BREAKFAST CLUB: OPERATION: GROWTH PLAN

You’ve heard of a business plan, well what about an operational plan? A leading consultant to creative firms, Emily Cohen, will present four common organizational maturity levels. The ensuing discussion will help guide principals of design firms  to quickly determine the level at which their team is currently operating and the level that they should optimally strive to operate at to meet the needs of their clients and team. The operational model will ultimately define the starting point, end goal, and progression path for operational change. We will have a frank discussion of various operational improvements that can be made to move your team to the next level including key management and leadership roles, responsibilities, tools and processes that impact the strategic growth of your business. The goal? Embrace your role as Smokey the Bear, stop fighting fires and learn how to prevent them!

Emily Cohen has been a consultant to creative professionals for over 20 years providing confidential, best-practice insights and advice on staff, client, and process-management strategies, conducting client surveys and writing winning proposals, creative briefs, and contracts. She served as Secretary for the AIGA/NY Board of Directors and has taught classes and conducted seminars for many leading design schools and organizations. Emily is a frequently-requested speaker on business-related issues for the creative industry and has spoken at numerous conferences and events sponsored by AIGA, HOW, Design Business Association in London (DBA), The Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario (RGD) and Design Management Institute (DMI). She also currently teaches professional practices to BFA Design students at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).