Allan Smith
Business Growth Catalyst + Business Coach

Business +

• http://www.bizplusconsulting.com

While working in various industries, I saw a real need for affordable advice for small businesses and NFP's. I founded Business + to help companies from start-ups to established firms discover and realize their potential and fulfill the owners' dreams. The outcome sounds vague, but the work is very concrete, ranging from coaching CEO's and start-up entrepreneurs, to data collection, conducting goal-setting workshops, developing marketing, sales, and strategic plans, and offering training and development for managers and sales people.

Many think business is Darwinian in nature--adaptations to the business environment which are more successful than competitors tend to survive. Whether...[more]

While working in various industries, I saw a real need for affordable advice for small businesses and NFP's. I founded Business + to help companies from start-ups to established firms discover and realize their potential and fulfill the owners' dreams. The outcome sounds vague, but the work is very concrete, ranging from coaching CEO's and start-up entrepreneurs, to data collection, conducting goal-setting workshops, developing marketing, sales, and strategic plans, and offering training and development for managers and sales people.

Many think business is Darwinian in nature--adaptations to the business environment which are more successful than competitors tend to survive. Whether Darwin's theories have merit or not, I help people create flexible, adaptive structures and systems that are proactive in nature and react quickly in sensing and acting on opportunities. If this sounds dry, that's because it is; the actual process of discovery is much more fun, exciting and rewarding than being the most prosperous cave dweller on the mountain.

By observing and talking about how leaders and employees behave and work in the company, I develop a model of what is happening, and work with the owner to create an Organizational Improvement Plan. With gentle but direct feedback, I show the owners/managers how different ways of looking at things can lead to new behaviors and new strategies. They see how to change certain behaviors, learn how to build a better company, and initiate better ways to find and capture the customers they need. This process is fun, energizing, challenging, and extremely meaningful to the participants. [less]