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Growth Program structure

 

The Growth Program initially focuses on assisting owners to analyse their business. Participants, with individual mentors to assist them (see mentors below), conduct an objective review of their business and its potential for growth. Often work is required to prepare the business for growth (eg laying the foundations for growth by introducing systems, solving HR issues, improving financial reporting systems, etc.)

The next phase of the Program is an accounting module for non-accountants. The vast majority of our clients are not comfortable at all with using their financial accounts to assist them manage the business. Many are not able to fully understand their P&L and Balance Sheet. This module will give you the confidence to improve financial reporting in your business and make key decisions.

Most participants find this module the most beneficial for them as it has a large (and immediate) impact on the performance of their business. The financial analysis identifies, in part, the profitable and non-profitable areas of the business. After this analysis participants often make (sometimes drastic) changes to their business to make it more profitable.

The remainder of the Program looks at leadership, HR issues, team building, marketing, legal issues and valuing the business.

We can give you anecdotes of success by participants and put you in touch with them for their first hand assessment of the program.

Practical Focus

The Growth program is practical and results oriented. Programs are kept small so that individual attention can be given. We use relevant case studies and have group discussions of issues to ensure results are being achieved.

When they give their End of Program Presentation, the vast majority of participants are able to point to several practical examples of improvements in the performance of their business.

Mentors

A unique feature of the Program is that each participant is matched with an experienced mentor. Participants spend a total of 30 hours one-on-one with their mentor (at mutually convenient times). The mentor is not a consultant and will not "do it for you". They sit at your shoulder and help you learn to do it yourself. The biblical adage of "teaching someone to fish" is relevant. Our clients often find that it is lonely at the top and they value the relationship with their mentor - particularly as the mentor can look at their business objectively and offer impartial advice. These relationships sometimes continue on for years on a private basis after the Program.

Some clients point to the relationship with their mentor as to where they got the most value from the Program.

Our pool of mentors are all involved in business or are retired after years of being in business. They are experienced at counselling and guiding small business people.

Networking and working with like minded people

One important benefit of the Program is that you are instantly plugged into a new network. You spend a full day every 3 weeks for 1 year with 20 - 25 like-minded people. Participants learn a lot from each other (particularly in the lunch room when people exchange ideas and experiences to assist each other). If you have a problem there is bound to be at least one person in the group who has faced that problem and solved it. The room is full of free consultants!

Prerequisites

Most of our clients have had little formal education and have learnt on the job. The Growth Program has been developed with this in mind and people who have not completed high school are at no disadvantage. There are no prerequisites other than having a willingness to learn and participate.

Cost

The Growth Program costs $11,000 for the 12 month course (effective 1 January 2007). There are 16 days of tuition over this period. Payment is made by an initial deposit of $2,000 and then 9 monthly instalments of $1,000.

The Growth Program is GST free.

We acknowledge that you need to be well assured that you will get excellent value from the Program before you make a commitment to join it. We are available to help you analyse the benefits of the Program and its applicability to you. We try hard to ensure that all participants get value from their investment; the vast majority do. Often their investment is recouped with one decision.

As a rule of thumb, we find that companies with less than five employees are not likely to get value from the Program. That said, we have had participants who have less than five employees (some have had no employees) and have achieved excellent results and value from the Program.

Hard sell?

No. We are not in the business of pressing people into something that is not really suitable for them. This does no one any good. The best way to get an understanding of the Program is to attend an information session where we will present the merits of the Program. We can also provide introductions to people in a similar position to you who have done the Program.

Competitors on the same Program?

We ensure that competitors are not on the same Programs so that participants can share information and experiences freely. Once someone has committed to the Program (by signing a registration form), they have the first right of refusal if we think a competitor is showing interest in joining the same Program.

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When do Programs start?

We run 3 Programs a year with up to 25 people in each. In 2007 we had 75 people in the Program. In 2008 we will run Programs in March (Growth 33), May (Growth 34) and August (Growth 35).

Scheduling of workshops

We schedule the training days to suit business people. After the initial two-day workshop, all the remaining workshops are single days (9.00am - 4.30pm). We do not train during school holidays, around Easter and the end of Financial Year. The dates for the Program are given to you before the Program begins.

We have found that business people:

    • Do not have the time to be away from the office for days on end
    • Learn more effectively if they are given two to three key pieces of information to take away and implement (rather than have five days worth of information presented to them and none of it is implemented). Delivery of the Program is quite deliberately on a "drip-feed" basis.

Program delivery

The delivery of the Program is done primarily by outside experts. Our external presenters are accountants, lawyers, management consultants and professional facilitators who all run their own businesses.

Accreditation

Most of our clients are not interested in receiving a formal qualification - they just want improvements in the bottom line. However, there is a formal postgraduate qualification available for those who wish to enrol in it. This requires the submission of some written work.

More information

Please contact Phil Doyle to get more information about the Growth Program and the next information session.