| Planning and Strategic Thinking |
The Colonel and the ScoutsThe Colonel had to move 500 troops South to a point 25 km distant. He was in the middle of an uncharted jungle, with mountains, rivers, and hostile natives. He sent three scouts to find the safest and swiftest route. The Sergeant, with machete and his compass pointed South headed into the jungle. He finally arrived at the destination a week later having crossed seven crocodile infested rivers, fought Indians, skirted high mountains and survived various trials and tribulations. His recommendation involved clearing a road and constructing seven troop bridge's – an estimated completion time of three weeks.The Lieutenant climbed the nearest hill to get the lie of the land. He saw rivers everywhere, and realised that a detour some 4 km to the East would allow a straight run. He too had to skirt mountains and fight Indians, but by avoiding the rivers he made better time. His recommendation was to clear a road only – with an estimated completion time of two weeks.The Major climbed the highest mountain nearby to get a good idea of the terrain to be covered. He saw only one twisting river that ran through the entire section of jungle. He trekked the few kilometres to the river, construct a simple raft and arrived later that day. He had noticed the crocodiles, Indians and high mountains. His recommendation involved drafting the troops downriver – with an estimated completion time of only two days!Scouting the business terrain always pays dividends!Every successful business has a plan - without a plan you simply won't grow beyond a certain level.
To achieve growth you must expand operations, sell more of your product or service. This means you will need more resources and you have to be more competitive.
Transition Capital specialises in growth planning and strategic positioning. As you grow, the nature of your business will offer. As the pie gets bigger has to be shared with more and more parties-distributors, agents, employees, financiers, shareholders and so on. You need to plan for this.
Is your business model the right one to achieve your ambitions? There are usually more than one way to market. How will you acquired the additional resources you need? Manage them effectively and stay focused on the end plan?
A decent plan is needed. To achieve this you need perspective and an honest and objective appraisal of your current situation and ability to compete.
Many business plans illustrate a lack of understanding of key strategic market variables. They often have unrealistic ambitions, overstate business competencies and underestimates competitive challenges. . Simply filling out a downloaded template with bluff and bluster demonstrates incompetence and creates a negative impression.
An independent adviser can question and challenge your position and provides the appropriate perspective to ensure that the appraisal is both thorough and accurate.
The key to a good plan is an understanding of the business and the challenges it will face. A good strategic plan is an invaluable internal, highly confidential management tool - not a public puff piece.
A good plan can be adapted to attract the right employees, secure deals with the distributors you want, help guide product development, secure financial support from financiers, shareholders or investors and so on.
Transition Capital specialises in helping high-growth organisations. Our distinctive skill set has been developed over 25 years of advisory work, and includes a proprietary methodology for preparing vision and purpose statements, and the ability to understand and define competitive position and to identify future resourcing requirements.
We offer a complementary one-hour review session. This is completely free and includes an evaluation of your business, business model, competitive position and resourcing. At the conclusion of each session I make a number of recommendations (usually 3 to 5). These recommendations will help you to build a stronger business is better positioned for growth and are provided completely free and obligation free.
Please complete the following form to secure an appointment (in person in Perth WA, or by skype elsewhere).
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