Archive for September 2011
Business Management, Review and Planning
As a consequence of the global economic downturn businesses have experienced reduced turnover, shrinking margins, decreased consumer confidence and in some instances, restricted access to finance. These challenges are placing pressure on business management to reassess how they position themselves in the market place and refine their operational activities to achieve a higher level of productivity.
While this type of business management review is daunting and relatively time consuming, it is extremely important to commence early and in a coordinated manner.
By adopting an approach that incorporates a review of the company’s strategic direction, corporate governance systems, resource bundle and operational performance a business will achieve an outcome that maximised future economic potential while mitigating risks. In addition, the business manager will be in a position to engage key stakeholders (i.e. accountant, financier, financial adviser and solicitor) to ensure their benefit to the business is maximised.
Given the huge changes in the business environment, revisiting the company strategy will enable the business to identify opportunities that may not have been evident six months ago. Expansion through mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures alliances or organic growth will be a viable strategic option for some businesses while maintenance of position or scaling down will suit others.
When making strategic decisions the principal decision makers have to take into account the feasibility of their options. This process includes understanding the corporate governance systems, resources and internal processes required to implement the strategies. It also requires an objective appraisal of the past and future financial performance of the business to ensure it is capable of achieving forward expectations within the current business environment.
In the recent past this process was undertaken in April or later however in times of volatility and uncertainty it is important to have an early and clear perspective of your future direction to ensure the businesses key stakeholders understand where it is going and what will drive the financial performance. Therefore it is strongly advised to commence this process in February or March to give your financier, accountant and financial planner sufficient time to understand the business management plan, including the operational assumptions and financial budgets, so they can add value to the business well in advance.
Risk mitigation is a major benefit to the business that arises from early planning. This is achieved through the alignment of the business strategy to the current business environment and the capability of the business. During the planning process TCB Solutions conducts a range of assessments that identify operating risks, develops mitigation strategies and promote business flexibility.
Remember:
Planning, Preparation and Presentation Prevents Poor Performance
Small Business Grants – How to Get One
Every new entrepreneur dreams to take his business to huge heights but most of them fail to realize their goals. Lack of capital is a very important reason along with poor plans and marketing. But if the marketing ways are good enough, then it would be really unfair if their business fails only because of low funds. For this, many grants are available so as to boost their business.
It is necessary to realize which type of finance is most required and the extent to which funding is important. Then one can approach government grants, banks, big investors etc. for the capital.
Importance of business plans-
The business plan can be said as the key to small business grants. The plans give a clear idea of your goals and vision and the also the path and speed you intend to uptake to reach the target. The potential in your business is shown in your business plan and it is the plan itself, which increases the confidence of the grant distributors in you.
Presentation of the business plan-
The next important step is the presentation. Any small business grant distributor will be interested in how the money is planned to be used by you in the most efficient and economic manner, how much profit is expected with the input. Bank loaners will want to find how you intend to repay. So presentation and explanation of all these can improve the chances of grant sanction. Small business Grants are also available by rich investors. But they look out for your confidence your own business So it is important to invest one’s own personal money into the business for these investors to sanction the funding.
Eligibility for small business grants sanction-
o The location of the enterprise is one big reason for sanction of small business grants. The government wants decentralization of industries in order to avoid migration toward cities. So the small business grants are extended to those, preferably, who own a business in rural areas. Also, since it helps to raise the standard of living of the rural people, the government grant sanctioners are less rigid.
o Small business grants are readily extended to small business industries to help them grow, only if they have a potential.
o Small business grants bodies have their own objectives and give grants to those satisfying them in the best possible manner.
Reasons for failure of sanction-
If the grant bodies do not see potential in the business or if the field of research is nowhere connected to their objectives or if the business plan seems to be unreal, grant is not sanctioned to such small businesses.
It is said that help comes only if you look for it in the right place and only if you deserve one. And this is equally true for a grant to be sanctioned. State governments, trustee bodies etc. groups sanction grants from time to time to those who really need them. The only necessity is to prove one’s own potential to them. Sometimes these grants turn small aspirants into powerful, ruling businessmen.
Business Plan: The Simplest Business Plan Ever
If you’re a solo professional like I am, you know how tough it is to find any time at all to do any business planning. Doing a full business plan is a must if you’re planning to seek financing or investors, but most solo professionals don’t need anything that complicated.
Don’t get me wrong, business planning is one of the most important things you need to do to succeed in your one man or woman show. Without planning you’ll drift aimlessly from one crisis to the next and one idea to the next, never really getting anything done.
So, what’s a solo pro to do? Here’s what I do in my own business:
My business plan consists of one page with very little on it. It simply lists the three goals that I must achieve this year. Then, I list a statement for each goal: To achieve Goal #1 I need to….This is followed by two to five activities or action items I need to do to make that happen.
That’s it. That’s the whole plan. The beauty is the simplicity. I simply cannot handle more than that. I don’t have a staff. I don’t have “people”. Everything has to be structured so that I can get it done simply and systematically.
So, let’s say one of my goals is to increase sales by a certain number, like $25,000. I then ask myself, “What do you need to do to make that happen?” Maybe I want to develop an ebook or add a new service. How many potential or current customers will I need to reach? How much time will I need to develop the book or service? How will I market it?
From those answers, I develop my schedule. What do I need to do monthly, weekly, daily? I break it up into small pieces that take an hour or less. For example, if I decide I need to send out 100 marketing postcards in a month, I break it into 25 cards a week. Then, I put it on my schedule each week, just as I do my appointments with clients.
To keep myself on track, I place my mini plan in front of my keyboard so every morning it’s the first thing I see. I also include a note to myself. It reminds me that “Nothing Else Matters.” I follow it with my company slogan: Get Knowledge. Get Focus. Get Results.
Complex plans take tons of time to develop and many (if not most) end up gathering dust on a shelf. Using a simple plan improves your focus and helps you to achieve great results.