Business Infrastructure - Curing Back Office Blues Alicia Butler Pierre

Have you thought about forming partnerships with other people or companies to catalyze growth at your company? Achieving scale, more revenue, and greater profitability at a faster rate are just some of the many benefits that a strategic partnership can offer.
 
But you must be careful in forming these partnerships. There are legal aspects to consider like profit sharing, intellectual property protection, and even a plan for dissolving the partnership. These aspects should be formalized in a contract and then discussed, negotiated, and signed in writing to protect everyone involved.
 
In this latest episode of our Growth Strategies Masterclass, our producer and host, Alicia Butler Pierre, shares details about her behind-the-scenes work with Karen Mills. As a reminder, Karen was the lawyer featured in the last episode. She specializes in contract law, in particular teaming agreements.  
 
The information shared in this episode is a bit unique in that Alicia actually sketches out a workflow diagram (or flowchart) as she describes her work with Karen. As a result, you can expect to:
 
Learn the process for drafting a teaming or partnership agreement, Discover the different ways to construct a partnership agreement, Gain an understanding of the various types of clauses (i.e., first right of refusal and non-disclosure) you may want to include, and Walk away with a foundation required to form a strategic partnership with confidence.  
Talk is cheap. Stop relying on verbal agreements 🗣️ or handshakes 🤝 to conduct business deals that make you and your business susceptible to unexpected and costly pitfalls.
 
Instead, protect your business and its assets through clearly written contracts as you transition from the honeymoon phase of forming a new partnership. It can be one of the best investments you make!!
 
𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
 
© 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. – a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

It’s hard to believe, but we’re already at the midway point of our Growth Strategies Masterclass! As a recap, we’ve covered how to:
Vet and validate your business growth ideas, Create a strategic plan that includes validated ideas, and Develop project plans to implement youur company’s growth strategy.  
Growth comes in many shapes, forms, and scales of magnitude, and one viable way to grow is through partnerships or teaming agreements.
 
Have you heard the expression, “Two heads are better than one?” It’s true! Forming partnerships with the right people or companies can accelerate your business’s growth in ways you didn’t imagine. The legal aspects of forming partnerships correctly can be overwhelming.
 
But you’re in luck!
 
Our next guest is Karen Mills, a founding member of Mills Law, LLC. She has 25 years of experience practicing law with a specialty in contracts law and mediation services. Her expertise in teaming agreements is invaluable, making her the go-to authority for entrepreneurs and business owners seeking clear and fair strategies for growth.
 
In this episode, you’ll discover:
The various types of teaming arrangements so that you set your business up for success, How to navigate the fine print of contracts to safeguard your business's future, The questions you should ask yourself before entering a partnership, Why you should always figure out an exit plan at the start of a partnership, and much more!  
Stop relying on verbal agreements or handshakes to conduct business deals that make you and your business susceptible to unexpected and costly pitfalls. Instead, protect your business and its assets through clearly written contracts as you transition from the honeymoon phase of forming a new partnership. It can be one of the best investments you make! 
 
𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
 
© 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. – a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

Now that you know more about how to leverage project plans to execute your growth strategy, it’s time to create your own!
 
In this latest episode of our Growth Strategies Masterclass, our producer and host, Alicia Butler Pierre, explains how to take information from your X-matrix to build a project plan.
 
Be prepared to apply the principles you’ve learned about business infrastructure in building a project plan that:
 
·        Defines the tasks required to accomplish your strategic growth goals,
·        Identifies the people to perform those tasks in addition to due dates,
·        Includes monthly check points to measure success against targets in your X-matrix, and
·        Organizes information clearly and transparently.
 
This episode includes a discussion of the software we use for project planning. Just think - you’re getting even closer to accomplishing those growth goals you and your team identified at the beginning of this journey!
 
𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
 
© 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. – a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

Let’s continue the journey of our Growth Strategies Masterclass! At this point, we’ve learned about how to validate and vet ideas for business growth as well as how to develop a strategic growth plan that includes those vetted ideas.
 
Now it’s time to learn how to implement that strategy!
 
If you're feeling overwhelmed operating your small business and struggling to realize your growth goals, then you are not alone! As small business owners we often find ourselves juggling tasks, relying on sticky notes and phone reminders, but still falling short of achieving the strategic growth plans we’ve worked so hard to create.
 
The feeling of being stuck in a cycle of disorganization, perceived lack of resources, and missed opportunities can be frustrating. But what if there's a simpler way to bring clarity order to the chaos and pave the way for plans that you can actually implement?
 
Here to show us how we can implement strategy through project planning is Jon Reid. He’s the Managing Partner of Tier1 Management Consulting Group. Jon offers valuable insights into the practical application of project management, emphasizing the importance of well-defined project plans in achieving desired outcomes.
 
In this episode, you will be able to:
Discover effective ways to implement strategic growth plans for your small business, Learn about the essential stages of the project management process for strategic growth and, Understand what makes a project successful.  
Let's explore how project management skills can transform the way you approach growth and bring clarity to the path for executing your business strategy.
 
𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
 
© 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. – a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

In the last episode, you learned about the X-matrix – a powerful visual tool to link strategy with execution. Now it’s time to learn how to use one to create your strategic growth plan!
 
Don’t worry, we won’t leave you alone! You can actually listen to our producer and host, Alicia Butler Pierre, as she describes how we completed an X-matrix to assist you in creating your own. In this episode, Alicia explains the events leading to the development of our long-term strategy to convert our business model from being 100% consulting to 100% training.
 
This shift in our business model laid the foundation for completing our X-matrix. It also includes our idea for an online course that we were able to vet and validate thanks to the Lean Canvas tool described at the beginning of this season.
 
Also included in this episode is:
An explanation of how to complete an X-matrix, How to use the S.M.A.R.T. method to define strategic goals, A demo of our X-matrix, and Discussion of the action plans required to implement strategic goals.  
Be sure to download the free X-matrix template provided in the show notes so that you can follow along. Good luck!
 
𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
 
© 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria Inc. – a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

Welcome back to our Growth Strategies Masterclass! Our first two episodes featured how to vet and validate ideas for growing your business. Now it’s time to develop a strategic plan around those ideas that made the cut.
 
Are you ready to take your business to the next level and achieve breakthrough growth? If you're feeling like strategic growth planning is just too “corporate” and is something that only large enterprises do, then think again. In this next class, Kenya A. Moses, an operations executive at NSI Industries, talks about the X-matrix and how you can use this tool to revolutionize your approach to growth and scale your business.
 
With a keen focus on linking strategy with execution, Kenya's insights are invaluable for both small business owners and executives seeking the business infrastructure required for repeatable, profitable, and scalable growth. His practical approach and 25+ years of experience make him a trusted authority in the strategic growth planning process known as Hoshin Kanri.
 
In this episode, Kenya explains how to:
Implement the 7-step Hoshin Kanri strategic planning process based on your growth ideas,
Use the X-matrix as a simple yet highly effective tool for defining, linking, and aligning long-term strategic goals with tactical projects for achieving those goals, and
Develop action plans and continuous check-in points to ensure your strategic growth goals are met.
 
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a seasoned corporate executive with years of experience in operations, finance, and strategy as he provides a blueprint for small business growth.
 
Uncover the art of crafting innovative and effective growth strategies that can revolutionize your business's operations and lead to profits you didn’t think were possible!
 
𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
 
© 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria Inc. – a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.