Cooney Architects The Importance of a Business Plan

Cooney. Architects The Importance of a Business Plan Frank Cooney B. Arch MRIAI of Cooney. Architects July 2011

Cooney. Architects 1 Set a Goal - an objective 2 Why do you do what you are doing? 3 What are your core values and beliefs? 4 Cooney Architects core values: Architecture The ‘Blue Table’ strategy Respect the individual We want to be superior in everything we do Personal and professional satisfaction Sustainability 5 6 7 8 And should you be ? 9 10 Image source - Philip Kelly July 2011 Image source - Philip Kelly Image source - IN 2 - Daylight analysis

Cooney. Architects 1 What are your Core Values & Beliefs ? 2 Paul Hawken, in his book ‘The Ecology of Commerce’ sets out a ‘declaration of sustainability’ : - 3 • Reduce carbon emissions • Provide secure, stable and meaningful employment • Be self organising rather than regulated • Honour market principles • Be more rewarding than our present way of life, present day limits can become tomorrow’s opportunities • Restore habitats, ecosystems and societies (and our heritage) • Rely on current income • Be fun and engaging and strive for an aesthetic outcome 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 July 2011 Leitrim Innovation & Growth Centre Image source - Cooney Architects

Cooney. Architects 1 Set a Goal - an objective 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 July 2011 B. H. A. G What are your interim objectives? What are your long term objectives? Architectural objectives Professional objectives Lifestyle objectives Human resources objectives Financial objectives Getting the balance right…

Cooney. Architects 1 Internal Review 2 Core Competency 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 July 2011 Research Core Competency Image source - Cooney Architects - Company overview and business definition - Customer needs survey - Let our customers tell us where we need to improve Specialist Expertise - Customer needs survey - Track record - Our people/Specialist skills/new skills required - Our strategic alliances - Physical environment - Computers/programmes/specifications Location - Sectors & regions Financial analysis - Costs - How do we price projects? - Invoicing - Projected income - Cashflow - Overheads - Collections - Cost control SWOT analysis PESTle analysis Strengths (internal) Weaknesses (internal) Opportunities (external) Threats (external) Political/Legal/Environmental Economic Social Technological

Cooney. Architects 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Research External Review - Company overview and business definition - Let our customers tell us. Market Research - Customer needs analysis - Who are the top ten buyers in each of our sectors - Price sensitivity Precedents - 5 Architectural practices we admire Where will the work come from? - What is the projected spend in our sectors? - Do we have specialist expertise in those sectors? - Do those projects fit with our objectives? - Which regions? - What we won’t do - Porters trade offs 9 Risk Analysis 10 The Customers Decision Making Process Competitor Analysis - Differentiation/competing on cost July 2011

Cooney. Architects 1 2 3 4 5 6 Route to Market - Do we have the marketing expertise in-house? - How will we communicate the benefits of working with Cooney Architects to our customers Marketing Plan - Communicating how we exceed our customers expectations and needs Building a Brand - Becoming a trusted advisor - Get to pull rather that push - Endorsements/testimonials - Publications/Lectures - Social networking 7 Strategic Alliances 8 - Only work with the best 9 10 Marketing documentation - The Pigeon hole system - Every submission is unique and tailored - Continual internal assessment and improvement of marketing documentation - Get feed back on every submission - E-Tenders The 80: 20 Rule July 2011 Set out your strategy - Key success factors

Cooney. Architects Set out your strategy - Key success factors 1 Operations - Number/type and location of Projects 2 Operations - Financial control systems - Projecting and implementation 3 4 Operations - Empowering the team Operations - Resources Operations - Research, personal development, CPD & Innovation 5 Operations - Project stages, design, devlivery and post occupancy 6 Operations - Workflow programming, meeting deadlines, delegation 7 8 9 10 July 2011 and quality control Cooney Architects 1995 - No strategy 1996 - Frustration 1998 - Brian Moran Strategy 2004 - 2007 - Strategy Plan 2008 - Strategy Plan - reverse 2010 - Strategy Plan - IMI

Cooney. Architects 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 July 2011 Implementations & Actions Monitor Progress - Change strategy as required The ‘SMART’ Plan Marketing Roadmap

Cooney. Architects 2 Celebrate achievements Use disapointments as an opportunity 3 Enjoy… 4 Paul Hawkens ‘The Ecology of Commerce’ sets out a ‘declaration of sustainability’. 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 July 2011 John Healy’s book ‘ 19 Acres’ describes life in Charlestown in Mayo in the 1940’s, a version of the above that some would, nowadays, consider ‘backward’. Yet he was describing a vibrant society that achieved many of the above criteria, I was particularly struck by the fact that, for example, real down-cycling, recycling and avoidance of waste, was happening as a matter of course.

Cooney. Architects 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 July 2011 Thank you