Today we were delighted to be running another Contracts Clinic for the Surrey Enterprise Hub in Guildford.
The Hub works with young and growing technology companies, offering them support and mentoring to reach their true potential. Devant Contract Clinics are now an established part of the Hub programme, and usually have a waiting list to attend.
The aim of the Clinics is to give each company an hour in which to discuss the commercial contractual issues that are keeping them awake at night, and see if we can offer some practical solutions. It's a great way for us to meet lots of interesting new companies in a short space of time, but as you can imagine, it's pretty intense. In theory we're supposed to have a 15 min break between clients, but in our quest to help solve problems this tends to evaporate!
One of the delights of working with the Hub is seeing so many talented people grow in confidence and ability as their businesses develop. Companies that we met as 'start-ups' at clinics a couple of years ago are now employing significant numbers of staff and making a real impact on the market.
If you're a high-growth young company in the South East, I thoroughly recommend that you investigate the Hubs near you. Take a look at the SEEDA web site and see how you can benefit from the community of expertise and support that they offer.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Delivering a Great Breakfast!
This morning was an early start. I was invited by Sally Albin of Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce to give a breakfast seminar at Mya Lacarte in Caversham, and found myself at an unfeasibly early hour in the Waitrose car park gathering projector and laptop.
'Doing Deals that Deliver' was the subject of the seminar, and judging by the reception, it was a topic close to the audience's hearts.
All of us have been in situations where we feel that we and our client/supplier/business partner are pulling in opposite directions. It's so easy to charge into new business relationships with our own objectives at the forefront, only for things to go pear-shaped down the line.
The key to a deal that delivers what both parties expect is in firstly being clear about what each of you wants from the deal, and secondly ensuring that both are mutually compatible. If you are focussed on finding a beta site for your funkiest new product, while your client wants a trouble-free and quick implementation, you are destined for trouble. But if you find a client who doesn't mind the odd hiccup in order to secure a good price and steal a march on the competition, you could be on to a winning deal.
Among the Thames Valley Chamber audience were several solicitors, including one specialising in divorce. Interestingly, she suggested that this was a key issue in many marriage breakdowns - differing objectives that neither party had discussed beforehand.
I'm not suggesting that Devant negotiation training will ensure long and happy marriages, but delivering great long term relationships is what we're all about. So who knows - maybe a new market will open up for pre-marital negotiation training!
'Doing Deals that Deliver' was the subject of the seminar, and judging by the reception, it was a topic close to the audience's hearts.
All of us have been in situations where we feel that we and our client/supplier/business partner are pulling in opposite directions. It's so easy to charge into new business relationships with our own objectives at the forefront, only for things to go pear-shaped down the line.
The key to a deal that delivers what both parties expect is in firstly being clear about what each of you wants from the deal, and secondly ensuring that both are mutually compatible. If you are focussed on finding a beta site for your funkiest new product, while your client wants a trouble-free and quick implementation, you are destined for trouble. But if you find a client who doesn't mind the odd hiccup in order to secure a good price and steal a march on the competition, you could be on to a winning deal.
Among the Thames Valley Chamber audience were several solicitors, including one specialising in divorce. Interestingly, she suggested that this was a key issue in many marriage breakdowns - differing objectives that neither party had discussed beforehand.
I'm not suggesting that Devant negotiation training will ensure long and happy marriages, but delivering great long term relationships is what we're all about. So who knows - maybe a new market will open up for pre-marital negotiation training!
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