The Small Business Company

When a small business starts looking for information and support, they want it straight away. They often don’t have the time to do one-week courses and they don’t like big companies just trying to push products onto them.

With his background in small business education, Glen Senior recognised that most large companies wanted to target the small business market but usually just pushed their products. He set up The Small Business Company in 1998 to provide major companies with a vehicle to engage small business owners.

"We help big companies met the needs of their small business clients. They need to consider how to build their clients competitive advantage and customer service rather than just looking to make a sale. We provide customised educational content and delivery tools to large organizations around the world that need to engage with and educate small business clients," says Glen.

"The company started in Christchurch with just one client. We quickly built up our credibility with the quality of our work and it just snowballed. Now, the company has a strong track record of results which we can show to potential clients. This is why companies have the confidence to hire us. When the company started, all our work was workshops. Since 2000, everything we do is internet based. There are no workshops anymore. We made a conscious decision to completely change the way we do business," he says.

That decision opened up the opportunity to work off-shore. With staff in New Zealand, Britain, America and a new office opening in Denmark, Glen’s job title is appropriately ‘Global CEO.’ Around 70% of The Small Business Company’s work is now outside of New Zealand.

"Going off-shore lets us hunt the really big fish. We are going to major global companies and basically badgering them until they say yes. We even make them customised demos of our products as part of the pitch to show them what we can do. When you say to a CEO in New York ‘I’m flying in from New Zealand and I’ve built you something for nothing’ – you get an appointment," Glen laughs.

"The company’s travel budget has tripled this year. You have to get over there personally. If there is even a glimpse of a deal, I will fly anywhere, any time to get in front of a client. I will go to Australia for a day, the US for a weekend, the UK for a week. People in other countries think NZ is so far away we are on the moon, but in actual fact it’s cheaper to fly now than ever before. Against the popular belief, you can do business internationally from New Zealand," he says.

"We can be quicker and more responsive than companies in places like London or Los Angeles. We can also tailor our on-line presence with local emails and websites so that we look like we are just round the corner. If you can’t afford a week away from work to explore a possible global opportunity, then you’re not ready to export," says Glen.

The Small Business Company reverses conventional wisdom by getting the deal and then setting up an in-country presence. "We establish our revenue streams, and then we put in the staff. That approach is successful for us because we are a small business and careful with our cash. The key is having people over there you can trust long-term. Virtually all our staff are hired through networks or on personal recommendations. It is amazing how well that works," he says.

With staff around the globe, communications could be a challenge. "We practice what we preach," says Glen "by using email, shared servers, instant messaging, video conferencing and Skype is great. I go see the staff at least two or three times a year because you can not over-estimate the impact of face-time and local knowledge."

"One of the main challenges facing companies starting to export is that they don’t understand the foreign market and how it works. They don’t know when their target companies make their big spending decisions and they don’t understand local circumstances. That is a recipe for failure. Organisations like NZTE can provide useful information but sometimes you have to go find out yourself. Before launching into Britain, I took my family and spent eight months living there," he says.

"The best things a company can do is build your credibility and stay in the market long-term. I change my export strategy and business plan to follow the money – we are all reliant on cash flow at the end of the day. You should develop strategic partnerships off-shore. You need to give all your staff autonomy to make decisions and reward them through profit splits and incentives. It is only fair. There will always be some risk though. Sometimes you just have to do it, see what happens and make the adjustments. Ready, fire, aim!"