Build Your Own Business - It's time!
One of the benefits of running your own business you have the freedom and flexibility to work with who you want and decide which part of the process you want to do and what to outsource. I discussed why to start your business in my last blog. Now it's time to explain how.
Running a million dollar agency take a lot of effort, but I am fortunate that my business partner and staff at Social Star take care of most of the work. We have strong processes and developed unique IP over a decade so we do well in the market.
This leaves me some spare time to work on passion projects. One of those is Build Your Own Business (BYOB) which helps corporate escapees start and scale their own personal business.
I have been running it for years off and on, with various formats over time. At the start in 2015, we ran it in person at my city boardroom, one night a week for 12 weeks. We called it 'Launch in 12 Weeks' and had about 24 people complete the program. This format was useful but it was challenging to get everyone in one room at the same time. One guy drove 3 hours each way to do the course! Luckily, he is still running the same business today and going gangbusters.
Next in 2017, we focussed on monthly Friday drinks in my Collingwood office, this was when the BYOB name came from and I didn't even realise it meant Bring Your Own Beer and many other iterations...but didn't matter. We built a thriving community, conducted pitch nights and had loads of social networking. This was super fun, but it take a lot of work to run events and cost a lot to manage. COVID killed this version.
Finally, in 2024, post lockdowns, I had the urge to bring BYOB back. But in a different way, we had new formula combining all the elements of our various businesses and experiences. Social Star was doing well so we invested in BYOB v3.
Everyone was use to digital courses so we could run the weekly learning over video conference so people didn't have to travel. We had the online materials and methodology from my second book 'Creating a Powerful Business', to leverage and could record it so people didn't miss out. Plus we could run social events to build the community and camaraderie. CampusLife, our intern training program was back and we had dozens of motivated and digitally native helpers, keen to work. Finally, we had digital technology from AI, Go High Level and other platforms to help automate some tasks.
With all these elements in place we spent the last two years building the new version of BYOB with my community. I have invested hundreds of thousands in this passion project, helping dozens of corporate escapees and students learn how to create something of value from an idea.
It's so inspiring to witness the participants over the last 10 years grow their business and tremendously fulfilling to see those that I have helped improve their lives and fulfil their dreams. It's more than worth the time, money and energy.
That's why I am super excited to launch BYOB Program June'26 - the latest and greatest iteration of my course. It's part learning, part coaching and a lot of getting shit done.
What makes it unique is the combination of the elements to make it possible to start a business whilst working, around your family and with limited experience in start ups.
You get the foundation learnings with 12 specific modules based on my book and experience as a senior marketing lecturer for the past fifteen years. It gives you an exact plan of what to do, when to do it and how to create the first version of your business.
At each major section we have group coaching sessions to digest the content and ensure everyone is progressing their ideas. This alone isn't unique. But we add a community of past business owners to support and provide feedback on your ideas.
Next we provide you a full digital system of landing pages, funnels and marketing solutions to test your ideas and get your first clients.
Not only that, we provide you with our trained CampusLife students to add additional time, digital knowledge and enthusiasm to your new start up.
This isn't a learning course. It's a business building program. The goal is to move from idea to first sale in 6 months. With the combination of support, guidance, digital tools and a motivated team - it's all you need to get started.
So if you have been considering a side hustle to hedge against your job (smart in an AI world), have been retrenched, sold your business or just want to do something different - this is your chance!
To see if you are ready, complete our Exit Ready Assessment and take the first step. It's free and confidential.
https://scorecard.buildyourownbusiness.com.au
We kick off June 30th, I'd love to help you Build Your Own Business for Christmas :)
Andrew
