Start with a conversation
Bring your questions.
Explore who could step in and what they would need in a free, 30 minute Owner Open Session.
Join a free Open Session← All tools
The Spare Key · An owner experiment
Could you take a week away?
The owner is away. The work keeps coming. Try a few handoffs and see what helps this business keep moving.
Free to explore No sign-up needed
A little room to experiment.
An interactive experiment
Try the handoff
THE REPAIR ROOM
Fictional neighborhood businessWhat happens here
Fictional neighborhood businessWhat happens here
Monday · 9:00 am
Run this week’s payroll
The ownerAway for the week
Waiting on the ownerNo prepared handoff
THE TASKRun this week’s payroll
WaitingTry the handoff controls to see what changes.
Payroll is due
Payday cannot wait for your return.
The team needs to be paid. The owner of our fictional repair shop is away for the week and cannot take calls.
It still comes back to the owner.
Without a handoff, this task waits on the owner.
THE REPAIR ROOM
Fictional neighborhood businessWhat happens here
Fictional neighborhood businessWhat happens here
Tuesday · 11:00 am
Confirm a customer promise
The ownerAway for the week
Waiting on the ownerNo prepared handoff
THE TASKConfirm a customer promise
WaitingTry the handoff controls to see what changes.
A customer calls
“The owner said you could help me.”
A regular customer expects a repair by Friday. The promise is in the owner’s head, and the team has not been introduced as a point of contact.
It still comes back to the owner.
Without a handoff, this task waits on the owner.
THE REPAIR ROOM
Fictional neighborhood businessWhat happens here
Fictional neighborhood businessWhat happens here
Wednesday · 2:00 pm
Approve a substitute part
The ownerAway for the week
Waiting on the ownerNo prepared handoff
THE TASKApprove a substitute part
WaitingTry the handoff controls to see what changes.
The team needs a decision
A small decision has become a bottleneck.
A part is unavailable. A substitute could keep the job moving, but the team usually asks the owner before changing an order.
It still comes back to the owner.
Without a handoff, this task waits on the owner.
Designed for people buying or running Main Street businesses, generally under $2 million in annual revenue.
From this experiment to your next step
A person. A plan. A chance to practise.
A name on a list is a start. Preparing that person to act is the next step. Choose a situation above to take one idea into your own business.
BEAM Collaborative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All membership fees, program fees and add-on proceeds support BEAM's charitable mission of keeping local businesses locally owned and retaining the jobs, payroll and local ownership they create.