The GDBCC is excited to offer this 5 session business plan series in partnership with Carl Baumann. Carl is a retired banker with a passion for mentoring entrepreneurs in business planning and strategic planning. Please apply by using the form below:
Session 1:
Business Model Canvas. How to think through and create a business model using the
business model canvas. We cover the details of the Business Model Canvas and various hybrid models.
Session 2:
The Foundation of a Business Plan. It is important to create the foundation as a first step in
planning a business. We cover how to think through and write the mission, values, culture, vision,
industry analysis, customer segmenting and profiles, competitive analysis, laws and regulations and the
context map evaluating the outside factors that can affect the business or a nonprofit.
Session 3:
Making it Happen is the section that develops the actions to bring your business to life. We
start with marketing (defining and activating your brand, writing your marketing messages, and
developing your marketing communications tactics). We then cover how to develop a relationship
selling plan. Next, we discuss the elements of a strong operations plan including the business processes
and personnel plans. Finally, we discuss the expansion plan and short and long-term exit planning.
Session 4:
Designing the Customer Experience. Providing a great customer experience is critical for all
businesses and nonprofits. We discuss the elements of creating a terrific customer experience and
create several customer journey/experience maps in class to further reenforce the learning.
Session 5:
The Financial Side of Your Business. Understanding the financial side of the business is critical
to any businessperson’s success. We review financial statements and discuss the importance of each
one and how to best analyze the statements to improve the business.