Herald-Times
It’s Your Business
Business management, on to Step II
By Steve Bryant
A Bloomington voice
May 25, 2012
Small businesses that are growing often look to other business owners for advice on how to deal with problems. Companies at this growth stage are no longer as concerned about getting their first customer or keeping the lights on, but are more interested in company strategy, culture, hiring employees, benefits, raising money and purchasing or building a facility. These “second stage” companies need help from experienced leaders to succeed.
Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington and the Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship have recently licensed and implemented a peer learning program called the PeerSpectives Roundtable System from the Edward Lowe Foundation (http://edwardlowe.org/tools-programs/roundtables). It was designed for leaders of companies who cannot go to their spouses, employees or business partners for advice on handling tough issues as their business grows and challenges pile up. Leaders engage in a facilitated roundtable discussion once a month to learn from each other, share experiences and hold each other accountable to actions needed to grow their business.
We have two such CEO Roundtables operating here in Bloomington with members from Monroe County and our surrounding counties participating each month.
It has been a valuable program for the participants, and these sessions lead to simple and practical solutions that are exactly what the participants have been looking for as well as unabashed feedback that the business owners often need to hear. Often the participants think they are the only ones in the world dealing with these kinds of issues and pressures, while it quickly becomes clear that it is what most all business leaders face as their business grows.
If your business is interested in participating in the program, please feel free to contact us at 330-6261 or www.ivytech.edu/bloomington/entrepreneurship.
Steve Bryant is director of the Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship. Next week’s column will be from Danise Alano-Martin with the city of Bloomington.
Copyright: HeraldTimesOnline.com 2012
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
