On the 1st of September, 2015 Dale Beaumont and Business Blueprint launched an innovative new resource for the small business community, and it is already generating buzz. The world's first 24 hour small business channel is an ambitious, fresh and exciting idea, and could be just what SMEs need to help them keep up with cutting edge advice from some of the world's leading experts.
I caught up with Dale and asked him a bit about the project, his person business journey and his best advice for entrepreneurs.
What is the small business channel?
The channel is dedicated to equipping viewers all over the world with the tools for business success, through content specifically structured to help entrepreneurs.
Subscribers get access to insights from professional trainers into key business areas including sales, marketing, finance, social media and people management.
What's the purpose of the small business channel?
Successful businesses create employment, stabilise families and benefit the local economy. The small business channel is empowering people, even in the most remote corners of the globe, to do great things for themselves and their community.
Now, anyone with access to the internet has instant and free access to high quality training videos that will empower them to achieve their business goals.
How does it work?
We have made it as simple as possible to access small business education from anywhere in the world. If you have a smartphone, a laptop or a tablet with internet connectivity, all you have to do is create an account and start watching.
There are new videos each day, running 24/7, making it convenient to tune in no matter where you are.
The best thing is that right now new members can access Business Blueprint for three months - free.
Behind the scenes we have an elite team of producers, studio managers and program managers who work tirelessly to recruit new presenters and schedule informative programs.
How did it come about?
As a business coaching service, we have enabled thousands of small businesses in Australia to ramp up their profits and efficiency through seminars, workshops and one-on-one training. We have seen these businesses double and triple their operations, resulting in more leads, higher conversions and the creation of more jobs for their local community.
In recent years we started receiving enquiries from business owners as far away as Europe wanting access to our programs. We decided to go global by launching the world's first 24 hour small business channel.
How do you think small businesses can benefit from it?
Importantly, we are not about top level concepts that tell business owners what to do. The sessions we run include practical, actionable steps that business owners can apply as soon as they've finished watching.
The best thing about the small business channel is that businesses can pick and choose sessions that best meet their current needs. If they want to find out how to recruit and retain staff, we have a session covering the basics. If they need guidance on driving more leads through online marketing, there's a specific one hour session that they can log on for. If they are looking for help on using popular software or tools, we have educational content for that too.
What has the response been like since launching?
We have had an overwhelming response since we started broadcasting and the feedback has been so encouraging!
Our channel now has over 10,000 subscribers who tune in regularly. What's even more exciting is that our users are logging in from over 95 countries around the world, including Czech Republic, Lebanon, Estonia, Zimbabwe, Israel, Cambodia, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Japan and Poland.
Give me a little background on your professional journey...
I have always had a passion for entrepreneurship, having started my first business in my early twenties.
I started Business Blueprint ten years ago, hosting seminars to introduce people to what I called the 'New Rules of Business'. I've presented to 10,000 business owners since then, helping them to achieve their business goals and setting them on a path to real business success.
It has been very rewarding but 2015 has marked the turning point where I decided to exponentially increase the number of entrepreneurs I'm coming into contact with by going global.
On a personal note, how does this rate on your achievement list? Was it a dream of yours for a while?
A couple of years ago I set and achieved a goal to publish 11 books in one year. The World's First 24 Hour Small Business Channel is even more ambitious!
My goal is to produce over 1000 video presentations in a 12 month period. We're also aiming to reach 1 million subscribers in just 2 years.
This is a big challenge but I'm determined to make it happen. I'm honoured and excited to be able to take on this personal challenge as a way of helping entrepreneurs around the world.
Click here for the second part of this interview, and find out Dales solutions to the three most common challenges that small businesses face.
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