Small Business Secrets
6h 55mIntermediate2015-03-31
Authors
Dave Crenshaw
Author and Leadership Coach specializing in productive leadership
Course details
Are you thinking about starting a small business, freelancing, or turning a hobby into a full-time job? Or perhaps you're already running your own business and need some inspiration to take it to the next level. Join small business coach Dave Crenshaw for two short lessons that reveal the secrets of running a successful small business. This series covers topics such as getting started, writing a business plan, determining your most valuable product or service, hiring people, managing processes, documenting systems, bootstrapping, seeking funding, accounting, controlling costs and profit margins, marketing, creating culture, and more.
Skills covered
Small Business ManagementLegacy SeriesSmall Business and Entrepreneurship
Concepts
Introduction
- Welcome
Finding Your Most Valuable Customers
- Discovering your most valuable customers
- Increasing business with MVCs
Setting Fees and Prices
- Setting prices for services and products
- Knowing when to raise or lower prices
Solving Problems
- Identifying areas for improvement
- Solving problems with the SAM Cycle
Working with Family and Friends
- Establishing guidelines with family and friends
- Managing family and friends
Creating a Business Plan
- Exploring the elements of a simple plan
- Reviewing and using a single-page business plan
Starting a Hobby Business
- Considering the leap from passion to business
- Making the transition to full-time business owner
Discovering Your Most Valuable Service or Product
- Finding your most valuable service or product
- Dropping your least valuable service or product
Bootstrapping Your Business
- Launching a business with little or no money
- Operating on a shoestring budget
Creating Culture
- Determining your company vision
- Building company values
Getting Organized
- Managing your time
- Tracking expenses and receipts
Marketing with Social Media
- Deciding on your channels
- Crafting a multi-platform message
Business Entities and Compensation
- Business Entities and Compensation
- Determining your pay as owner
Small Business Accounting
- Understanding small business accounting
- Reading a financial report (P&L and Balance Sheet)
Finding Your Marketing Message
- Refining your message
- Testing and tracking performance
Documenting Business Systems
- Leveraging documentation to increase efficiency
- Creating single-page documentation
Balancing Work and Life
- Focusing both at home and at work
- Rewarding yourself along the way
Increasing Sales in Your Business
- Understanding the role of sales in small business success
- Developing your sales system
Testing Whether You Have an Idea or a Business
- Separating ideas from viable business opportunities
- Testing your business concept
Hiring Service Providers
- Finding the right tasks to outsource
- Selecting and hiring vendors
Hiring Employees
- Crafting a job and pay range
- Interviewing candidates
Motivating Employees
- Discovering what truly motivates people
- Developing people and paths
Seeking Capital
- Crafting your pitch
- Finding funding opportunities
Working With Difficult Customers
- Working through complaints
- Helping customers who aren't right for your business
Letting Employees Go
- Determining when to part ways
- Making a smooth transition
Generating New Sales Leads
- Generating sales leads offline
- Generating sales leads online
Maintaining Focus as a Business Owner
- Staying productive each day
- Avoiding opportunity traps
Thinking Like An Entrepreneur
- Adopting an attitude of abundance
- Getting rich your own way
Dealing with Competition in Business
- Viewing your competitors productively
- Making the most of business competition
Avoiding Blind Spots
- Using the entrepreneur's mirror
- Getting guidance outside of your business
Creating a Customer Experience
- Seeing your business through your customer's eyes
- Using the five senses to create an experience
Networking for Small Business
- Understanding the power of networking
- Making the most of networking opportunities
Building Accountability into your Small Business Culture
- Understanding the basics of accountability in small business
- Correcting employees when needed
Dealing with Business Failures
- Embracing the challenge of entrepreneurship
- Moving past business failures
Improving Sales Systems
- Working with scripts to improve sales
- Utilizing best practices to close more deals
Giving Back
- Understanding why charitable causes are critical for business
- Determining which cause is right for your business
Setting Goals for Small Business
- Simplifying the goal-setting process
- Measuring your success
Channeling Your Motivation
- Why you deserve success
- Maintaining confidence as a business owner
Building a Small Business Exit Strategy
- The importance of an exit strategy
- Exit strategy options
Building Customer Loyalty
- The role of customer loyalty
- Building a customer loyalty strategy
Building Employee Loyalty
- Understanding the role of employee loyalty
- Building an Employee Loyalty Strategy
Structuring a Small Business
- Building a basic organization chart
- Avoiding common small-business-structure mistakes
Branding Your Small Business
- Crafting your company story
- Getting publicity with the authority ladder
Dispelling Big-Business Illusions
- Filtering the big-business perspective
- Competing with big businesses
Understanding if Entrepreneurship Is Right for You
- Avoiding common pitfalls of entrepreneurship
- Assessing your entrepreneurial readiness
Managing Remote Employees
- Understanding the costs and benefits of a remote workforce
- Leading from a distance
Crowdfunding Your Business
- Understanding crowdfunding
- Using best crowdfunding practices
Cultivating Entrepreneurial Curiosity
- Asking yourself powerful questions
- Enlisting employees and customers in innovation
Growing into a Mature Business
- Considering future leadership needs
- Putting it all together