In the business of helping others

By KIM BAKER-WILSON

A small business which has built its reputation on helping other small businesses is poised to expand with the sale of its first licences.

Colin Bass developed BusinessLAB after working in Europe where he saw the importance of project management principles in developing business strategy.

BusinessLAB prides itself on helping business operators gain clarity and momentum, which Bass says is often lacking in today's hectic small business sector.

"Project management is a luxury of corporate environments and I realised just how useful it is as a tool. I thought quite strongly it should be packaged up and delivered for small business markets."

He says any business, from small enterprise to corporate giant, can be broken down into a series of projects.

By identifying where change is needed, what should be done and putting the information into a motivational "prescription for success" document, BusinessLAB ensures its clients keep coming back for more.

"I became more aware of small businesses and how people were instructed to create traditional business plans that involved a lot of complex theory which didn't apply to a small business situation.

"Project management in terms of a general skill people are taught is something that's only become popular recently. You've got to become knowledgeable about doing your books and about promoting your business and managing people in all of these areas," Bass says.

BusinessLAB's core product is called Laboratories and involves an intense workshop session where a quarterly strategy is drafted. The resulting "prescription for success" document is coupled with follow-up sessions.

It is this method which is now being licensed to people interested in helping business operators boost their companies.

With workshops run by an independent third party, business owners and staff are forced to leave their work behind for a day and think objectively about problems and ways of remedying them.

Management at a small business may baulk at the prospect of a workshop taking time away from day-to-day operations, but it is an essential part of business development.

"People come and are in desperate need of getting out of their business and trying to build a structure so their business can grow well."

Bass says small businesses that go out and start selling their product immediately without proper planning may be selling to the wrong people, or trying to cater for everyone instead of a dedicated market.

Among other things, the workshop process involves looking at what the Laboratory calls the ideal client profile, where clients of the business are identified, a fundamental task which many small business neglect.

It is essential that the workshops are a team effort. This is one environment where office politics are put on hold and management is relegated to the same level as other staff.

"It's amazing what different staff members can bring to the table, and sometimes owner-operators will comment they didn't know they had some problem-solving ability within the business," Bass says.

Motivation is also a key factor if the results of a session are to be successfully transferred to a client's business. Bass practises what he preaches, meaning businesses can expect their "prescription for success" to be on their desks within 48 hours after their workshop.

"It's quite exciting to feel the greater awareness that someone's picked up just through the energy, motivation and excitement of the workshop working on their issues. Because the process is short, the reduced turnaround time means people aren't waiting a week or so where the motivation can die down, he says.

Being a small business in its own right, BusinessLAB has had its own share of difficulties managing growth, according to Bass.

"It certainly hasn't been spectacular growth. I've done a lot of things in two years, but all those things have come from the Laboratory in terms of people liking the benefit of simplifying the planning process.

"But in the time I've been busy helping others, I've been distracted from the core business, which is meant to be promoting the product. Each time I get pulled away to do another project, it's less time for promoting the Laboratory.

It is Bass' aim of stepping back and focusing on the promotional aspect of his business which has resulted in preparation for selling BusinessLAB's first licences.

The introduction of two new partners, including small business development specialist Sarah Trotman, is set to enhance this new focus.

While his passion still lies in project management and helping others to break their businesses down into understandable theory, Bass says there is a difficulty in running a business solo when momentum drops off in other parts of the company.

"It's been my objective early on to license the model. I would really like to build a team of people around the Laboratory and focus on supporting, motivating and encouraging all of us in the marketplace."

With the successful previous trial of a licensee which saw the operator build a satisfying client base, Bass feels the time is right to sell a limited number of licences.

A licence will include BusinessLAB's intellectual property, training and facilitation tools. Bass envisages the role of a licence holder as recruiting and managing clients.

He is unreservedly honest about the need for support in the small business sector, citing a need for focus and guidance from trusted mentors.

"It's bloody difficult to do things by yourself, and I've been lucky to have people around me who have supported and mentored me. The really important thing is that I like what I've created.

"BusinessLAB applies to all types if businesses, but I enjoy working within the small business environment because they're real people."

BusinessLAB