Visual Planning Retreats offer an intuitive approach to start-up strategic planning

Having great technology is only the first step in a successful business, as everyone knows. Knowing how to support the technology with a scalable business model is a greater challenge; one that is being addressed in a new consulting service from Directis Consulting. To Susan Low of Directis Consulting has developed Visual Planning Retreats, targeted sessions specifically designed for start-up businesses
striving to reach their goals.  After testing the process on several organizations, Low is ready to
launch this new tool for business.

Visual Planning Retreats utilize a concept called graphic facilitation, combined with the Business Model Canvas tool developed by Alex Osterwalder (http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/). The canvas is particularly effective in helping design business models that will support scalable growth for start-ups. In Visual Planning Retreats, Susan Low guides a start-up team to develop their business model on a wall-sized canvas. The use of graphics tends to capture more of the mood and feeling of the
brainstorming process than words alone or working on a computer screen. With over 80% of the population identifying as “visual learners,” the Visual Planning Retreat gives people the opportunity to approach business planning in an intuitive way.

“It’s a different way of looking at how the business fits together and it generates some great thinking,” says Low. “Often entrepreneurs are so caught up in developing the technology that when they decide they want to take the next step they haven’t had an opportunity to map out how to get there. The Visual Planning Retreats are structured to work the way entrepreneurs tend to work. It can be as fun as it is productive.”

The retreats are held in the Directis office to take entrepreneurs out of their everyday space. Using three enormous white boards, graphics that capture the business model and the implementation strategy are created. Retreats, which can be either a half day or a full day, are broken into four modules specifically designed for small business: business model canvas, customer segments, profit planning and marketing planning. What is specifically addressed in the visual retreat is based on the business need, whether it is growth, human resources, new product or new market development. Expanded retreats allow more time for business partners, key managers or employees to participate in the process. At the end of the retreat, photos of the graphics are digitized, making the entire planning
session readily available to the client along with a concise written strategic plan. Details on Visual Planning Retreats are available at www.directis.ca under Consulting.

Founded in 2003, Directis Consulting specializes in strategic planning tools for small businesses and not-for-profits. Directis Consulting is the winner of the 2011 Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award for Outstanding Customer Service. Directis offers a variety of consulting and workshop services for business. See www.directis.ca for more information.