STRATEGY & PLANNING FAQS

Our business planning workshops best suit those with a business that is operating, has customers and that is looking to improve performance and get to the next level. We do have start-ups attend but it is more suited for an existing business.

We look forward to hopefully seeing you at one of our two-day business planning and strategy workshops across New Zealand and Australia one day soon. We guarantee you will love it and find it extremely valuable. If you have any further questions, please reach out to hello@businesschanging.com

If you cannot make day 2 of a workshop, we can book you into day 2 of another workshop — this must be arranged prior to day 1 of the workshop.

If, for any reason, you are unable to attend the workshop, there will be cancellation fees as follows:

• More than 28 days prior to the workshop: no charge.
• 14 to 28 days prior to the workshop: a cancellation fee of 20% of the workshop fee will be charged.
• Within 14 days: you will need to pay the full workshop fee.

Note: if you book into the next available workshop, 80% of this cancellation fee will go towards the next workshop you book into.

If we need to cancel, change, or postpone a workshop for any reason we will try to give you as much advance notice as possible. For those attendees who are unable to attend a workshop because of a revised location or date, we will refund 100% of any pre-paid fees or give you an equivalent credit – whichever you prefer. However, we will not be liable for any costs incurred for travel, hotel, or any other consequential damages.

We have limited spots for each of our workshops and they generally sell out and often have a waiting list so if you fail to inform us that you cannot attend a workshop you will be charged for the entire workshop.

Full payment is required prior to the workshop. Once you have paid your deposit you will receive an invoice for the remainder of the cost of the workshop. Your company may be eligible for NZTE funding to cover up to 50% of the cost of the workshop if you are a trading business, have less than 50 staff and are NZ registered. To register, or for more information on NZTE funding, click here

No…

Zac will facilitate a 20-minute session where you will discuss workshop-related material as a group (but you don’t have to share your IP). Other than that there is no group work with other businesses during the workshop – and definitely no team building exercises!

Yes, you will. The session is carefully curated to provide opportunities for you to connect with other attendees. For many of our attendees, it’s an unexpected bonus to have the opportunity to meet other business owners and senior managers.

We highly recommend that you bring the decision-makers of your management team. This will give you the opportunity to align your thinking and increase accountability within your business, plus they often throw up good ideas, feedback and insights that help define your strategy.

In addition to your workshop materials and having Zac’s expertise at your fingertips, we provide coffee, tea, refreshments and a delicious lunch. Please let us know in advanced if you have any specific dietary requirements.

Zac currently works with clients on an on-going programme called On Track – your investment into the Business Planning Workshop also qualifies you to join On Track, at your discretion. There is absolutely no pressure to work with Zac after the workshop but the option is there if you think it will be helpful to you and your business.

We provide everything you need for the workshop, including pens and course materials. You will also receive our custom ‘How to be the best business in the world’ workbook, which is yours to keep. This has been designed specifically for course attendees and is used throughout the workshop with the guidance of Zac.

You will leave the workshop with a comprehensive business plan written out on a specifically designed business plan template devised by Zac, with actionable strategies and tactics.

The course is fairly intensive, to make the most of your time and investment. There are scheduled breaks for lunch and afternoon tea, which you can use to eat, stretch, walk, talk or make phone calls. There will be other people attending the workshop with you but you will not be expected to share your IP — however, you are welcome to comment and ask questions at any time. Zac maintains a good pace so you will not run out of things to work on, plus the activities will keep you engaged and focused.

The workshop is not a one-on-one mentoring session with Zac – there will be approximately 10 other companies at the workshop. Over the two days there will be time for you to have ad-hoc open discussions with Zac about your company or concerns and Zac will give you his best thoughts and advice. In addition to attendees having lunch with Zac, he will be available before the workshop in the morning and at the end of the workshop in the afternoon. You are able to book a longer and more in-depth one-on-one session with Zac at a later date, after completing the workshop, as part of his On Track programme.

Zac has worked with over 500 businesses of all sizes, in all industries, over the past eight years. Through his knowledge of business and principles of growth, he’s helped business owners focus on the right things to do to take their business from small to medium to large, turning many of them into award winners and market leaders along the way. Over the past 5 years, Zac has had more clients in the Deloitte Fast 50 than any other business advisor.

With three successful businesses of his own (Zac also owns Nurture Change business retreats and Accountability Me software), Zac has literally “walked the walk” and knows first-hand what it’s like to be a business owner and what you need to do to reach success and the goals you have for your business.

Zac has twice won International Coach of the Year (an American award) and is the highest rated business coach in Australasia from those who have used his services – you can see his 90+ 5-star Google and Facebook reviews on the Business Changing website.

Zac is a chartered accountant and his genius with numbers is one of the areas that clients say set him apart from other business advisers. He started his corporate career working for several very successful and well-known businesses, as CFO for Flight Centre, CEO for FCM Travel and as the owner/ director of Barkers Menswear (which won the MYOB Customer Experience NZ Award and the Best Workplace in NZ under his reign). He’s a member of the Institute of Directors and has been a judge for the Westpac Business Awards.

These days, beyond helping business owners have the best business and be the best business leader they can be, Zac specialises in business strategy and planning and is now running more than 25 of these two-day workshops each year. For larger companies, Zac also regularly facilitates business planning and strategy workshops with executives and company boards.