Most big businesses have a Board of directors.  They meet periodically to review the business’ direction and health.  The Board Members are chosen with a mix of successful, highly experienced peers – all with their own individual strengths that the business’ management draw on for help and guidance.  In small businesses, a formal Board of Directors is rare.  Why?  Because the Board of Directors expect some kind of payment – quite often as share of company ownership.  For small businesses generally can’t afford the payment or because the value of the business is small, especially early on, can’t attract a good Board of Directors.  b$olutions, LLC  has developed a way for small businesses to have a Board of Directors. 

 

b$olutions, LLC  Board of Directors Meetings are monthly sessions with ten non-competing peer small business owners.  These meetings provide the owners with a like group of professionals with whom to discuss business plans, opportunities and problems, review plans, and trade ideas.  Each member sets actions he or she will complete before the next monthly meeting and the group holds him accountable that these are the right actions and that he or she completes them per plan.  A highly experienced accredited associate of the Institute for Independent Business leads the group through a set agenda as follows:

 

· Skills training – an introduction to a critical business skill.  The group assesses itself and chooses the mix of skills they need in the priority they see appropriate.  The training topics could include accounting principles, legal, marketing, strategic and business planning, and more.  The leader will arrange for experts to present the skill (30 minutes)

· Skills deployment discussion – the group has a round-table discussion on the steps to implement the skill in their business.  (30 minutes)

· Action item review – each member reports to his “Board of Directors” the progress versus his or her plan from last month (30 minutes)

· Opportunities and problems discussion – Each member has an opportunity to bring up for group discussion any opportunities or problems in his or her business (30 minutes)

· Plan reflection – the group takes time to independently set the action plan for the next month (15 minutes)

· Plan review – each member forwards his or her action plan for the next month for review by the Board of Directors (30 minutes)

 

The cost of participation in the b$olutions, LLC  Board of Director’s Meetings is modest – less than the cost of a typical monthly cell phone bill.  eMail for times for a meeting in your area.

 

 

E-mail: bsolutions@zoominternet.net