Managing and Growing Small and Medium Enterprises
A four-day course for people running small and medium businesses who want to grow without losing control.
About this course
A four-day course for people running small and medium businesses who want to grow without losing control. You will look honestly at where the business is today, then build the simple systems, routines and delegation that free the owner to lead rather than firefight.
We spend real time on cash flow, pricing and reading the numbers, because growth that runs out of cash is not growth. You will also work on organising and keeping good people and on choosing a realistic growth path, leaving with a one-page plan for your own business and an Alalamia certificate.
What you'll learn
- Diagnose the current stage and main constraints of a small or medium business
- Put simple systems and processes in place so the business runs without constant owner involvement
- Manage cash flow, working capital and pricing to protect profitability
- Read basic financial statements and use them to make decisions
- Recruit, organise and motivate a growing team
- Choose and plan a realistic growth strategy
- Identify and manage the key risks of scaling
Curriculum
- Stages of business growth
- Owner-dependence and its limits
- Quick health check of the business
- Setting priorities for improvement
- Mapping core processes
- Writing simple operating procedures
- Delegation and accountability
- Choosing practical tools for daily operations
- Cash versus profit
- Building a cash flow forecast
- Managing receivables and payables
- Inventory and stock control
- Reading the income statement and balance sheet
- Key ratios for small businesses
- Budgeting and variance tracking
- Separating business and personal finances
- Cost-based and value-based pricing
- Margins and contribution
- Identifying profitable products and customers
- Reducing waste and cost
- Designing roles as the business grows
- Recruiting the right people
- Performance conversations and feedback
- Retaining key staff
- Knowing your best customers
- Retention and repeat business
- Low-cost marketing approaches
- Entering new markets or segments
- Organic growth options
- Partnerships and franchising
- Financing growth
- Writing a one-page growth plan
- Overtrading and cash shortages
- Quality and customer service under pressure
- Legal and compliance basics
- Contingency planning
Who it's for
Owners, managers and family business leaders of small and medium enterprises who want stronger systems and steady, controlled growth.
Before you start
- Experience owning, managing or working in a small business is recommended
Part of these Alalamia diplomas
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