2017 Business Core Builders Series (Albuquerque)

The Core Builder Series is a series of ten classes over 2 1/2 days, specifically designed for business owners to help build your core business leadership skills, which will enable your company to thrive.

We will be holding two live sessions of the Core Builders Class:

Albuquerque - October 23, 24, and 25 at 2424 Louisiana Blvd. NE, Suite 300, Albuquerque, NM  87110

El Paso - November 6, 7, and 8 at 810 E Yandell Dr, El Paso, TX  79902 (To register for the El Paso session, visit this link)

We are also offering a webinar version which will be recorded live beginning October 23, 2017 and will be available on demand after that time.  To register for the webinar version, visit this link.

The classes will begin on Monday afternoon and conclude on Wednesday afternoon, and will cover the following topics:

Monday:

• Critical Thinking Skills - Critical thinking is about thinking in a more effective way. Session presenter Amy Cherne, CPA, CCIFP of RPC CPAs + Consultants will discuss the importance of critical, purposeful thinking and give a solid understanding of the three basic components of the critical thinking framework. She will explain why it is important to be unambiguous in our communication and provide examples of how to address ambiguous language from others. She will also explain the concept of anticipatory thinking and the value it brings, as well as ways to think laterally and not draw conclusions prematurely.
• Business Goals & Strategic Planning - Why should a business set goals and learn to create a strategic plan? To achieve a sustained competitive advantage which will result in superior profitability and profit growth, and to increase company performance. Session presenter R.A. Bobbi Hayes, CPA, CFE, CEPA, CCIFP of RPC CPAs + Consultants will explain the five competitive forces that shape business and the external and internal building blocks of competitive advantage. Aspects discussed will also include setting company values, the bargaining power of suppliers and how to change the dynamic, competitive positioning, growth strategies, strategic alliances, and diversification.

Tuesday:

• Financial Analysis & Long-Range Planning - Bobbi Hayes will kick-off the morning with this very important class packed full of examples. We’ll work our way through a cash flow example, to gain a more thorough understanding of the process and the ways companies get taken by surprise. Bobbi will also explain the various tools available to complete a financial analysis of your company and important ratios that highlight your company’s financial health. This class will wrap up with a detailed explanation of forecasting so companies can gain an understanding of the effects different growth strategies will create, and a description of what sustainable growth entails.
• Budgeting & Short Range Planning - With a long-range financial plan in place, our attention turns to the short-range plan. Attendees will learn to create monthly and annual budgets and forecasts that will help them analyze cash flow needs. This includes a proforma income statement, proforma cash budget, and break-even analysis. Hands on examples will be completed to ensure attendees understand and are comfortable with the calculations. This knowledge will provide an understanding of how to make real-time adjustments to pursue and manage growth opportunities. Bobbi Hayes and Amy Cherne will be your presenters for this exercise rich class.
• Cyber Security Awareness - As it has been well documented, many companies in different industries have recently been impacted by malware and hacking attacks; unfortunately, this problem is not going away soon. This one hour working lunch session will identify the nature of the attacks and how they can enter into networks and systems. Different approaches to comprehensively strengthen Information Technology environments will be presented. Lastly, and most importantly, the session will address the need for comprehensive policies and procedures that business owners can implement to make sure exposure to cyber-attacks is reduced.
• Legal Concepts for Business - This highly important class will cover several subjects, but will be taught by different, local lawyers from Albuquerque and El Paso. The session will begin with the basics and a history of common law. It will then move on to discuss federal versus state, versus local jurisdiction and the situations in which state law prevails over federal law. We will review the entity types available to companies and the benefits and limitations of each, and discuss alternative dispute resolution. This session will wrap up with a discussion of the legal issues with raising capital and securities law.
• Banking, Insurance & Surety Bonds - We will wrap up Tuesday with a discussion of banking, insurance, and surety bonds. We will have a local banker and a local insurance representative co-present this class so you get information directly from the service providers. The banking portion will include information on how to prepare prior to meeting with your banker to ask for a loan and a walk through of the lending process, including a description of the professional team that will please your banker. It will also discuss ways to avoid being defrauded. The insurance portion will discuss they types of insurance you need, and options for procuring surety bonds.

Wednesday:

• Marketing & Promotion - Marketing is much more of a science than an art, and it’s important for business owners to be able to both evaluate current promotions and maintain a strategic marketing plan. We will cover many fundamental basics of marketing for your industry type. From positioning and branding your company to referral source direct advertising. Advertising is not all Radio, TV and billboards, in a business like yours there are alternative and effective ways to connect with your next customer. This class will also cover a comprehensive media mix that can grow as your business requires it to.
• Organizational Behavior Theories & Practices - Taught by Brian Stone, PHR, SHRM-CP of RPC CPAs + Consultants, this session will take a look at organizational behavior topics, with an emphasis on motivation and how it affects productivity. We will discuss Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and how to leverage this knowledge to develop a highly productive workforce. We will also learn about the various theories of leadership and how they can be used to increase employee productivity. The drawbacks of overtime will be discussed, as well as how to successfully incorporate millennial workers in your teams. We will wrap this session with the 6 principles to make a perfect workplace.
• Public Policy - This working lunch will be presented by a local member of the El Paso or Albuquerque community who is involved in the public policy dialog on a regular basis. During this session, we will look at ways you as a business person can effectively and efficiently navigate both the “politics” and “public policy” arenas. During this interactive session we will sort out what are myths and what are realities, and discuss in detail the way public policy effects business owners. The intention is that you will come away with a better understanding and productive tools for future engagement.
• Management, Leadership & Communication - Are you a Supervisor, Manager or Leader? The answer lies more in your approach than your title. In this session we will look at the fundamentals and explore the differences between Administration, Leadership, Management and Supervision. We’ll look at the origins of each and help you determine if your style appropriately fits your role in the organization. From there we’ll explore the traits of a strong leader and how you can develop these skills regardless of your personality or experience. Lastly, we’ll look at communication and how it affects your ability to operate in any or all of the formerly mentioned categories.