If you are an owner manager of a business employing a minimum of 3 employees, willing to commit 4 hours a month to developing and growing your business and want to learn from other like-minded business owners then ProfitNet Plus could be what you need to keep you focussed on your business objectives.

Over the past three years 4 ProfitNet Plus groups, have gone through ProfitNet Plus with some very positive outcomes and outputs. Focused on identifying and implementing new learning, new ideas and new improvements that will add to the bottom line of the participating businesses the programme is challenging, interactive and supportive.

What is ProfitNet Plus?

ProfitNet Plus offers a unique opportunity for owner mangers to grow their business by working with other like-minded people through the implementation of their business-specific action plans supported and challenged by group members.

• It will carry out an audit of your business and its development needs.
• It will prioritise your development objectives for the next 2 years.
• It will develop an Action Plan for your business for the next 2 years.
• It enables you generate and develop new business ideas.
• It encourages creative thinking and problem solving.
• It enables participants explore and implement practical solutions.
• It enables participants develop their networking and learning skills, and
• Enables you as a member, to benefit from the collective and diverse experience of other business owners in an environment of trust, tolerance and complete confidentiality.

The idea of getting businesses that operate in similar environments to work together to identify and develop practical solutions to their individual problems has been shown to work – Profit Net Plus goes further by facilitating this process within the context of business-specific action plans.

What makes ProfitNet Plus Different from other Networks?

Each ProfitNet Plus network is made up of business owners or managers who are responsible for making strategic decisions thus providing a common ground for all participants and ensuring the cross-fertilisation of their experience and ideas.

Each ProfitNet Plus group is facilitated by trained facilitators who ensure delivery on agreed needs within a well defined programme structure. Members commit to the networks and commit to the confidentiality of the group.

The model involves the completion of an initial audit/diagnostic, the development of business-specific action plans, business presentations and reviews, peer learning and practical learning that is tailored to meet the needs of its members and their businesses. Members join cross-sector or sector-specific groups and meet once a month for up to 4 hours. The facilitated groups are member–led, with topics for discussion, external speakers and training being wholly decided by members.

The ProfitNet Plus Model

Companies join groups of 15-20 members and:

• Attend monthly meetings.
• Make decisions for what and how to learn.
• Establish network norms/rules.
• Engage with consultants to carry out an initial audit and prepare an action plan.
• Make business presentations and reviews during the programme.
• Engage in peer learning and knowledge sharing.
• Take part in special creativity sessions.
• Have support from specialists as required.
• Establish strong links with other members.
• Make a commitment to the group.
• Have access to in-house assistance.

Each meeting is structured into three separate parts:

• Action Plan Presentation by individual members with group feedback
• Action Learning/Discussion of common business issues focussed on implementation.
• External input from specialist (creativity sessions).

Minutes are taken of each meeting with main items discussed and agreed actions recorded. Each meeting concludes with agreed agenda items for the following meeting.

Programme Participant Criteria

• Owner manager of a business employing a minimum of 3 employees.
• Interested in developing and growing your business.
• Willing to prepare in advance for the audit and consultancy input.
• Willing to commit up to 4 hours a month.

Your Next Step

If you are interested in participating in a ProfitNet Plus network please contact the Local Enterprise Office Donegal for more information.

Profitnet and Profitnet Plus is delivered under license from CENTRIM at the University of Brighton, UK.