By Kevin Marois

We had our annual Seminars for Success last weekend at our office. The theme this year was Threading the Needle: Business Planning in Changing Times. We had a great turnout and some lively discussions. Our manufacturers send their sales reps, plus we bring in some outside speakers. We offer skills training (so they can improve their production) plus we offer management training.

Friday Bonus Seminars

We started on Friday morning with a Basic Stain Removal seminar by Jeff Schwarz from AL Wilson. Jeff has a lot of passion for getting stains out. After lunch we had a Professional Wet Cleaning seminar taught by Chris White of Kreussler Textile Care. Some participants had brought their own garments to see how they would turn out when wet cleaned.

The Wet Cleaning seminar was timely. One of the attendees went back to his plant and found his dry cleaning machine had quit working. But he was OK, he just had to become a 100% wet cleaner for a few days. Good thing he had some training.

Your Business Plan

Our theme this year was business plans. Many people have written a business plan: the landlord wants one before he will write you a lease; or maybe the bank wants one so they can lend you money. However, lots of those plans are pure fiction – write something down so you can get a loan. If the story isn’t good enough – you don’t get the loan. The plan is written and then promptly filed and forgotten.

Our premise is that you need a business plan for yourself – forget about those other people. Yes, it is a lot of work writing a plan, but you need to recognize it as a tool to help you measure your successes and failures. It is a tool to map your future.

Time to Update

There are many reasons why you need to update your business plan. Think about how society, technology and fabrics have changed in the last 10 years. It used to be that pizza was the only food that was delivered. Now you can even order a Big Gulp and have it delivered to your door. People like convenience. Think about the explosion of wash/dry/fold customers. Think about the changes in garments/fibres and the new equipment that is available.

People also like technology. They want to get a text when their order is ready. They want to be able to go to the kiosk at midnight and get their cleaning. They want to know that you have the latest technology to take care of them and their garments. If you are still operating according to your old business plan, you need to make some changes.

Business Plan Template

One of the handouts was a business plan template from BDC (https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/entrepreneur-toolkit/templates-business-guides/business-plan-template). They were not able to attend our seminar but they gave us permission to use the template. That template helps you frame your future. There are guiding questions in each section.

Yes, it is work. It takes time to think about every area of your business. Most people leave seminars enthused about working on their business, but they don’t have a clear plan of how to do that. This template forces you to think about your business. It gives you a framework to develop. You don’t have to do it all in one week or even one month. But if you do the work to develop it, it will be your guide moving forward.

Leadership in the Era of AI

Chris White’s seminar on AI was an eye-opener for most people. There are several versions of AI and they are all slightly different. They have different uses, so eventually you may use several versions. It is critical to use the paid version of the software to protect any information that you upload.

White emphasized the need to develop an implementation strategy for using AI in your business. Remember that AI is used to augment human capabilities – not replace them. The key to getting good results is framing the request correctly – as well as framing how the information will be integrated into your business.

Financial Planning

Patrick Merz is retired but now works with the CPA association. He clearly explained financial statements and how to read them. He emphasized the need to have monthly statements in a timely manner, so you can make good decisions based on sound financial information.

Frank Wagner spoke about the need to make a budget. He explained what he did when he ran Wagner’s European Fabricare. You need to make accurate assessments and then try to live within your plans.

Your People

Retaining and motivating your staff is a hot topic. This session addressed how we keep losing experienced staff members. Eventually they will all retire. What is your plan to pass on their knowledge and how will you replace them when they leave?

Last Words

We had a great weekend. Saw some old friends and made some new friends. Wherever you are located, please get involved and develop your business. We have seen too many plants fail -– so get to work.

We got a lot of good comments from the attendees. They are excited about improving their businesses and they are already asking about next year’s seminar.

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