With the financial support of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, I have been attending the Owner Management Program with the IceHouse. I spoke at the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce this week on my expereience.
The Icehouse is a Business Growth Center that was founded 10 years ago by David Irving, the retired CEO of Heinz Watties. The Auckland-based entity is working in conjunction with the Auckland University Business School to grow the NZ economy - by running a series of business courses, mentoring programs and overseeing venture capital investment, all with the vision of establishing 3000 export-ready companies by 2020.
Their Owner Management Program is specifically is aimed towards those business executives who, as the name suggests, own and manage their own business. Irving and his team realised there is currently lots of support for start up ventures, incubators and the like, and also lots of education opportunities for high level corporates such as MBA's.
However it is the owner operators that requires need the most support, many running businesses that were founded around the kitchen table, or in our case the student flat! There is little in the way of for these 'Mum and Dad' companies - entrepreneur-run businesses that are the life blood of the NZ economy. Many of these Owner/Operators are working long hours, managing substantial businesses with little formal training or guidance, problem solving and hustling their way to growth, or in many cases stagnating under the pressures of commercial realities.
Given I came out of University with a law and art degree and went straight into the events/festival business, I hadn’t had any specific business training. Our idea to turn a little backyard party into a world class music experience was a baptism by fire, a crash course in running a business in which at times we have had to hang on for dear life. Given the company is more settled now with steady cashflow, a growing hungry team and a number of opportunities for growth, it felt right to up skill in some form while growing the motivation for my place in the business and where we are going in the long term. So at the advice of a friend I had an hour interview with the application team and was accepted.
The OMP course is held over 3 days a month, in a conference retreat about 40 mins north of Auckland. The idea is to remove from your business and focus working 'on' your business rather than 'in' it. The criteria of the course is having substantial shareholding in a business with a turnover of over $2million dollars, directing staff under your control. Attendees are encouraged to share issues and ideas between each other, honesty and confidentiality is paramount. Many have similar issues - unruly staff, trouble in establishing a work/life balance, testing relationships with business partners. Tools are shared from business plans to management systems, work habits and. In the evenings copious amounts of wine is consumed and conversation flows, they say the best work is done over the bar!
There is a varied group of 26 in our intake, of which I am the youngest at 30 years to an attendee over 60 yrs. There is a fashion designer, an organic ice cream manufacturer and an aluminium door manufacturer. One runs a trucking transport company in the central north island with a turnover of $50 million. An international meat trader, second generation CEO of a computer company, a creative director of a skin care company. A mix of industries from retail, manufacturing and trade services. Many in family businesses started by their old man, others recently purchased and trying to turn it around. In all they are a dynamic and ambitious group who have all taken the step to further their management skills with the goal of growing their business.
Through out the 5 blocks we have various speakers come in and speak on a number of relevant topics. From dealing with banks, planning, governance to marketing, brand development and technology issues. We have experts speak on employment relations, leadership and health/wellbeing. I really enjoyed an ex-ad man who came and spoke about the importance of creativity and ideas. We had other owner operators come in and speak to the group about their experience since graduating the OMP. One runs a successful New World operation in Keri Keri and Mt Albert. Another runs a successful bakery operation that exports pie's around the world, baked each day in Silverdale.
We have also been building a business plan to be applied to each individual company. Much of the first half course is about current 'state of play' - history and where you have come from, how you work, along with assessing the team and tools you currently have in your possession. The second half looks at the opportunities for growth, and building a business plan with a vision towards a preferred plan for growth, and what steps need to be taken to achieve these goals. This is then shared with a mentor and small team who assists with setting the determined process in order.
As I come the completion of the course, I have found a renewed passion for growing my business, along with my place in it. I have developed confidence in new areas of management, along with insights into relevant topics, such as time management and health/well being. I have a good understanding of my strengths, my working habits and how I relate to others. I have a network of likeminded business owners with vast experience I can now call on. And I have also a substantial reading list I am slowly working through a number of business books from Jim Collin's 'Good to Great' to biographies of Steve Jobs and Michael Hill. Should keep me busy this year!
So I really recommend getting in touch with the Icehouse if you want to further your skills and grow your business. It will help you achieve what you want in both business and personal life. And if nothing else meet like minded entrepreneurs who are endeavoring to make this country a better place!
