Preparing for the NEIS training

Well, there's not really much required to prepare for the NEIS training. Basically, we need to take notepad and pen - they tell us everything else will be supplied. Time will tell whether that's actaully the case or not. I suspect that life will turn out to be easier on some days if I take the laptop - given that it has all the work I've done so far in preparing for going into business...

Thanks to a friend, I have borrowed a bicycle that I can ride to and from TAFE that is much less likely to be nicked than the one I normally ride, which is great. However, we are going to go in on the motorbike tomorrow, so that Dave can go straight on into town and do some work after we finish.

Lunches still to be prepared, but I'm pretty sure we've both got clean dry clothes ready for tomorrow, so that's about the only thing left to do.

At the moment, my main concern is that the next 5 weeks are going to be REALLY full on - with still no time left over to exercise or socialise. Also, they are bound to expect twice as good a business plan, as the two of us will be working on the same business plan, rather than preparing separate plans - although I expect Dave to concentrate on the technical support side of the plan while I continue to focus on the software side of things...

Dave and a mate have also come up with an idea for an additional piece of software, somewhere down the line, so that needs to be put into the mix when thinking about design aspects. This is ok, though, as we always intended to expand the software provided, rather than just having one product to offer.

I spoke to my ex partner on Friday, who did the Certificate IV in Small Business Management through Swinburne TAFE a few years ago, after we separated. It turns out that this was 6 months full time (or 12 months part time), as opposed to the 6 to 7 weeks that I was told it takes through Box Hill TAFE (although, to be fair, this was the same person who told me that the Cert III that we are doing takes 4 weeks, which does not include the extra week you have to finalise your business plan and hand it in, or the two days of the following week that are set aside for you to meet with the reviewers to discuss your business plan).

He also advised that he hasn't heard of anyone who had their business plan accepted as handed in the first time. So, I will not worry too much if our business plan gets rejected or requires major amendment when handed in at the deadline. Obviously, the required changes will just be made and we'll move forward with the plans and ideas.

And to make tomorrow more interesting, in my lunch break I get to call a potential customer. The first of the (hopefully) many that will be referred to us by the business consultants - encouraged to consider our CRM software when choosing which system is most suitable for them! Also the first that I will be talking to about our software that I do not already know in some capacity or other - another big step forward.

So, tomorrow I get to be in class in leathers and motorcycle boots, with helmet and gloves in hand - then I get to ride the train and walk home (in leathers and motorcycle boots, with helmet and gloves in hand...) But I'm looking forward to actually reaching this next point in the process of setting up the business - progress is good!