2010 Educational Program

Thursdays, February 25th to April 15th, 2010
4:30 PM to 7:30 PM, · 7 Session Program
Monte Carlo Inn Markham, 8900 Woodbine Ave.
Program is limited to 24 participants.
$249/person, pre-registration required.

Course Outline

The following Educational Program Course Outline may be subject to change or modification by the ISCM.

Table 1 . 2010 Educational Program · Course Outline
Session Description Dates Session Objectives
Session 1:
Where is My Company Now?		 25 February An earnest self assessment of the company and it’s products or services.
  • Company introductions
  • Business self-evaluation
  • Importance of competitive intelligence
  • Evaluating client feedback
Sessions 2 & 3:
The Truth About Branding, Marketing and Sales
(2 Sessions)		 04 March
and
11 March		 Effective SMB branding, marketing and sales management techniques.

Part I (March 4th):
  • Developing the right brand
  • Integrating branding, marketing and sales
  • Marketing for SMBs
  • Introduction to value propositions
Part II (March 11th):
  • Value propositions
  • Sales team building and messaging
  • Best practices for a SMB sales team
  • Accountable sales forecasting
Session 4:
Cash Flow – Managing the River Without Being Pulled Under 		18 March Understanding the most common SMB cash flow problems and how to mitigate them.
  • Introduction to cash flow principles
  • Cash flow projections
  • Managing payables and receivables
  • Adding money and credits
Session 5:
Business Legal - Fostering Productive Relationships		 25 March Understanding the role of modern law in your business relationships.
  • Avoiding pitfalls common to vehicle selection, incorporations, shareholder agreements, tax planning, ownership of intellectual property/other assets and capitalization
  • Managing your business critical relationships with bankers, landlords, employees, contractors, customers, suppliers and others
  • Building a cohesive company structure, preparing for the transition of your business and steps you can now implement to maximize the future value of your enterprise
Schedule Break 01 April No session scheduled this week (Easter holiday break)
Session 6:
Paths to Your Next Stage of Growth		 08 April When the money from "friends and family" runs out, understand the options available for your next critical stage of business growth.
  • Assessing the value of your business
  • Exporting and franchising
  • Venture capital and private investment groups (PIGs)
  • Angel investors, mezzanine financing
  • Mergers and acquisitions
Session 7:
Strategic Planning and Securing Advisors You Can Trust		 15 April Preparing for the future – strategic planning practices and choosing the right advisors.
  • Strategic business planning principles
  • Next steps for your business
  • Types of advisors and options
  • How to select & approach mentors and advisors