excel available. Skype is optional.
High-Level Learning Outcomes for the Solopreneur – Business Strength Program
Understanding and using a selection of tools for consistent business and profitability growth. Learning and using a process for the effective organization of all business activities.
Understanding the principles of marketing and the ability to build a solid marketing program.
Develop the suite of three statements and implement a Company Promise.
Understanding a strategic planning process and problem-solving methodology.
Grading and Certification
There are 12 projects of equal weight. Each will be graded for both quality and implementation.
30% of the total course mark for project quality and 35% of the total course mark for project implementation. They will be graded as they are submitted.
There will also be a final exam worth 35% of the total course mark that covers the business concepts in ROCK SOLID – How to Strengthen Your Company.
The three sets of marks will be compiled into a letter grade and a certificate will be issued.
The 5 Main Elements – Solopreneur Business Program
Profitability Growth Practices
The tools of the trade are Business Model Analysis and Forecast & Variance Reports. Program training participants will learn how to develop and use the tools. There is also a project to be completed during the training program. Grading of the project will be included in participants’ program evaluation.
Implementing the tools by completing the project and making a positive impact on the profitability of their business will be a key component of the participant’s evaluation.
The Core Competency that this element develops is the ability to build and use a suite of financial information tools that support the development of a profitable business model. Understanding the information you need and setting up your financial information systems to deliver it.
Learning Objectives & Projects
- Understanding the Chart of Accounts
- Adjusting the Chart of Accounts for Profit Centres & Cost Centres – PROJECT
- Determining Run Rates
- Principle of Accrual Accounting
- Business Model modeling
- Finding Industry Benchmarks
- Developing a Financial Forecast – PROJECT
- Creating Variance Reports
- How to proactively address negative Variances – PROJECT
- Understanding Balance Sheet Ratios and select a few to monitor
Company Accountability Matrix (CA³M)
The CA³M is a roadmap for organizing and systemizing business operations while preparing for growth. Even in solopreneur enterprises there are a fair amount of ‘moving parts.’ The CA³M delivers a proven methodology for monitoring and consistently improving them. It also provides a system for systemizing the enterprise. The CA³M and six systems will be graded for quality.
The Core Competency that this element is the efficiently organizing of all of the functions involved in the business. It also involves effectively preparing for the first hire or perhaps contracting out some functions allowing the solopreneur to continue doing what they do best.
Learning Objectives & Projects
- Read chapters 25 through 30
- Understand how a Company Accountability Matrix works and why they’re beneficial
- Developing a ‘inventory’ of all of the company’s functions – PROJECT
- Determining the Frequency of the functions
- Evaluating the ongoing performance of the functions – PROJECT
- Assess if a function needs a system and or policy
- Develop a systemization strategy for the company
- How to write an effective system and write a minimum of 2 systems – PROJECT
- How to delegate the writing of systems
- Delegating accountability and responsibility
- Determine the appropriate communication required for the function
- Ensuring the communication takes place
- Developing Job Descriptions
BRIDGE Marketing Challenges
To grow solopreneurs need to develop solid bridges to their target markets. In this case BRIDGE is a metaphor and an acronym for developing an effective marketing plan. Each letter represents a challenge or an assignment. The challenges are not market research related: they primarily focus on finding great customers for solopreneurs existing lines of business. Participants will be evaluated on their work on all six challenges.
When all six challenges are completed then it’s straightforward to create an effective marketing plan. Participants will also be evaluated on the marketing program as a whole and the ability of their marketing pieces to attract god paying customers.
The Core Competency developed by this element is the ability to develop marketing plans that attract good customers. And how to address the solopreneur cycle: market, get busy, don’t market, slow down, market, and the cycle goes on.
Learning Objectives & Projects
Read chapter 33 on the BRIDGE Marketing Challenges
- Develop an ideal client profile
- Inventory of Benefits with Buy-in (Hot buttons) – PROJECT
- Detail prospects resistance
- Inventory of ways to initiate contact with prospects – PROJECT
- Draft a Marketing Plan – PROJECT
- Run a minimum of 2 experiments on tactics to test Return on Investment – PROJECT
- Understand the difference between customer service and customer satisfaction
Company Promise
The Company Promise describes the solopreneurs core focus. All business ventures should be designed to profitably deliver value, a Company Promise succinctly describes the value and like a compass aims the solopreneur at a profitable business opportunity. Participants will be evaluated on their work in the development process and the quality of their promise.
The Core Competency developed by his element is the ability to create a focus for the business that’s aimed at a profitable business opportunity. Often adjustments in the early stages of growth make a positive impact.
Learning Objectives & Projects
- Reading chapter 10
- Knowing the Company Promise must be aimed at a profitable business opportunity
- Learning the 4 Bases Analogy for building a profitable company
- Understanding Direct Value
- Understanding Collateral Value
- Develop and implement a Company Promise – PROJECT