1. Wakefield Business Support Programme and Me I was a career civil servant until 2011. Last year I went along to the launch of Wakefield Business Support Programme and since then they have helped me every step of the way. I am grateful for not only financial support through an Enterprise Development Grant, but also the invaluable and intensive business mentoring I have received from the Council in the last few months. From support with my business plan to providing opportunities to deliver business insights and knowledge to other enterprises, the support from the programme has been both extensive and of high quality. My business is now growing at a pace which would not have been possible without the Business Support Programme.

2. Wakefield Business Support Programme and Me GuideDotYou Change Solutions is a small business, with modest medium term growth plans, then big ambitions in the long term. I am already growing my network of associates, through whom a broad range of support services, products and tools is available to other businesses. I fully intend to play my part in creating jobs and prosperity in the district. I have already received some volunteer assistance, helping people of different abilities to learn new skills and gain experience. Before too long, I hope to be able to offer more formal work experience opportunities, take on an apprentice, and eventually employ people from the Wakefield area, to help deliver my vision. 3. Organisational Health Diagnostics 4. Basic Steps In Problem Solving 1. Define the problem and establish an improvement goal. 2. Collect data. 3. Analyze the problem. 4. Generate potential solutions. 5. Choose a solution. 6. Implement the solution. 7. Monitor the solution to see if it accomplishes the goal. Courtesy of British Standards Institution's Standards in Action 5. Data courtesy of our partners, Business On, Ltd Businesses could do better 5% Are failing due to hidden weaknesses 20% Could double their turnover and profits 75% Could radically improve the way their business works 6. Yes thats me! So what should I do? Get started by taking a free BIS awarded Smart Intelligent "Business Reality Check." Expertly designed and developed for use by small and medium sized businesses. Successfully used by more than 2,600 businesses. 7. What Will The Business Reality Check Give Me? An opportunity to look at your current business performance across ten critical areas: Finance, Management, Planning, Sales, Marketing, Product & Services, Employees, Technology, Business Processes Business Relationships. A downloadable, easy to read and informative report that not only tells you where you may be making some mistakes, it also tells you how you can resolve them. 8. Direction and Focus process starts Analyse data returned Recommend a Quality Improvement Programme Business embarks on Quality Improvement Programme Business appoints an Improvement Action Team Aims of Quality Improvement Programmeagreed Aims of QIP formulated by IAT Aims of QIP signed off by management board Allstaff given the opportunity to make suggestions for improvement Process for capturing staff suggestions developed and communicated by IAT Starting theProgramme Hold initial workshop for IAT Where arewe now? Aims of QIP communicated to all staff What is Quality? The Business Vision Making Quality Happen Management Commitment Board Level Input Departmental Activities commence Defining Quality for your Department A Vision of the futurefor your Department Departments supporting overall business vision Getting There Measuring Current Performance Identifying a suitable measurement framework Identifying Targets that Support the Vision Improvement Action Planning Document Targets and Improvement Action Plans Regularly measure & report performance Consider Assessment against Quality Standards, e.g. BEM, ISO9000 series Copyright: GuideDotYou Change Solutions 2014 Direction and Focus 9. Better Financial Decision Making 10. Better Financial Decision Making Key Performance Indicators - Good? Fair? Poor? What you need to see How you need to see it Tables? Graphs? Amount of detail you need What to look out for Alarm signals; Highlights Action you may need to take 11. Better Financial Decision Making Both Profit AND Cash are critical to success How often do you check them? Consider what level of Profit and Net Cash Flow would be Good, Fair or Poor Measure outcomes regularly and take action, e.g. seek repeat orders; chase up late paying customers 12. Better Financial Decision Making JPA Architects EXAMPLE Dec 2014 Result Green Amber Red Income Current Month 68k 1 0 0 Gross Profit % Current Month 56% 1 0 0 Overheads Current Month 14k 0 1 0 Net Profit Current Month 24k 1 0 0 Income Year to Date 687k 1 0 0 Gross Profit % Year to Date 48% 0 1 0 Overheads Year to Date 140k 0 0 1 Net Profit Year to Date 191k 1 0 0 Net Change in Cash Current Month 24k 0 0 1 Net Change in Cash Year to Date -15k 0 0 1 Key Performance Indicator 13. Better Financial Decision Making JPA Architects EXAMPLE Dec 2014 The increase in Overheads was due mainly to the campaign to expand operations into South Yorkshire and led to an increase in Income. From this point of view, the overspend may be seen to have achieved its aim. The growth in Income has been achieved whilst maintaining Margins. The increase in staff costs has been offset by a decrease in sub contractor costs. The expansion, however, has led to serious pressures on Cash Flow, the balance down by 15k over the year and down 72k against Budget. The negative impact on Cash Flow has been mainly due to: Debtors (up 29k against Budget), Drawings (up 27k against Budget) and Creditors (down 21k against Budget). Commentary 14. Nine Reasons Businesses Fail 15. Nine Reasons Businesses Fail! 1. Uncertainty about the long term 2. Negative cashflow 3. Failure to create long range plans 4. No competitive edge 5. Lack of a motivated team 6. No clear lead generation strategy 7. Weak sales 8. Lack of focused leadership 9. Not retaining customers 16. How we can help you avoid failure Expert consultants asking searching questions about your business High end listening and questioning skills by us; thought provoking for you Further questions asked based on your responses Creates real direction and focus Providing great clarity about your business vision and improving your self confidence Find out where you are spending your money and when 17. How we can help you avoid failure Avoid growing too quickly, which often leads to cashflow problems Gain momentum and understand your business during a four hour consultation held in one day An investor ready business plan in seven days We help eliminate overwhelming planning processes, procrastination and delay A business plan which is an extension of your voice and your thoughts 18. 19 Business is a career option for young people Signposting, inspiring, engaging, Changing Lives! 19. From sowing seeds to business maturity Signposting, inspiring, engaging, changing lives! 20. Owning a business is an option for young people too There are advantages of working for yourself over working for someone else What are the things that young people enjoy doing and could make a career out of? Examples Baking; Remote control cars; Recycling old items into new ones We can support the young to brainstorm business ideas and how they could make money from them? Helping them to visualise working for themselves doing the things they enjoy? We can help build self-confidence and help the young to rise to meet their potential 21. Can You Support The National Enterprise Challenge? 22. Improving Your Sales 23. Price It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money - that's all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better. John Ruskin 1819 1900 24. Three Steps to s Confidence Self awareness Know what the process is 25. Change Management isnt easy here are some things to help 26. Ready..set..change..! 27. Why Do People Resist Change? Organisational culture and/or climate Job security at risk Fear of the unknown Fear of failure Reward and recognition disconnect Lack of trust Previous experiences Timing and conflicting priorities 28. Where Does Change Go? Source: Prosci 29. In a Nutshell Element: Goal or objective: "The Change" To improve the organization in some fashion - for instance reducing costs, improving revenues, solving problems, seizing opportunities, aligning work and strategy, streamlining information flow within the organization Project Management To develop a set of specific plans and actions to achieve "the change" given time, cost and scope constraints and to utilize resources effectively (managing the 'technical' side of the change) Change Management To apply a systematic approach to helping the individuals impacted by "the change" to be successful by building support, addressing resistance and developing the required knowledge and ability to implement the change (managing the 'people' side of the change) 30. So What Will You Do Differently To Drive Positive Change? 31. Our Offers Free Business Reality Check, a full report and a one hour telephone consultation about the report's findings, if taken before the end of April Free 60 minute review of your Financial Key Performance Indicators A 10 minute consultation to identify your biggest challenge that prevents you creating a business plan and how you can overcome it 6 hours fully funded coaching for anyone who has a business idea but isn't trading Up to eight days of 50% ERDF funded support for Business to Business Organisations. Must employ less than 50 people, be capable of selling outside of their region and have not paid for any consultancy in the last 3 years Up to thirty hours coaching for the Directors of an established ambitious business typically around 65% funded depending on the size of the company - must employ less than 250 people Free initial consultations with Schools, Academies, Colleges and Universities wanting to set up Business Creation Programmes Free 90 minute consultations to help identify and scope your other business support needs Selected discounts for Sponsors of the National Enterprise Challenge Selected discounts for Sure Revolution Loyalty Card Holders Complete our postcard to have a chance of: 32. We Did This! With Thanks To Alistair Ruane at Chicho Marketing www.chicho.co.uk/