Set Up Your Personal Board of Directors

When you start your own business it can be lonely and frustrating. You have a huge to-do list and it feels like a big mountain to climb.

Being self employed or setting up a new business can feel very isolating. Getting support is hugely important. Your local Business Link can help with networking events and relevant training opportunities. A business coach can work with you on developing and building your business too. Some entrepreneurs also find it really useful to set up a group which meets regularly to focus on their coaching business. This group can be your own Personal Board of Directors.

This is how it works:

You think of people you know who are successful or who have great contacts or who are expert in some area that is relevant to you. For example: accountant, small-business owner, marketing person, journalist, website designer, business coach. Ideally you want people you know and like – and who are enthusiastic about your business idea! Talk to each person individually about your business first to check out if they fancy being on your board. Next, invite them all to meet up informally in a quite pub or cafe. Or if you like cooking, invite them to your house for a meal. Explain to the group where you’re at with your business plan and ask them for their ideas.

Do they have any suggestions for improving your business or business ideas?
Is there any way they would like to help?
How do they suggest you promote your service or products?
Can they suggest any good contacts?


Health and Well Being Coach, Carol decided to set up her own personal council very early in her business. Her vision included creating a chain of high end health spas. She invited a personal trainer, a chief executive of a local authority, a G.P, an independent financial adviser and a PR professional. They were all business contracts or friends of friends and they met monthly at Carol’s home for the first six months. Each month they focused on a different aspect of Carol’s business and she got loads of ideas and new contacts and felt very energized by the whole process. She provided food and drink and snacks during the hour-long meeting.
It was agreed to keep the meetings short and focused. Sometimes some of the group stayed around longer to chat with each other, after the business was complete. After six months Carol's group met quarterly for a year and occasionally thereafter. They enjoyed the opportunity to be creative and to meet people outside their own network.

I have found that people are often flattered and find it exciting to meet up with people from different worlds and to brainstorm ideas. It is creative process and is win-win all round. You can decide with your group how often you want to meet up. Every couple of months works well.

Go on, take a deep breath and give those contacts a call!

Set Up Your Personal Board of Directors - To learn more about this author, visit Marianne Craig's Website.

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Anne Barr Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website

Michiel Jonker As a Certified Information Systems Auditor, Michiel assists businesses in a professional capacity by evaluating the threats to their businesses. He acquired the necessary knowledge, skills, and techniques to minimize a business owner’s risk of business failure and to maximize his chances of high growth and success. He strongly believes that you CAN maximize your chances of business success, by implementing the business solution he has advocated for more than 12 years in your business plan and planning. Michiel has decided to share his experience with business owners by putting almost everything he knows in a business plan and survival guide (compiled in an e-book format) and written as a high growth SMB coaching course for SMB business owners, directors and managers - titled as the “Survival Kit for Small and Medium Businesses - Profit from your Business Risks!” According to Michiel, his goal was to add new techniques to a business owner’s business planning survival kit and instruct him or her in using these in the future - without any help from a consultant! For more information about the benefits of implementing profit protection planning in your business, please visit: http://www.business-around-the-globe.com - Visit Michiel Jonker's Website

Linda Richardson Linda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website

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Marianne Craig Subscribe to Marianne's articles (Visit Marianne's Website) Marianne Craig MCC works with entrepreneurs world wide by telephone and email. She is a Master Crendtialed Coach and mentors many other coaches. She is the author of So You Want to Become a Coach available from www.mentor-coach.com Marianne Craig is a Silver author on EvanCarmichael.com

Marianne Craig's Complete List Of Business-Coach Articles Name Email If you enjoyed this article, get Marianne Craig's Complete List of Business-Coach Articles For FREE! More Marianne Craig Painting Your Own Rainbow Creating multiple income streams Set Up Your Personal Board of Directors Mind mapping A fun way to start on your business plan