How to Grow & Scale a Student Group

Introductions Dave Jarman:  Head of Enterprise Education  Ex Careers Service & UBU  Ex Sabbatical Officer  Ex Society & JCR President Principles:  You’re all running a business that provides a service to a customer (your members)  You’re trying to create value (profit) for your organisation  You’re trying to create a valued experience for your customers

The Lessons 1. SWOT 2. Strategy for Growth 3. Remember the Vision 4. Create a Culture 5. Think Big, Act Small, Fail Fast

Lesson #1 SWOT Analysis  Strengths: what are you already good at? What resources and assets have you got? Positive feedback?  Weaknesses: What are you poor at? What do you lack? Negative feedback?  Opportunities: What is changing in the wider world that you could use? What new skills or resources have you got?  Threats: What is changing in the wider world that endangers you? What skills or resources are you in danger of losing? Do a quick SWOT with your group – be honest! Maximise Strengths and Opportunities, Mitigate for Weaknesses and Threats

Lesson #2 Strategies for Growth  Do what you already do but better (market penetration)  Encourage loyalty and potentially engage more at a higher price  Encourage new members (market development)  Why haven’t these ‘natural’ members joined yet?  Create new services for existing members (product development)  New ways to engage people and potentially charge them for  Create new services for new members (diversification)  New offers specifically for new members – but don’t wander too far! Which strategy feels right for your ambitions?

Lesson #3 Remember the Vision  What is your group for?  What does your group look like in 3 years time?  What are your values?  What would not be a positive change? What does your group look like in 3 years time? What do you want a reputation for? What do you need to avoid?

Lesson #4 Create a culture  “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”  Symptoms and Diseases Pick a characteristic that you want to be true of your group:  Ambitious, Friendly, Professional, Caring, Honest, Enthusiastic, Welcoming, Knowledgeable, Confident? What ‘symptoms’ or behaviours would you see or hear if your members had that characteristic? How could you encourage that behaviour?

Lesson #5 Think Big, Act Small, Fail Fast…  Be ambitious – have a vision for the future  Start doing stuff to realise that vision, however small the step  If you’re going to make mistakes (and you will), do it quickly, pick yourself up, try again… What could you start today that would lead to future success?

Business start-up support Advice & guidance Seed funding (£30k) Desk space Education & Networking events – ‘Monday Means Business’ Mentoring match-making Summer Enternships (£ desk) Surgeries:  Book-keeping  Branding  IP & Legal Matters Facebook search ‘Bristol Basecamp’

Basecamp Master-classes Weekly short talks on start- up:  Generating ideas  Good Ideas vs. Good Business ideas  Understanding the market  Company Formation  Resources for start-ups  IP for start-ups  Finance  Elevator Pitches  Business plans Facebook search ‘Bristol Basecamp’