GUIDELINES FOR FACILITATORS
Senior Entrepreneurs' Residential Workshop
Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise Co Laois
26th/27th November 2012
Senior Entrepreneurs' Residential Workshop
26th/27th November
GUIDANCE NOTES FOR FACILITATORS
Training Aim:
The aim of this interactive two day workshop is to give participants an insight into the skills, knowledge and competencies required to start,
research and develop a business in Ireland today.
Objective for Learners
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To learn from other Senior Entrepreneurs Role Models
To understand how to assess the feasibility of their business idea
To gain the skills to start and complete primary and secondary market research for their selected business idea
To develop an action based marketing plan for their business
To acquire the knowledge to complete 1 - 3yr sales and expenditure projections
To develop practical skills for achieving their projected sales targets
To understand how to manage cash flow in their business
To know the financial and non-financial supports available to new businesses in Ireland
To identify the various exit strategies available for Senior Entrepreneurs
Contact details:
For all matters relating to training content (slides, workbooks), contact Joe McCormack on 0877 82 66 59 or Riona Carroll 0862 530 480
For issues relating to the venue, please contact Mary Grehan at the registration desk
Overview of Content
The workshop will consist of a number of sessions each day which will focus on each of the elements in the business planning process.
Participants will be assigned a place at each of the ten tables and you, as the facilitator , will lead the participants in discussion and debate as they
collect and collate the information necessary to produce their business plan.
Each of these sessions will begin with an overview of the topic under discussion and this will be delivered by Riona and/or Joe. This will then set
the scene for the facilitator led session at each table. This intensive and challenging workshop will require strict time management and facilitators
are asked to help us keep to schedule.
Day 1
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Workshop overview
Minister's address
Personal introductions around each table
Developing an Elevator Pitch and Entrepreneur's self assessment
Introduction to business plans and the business plan template
Conducting market research
Customer and Competitor analysis
Pricing and valuing your time
Financial and non-financial supports for business
Marketing strategy and planning an action based marketing plan
The 5 Ps
Marketing your business on-line and off-line
Day 2
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Setting goals and managing to achieve them
Sales, selling and the sales process
How much money do you need to start and run a business
Cash flow projections
Protecting yourself and your business
Risk assessment
Business structures - Limited company v. Sole Trader/Partnership
Developing an exit strategy
Format Day 1
Time
9.00am
9.30am
10.15am
Activity
Registration, Tea and Coffee
Introductions and Overview
Introduction of Trainers and Facilitators
Address by Minister John Perry
Overview of format for the residential
10.15am
My Entrepreneurial Story Presentation by
John Brophy,
Carrig Solutions
Senior Entrepreneur Role Model
Introduction of participants to each other
around their facilitated tables
Comments
Name badges and table number
to be given to each participant
Guide for Facilitators
Each participant will be assigned to a table, this table plan will be
displayed at the registration desk. You will be assigned one table of
participants to facilitate over the two days. It is anticipated that each
table will have about 6 participants at the table.
Joe MCCAS to welcome participants
to the residential workshop and
introduce JohnB of Senior
Enterprise to deliver welcome note
(5mins)
JohnB to welcome participants,
advise housekeeping and introduce
the Minister (5mins)
John Brophy - My Entrepreneurial
Story (30mins)
This session should help participants to settle in and provide them with
an opportunity to introduce themselves.
10.45am
Facilitators should centre the session on the skills, experience,
professional background (if appropriate) and interests of each participant
. Facilitators should also steer discussion away from any specific
business project that a participant might have in mind - an opportunity to
explore all projects/concepts will arise in the next session
Format Day 1 (Contd)
Time
10.45am
Activity
My Business Idea
Comments
The elements of this session
include the following:
11.30am
Defining your business
idea/concept
Guide for Facilitators
The trainers will introduce the overall topic and aims of section (10 mins)
The Facilitator will encourage and assist each participant around the
table to clearly define their business idea:
To complete 100 words or less exercise (10mins)
Developing an "Elevator
Pitch"
Entrepreneurial SelfAssessment - what
experiences and skills
have you which will help
you manage and develop
your business?
11.30am
Facilitators will work with participants to develop an elevator pitch for
their business (use the information from the FABs & USP to help
develop the elevator pitch) and get participants to deliver it to their table.
(20 mins)
Participants to complete Entrepreneurial Self Assessment to assist them
in identifying their relevant skills and experiences (5mins)
Coffee
11.45am
11.45am
Introduction to the Business Plan and
Business Planning
The elements of this session
include the following:
1.00pm
Is there a market for your
product/service?
The trainers will introduce the Business Plan template to the workshop
(5mins) and facilitate a short open discussion (10 mins) on what sets
apart a good business plan from a poor business plan.
Market Research
Customer Analysis
Competitor Analysis
The business plan template will be given out to participants - this will be
in the facilitator's pack that will be on your table.
The trainer will explain the requirement and need of market research (5
mins)
Pricing your product/service
Market Research Exercise
Customer Analysis What
Facilitators to direct participants to the market research section of the
information do you need to gather
business plan work book. First part to be completed about your customers - answers
recorded in Business Plan Workbook
(15mins)
Trainer to introduce the main
concepts of pricing (15mins)
Participants to complete the How to
Value Your Time calculation in the
business plan workbook (15mins)
Competitor Analysis: What
information do you need to gather
about your competitors- answers
recorded in Business Plan Workbook (15mins)
Group Activity facilitated by
CEB/Senior Enterprise
representatives
Customer Analysis.
Facilitators to question each of the participants - Who do you think your
customers are? Answers to be got back should be; General Public
(B2C), Other Business (B2B) or Government/Semi-State (B2S) emphasis the point they could be 100% one of B2C/B2B/B2S or mixed
over the three.
What information do you need to gather about your customers - answers
recorded in Business Plan Workbook (15mins)
Participants to complete the Competitor Analysis worksheets.
Facilitators may be required to assist participants with brainstorming
some of the answers. The questions to ask the participants:
Who are your competitors? What products/services to they sell?
Where are they located? Do they have a website?
Do you know their profitability? If a limited company search www.cro.ie
website. If a sole-trader/ partnership look for signs that they are
expanding, have they invested in new equipment, vehicles, staff etc.
What is the quality of their product/service? - Be objective here - as a
consumer would you buy it? Would you think you are getting value for
money?
Does the price match the perceived quality of the end product/service
What are their opening hours?
How do their staff treat prospective and existing customers?
Do they offer warranty/after sales? If not, can you do so, to make your
business different?
How do they package/advertise and market their business - what can
you learn from this - would you do anything different?
How do they sell? Is it face to face, through a 3rd party retailer or over
the internet?
Credit - do your competitors offer credit? If they do, how much and for
how long?
Purpose of this to get participants to think about how they can use this
information to help them shape their business, and develop their Unique
Selling Point
Competitor Analysis: Group Activity facilitated by CEB/Senior
Enterprise representatives
What information do you need to gather about your competitorsanswers recorded in Business Plan - Workbook (15mins)
Participants are then to complete the customer analysis section of the
business plan - try and get participant to complete as much of the
customer analysis as possible - they may already know some of the
answers but not actually realise it. Reassure participants that they may
be making assumptions at this stage - and they may have to complete
additional research (primary and secondary) to confirm their
assumptions.
Trainer to introduce the main concepts of pricing (10mins)
Participants to complete the How to Value Your Time calculation in the
business plan workbook (15mins). Facilitators to get participants to
complete the valuing their time calculation on the handout
1.00pm
2.00pm
Lunch
2.00pm
Financial and non-financial supports for
business
2.45pm
Q&A Session with a representative with
CEB Representative to give an overview of
the role of CEBs
2.45pm
3.45pm
3.45pm
4.00pm
Introduction to Marketing
What is Marketing?
Developing a Marketing Strategy
Planning Marketing Activities for a
business
5Ps of Marketing
Trainer to facilitate a Q& A
session about financial and non
financial supports for businesses
with CEB representative (45mins)
How can your local CEB help?
Trainer to introduce overall topics
and aim of section (15mins)
The Facilitator will facilitate a full discussion around the table on
marketing - what is marketing , the need for it in businesses (new and
existing)
What other sources of support are there?
Facilitators to manage questions/comments that may come from their
table to be directed to the CEB representative.
Participants to complete section of
workbook on defining marketing and Facilitators will help participants to identify 3 objectives they want to
marketing activities (10mins)
achieve with their marketing activities - objectives should be short,
medium and long term
Participants will be given sample
marketing strategies developed by
Participants to complete a marketing strategy and 6 month plan for their
businesses (15mins)
business - facilitators to lead the discussion -What way are you going to
market your product/service? What information that you have identified
Participants will develop a marketing in your earlier market research can help you shape your marketing plan?
strategy and plan for their business - i.e. Do you need to go to trade shows, networking events? Is there a
linking these activities with the goals team/association you can sponsor/support?
and objectives already defined
(20mins)
COFFEE
The 5Ps of Marketing:
4.45pm
How to use Product, Place, Price,
Promotions and People to market
their business
Trainer to develop the concept of the
5Ps and provide illustrations of the
Marketing Mix in practice
(15mins)
Participants will be encouraged to
review their marketing activity plan
and make changes/amends as
necessary (30mins)
Case Studies and examples will be given to participants about how
businesses have used
Product
Place
Price
Promotion; and
People
The facilitators will work with the participants to encourage them to apply
these case studies to their businesses.
4.45pm
Marketing
5.30pm
Overview of On-line Marketing & Social
Media
Main Trainer to get input from wider
group on opinions of Social
Media/On-line Marketing for
businesses (10mins)
Facilitators to encourage input from wider group on the Social Media
channels - are they appropriate and if so, in what way? Are they worth
the trouble? Do they generate sales? Facilitators to feed back views to
workshop
Website - purpose? (10mins)
Facilitators to give Practical tips on setting up a website handout to
participants - additional information will also be given by the Trainer.
Essentials of setting up a website
Additional information to be given to
How to use Social Media Channels for your participants on the essentials of
business
setting up a website. (5mins)
Q&A discussion on website and social media development for business
Facilitators to get participants to review marketing plan and possibly
include appropriate social media/online activities.
5.30pm
6.00pm
Review of Day 1 followed by Dinner 6.30pm
Format Day 2
Time
9.00am
Activity
Comments
Guide for Facilitators
Review of Day 1 and Introduction to Day 2 topics
9.15am
9.15am
9.45am
Setting goals and managing to achieve
them
Setting Short, Medium and Long Term
Goals and Objectives
Marking your objectives SMART
Participant to set goals and
Setting Objectives - The trainer will introduce the concept of goal setting
objectives of their businesses - one
and objectives and SMART analysis.
or two goals to be analysed - are they
SMART? (10mins)
Participants will then be tasked with completing this section in their
business plan workbook.
Participants to review goals to ensure
they are SMART (20mins)
Suggested objectives could include:
• To earn money
• To be profitable
• To survive in the short term
• To achieve sales
• To gain customers
• To grow the business
At this point please ensure that each participant has identified at least
three Goals/Objectives for the business - concentrate on the short term
Facilitators are then required to get each of the participants to review
their goals and ensure that they have made them SMART - you may
need to question the participants about the goals they have identified:
9.45am
10.45am
Sales and the Sales Process
Overview of Sales
Identifying Effective Sales Skills
The Sales Process
Sourcing Sales
The Trainer will present an overview
of the sales process and lead a
facilitated discussion on participants
opinions/experience of sales
The Trainer will encourage
participants to develop a strategic
The Trainers will introduce the topic of sales and sales strategies for
business in the overview.
Wider group discussion on participants' opinion on sales and skills of a
sales person - opinions to be recorded by each table Facilitator
Facilitators to get participants to complete the B2C and B2B Sales
Networking for business development
Top Tips for Networking
How to overcome objections
approach to sales and to try and
identify how much in monetary
terms needs to be generated in the
business (15mins)
The Trainers will introduce the sales
strategy template in Business plan
template (10 mins)
Funnel exercise in their workbooks for their business. Facilitators to
explain the worked example on the sheet to the participants.
Using the information identified by participants on the market research
exercise and marketing plan, participants should be able to identify
where their potential sources of sales will come from.
Table facilitators to work with groups
to complete sales strategy for their
business (30mins)
10.45am
COFFEE
11.00am
11.00am
How much money do you need to start
and run your business?
Trainer lead session - overview
(10 mins)
Cost Analysis
Fixed Costs
Variable Costs
Start Up Costs
What information do you need to
gather about your costs -answers
recorded in Business Plan
Workbook (20mins)
11.30am
11.30am
1.00pm
Cashflow Projections - a How to Guide
Predicting the annual sales cycle
Calculating annual sales revenue
Projecting monthly, quarterly and annual
expenditure
Completing Annual Sales and Expenditure
The Trainer will lead a group
discussion on how to complete
cash flow projections for a new
business (15mins)
Participants will refer to cash flow
projections section of Business
Plan Template
Facilitators to encourage participants to brainstorm all the costs
associated with starting their business - remind participants that each
business will be different
Typical costs will be Insurance, Equipment, Stationary, Office/Shop
Furniture, Electricity, Phone, Raw Materials etc.
Get participants to being to identify which costs are essential for start
up
Facilitators to distribute - Financial Projections A How to guide to the
participants.
Facilitators to take the participants through the guide to develop a one
year cash-flow projection for their own business.
First part of the exercise is to get participants to identify the sales cycle
and sales projections for the business. This figure should come from the
sale projections exercise completed earlier in the day.
The Trainer will take participants
through a case study example of how Facilitators once completed ask the participants if their projected sales
to complete a 1 year cash flow
actually represents "cash-flow" into the business - if you are being paid
forecast (15mins)
The Trainer and facilitators to work
with participants at their individual
tables to complete cash flow
projections for their business
(30mins)
on credit how likely after the sale will you get paid, i.e. 1 mth, 2mts, 3mts.
- on considering this get participants to review their cash flow
projections.
Stage two of the cash-flow forecast is to get participants to complete the
expenditure section of the projections. This is done by using the
information gathered in the market research - but for the purpose of this
workshop, facilitators will have sample business start up costs that
Group discussion on the participants' participants can use for the exercise.
thoughts/feelings on outcomes of
projections (5mins)
1.00pm
LUNCH
2.00pm
2.00pm
2.45pm
Cashflow Projections - a How to Guide
CONTD
Predicting the annual sales cycle
Calculating annual sales revenue
Projecting monthly, quarterly and annual
expenditure
Completing Annual Sales and Expenditure
2.45pm
3.15pm
Protecting yourself and your business
Your attitude to risk
Protecting you and your assets - Limited
Companies v Sole Trader Businesses
The Trainer and facilitators to work
with participants at their individual
tables to complete cash flow
projections for their business
(30mins)
Once completed, facilitators are to ask participants - how do they feel
once they see the figures in black and white?
Participants to complete "Attitude to
Risk" assessment (5mins)
Facilitators to distribute "Attitude to Risk" assessment to participants assessment will be tick/selection.
Trainer to deliver short session on
Participants are to complete the assessment with their initial reaction business structures - advantages and don't think too much about the answers.
benefits, making a will, partnership
agreements (15 mins)
Scoring sheet for assessment is in the facilitators pack, once the whole
table is complete facilitators to give the scoring and get the participants
The Trainer to lead facilitated
to classify themselves into one of four types.
discussion on how Senior
Entrepreneurs can protect
themselves, their businesses and
their ideas 10mins)
3.15pm
The Trainers will then give an interpretation to types, A, B, C and D
COFFEE
3.30pm
3.30pm
4.00pm
The Trainer will facilitate discussion Wider group discussion on participants' opinion on their options for
on the exit strategy options for Senior exiting the business
Entrepreneurs (15mins)
In line with original Goals and Objectives for
Participants to complete Exit Strategy Action Plan for their business
the business
Table facilitators to manage group
discussion on the option for exiting
Options for exiting the business
the business or succession planning
(5mins)
Developing an exit strategy
Participants to complete Exit
Strategy section of the business
plan template (10mins)
4.45pm
Review of 2 Day Residential
•
Resources website overview (10 mins)
•
Evaluation and feedback (20 mins)
•
Assessment of progress made to date (10 mins)
•
Next steps action plan - where to next for Senior Enterprise (5 mins)
4.45pm
Workshop Close
4.00pm
Break Even Analysis – For Facilitators
Example: How many units must I sell at a certain price to break even?
Formula:
Fixed Costs
__________________________________
(Unit sales price – variable costs)
Say: Fixed Costs = €10,000.00
Unit sales price = €30.00
Variable Costs = €10.00
10,000
______
=
10,000
______
20
= 500 UNITS
30 - 10
Check your answer:
I sell 5,000 units @ €30
Total income = €15,000
My overheads =
€10,000
My variable costs = €10 x 500 units
5,000
Total costs = €15,000 (Total income = Total Costs)
Exercises:
1.
Refer to example above: How many units must you sell at €30.00 to break even if you get your Fixed Costs down to €8,000.00?
Calculation: 8,000/(30-10) = 8,000/20 = 400 units
Answer:
400 units
2.
Refer to example above: How many units must you sell at €30.00 to break even if you get your Variable costs per unit down to €5.00?
Calculation: 10,000/(30-5) = 10,000/25 – 400 units
Answer: 400 units
3.
Refer to example above: If you raise your selling price to €50.00 per unit, how many units must you sell to break even? (This is an
unlikely increase but serves to illustrate the point)
Calculation: 10,000/(50 – 10) = 10,000/40 = 250 units
Answer: 250 units