The Alternative Board Sydney Hills

The Alternative Board Sydney Hills

The Alternative Board Sydney Hills brings Business Owners from non-competing industries together in a small group setting, similar to a board of directors. Business Owners work together to deal with the challenges and opportunities faced in their businesses.

Jim Davidson and Rachel Blake proudly operate The Alternative Board Sydney Hills. Working as 'Sydney Hills Business Specialists' Rachel and Jim are building a powerful business community providing support and trusted advice to business owners in the Hills District and surrounding areas.

Having worked with hundreds of business owners over a 25-year Franchising, Retail and Coaching career, Jim has lead change and improvement programs into companies through roles such as Chief Operating Officer, Director of Operations, Franchise Consultant and Business & Leadership Coach.

Rachel is a qualified accountant and has over 10 years' corporate experience across multiple industries and countries. Rachel is passionate about implementing systems and improving processes to ensure businesses are working as efficiently as possible. As a Business Coach and consultant, Rachel understands the unique challenges that businesses face and is dedicated to help others succeed in what is a very challenging but rewarding journey.

How does a Peer Advisory board help your business to succeed?
You may have heard the saying "great minds think alike" but as a business owner, the solutions to problems that are holding you back are more likely to come from someone who thinks differently than you do. This is why Peer Advisory Boards are such an effective tool to overcome problems in your business.

Three Things Peer Advisory Boards Offer Members 

1) Trusted Advice
Often the advice you receive from your staff, family or even hired consultants will be coloured by their relationship to you. In a board, the people offering their professional opinions to you have no bias or agenda other than helping you work through your issues.

A properly organised business owner advisory board will be made up of fellow business owners and CEOs who are not in competition with your company and do not have a financial or emotional stake in your future. This creates a pure system of helpful peer coaching that is based on reason and experience – and not tainted by the desire for potential favouritism or fear of punishment. Members inspire and encourage one another in an open (but confidential) forum without threat or fear of reprisal.

2) New Business Ideas
Board minds works differently than the thought process of a single entrepreneur - no matter how smart he/she is. But regardless of the special power a collective mind creates, the shear diversity of backgrounds and experiences an organised think tank brings to the brainstorming sessions is enough to open completely new thought processes. It's likely that one or more members of your Peer Advisory Board have already experienced and overcome the obstacles you're currently facing. Although each business is unique, more often than not, the problems that they face are common. The direct coaching from someone who's already worked through a similar problem saves valuable time and stress.

3) Accountability
Meeting regularly means you better be ready to follow up on the promises you made at the last meeting. It comes as a surprise to some that fiercely independent entrepreneurs-who often get into business because they want to be their own boss-are also extremely grateful to have peers hold them accountable for the goals they set in the Peer Advisory Board setting. Some business owners find that after they become the boss, there are few within their organisation who will challenge them. This can lead to complacency. But with the support of an organised business owner advisory board, each member is responsible to live up to the level of excellence set by the facilitator and the fellow members. No board member wants to be the one that shows up to a meeting of their peers unprepared. In fact, a savvy Board will know when to take action on a habitually underachieving member from the Peer Advisory Board. This small bit of peer pressure is part of what leads to such remarkable improvement in the performance of most board members.

The Unexpected Benefits of Joining a Peer Advisory Board
While the professional benefits of business owner advisory boards are evident, most members also enjoy the social aspect of the meetings. Many business owners are too busy to have much of a social life outside of their work and family. Being part of a Peer Advisory Board not only benefits the business by brainstorming solutions, it offers busy Business Owners a chance to be social with others of like mind.

If you are interested in attending a complimentary board meeting, please contact Rachel Blake on 0434 966 927 or Rachel@thealternativeboard.com.au.

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