Workshop aimed at helping the helpers

SUCCESSFULLY running a not-for-profit organisation can be challenging on many fronts, but a new workshop facilitated by Commerce Ballarat is aiming to change that.

Set for later this month, the Being a Successful NOT for Profit event will be led by local sales and management consultant Mike Boyle and include the firsthand experience of Joanne Baker from Righteous Pups in Bendigo.

“I’ve always had a philosophy that amateur sport and not-for-profit, should try and stand on their own two feet and everything else is a bonus” Mr Boyle said.

“That led us to say why don’t we run a workshop in Ballarat that helps not-for-profits potentially break this cycle of what I would call more begging rather than being a real business.

“Being a not-for-profit you can have a very strong humanitarian philosophy, however you still have to run a sustainable and structured organisation.”

Along with being asked by Commerce Ballarat to help run an event aimed at assisting not-for-profits improve their approach to marketing themselves, Mr Boyle said the genesis of the workshop came from his experience with Righteous Pups.

Righteous Pups trains assistance dogs to work with autistic kids as well as early low blood sugar detection in diabetics and Mr Boyle got involved with them about seven years ago.

“One thing led to another and that discussion with Righteous Pups led to us getting invited to help them with their strategy,” Mr Boyle said.

“While they are a not-for-profit, what they deeply wanted to do is stand on their own two-feet, have a strong business plan, be able to compete and not just be a charity.”

Ms Baker said her organisation’s involvement with Mr Boyle enabled her team to drill down to and focus on core activities while also improving the way Righteous Pups marketed itself.

“Mike helped us to change the paradigms in our thinking about what it means to be a not-for-profit,” Ms Baker said.

“Even though we’re a not-for-profit we need to also make sure that we’re raising money so we can continue to do good work.”

Material for the workshop will be focused on a number of elements key to running a successful business and will be based around Mr Boyle’s experience and also that of Righteous Pups Managing Director Ms Baker.

There will also be puppies in attendance. “In this workshop I’m using Jo as the anchor for the day,” Mr Boyle said. “What I’ve planned out with her is what are the things that work for her and why.

“We’re going to bounce off those, between the two of us, as she tells it. She’s going to tell her story and it’s an amazing story.”

Mr Boyle runs a business consulting service from his offices in Mt. Clear.

He cut his teeth with Xerox in the 1980s and ‘90s and now uses his skills and knowledge to improve the practice of a range of local and multi-national clients.

His company, Sales Shift – formally Banjar Group – also undertakes significant pro-bono work with schools, charities and not-for-profit groups.

“Part of our belief here at Sales Shift is going back to the community,” Mr Boyle said. “We’re really philosophically based on that.”

Commerce Ballarat’s workshop, Being a Successful NOT for Profit, is set for Wednesday, 17 October, 10.30am to 4.30pm at Midlands Golf Club.

It’s $80 for Commerce Ballarat members and $120 for non-members and bookings can be made at commerceballarat.com.au.