Smartsourcing Requires A New Maturity Model

Smartsourcing Requires A New Maturity Model

Find out more about American Corporate Enterprises by visiting our website at http://www.americancorpenterprises.com.At American Corporate Enterprises, Inc., we have the expertise to handle all your incorporation needs! Contact us Toll free (888) 274-1130 or (775) 884-9380 today.

6 Ways to Increase Revenue, part 2

Contributed by Jojo Myers, CEO, OHB- Matrix Leadership, LLC

PART 2 – DIVERSIFY and then DIVERSIFY some more!!

The 2nd way to Increase Revenues is to Diversify your business. Largely, due to the economy, we have been given the opportunity to take a peripheral look at our business and ask ourselves,

• “What else can I do with the product or service I already have”?

• “What related product or service can I offer to my already existing client base”?

• “What completely different product or service can I bring in to serve a completely different client base”?

Many small businesses grow by taking opportunities to diversify.

Simply put, these are the forms Diversification:

• New, related products or services to existing customers=RELATIONAL DIVERSIFYING

• New markets for existing products=HORIZONTAL DIVERSIFYING

• New products for new markets=PROBATIVE DIVERSIFYING

The ones that seek out different market segments are the ones that will most likely survive the present environment. Again, simply put companies do this:

• Take a look at their existing product or service

• Take a look at their current client and market base

Then they take a step back and ask, “Is there another demographic or psychographic segment that could use my product or service”? and “Can I adapt to offer another potential product or service or adapt to open up to another potential client pool”?

I would love to explore this with you, so give me a call at Matrix Leadership, LLC, 775.884.6161, and let’s get started creating more income through Diversifying.

Lee Iacocca said, “In times of great stress and adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and energy into something positive”.


Find out more about American Corporate Enterprises by visiting our website at http://www.americancorpenterprises.com.At American Corporate Enterprises, Inc., we have the expertise to handle all your incorporation needs! Contact us Toll free (888) 274-1130 or (775) 884-9380 today.

6 Ways to Increase Revenue, part 1

Contributed by Jojo Myers, CEO- Matrix Leadership, LLC

PART 1 - Business and Strategic Planning

When I go into a business for the 1st time I do a Discovery. From my Discovery, I do a Needs Assessment, but one of my first questions I ask is, “May I see your business plan”?

I get (3) responses:

(1) Absolutely OR
(2) What business plan OR
(3) They start cinching their heart and I start giving CPR
MUCH to my surprise, many businesses do not have a completed business plan. WHAT???

This is your roadmap, your atlas, your lifeline. In today’s economy and marketplace we MUST write, revise, or get back to the Business Plan. A business plan is not just your Mission Statement or your Value Statement with a few Goals and Objectives listed, but it actually has a detailed action plan outlining your strategies, telling the story about how you are going to live up to that Mission and Value Statement. The story tells what strategies are in place or will be in place for your company to be a success.

However, they really AREN’T that much fun to do right? And YES, they are a lot of work, but worth it. If your business is more than a hobby, do not operate it without a Business Plan. Matrix Leadership can help you do that or I can recommend a company that can help you. Either way ……..get on it. Start 2012 with a roadmap of SUCCESS!!!

For additional information or assistance with your Business Plan contact:

Jojo Myers, CEO
Matrix Leadership, LLC
(775)884-6161
http://www.matrixleadership.net

Find out more about American Corporate Enterprises by visiting our website at http://www.americancorpenterprises.com.At American Corporate Enterprises, Inc., we have the expertise to handle all your incorporation needs! Contact us Toll free (888) 274-1130 or (775) 884-9380 today.

How to make Expense Management your strategy

Always be internally-driven: Keep improving your process. Have a good employee suggestions program that works, that is, all suggestions are carefully evaluated and those that are implementable are actually implemented, and if they work out well, the employee is suitably rewarded.

Always be externally-driven: Stay on top of changes in technology and process. Even when a technology is not directly targeted at your application/process, you need to evaluate it to see if you can use it for cost reduction.

Competitor-driven: Benchmarking against your competitors is ideal. You must have real time data on your competitors' cost position. If you find that your competitor is doing better than you, immediate action is needed.

Always be Implementing a cost reduction program: After you have compiled the data from competitors and other industry benchmarks, set realistic goals first, though it is perfectly fine to have ultimate goals as well. Ruthless cost cutting can have negative consequences.

Develop a cost reduction program in consultation with each and every employee who could potentially contribute. Do not limit the team to managerial types. In many cases, the floor staff has a better understanding of what works and doesn't and how to make the process better.

Always do a ROI analysis. No cost reduction program should be undertaken until the ROI justifies it.

Explore all options for cost reductions and not just those related to business process redesign or technology/equipment upgrades. Some of the other options that can be considered are outsourcing or off-shoring.

Business process redesign - A simple framework for small and medium-sized businesses While growth is a preferred mode of creating value in almost all cases, an enterprise still needs to focus on operations management, or more specifically, on the robustness of its business processes. Business processes, therefore, may need to be redesigned from time to time for the following reasons:

1.Existing process are broken, or in other words, performing at sub-optimal levels

2.New technology/equipment/systems are available

3.Competitors have better business processes putting you at a competitive disadvantage

4.Business model transformation is being implemented

5.Customers expect you to align your processes with theirs

While business process redesign (or reengineering or revamping or overhaul) may initially seem overwhelming, it shouldn't be. In fact, most businesses should be able to do a large part of BPR on their own. We believe that no one knows an enterprise's processes better than their own employees. However, there are areas where an external advisor can create value:

1. Employees are often reluctant to identify broken systems, inefficiencies, errors, etc. because it is likely to make them look bad

2. Consultants and advisors, through their work with other companies, have a better

3. understanding of what works and what doesn't. Thus, by tapping into their knowledge base, you can not only save time and money, you are also ensuring that you are using the best practices available in the industry. They also have better idea about benchmarks and may, therefore, help you set realistic expectations from BPR

When an organization decides to outsource, reducing costs is always one of its main objectives. Then 'reducing' costs evolved into the need to 'control' them. And today, the financial aspects are often not even listed among the key points. It's true that cutting costs remains an important factor, but rather as a consequence of the main requirements: nowadays when an organization embarks on an outsourcing project, it is looking above all to safeguard its operation (thanks to state-of-the-art Data Centers, industrialized processes and formal, guaranteed levels of service), to make sure it has easy access to the expertise it needs to manage complexity within its information systems, to access technological innovations more quickly and to be in a position to respond to fast-changing business practices.

What customers presented to their service providers followed quite a simple formula: "do the same thing, but better, faster and at a lower cost". At that time, outsourcing often consisted very largely of taking over existing systems. But for the past five years, IT Departments have had to face a dual, and clear-cut acceleration: within business itself on the one hand, which has led their internal customers to expect their information systems to be much more responsive.

And, on the other hand, on the technological front, especially with Web technologies now reaching maturity (including those operating at back office level) and the growth in consolidation and virtualization.

Today's outsourcing contracts take this change into account and as a result they are including much more development work rather than simply operational tasks. Which is why costs no longer take center stage in the list of requirements for the contract: before doing things in a less costly way, you have to start by actually doing it in the first place!
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Find out more about American Corporate Enterprises by visiting our website at http://www.americancorpenterprises.com. At American Corporate Enterprises, Inc., we have the expertise to handle all your incorporation needs! Contact us Toll free (888) 274-1130 or (775) 884-9380 today.

Do We Need a Partnership Agreement?

Starting out on a new business venture with others you know and trust is normally about planning all things you will do to make your business a success. It will very likely involve a range of issues focussing on finances, how to promote and sell the product or service and providing excellent service.

However, for most business ventures there will come a time when relying on 'what was said during the early days' is not going to work out. So what happens if things are going wrong in the business or someone wants to leave and sell their share of the business? How will you deal with it if you are having a problem agreeing between yourselves?

In the absence of a Partnership Agreement ("PA") The Partnership Act 1890 provides the legal rules that govern a partnership. Importantly, it provides that all partners are entitled to share the profits equally no matter how much money, capital, effort or skill they have put into the business and any partner can bring end the partnership by simply giving notice to all the other partners. Also, if one of the partners dies the partnership is automatically dissolved.

With a Partnership Agreement in place there is an agreed written structure for your business, which can spell out each partner's responsibilities, rights, profit/liability sharing, how to go about entering and leaving the business and also the terms on which disputes are resolved.

Typically they cover the duties and responsibilities of each partner, the management of the business, salaries, allocation of profits, borrowings and reimbursement, non-competition, powers of attorney, admission of new partners, leaving or retiring from the partnership, termination and the dispute resolution arrangements.

Having a Partnership Agreement is definitely not to be seen as a negative thing like planning how you divorce while getting engaged. It is a practical and entirely prudent way of ensuring that the business has proper foundations to deal with a range of fundamental issues that will very likely come up at some time or other.

Find out more about American Corporate Enterprises by visiting our website at http://www.americancorpenterprises.com. At American Corporate Enterprises, Inc., we have the expertise to handle all your incorporation needs! Contact us Toll free (888) 274-1130 or (775) 884-9380 today.

Use a Virtual Office as a Profitable Alternative to Paying High Rent

Here is another example of how obtaining a Virtual Suite is beneficial to your business!

A money-saving service that is being used by many professionals today is the virtual office. With so many business professionals working from their homes or on the go, the virtual office has evolved into a popular alternative to leasing a permanent office. It provides a creative solution which benefits the small business owner tremendously.

What is a Virtual Office?

A virtual office gives small business owners a presence in the business world for a fraction of normal rental costs. It is an alternative to leasing an office space, which can be costly for a new business owner. Virtual office services may also provide a set of online tools to help manage the small business. Although virtual office services differ, below is a list of some of the most common features.

1. Physical Business Address

Clients are provided with their own physical mailing address where business mail and small packages can be received. Virtual offices are not typically used to receive heavy volumes of mail as in a mail order business, but normal business mail quantities only. Those who operate a business from their home can use the virtual office address instead of their home address, which provides a safe and professional way to receive mail. Mail to a virtual office can be forwarded to the client 's home address.

2. Local Phone Number

Virtual office services also include a local phone number where a business owner can receive calls and messages. Voice mail and forwarding are usually included so the client can check messages at any time. This works great for someone who works from home or does not wish to tie up a cell phone line if they are continuously on the go.

3. Fax Capabilities

Being able to receive faxes is important to any business. Faxes are used to conduct business, send reports, take orders and receive memos every day. Using the virtual office fax, the client receives faxes which can be forwarded directly to his/her email.

4. Office Access

Access to a desk or work station with Internet capabilities, office equipment and more is crucial for a business. This is available for those times when the client needs to organize a presentation before a conference or use the Internet or computer for business purposes.

5. Conference Room Access

Conference rooms are available for rent with some virtual office setups. The client can hold business meetings or give sales presentations without interruption.

6. Web Conference Room Access

Web conference rooms are available for virtual meetings. Rather than hold a physical meeting, the client can hold virtual business meetings or give virtual sales presentations. Virtual meetings have gained popularity in recent years because they save time and money while providing instant presentation opportunities. Some virtual office services offer this tool as an added service.

7. Online virtual tools

Online tools such as calendar, address book, webmail, document repository, to do 's , forums, digital fax and digital voice mail have become common among many large businesses. Some virtual office services offer these tools and others as an added service.

Who can benefit by using a Virtual Office?

People of all trades find virtual offices useful. Executives, salespeople, accountants, marketing consultants and online business owners each benefit by using a virtual office for certain tasks. Those who work from home and wish to establish a business presence find that a virtual office meets this need. Corporations also use virtual offices as a means of testing a business location before opening a new branch.

When renting an office is not an option, a virtual office can be used by small business owners to meet the daily needs while saving time and money.

For more information, we encourage you to visit our affiliate, Pinnacle Executive Suites - located in Carson City, NV:  Their mission statement is:  "Our goal is to provide the finest office space and best service possible to make the professionals and their guests feel comfortable with their surroundings. This goal is accomplished when you come in and enjoy your surroundings. We have tried to accomplish this through upscale furnishings, to show some affluence, without being ostentatious. Our staff has been selected for their genuine desire to help our professionals with their business needs and graciously welcome your guests. Our staff has many years of experience to assure the best possible service. Contact us today at 775-884-6123 or visit our website at http://www.pinnacleexecutivesuites.com/"



Find out more about American Corporate Enterprises by visiting our website at http://www.americancorpenterprises.com. At American Corporate Enterprises, Inc., we have the expertise to handle all your incorporation needs! Contact us Toll free (888) 274-1130 or (775) 884-9380 today.