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Moving Forward's bi-monthly newsletter
www.movingforwardcoaching.com.au
Email:  robyn@movingforwardcoaching.com.au

May 2004, Issue #4
'Tips to create a successful business'
A note from Robyn
I'd like to welcome all my subscribers to 'Tips to create a successful business'.  You are receiving this newsletter because you or someone you know subscribed you to our mailing list. This Newsletter is 100% Opt In Only! Please pass this newsletter on to anyone who you feel might benefit from its content. Just send them a copy or have them visit our website at http://www.movingforwardcoaching.com.au. If you feel that you have received this newsletter in error and wish to be removed from our mailing list, you will find easy removal instructions at the bottom of this newsletter.

Welcome to the fourth edition of this newsletter and also a big welcome to all our new subscribers. We are now almost halfway through 2004 and I hope the year is progressing according to your plans. 

In this issue we have another great interview with a  business owner who has created a great business that is not just a job for themself, but a  successful business.  This month we have an interview with Thea Bates of Salon Thirty Three A in Moonee Ponds, Victoria. Thea is celebrating her one year anniversary for purchasing this salon after being a client there for 12 years when it was known as Andrew Johnston hairdressing.

Many businesses are now experiencing and achieving great results from our Successful Business Program, either through individual business coaching or through workshops.  Click here to download the flyer which outlines the Successful Business Program.  Our aim is to give business owners the skills to run a successful business whilst they work on their own business.  It is unfortunate that in Australia our formal education system does not train people to run their own business and 70% of new businesses fail within the first 5 years.  A study by the Commonwealth Bank revealed that training doubles this survival rate.  You owe it to yourself to learn the skills to run your successful business.  We are looking forward to developing many businesses - so contact us for your FREE needs analysis to take your business to the next level.

Please feel free to share this newsletter with others, but pass it on in full and always remember that:

Vision + Strategy + Systems + People =
A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS ™

MFBT P/L provide individual coaching, training and workshops to help you develop a successful business. Moving Forward develop the training programs.

In this issue:
  1. Give your business the opportunity to grow
  2. Interview with Thea Bates (Salon Thirty Three A)
  3. Coming Events
  4. Useful contacts and products
Give your business the opportunity to grow

Statistics tell us that 70% of new businesses wind up within five years from commencement.  Why does it happen to some of the best technicians in their field.  They work long hours to get everything done and find that they have more business than they can handle ....

Michael Gerber’s E-Myth states that most businesses start by an Entrepreneurial Seizure.  The technician has had enough of working for someone else and decides to start their own business.  What most of these technicians don’t realize is that it is far harder working for yourself than for someone else when you have just created a JOB for yourself.

The technician soon finds out that there is a lot more to running a successful business than just doing the technical work whether it is carpentry, plumbing, electrical, technical writing, naturopathy, hairdressing, etc.  You need to prepare quotes or proposals for work to be done, prepare and send invoices, talk to customers, order materials and equipment, chase up customers to pay their bill, keep records, administrative work, advertising, marketing, etc. 

What happens when you get more customers than you expect – what do you do?  Do you have the systems and the structure to expand, or will you sub-contract to other technicians.  What about the quality?  What do you want out of the business?

Most business owners look at the work that must be done from a tactical view rather than a strategic view, but all the functions that make for a successful business must be managed.

How to avoid this situation:

A successful business must have VISION, STRATEGY, SYSTEMS, and PEOPLE/RELATIONSHIPS.  It is what the bigger businesses do but the smaller business generally don’t.  Develop your business into an asset.  Always start a business with an exit strategy and with great systems so that the business runs without you.  For example, if the technician had employed 15 subcontractors or employees and had successfully sustained this over time then he has built an asset that has a saleable value.  Invest in training to run the best business that you can.  Don't forget that you probably had training for the technical skills for the work to be done in your business.  Isn't it just as important to invest in the training  or coaching to help you create a great business.

Learn to delegate - don’t be the best worker in your business.  Customer’s should be buying the ability of the business – not your ability to give them what they want.  Develop Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) so that you know where you are (going forward or backwards) as you delegate your tasks and monitor the numbers.

Interview with Thea Bates (Salon Thirty Three A)
Salon Thirty Three A in Moonee Ponds is well-known for hairdressing.  The service is about people, quality professional hairdressing, and about the customer going away feeling confident and looked after with great hair. A customer also gets the feeling that it is teamwork that creates the great service and makes the place run like clockwork.  Thea has owned the business for 1 year and purchased it after being a customer of the salon for 12 years.  The salon has been running for over 20 years.  Congratulations Thea on the business developments that you have made so far.

Tell me a bit about the performance of the salon before you bought it
The salon was called Andrew Johnston Hairdressing and Andrew was the manager and the salon principal.  It was a thriving business with loads of potential.  Andrew was a very warm person and most people loved him but teamwork was less of an emphasis.

What is your vision for Salon Thirty Three A?
My vision for Salon Thirty Three A is to be more than just hairdressing.  I want to develop a suite of services and activities that add value to hairdressing and that would attract a different participant group who would then become clients.  I am soon to offer personal development courses and host the Women in Business meetings.  I want to have courses and services that enhance and support the well-being of individuals to live our best life.  A place where you can expect the BEST. 

How did you go about creating a successful business?
I chose to purchase the business based on the quality of service, culture, location and the well-established loyal client base.  I also knew the previous owner well.  I knew I needed to learn as much about running a business as possible, so I enrolled in Moving Forward's workshops to develop my business management skills.  I have a background in leadership and teamwork and have encouraged my staff to work as a team.  I am continually improving and learning and have a wonderful network of support people around me (both formal and informal).

Tell me about your team building and staff empowerment initiatives
There is a team of 4.2 staff that make the salon run like clockwork and they also train each other.  I also empower them to make decisions.  The staff now think and behave as a team and they work on a team incentive basis.  I have sent them to training courses, together with training one of them to become a team leader.  Staff think management is great and we regularly celebrate success.

Thea, can the business run without you being there now?
Yes - At the moment the business can run for a couple of days at a time by itself.

Next time you are looking for a hairdressing service you can find Salon Thirty Three A at 33A Hall Street, Moonee Ponds and their telephone number is 9370 8355  Don't forget to tell Thea or her staff that you read about Salon Thirty Three A in Moving Forward's newsletter.  Salon Thirty Three A’s Personal Development courses start in July, so why not subscribe for more info by sending a blank email to liveyourbestlife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or  ring Thea for more details and enrol in one of the courses.

Coming events (this section is dedicated to training and coaching organisations delivering Moving Forward's programs.  If you would like to run one of Moving Forward's programs contact us)
For those of you living in Melbourne, take time out to participate in our Successful Business program workshops run by MFBT Pty Limited. All our workshops are very hands onYou work on your own business.   

Take control of your business
Plan for the success of your business

Time: 9am - 4pm
Date:  25 June 2004
Hume Global Learning Centre
Pascoe Vale Road, Broadmeadows
Cost: $330 (including GST and lunch)
 

This workshop will challenge you to think outside the square to look at the big picture and plan a great business that will enrich your life. It will empower you to create your own definition of success for the business, plan the steps to achieve your vision, then create performance measures to keep you on track. 

You will go home with your own draft Strategic Plan.
Download Registration form and fax your registration now
(maximum of 8 per session - so book quickly)
and bookings close 16 June 2004

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Create your Operations Manual
21 July 2004
Time: 9am - 4pm
Hume Global Learning Centre
Pascoe Vale Road, Broadmeadows
Cost: $330 (including GST and lunch)

To develop a business that runs without you, a Policies & Procedures Manual is a MUST, not a luxury. In this 'hands-on' workshop you will start developing your own Manual. You will learn about the different types of documents to use in your manual, how to structure the manual, identify what you need to write about and then how to write procedures and policies that are easy to follow.  Not just white folders that nobody reads - but a usable procedures manual that adds real value to your business.

Download Registration form and fax your registration now
(maximum of 8 per session so book quickly)
and bookings close 11 July 2004

Live your best life
(a series of 7 workshops over 7 Tuesday evenings highlighting professional and personal development hosted by Salon Thirty Three A).  These workshops are designed for young professional women and working mothers who want to be the best that they can be with Moving Forward's Take Control of your Life and Image Quest's First Impressions workshops. These workshops are about change - changing your views on how to run your life and how you will appear to others.  They are about taking the best of who you were in the past and then applying new skills and wisdom to live your best life now.
27 July - 7 September
to be held at Salon Thirty Three A
33A Hall Street
Moonee Ponds
Cost:  TBA
To obtain more information on this group of workshops subscribe to the group liveyourbestlife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com  To make bookings or for more information  ring Thea at Salon 33A on 9370 8355 or email trbates@ozemail.com.au

To register your interest for these workshops or future workshops,  email or phone
MFBT Pty Limited
(03) 9308 3844 or 0412 761 216
mfbt@movingforwardcoaching.com.au

If you would like to deliver some of Moving Forward's workshops then contact me at Moving Forward on 9308 3844 or email robyn@movingforwardcoaching.com.au
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Useful contacts and products

Are you intending to start a business?  Find out how to set it up correctly with this 'Successful Business Startup Guide' written by Michael Hersley. Click here for more details. It has a 100% Money back Guarantee and is an excellent guide for successfully starting and operating your own business in Australia today.  The investment is $225 (including GST and delivery), and this comes together with a FREE CD with Moving Forward's FREE business plan template in MS Word and also a great E-Book by Brett McFall who is a famous Australian copywriter - 30 Minute Marketing Miracle  (usually sells at US$39). Download the Order Form and fax or send to MFBT Pty Limited today.  You can also alternatively ring MFBT P/L on 9308 3844 with your order or for more information today.

Is your business performing to the standard of other businesses in your industry?  Soak up the free business information at http://www.ebc.com.au Take a specific look at the business benchmarking guides and information for your industry.  SPECIAL OFFER 10% discount if you mention Moving Forward's newsletter.  Don't order online, but ring the Entrepreneurial Business Centre directly and speak to Antonio on Tel: 1300 300 586 for a 10% discount on any business guide.  (You must speak to Antonio - who can also answer any questions that you may have about the guides).  If you are from overseas Antonio's direct number is +61 2 9034 5726

Are your salespeople consistently meeting their sales targets?  Do you understand what really drives and motivates your clients and sales team so that you can achieve your desired results?  NLP can help you overcome the obstacles to your success.  To discover how you too can transform your sales performance with NLP and achieve exceptional results, call Vesna at Qt today on (03) 9653-9288 or 0411 479 256 or email her at qt@vesnacorporation.com for additional information.  Mention that you obtained the information from Moving Forward's newsletter to receive your complimentary one hour consultation.

Have you thought about a listserver to automatically manage the subscribers to your newsletter Click here to have a look at 1Shopping Cart to manage your list.  I really recommend it.
 

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© Moving Forward - May 2004
You are welcome to use the articles from the 'Tips to create a successful business' newsletter as long as you include complete attribution and a live link to the website, The attribution should read "By Robyn Pollard of Moving Forward.  Please visit our website at http://www.movingforwardcoaching.com.au" for extra tips on creating your successful business

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