I have seen the two ways that people react after being told they are no longer needed at their jobs.
1. Depressed, and in the "why me" mode.
2. Energized, and ready for the next challenge.
Mike McCormack is Clevelander who was downsized from PolyOne last year, and heard me speak at a local outplacement company on the topic of franchise/business ownership.
My seminar is offered as an option to those lucky enough to get an outplacement package from their former employers. Mike chose the number 2 reaction to being downsized!
Well Mike is in business for himself right now, and we just had lunch last month….
Mike and I worked together closely, and I was able to learn a lot about Mike..his dreams, his goals, and what he wanted his life to be like, out of the corporate world. After I received a questionnaire from Mike, I knew exactly what specific opportunity to talk to Mike about.
Mike’s executive background as a Business Manager and Strategic Planner wowed me, but it was his discussion of wanting to implement change in organizations that set the course for the business he ended up investing in, Renaissance Executive Forums.
Renaissance Executive Forums is a franchise company out of beautiful La Jolla California.
The concept is one in which the franchise owner puts together "board meetings" once a month with area small business owners and executives of non-competing companies to learn and help each other out with issues and initiatives. Mike is the owner of the Greater Cleveland franchise, and he facilitates the meetings, and does one on one coaching with the board "members". Mike does not govern..he helps his members work together, and help each other out. Maybe the meeting is one in which one member has been having technology issues, or maybe one of the members has had continual employee turnover, and needs his or her hiring practices tweaked. Input from the other members is crucial for this to work, and it does work.
There is an annual membership fee involved, and having peers from non-competing companies suggest things to help you through the difficulties of running a company is an
investment in your company’s growth.
Mike is still putting groups together, so if you want to get involved, and want some help , please contact him at 440-925-2808.
Or, you can of course e-mail him at MMcCormack@ExecutiveForums.com
Mike’s business is part of a trend that is on an upward spiral…single person businesses. Over 2 million new ones have been started in the last 3 years! Anita Campbell writes about this trend in her blog, Small Business Trends.
