The Bishop Concept
“If I could handpick my ‘Dream Team,’ it would include all my Solano-Napa SBDC advisors. They believed in me, they saw promise, they provided the insight and direction and the guidance I needed to enhance my business.”
As one of the Solano-Napa SBDC’s newest business advisors, Lisa Bishop of The Bishop Concept brings a unique perspective. She too is a SBDC client and knows firsthand the value of the one-on-one advising. Now, she says, she can be a “safe space” for other business owners just as her advisors have been for her.
Challenge
As a young child barely in elementary school, Lisa Bishop knew what she wanted to be when she grew up – a boss.
Looking back, she’s incredibly grateful for parents that recognized her leadership skills and helped her to hone in on them at such a young age. For well over a decade now, her professional career has been devoted to leadership and organizational development.
She has worked with businesses, organizations, groups and individuals on soft skills training, team building, relationship building and interactive training. Her company, the Bishop Concept, has been based in Solano County since 2016, when she moved to Vallejo.
Bishop remembers her business was at a pivotal point in late 2016 and early 2017. She was growing professionally and branching out on her own after contracting with an agency. Looking for business guidance, she reached out to the Solano-Napa SBDC, never imagining the impact that decision would still have on her years later.
Game Plan
In her first two years as a Solano-Napa SBDC client, Bishop focused on updating and strengthening her business plan, her business financials, and networking and marketing. She also went through the SBDC’s NxLevel Entrepreneurial Training Program. She described all her advisors as her ‘dream team.’
Looking back, the work she did on her business plan in particular helped her to prepare for the future, which included, unbeknownst to her at the time, the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan was comprehensive, she explained, specific to her industry and boosted her credibility.
Like so many other entrepreneurs, the Bishop Concept was turned upside down by the pandemic. Prior to 2020, almost all of Bishop’s trainings were in-person. Suddenly, she had to pivot online, alter the structure of her trainings, and adjust to an entirely new landscape.
She received a Rebuild Solano’s Small Businesses Grant that helped her to restructure her digital presence and an EIDL loan allowed her to stay afloat during the shutdown.
By the end of 2020, Bishop had regained her professional footing – as well as a new title. The Solano-Napa SBDC invited her to become a business advisor and work with small businesses like her own on their leadership and professional development.
Results
As part of her work with the Solano-Napa SBDC, Bishop leads a business roundtable group in Fairfield, teaches webinars on soft skills and business development and provides one-on-one advising to clients.
She especially enjoys her roundtable group, which is comprised of 12 business owners from the Fairfield area. She feels a personal connection with them as they share their stories because she too has weathered the pandemic and can relate to what it is like to ‘walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.’
“One of the things that entrepreneurs value is knowing there is a trusted, safe space to get information, share ideas and learn something new that will benefit your business or enhance your business,” she said. “I want to be that safe space for them that makes that difference.”
Learn more about The Bishop Concept: https://thebishopconcept.com/