What Does It Mean to Have Your Own Business? Small Business, Corporate, and Self-Employment

Having Your Own Business

Many small businesses are being started from necessity. A lot of executives, managers, and professionals have been downsized and cannot find work and if they can find work, it is usually at a fraction of the salary they were earning before being let go.

Many are looking to own their own destiny working for themselves! Several individuals have started their own business to survive, grow, control their own time, and create a better lifestyle, with some positioning themselves to not have to be in a place where they never have to be downsized again.

What Do People Need in Starting Their Own Business?

What are the needs of small businesses? What are some suggestions and solutions for these concerns and needs? What can you do to affect Corporations around the globe? What can you do to survive now and through the next several years as things are changing constantly?

As you review some of the areas below, some of you have already started your own company, some have been in business for several years, and some are looking to start down the road to being self-employed. No matter where you are at, the information below will be of help in one way or another.

What Are Some Small Business Needs?

More Cash and Resources

There are two mains ways to gain more cash and resources is to reduce costs and/or increase revenues. In this, there are many ways to reduce costs, such as budget management, efficiency evaluation, and procurement cost reduction.

One method is for organizations to downsize labor.

There are many things a company can do before laying people off, but if staff must be downsized there are certain ways to manage layoffs and the staff process. More organizations are downsizing talented people out of necessity and some managers have never had to face this part of business before. There are ways to ease the situation for both management and staff through seven steps listed below:

1. Step One – Set up a plan. Discuss the reality of your bottom line with the shareholders, owner(s), and upper management. Before moving forward, make sure that the entire situation is discussed, and some type of game plan is outlined.

2. Step Two – Communicate to staff about where your business is at – what is the organization's current status?

3. Step Three – Involve staff in the process. Provide an environment for staff to offer ideas and potential solutions (Example: staff may be willing to work less hours each week). As you involve your staff, it is amazing what solutions may become actualized possibilities.

4. Step Four – Reduce management salaries. In our volatile business economy, business can slow down faster compared to a few years ago. Slow downs used to take months, but in this economy, it can be a month or weeks. Balance out salary reduction with lowest paid, front-line workers.

5. Step Five – Eliminate or reduce as much overtime as possible within the law.

6. Step Six – Cross train staff and reduce worker hours. This will help in keeping staff, preserve cash, and help employees maintain an income stream.

7. Step Seven – If your organization cannot hold-off laying staff off any longer, lay off staff before it is too late for your company. Make sure you communicate this to staff so that they understand that it is out of necessity that layoffs must occur. Provide each staff person with unemployment information, continuation of benefits, your process, etc. (Webster, Liz, Above the Standard).

It is important to have a strategy in place for how your organization faces downturns and how this would be communicated to staff and implemented if this occurs. It is not only important to communicate but remember that your staff and clients are the most important asset you have in your organization.

More Time

Another area is time and productivity. Small Business Owners, Executives, and Managers need Greater Time Management!

All of us have one thing in common, 24 hours per day. Once the time in a day is gone, it is gone. So, how can we MANAGE our time better so that we can utilize the 24 hours per day better? Below are 12 ways to help you create more time in your day.

Get Organized

? Take 15 to 30 minutes one day a week to plan for the next week.

? Organize your work area first thing before you start.

? Create your “To Do” list the day before you need it. Review this list throughout the day to ensure you are on target and mark off all those tasks that you have accomplished.

Identify Your Most Productive Time

? Determine whether you are a morning or evening person.

? Accomplish all your hardest tasks first when you are most productive.

? Utilize time when it is quiet for the areas that require you to think a lot.

Make Your "To Do" List The Night Before

? Know what you are going to do the next day before you go to bed.

? Divide your "To Do" list into several pages (One for tomorrow; The other for the week to come; The entire month; and Cross them off as you succeed and complete each one. This will make you feel good about your progress).

Find More Time In The Day

? Get up one hour earlier.

? Use this hour to look at email while you have a cup of coffee.

Set Realistic Goals That Compliment Your “To Do” And Time

? See our goal setting white paper.

Schedule Your Tasks And Stick With Them

? Write what you want to accomplish that day, week, and month that supports your life schedule and goals.

? Keep track of this and reward yourself.

Avoid Things That Waste Your Time

? There are many things that are productive if used in moderation. They are surfing the web, phone calls, TV, forums, etc.

? Limit these to a specific time so that you can be productive throughout your day.

The Little Things

? There is a proverb that states “Do not despise the day of little beginnings”. This is along the lines of “Rome was not built in a day”. In other words, do little things each day that add up to bigger accomplishments.

? Take the life goals, the 5-year goals, the annual goal, and monthly goal – break these goals down to daily and weekly goals so that you do the most important things during your day – the small things!

Do Double Duty

? Do you sit in the carpool line for half an hour? Read your longer e-mails, or newsletters that you have printed out from your computer. Read your mail that you saved for this time.

? Do you carpool with someone else? When it is not your turn to drive, email, work, answers calls, return calls, etc.

Say No

? Do not offer to do something unless it fits the schedule and does not jeopardize another area.

Avoid Interruptions

? Let the voice mail answer your calls.

? Return calls at scheduled times each day.

? Call people back when you are driving or waiting somewhere.

? Turn e-mail off. Only check your e-mail in the morning, at lunch and at the end of your day. E-mail is a major interruption.

? If you are trying to work at home or work from home, explain to family and friends that you have work to do and will not be available between the hours of 8-4 but would love to hear from them after that (choose your hours).

When You Are Working, Work – When You Are Off, Do Not Work

? Work hard when you are at work.

? Play hard when you are not working. (Business Know How and Above the Standard).

Business Types

If you are thinking about starting your own business or another business, what type of business should you consider?

Before jumping into a new business venture or starting another one, it is important to know what type of popular business types there are with their pros and cons.

Direct Sales

Face-to-face is key.

Most sales in direct sales come from face-to-face interactions such as in-home demonstrations or parties showcasing wares. In the U.S., about 15 million people do direct sales, with the majority working part time, according to the Direct Selling Association.

? Pros. Initial costs typically aren't high; Hours are so flexible that many people tap into direct sales as second jobs; Successful salespeople can earn six-figure incomes; and Commissions range from 25% to 50% of a product's retail price.

? Cons. Some firms have hidden costs or operate illegal Ponzi schemes. DSA's website, dsa.org, has information on how to avoid scams. While earning potential varies by company and sales ability, DSA says the median annual income for those in direct sales is $2,400.

Service Companies

Busy lives lead to opportunities.

The service industry had the second-highest number of businesses created in 2008, according to entrepreneur-focused group Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

? Pros. Folks can be extremely creative in the services they offer; Start-up costs can be minimal; and Barriers to entry are typically low.

? Cons. If a service-based worker gets sick — or takes a week of vacation — he or she often must do without a paycheck. Initial costs can be high for those who do more specialized work such as providing medical services. Good service often means being flexible around customers' schedules, so a 9-to-5 day can be uncommon.

Internet-based

E-commerce continues to grow.

Firms centered on e-commerce or online auctions are among the fastest-growing businesses, says IBIS. The Web makes cash-strapped consumers "better able to research and compare more inexpensive options offering the greatest value," its report says.

Online sales continue to rise and set records.

? Pros. Technology advances continue to make it easier for novices to set up websites and use established online systems such as eBay; and Consumers are getting more comfortable with using credit cards online or paying through systems such as PayPal.

? Cons. It can be tough to attract traffic. "You have to learn how to get listed so when people do searches on Google, your name comes up," says Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist at National Federation of Independent Business. For more elaborate sites, there can be a "hefty initial capital investment" plus ongoing costs to keep the site running smoothly, IBIS says.

Existing Businesses

Sometimes franchising is best.

Whether it's through a franchisor-franchisee relationship or purchasing an independent company outright, many entrepreneurs feel more comfortable investing in a pre-existing concept. On the franchising front, there's a multitude of choices, ranging from Meineke car care to Maid Brigade cleaning services.

? Pros. Buyers get an established business model and brand name; Franchisors can provide training; and if an entrepreneur is buying an independent company, they can offer to pay the past owner to provide coaching.

? Cons. Costs to buy into an established firm can be high; some Firms are shady (the Federal Trade Commission's website, ftc.gov, offers some tips on how to avoid unscrupulous sellers); and there also can be unknown pre-existing problems with the firm, its business model and its long-term growth potential.

Retailing

Beware of start-up shockers.

Whether an entrepreneur is a Sam Walton wannabe or just interested in a small, single boutique, many people feel that owning their own retail store is an ideal business. But there are a lot of start-up shockers. A common one: not realizing how much work it takes to run a shop.

"You have to be prepared to wear a lot of hats," says Dan Butler, vice president of merchandising and retail operations at the National Retail Federation. Most owners take on roles such as head salesperson, marketer and chief financial officer, he says.

? Pros. Owners have the rewarding experience of building their own business, says Butler. They also get to embrace creative endeavors such as selecting a merchandise mix, picking a retail location and creating a store design to their liking.

? Cons. There are often high start-up costs as owners rent or lease a space, as well as purchase merchandise to sell; Small retailers also face big competition from chain stores that can undercut them on prices; and Owners must differentiate themselves to remain competitive, Butler says.

Products

Creating your own merchandise.

Imaginative producers can come up with everything from a better-tasting peanut butter to more-entertaining iPhone apps, and then sell those creations online, at retail outlets or to wholesalers.

? Pros. Owners get to be creative in designing and producing their products; and They have control over the quality of the goods that they produce.

? Cons. Can be labor-intensive if someone is doing the work themselves; and if the product is Outsourced, entrepreneurs must worry about cost controls and quality management (Petrecca, Laura).

Your Own Business

Are you thinking about starting your own business?

Being in your own business has many great advantages, but it does come with a price. The old saying, “If it was easy everyone would do it” is very true. For those who do make their own business work for them, the benefits are amazing!

As you review a few of the areas below, I often share with people to work into their own business over time while they are employed. When you do make the plunge into being self-employed, please seriously consider the areas below:

? Income is not reliable and predictable.

? Your life is your business and your business is your life.

? You may never make real money until about the third to fifth year or maybe even until you sell your business (depending on what type of business you start – entry cost, continual operational cost, your knowledge of the business you are getting into, your network, your assets, and other areas).

? As a small business owner, there is no paid leave or sick leave.

? If you work from home, you will not have any workmates. (Entrepreneurs Journey and Above the Standard).

U.S. Small Business Impact

How do U.S. small businesses impact the U.S.? There were 27.2 million small businesses that employed nearly 60 million people a few years ago and it has grown since. Not only are small businesses the largest employers, as compared to medium and large businesses, but firms with fewer than 20 employees pay 36 percent more in regulatory costs per employee than larger companies (U.S. Small Business Administration). In summary, such a burden makes it difficult for small businesses to get off the ground.

Small business is an absolute critical and fundamental part of commerce, jobs, economy, and a nation’s financial health. James Gattuso, Heritage Foundation Fellow, states it right on: “The impact on small businesses, moreover, goes beyond the direct costs of regulation on their own activities. Small businesses, like individual Americans, also pay ‘regulatory taxes’ in the form of higher prices for goods and services, reduced economic activity and hindered innovation caused by excessive regulation generally.” (Andersen, Erick).

Surviving In A Recession

Small businesses are having a very difficult time weathering the economic ups and downs, disruptions, global changes, and recessions that have been taking place. There are not many places to cut in the smallest businesses, especially when credit is scarce. According to W.P. Carey there are ways to improve the odds of small business success by paying attention to long-term strategy.

Amy Hillman says, "Small businesses need to step back … decide what is the core of their competitive advantage"? In all reality, some of the best companies and results have come during the hardest times. "In a bad economy, you have fires to put out every day, and you think it's the time you can afford least to step back and look at the big picture. I think it's the best time to do it."

There Are Some Things You Can Do To Weather The Storm

Don't Panic

Small business owners and managers react in different ways when things are tough (like during a recession). Some cut part and some all -- budgets, inventory, personnel, and prices. The important thing to do is “do not panic”. Think about things. Be logical with your core team and come up with a plan of action that will be followed.

Do not cut inventory to bare bones if you are a retailer. A big mistake that companies make during this time is stopping all sales, marketing, and promotions of themselves. Analyze ways to promote without expense or very little. Review your social media program or start one. Redefine your core message and network as a team.

Serve Your Customers

Pay attention to your customers even more. Listen more. Focus on your services to your customers so that you stand out more than others. For a small business, providing new or better services separates you from your competitors.

Communicate Problems and Solutions

A recession takes a toll not only on the bottom line but also on the emotions of you and the company. Business owners cannot help but be affected as they watch hard earned gains being wiped out by forces beyond their control. Keep communicating to your customers, suppliers, lenders, and employees to let them know what is happening.

Being Small Is An Advantage

While recessions are rarely good news for any business, they can present opportunities, especially for firms that can take the long view. Because many companies withdraw from markets during downturns, those who see it can capitalize on them. As great people are laid off, another can benefit by teaming up with them. There is an opportunity to attract the skills and abilities into your organization.

Being small means, you can be more flexible to change quickly as compared to large firms. As you focus on the fundamentals and stay positive, your potential success is greater as the economy revives.

Bottom Line

? In a recession, small businesses need to step back and assess their long-term strategies. This often means resisting impulses to slash jobs, inventories, and marketing.

? Focusing on providing high quality services is an important strategy for small businesses in a recession. Good services can separate a business from its competitors and help it to retain customers.

? Small business owners and managers must stay visible and positive in a recession. Keeping communications open with employees, suppliers, lenders, and customers builds the trust and cooperation needed to overcome challenges.

? Recessions can present opportunities for small businesses. Some firms will vacate markets when hard times hit, and these openings can be filled by other companies. Also, small businesses can hire talented people who have lost their jobs at larger firms. (Carey, W.P.)

Small Business Organizational Values: What are values?

According to Dictionary.com, value is defined as “relative worth, merit, or importance”. BusinessDictionary.com defines values as “Important and enduring beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture about what is good or desirable and what is not. Values exert major influence on the behavior of an individual and serve as broad guidelines in all situations”.

Every organization needs to identify and define a set of values that represent their ethical ideals. As this is done, it is just as important to define each value and employees need to know how you view and apply these values.

Below are some of the many terms associated with organizational values:

? Acceptance - Favorable reception or belief in something.

? Accomplishment - Doing or finishing something successfully.

? Accountability - Obligation or willingness to accept responsibility.

? Adaptability - The ability to modify behavior to fit changing situations.

? Ambition - An eager or strong desire to achieve something.

? Appreciation - Recognizing the quality, value or significance of people and things.

? Authenticity - The quality or condition of being trustworthy or genuine.

? Camaraderie - Goodwill and lighthearted rapport between or among friends.

? Caring - Feeling and exhibiting concern and empathy for others.

? Changeability - The ability to modify or adapt to differing circumstances.

? Citizenship - Exercising the duties rights, and privileges of being a citizen.

? Collaboration - To work cooperatively especially in a joint intellectual effort.

? Commitment - Being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons.

? Community - Sharing, participation, and fellowship with others.

? Compassion - Deep awareness of the suffering of others coupled with the wish to relieve it.

? Competence - The state or quality of being adequately or well qualified.

? Competitive - To strive to do something better than someone else.

? Composure - Maintaining a tranquil or calm state of mind.

? Concern - Regard for or interest in someone or something.

? Consideration - Process of employing continuous, careful thought and examination.

? Consistency - Reliability or uniformity of successive results or events.

? Cooperation - The willing association and interaction of a group of people to accomplish a goal.

? Courage - The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with confidence and resolution.

? Courtesy - Civility; consideration for others.

? Credibility - The quality or power to elicit belief.

? Decency - Conformity to prevailing standards of propriety or modesty.

? Dedication - Selfless devotion of energy or time.

? Democracy - The principles of social equality and respect for the individual within a community.

? Dependability - The trait of being reliable.

? Determination - Firmness of will, strength, purpose of character.

? Diversity - A point of respect in which things differ; variety.

? Easygoing - Relaxed or informal in attitude or standards.

? Education - Obtaining or developing knowledge or skill through a learning process.

? Efficiency - The quality of producing an effect or result with a reasonable degree of effort to energy expended.

? Encouragement - The act of incitement to action or to practice.

? Equality - The right of different groups of people to receive the same treatment.

? Equity - The state, quality, or ideal of being just, impartial, and fair.

? Ethics - The way people behave based on how their beliefs about what is right and wrong influence behavior.

? Excellence - State of possessing good qualities in an eminent degree.

? Faith - Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.

? Flexibility - Responsive to change.

? Fortitude - The strength or firmness of mind that enables a person to face danger, pain or despondency with stoic resolve.

? Friendship - A relationship between people based on mutual esteem and goodwill.

? Generosity - Liberality in giving or willingness to give.

? Genuine - Not spurious or counterfeit.

? Goodness - Morally right, or admirable because of kind, thoughtful, or honest behavior.

? Hardworking - Industrious and tireless.

? Helpfulness - The property of providing useful assistance or friendliness evidence by a kindly and helpful disposition.

? Honesty - Fairness and straightforwardness of conduct.

? Honor - Principled uprightness of character; personal integrity.

? Humility - Feeling that you have no special importance that makes you better than others.

? Industriousness - The characteristic of regularly working hard.

? Ingenuity - Inventive skill or imagination.

? Initiative - Ability to begin or to follow through energetically with a plan or task.

? Integrity - Strict adherence to moral values and principles.

? Justice - Conformity to moral rightness in action or attitude.

? Kindness - The quality or state of being beneficent.

? Law-abiding - Abiding by the encoded rules of society.

? Loyalty - A feeling or attitude of devotion, attachment and affection.

? Moderation - Having neither too little nor too much of anything.

? Morals - Individual beliefs about what is right and wrong.

? Opportunity - Favorable or advantageous circumstance or combination of circumstances.

? Patience - The ability to accept delay, suffering, or annoyance without complaint or anger.

? Perseverance - Steady persistence in adhering to a course of action, a belief, or a purpose.

? Punctuality - Adherence to the exact time of a commitment or event.

? Reason - The ability to think and make good judgments.

? Recognition - An acceptance as true or valid.

? Reliability - Consistent performance upon which you can depend or trust.

? Resilience - The ability to rebound quickly from misfortune or change.

? Resourcefulness - The ability to act effectively or imaginatively, especially in difficult situations.

? Respect - Polite attitude shown toward someone or something that you consider important.

? Responsibility - That for which someone is responsible or answerable.

? Self-control - Control of personal emotions, desires, or actions by one's own will.

? Self-discipline - Making yourself do things when you should, even if you do not want to do them.

? Sensitivity - Awareness of the needs and emotions of others.

? Sharing - To allow others to participate in, use, enjoy, or experience jointly or in turns.

? Sincerity - Genuineness, honesty, and freedom from duplicity.

? Stewardship - The careful conducting, supervising, or managing of something.

? Supportive - Furnishing support or assistance.

? Thoughtfulness - The tendency to anticipate needs or wishes.

? Tolerance - Recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others.

? Trustworthiness - The trait of deserving confidence.

? Understanding - Knowing how something works or a positive, truthful relationship between people.

? Values - Core beliefs that guide and motivate attitudes and actions.

? Virtue - Doing something right because it is the good thing to do.

? Wisdom - The ability to make good judgments based on what you have learned from your experience.

? Work - Perform as intended or desired.

Values

Values start becoming a part of our lives from the time we are born – these values guide us in our lives, whether good or bad. These values act as motivators in our personal fulfillment and achievement. These values either compel us to grow or not, depending on the values we have. This same can be applied to the organizational values of a company.

In other words, what are the collective values where you work or the company you own or the company you want to start? What is the shared vision present and in the future? Values can be established at any point in your life and in any organization. Establishing these values at inception is very important and extremely beneficial, because this will refine the focus and motivation for how you will do business both personally and collectively in your organization.

There are three major benefits for establishing organizational values in your organization, small business, and in your professional life:

1. These values benefit your customers. As these values are practiced long-term, the public sees your consistency, dependability, and trustworthiness. Prospective customers and customers come to know they can rely on you, your service, and your product.

2. Your brand is empowered over your competition. This shows that you have taken a stand for what you believe in. This shows the public what you stand for – people, policies, ethics, and motivations.

3. Your people benefit. Company values reinforce to staff that there is a MISSION. The mission, with the values at the core, acts as a compass to your team. Transparency equals trust! (Dictionary.com, BusinessDictionary.com, Ethics.org, Askew, Phil, and Above the Standard).

Small Business Taxes, Finance, and Accounting

A very important part of business includes your finances, accounting, records, and yes, taxes. We would recommend that you engage a proactive CPA. Some people think they can go it alone without a CPA, and some can. But when you are ill and need medical attention do you go to your plumber? No, you go to your Doctor. With all the changes and complexities of taxes, it is good to have an overall understanding of taxes but do find a PROACTIVE CPA that will work with you.

We state proactive, because you do not want a CPA who enters numbers. You want a CPA who will work with you, suggest things, get involved in your business from the standpoint of accounting and taxes, strategy, and help you.

A very important part of your business will be to keep track of expenditures, costs, budgets, forecasts, and financial goals for you and/or your company. I would recommend utilizing MS Excel to track your daily, weekly, monthly, and annual payables, receivables, mileage, and notes, as well as utilizing QuickBooks. You then can email your QuickBooks files to your CPA for tax purposes.

Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center - Your Small Business Advantage

When you're running a business, you don't need to be a tax expert, too. But you do need some tax basics. IRS Small Business Advantage gives you the information you need to stay tax compliant, so your business can thrive. https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/

Importance of U.S. Small Business

How important are small business in the U.S.? Small businesses are a key component of national recovery in economic downtimes as history has shown over many decades. But in today’s dismal job market, this traditional employment growth engine is not doing so well. Mostly, it has been larger organizations that are hiring and not small. In fact, a lot of small businesses are shedding jobs. This is not good, considering that small businesses account for about half of all private-sector jobs in America, and more than 60 percent of the new jobs generated in the past decade.

Small businesses are having troubles paying bills on time, managing cash flow, and maintaining enough funds to invest in their own business according to recent surveys by the Small Business Administration. Many small businesses delay hiring if they have concerns about the economy and the burdens they are facing (according to a PNC Bank survey).

The main reason why big firms are cash rich and small firms are not is because banks have scaled back on small business lending. Most small businesses cannot supply the billions of dollars of needed goods and services, known as B2B (business-to-business), because of their inability to invest in new job creation to meet the demand, as well as the lack of capital to supply these goods and services to larger businesses.

As Jeffrey Leonard states, “The trend has to do with cash flow. In bad times, all companies, big and small, seek to husband their cash by collecting their accounts receivable as fast as possible and honoring their accounts payable as slowly as possible. What is different in this downturn is that, thanks to structural changes in industry supply chains, large firms now have vastly more clout to engage in such behavior than small ones do. In fact, many large companies today have simply announced that as a matter of policy they will be paying their bills late—sometimes as much as four months late. This in effect forces small businesses, which really are hurting, to make free loans to big businesses instead of being able to use their working capital. As the CFO of one small business that we invested in says about his company’s subcontract work with big aerospace companies, ‘They basically have their whole supply chain of businesses like us helping to finance their business.’ His company was told recently that for any new work from its largest customer, they will have to wait ninety days rather than the customary thirty days to be paid. What is interesting about this phenomenon is that America’s large corporations don’t generally need this money—statistics show that they are sitting on nearly $2 trillion of idle capital on their balance sheets.”

Missing Businesses and Jobs

While many large corporations are sitting on an unprecedented amount of wealth in American history, where is the job growth? What has affected jobs in the U.S.? There are three main factors, along with several smaller areas, that stem from small businesses:

? The struggle to maintain lines of working capital

? The need to pay creditors in thirty days.

? The necessity to meet payroll every two weeks.

Multiply each small business by millions and there is a big factor for our lack of jobs, lack of economic recovery, and the state of business affairs in the U.S.

Some of the smaller areas that are affecting job growth are:

? Demand continues to be weak.

? Federal regulation.

? Economic uncertainty continues.

? Lack of credit.

? Price increase within raw resources.

? Global competition.

We can stimulate the economy, job growth, and small businesses, but we must provide a fair playing field for all companies in the business world. (Leonard, Jeffrey, and Above the Standard).

Small Business Summary

The small business, the consultant, the entrepreneur, the independent sales professional, the person desiring to be a modern-day farmer in the business world supporting themselves are vital! We could write thousands of pages about small business, what it is, how major corporations have started small, the influence small business and you have in our society, personal and business values within small business and organizations and their impact, small business and corporate challenges, how to succeed in business, and the many other areas that pertain.

Our main objective for this knowledge paper is to draw your attention to how important you are, what a small business means in our society, what some of the challenges are, that solutions do exist, and you can succeed with focus, faith, and an attitude to think out of the box.

Above the Standard Global Partnership

If you would like to review our global partnership program, study our model, see the importance of success systems and support, and engage in an exploratory call that could change your financial future and your business, email us at [email protected].

How Can We Serve You?

?Above the Standard

"Increase Profits, Reduce Cost"

Erwin Jack | [email protected] | AboveTheStandard.net

About Above the Standard

Above the Standard has global experience empowering and changing the lives for many executives, leaders, and organizations in more than 100 nations, having increased profits in the tens of billions of dollars, with sustainable outcomes.

Above the Standard is a dedicated and highly motivated leader and executive with more than 30 years global Business, Training, Strategic, Procurement, Finance, and Leadership experience in many different industries, from small to Fortune MNC’s.