Volunteers wanted for free training

Darrin Walsh

Last week saw the launch of the Growth Acceleration Programme.

The programme is a joint venture between Grow Rotorua, McGarvie Business Coaching and the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce.

Many businesses receive focus in the set up stages. Cashflows, business plans and marketing plans are developed sometimes largely to tick the box for the bank manager who has been asked to assist with funding.

In a lot of cases these plans then gather dust and are not revisited or the business grows to a level where it diverts our attentions elsewhere. The business is successful to a point and we are happy.

However, for some business owners it is not until you take a holistic view of your business do you really understand the potential or ability to grow.

Business is not just about how well you manufacture your widgets. You might have the best widgets in town but how do you market your widgets " how well does their quality and pricing compare with your competitors.

How good are your financial control skills, collection and payment of accounts etc.

Running a business demands that you maintain your capabilities across a large range of tasks at a high level. Human nature, however, dictates that the capabilities we like least or perhaps are not the sharpest at get overlooked.

Understanding your capability gap and getting training to close these gaps will ultimately improve your business.

The Growth Acceleration Programme will deliver a professionally facilitated coaching programme that is:

- Outcome focussed

- Targeted capability training (closing gaps)

- Individual and group coaching provided by Darren McGarvie

- Action orientated

- Developing a growth Mindset

- Two hours training per fortnight.

The programme has been developed with an aim of taking good existing profitable medium sized business and accelerating their growth " turning good businesses into great businesses.

The programme is fully funded by Grow Rotorua.

We want 10 Rotorua businesses to join the programme that will run for 10 months. To register please go to www.bit.ly/RotoruaGAP or visit the Chamber of Commerce website and follow the links.

Registrations close on February 6 and shortlisted businesses will be interviewed with an aim of starting the programme in late February.

The programme is a real investment in local business. When local business perform well it has a huge spinoff on the local economy and business confidence is contagious.

The Rotorua Chamber of Commerce is very pleased to be partnering Grow Rotorua and McGarvie Business Coaching in this venture and urges local business owners to register their interest now.

- Darrin Walsh is chief executive of the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce.