Strategies for Growth and Partnering

1
Strategies for Growth and Partnering

• Growing With Your Company
• And
• Your Partners

2
Where am I Taking You?

• Were going to look at you and your company in a
  different light!
• Will it be small or will it be big?
• Will it be you or will it be the company?
• Will you be in charge or will someone else?
• Will your company be broad-based or focused?
• Who are your competitors and who are your
  partners?
• Were going to look at partners corporate and
  business.
• Yes, some day youll need a partner!
• Approach each partnership as if it were a
  marriage!
• Honest and up-front is the name of the game!

3
What Will We Learn?

• Have a plan from the very beginning
• Redefine and Refine the plan as you go
• Always know what your are and where youre
  planning on going
• Know your strengths AND weaknesses
• Youre always on the sell

4
Why Should You Listen to Me?

• Michael Kelly/President and Founder of RiverNorth
  Systems of Minnesota
• Founded in 1998
• Grown in Revenues from 250K to 1M in 2001 1
  employee to 10 in 2001
• Transitioned from single shingle into a company
  with rent, payroll, budget cycles, partners, an
  Advisory Board, a Board of Directors and a
  Business Plan.
• Daily growing pains still!
• But now, we know how to solve them

5
What Type of a Company are You Building?

• Single Shingle, Lone Ranger, Solo Act, Lifestyle
  Company
• Fast Track, Corporate Race, Rat Race,
  Conglomerate, Industry Heavy Weight
• Something in Between
• Take the Time to Plan. Your Growth Depends on it!

6
Will Your Company Be Small or Big?

• Characterize size by
• Customer Base
• 1, 10, 100, 1000 Customers?
• Industry Breadth
• Vertical or Horizontal within Your Industry?
• Sales/Marketing Reach
• Campaigns, Word of Mouth, Networking
• Required Resources
• Capital, Financial, Human
• Think of the Plan!

7
Will Your Company be You or More Than You?

• Sole Proprietorship
• Only manage yourself! ?
• You direct the company, You make the decisions ?
• You reap all the benefits (Profits) ?
• Youre limited to your potential ?
• You make all the decisions ?
• You do everything (work, finances, windows) ?
• Think of the plan!

8
Will Your Company be You or More Than You?

• Partnership or More
• Your potential is higher! ?
• You dont have to make all the decisions ?
• You dont have to do everything ?
• Theres more to manage ?
• Your decisions are not always final ?
• You dont have total control anymore ?
• Think of the Plan!

9
Will Your Company be You or More Than You?

• There are different mind sets for each approach
  (Individual vs. Corporate)
• If youre a company Think like a company
• If youre a individual Think like an
  individual
• Think of the Plan!

10
Whos Running This Show Anyway?

• Do You Have the Right Stuff
• Would it Matter if You Didnt?
• NO as long as the right people are in place
• Think Seriously About All Positions in Your
  Company
• Dont Feel Obligated to ANY Position in Your
  Company
• Find the Right fit in all positions!
• Think of the Plan!

11
What is Your Companys Niche?

• Horizontal or Vertical?
• Determine Target Industries
• Determine Customer Base
• Focused or Broad?
• Think of the Plan!

Electronics
Corporate Expertise
Travel Leisure
R D
Banking/Finance
Computer Industry
Telecommunications
12
Who Are Your Competitors?

• Whats the Big Deal?
• We Owe it to our customers to be competitive
• Rates, Quality and Integrity
• You could lose business without even knowing it
• Competitive Intelligence is a Healthy and Smart
  Business Practice.
• Leverage your competitors!
• Think of the Plan!

13
Who Are Your Strategic Partners?

• Types of Company Partners
• Vendors
• Channel
• Suppliers
• Be Careful!
• Be sure of where your company is going
• Insist your partners know where theyre going
• Its amazing how fast company vision and
  direction change given enough money its called
  short sightedness.
• Think of the Plan!

14
Choosing Company Partners

• Avoid Overlapping Services/Products/Value
• Establish Ground Rules
• Competitive Boundaries
• Compensation/Referrals
• Know your business partners mission, goals and
  objectives
• Think of the Plan!

15
Dos and Donts of Growth and Partnering

• Do
• develop and write a Business Plan
• Business Type
• Company Size
• Company Officers
• Value Proposition/Niche
• Partners
• Marketing/Sales
• Think like the company you want to be

16
Dos and Donts of Growth and Partnering

• Do
• Choose Partners that will Produce Win-Wins
• Have Integrity
• Be Competitive
• Dont be Afraid to Think Out of the Box

17
RiverNorth Systems, Inc.

• Michael Kelly/President/CEO
• www.rivernorthsys.com
• Michael.Kelly_at_rivernorthsys.com
• 952-953-0635