Donncha Hughes, Business Trainer, Advisor & Mentor

Business Plan Workshops

 At some point, most businesses will need a business plan [1]. One of my core services is the preparation of professional business plans for startup promoters and SMEs.  I also deliver training on Business Plan Preparation.

1. One Day Business Plan Preparation Workshop

This workshop will outline how to write a business plan to secure investment, apply for funding such as a bank loan or enterprise agency support in order to exploit an identified business opportunity. The one day (six hours) programme will be of benefit to established businesses wishing to introduce new products and business promoters who are actively planning to set up a new business to include those considering Self Employment and/or applying for the Short Term Enterprise Allowance.

Business Plan preparation agenda

Course Objectives

– To provide a recognised template for investor ready business plans

– To discuss the principal reasons why business plans are prepared

– To address each section of the business plan in an integrated and comprehensive fashion

– To outline an approach to writing a Business Plan

– To provide a template for creating Financial Projections

– To discuss how investors and bank view Business Plans

On completion of this one day programme, the participants will have:

·  A greater understanding of the importance of the business plan

·  Completed an Executive Summary for their Business

·  Have points for each section of their Business Plan

The workshop is structured into two major sections:

The first part of the workshop concentrates on the Business Plan template – an example business plan concerning a fictitious business will be sent to all participants by email.

Each section of the Business Plan will be discussed. Participants will be facilitated to compile a list of points for each section of their business plan.

•       Executive Summary

•       Promoters and other information

•       Background Information + Reason for Writing the Plan

•       The Product / Service

•       Market Opportunity

•       Marketing Strategy

•       Management Team

•       Operations

•       Strategy for future growth

•       Financing

•       Action Plan

•       Financial Schedules

•       Appendices

The second part of the workshop discusses how to take a Business Plan to the next level. It firstly addresses how an investor will assess a business plan. The key part of this session is to provide a template for developing financial projections.

I aim to ensure that my workshops are both rewarding and enjoyable i.e. challenging, informative, creative and act as a stimulus for proactive change. I will be available to follow up with participants by email and/or by phone for several weeks after each programme.

^ Footnote 1 : In this blogpost for Tweak Your Biz on ‘Running Lean’ by Ash Maurya, I outline my view that a very early stage startup does NOT need to prepare a business plan. I would strongly recommend that they use the Lean Canvas tool as business planning is critical.

 in january 2020, i published an online training course entitled, ‘writing your business plan’ click on the button below to check it out.

  • A step-by-step guide to planning a workshop

cycle of workshop planning steps

Going from a mere idea to a workshop that delivers results for your clients can feel like a daunting task. In this piece, we will shine a light on all the work behind the scenes and help you learn how to plan a workshop from start to finish.

On a good day, facilitation can feel like effortless magic, but that is mostly the result of backstage work, foresight, and a lot of careful planning. Read on to learn a step-by-step approach to breaking the process of planning a workshop into small, manageable chunks. 

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The flow starts with the first meeting with a client to define the purposes of a workshop. In other words, we are working on the assumption that the facilitator has already been chosen and hired for a job. 

It’s also possible that you are designing a workshop agenda you have ideated yourself. You have a topic to share with your audience, and potential participants in mind… great! You can still use the same process, although not all steps may be relevant to your case.

How to plan a workshop in four phases

We have divided the process of designing a workshop step-by-step into four sections. This structure is inspired by the insightful design methodology known as Dragon Dreaming, as codified by John Croft. The framework is an invitation to move in a structured way from dreaming to designing, from designing to doing, and from doing to celebrating and learning. In this workflow, we will go through similar steps, albeit much simplified and adapted to this specific example. If you find this categorization intriguing and you’d like to learn more, here is a page about Dragon Dreaming project design . The methodology originated in Australia, and you can see a wink to its origin in how the design turns counterclockwise! 

Illustration of the steps of workshop planning

Each phase (vision, design, action and learning) is divided into subsections defining specific actions you need to take in planning your workshop. Each also includes a checkpoint with the client . These four meetings, plus a facilitation team meeting to draft the agenda, are described in detail in the accompanying Workshop Planning Template . In the template, you will find ideas and inspiration for five one-hour meetings in which to:

  • draw out the overall vision and desired outcomes;
  • define a draft schedule;
  • get buy-in for the workshop agenda;
  • check-in for a briefing before the actual workshop;
  • run a retrospective after the event is over.

I see this process as a dance between working alone and co-designing with a client. In this dance, two different ways of working interact, from being alone at the desk surrounded by sticky notes, to talking things over and getting feedback, into a new iteration of the design, and so on. Successful workshops all start, as most things do, with a vision, and a conversation. Let’s take the first step! 

Phase 1 – Vision

Every project begins as an idea in somebody’s mind, which really starts to take shape once it’s shared with someone else. In the first part of the process, we cover how to lead conversations that will move the idea from the abstract to a more concrete realm. This process starts with a kick-off meeting attended by the facilitator, the client and, if applicable, other members of the team. To help you set it up, we have prepared a dedicated template complete with a workshop structure you can use to collect all the information from this visioning stage!

two business women in a meeting

What are the desired outcomes of the workshop? Who will be the participants or what is your target audience? Once you have some initial answers to these questions, you can use them to shape a concept note, sign agreements, contracts and/or an MoU (memorandum of understanding). 

Sharing intentions

According to the State of Facilitation in 2023 report, a majority of facilitators find negotiating with clients and stakeholders quite the challenge. In the survey on which the report is based, we asked over 1100 professionals what was hard for them in the previous year. While the top challenge reported was “keeping up with the trends”, a series of matters more related to difficulties negotiating, designing and getting buy-in from stakeholders emerged as well. We hope the following workshop planning tips can help you overcome such obstacles. Learn more about trends in facilitation in 2023 and the art of running workshops in the State of Facilitation report!

business plan workshop

Designing based on the “why” is a necessary premise to design workshops that will prove meaningful to participants and clients. Often, though, this “why” is not entirely clear from the get-go. A skilled facilitator will use a range of communication skills such as probing questions, active listening, and appreciative inquiry to clarify intentions. In most cases, it’s a matter of slowing the client down, and gently inquiring into their motivations. Run a mini-workshop with your client and transparently share what you are looking for. Time spent on this now will save time and resources by minimizing the risk of misunderstandings and re-writes later! There are four key elements I check for when looking for desired outcomes with the client at this very early stage:

(1) Non-negotiables. These are the boundaries for your design, the things that are set and cannot be changed. This might be, for example, the duration of the workshop, the location, or the list of participants.

(2) Tangible outcomes (aka deliverables). What needs to be produced, concretely, by the end of the workshop? Is it an action plan? A set of decisions? A report? Try to get as many details as possible on this requirement. If this point is not initially clear, invite your client to explore the future with their foresight and imagination: at the end of the workshop, what do they want to have that was not there before the start?

(3) Intangible outcomes. What intentions are connected to the workshop in the immaterial world of communications, connections and emotions? Mark down the keywords you hear your client use. Is it a matter of increasing networking opportunities and connections? Deepening trust? These “soft” outcomes can inspire and direct your choices of activities, setting and style.

(4) Levels of participation. If you are planning a workshop rather than a training event, I have found it very useful to introduce the concept of the ladder of participation to clients, early on in the design stage ( here is a version relating to citizen engagement ). This involves probing how much power is allocated to participants into shaping future choices. Will proposals selected by participants in your workshop be adopted directly? Is this a consultation process someone else will turn into a decision later? Or, perhaps, the workshop is meant to inform and get buy-in on choices that have already been made? All these scenarios are possible and valid, but it’s important to know which one your workshop falls into, so as to minimize the risk of disappointment or confusion.

whiteboard divided in sections

Once you have collected this information, you probably have an idea of where you want your workshop to focus. All you need now is to figure out who is it for before drafting a concept note and initial agenda.

Defining the target audience

Once you have clarity about the desired outcomes, it’s time to focus on your hypothetical participants and your target audience. You may already have a list provided by the client, or it may be a completely open invitation. In any case, it’s a good idea to spend some time focussing, after the “why”, on the important question: “who?” Things that can be useful to consider doing at this stage, depending on the specific situation, include:

  • Creating a “persona” for the workshop. Who will benefit? What are their needs, pain points, interests? Why will they come? This work will initially be based on your assumptions only, but it could lead to an exchange of information with your client to learn more. Here is a canvas from MediaLAB Amsterdam that can help you create a persona for your event.
Design persona   #frame insights   #create   #design   #issue analysis   Following a similar structure of the Persona method, give your design personality by creating a design persona. This can be through visual design, copy, and interactions. To be used w hen it is time to focus on product experience.
  • Having interviews with potential participants that match your target audience to collect more information on their wants, needs and expectations. If you are able to contact participants before the workshop, aim to talk to a few. If key decision-makers will be in the room, it’s definitely a good idea to ask for a half-hour chat with them! 

Start by clarifying that you are talking to a few people in order to better prepare your workshop. Next, kick-start your exploration by asking them what their motivation for attending the workshop is. Listen carefully and take notes! It’s good practice to have a list of questions that will be the same for all your interviewees, but also let the conversation flow naturally. 

End the conversation by asking your interviewee whether they know of someone who should definitely be at the workshop, and add them to the list of potential invites!If time does not allow for 1:1 interviews, you can also consider sending your questions out via email. Finally, check back in with the client to ensure they have considered who should be there and whether any important stakeholders or potential workshop participants are being overlooked. 

In my personal practice, I do hold a commitment to widening representation and will often reach out to my clients with questions, for example, on gender balance or including underrepresented groups. Can we get more women’s voices in a conversation about the future of logistics and mobility? (The answer turned out to be yes!). In this urban planning process, will someone be speaking with the interests of elderly citizens in mind? And what about the children’s? At this stage, it’s also important to start making notes of any special needs. Does your persona include, for example, families with small children? Or people with mobility concerns? These considerations have a bearing on such key planning elements as your choice of venue, location, and timing. Successful workshops are those in which the needs of target attendees are considered and steps are taken to ensure participants can take part.

Drafting the initial concept 

Once you know the “why” and something around the “who” of a workshop, it’s time to start designing the “what”. What is needed at first is some clarity as to the main points of the agenda, not a detailed run-through. The client will probably have more feedback once things start to look concrete, and it’s not particularly fun to have to revisit the entire thing and do work twice. That is why I have found it good practice to keep the agenda still quite open at this stage. An initial concept draft for a successful workshop should contain:

  • A summary of the desired outcomes;
  • A list of benefits for participants (what are their pain points that this workshop will solve?);
  • A list of learning/key objectives;
  • A description of the main activities or building blocks of the workshop.

At this point, you’ll need to circle back to your client, share the draft with them and ask for feedback. In my experience, it’s a good idea to approach this step lightly, with curiosity, knowing you have done your homework but ready if necessary to change your entire concept around and pivot to something different. And if you still feel yourself having rigidity towards feedback, check out some useful feedback tips by learning expert Skye Suttie . 

Signing agreements

By the end of the vision phase, facilitators and clients should share a feeling of commitment and alignment. This is made visible and concrete through signing agreements, contracts and/or a memorandum of understanding (MoU). What exactly these contain varies greatly depending on circumstances and location, but here is a useful summary, complete with template examples of what your MoU might look like, from Malia Josephine over at the startup Facilitation Jobs . 

Phase 2 – Design

So now you have a draft outline of the workshop and an idea of who will participate. The next section is all about the nitty-gritty details of planning. Think of any other event, such as a family gathering or a wedding: there are a lot of things to consider so that everything will be ready when attendees arrive in the space you have designed and set up for them. It can be a very creative phase, if a bit solitary at times for the workshop leader! 

person working at their desk

In the design stage, we are aiming to answer the question: how will this happen? This includes choosing dates and venues, drafting an agenda, creating a communication plan so that your workshop attendees will get the invite and join, populating a participant list, and refining your draft agenda into a detailed script. 

Establishing time and place

A workshop begins to feel like it’s really going to happen once the date and location are decided upon.

Whether you are scouting for a location yourself or not, you still need to clarify and communicate a list of requirements clearly. Don’t give anything for granted! List any needs such as accessibility, type of space, and equipment such as tables or presentation equipment. No location is going to be perfect, but the clearer your request, the closer to ideal you might get. 

If you’re running a virtual workshop, you still need to put it in the calendar and arrange for a virtual space to hold it in, such as a Zoom account and a whiteboard space. And if it’s hybrid, you’ll need to do both: scout for a location (with great wifi and acoustics, here you can read more about why that’s important ) and set up online resources as well. If you don’t know yet what kind of room setup you will need, take a look at our detailed guide here.

Once the location has been chosen and booked, make sure you have an understanding with the location manager of how your session will work and what they can expect. Will you be using masking tape to hang posters on the wall? Is that ok? How early do you expect to be at the location, and who will be there to open the doors? Will you need breakout spaces for smaller groups to work in? Will participants be milling around using outside spaces, which, and when? What about wifi use, passwords, and other tech needs? 

a person placing pins on a map of a city

Having a persona in mind might help establish a schedule. Is this a personal development workshop that people sign up for as individuals (that will probably mean running it in the evening or on weekends?) Or is it going on at the workplace? When are employees free to attend, and what will not clash with previous engagements? Will it be a one-off thing or a series? Successful workshops take all this into account to ensure workshop participants can actually be there! If you are working on a series of meetings for participatory planning and would like to encourage a diverse attendance , it could be a good idea to switch times and dates around quite often, so that people with different jobs and schedules can fit at least one meeting in. And get a babysitting service, or have someone who works with youth set up a related workshop with the young ones.

Drafting the workshop agenda 

So now the word is out, and there is probably some time to wait before the workshop kick-off. This is the moment to sit down with yourself and work on the facilitation design. For many trainers and facilitators, this is a favorite part of the process. Here is where we create a detailed schedule, choose activities and methods and assemble them into a coherent flow. You’ll seek to create a workflow flow that balances group discussions, experiential activities and different learning styles in order to meet your workshop’s purpose. Proper planning and a structured process is a proven way of turning a workshop idea into a reality.

Using a workshop planning tool like SessionLab can make the task much easier and save you time in your process. A successful workshop is one with a clear structure that supports the learning process. With the Session Planner , you can easily drag and drop your content blocks to quickly build an effective flow.

I like to start by creating a skeleton of each item in the workshop agenda and then adding additional content once I feel confident in the flow.

business plan workshop

SessionLab also ensures you stay in control of time while creating your workshop agenda. Add timing to each block to confidently plan for the time you have available. And when you make changes, SessionLab will automatically calculate your timing. It’s easy to iterate and plan the most effective workshop flow for your participants.

Need inspiration? Research and exploration into the methods library can help you find suitable activities for your session, as well as other online repositories of ideas such as this one by Untools.  

The actual process of creating a draft agenda is quite personal. You may be working on it completely alone (hopefully, with a hot or cold beverage of your choice, and plenty of time!) or with a co-facilitator.

Results from the State of Facilitation report indicate that facilitators like to work directly with online tools, such as SessionLab, others, me included, prefer to start with pen and paper… or by taking voice notes while taking a walk!

business plan workshop

However you approach the matter, you are likely to do all of these things (and more!), while not necessarily in this order:

  • Create a timeline, showing when your workshop starts, ends, and how long each section will last;
  • Check your notes from meeting with the client, refer back to desired outcomes both tangible and intangible;
  • Refer back to your interviews with participants, or any other information you may have collected from them, to pinpoint main needs and expectations;
  • Brainstorm activities you believe will meet the client’s and the participants’ needs;
  • Pick among those activities: which are “must-haves” and which are optional?
  • Assess how much time each activity will take, and add a bit of buffer to account for the unexpected;
  • Check that your activities are diverse enough to include people with different styles and approaches (e.g. by having both individual and group activities);
  • Add essential opening and closing activities such as icebreakers and introductions at the beginning and feedback and drawing conclusions at the end
  • Arrange them in a timeline;

And whatever you do, don’t forget to schedule some breaks! A successful workshop ensures that the workshop facilitator and all participants are able to participate and maintain their energy levels will learning new skills.

person working on a whiteboard with sticky notes

Refining the agenda

Once you have a solid agenda, it’s time once more to check in with the client. Run through the agenda together, checking that you share an understanding of what is going to happen, and making any needed tweaks and changes as you go. I always aim to share my reasoning with clients and share tidbits of facilitation along the way. 

If you’re using SessionLab, you can invite clients and stakeholders directly to your agenda so you discuss and co-create in real-time or asynchronously. Collaborating in one-place can really help ensure your workshop preparation is smooth and that your session will meet your goals.

Refining the agenda is the subject of the third client/facilitator meeting detailed in the template that goes with this piece. The first thing to do is restate the high-level purpose and objectives of the workshop, before going into a review of details. This process encourages clarity and alignment, as well as enabling the facilitator to check whether the proposed agenda is fit for purpose. 

This is also the stage in which, if I am facilitating a group discussions on a topic I am not familiar with, I’ll be doing research into that topic. Opinions about how knowledgeable, if at all, a facilitator should be about the topic under discussion vary greatly. Personally, my attention is on the dynamics of their conversation rather than on the content. Because of this, I don’t mind working with groups or companies who are talking about something I am not informed about. 

At the same time, I find it useful to have at least a beginner’s understanding of the discussion. To enable this, I will ask clients to send me some papers or links to study. Mainly, I will be looking for jargon and terminology: I want to have at least a sense of what people are talking about and what terms to use myself. I also try and get a sense of what in the field is clear, and what is contested or up for debate. Research can lead to changes to the agenda: in a recent workshop I chaired, reading some documentation led me to assume that terminology being used in the field was still not well-defined. Different stakeholders were using different terms to indicate the same things, or the same term to indicate different things! I checked in with the client to verify if this was indeed the case and we decided to add a section discussing terminology at the beginning of the workshop. We did not aim to settle the argument once and for all, but rather to share with participants the current state of the art in this particular industry and agree on what terms we would use for the duration of the workshop.  This is also a great time to reconsider the implications of your setting. If you’re running a virtual workshop, how will you encourage participants to take part and explore ideas in such an environment?

Creating a communications plan 

Whether you are opening the workshop for participants to enroll or whether it’s the host preparing a list of attendees, it’s likely someone will be working to create a buzz around the event.

Often this is not handled by the facilitator directly but rather by a communication agency or office. That said, do your part by preparing material for dissemination and helping make sure the news reaches the right ears. If you are not doing communication and enrollment yourself, avoid missteps (such as the advertising sending a message that is not aligned with your intention and design) by preparing such a brief well in advance. A basic communication plan for your workshop should include:

  • How will people find out about the workshop? Where will it be advertised? Are there networks, groups or individuals that should be reached out to? 
  • What should people know about the workshop in advance? Create a one or two-sentence description of the workshop to go out in communication channels and invitations. What is the workshop’s unique value? How can you entice people to be excited to join?
  • How will people enroll in the workshop? And how can they find out more? Who should they contact to register, is it you, or the client, or should you set up an automatic registration service (such as Eventbrite )? What information do you need to collect upon registration? Do participants need to sign authorizations (e.g. for audio-video use)? Will they get a confirmation email? Automatically or through you/the client?

Establishing who will be there 

Many hands make light work: now that you have your detail agenda or script set out, you should have a clear sense of whether other people are needed to make it work. Will you need a tech host? An assistant to help with the practicalities? A video-maker? Photographer? Visual practitioner?  If you need to assemble a team, it makes sense to onboard them once you know the agenda and tasks they will take on.

The other aspect of establishing who will be there is having a final (or “almost final”… there are usually last-minute surprises!) participant list. Registration can also be an interesting opportunity to collect information on your workshop attendees that might inspire some final details of the design. When registering participants for a short (3-hour) leadership workshop for the international organization C40, besides asking for basic information such as names and emails, I added three optional questions concerning people’s motivation for joining, interesting initiatives they might like to share, and a blank space for “any other communications”. This process was useful for me to start to get a sense of who was going to be in the room and adapt my choices and language to the audience. Furthermore, these questions can kick-start the workshop long before it begins by asking participants to start reflecting on a certain topic.

Phase 3 – Running the workshop!

As the moment of running a workshop draws closer, there are some tasks to do that are very practical, having to do with implementing what has, up to now, existed in words only. This is the phase for getting things done : assembling materials, briefing your team and any speakers, taking care of your inner work and preparation and then, in a leap of faith…Trusting that all you’ve done is enough, finally doing away with plans, and going with the flow! 

Running workshops can be tough work, so in this section we’ve collected some tips for managing workshop attendees (and yourself) that should help running the workshop easier!

Assembling materials

Shopping time! The stationery shop is like a second home to most facilitators: it’s time to get your gear together and fill up boxes of sticky notes, posters, and marker pens. Now things are getting real! (And if you used SessionLab to plan your session, you’ll find a handy list of materials consolidated on the information page !) As the date of the workshop approaches, make sure you have all the materials you need ready at hand. This might include your presentations, virtual whiteboards, or physical goodies. I have found myself roaming Rome at dawn to get photocopies of materials in a neighborhood with no such services. Not fun! 

display of colored markers in a store

I often wonder how important is it to give participants printed handouts. On the one hand, let’s admit it, such materials don’t often get read. Printing is a waste of energy and paper and my sustainable-minded self would rather avoid it. 

On the other hand, printed materials might be a useful reference a long time after the workshop is over, and many people like to have something physical to hold onto and take notes on. You can also consider the option of having digital-format handouts to send to everyone before or after the workshop. 

Briefing team and speakers 

A few days before the workshop, set a briefing call with the client, your team and, if applicable, speakers or other guests. I have sometimes avoided doing this for the sake of efficiency… and usually regretted it. Even though it seems like everything is clear and smooth, by talking a workshop through, even in a brief 30 min meeting, something might emerge that needs attention.

If you have external speakers joining, e.g. for a keynote or presentation, remember they have not dedicated the amount of time and attention to this event that you have! Brief them on the intention behind the workshop and on the participants in the room, and discuss what will happen before and after their speech. As your star guests, they should feel welcome and well prepared. This will improve alignment and the overall experience for participants. When running a workshop with a team, it’s very important to know who will take care of what. Take the time to clearly define roles and responsibilities and add to the script the name of the people who will be, for example, presenting or tech hosting at a given time.

You might also have pre-workshop communication you want to send out to participants, perhaps to remind them of logistics or do some prep work. Always include a way to contact you (or someone from your team) if something happens at the last minute! 

Personal energy management

Once all the design and preparation are done, so much rests on the facilitator’s personal stance and attention. Here are some examples of things facilitators I know, or myself, do in terms of personal energy management:

  • No work the day before and/or after an important event;
  • Meditation and focussing activities;
  • Spending time in nature, taking walks;
  • Coaching session with trusted colleagues or a professional coach;
  • Taking time to reflect on possible biases and on personal intentions. 

What do you do to prepare yourself before a workshop? Do you take time and space before the start to tend to your own needs? We’ve also been sharing this conversation in SessionLab’s community space: join us here.  

Going with the flow

Step by step, you have now reached this exceptional threshold. People have assembled in a physical or online space, which is equipped with all they need to learn and grow together. The workshop is about to begin! 

This is what all the preparation work was for: take a deep breath and delve into the agenda. Skilled facilitators know how to read the room, trust their instincts, and stick by the plan, or change it, depending on what is needed in the moment, here and now. 

hands raised up at a conference

Phase 4 – Learn

The workshop may be over but the work is not! Learning, celebrating and reflecting should take just as much of your time, energy and commitment as any one of the other phases. This is the step where we truly grow and become, with time and experience, wise and excellent facilitators! In this learning phase, we aim to close a cycle mirroring how it was opened. This means continuing a dialogue with our client and making time to think back together. Such reflections are too often swept aside in the hustle of business cycles. Yet, the more space we can make for them, the better. As we learn together, we consolidate trust and strengthen partnerships. Furthermore, reflecting and celebrating builds momentum for the next workshop cycle, which is often just around the corner! 

two business people high-fiving

Agreements taken with your client might include your contribution to drafting a final report. And even if they don’t, it’s still a great idea, for your own records, to take some time to look back and write up a summary of what happened. It will be invaluable in time, e.g. when two years down the line a client calls you back to know: “Could you do that workshop again?” “What made this a successful workshop and what would you change in any future workshops?” A workshop report generally includes two main parts: one is about information, the other is focussed on learnings.

Report Part 1  – information on the workshop

The first is a collection of data about the workshop: when and where was the workshop held? How many people attended? What was the schedule? 

  • Workshop concept 
  • Agenda (you can use SessionLab to include a handy printout of the session agenda!)
  • Data on attendees (e.g. how many people attended, and whatever data about them is relevant and can be shared)
  • Pictures from the event

Report Part 2 – learnings from the workshop

The second part of the workshop report is more subjective. This is the place in which to include reflections on how it went , a summary of key conversations and discussions, recommendations, notes on methodology

  • Reflections on the methodologies chosen
  • Facilitator’s notes and observations
  • Feedback received
  • Key recommendations or decisions taken. 

Following-up

Presenting a report, and opening it for final revisions, is a great excuse to set up that precious follow-up meeting with your client. 

Reserve a chunk of time to look back at your work together and reflect: what went well? What would you change next time? This is a time for constructive feedback, expressing appreciation, and really taking care of the relationship. You can find some inspiration on what to include in such a meeting in the last part of our Planning a Workshop template . 

Besides following up with your client, you also may have some follow-up actions to take towards participants. Here are some ideas of what that may include:

  • Sending certificates of attendance with the number of hours spent at the workshop and the main topics covered;
  • Sending lists of extra materials, bibliographies, and resources ;
  • Collecting feedback through a questionnaire;
  • Inviting people to subscribe to your mailing list, follow you on social media, or in any case providing ways for them to stay in touch. 

And of course, if you haven’t done it yet, it’s also time to do that bit of life admin and send an invoice! 

Collecting learnings

The follow-up and reporting steps are mostly outward-facing, that is, you are writing for others . While you do that, probably some ideas and learnings will emerge that are about your work and practice. A collection of personal learnings can be the outcome of your own reflection or, if you are part of a community of practice or professional development program, of time spent debriefing the workshop with your peers, coach, or mentor.

I don’t always have as much time as I would like to properly debrief and collect learnings. At the very least, I take 15 minutes to think through this quick “Regret, Celebrate, Learn” process I learned from the Mediate your Life program. To do that, I quickly jot down some notes or a mental map in response to the following three questions:

  • Regret – what happened at the workshop that I regret, am worried or sad about? How did I feel about that? Do I know why I did it (what needs was I trying to satisfy?) 
  • Celebrate – what happened at the workshop that I really celebrate and am glad about? How did that feel? What needs of mine were met? 
  • Learn – with those things in mind, are there any learning points I want to draw and remember? 

I might, for example, regret answering a participant’s question rather brusquely, and realize I did that because I was feeling rushed for time. At the same time, I might celebrate that I did take that person aside to check in with them during the break. This may lead me to remind myself to invite people who have off-topic questions to “park” them on a poster to answer at a later time. 

person working on a notebook

You may want to add some notes next to certain tools or methodologies you used: most workshops present an opportunity to do something slightly different next time. If you are using SessionLab, you can add these to a certain activity’s card, so you’ll find them waiting for you next time you pick the same method from your personal library . 

Celebrating

Celebrating can mean different things to different people. If I am traveling to/from the workshop, I consider that time spent on the train on my way back, taking notes on my diary, part of celebration. 

Plenty of other actions might help you feel like the circle is closed: taking a relaxing break, going out for dinner with your team members, buying yourself a little gift… whatever helps you keep your energy level high and integrate the experience into the flow of your life. Processing your reflections and giving them some time to settle is likely to lead straight to the next great idea. How about we took this learning from this workshop and did that with it? Time to start taking notes, because these thoughts are the sign that a new cycle of ideation is about to begin! 

Processing your reflections and giving them some time to settle is likely to lead straight to the next great idea.

In closing 

When I asked our in-house designer to come up with the illustration on the top of this article, it felt very appropriate to summarize the complicated process of designing a workshop into a single, perfect circle.

illustration of the steps of workshop planning

Now that it’s done, I realize it’s really not a circle at all, because once all the work is complete nobody, neither client nor facilitator nor participants, is in the same place they began from. The process of designing a workshop is actually like a spiral , that widens and opens each time we go around. By the end of all these steps, everyone will have changed in some way. Relationships will have formed, new ideas defined, and lessons learned.

At the start of the spiral, there is only an idea, which becomes a design as it is shared, consolidated and refined. The facilitator’s job is to turn it into an agenda, and go through all these steps, alone or with a team, to make it happen. By learning from all that took place, the flow will, in time, become more natural, fluid, almost second nature. My hope in setting it down in this piece is that it will help you along the journey.

Want to see an entire workshop journey in action and get help in putting together a water-tight agenda? Explore our workshop planning template to go through a proven agenda design process that will help you dazzle potential attendees.

Does this process describe how you have been designing your workshops? Did it give you new ideas? Leave a note in the comments, and join the discussion in our Community !

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business plan workshop

How does learning work? A clever 9-year-old once told me: “I know I am learning something new when I am surprised.” The science of adult learning tells us that, in order to learn new skills (which, unsurprisingly, is harder for adults to do than kids) grown-ups need to first get into a specific headspace.  In a business, this approach is often employed in a training session where employees learn new skills or work on professional development. But how do you ensure your training is effective? In this guide, we'll explore how to create an effective training session plan and run engaging training sessions. As team leader, project manager, or consultant,…

business plan workshop

Effective online tools are a necessity for smooth and engaging virtual workshops and meetings. But how do you choose the right ones? Do you sometimes feel that the good old pen and paper or MS Office toolkit and email leaves you struggling to stay on top of managing and delivering your workshop? Fortunately, there are plenty of online tools to make your life easier when you need to facilitate a meeting and lead workshops. In this post, we’ll share our favorite online tools you can use to make your job as a facilitator easier. In fact, there are plenty of free online workshop tools and meeting facilitation software you can…

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"If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else," said the great Yogi Berra. Writing a one-page plan is highly useful because it forces you to be very focused and clear in your statements. As a result, it enables you to see quickly in a glance what you need to know to keep moving your business forward in the right direction.

One Page Business Plans: Simple and Highly Effective Learn how to write a complete business plan in the equivalent of 29 tweets (or less) on a single page using keywords and short phrases.

The Power of a One-Page Plan of Action Flexibility and focus are needed to stay centered on a strategy to yield dividends. Learn how to create one-page plan of action for the coming 90 days.

Copyright © 2023 SCORE Association, SCORE.org

Funded, in part, through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

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How to Facilitate a Business Strategy Workshop

Business Strategy Workshop Facilitation

Posted in Blog , Entrepreneurship , Facilitation , Innovation , Innovation , Intrapreneurship , Launch Your Business , Lead , Virtual Facilitation by Jo North

Business Strategy Workshops

This article gives you practical tips and advice for planning and delivering an awesome business strategy workshop.

I believe that business strategy sessions are one of the most important things that we do. The world around us is always changing. Businesses need to stay agile, make sure they’re ahead of the curve and in line with where the markets are going. 

It’s important to get everybody engaged and thinking differently in your business strategy workshop, and I’ll be sharing some ideas along the way about how you can do that.

What is Business Strategy and Who is it For?

A business strategy is really just an overarching plan for an organization.

Big or small, all businesses need a strategy, and the world is changing all the time. It’s important that we revisit the strategy frequently to make sure it’s on course, adjusting where necessary.

Some of the strategic plans that we make don’t actually play out over time. However, having a business strategy creates direction, helps with prioritization and gets everyone working towards achieving the same vision.  

Objectives of a Business Strategy Workshop

The objectives of a business strategy workshop are for the organization to think about what’s going on in the world outside in relation to the organization’s vision, mission and values. 

Where does the organization want to be in relation to the world around it? 

  • How do you want to compete? 
  • How do you want to deliver value? 
  • How do you want to achieve your purpose? 

From there, realign with the customer elements.

  • Who are you serving? 
  • How have your customers’ needs changed? 
  • How have your competitors’ activities changed over time?

This is really about setting a long-term view, but how long term depends on the industry that you’re in. 

The energy and utilities sectors, amongst others, have really long-range planning of at least 10-15 years ahead. However, if you’ve got a small business, you might be looking at just the next 1 to 5 years. 

The Opportunity

The world has never been in the place it’s in today, and I think we’re seeing a lot of unprecedented change at the moment with…

  • Post COVID recovery . Organizations are working out what happens now, what the future may hold, and how we need to change in light of that. 
  • Climate change . We have organizations thinking about how they can do things cleaner, better with net zero decarbonisation. 
  • Technology . The availability of new technology means that customers’ expectations are changing. Digital technology also means that we can streamline internal processes for increased business efficiency.
  • Social change . We are all in business to solve a problem, or problems, that our customers have. Because the world is always changing, our customers’ needs and aspirations are always changing too. We need to make sure that the business’ value proposition remains aligned with market requirements.

Sometimes organizations don’t think they need a strategy. They don’t believe they can plan for the future because of all the changes. 

However, having a strategy is about having a direction. It’s about knowing where the organization wants to be so that it can build appropriate plans that it can then flex and change on its journey to get there. 

In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable. Dwight D Eisenhower

Getting Ready for Your Business Strategy Workshop

In preparing for a business strategy session, you’ll want to take the individual circumstances of each organization into account. I always establish objectives with clients ahead of time. 

  • What do people need to know? 
  • What pre-work is needed? 
  • What information and inputs are needed for the strategy session? 
  • Why are all those inputs needed? 
  • Who can provide and deliver them? 
  • When do we need to get them and from where? 
  • What data or info needs to be shared? 

This helps delegates process the information in advance of the strategy workshop, so they come after having done some groundwork. It also means that you have any important information at your fingertips, ready to use.

Designing Your Business Strategy Workshop

Business strategy workshop activities, welcome and warm up.

There are many different icebreakers and energizers that you can do to warm people up.  My article here will give you loads of great activities that you can use. Also, you’ll find some brilliant icebreaker questions specifically for your business strategy workshop here .

Where Do We Want To Be, and Why?

I recommend that you dedicate a significant proportion of your workshop to exploring the answers to this question, using a combination of activities that I’ve shared below.

Horizon Scanning

Start off with an activity that I have created called ‘ H o rizon Scanning ’. 

Horizon Scanning is about looking forward and reading the signals of today’s significant trends and seeing how they might evolve going forward. 

Horizon Scanning activity. Instructions for delegates.

When I’m working online, I ask delegates to use a virtual whiteboard in a tool such as Miro Online Whiteboard , and create an image with sticky notes for the things they think are going on in the future that will affect the organization’s strategy. 

If I’m facilitating in person, I like to have newspapers, industry publications or journals the delegates will use to find  things that they think are going to be relevant to the company strategy from outside the organization.

I have delegates break into small groups and look at the opportunities and challenges the business might have, for example, between now and the end of 2025. 

We have a discussion about what the social, technological, environmental, economic, political, legal and regulatory changes might mean for the organization in the years ahead.

Business mission, vision, values

We are still working on the question “Where do we want to be, and why?”

Now, you want to take a look at the organization’s vision, mission and values, and consider the organization’s intended place and role in the changing world.

  • Where do you see your place in the world, amongst all of those things that are going on in the world outside? 
  • Where do you see your  purpose, fit, place and contribution? 

If the organization you’re working with does not have a mission, vision and values , use the activities in my article here to create them.

Wouldn’t It Be Fantastic If…

Having established what’s going on in the world outside of your business and how that might impact your organization, the next stage of the business strategy workshop is to determine:

‘Given our vision, mission and values, where do we want to be and how does that relate to us?’

‘ What might a great future be like within the context of your vision, mission values and what’s going on in the world? ‘

A really simple and effective exercise is to ask delegates to do the WIFI (Wouldn’t It Be Fantastic If) activity. 

I ask delegates to complete the phrase, W ouldn’t I t be F antastic I f , as many times as they can for things that they could make happen. These need to be things they CAN make happen, not just wishful thinking! 

Once you are done with that, your strategy workshop participants select the top ones. This is where you’re really starting to envision where the organization wants to go. 

Instructions on how to facilitate the wouldn't it be fantastic if technique in a strategy workshop

I like to use Wouldn’t it be fantastic if.. . because it’s all about possibility and imagination . It gives people the freedom and the permission to think differently, stretch themselves, and dream a little bit as well. 

Lightning Talks with Customers

Now look at how customer’s needs are changing. I’m defining customers in the loosest possible sense. If we do something for somebody else, that ‘somebody else’ is our customer.  So make sure that you’re specific about who your organization’s customers are. 

When I work with an organization, I often invite a selected number of the organization’s customers in to do something that I call a lightning talk. 

A lightning talk is designed to really spark creativity, insights and ideas. It’s fast and punchy, but it’s packed with value. The purpose is to get ideas sparking and delegates really thinking through the lens of their customers. 

I ask customers at this stage to share their thoughts, experiences and future priorities.

TIP: If you have a small business and you’re not sure how this would work for you, you can simply contact some customers and have conversations with them, get some input from them and feed that into your own strategy process.

Product /  Service Life Cycle

Next, explore the products or services that the organization is providing using the product / service lifecyle model . 

I ask delegates to plot out where each element of their offer is in the lifecycle. 

  • Is it in a growth phase? 
  • Are there some elements that are declining? 

This stage is important because you’re thinking through what’s working, what’s growing and what to get behind.

You may also focus on those products or services that may need another growth curve, or what you should turn off or let go in order for resources to be directed somewhere else. 

Product / service lifecycle

Using the product / service lifecycle tells us about customers’ behavior. It highlights what customers want, what they’re enjoying, what they’re benefiting from, and also what isn’t so popular and why. As an alternative, you can do this using the Boston Consulting Group matrix (pictured below). 

business plan workshop

With the Boston Consulting Group matrix, you’re looking at sales and growth and plotting them in one of the four squares: Stars, Cash Cows, Dogs or Question Marks. 

  • Stars – Fast growing products or services that might not be selling a huge amount of volume yet, but they’re showing some really fantastic promise.
  • Dogs – Products or services that are not going anywhere and are probably not at all profitable. 
  • Cash Cows – Products or services which aren’t growing a lot, but are steady and bringing in a nice profitable income. The cash cows provide the cash flow to fund innovations for stars and future cash cows.
  • Question Marks – Products or services that do not seem to have a clear path for success. They could either succeed or fail. The question is do you get behind it, leave it a bit longer, or maybe put it to one side and focus on something else?

Mapping all of the business’ products and services out in this way helps to identify where the priorities might be, as well as understanding where customers are heading with their choices.

Competition

Next, explore competition with delegates to understand how well competitors are serving customers. Discuss how well competitors are showing that they might be serving customers going forward. 

I ask delegates to plot out how well competitors are performing versus themselves and give themselves a score using a visual template, such as in the image below. 

business plan workshop

For more information and a detailed step-by-step guide on how to do competitor analysis , check out my article here and video below.

How it all Fits Together

So we’ve been divergent up to this point, and now we’re going to look at being more convergent. 

It is usually at this point that I’ll ask delegates to do a SOAR analysis. SOAR stands for Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results. 

business plan workshop

Related Article: Appreciative Inquiry for Facilitators

In a SOAR analysis, I’ll ask the team to think about and work through the following:

  • The organization’s greatest assets – people, money, the brand, ways of working, products, services, networks, supply chain, and many more things. 
  • Key opportunities coming from the outside world from the earlier horizon scanning activity.
  • Internal weakness – these can be converted into a strength internally, so that could be an opportunity for growth.
  • Mapping out and consolidating their aspirations from the WIFI activity above.
  • Identify the measurable results that they want their strategy to achieve. 

This is where you are bringing everything together from all the activities that the team has done so far. Pull them into one place to create a consolidated SOAR analysis. 

Potential Solutions

We now know where we want to be, where we are and what we have to work with. But, how are we going to do that and create competitive differentiation? 

There are so many different tools that I use for this. One really good one is the Four Actions Framework from the Blue Ocean Strategy suite of tools. 

So the next activity is about asking the team to think through what they could: 

business plan workshop

The idea is to eliminate or reduce things without negatively impacting the customer experience. 

These simple questions are really fantastic at prompting great strategic thinking and you get lots of ideas from that which you prioritize.  

Action Plan

The last thing is to create an action plan.  

  • What’s the action?
  • Who’s going to do it? 
  • When does it need to be done by?

You want everybody to leave the business strategy workshop being superclear about where the organization’s heading. This includes what it means for customers and where the competitive differentiation is going to come from. Also, on what the organization needs to put in place and start doing in order to make that happen. It’s important too to have a clear segue into actually getting there. 

If you’d like our help with designing and facilitating your business strategy workshop , either virtually or in-person, please do get in touch. We’d love to help.

If you’re interested in facilitation and developing your professional practice as a facilitator, I’d love you to come and  join me in my free, private Facebook Group, Idea Time for Workshop Facilitators . As well as a fantastic community of likeminded people, you will get access to free facilitation trainings, tools, techniques and time savers.

If you’d like to book us to deliver some professional virtual facilitation for you and your team, or would like a one-to-one virtual facilitation training and coaching session,  find out more about what we do here . Contact me direct using the form below. I’ll get straight back to you.

Hope to hear from you soon 🙂

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An Interactive 3-Day Training Course

Practical business planning workshop, making business plans that really work to transform your business, classroom sessions:, introduction.

Business planning is an essential management tool enabling an enterprise both to succeed in a global marketplace and to be accountable to its shareholders, but the process must be supported by effective project management to ensure that plans do not become merely decorative “shelfware”.

Too often, business planning is an onerous annual chore driven by financial numbers alone, instead of a powerful method of defining and delivering profitable change for the organization.

This short Practical Business Planning Workshop, demonstrates a practical and robust method to produce a business vision, based on analysis and debate, which is then delivered through a coherent programme of projects delivered by engaged and accountable managers. The emphasis here is on practical hands-on training in use of the methodology.

This Practical Business Planning Workshop will feature:

  • What does a good plan look like?
  • What is the practical payoff for the organization?
  • Organizing and Resourcing a regular annual time-bound exercise
  • Demonstration of a simple and robust process to generate a powerful plan
  • Getting the right people around the table in the right setting with the right mind-set

By the end of this Practical Business Planning Workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Design and deliver a business planning process which suits their business
  • Mobilize the resources and information required to produce a robust business plan
  • Analyze their business environment to develop a plan which will deliver the “business vision”
  • Finalize and communicate a business plan to the stakeholders affected by the plan
  • Direct and manage the delivery of the plan through a coherent PRINCE2 programme

Training Methodology

This Practical Business Planning workshop will use a variety of proven adult learning techniques to ensure maximum understanding, comprehension and retention of the information presented. This includes classroom based learning with a competitive practical team element. Case studies and practical simulations of the business plan processes producing outline plans for a case study client. Production of a plan for an imaginary company with role-play exercises using the proven methodology.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This Practical Business Planning workshop is designed for senior and middle managers who are aspiring to general management positions and individuals seeking an understanding of this key element of the top manager’s tool kit. It is also relevant to C-level leaders looking to expand their businesses.

This Practical Business Planning Workshop is suitable to a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:

  • Senior Leaders in Marketing, Finance, Operations and HR functions
  • Headquarters staff in complex organizations across all business sectors and public administration
  • Departmental Heads responsible for components of the business plan
  • Senior Programme and Project Management Staff
  • Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) leaders aiming to grow their businesses

The Planning Workshop – Walk-through of the “Fishbone”© Method

  • Using the Fishbone © approach to shape the problem for an imaginary client described in student case study material
  • Appraisal of the Plan Start Point
  • Formulation of the desired end-state
  • Analysis of the “terrain of travel”
  • Planning for Effectiveness
  • Planning for Efficiency

The worked example

  • Working up a business plan for “Planco Incorporated” using the “Fishbone” © Method
  • Course members analyse the Planco Business Brief /case study – preparing their roles as Business Directors Preparing the Planco Business Plan
  • Integrating Standard Analytical (Porter, Ansoff, Boston, PESTLE) tools in the process
  •  Considering the Delivery of the Plan – roles and responsibilities
  • The Importance of Practical Delivery and Feedback Loops – “where the rubber meets the road!”
  • The “proof of the pudding” - managing the delivery through a PRINCE 2 programme
  • On successful completion of this training course, GLOMACS Certificate will be awarded to the delegates
  • Continuing Professional Education credits (CPE) : In accordance with the standards of the National Registry of CPE Sponsor, one CPE credit is granted per 50 minutes of attendance

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Workshop Business Plan Template & Guidebook

A solid business plan is crucial for the success of any small business, but it can be challenging to know where to start. That's why the #1 Workshop Business Plan Template & Guidebook is such a valuable resource. It provides entrepreneurs with the guidance they need to create a comprehensive and effective business plan that will help them reach their goals and realize their dreams. With easy-to-follow templates, practical advice, and helpful tips, this workshop guidebook equips small business owners with the tools necessary to confidently create a successful business plan.

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How to Write a Workshop Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your workshop business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your workshop business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a workshop business:

Our mission is to provide an interactive, creative environment for learning, growth and understanding in our workshops, classes, and other educational experiences. We strive to bring together diverse participants from different backgrounds and perspectives in order to create a vibrant setting for learning. We are committed to providing key insights and knowledge through skills-based instruction to ensure maximum benefit for all attendees. Ultimately, we strive to equip our participants with the knowledge, resources, and skills they need to lead successful lives.

Image of Zenbusiness business formation

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Workshop Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your workshop business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

  • What is my business?
  • What are the products and/or services that I offer?
  • Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
  • How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
  • How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

Image of Zenbusiness business formation

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your workshop business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your workshop business includes the following elements:

Target market

  • Who is your target market?
  • What do these customers have in common?
  • How many of them are there?
  • How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

  • Who are your current customers? 
  • Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
  • How can their experience with your workshop business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

  • How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
  • Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
  • Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
  • How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

  • Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
  • Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
  • What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

  • Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
  • What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
  • What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
  • How many of your customers do you instead will return?

Form an LLC in your state!

business plan workshop

4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

  • The equipment and facilities needed
  • Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
  • Financial requirements for each step
  • Milestones & KPIs
  • Location of your business
  • Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a workshop business?

  • Equipment: Computers, printer, scanner, phone system, internet connection
  • Supplies: Printer paper, office supplies such as pens and paper clips, cleaning supplies
  • Permits: Business license issued by local authority

5. Management & Organization of Your Workshop Business.

The second part of your workshop business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

  • How many employees you need in order to run your workshop business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
  • The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
  • How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Workshop Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a workshop business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a workshop business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your workshop business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your workshop business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your workshop business plan:

  • Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
  • Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
  • Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
  • Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
  • Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
  • Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

business plan workshop

Frequently Asked Questions About Workshop Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a workshop business.

A business plan is essential for any business, and a workshop business is no exception. The business plan helps you establish your goals, create an action plan, explore potential sources of funding, assess the competition in your industry, develop a pricing strategy, analyze market trends and make realistic estimates of the financial performance of your business. Additionally, having a well-crafted business plan can help you secure financing from potential investors.

Who should you ask for help with your workshop business plan?

You should ask a qualified business consultant or a financial advisor to help you with your workshop business plan.

Can you write a workshop business plan yourself?

Yes, it is possible to write a workshop business plan yourself. It is important to consider the necessary elements of a sound business plan including market analysis, operational planning and financial projections. You may also wish to consult other resources such as books, online resources and professionals who specialize in writing business plans.

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I'm Nick, co-founder of newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.

From assessing market viability and formulating business plans to selecting the right technology and navigating the financial landscape, I am dedicated to helping fellow entrepreneurs overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. As a steadfast advocate for small business success, my mission is to pave the way for a new generation of innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark on the world.

Business planning expert

One-day business planning workshop.

This is a sample agenda for a one-day Business Planning workshop for a group of business owners, chamber members, etc. I use a sample case for developing hands-on forecasts and examples.

business plan workshop

You may consider either Business Plan Pro or Liveplan.com accounts with the workshop to greatly increase the likelihood of long-term success. People walk away with the tools they need to actually make this happen. Or, as an alternative, bundling the The Plan-As-You-Go Business Plan book costs a lot less.  These books can assist with your business planning.

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Small Business Plan Workshop

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Business Plan Online Workshop (on 5/16/24, 8-9:30pm Eastern)

Workshop Registration:

How to Create Your Business Plan

Learn how to create your Business Plan to help you start your small business.

During this 90-minute live and interactive online workshop , Henry Lopez (Serial Entrepreneur and Host of The How of Business Podcast) will provide step-by-step instructions and guidance on creating a Business Plan that will help you get your business started, including what lenders and investors may want to see in your plan.

This workshop includes the Business Plan Outline which includes all the recommended parts of an effective business plan.

When: Thursday, May 16, 2024 – 8:00pm to 9:30pm Eastern Where: Online (Zoom) – you will receive the link before the workshop. 

This live workshop has a limited number of spots available.

To register, please click on the Register & Pay button below. Patreon Patron Members receive a 50% discount! [ learn more about Patron Membership ].

About the Small Business Plan Workshop:

Learn how to create a Business Plan to help you start your small business .

An effective Business Plan helps you compile your research, define your business model, focus your initial start-up, and perhaps also secure funding.

Trying to start a business without a plan is like trying to navigate an ocean without a map or GPS. As the saying goes, “ a goal without a plan is just a wish .”

During this 90-minute live and interactive online workshop , Henry Lopez (Serial Entrepreneur and Host of The How of Business Podcast) will provide step-by-step instructions and guidance on creating your Business Plan .

This workshop includes a Business Plan Template which you can use to create your own business plan. Henry will explain each recommended section of a typical Business Plan and why it’s important.

After participating in this workshop, you will be able to complete a Business Plan for your proposed new small business . You will understand the key components of a winning business plan, and how to use business planning to help get your small business launched.

This is not a presentation or recording – it’s an interactive live working session where you will follow along as Henry takes you through the creation of your Business Plan. You will get to ask questions, as the workshop will be limited to a small group.

Join Henry Lopez for this Business Plan online live workshop to learn:

  • How to create a Business Plan to start your small business.
  • Plan for success and to perhaps get funding and investors.
  • Why a Business Plan is important and what are the essential parts.
  • The three types of Business Plans: Traditional Business Plans, Lean Startup Plan, and a Pitch Deck .

This live workshop has a limited number of spots available. Limiting it to a small group allows for better interaction, and for you to get all of your questions answered.

Related podcast episodes:

Episode 382: Small Business Plans

Related Workshops:

Small Business Financial Projections

Valuetainment

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BUSINESS PLANNING

Workshop 2023, december 15th, virtual event hosted by patrick bet-david, do you want 2024 to be the biggest year of your career.

  • Do you make New Year’s resolutions that you don’t keep—and want next year to be different?
  • Do you want a roadmap and game plan to lead your team to create a strategic plan?
  • Do you have the motivation but lack the know-how to scale and raise capital?
  • Do you want to learn from someone who has been there and done that?
  • Are you looking for ways to take your business to the next level?

Then you should attend the Virtual Business Planning Workshop with Patrick Bet-David. For over 20 years, Patrick has been helping businesses grow and reach their full potential. He knows what it takes to create a successful business, and he’s sharing his knowledge with you in this workshop.

You’ll learn how to develop a business plan, set goals that will drive your business forward. You’ll also discover how to use emotion and logic in your business plan to help scale your business for long-term success.

If you’re serious about taking your business to the next level, register for the Virtual Business Planning Workshop today.

business plan workshop

Fire in me reignited! I realized I stopped doing what i did to reach the level I have in my business. My growth and expansion stopped because I neglected to continue to feed the baby.

HOST & KEYNOTE

Patrick bet-david, founder & ceo of valuetainment.

  • Founder and CEO of a financial services firm
  • Creator of Valuetainment, the #1 YouTube channel for entrepreneurship with 3 million subscribers
  • Author of the #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller Your Next Five Moves
  • Thought leader, keynote speaker, and business mentor
  • Army Veteran who served in the Army’s 101st Airborne 

GUEST SPEAKER & PANELIST

business plan workshop

TOM ELLSWORTH

Teacher, mentor and business driver.

  • Tom leads corporate development and strategic initiatives at PHP Agency
  • 25 years of experience as a CEO, President, and founder with start-ups and mid-stage companies, disrupting Insurance/Financial Services, Enterprise Software, and Mobile while generating exits/transactions totaling over $1.2B.
  • Tom holds an MBA from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – Marketing from California State University, Northridge.

WHAT YOU'LL GET AT THE WORKSHOP:

You will have your own fill in the blank workbook with 100+ pages. This will help you stay on track throughout the year. The secret is to include emotion and logic in the plan. Track your progress with weekly or monthly check-ins.

Tom Ellsworth's blueprint for finding investors and raising capital starts with a great business idea. But that's just the beginning. You also need to have a clear understanding of your business model, your target market, and your financial projections. Only then can you start pitching your idea to potential investors. And even then, it's not guaranteed that you'll get funded. That's why it's so important to do your homework and put together a well-crafted pitch that conveys both the potential of your business and the strength of your team. If you can do that, you'll significantly increase your chances of raising the capital you need to get your business off the ground.

A successful project depends on careful planning. By taking the time to develop a detailed plan, you can avoid many of the pitfalls that can lead to project failure. A good plan will help you to define your goals, and it will provide a roadmap for achieving them while also creating accountability into the plan. This is a great way to ensure that you stay on track with your goals. By setting up a system of accountability, you can keep yourself accountable for meeting your goals.

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO STRATEGIZE WITH PBD?

TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL!

Join Patrick Bet-David for a full day workshop on how to create, scale and maximize your business and personal goals. He will be teaching you everything he knows about business planning so that you can achieve success in the upcoming year.

By the end of this workshop, you will have all the tools you need to make your 2024 goals a reality. You’ll be able to apply what you learn immediately and see results. Register now before it fills up!

Reserve your spot today before it fills up!

TAKE THE FIRST STEP TO MASSIVE SUCCESS!

Choose your experience, early bird pricing ends november 18th.

GENERAL TICKET

  • Virtual Seat for Main Session
  • 100 Page Digital Workbook
  • 2 week access to replay recording
  • Ability to submit questions
  • Access to virtual breakout rooms

business plan workshop

  • 4 week access to replay recording
  • LIVE Q&A interaction with PBD (100 people)
  • 2 Hour Private Q&A after main session

VIP

  • In Person Seat for Main Session
  • 100 Page Physical Workbook
  • Lifetime Recording
  • Ability to ask questions in person
  • Limited in Person Group (MAX 20 people)
  • LIVE in person Q&A interaction with PBD
  • Networking Lunch

December 15th, 2023

  • 9:00am - 12:00pm Session I
  • 12:00pm - 1:00pm Lunch
  • 1:00pm - 5:00pm Session II
  • 5:00pm - 6:00pm Dinner Break
  • 6:00pm - 8:00pm **Elite Session

Taxes and processing fees are already included in the price as listed.

Yes, we offer a 20% discount to active service members, veterans, and students. Please contact the team to process discounted offer.

Replay capability varies depending on the ticket you buy. Please check available options here .

There will be a webinar link sent out to all attendees in early December with details on how to access the business planning webinar live stream. This link will also be sent out one week prior, the day before and day of. 

For this virtual event there is a no refund policy, if you are unable to watch the live stream on the day of, then you will have access to the recording to make sure you don’t miss out on anything. 

The virtual business planning webinar will take place on December 15th, and it starts at 9AM EST

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Business Plan Workshop

Dive into our intensive workshop designed to mold your entrepreneurial ideas into concrete business plans. Benefit from expert-led sessions, hands-on strategies, and peer critiques that polish your proposal to perfection.

Whats Included in the Workshop:

This workshop provides you with the tools to submit your business plan proposal for the Spark Tank Pitch Fest. Once submitted, your proposal will be considered for the competition. 

We guide your social enterprise through creating a business plan to solve a community problem, work towards profitability and have a clear path forward in your operations. We work through topics such as:

  • Identifying your customer profile
  • Marketing and messaging
  • Finance and Accounting
  • Business Structures and systems
  • Break-even analysis
  • Business projections

Instructors:

Carlos Huerta and Bryan Feil

Dates/Times:

February 7, 2024, 10 AM – 12 PM In-person Training Register: SBPW-2024-AM.eventbrite.com

February 15, 2024, 6 PM – 8 PM On-line training Register: SBPW-2024-PM.eventbrite.com

Cost: Free!

Spark tank initiatives.

Our entire Spark Tank initiative takes you through the initial planning of your idea, building out a detailed plan for operations. Once your idea has been developed you will obtain feedback from local experts and the opportunity to connect with customers and the community.

Social Enterprise Academy

Pitch competition, spark tank expo, initiatives, 4888 e townsend ave. fresno, ca 93702, (559) 453-2367.

business plan workshop

Upmetrics AI Assistant: Simplifying Business Planning through AI-Powered Insights. Learn How

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Auto Repair Shop Business Plan

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Not everyone has the talent and technique to repair and restore cars, and if you have those skills, you might have thought of starting an auto repair business.

After all, most people prefer the autonomy having a business offers. But with autonomy comes responsibility. And to fulfill that you’ll need an auto repair business plan.

If you are planning to start a new auto or car repair shop, the first thing you will need is a business plan. Use our sample auto repair shop business plan  created using upmetrics business plan software to start writing your business plan in no time.

Before you start writing your business plan for your new auto repairing shop, spend as much time as you can reading through some examples of  services-related business plans.

Industry Overview

In 2021, 162000 establishments had a combined annual revenue of $115 billion in the US auto repair industry.

The growth has mainly come from the increasing number of cars on the road. Also, the growing mileage consumption has played a huge role.

Opening up a car repair shop requires you to pay for construction costs, labor, and equipment.

As the auto repair business is a profitable one it attracts a lot of competition, and to stay ahead of it you’ll need skills and a proper business plan.

Say goodbye to boring templates

Build your business plan faster and easier with AI

Plans starting from $7/month

business plan workshop

Things to Consider Before Writing an Auto Repair Business Plan

Select what area of repairs you’ll work on.

Auto repairs shops take up a variety of jobs like repairing and painting car bodies, transforming old vehicles, or doing tire and mechanical repairs.

So, it is necessary to decide what you want to do before getting started. Specialization helps you get more expertise in the area and makes you more reliable for the job to customers.

Pick a suitable location

An accessible location is a must for an auto repair business. Your location would also rely on the niche you’ll be working on. Tire repair services are usually on the road to make them accessible for emergencies.

While transformation services are mostly opened inside the city for easier pickup and drop.

Hire an efficient team

An auto repair business’s success relies heavily on the quality of services you provide. That helps you retain customers and get more. Hence, it is important to have a team that can provide quality services to your customers.

Apart from that, it is also important to have a team with good technical and soft skills to understand your customer’s problems better.

Formulate marketing strategies

Marketing your business is essential to attract customers and building your brand’s identity. Hence, it is important to have a marketing strategy for all the platforms your target audience uses to find repair services.

Chalking out Your Business Plan

A business plan helps you leverage the best of your resources, and get the maximum out of your efforts.

A business plan also comes in handy if you need funding or loans for your business, as investors and banks prefer to see a business plan before they give the money.

Reading sample business plans will give you a good idea of what you’re aiming for. It will also show you the different sections that entrepreneurs include and the language they use to write about themselves and their business plans.

We have created this sample auto repair shop business plan template for you to get a good idea about how a perfect auto repair shop business plan should look like and what details you will need to include in your stunning business plan.

Auto Repair Shop Business Plan Outline

This is the standard auto repair shop business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan.

  • Keys to Success
  • Mission Statement
  • Vision Statement
  • 3 Year profit forecast
  • Business Structure
  • Startup cost
  • Products and Services
  • Market Trends
  • Target Market
  • Market Segmentation
  • SWOT Analysis
  • Sales Strategy
  • Local Publications
  • Community Events/Organizations
  • Commuter Advertising
  • Customer Loyalty Programs
  • Direct Mail
  • Pricing Strategy
  • Important Assumptions
  • Brake-even Analysis
  • Profit Yearly
  • Gross Margin Yearly
  • Projected Cash Flow
  • Projected Balance Sheet
  • Business Ratios

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

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Download a sample auto repair shop business plan

Need help writing your business plan from scratch? Here you go;  download our free auto repair shop business plan pdf  to start.

It’s a modern business plan template specifically designed for your auto repair shop business. Use the example business plan as a guide for writing your own.

After  getting started with Upmetrics , you can copy this sample auto repair shop business plan template into your business plan and modify the required information and download your auto repair shop business plan pdf or doc file.

It’s the fastest and easiest way to start writing your business plan.

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About the Author

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Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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IMAGES

  1. Small Business Planning Workshop [2022 edition]

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  2. The Ultimate Workshop Planning Template

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  3. 🎉 Workshop business plan. Planning and Running a Workshop. 2019-03-06

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  4. Create a business plan workshop

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  5. How to Build a Business Plan (Workshop 1 of 3)

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  6. ‘Creating a Simple Business Plan’ Workshop by Globe myBusiness Academy

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VIDEO

  1. New Business Plan

  2. General Plan Workshop 01-29-24

  3. Multimodal Transportation Master Plan Workshop #2

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COMMENTS

  1. Best Business Plan Courses & Certificates Online [2024]

    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular business plan courses. Create a business mind map with Coggle: Coursera Project Network. How to Start Your Own Business: Michigan State University. Entrepreneurship: University of Pennsylvania. Launch Your Online Business: The State University of New York.

  2. Business Plan Workshops

    Learn how to write a business plan for startup promoters and SMEs with Donncha Hughes, a business advisor and group business and management training provider. The one day workshop covers the template, structure, content and financial projections of a business plan, and provides a recognised template for investor ready business plans.

  3. Workshops and Events

    Attend a Business Workshop or Webinar Through SCORE, business experts teach entrepreneurs how to start, grow or successfully exit a small business. SCORE offers free business training on a variety of small business topics. Watch low or no-cost webinars, take online courses or attend online workshops.

  4. SBA Learning Platform

    SBA Learning Platform. SBA's online learning programs are designed to empower and educate small business owners every step of the way. Whether you're looking to start a small business or expand your current one, SBA's digital learning platform has everything you need to educate yourself on entrepreneurial best practices and available financing ...

  5. Write your business plan

    Learn how to write a business plan quickly and efficiently with a business plan template. Choose between a traditional or lean startup format, and follow the nine sections of a traditional plan or the four sections of a lean startup plan. Find examples of business plans for different industries and purposes.

  6. A step-by-step guide to planning a workshop

    Blog A step-by-step guide to planning a workshop by Deborah Rim Moiso on July 7, 2022 23 min read 0 comments Share Going from a mere idea to a workshop that delivers results for your clients can feel like a daunting task. In this piece, we will shine a light on all the work behind the scenes.

  7. Business Plan Writing 101: Wharton Entrepreneurship Series

    Wharton Entrepreneurship Workshop, "Business Plan Writing 101," featuring Patrick FitzGerald, C'97, Managing Director of DreamIt Ventures. FitzGerald discus...

  8. Online Business Courses & Workshops

    Google is helping. Discover how American businesses and job seekers in your community are using digital tools to grow. Kickstart your business idea! Watch our newest under-the-hood YouTube series where 6 small business owners lay bare the decision-making process.

  9. Smart Business Plan Workshop

    Learn how to create a comprehensive business/action plan for your startup or established business in 20 hours of online training. The workshop covers the essential steps of business plan writing, from executive summary and marketing plan to financial projections and reports.

  10. A Step-by-Step Approach to Writing a One-Page Business Plan

    In this hands-on workshop, led by expert business coach Jennifer Dawn, you will learn: How to create a one-page business plan to guide the direction and growth of your company. Eliminate distraction and begin working with focus and purpose. How to take a step back and understand the scope and the strategy behind your tactics.

  11. Create a business plan ready to launch

    Workshop 1: Rock My Business Idea. Ensure your idea is viable before developing a business plan. You'll learn how to spot and overcome key obstacles to business viability, and how to meet short-term goals against timelines. Note: If you've already firmed up your business idea—or if you've recently launched a new business-and are ready ...

  12. How to Facilitate a Business Strategy Workshop

    The objectives of a business strategy workshop are for the organization to think about what's going on in the world outside in relation to the organization's vision, mission and values. Where does the organization want to be in relation to the world around it? How do you want to compete? How do you want to deliver value?

  13. Practical Business Planning Workshop

    By the end of this Practical Business Planning Workshop, participants will be able to: Design and deliver a business planning process which suits their business Mobilize the resources and information required to produce a robust business plan Analyze their business environment to develop a plan which will deliver the "business vision"

  14. Find upcoming events

    Essentials of a Business Plan. Saturday, February 24, 2024 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. CST. Free SBA event Online ASCENT - Contract Ready Cohort. Saturday, February 24, 2024 5:00 - 5:30 p.m. MST. Free Resource Partner event Online Available 24/7: First Steps to Starting a Business Online Learning Module ...

  15. Business Seminars, Workshops, and Consulting

    Our view on business planning is that it is a very serious process and we want to help you in whatever way will work best for you. The future success of your venture will depend on how carefully you plan. Call 714-544-0248 (CA) or 469-223-4474 (TX) to discuss your needs and get answers to your questions.

  16. The #1 Workshop Business Plan Template & Guidebook

    How to Write a Workshop Business Plan in 7 Steps: 1. Describe the Purpose of Your Workshop Business. The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your workshop business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers.

  17. One-Day Business Planning Workshop

    One-Day Business Planning Workshop This is a sample agenda for a one-day Business Planning workshop for a group of business owners, chamber members, etc. I use a sample case for developing hands-on forecasts and examples.

  18. Small Business Plan Workshop

    About the Small Business Plan Workshop: Learn how to create a Business Plan to help you start your small business. An effective Business Plan helps you compile your research, define your business model, focus your initial start-up, and perhaps also secure funding.

  19. Grant Cardone

    SECURE YOUR SEAT TO OUR 10X BUSINESS SUMMIT Next 10 X Event 02mar(mar 2)10:00 am 03(mar 3)6:00 pm Real Estate Interactive 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (3) Virtual Event follow us SECURE YOUT SEAT now! ABOUT GRANT CARDONE. Grant Cardone is an American businessman, Private Equity Fund manager ($4BAUM) founder of 10X Studios, Cardone Ventures, 10X Health ...

  20. Business Planning Workshop

    BUSINESS PLANNING WORKSHOP 2023 DECEMBER 15TH VIRTUAL EVENT HOSTED BY PATRICK BET-DAVID LEARN MORE CHOOSE YOUR EXPERIENCE DO YOU WANT 2024 TO BE THE BIGGEST YEAR OF YOUR CAREER? Do you make New Year's resolutions that you don't keep—and want next year to be different? Do you want a roadmap and game plan to lead

  21. Grant Cardone

    Free Training and Business Plan Reveal... How I Built a $5,500,000 Business. from Scratch in 90 Days Starting with Zero Contacts and Just $100. YES!

  22. Business Plan Workshop

    Business Plan Workshop Dive into our intensive workshop designed to mold your entrepreneurial ideas into concrete business plans. Benefit from expert-led sessions, hands-on strategies, and peer critiques that polish your proposal to perfection. Whats Included in the Workshop: This workshop provides you with the tools to submit your business plan proposal for the Spark Tank […]

  23. Auto Repair Shop Business Plan: Guide & Template (2024)

    Start planning now Plans starting from $7/month Things to Consider Before Writing an Auto Repair Business Plan Select what area of repairs you'll work on Auto repairs shops take up a variety of jobs like repairing and painting car bodies, transforming old vehicles, or doing tire and mechanical repairs.

  24. What Is Career Development, and Why Is It Important to a Business

    Offer a career development plan. Work with employees to understand their ambitions, strengths, and weaknesses and put a plan in place for their career development. It will be unique to each individual. Meet with them regularly to monitor their progress and see how you can continue to support them. Offer a mentoring program.

  25. 2024-02-27 Strategic Plan Update Mini-Workshop

    The DART Board of Directors meetings convene at 6:00 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month, unless specified differently on the calendar. Standing Committee meetings are generally held on the second Tuesday of each month.