Leverage Your Distinctive Competence to Uncover Opportunities in the Ever-Changing Business Landscape

WHAT:   October CEO Tools Workshop
WHEN:  Wednesday October 8, 2014 
WHERE: Merit Harbor Group, Tacoma

Make your company more market driven, uncover new market opportunities before your competitors, enable your company to diversify into new markets, add new products or services and gain market share. 

This workshop will provide you with a framework on how to identify potential market problems, use a company’s distinctive competence and knowledge of the competitive landscape to identify unmet market needs. 

Prepare for evolving customer needs and gear up for new competitors entering your market with alternative solutions.  Join us in October to find out how new markets and new product offerings can position your company on a strong pathway to future growth.

LUNCH

All who are attending the morning workshop session are invited to join us for lunch. Please let Lauren Owen or Michele Bosworth know if you are not able to attend lunch.

MEMBERS

Members arrive at 7:30am for breakfast and check-in. Please RSVP to Michele Bosworth by October 1, 2014 if you will be bringing employee guests.

MEMBER CANDIDATES

Member Candidates are invited to join us for the workshop and lunch from 9:00am-12:00pm with lunch immediately following from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm.  Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.   Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

EMPLOYEE GUESTS

Employee Guests are invited to attend the workshop from from 9:00am - 12:00pm. Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.  Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

HOST:

There will not be a host for October

WHERE WE WILL MEET:

Merit Harbor Group offices; 2515 South Hood Street, Tacoma (on the backside of the historic Rainier Connect building). Note: if you enter this into Google maps, put in the street address and not the name of the company, Merit Harbor. There is not a sign for Merit Harbor out front of the building or office door.

There will be someone out in front of their offices to greet you and guide you up to the meeting room. The Workshop will be held in the conference room located on the 2nd floor. Parking is right in front and along the building – it’s free angle in parking.  The building is located next to  Tacoma self-storage.

TITLE OF WORKSHOP:

Leverage Your Distinctive Competence to Uncover Opportunities in the Ever-Changing Business Landscape

AGENDA:

Click HERE to view the Agenda.

QUESTIONS THE CEO SHOULD BE ASKING:

• How can I increase my company’s competitive advantage? 

•  How can I build a better pipeline for new and innovative offerings to my current customers and existing target market?

• What opportunities should I pursue in other markets where I might have an advantage?

TAKEAWAYS:

• Market Problems assessment process

• Competitive Landscape & Win/Loss Analysis templates

• Market Definition & Product Roadmap tools

PREPARATION:

• Interview customers and prospects about their problems, challenges and decision making using the Strategic Market Interview Questions Template below.
• Strategic Market Interview Questions Template

As a reminder, please set aside some time prior to the October CEO Workshop to have conversations with a few customers and/or prospects using The Strategic Interview Questions Template.

This tool will help you gather information to better understand some of the business challenges your customers face and provide you with information to enable you to become more of a value-added partner.  Helping your customers be successful in their business, through providing services and products that meet their needs, will result in you becoming more successful in your business.

During this conversation you will gain a better understanding of customers’ needs and wants so you can identify ways to respond proactively to their needs and wants and serve them better. This insight will help you identify ways to work in partnership with them to meet their future needs and distinguish you from other suppliers that take their order and only talk with them when there is something to be sold. The strategic insights about the market, the views of customers and prospects will be useful for you to keep in mind during the October workshop discussion.

PRESENTERS:

Elizabeth Andreini

As the President of Accelerate Marketing, LLC, Elizabeth Andreini, is the "secret weapon" CEOs turn to at key growth points when they need to transform marketing and product management to grow their customer base, increase revenue & scale their business. 

 In addition to providing experienced executive insight and guidance, Elizabeth often works as an interim CMO or VP to provide the hands-on leadership needed tore architect marketing and product management and improve execution from the inside.  

Elizabeth Andreini, founder & president of Accelerate Marketing, LLC Accelerate Marketing, LLC
206-769-3420 or elizabeth@accelerate-marketing.com
www.accelerate-marketing.com
Twitter: @acceler8mkting
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethandreini

Sue Sanford

Sue Sanford is a marketing management and strategy consultant with skill and a penchant for developing high performing teams. In her 25 plus years in marketing, she has launched dozens of B2B programs for Microsoft and other high-growth companies, and successfully managed campaigns with budgets of every shape and size. With her background in the high-tech, startup, non-profit, and educational sectors, Sue is well-versed in translating values to customers clearly and with meaning. And with her deep empathy and passion for building relationships, she is an inspired, innovative marketer and team leader. 

Sue Sanford, Principal Partner and Co-Founder, Upstart Group
sue@upstartgroup.com or 425-503-2600
www.upstartgroup.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sanfordsue
Twitter: @UpstartGroupSea, @UpstartGroup

How to Use Your Numbers to Make Better Complex Financial Decisions.

WHAT:    August CEO Roundtable     
WHEN:   Wednesday August 13th, 2014   
WHERE: Tacoma Goodwill Boardroom

We all want to build a sustainable business that provides a return on our (or our owners’ investment). So, how much profit does it take to produce the real returns that you not only desire, but also require? The first step in the process is to answer the question: what is your breakeven sales annually, monthly and even daily? We will all first go through our Profit and Loss Statements to determine how our expenses “behave.” We will separate out our variable and fixed costs and then calculate the answer to the breakeven question. With this new structure we will be able to have a better understanding of which costs need to be focused on to improve the bottom line.

But nobody wants to just break even! We will also now be in position to project the future and determine useful strategies. 

LUNCH

All who are attending the morning roundtable session are invited to join us for lunch. Please let Lauren Owen or Michele Bosworth know if you are not able to attend lunch.

MEMBERS

Members arrive at 7:30am for breakfast and check-in. 

MEMBER CANDIDATES

Member Candidates are invited to join us for the roundtable and lunch from 9:00am-12:00pm with lunch immediately following from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm.  Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.   Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

EMPLOYEE GUESTS: 

Employee Guests are invited to attend the roundtable from from 9:00am - 12:00pm. Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.  Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

HOST:

Renee Ries of Fairchild Record Search

WHERE WE WILL MEET:

Tacoma Goodwill Boardroom; 714 S 27th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409

The Boardroom is located on the 4th floor.

Members arriving at 7:30am - enter on the S 27th Avenue Street entrance.  It's the "main" entrance that is actually on the 3rd floor.  There is a parking lot in front and a parking lot across the street.   Jennifer will be looking out to let you into the building and will take you up to the elevator to the 4th floor. 

Guest arriving at 8:45am - enter at any entrance and tell the people at the front desk that you are going up to the 4th floor.

TITLE OF ROUNDTABLE:

How to Use Your Numbers to Make Better Complex Financial Decisions.

AGENDA:

Click here to view the Agenda

QUESTIONS THE CEO SHOULD BE ASKING:

• How much profit do I need to reinvest in my company?
• How much profit do I need to pay back additional long term debt?
• How much profit do I need form y bonus and/or retirement plans?
• If I hire additional staff what will I need insoles to cover their costs and make more profit?
• If I add on to my building (take on more space or open a new location) what will I need in increased sales to make that a good investment?

TAKEAWAYS

• What does my company's cost structure really look like.
• How can I use this knowledge to make better decisions for the future around issues such as: pricing, expense control and investments in projects, equipment and people.
• Learn how targeting a specific profit to determine your sales goals.

PREPARATION: 30 Day Commitment - August 2014 CEO Roundtable

For our August Excell CEO Roundtable, please select an investment (project/strategies/initiative) that you are currently considering and use your Break Even Plus Spreadsheet to answer the following questions.

Be prepared to present the results to the group during the Roundtable. Note: you are not required to use PowerPoint!

1. Of your top three investments (projects/strategies/initiatives) you are considering over the next 18 months, select the most important one that will have the quickest and highest positive financial impact. What is it?
2. What will it cost?  Over what time period?
3. What return on investment would you like from this investment?
4. What sales will you need to make this happen and over what time period?
5. Who will be responsible to get this done?
6. How will you monitor and measure the progress of the project/strategy?
7. What feedback process will you have set up to be sure everyone is working toward the financial goal?

Questions? Please contact Steve Abercrombie at 360.320.8770 or steve.abercrombie@profitsoup.com.

PRESENTER: STEVE ABERCROMBIE   

Steve brings passion and personality to company financial strategies. His life experiences as a banker, financial educator and business owner have shown him that having financial knowledge of your business model is in many cases the absolute key to success. His clients all say that Steve excels at taking the mystery out of the numbers with his common-sense approach and always-compassionate personal style.

He has a talent for rallying the troops behind improvement initiatives by organizing, understanding and appropriately communicating the financial story of the business to the management team and key staff. Then he integrates this connection to financial success with ongoing structure and support around company goals and strategic steps. With key players aligned and focused, everybody accomplishes more.

Steve has helped many clients prepare their businesses for the financial scrutiny of lenders and investors when financial restructuring or expansion is imminent. He understands the language of lending from his years in banking, where he has held roles from branch manager and lender to bank President and CEO. As President and principal of a leading financial training company, he mastered business expansion from the other side of the desk – with the perspective of owner and rain maker. He gained notoriety as a sought-after convention speaker for graduate schools of banking, corporations and associations throughout the US, Australia and England.

Steve’s clients include Choice Hotels, ProSource Floor Coverings, Graduate School of Banking of the South and Bright Star Franchising,

“I have had the good fortune to work with Steve Abercrombie at both ProSource and BrightStar. Both times, he provided these companies with top-shelf financial literacy training for our franchisees. I have found Steve to be not only well versed in financial management, but able to easily convey concepts to franchisees. His breadth of knowledge and ability to make financial concepts "real world" for franchisees is one of the things I most appreciate about Steve.”

Bob Lange, Vice President of Field Support, Bright Star Franchising

“Steve is exceptional at taking complex financial information and terms, and making it easy for people understand and use. Steve is one of the best professional speakers I've ever heard. Interesting, captivating and helps the audience truly understand and apply what he is talking about.”

Evan Hackel, President and Engage Consulting 

PROFIT SOUP

WWW.PROFITSOUP.COM
steve.abercrombie@profitsoup.com

How to Use Your Numbers to Make Better Complex Financial Decisions

WHAT:    July CEO Workshop     
WHEN:   Wednesday July 9th, 2014   
WHERE: Tacoma Goodwill Boardroom

We all want to build a sustainable business that provides a return on our (or our owners’ investment). So, how much profit does it take to produce the real returns that you not only desire, but also require? The first step in the process is to answer the question: what is your breakeven sales annually, monthly and even daily? We will all first go through our Profit and Loss Statements to determine how our expenses “behave.” We will separate out our variable and fixed costs and then calculate the answer to the breakeven question. With this new structure we will be able to have a better understanding of which costs need to be focused on to improve the bottom line.

But nobody wants to just break even! We will also now be in position to project the future and determine useful strategies. 

LUNCH

All who are attending the morning workshop session are invited to join us for lunch. Please let Lauren Owen or Michele Bosworth know if you are not able to attend lunch.

MEMBERS

Members arrive at 7:30am for breakfast and check-in. 

MEMBER CANDIDATES

Member Candidates are invited to join us for the workshop and lunch from 9:00am-12:00pm with lunch immediately following from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm.  Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.   Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

EMPLOYEE GUESTS: RSVP BY JUNE 30TH

Employee Guests are invited to attend the workshop from from 9:00am - 12:00pm. Please arrive by 8:50am and wait in the lobby.  Lauren Owen will come get you before the workshop begins at 9:00am.

HOST:

Cliff Hansen of Cascade Cares.

WHERE WE WILL MEET:

Tacoma Goodwill Boardroom; 714 S 27th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409

The Boardroom is located on the 4th floor.

Members arriving at 7:30am - enter on the S 27th Avenue Street entrance.  It's the "main" entrance that is actually on the 3rd floor.  There is a parking lot in front and a parking lot across the street.   Jennifer will be looking out to let you into the building and will take you up to the elevator to the 4th floor. 

Guest arriving at 8:45am - enter at any entrance and tell the people at the front desk that you are going up to the 4th floor.

LUNCH & LEARN PRESENTER:

Tom Masters will be our Lunch & Learn Presenter and will talk about Planning Strategically.

We all worry that our business could be seriously impacted by a new technology or global competition.  Or that we will miss a big market opportunity because we were too busy focusing on business as usual.  Many companies recognize the need for strategic planning, but don’t know how to go about it or are intimidated by the idea.  In this talk, you will learn straightforward steps you can take as part of your regular planning cycle that can give your company the strategic edge it needs in today’s dynamic, hyper-competitive business environment. 

TITLE OF WORKSHOP:

How to Use Your Numbers to Make Better Complex Financial Decisions.

AGENDA:

Click here to view the Agenda.

QUESTIONS THE CEO SHOULD BE ASKING:

• How much profit do I need to reinvest in my company?
• How much profit do I need to pay back additional long term debt?
• How much profit do I need form y bonus and/or retirement plans?
• If I hire additional staff what will I need insoles to cover their costs and make more profit?
• If I add on to my building (take on more space or open a new location) what will I need in increased sales to make that a good investment?

TAKEAWAYS

• What does my company's cost structure really look like.
• How can I use this knowledge to make better decisions for the future around issues such as: pricing, expense control and investments in projects, equipment and people.
• Learn how targeting a specific profit to determine your sales goals.

PREPARATION: DUE JUNE 30TH

There are some key steps to complete beforehand to help you get the most out of this workshop: get familiar with the concept of breakeven, determine which of your expenses are fixed versus variable, and use that info to fill in the Questionnaire part of the worksheet. Your workshop presenter, Steve Abercrombie, will review the rest in class. The end goal: gain a great tool for better decisions using your own numbers!

1.  First, read the handout, Guide to Breakeven Plus. It will give you some background on  breakeven analysis and walk you through some sample case studies.

2.  Second, enter your sales and expense numbers into the 2014 Breakeven Calculator.  Click to open the 2014 Breakeven Calculator and download it by clicking on the download button that appears on your screen.  Fill in the document and click save. 

You will find detailed instructions for how to do so on the first worksheet entitled “Instructions.”  You will enter your own numbers on the Questionnaire worksheet. You will need:

•  Current month–end Profit and Loss Statement 
• Year-to-Date Profit and Loss Statement
• The number of invoices/jobs and/or active customers for those same time periods

3.  You will first need to decide which expenses are fixed and which are variable (that’s where reading the guide first will come in handy). Because this work will take us beyond breakeven and into future “what-if” analysis, you might have to do some consolidation if you have a lot of expense categories. Once you get done entering your numbers, you are welcome, but not required, to practice doing breakeven analysis on the Calculator worksheet.


4.  Once you are finished, please print the Questionnaire and the Calculator pages and bring them with you to class.


5.  Save the worksheet using your company name and email it as an attachment to Michele Bosworth at michelebosworth@excellpugetsound.com by June 30.

We estimate that it will take you about one hour to read the materials and about 1-2 hours to fill out the Questionnaire worksheet. Some of you will want to work with your CPA/bookkeeper/CFO on this project and to invite them (along with your other key team members), to attend the July CEO workshop with you.Please be sure to read the handout guide yourself, though, so you are personally familiar with the concepts.

Steve won’t be sharing anyone’s individual financial data with the other members in the workshop. But, if you are willing to let him use your worksheet and calculator pages in class as a “live” case study, let me know when you return your pre-work and Steve will be in touch with you before the workshop.

Questions? Don’t get stuck! Contact Steve directly at 360.320.8770 or steve.abercrombie@profitsoup.com. He will be happy to help!

PRESENTER: STEVE ABERCROMBIE   

Steve brings passion and personality to company financial strategies. His life experiences as a banker, financial educator and business owner have shown him that having financial knowledge of your business model is in many cases the absolute key to success. His clients all say that Steve excels at taking the mystery out of the numbers with his common-sense approach and always-compassionate personal style.

He has a talent for rallying the troops behind improvement initiatives by organizing, understanding and appropriately communicating the financial story of the business to the management team and key staff. Then he integrates this connection to financial success with ongoing structure and support around company goals and strategic steps. With key players aligned and focused, everybody accomplishes more.

Steve has helped many clients prepare their businesses for the financial scrutiny of lenders and investors when financial restructuring or expansion is imminent. He understands the language of lending from his years in banking, where he has held roles from branch manager and lender to bank President and CEO. As President and principal of a leading financial training company, he mastered business expansion from the other side of the desk – with the perspective of owner and rain maker. He gained notoriety as a sought-after convention speaker for graduate schools of banking, corporations and associations throughout the US, Australia and England.

Steve’s clients include Choice Hotels, ProSource Floor Coverings, Graduate School of Banking of the South and Bright Star Franchising,

“I have had the good fortune to work with Steve Abercrombie at both ProSource and BrightStar. Both times, he provided these companies with top-shelf financial literacy training for our franchisees. I have found Steve to be not only well versed in financial management, but able to easily convey concepts to franchisees. His breadth of knowledge and ability to make financial concepts "real world" for franchisees is one of the things I most appreciate about Steve.”

Bob Lange, Vice President of Field Support, Bright Star Franchising

“Steve is exceptional at taking complex financial information and terms, and making it easy for people understand and use. Steve is one of the best professional speakers I've ever heard. Interesting, captivating and helps the audience truly understand and apply what he is talking about.”

Evan Hackel, President and Engage Consulting 

PROFIT SOUP

WWW.PROFITSOUP.COM
steve.abercrombie@profitsoup.com

LUNCH & LEARN PRESENTER: TOM MASTERS

Tom Masters has over 35 years of experience helping companies across a variety of industries develop strategies and technologies to compete more effectively.  His early career included product planning and development for companies in the aerospace, healthcare and commercial software industries.  Tom applied his technology and marketing experience as a resident consultant with a regional creative agency where he helped clients define and implement growth strategies.  His consulting firm, Orion Wellspring, specializes in helping small to mid-sized businesses, and professional organizations develop and implement competitive strategies.

Work Your Business Plan

WHAT:  June CEO Retreat
WHEN:  June 11, 2014
WHERE: Tacoma Goodwill Boardroom

June is our Members Only ~ Work Your Business Plan CEO Retreat 

We will meet at Tacoma Goodwill Boardroom;  714 S 27th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409

The Boardroom is located on the 4th floor.

Members arriving at 7:30am - enter on the S 27th Avenue Street entrance.  It's the "main" entrance that is actually on the 3rd floor.  There is a parking lot in front and a parking lot across the street.   Jennifer will be looking out to let you into the building and will take you up to the elevator to the 4th floor. 

Lunch & Learn: South Sound member Machine and Fabrication has been working with Kaizen continuous improvement consultants for the last several months. In this lunch and learn, Machine and Fabrications’ General Manager Ray Behrendt will be sharing their experience and what the impact has been from applying Kaizen processes at their company.