The BizGrowth Symposium was held last week and I feel that the Wednesday half-day session was a success for the farmers who attended. NMC-CREES offered three training sessions and Tony Pellegrino shared his Cargo Air Bridge program with the group. Mr. Pellegrino also talked about the progress of the slaughterhouse he has been developing.
I feel the Air Bridge will spur more farm activity by lowering the cost of shipping to Guam. In essence, this could open the doors for farmers to sell all the produce they can grow that meets quality standards. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that with lowered shipping costs, agriculture may emerge as the second most sustainable economic leg that the CNMI has to stand on. It is also an area that we have more control over than other areas of economic development.
I want to thank all the individuals, agencies, and companies that supported the BizGrowth Challenge and showed a desire to improve the economy. Individuals who attended the Thursday symposium received a lot of great information from people who are experts in their field. In the afternoon sessions Geri Willis shared her knowledge on how to find grants and apply for them, Eric Plinske shared bookkeeping methods, Frank Gibson had a lot of information to assess your human resource needs, Janel Villegas presented numerous examples on how to motivate your workforce, and Perry Conner shared his expertise on personal financial management. Ralph Yumul and Greg Calvo were on hand to answer questions about how to start a business and apply for a loan through CDA, and Dave Attao from NMC-COMPASS had some great information to improve your workforce through training.
I asked all of the individuals who attended to complete an assessment of their business in the six strategic dimensions that are part of every business. These dimensions are centered on a seventh area called “customer focus,” which is what every aspect of your business should focus on to continue to grow.
Below are the seven statements that individuals were asked to rate their business/agency. I have reproduced it below so you can assess your organization to see your score. Ask yourself what result or outcome do you most want your organization to realize in the near future as you read each statement? Rate yourself on the following seven questions on scale from 1 to 5 that best describes you level of agreement: 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree.
1. You have a customer-focused organization that strives to exceed the needs of the customer.
2. You have a cultural environment that encourages new and better ideas to help grow your business.
3. Your organization profitably creates more customers and then nurtures them to become referral-giving advocates who grow your business.
4. Your company trains and retains skilled staff who are motivated to achieve goals that grow your business.
5. Your business establishes and implements standards and systems to efficiently operate and effectively achieve results that will grow your business.
6. You create and maintain strong working relationships with the key stakeholders who contribute to the growth of your business.
7. Your organization increases revenues, decreases costs, and effectively manages resources to provide greater opportunities to grow your business.
So how does your organization rank in each of the strategic dimensions that affect every business? If you scored 31 or more points, then your company should be doing great. You may be experiencing some slow periods, but you are able to recover quickly. A score between 27 to 30 means your company is doing okay, but you should start to focus on your weaker dimensions to bring the score up. If your score is from 22 to 26 then you should quickly identify your areas of improvement and develop a plan to improve those dimensions that might hinder sustainable growth. A score of 21 or less means you are in dire need to make improvements in most, if not all of your dimensions. You must implement a turnaround strategy before it’s too late.
For the next few weeks, I will take one topic statement and give greater details on how your business can improve in that strategic dimension. This may be something that you want to share with your staff so they can contribute ideas that will help improve in each specific dimension.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Our Community Needs You
.
Over the last decade I’ve preferred to maintain a very low profile so I can keep the work I do with clients confidential. Those that know me well know I tend to be quite and like to stay out of the spotlight. However, part of my personality also keeps me from just standing by when there’s a problem and I know I can help in some way. I developed the BizGrowth CHALLENGE because the people on Saipan have been very good to me and my family over the last 14 years, and I want to give back to the community.
The Wednesday session of the Symposium went very well with Tony Pellegrino introducing his air bridge concept to local farmers. When he asked how many farmers were currently selling to Guam, no one raised their hands. By creating an inexpensive distribution channel to Guam, farmers will have a greater incentive to use their land to grow more crops. In the group that I facilitated, there was some discussion to start a farmer’s coop, and to encourage more youth to explore farming as a serious vocation. CREES offered training sessions and continues to be a major resource for farmers.
Tony Pellegrino will also share his concept with individuals attending the Symposium being offered today. The air bridge will not only benefit farmers, it will help reduce the cost of shipping between the islands and indirectly help the entire community. If you’re a businessperson, you should see several possible benefits you’ll gain from the air bridge.
For those who are still undecided about participating in the BizGrowth CHALLENGE, here are a few reasons why you should consider coming today and participating in the 12-week program:
• Learn the latest business principles for success. First of all, the entire program is focused on creating sustainable growth for your business. You will get an abundance of information over the next 12 weeks that I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars to stay current on the latest business principles, and I’ve spent thousands of hours developing for clients. Some of the concepts have been touched on briefly in my weekly column in the Tribune, but typically, only my clients that have paid me $1,200-$1,500 per month have used this material.
• Marketing using new technology. Most Saipan business are not effectively utilizing the Internet or social networks to market their business online, so you’ll get a listing in an interactive website that I’ve spent almost a year developing and testing, and that incorporates some of the best ideas from websites that are extremely popular in the U.S. This listing is good for over two months and then you can either cancel or continue, but it is just the first phase of some other powerful online marketing concepts that you’ll know about first if you’re part of the CHALLENGE.
• SWOT analysis in your 6 Strategic Dimensions. You’ll learn how to develop effective systems in the 6 Strategic Dimensions that are part of every business. These work like the systems in your body (nervous system, cardio-pulmonary system, respiratory system, etc.), and if one of these systems is malfunctioning in your business, it can have a crippling effect on the body of your organization. You can choose one, two, or three Dimensions that you want to focus on, or participate in all 6 by taking a simple inventory, evaluating the results and coming up with a game plan to strengthen it.
• Weekly online customer service training. Every week you’ll get a report – not just a few pages – but complete information to include assessments, checklists, and details in 12 critical areas of the customer service puzzle. These cover the pre-transaction, transaction, and post-transaction phases of customer service. You’ll also get articles and instructions and other materials to conduct your own training sessions with your staff. This was developed for clients on Guam, and only a few have seen it here.
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU: We are in a real crisis situation that requires a turn around, and I’m not going to pretend that I can do it alone, but I know that if enough businesses come together to make a serious attempt to turn the economy around, it can and will happen. I’ve got tremendous support from many individuals in the public and private sectors with whom I’ve shared the BizGrowth CHALLENGE mission, so I know many are interested in making a difference and helping to keep Saipan a great place to live and raise a family. I also realize that we may only make a dent in the economy at this time, but if we can start the process of rebuilding, the momentum will continue to carry us forward and create a catalyst for dramatic change in the future.
Over the last decade I’ve preferred to maintain a very low profile so I can keep the work I do with clients confidential. Those that know me well know I tend to be quite and like to stay out of the spotlight. However, part of my personality also keeps me from just standing by when there’s a problem and I know I can help in some way. I developed the BizGrowth CHALLENGE because the people on Saipan have been very good to me and my family over the last 14 years, and I want to give back to the community.
The Wednesday session of the Symposium went very well with Tony Pellegrino introducing his air bridge concept to local farmers. When he asked how many farmers were currently selling to Guam, no one raised their hands. By creating an inexpensive distribution channel to Guam, farmers will have a greater incentive to use their land to grow more crops. In the group that I facilitated, there was some discussion to start a farmer’s coop, and to encourage more youth to explore farming as a serious vocation. CREES offered training sessions and continues to be a major resource for farmers.
Tony Pellegrino will also share his concept with individuals attending the Symposium being offered today. The air bridge will not only benefit farmers, it will help reduce the cost of shipping between the islands and indirectly help the entire community. If you’re a businessperson, you should see several possible benefits you’ll gain from the air bridge.
For those who are still undecided about participating in the BizGrowth CHALLENGE, here are a few reasons why you should consider coming today and participating in the 12-week program:
• Learn the latest business principles for success. First of all, the entire program is focused on creating sustainable growth for your business. You will get an abundance of information over the next 12 weeks that I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars to stay current on the latest business principles, and I’ve spent thousands of hours developing for clients. Some of the concepts have been touched on briefly in my weekly column in the Tribune, but typically, only my clients that have paid me $1,200-$1,500 per month have used this material.
• Marketing using new technology. Most Saipan business are not effectively utilizing the Internet or social networks to market their business online, so you’ll get a listing in an interactive website that I’ve spent almost a year developing and testing, and that incorporates some of the best ideas from websites that are extremely popular in the U.S. This listing is good for over two months and then you can either cancel or continue, but it is just the first phase of some other powerful online marketing concepts that you’ll know about first if you’re part of the CHALLENGE.
• SWOT analysis in your 6 Strategic Dimensions. You’ll learn how to develop effective systems in the 6 Strategic Dimensions that are part of every business. These work like the systems in your body (nervous system, cardio-pulmonary system, respiratory system, etc.), and if one of these systems is malfunctioning in your business, it can have a crippling effect on the body of your organization. You can choose one, two, or three Dimensions that you want to focus on, or participate in all 6 by taking a simple inventory, evaluating the results and coming up with a game plan to strengthen it.
• Weekly online customer service training. Every week you’ll get a report – not just a few pages – but complete information to include assessments, checklists, and details in 12 critical areas of the customer service puzzle. These cover the pre-transaction, transaction, and post-transaction phases of customer service. You’ll also get articles and instructions and other materials to conduct your own training sessions with your staff. This was developed for clients on Guam, and only a few have seen it here.
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU: We are in a real crisis situation that requires a turn around, and I’m not going to pretend that I can do it alone, but I know that if enough businesses come together to make a serious attempt to turn the economy around, it can and will happen. I’ve got tremendous support from many individuals in the public and private sectors with whom I’ve shared the BizGrowth CHALLENGE mission, so I know many are interested in making a difference and helping to keep Saipan a great place to live and raise a family. I also realize that we may only make a dent in the economy at this time, but if we can start the process of rebuilding, the momentum will continue to carry us forward and create a catalyst for dramatic change in the future.
Changing Your Business Model
.
Have you ever thought: “I wish someone would do something to improve the economy?” Well, that time has come, and you and I can be the catalyst to do something that will make a difference and improve the quality of life here in the Mariana Islands. The economy is built on the backs of businesses, and if enough businesses make a concerted effort to grow their business, then the overall economy will also improve by increasing revenue, creating new jobs, and paying more in taxes to fund community programs and services.
There are many benefits that come from living on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, but they’re often overshadowed by the worsening economy. There have been too many business closures, the government continues austerity measures, most business owners have reduced expenses to the bone, and many are making plans to shut down. However, I believe there is still hope if we can work together.
My motivation for starting the BizGrowth CHALLENGE, and hopefully your desire to participate as a businessperson, farmer, or someone wanting to start a business, is to continue to make this a wonderful place to live and raise our children. The BizGrowth Symposium on Wednesday and Thursday is just the beginning of a 12-week program to provide ongoing assistance to your business. I’ll be doing everything on my part to help you grow your business. Plus, I’ve assembled numerous programs, individuals, activities and resources that will assist your business to move to the next level of growth. The CHALLENGE is fully guaranteed so the risk is totally on me to prove its effectiveness, but it will require some effort on your part to work ON your business, not just IN it to grow your business and realize results.
Here is just one example why I am so confident that your business will be able to achieve sustainable growth by fully participating in the CHALLENGE. There are three major components that make up your Business Model: 1) Who you serve – customers, 3) What you serve your customers – products, and 3) How you serve your customers – operations. A simple shift or change in one or more of the three components will change your business model and also the results you produce.
As you can see, the common element in all three areas focus on serving your customers; therefore, any change that allows you to serve your customer better will make a difference in your sales and profits. One of the things you will examine is the strength of your Unique Strategic Advantage, or USA. This requires you to identify the customers you now serve and those you would like to serve in the future, the benefits your products offer them, and how you operate your business in a way that adds value to the customer’s life by being friendlier, faster, or more fun and convenient than the competition. Once you’ve identified your USA, you will be able to change your business model and better serve your customers. Here are some other ways the CHALLENGE will help improve your business model:
• Receive a detailed report each week that provides numerous ideas in the 12 critical areas that cover the pre-transaction, transaction, and post-transaction phases of customer service.
• Learn how to create a simple plan that helps you identify and accomplish activities that will improve your business model and increase your sales and profits.
• Provide numerous ideas, examples, techniques, and tools that will help improve your business model and cause you to become more innovative. Innovation is critical to sustainable growth because it allows you to serve your customers better now and in the future.
Have you ever thought: “I wish someone would do something to improve the economy?” Well, that time has come, and you and I can be the catalyst to do something that will make a difference and improve the quality of life here in the Mariana Islands. The economy is built on the backs of businesses, and if enough businesses make a concerted effort to grow their business, then the overall economy will also improve by increasing revenue, creating new jobs, and paying more in taxes to fund community programs and services.
There are many benefits that come from living on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, but they’re often overshadowed by the worsening economy. There have been too many business closures, the government continues austerity measures, most business owners have reduced expenses to the bone, and many are making plans to shut down. However, I believe there is still hope if we can work together.
My motivation for starting the BizGrowth CHALLENGE, and hopefully your desire to participate as a businessperson, farmer, or someone wanting to start a business, is to continue to make this a wonderful place to live and raise our children. The BizGrowth Symposium on Wednesday and Thursday is just the beginning of a 12-week program to provide ongoing assistance to your business. I’ll be doing everything on my part to help you grow your business. Plus, I’ve assembled numerous programs, individuals, activities and resources that will assist your business to move to the next level of growth. The CHALLENGE is fully guaranteed so the risk is totally on me to prove its effectiveness, but it will require some effort on your part to work ON your business, not just IN it to grow your business and realize results.
Here is just one example why I am so confident that your business will be able to achieve sustainable growth by fully participating in the CHALLENGE. There are three major components that make up your Business Model: 1) Who you serve – customers, 3) What you serve your customers – products, and 3) How you serve your customers – operations. A simple shift or change in one or more of the three components will change your business model and also the results you produce.
As you can see, the common element in all three areas focus on serving your customers; therefore, any change that allows you to serve your customer better will make a difference in your sales and profits. One of the things you will examine is the strength of your Unique Strategic Advantage, or USA. This requires you to identify the customers you now serve and those you would like to serve in the future, the benefits your products offer them, and how you operate your business in a way that adds value to the customer’s life by being friendlier, faster, or more fun and convenient than the competition. Once you’ve identified your USA, you will be able to change your business model and better serve your customers. Here are some other ways the CHALLENGE will help improve your business model:
• Receive a detailed report each week that provides numerous ideas in the 12 critical areas that cover the pre-transaction, transaction, and post-transaction phases of customer service.
• Learn how to create a simple plan that helps you identify and accomplish activities that will improve your business model and increase your sales and profits.
• Provide numerous ideas, examples, techniques, and tools that will help improve your business model and cause you to become more innovative. Innovation is critical to sustainable growth because it allows you to serve your customers better now and in the future.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Networking for Results
It’s obvious that networking can help you with your career and business. Networking offers two or more parties the opportunity to connect for mutual benefit. There will be a couple of exciting networks that you can be a part of at the BizGrowth Challenge Launch Symposium next week. The first is the Outsourcing Network on Wednesday, June 22nd and then the Barter Network on Thursday, June 23rd.
Outsourcing Network
Do you have a skill, knowledge, education or talent that you are willing to share for payment on an as-needed basis? Are you unemployed or not working enough hours to provide for your needs? The Outsourcing Network is a new concept that is based on hiring individuals who obtain a business license and then contract their work on a project basis, which allows businesses to get the help they need without having to hire additional full- or part-time employees. It also allows those who can get a business license to work for residential and business people on a contract basis.
The individuals are paid an agreed upon amount per hour or for a project, and they take care of their own taxes and other fees. The public is invited to attend the free Wednesday Symposium to start the process to get their business license and also let others who have a business license attend and provide their contact information that will be available for reference. Business owners can then make the contact and negotiate the arrangements with the individuals who have a business license.
The intent of the Outsourcing Network is to reduce the payroll expense of business owners who cannot hire more people on a part- or full-time basis, but may need additional assistance at peak periods. It will also allow many individuals who are under- or un-employed to earn additional income, and possibly get hired if a business is impressed with their work behavior and skills.
Barter Network
Bartering allows businesses to save their valuable cash by bartering their assets with other businesses willing to trade their goods and services. In these tough times, when fuel and utility costs are skyrocketing and the dollar is shrinking, getting what you need without spending cash could make the difference between survival and growth.
You’ll learn about the essentials of barter and trade, how to set up an agreement that is fair to all parties, and how to establish a market and going prices. Each of the businesses involved with the CHALLENGE will have the opportunity to get involved and list those items they have to trade, and what they would be willing to trade for. You’ll also learn about the tax implications of trade and how to report it accurately.
Here are 7 reasons you should consider bartering to benefit your business:
1. Create a new customer base by introducing you to new customers who are willing to leave their established business or vendor to work with you.
2. Increase your organization’s profitability by lowering overhead expenses and saving your cash.
3. Moving excess or slow moving inventory. When new models are brought in, you can trade your old inventory for desired goods and services.
4. Keep cash readily available in the bank for payroll, inventory, emergencies, or other times of need.
5. Build staff morale and productivity by using traded items for incentives and/or bonuses for your employees.
6. Improve marketing and advertising efforts. If you have items that are needed by media groups, they will often trade for air time or ads in their magazine or newspaper.
7. Enhance your personal life by trading for items that you can use at home that will improve your quality of life.
At the Thursday session, you will also learn about the Outsourcing Network and individuals will have the opportunity to enroll in the program.
To learn more about these exciting networks, be sure to attend the Wednesday Symposium if you are a farmer (CREES will share their expertise), someone who would like to start a business, has started a new business and wants support, or if you just want to join the Outsourcing Network. This session is free to the public and lasts from 8am to noon.
The Thursday Symposium is an all-day event intended for business owners, managers, and staff. There is a cost of $30 to attend the full-day session, or for $97 (which includes two tickets to the Thursday event) you and your business can participate in the entire 12-week Challenge, which includes many benefits. To learn more about the CHALLENGE, email me at RikVillegas@gmail.com.
Outsourcing Network
Do you have a skill, knowledge, education or talent that you are willing to share for payment on an as-needed basis? Are you unemployed or not working enough hours to provide for your needs? The Outsourcing Network is a new concept that is based on hiring individuals who obtain a business license and then contract their work on a project basis, which allows businesses to get the help they need without having to hire additional full- or part-time employees. It also allows those who can get a business license to work for residential and business people on a contract basis.
The individuals are paid an agreed upon amount per hour or for a project, and they take care of their own taxes and other fees. The public is invited to attend the free Wednesday Symposium to start the process to get their business license and also let others who have a business license attend and provide their contact information that will be available for reference. Business owners can then make the contact and negotiate the arrangements with the individuals who have a business license.
The intent of the Outsourcing Network is to reduce the payroll expense of business owners who cannot hire more people on a part- or full-time basis, but may need additional assistance at peak periods. It will also allow many individuals who are under- or un-employed to earn additional income, and possibly get hired if a business is impressed with their work behavior and skills.
Barter Network
Bartering allows businesses to save their valuable cash by bartering their assets with other businesses willing to trade their goods and services. In these tough times, when fuel and utility costs are skyrocketing and the dollar is shrinking, getting what you need without spending cash could make the difference between survival and growth.
You’ll learn about the essentials of barter and trade, how to set up an agreement that is fair to all parties, and how to establish a market and going prices. Each of the businesses involved with the CHALLENGE will have the opportunity to get involved and list those items they have to trade, and what they would be willing to trade for. You’ll also learn about the tax implications of trade and how to report it accurately.
Here are 7 reasons you should consider bartering to benefit your business:
1. Create a new customer base by introducing you to new customers who are willing to leave their established business or vendor to work with you.
2. Increase your organization’s profitability by lowering overhead expenses and saving your cash.
3. Moving excess or slow moving inventory. When new models are brought in, you can trade your old inventory for desired goods and services.
4. Keep cash readily available in the bank for payroll, inventory, emergencies, or other times of need.
5. Build staff morale and productivity by using traded items for incentives and/or bonuses for your employees.
6. Improve marketing and advertising efforts. If you have items that are needed by media groups, they will often trade for air time or ads in their magazine or newspaper.
7. Enhance your personal life by trading for items that you can use at home that will improve your quality of life.
At the Thursday session, you will also learn about the Outsourcing Network and individuals will have the opportunity to enroll in the program.
To learn more about these exciting networks, be sure to attend the Wednesday Symposium if you are a farmer (CREES will share their expertise), someone who would like to start a business, has started a new business and wants support, or if you just want to join the Outsourcing Network. This session is free to the public and lasts from 8am to noon.
The Thursday Symposium is an all-day event intended for business owners, managers, and staff. There is a cost of $30 to attend the full-day session, or for $97 (which includes two tickets to the Thursday event) you and your business can participate in the entire 12-week Challenge, which includes many benefits. To learn more about the CHALLENGE, email me at RikVillegas@gmail.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)