A PHENOMENAL WORKSHOP
Former participant lauds Scotia Vision Achiever Programme
DR JANICE Simmonds Fisher of Biogeneration Integrated Medical Centre has said the Scotiabank Vision Achiever Programme forced a major turnaround in her approach to operating her business. Her facility, which focuses on regenerative and repair therapy, provides services for clients, who range from recovering athletes to persons seeking alternatives to surgery and help in managing pain or chronic illnesses. “What we offer are options,” says Dr Fisher.
Her approach to business was transformed after being exposed to the Scotiabank Vision Achiever Programme. “To be honest, all of the topics were impactful. I felt like I was weakest in systems, but marketing was also an important topic because as a physician, we really don’t market a lot. I was amazed at how simple marketing became after the course,” Dr Fisher said.
MAJOR STRIDES
She noted that other major strides were made in personal time management and in taking full responsibility for the sometimes intimidating details of the financials of her business.
“There are specifics that you need to learn and you can learn. In the course, we had to do everything. We had to write a business plan and show how the business plan aligns with our goals and values. We had to do the financials, and do the reporting based on that. So, for me, it was setting my quarterly goals and holding myself accountable,” Dr Fisher details. “From day one, you are implementing things daily, almost unconsciously, because you are always testing and measuring.”
She says the results were dramatic. “As we started looking at our margins, it became clear where we could maximise our profitability. We have seen over 40 per cent increase in our profit margin, and an increase in the number of new patients and retained clients.”
The team’s approach to patient care and service delivery also improved. “We became more cohesive and engaged. We found that we were reducing no-show clients, and we were now blocking time for follow-up with our patients.” Dr Fisher describes the workshop as phenomenal. She indicated that participants were motivated to believe that they could be successful despite the level they were currently at. “The course demystified many areas of managing a business and we began to see our goals as achievable.” The course run by ActionCoach’s Marcia Woon Choy covered topics, including sales and marketing, and involved multiple sessions for group sharing and networking with industry leaders. Participants were encouraged to immediately action their ideas and were given daily feedback. “Scotia went above and beyond on this. They were always present, and there were a lot of resources available to us. You just had to show up!
“I would absolutely encourage anyone who is just starting up (a business), or stuck, or wants to bring their business to a new market to register. As a leader, a thinker and an entrepreneur, the tools are there; and the opportunities are there for growth. They will not regret it, and they will quickly see the benefits.”
The Scotiabank Vision Achiever Programme in one of a number of initiatives that has been playing an important role in enhancing the capacity of business persons across the island. The programme has been part of Scotiabank’s offerings to small and medium enterprises since 2011 and is open to any eligible business, including companies not aligned with the bank. To date, over 250 business have benefited from being part of this initiative.