The initial free 45 minute consultation
The first stage is for you to meet with us for a free 45-minute consultation. This gives you the opportunity to ask questions you have and for us to find out more about your business or business idea.
During this time we discuss a range of topics such as the opportunities and benefits for you to work with the BECIR and the physical and mental stress that comes with being self-employed.
Having practical support is important; this could be having someone to pick up the kids from school on busy days, or having someone to talk to who understands the frustrations of a difficult day.
You might request help with a specific problem. If we can help, then we can work together on an ad hoc basis to address the issues confronting your business.
Specific questions about tax or legal issues are beyond the remit of the BECIR.
We can however help you prepare for a meeting with a solicitor or accountant to make sure you get the best value from the meeting.
If you don’t have a solicitor or an accountant, we are happy to refer you to specialists in these fields.
Many Defence Veterans take advantage of this no obligation discussion. If you are about to retire from the Defence Force and are considering being self-employed we provide an objective analysis of your business options.
How is the training conducted?
Training is conducted several ways including a ‘class room’ style in the BECIR training room, if requested; to workshops and 1:1 with business owners.
The BECIR has partnered with various community organisations to hold event planning classes, employment skills classes, basic management skills training, resilience workshops and disaster recovery workshops.
For example, we have facilitated and engaged organisations to conduct workshops on fundraising and developing innovation in manufacturing.
Our coaching approach
If you are looking to start your new business, our most effective coaching program is the “Before and After” program. It works like this:
Before you launch your business, we meet fortnightly over a ten-week period to prepare a workable, cohesive business plan.
Usually, we meet for 1 hour on weeks 1,3,5,7 and 9. During this time the business plan is developed, and you should be ready to launch your business.
After the launch, we have a monthly progress meeting on months 1, 2, 3 and 6. On the 12-month anniversary we have an annual review and a plan for the next 12 months.
If you currently own a business and are looking to exit the business, we help you develop an exit strategy, whether it is a sale, succession or closing down.
There is an hourly fee for the coaching services we provide which is negotiated with you at the beginning of the process.