They're short articles about the business side of leading, written for owners and managers. Each one covers a single subject, like meeting agendas or cash flow, and many of them point to a free tool or template you can use the same week.
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Business Management Articles
These business management articles cover the business side of a leader's job, from starting a small business to reading your financial statements. They're written for owners and managers who would rather spend ten minutes reading than an afternoon searching, and many of them point to a free tool or template you can use the same week.
The articles are grouped by subject. Starting a Business is for anyone considering a new business venture, Running the Business covers the day-to-day experience of running a business, and Money and Finance focuses on the importance of knowing your numbers, from cash flow to funding.
There's no set order. A manager whose weekly meeting keeps running long might start with Business Meeting Agendas, while an owner getting ready to ask the bank for a loan will get more from Business Financial Analysis and Small Business Funding.
If you lead a team inside a larger company, the Running the Business articles will likely fit your week best. Most of them apply whether you own the business or not, and the article on job descriptions pairs well with the Role Clarity Template in the Leading People tools collection.
Jump To: Starting a Business | Running the Business | Money and Finance | Example | FAQ
Starting a Business
Starting a business takes more than a good idea, and the articles provided here help you test your business strategy before you commit money to it. Begin with the two checklists in Advice for Starting a Small Business, then use the self-assessment in Find Your Best Small Business Idea to see whether the idea is a good fit.
Advice for Starting a Small Business
Two checklists for deciding whether a business is right for you: 14 questions to ask owners already in it, and 21 that walk you through a working day.
Find Your Best Small Business Idea
An eight-part self-assessment of your interests and skills, plus the story of how a travel agent named Susan found the business she wanted to run.
Find Your Market Niche
Why a small business does better serving a narrow group of customers well, with the story of a marathon runner who couldn't find shorts with the right pocket.
Small Business Associations
Groups worth a look, from SCORE and your local chamber of commerce to Rotary and Toastmasters, and the advisors every new owner needs.
Running the Business
These articles cover the reality associated with managing through an ordinary week once the doors are open, from making decisions with good data to hiring the right people. Most of these articles apply whether you own the business or manage a team inside a larger organization.
Information Management for Decision Making
Eight questions to ask before you act on data, from what the key message is to who needs to hear it and when.
Business Meeting Agendas
Start with the outcome you want, like five sales calls per person by Friday, then plan the agenda backward from there.
Independent Contractors vs Employees
The pros and cons of each side by side, and why many owners keep a core staff and bring in contractors for short projects.
Writing Job Descriptions
The eight elements every job description needs, and how an open-ended duty invites people to grow in the role.
Application Letter Sample and Tips
Tips for a short, memorable application letter, where else you'll need one besides a job search, and a free ebook of business letter templates.
Money and Finance
Cash is what keeps a business open. These articles help you read your numbers, project the months ahead and identify money sources and what's required when applying for funding.
Business Financial Analysis
The three statements every owner should read, free templates for each, and how to project your cash flow month by month.
Small Business Funding Options
The main SBA loan programs, where grants fit and who they're for, and free SBA training that can help you qualify.
How One Owner Used These Articles
DANA'S MARCH CASH FLOW
Dana owns a print shop with six employees, and she wanted a $40,000 loan for new equipment. Before she met with her banker, she used the steps in Business Financial Analysis to project cash flow. She started the month with $9,200 in the operating account, expected $31,000 to come in and $43,000 to go out. That left her $2,800 short ($9,200 + $31,000 - $43,000), because her two largest customers pay at 45 days.
She offered both customers a 1% discount to pay in 30 days, and one of them agreed, which brought what would have been a deficit back above zero. When she sat down with her banker, she walked through the projection statement line by line and applied for an SBA 7(a) loan, the program described in Small Business Funding.
She found the cash gap before it would have cost her.
Dana read the two articles that fit the problem in front of her, which is how most owners and managers get the most out of a collection of business management articles like this one.
More for Leaders
The articles pair well with the free tools on this site, which are organized into three phases of leadership:
- Leading Self tools for your own goals, habits and development.
- Leading People tools for coaching, feedback and one-on-ones.
- Leading Teams tools for planning, priorities and team meetings.
Business Management Articles FAQ
The questions below address what leaders most commonly ask about these business management articles.
Click on the (+) sign below to expand each question. Click the (-) sign to collapse it again.
What are business management articles?
Are these articles only for business owners?
No. The Starting a Business and Money and Finance articles are written mostly for owners, but the Running the Business articles apply to any manager, whether you own the company or lead a team inside a larger one.
Where should I start if I'm thinking about opening a business?
Start with Advice for Starting a Small Business. It has 14 questions to ask owners who are already in the business and 21 more that walk you through a working day, so you can test the idea before you put money into it.
How do I project cash flow for a small business?
Write down the cash you have available at the start of the month, add the cash you expect to come in, then subtract what you'll pay out. If the result is negative, you still have time to act before the bills come due. Business Financial Analysis walks through each step and links to a free Daily Cash Flow Management Template.
Can a small business get grant money?
Some can, but grants usually go to non-profits or to businesses that meet a specific community need, so most small businesses fund themselves another way. Small Business Funding covers where grants fit and the SBA loan programs most owners use instead.
Are the business management articles free?
Yes. Every article and every tool on Leadership-Tools.com is free to read and download, with no sign-up required.
More Leadership Article Collections
Leadership Development Articles
Short reads on leadership traits, motivation and teaching leadership skills to kids.
10 Steps to Leadership Development
A ten-part series, from what drives you to lead to making time for life outside work.
Team Building Articles
Building a team that works well together, from hiring the right person to keeping spirits up.
Sales Management Articles
Leading a sales team, from recognition programs to courtesy calling scripts.
Customer Service Articles
Serving customers well, from handling an angry customer to keeping customers coming back.
Richard Gorham has led teams in financial services for more than 30 years, from retail branches and operations to investments and insurance, and he still leads a team today.
He founded Leadership-Tools.com in 2002 to give managers free, practical tools like the ones he used in his various leadership roles. Every tool here has been used in a real workplace and comes with a filled-in example you can follow.
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