It's often the case that small businesspeople concentrate on what the business does - what it produces - and fail to devote attention to what the business is - its purpose and its meaning to stakeholders and community.  In addition, many business owners - who have poured heart and soul, and the better part of a life, into creating a business entity - have no idea what to do with it as they begin to age and wish to slow down.  When we build a business we build a community that has a life of its own.  Just like children, we must prepare it to stand on its own two feet (and provide for us in our retirement!)

This course is for businesspeople young and old, experienced or not, at the start-up phase or the legacy phase - who want to think together about how to create living, thriving, prosperous businesses that are positive contributors to community life and honor the employees who create the wealth.  It is based in part on John's book, The Company We Keep: Reinventing Small Business for People, Community, and Place, the eight business cornestones around which the book is structured, and his thirty five years running a design/build business.  It’s about designing and building a business.

The two-day class will be a radical business primer full of stories, activities, and information about making everyday business a rewarding adventure.  It will mix philosophy and practice, and will tackle employee ownership, growth issues, business plans, personnel issues, benefits, community service, multiple bottom line thinking, and long term business planning and succession.  There will be time set aside for participants who submit in advance to bring their own business issues to the class and engage in creative problem-solving with other participants and the instructor. All Levels.

14 Learning Units