The relaunch of AJ&Smart was a rollercoaster filled with emotional highs and lows. The speaker shares their struggles, likening the experience to pushing a heavy rock uphill while navigating high expectations for a major event. They highlight creative challenges in project management, particularly while developing a book on meetings. With a new office on the horizon, they grapple with the balance between perfection and playfulness. Ultimately, it’s a testament to teamwork and the necessity of embracing both ambition and creativity.
The relaunch of AJ&Smart emphasized restructuring and creating a unique identity through three focused branches to streamline client communication.
The process highlighted the importance of implementing better support structures to manage workload and maintain quality standards without causing burnout.
Deep dives
Relaunching AJ and Smart
The recent relaunch of AJ and Smart involved significant changes to the company's structure and approach. The process encompassed redesigning the website and reevaluating the overall business model, which proved to be both challenging and enlightening for the team. A key focus was on creating a unique identity through three distinct branches: facilitator.com for facilitation resources, AJ and Smart Studio for agency services, and the Partners program to collaborate with other businesses. Through this relaunch, the aim was to streamline offerings and enhance clarity in communication with clients, ensuring a more focused operational direction.
Introducing New Services
The new offering, facilitator.com, is designed as a comprehensive platform for facilitation training and resources, including hiring professional facilitators for various events. A highlight of this initiative is the Emergent Collaboration System (ECS), a training approach developed to handle real-life facilitation scenarios, rather than just ideal situations. Additionally, the introduction of 'guides' is in beta testing, where trained facilitators can join a freelancer network, providing collaboration and marketing support. This more structured system intends to improve client relations and expand the possibilities for effective facilitation.
Navigating Business Partnerships
The Partners segment of AJ and Smart allows the company to collaborate with established businesses seeking growth beyond their current revenue. By offering strategic marketing and operational support, AJ and Smart aims to help these companies leverage their potential for higher revenue streams. This initiative stems from the company's expertise in marketing, applied to other teaching or educational ventures. A hands-on approach, where representatives from AJ and Smart work closely with partner companies, serves to nurture their growth and foster deeper relationships.
Internal Challenges and Reflections
Throughout the relaunch process, the speaker expressed feelings of stress and fatigue due to the immense workload involved in executing the new vision and ensuring quality. There was a realization of the need for better support structures within the team to facilitate the implementation of new ideas without overwhelming the creative process. The comparison to a Michelin star restaurant highlights the importance of maintaining quality standards while delegating responsibilities effectively. This reflection on management challenges underlines the necessity for continuous adaptation and improvement in business operations to prevent burnout while ensuring a collaborative work environment.
Many of you have probably already seen and heard that last week we relaunched AJ&Smart.But what you don’t know is the process of getting there.It wasn’t easy.