STARTING A BUSINESS
STARTING A BUSINESS
What is it about?
This learning path is tailored specifically for performance and learning professionals who want to become entrepreneurs. It answers basic about starting your own performance improvement (PI) business and maps out crucial first steps.
What topics will be covered?
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When to start a PI business
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Characteristics of successful PI business owners/entrepreneurs and our self-assessment inventory
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Deciding whether to go full-time or part-time
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Where to find PI business ideas and how to know if they are good ones
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Setting PI business goals (business planning)
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Identifying your area of expertise
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Identifying your target market and customers
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Identifying funding needs
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Exploring business ownership options (sole proprietorships, franchising, acquiring an existing business)
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Choosing a name and filing the paperwork
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Creating your business plan, executive summary, pitch deck and 30-second pitch
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Why some PI businesses fail
Reviewing and growing your business
Reviewing and growing your business
What is it about?
This learning path focuses on planning the future of your Performance Improvement (PI) business. It is business planning in a PI context. No more hearing about capital investment ideas more relevant for a manufacturing plant! This provides advice and examples that work for business to business performance and learning providers.
What topics will be covered?
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Where are you today? Conducting a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) to review your:
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Attendees
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Clients / market
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Service deliveries
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Course deliveries
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Trainers & support staff
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Expertise
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Marketing
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Finances
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What do you want to offer?
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Planning your actions to get there
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Developing yourself as a professional
Developing yourself as a professional
What is it about?
This learning path identifies ways to update and grow your skills as a performance and learning professional.
What topics will be covered?
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The differences between a career and a job
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Growing through continuing education and professional development
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Growing through networking
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Growing through mentorship and coaching
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The value of professional associations
Marketing your business
Marketing your business
What is it about?
This learning path focuses on winning new work and improving sales of your Performance Improvement (PI) services. It is sales and marketing training in a PI context. No more hearing about marketing ideas better suited for restaurants! This learning path is customized for business to business performance and learning providers.
What topics will be covered?
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Creating a marketing plan
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Online marketing options/social media
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Networking for success (basics on how, key associations to investigate, contacting old employees/clients)
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Understanding the marketing cycle and how people buy consulting and training services
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The six P’s of marketing your PI services
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The basics of branding
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Strategies for small budgets
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How to build a presence in the marketplace using traditional, internet and social media marketing
Operating a successful business
Operating a successful business
What is it about?
This learning path addresses the ongoing operations of a Performance Improvement (PI) business. It provides insights into the intricacies of managing a PI business, from what you do when you win a large new contract to respond to a surge in demand from existing clients.
What topics will be covered?
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Leasing a space
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Building partner / vendor relationships
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Buying technology
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Running successful meetings
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Day-to-day operation
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Time management
Managing your business finances
Managing your business finances
What is it about?
This learning path focuses on the bottom line of running a Performance Improvement (PI) business: the money. Designed for people without a finance or accounting background, it examines how to tell if your PI business is actually successful, and what to do if your PI business needs funding to grow.
What topics will be covered?
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Accounting basics
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Using financial statements to monitor business health
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Where to find business funding (banks, friends and relatives, crowdsourcing)
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Developing solid financial projections
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Managing cash flow
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Repaying loans
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Record-keeping options (forms or software)
Winning new business
Winning new business
What is it about?
This learning path helps performance and learning professionals win new work by providing insights into efficient, effective proposal writing and relationship selling.
What topics will be covered?
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Relationship selling
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Looking abroad, beyond your region or country
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How to identify opportunities other than via networking (job boards, government or large organizations)
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Large organization contracting processes (RFI, RFQ, RFP)
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Partnering for proposals
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Proposal writing tips for large and small organizations (differences of approach)
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Pricing for proposals, costing services, determining a competitive selling price
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Creating levels of effort
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How much detail to include in proposals (large vs small clients)
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Negotiation
Managing staff
Managing staff
What is it about?
This learning path addresses the human element of running a PI business: how to staff the company and how to keep everyone working toward common goals.
What topics will be covered?
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Staffing - contractors vs full-time employees, partners
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People management: Hiring and managing your first employee
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Working with contractors
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Setting goals
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Giving clear directions
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Giving feedback
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Staff development
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Delegating
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Incentivizing others