Summer Training Concludes with Attendees Crafting Their Business Plans
by Mark Sklarow, IECA Executive Director
The final afternoon of the 2010 Summer Training Institute was focused on a 3-hour session that was designed to bring together the information attendees gained throughout the week through the process of creating their own personal business plan. Recognizing that most who enter the field of educational consulting do so with a passion for students and knowledge of counseling, attendees welcomed this final opportunity to examine the small business development aspect of starting a practice.
I shared the teaching for this unit with marketing guru and IECA member Lisa Bleich. Among the exercises completed, attendees examined their personal reasons for entering the field and crafted mission statements, set goals and specific objectives and examined the external community traits that impact consulting. Attendees examined the benefits of students using web-based, school-based or corporate-based advising in order to better understand the landscape. Each completed a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) analysis based on their 4 days of learning.
The business plan also had participants examine traditional and new media marketing techniques, start-up costs for establishing a practice as well as on-going expenses, particularly in the early years while a practice is being built.
While plans were hardly complete at the end of the exercise, the 93 attendees left with the basic components of a business plan in hand, along with a cohort of colleagues from across the country and around the world with whom they shared the institute. Many anticipate continuing their learning at the upcoming IECA Fall Conference in Ohio.
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I am still on a high from all of the wonderful interactions we had during the Summer Institute with the faculty and the attendees. It was such an honor to be part of this wonderful training session and help this talented cohort of individuals on their path to helping students and families find the right match.
The Summer Institute just energized me. The faculty obviously loves what they do. The enthusiasm was contagious and the information exchange was priceless! It was an honor to be among such a talented group of individuals.
I have already sent in my application for Associate Member!
I have already taken information from the Summer Training Institute’s business sessions and enhanced aspects of my outreach. I am ready to just get going. Thank you and all the faculty.