Exploring a Business Idea (helping during transition)

This last month I have been filling in for a friend to deliver a day long program to executives forced into transition due to the tough economic times. I started with her presentation and customized it to cover some of the items I am passionate about in business. I also made changes after each delivery to include information and suggestions offered by the participants.

The program is part of the outplacement program offered by Right Management (www.right.com) to employees being laid off. Right Management offers a variety of programs, support, and seminars to help these people transition into a new career as well as gives them this opportunity to look at self employment, which is valuable since close to 85% of all businesses in Canada are small businesses.

At the beginning of the day we have a room full of people with a variety of reasons for attending the seminar from "I had free time" to "I've been working on a business for years on the side". Many have no idea if this is even possible for them and can't even fathom how they would start. By the end of the day everyone is able to imagine what type of business they would start (sole proprietorship, partnership, or incorporation) and how they might start a business, whether they start from scratch, buy a franchise, work as a consultant, etc.

The people that fill this room are extremely experienced in their past positions often in global corporate leading businesses. The interaction from the questions and ideas with these people always gives me something to think about and is filled with stimulating thought and innovation. It is exciting to be a part of the beginning of the entrepreneurial process.

I get to see and help with the process through networking with BNI. I am an assistant director with the Ontario Central North region of BNI Canada and I love the opportunity to help people generate more business through targeted word-of-mouth networking and relationship building.

The commonalities these two support systems have is they allow people to become better, independent business owners, even if they stay or return to employment in someone else's company.

Reading

• For those just in transition I like the quick read of Who Moved My Cheese, by Spencer Johnson.
• For those ready to make a change there is Jack Canfield's The Success Principles: How to get from where you are to where you want to be.
  
• For people that want to own their own business I usually recommend starting with Michael Gerber's The E-Myth Revisited.
• And, for those already in business I like Masters of Sales by Misner and Morgan as well as every other book that will support the growth of your business and you as a business owner.