http://compass-strategies.ca

The Solo CEO Program

http://thesoloceo.ca

Compass Strategies
P.O. Box 2024
Abbotsford, BC V2T 3T8

Vancouver Tel:  (604) 628-2037
Abbotsford Tel: (604) 755-7701

info at compass-strategies dot ca

Nothing Beats Street-Smarts

Peer advisory boards are a proven method for obtaining the very best street-smart advice for your business. Peer board members are non-competing business people and professionals who share expertise gained from hands-on experience.

Meet in a Confidential Environment

Imagine having a place where you can unload some of the burden of running your business by sharing it with others – others who understand your situation because they’ve been there before. Imagine a place where you can share information that you aren’t comfortable or able to share with staff.

Peer boards are by nature (and by contract) confidential discussion groups. As you develop relationships and achieve a comfort level with other members, you will find yourself sharing issues openly and candidly. And you will be hearing about confidential issues facing other members. Within the group there will almost always be someone who has a proven solution to offer. If not, there will be suggestions for where to find the help you need. Of course, sometimes, just sharing issues make them more manageable.

Learn From High Performing Peers

High performing people share a common trait: they are always learning. Their learning includes the wisdom and experience of others. Peer boards are groups of high performing, high achieving people learning from each other and from special guest experts who speak or lead workshops on topics of interest to the group.

Trustworthy Feedback

CEOs of companies big and small report that obtaining reliable, honest feedback is exceedingly difficult because subordinates have a natural apprehension against delivering bad news.

One of the great advantages of peer board feedback is that it is candid and trustworthy. Feedback is offered and received unfiltered by hidden agendas or biases. If your plan is something only a mother could love, you’ll hear that. If you have a great idea you’ll hear that too. In every case, the feedback you receive is reliable.

Best Practices

Peer board members share what works and what doesn’t work. Through listening to what works for others, members are able to develop best practices for their own business.

More

To discuss these and many other benefits of membership on a Solo CEO Board, please contact us today.

Compass Strategies was founded in 2008. We are a resource for entrepreneurs, executives and high performance individuals for business advisory and consulting services specializing in business and leadership development through coaching, facilitation and business planning services. Our clients are small to medium sized businesses in a wide range of industries and activities, particularly manufacturers, distributors, service providers and sales driven organizations.

Doug Edgar, President and Founder of Compass Strategies is a Business Planning Consultant, Certified Executive Coach, Licenced One Page Business Plan Consultant and Professional Facilitator. His background includes over 30 years of leadership and management of mid-sized businesses including 10 years at the Vice President and CEO levels.

Doug is a past director and current member of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Vancouver Board of Trade.  He is Past Chair of the Chamber Agriculture Committee and a member of the Chamber Government Affairs Committee. He serves the City of Abbotsford as a member of the Economic Development Commission and is Past Chair of the City Agriculture Advisory Committee. Doug is a Director and Campaign Cabinet Chair (2009) of the United Way of the Fraser Valley. He is active with pro bono work for strategic planning, coaching and facilitation services with non-profits and nominated individuals.

Membership on a Solo CEO Board provides many benefits:

• Automatic enrollment in the Solo CEO Program®, an annual planning and coaching program based on The One Page Business Plan® and the business coaching services of Compass Strategies.

• Private meetings once per month with your Compass Strategies facilitator/coach to explore business issues, opportunities and challenges and to help you prepare for the next Board meeting.

• Unlimited email and telephone access to your Compass Strategies facilitator/coach for ongoing support between meetings.

• Workshops by speakers with expertise on topics of relevance to Board members’ needs and interests.

• Access to experts internal and external to Compass Strategies on a variety of business issues including Human Resources, Research, Marketing and Sales, Leadership Development, Finance, International Trade, Bookkeeping, Virtual Assistants, Succession Planning, Exit Strategies

Why Solo CEO Boards?

Owning and running a business brings thrills and chills. In large organizations, the CEO has a team of senior executives and/or managers who share the load. Small business owners often ride the thrills and chills by themselves. A Solo CEO Board provides knowledgeable, experienced feedback, discussion, problem solving, brainstorming and planning in a confidential environment.

Who are Solo CEOs?

Solo CEOs may be Presidents, Proprietors, Advisors, Managing Directors, Owners, General Managers or other monikers suited to their business.

The distinguishing characteristic of the Solo CEO is someone who carries the full burden for the success of the business or practice; the chief decision maker; someone who is alone at the top.

What are Solo CEO Boards?

Solo CEO Boards are peer groups of up to twelve non-competing small business owners and professionals who meet monthly to share their issues and collective wisdom with each other. Board members advise each other on pressing and topical issues, explore opportunities, engage in problem solving, and review plans and results in an open environment where everyone understands the unique perspectives and needs of a Solo CEO.

Who Runs the Meetings?

Board meetings are facilitated by Doug Edgar, President of Compass Strategies. Doug is a professional facilitator, certified executive coach and strategic planning consultant. Doug’s practice specializes in helping small and medium sized business owners navigate their futures.

Doug meets individually with each member of the Board in advance of monthly meetings to review the member’s business and, where appropriate, ensure that a member’s specific issue is placed on a meeting agenda.

When and Where?

Solo CEO Boards meet monthly for a morning (7:00 am to noon) at an appropriate meeting location. For information on specific board meetings and locations please contact us.

Real World Solutions for Real World Problems

Join a Solo CEO Board and get connected with knowledgeable, experienced peers.

Get connected with mentors and peers for problem solving, brainstorming, sharing best practices, continuous learning and networking in a confidential environment.

Each Solo CEO Board® is a group of small business owners and professionals who meet monthly to enhance the individual and collective success of group members. Solo CEO Boards provide a forum for members to benefit from the collective wisdom and experience of the group.

Solo CEO Board Members Benefit From Each Other and the Services of Compass Strategies

The Solo CEO Board is facilitated by Doug Edgar, President of Compass Strategies. Doug adds three decades of experience building and running small and medium sized businesses to his training and certification as a professional facilitator, executive coach and business planner to provide clients with practical, real world business planning and implementation services.

Members of The Solo CEO Board are automatically enrolled in The Solo CEO Program® which includes development of a One Page Business Plan® and monthly coaching and facilitation services.

The Solo CEO Board is a local, made in British Columbia organization that specializes in small and medium sized businesses located in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

For more information, please contact us today.