A new group has started in Cambridge, it meets in Cambridge Makespace and is called Office Hours. Office Hours is a group of active business managers willing to share experiences, improve skills and learn.We discuss strategy, business models and value propositions, yes, but also the day-to-day nitty gritty stuff like how much should I be paying for services, how do I hire the right people and what do I pay them? Where can I get something manufactured, once it is made how do I ship it, what paperwork do I need to send it overseas? Is my idea a good one, what will my board ask about it? How do I know my plan is going well, how do I keep my investors and customers informed and on my side?
Management is a never-ending series of small problems you face each day. The decisions you make matter. Office Hours is a place where you can get perspectives on the decisions you face from others like you who have made decisions, recovered from bad ones and are now building businesses themselves. It is a peer-to-peer environment; listen to the stories, contribute when you want, make new connections and take away fresh perspectives.
We meet each Friday at noon for an hour. Bring your lunch, join via video from your office. The hour is divided into three 20 min parts each with its own objective:
I. Update
First, we have reports from past meetings and issues discussed. Perhaps one of us will offer a few thoughts on a subject, say, an approach for marketing, or interesting interview questions, something they learned once or some recent news. This should take no more than 15 min.
II. Issues
Next, a member of the group will present an issue facing them in their business. There is time for questions and exploration. The group will then bring their experience to bear on the issues, offer advice, alternatives, resources. Finally, the member will be invited to make a commitment to the group on specific actions including to report back so the entire group benefits. It all takes no more than 30 min.
III. Questions
Management never stops. The remaining time is an opportunity for members to ask quick questions to be addressed in a single sentence or off line. Say, recommendations for an accountant, or a web developer or the group’s thought on a quote provided by a service provider, is reasonable, what questions should I ask before accepting?
To join us search for ” Office Hours ” at https://www.meetup.com/Makespace