Welcome to our January 2007 newsletter!

In this month's newsletter:

News from CEO David Baumgarten
Bin the business plan to accelerate your business growth
Market Segmentation
Performance planning and employee feedback

Human Resources: Recruitment and Selection explored
Setting Realistic Business Goals - Business Thursday, 1 February
Independent Contractors Act: ICA comments


DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Market Segmentation (Accelerate Your Business Growth master class) - 9 January
Performance planning and employee feedback (Accelerate Your Business Growth master class) - 18 January
Human resources - recruitment and selection explored (Accelerate Your Business Growth Brains Trust) - 19 January
Growth Planning workshop (Accelerate Your Business Growth) - 23 and 30 January
Business Thursday: Setting Realistic Business Goals - 1 February
Burwood 2007 Breakfast Series - 13 February
Combined Chambers City of Randwick 2007 Business Breakfast Series - 27 February

News from CEO David Baumgarten

Happy New Year to you. And so the 2007 journey begins.

On behalf of the team at the Clearly Business and Eastern Suburbs business enterprise centres I wish you all the business success for 2007.

Although January is traditionally a very quiet month for us, we are still providing full services. Our networking events, however, will kick off in February - more on those next newsletter.

I am sure that we have all made some New Year resolutions. Mine are to get in shape (oh, it hurts!!) and to extend and work outside my comfort zone.

For those in a service business that has been running three years plus, I have the perfect resolution: bite the bullet and work on some growth strategies. In January, we have a number of Accelerate Your Business Growth business planning workshops and growth master classes. You will find them listed on our Training Calendar.

Applications are also open for our 2007 Women in Business Mentor Program. The course will begin in late February or March. Those interested are encouraged to read the case studies on former participants available on our website - there are some really great success stories.

Our business breakfasts start again in February with the 2007 City Combined Chamber of Commerce of Randwick Business Breakfast Series and the 2007 Burwood Business Breakfast Series.

I hope you have a terrific start to the year.

David Baumgarten
CEO

Bin the business plan to accelerate your business growth

I was recently a breakfast speaker for a group of business owners. My message was: 'the traditional business plan is not an effective tool for a business in growth'. Well, did that get their attention!

A collective sigh of relief swept the room as those attending realised that they were not alone in not having a business plan, or in having a business plan that no longer seemed relevant.

For me, it reinforced our research that service businesses facing growth needed something different. What we have found most effective is a 'vision plan'.

Further reinforcement of this came from the participants of our Accelerate Your Business Growth Growth Planning workshop in December. As expected the issues that came out of the planning workshop provided the theme of the master class held in December and Brains Trust session to be held on 9 January (see next article).

The Accelerate Your Business Growth program is aimed at owners of service-based businesses, 3 to 4 years old, who are committed to business growth. We show participants how to overcome obstacles and achieve that growth, using not a business plan, but a vision plan.

The relative calm of January provides the perfect time to address growth issues in your business. Our Accelerate Your Business Growth program offers easy entry and exist pathways, and is driven by your needs and issues. Our introductory offer comprises:

• Growth Planning workshop (the first step in the program)
• issue-based master class (explore further the issues identified in the workshop)
• Brains Trust session (drill down further with our panel of experts).

You can choose from two Growth Planning workshops to be held in January, one on Tuesday 23rd and the other on Tuesday 30th.

To book a place in a January Growth Planning workshop or to obtain further details on the program see the Training Calendar or email growth@clearlybusiness.com.au.

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Market Segmentation - master class, 9 January

Fed up with being all things to all people? It's time you started to focus on high profit, high desirability target markets.

Market segmentation is the key to growing your business if you are in the 3-year plus phase. You need to find out how to segment your existing client base, how to evaluate potential markets and how to get more of the clients you want and less of the ones you don't.

This practical master class will give you a chance to work through the process with your client base, learn why not all clients are equal, and set goals for building profit through target markets.

This session will also tackle the tricky topic of positioning. Learn how to evaluate your competitors and position your business towards your competitive advantages rather than compete head to head.

Another practical diagnostic will help you see how you stack up in the positioning stakes. There will be plenty of opportunities for discussion and time allocated for practical exercises.

Marketing segmentation for a growth business 3-years plus requires a different set of skills. Linked in with the vision plan it becomes a very powerful tool to grow your business.

This master class will be facilitated by business adviser Linda Hailey

To book your place email growth@clearlybusiness.com.au or to book online visit the ESBEC Training Calendar or the Clearly Business Training Calendar.

To be eligible to attend a master class of the Accelerate Your Business Growthprogram, participants must have attended a Growth Planning workshop. Click here for more details.

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Performance planning and employee feedback - master class, 18 January

You may have successfully recruited your employees. But in this labour market, it is vital that you retain them.

This master class will familiarise you with:

• informal and formal feedback
• performance management systems
• performance planning, including action planning, to benefit the individual and your business

For further information or to book online visit the ESBEC Training Calendar or the Clearly Business Training Calendar. Alternatively email growth@clearlybusiness.com.au or phone 9089 7620.

This master class will be facilitated by Victoria Sciacca. Click here to download Victoria's profile.

To be eligible to attend a master class of the Accelerate Your Business Growth program, participants must have attended a Growth Planning workshop. Click here for more details.

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Human Resources: Recruitment and Selection explored - Brains Trust Session, 18 January

This Brains Trust session will explore on a deeper level the issues of Human Resources, including recruitment and selection.

A Brains Trust session usually takes place about three weeks after a master class. This session relates to the master class held on 18 December 2006.

Victoria Sciacca, the master class facilitator, will anchor the Brains Trust session, supported by:

• Allyson Cox, accountant
• Gary Meadows, senior solicitor from Koffel's Solicitors & Barristers. Gary brings his expertise in the new IR laws.

For further information or to book online visit the Training Calendar. Alternatively email growth@clearlybusiness.com.au or phone 9089 7620.

To be eligible to attend a master class of the Accelerate Your Business Growth program, participants must have attended a Growth Planning workshop. Click here for more details.

Setting Realistic Business Goals - Business Thursday, 1 February

Getting focused on creating the results you want is a great way to kick off 2007. We all need to work on the business, so that the work we do in the business creates the results we want.

In this first Business Thursday of 2007, participants will learn:

• why setting goals is crucial to businesses success
• why setting goals need not be an arduous process
• how to think before we leap
• a simple but effective way to set realistic business goals.

Remember to bring your business cards.

Click here for further information or to book online. Alternatively email leona@clearlybusiness.com.au or phone 9089 7620.

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Independent Contractors Act: ICA comments

The Independent Contractors Bill has been passed by the Federal Parliament and is listed to become law early this year. The Independent Contractors Act would allow most Australian independent contractors exemption from industrial relations-type regulation; and protect them from sham contract arrangements.

The Independent Contractors Association has provided comment about the Bill, and will soon provide a detailed analysis. Visit the ICA website for more information.

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Newsletter edited by Harvest Communication

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