Blue Oceans: September 2012

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Starting with the End in Mind - Exit Strategy Series | Introduction

Many SME’s have huge potential to grow into a big business. However the majority never achieve more than average results in the small business environment. Whilst the quality of the product or service and the skills of the founder are important, what makes the biggest difference is the ability of the owner to think like a large enterprise. The most fundamental way this is expressed is in the owner’s ability, and often discipline, to stop working ‘in’ the business and start working ‘on’ the business.

Most small business owners are like politicians. They have some grand scheme of the world (their business) and they do not take the time to consider what their business would look like without them in it day by day.

Whether by design or by default, all too often the founders of small businesses make themselves irreplaceable. The reality is though if they were to be run over by a bus tomorrow, the business would most likely fail. This is singularly where most (new) entrepreneurs go wrong and it is without doubt the largest obstacle to growing a business from small to medium and ultimately a large enterprise.

Most small business owners make the huge mistake of treating their business like a job. Understandable to some degree because that is what they have given themselves. If you want a company with massive growth potential you need to turn it into a saleable asset that will be attractive to potential buyers. The business of being in business is the business!

If you are one of the 70% of small business owners hoping to use the proceeds from the sale of your business to finance your retirement you may have a problem. But it is one that can be rectified. What you need to do can’t be covered in a single blog article, so there will be more articles to cover the various topics.

What you can start doing is looking at your business as a series of processes. Define each one and once defined, become more granular and define it in even more detail, i.e. break it down into more sub-processes. Document all of this in a workflow and discuss it with someone competent to understand your business. From this you will be able to start to create systems around your products, services, and back office/internal procedures.

About Paul J. Lange:

Paul J. Lange is a business mentor and business performance coach who helps small to medium enterprise and entrepreneurs to apply big business, enterprise disciplines and solutions to gain a competitive advantage and increase profits.

Paul's 'Business DIET'© system has helped countless entrepreneurs and business owners around the world to launch start-ups, expand existing operations, and greatly improve bottom lines.

Paul is also one of Australia’s most connected management consultants, and leading business strategists, with a passion for helping corporate leaders, entrepreneurs and business owners who are committed to achieving outstanding results.

Paul’s support will help you to develop strategic direction, implement it, execute and make more money. He will have you starting to work on your business, instead of in your business, right from day one; and if you have already started down this path, he will help you to complete the transition to business owner from business manager.

Web: http://www.paullange.com.au

Twitter: http://twitter.com/pauljlange

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Empire Avenue: http://www.empireavenue.com/pauljlange

Posted via email from Blue Oceans

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Thieving Charities Ripping off Consumers Need to be Stopped

With more than 600,000 tax-exempt nonprofits in Australia, there are a lot of hands grabbing at your bank and credit card details on the hunt for donations. Beware who you give your details to because you may not be able to stop them stealing money from your account.

They say that time is the best judge of character and that is true for both people and business; especially when dealing with charities. We are all pretty much wary these days of door-to-door insurance salesmen, used car salesmen, and door-to-door bible evangelists. We should be equally cautious and wary of charities, no matter where we encounter them.

Despite huge administrative costs and even larger costs of fund-raising (in excess of 30% for many) many charities have become worse with customer service than mobile and Internet telecommunication providers. The only thing that separates them is that most of the charities don’t have call centers based out of some far-away land.

For the rest as soon as you call them or have a problem they will try every delaying tactic in the book to keep from resolving your issue. Nothing is more true when it comes to repatriating funds that have been illegally deducted from your account. I can assure I know, this has recently happened to me with a charity in Australia.

If this happens to you, you are able to take action. In Australia your first calls and communications should be the Office of Fair Trading, CTTT (Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal), and the Department of Justice. There is also a new Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission launching to act as an industry watchdog and amongst other things to stop these rogue charities from ripping off people.

For the record, I am all for giving to people in need. Only as with every opportunity in society there will always be some who demonstrate the worst attributes of human nature; the thieving grubs who hide behind their charity status and alleged doing-good banner, whose real goal is simply to rip people off in the name of charity. These people need to be stopped!!

In fact, the entire concept of charity needs to change and in creating that change address issues like this so as to bring a halt to the immoral and illegal practices of these offenders. More to follow as y personal encounter with one organisation in Australia unfolds.