Taking a break from your business for Project REV

If someone asked you to take three days away from your small business, would you? More importantly, could you?

Deluxe asked 12 small business owners from 10 businesses to do just that; travel to Kansas City, MO for three days of intensive analysis and planning for their business. We knew it would be a lot to ask, but it was all part of being selected as a participant of Project REV 2012.

After the event, we asked the small business participants three questions:

• What were the pros and cons for you taking almost three days out of the office to be at Project REV?
• How would you describe the Project REV Welcome Event to one of your good friends?
• On the theme of “unexpected”… what was the most unexpected thing that happened to you while you were with us in Kansas City?

The event was well worth the time investment for Shawn Scarlata from Blueline Security Services. “The little bit of juggling I had to do to cover what was going on back at the office was well worth the time investment of getting 2012 started rights in terms of marketing. I’d do it again in a heartbeat!” Even though he felt drained from getting so much information, Shawn came away with new ideas and many “aha” moments.

Jamie Stermer of West Metal Works found the experience to be a good way to get an outside perspective of the business and how to go about marketing a metal fabrication business.

As both Kathy Laurienti from Paisano Sausage and Julie Thomas from Two Fat Guys Gourmet Sauces said, despite coming home to a pile of work that needed to get done, they would gladly give up three days from their business to focus on new marketing efforts. To come away energized for the upcoming year and full of new information, it was certainly worth the time away.

The unexpected part of the week? People realized that they weren’t the only ones with marketing issues. It seems that everyone experiences similar problems in their own way. “I would not have thought that some of our challenges are the same or similar to those of a security service company or a barbecue sauce provider,” said Lisa Cookmeyer of Trigon Associates.

So, could you leave your small business for a few days? Do you have a back up plan in the event that you do need to be away?

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