This is a large document.  We would like to give you printed-page numbers but we don't know how you will paginate it (what size paper, margins etc).  So there is no point in page numbers on the Table of Contents either. 

We think the best way to refer to Bedrock is online at www.businessbedrock.org.  You get the latest version, you access only the bits you want, and you can use the online indexes and search.

The next best way is to keep this document as html online, so you can search it using your browser.

If you really want hard-copy printed, you can download this whole document from the website.  You may have done that already.  As mentioned, this is a large document.  Last time we checked (version 0.4) it was 630 pages long on our printer!! If you just want a more manageable piece of it, you can go to any online webpage and click the "Copy or print" link to get only that page and its child pages.  Remember that any extract is still bound by the license terms of the document it comes from.

Then the best way to print is to save it to your PC (File>>Save As...), then open it with your favourite text editor (such as MS-Word or Open Office), delete this page, and then use that tool to generate a Table of Contents and handle the printing.

Or you can just print the whole downloaded document from your browser.  We put page throws in for you at the right places. Put lots of paper in the printer.

Free Guidance for Very Small Enterprises

Core Practice (CoPr) and Bedrock (CoPr for Small Business)
originate from the Institute of Core Practice
     

      Copyright (c)  2006 TWO HILLS LIMITED.
      Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
      under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2
      or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
      Front-Cover Texts being "Core Practice (CoPr) and Bedrock (CoPr for Small Business)
      originate from the Institute of Core Practice", and with the Back-Cover Text 
      being "The concept of Core Practice (CoPr) and the definition of 
      Bedrock (CoPr for Small Business) originate from the Institute of Core Practice.  
      Please visit www.businessbedrock.org to get the latest, and to contribute 
      if you can".  
      A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free 
      Documentation License".

      Authors:
          Rob England, Two Hills Ltd
          and many contributors listed at www.corepractice.org/contributors

      Acknowledgements:
          The authors wish to thank:
               Craig Pattison for making it possible
               Vee England for her patience and care
               Richard Stallman 

      Bedrock, CoPr, RADIX Framework and the Koru Tick are trademarks
      of Two Hills Ltd, www.twohills.co.nz

This is version 0.6 of Bedrock (Core Practice for Small Business). 

There is still little "completed' content (it is never really completed as we debate and refine and evolve it), but there are examples in Define a Catalog of Services, and Governor.

If material is published in an open license and it is good, then we will copy and reference it, as in Financial Plan.

Still to come (and volunteers welcomed):

• Marketing Plan (and a logo) 
• Lots of content
• Formation of the Institute of Core Practice to steward and support Bedrock
• Mentor network

<!--break-->

Changes in version 0.6:

• Various corrections and refinements

Changes in version 0.5:

• Converted to Bedrock branding
• Added Techniques
• Fixed Table of Contents
• Reorganised book format
• Introduced more commentary material (Planning, Using) 
• Various corrections and refinements

Changes in version 0.4

• Maturity assessment checklists
• Role assignment list
• Various corrections and refinements

Please note that this is not a stable version: the information is subject to constant update until we get to a clean version 1.0

By all means download it , but keep coming back for the latest version when you are about to use it.

You can see all the gaps where there is only "placeholder" material.   Please donate material or talk to people you know who can.

Report any problems or suggestions using the instructions here:  http://www.businessbedrock.org/#64

Bedrock is all the basic core practices to run a small business, documented in one place.

Simple: a checklist of the minimum things every business needs to do, and how to do them with the least fuss: the copper answer not the gold one.

Free: contributed by the public, and returned to the public for free. It is distributed online at this website, or you can download it as a book. Really. No strings, no spam, no catch.

Good: content is reviewed and debated by you, the user community, before it is quality assured and published by a committee of the Institute of Core Practice.

Supportive: there is a helpful community of other users, support people, mentors, and professionals behind it.

Dip into it to find out how to do something.
Compare what you do against the discussed and agreed method.
Tick off your business against the checklists to see what you are not doing.
Use it to fill those gaps.

View it online. Download a copy. Share it. Give it away.
Put your own logo on it, change it, make money off it - we don't care.

• Starting a business? Get the answers, quickly.
• Advising a business? Give them this.
• Improving a business? Make sure all the bases are covered, and no more.
• Selling a business? Get it ship-shape.

Bedrock helps you spend where you need to and not where you don't. It should also increase competitiveness by focusing spend and effort in the right places. It will reduce the risk of losing all you have worked to build.

Bedrock is still under development (see Status of Bedrock).  It tells you "what" but not a lot of "how" yet.  If you can help with content, please volunteeer.

If you are in a hurry, Bedrock is at http://www.businessbedrock.org/get. You can read or download or print all the Bedrock Practices and guidance on how to use them without registering or paying anything, so long as you follow the terms of the license, because Bedrock is free documentation.

It comes from you, the community, who review and comment on what is there, and propose new content, and form the Institute that manages and approves the content.

Bedrock is based on Core Practice (CoPr, pronounced “copper”). CoPr is a pragmatic approach to writing down the basic minimum things to do to run a business. (It is about time someone did). The version of CoPr for Small Business is called Bedrock. Bedrock is a version of CoPr specifically for those who don't have great resources to apply. Bedrock and Core Practice are managed by the Institute of Core Practice (IoCP). Why are we doing CoPr? Because corepractice.org seeks to change the world.  For more about CoPr see http://www.corepractice.org.

Bedrock is made to be simple and accessible. The objective is to reduce costs, increase efficiency, support growth and hopefully give a competitive edge. And not to lose the business you have built. It is useful where much other advice isn’t, because it

1. is concise,
2. addresses processes and culture as well as technology,
3. looks at the broader context of how all processes fit together within the business.

Bedrock takes the body of knowledge that exists in the corporate world and condenses it into something coherent and useful for SMEs. The material includes advice on what to consider, how to think about it, what to do about it, and where to go if more information is required. The first release covers Governance (managing), Sales, the Service Management approach, People, Operations, Computing, and Finance.

We believe small businesses want something that works, in preference over theoretical correctness or exquisite detail. We create content that is acceptable, achievable and affordable. It is focused on results: making the processes in the organisation cheaper, more efficient and ready for change.

The target audience is small businesses that

1. want to do better at managing computing resources. These will possibly be organisations that are more process-oriented or IT-dependant than most. They may well be at a stage in life when they want to grow for increased revenues, or improve for greater efficiencies.
2. have to reassure or comply with requirements of a customer, partner or potential buyer.
3. have had a disastrous IT incident in the last year or two and have decided “this must never happen again”.
4. are start-ups, wanting to get an out-of-the-box set of processes.
5. are projects within larger organisations that have to resource themselves.

Bedrock is basically a list of good practices to introduce and perform. We know managers of SMEs are always time-poor, so the practices are presented in a brief format, with practical advice and realistic expectations of what can be achieved.

The practices require a typical minimum of about an hour of effort, up to any maximum you think is worthwhile. Some require quite a bit of effort. Others just make sure that you have thought about the implications of something and are happy to do nothing about it. A few recommend you seek expert assistance from outside consultants (“don’t try this at home”).

To keep it simple, we are trying to make each practice independent of the others. This is not always possible, as the whole point of Service Management is to integrate processes together working towards the same goals – those of the organisation.

Placeholder for an in introductory text to the SB Group: it's aims, workings etc

Bedrock is made up of the following Disciplines (or sets of related Processes):

• Governance: the steering, audit and oversight of the organisation
• Service: the definition, support and delivery of services to customers, users and/or staff
• Computing: (otherwise known as Information Technology or Information and Communications Technology) the planning, execution and control of computer-based systems, usually complex enough to have a separate Discipline from Operations
• People: (otherwise known as Human resources) the recruitment, development, retention, incenting, assessment and remuneration of staff
• Finance: the planning and control of money and flow of money
• Operations: the planning, execution and control of the core functions of the organisation
• Solutions: selection, justification, purtchase, construction and implementation of systesm for the business: machinery, software, vehicles ...
• Sales: taking products to customers and closing the deal
• Marketing: product mix and demand-generation
• Major Projects: planning, executing and resourcing big projects, and governing the portfolio of projects to balance priorities and costs

Disciplines can be further broken down into Domains if desired. For convenience, those that are not are given one Domain of the same name. The Processes of the model are placed within the Domains, i.e. a Process exists in only one Domain within one Discipline. Each Process is made up of Practices. A Practice exists within only one Process (or if it is used in multiple places it is called a Technique and referred to when necessary). The model defines a number of Roles that people will perform. Each Process is owned by a Role, and each Practice is performed by a Role (not necessarily the same one that owns the related Process).

The Bedrock process map looks like this:

Like any undertaking, Bedrock will be most useful if you do some planning first. Take a look at these questions (see below) and ponder what you want from Bedrock.

Bedrock is not anywhere near complete yet (see status of Bedrock).   There is a lot of content to be added, an Institute to be created, and a community to grow.  So don't be basing your business on Bedrock just yet.  But please do use it, and let us know if it was useful and how you would like to see it change as it grows.

If you want some advice or discussion please feel free to ask in the forums. There are organisations that will provide professional help with Bedrock too.

Consider which of the following describes your motivation for being here.  If you are not sure what you are looking for, talk it over with people, including those in our forums.

Small businesses "change gear" when:

• you survive that first wild year and you can start plugging the leaks and baling out and try to get things stabilised
• you reach a point where slogging on doing what you are doing is not attractive so you lift your game: scale things up and tighten things up and get some real money coming in
• you reach a point where slogging on doing what you are doing is not attractive so you tidy things up and tighten things up ready to sell it
• you reach a nice stable state and you want to level them out and coast home to retirement
• you land (or are trying to land) a big deal that will require big changes to deliver it
• the business passes from parent to child
• the business has new owners (or receivers)

It is time to introduce some Practices where there aren't any, and review the ones that are there and improve them if necessary.

Look at the names of the Maturity Levels.  if you have come through a storm and you want to get things in control, you need to at least have the Level 1:Controlling Practices in place.  If you want a nice tidy busines that you can see and measure then the Level 2:Managing Practices are required.   if you want to move up a gear, run a tighter ship, lift your game, squeeze some efficiencies... all those clichés ...  then look at the Level 3:Improving Practices.  But you can't run before you walk.   To get to Level 2 or 3 you really need to get the lower level Practices in place first. Some business methodologies are quite rigid that you shouldn't move on until all Practices in a level are in place.  Remember the CoPr approach is whatever works, makes sense and is achievable, so you may end up working on Practices from a couple of levels at the one time.  But in general they build on each other.

You are free to give them a copy of CoPr, so long as you follow the rules of the license (handing them an unchanged copy of CoPr is definitely within the terms of the license).

You will want to learn as much as you can about CoPr so you can give them some good advice on how to approach using it.

You may like to get trained and/or certified by the IoCP to give your clients assurance about using your advice.

Another way to gain experience and credibility is to do volunteer work with the IoCP.

And of course contributing some of the content does your reputation no harm either.

You need to get a bare minimum set of practices in place as quick as you can to ensure the initial functioning of the business and get you through that all important first year. 

Start with Maturity Level 0:Beginning practices.  Try to get all the Level 0 practices in place, then start on Level 1:Controlled practices.  Within those practices start with Optimising Model: Plan practices. 

You can print these off one by one.  Another approach is to just print off the list, then get the whole of CoPr and just use the bits from the list.  Or as a citizen of the 21st Century, you may prefer to just access them online as you need them: that way you will always get the most up-to-date version and save some paper in the process.

Answer: Only (1) what you can afford and (2) what benefits your business.

You only have so much time and money to devote to planning and managing the business.  We think all these Practices are essential but that doesn't mean you will ever get to all of them.  Every small business is winging it in some area (so are many much larger businesses).  Hopefully by this point you have a list of Practices you ought to be looking at.  With luck we have even given you some guidance on where to start and/or what order to do them in.

Doing it "by the book", at this stage you really should do as assessment of how much Bedrock you are doing already.  Consultants talk about working out the "as-is" state, then the desired "to-be" state, then doing a "gap analysis" of what needs to be done to get from here to there.  It is sensible planning. If you can afford it, do it.  On the other hand, if you are a start-up you already know how much you do: none of it.  For others, you may well find that as you work through each practice it is pretty obvious whether you do it or not. 

A key point to make here is that for the majority of small businesses how much you should be doing, or where you want to get to is academic.  You won't have enough time and/or money to do it all.  So why not get on with it and get as much done as you can?  This is an appalling approach for some purists, but they don't have 14 orders to fill by Christmas.

So to summarise: yes plan as much as you feel you need to and can afford to, but since Bedrock is Core Practice (a.k.a. Copr), which is by definition the minimum you ought to be doing, just get on and do as much of it as you can get through.

We don't often recommend you get paid consulting but this is one of those points where it could be money well spent to do one particular bit of planning: talk to an adviser about where to start and what order to attack the Practices in and how much effort you can afford to put into it.  You may be able to get some of that advice for free on our Forums or from one of our Mentors if you are willing to do plenty of self-help too.  Assuming that you won't get it all done, best to start where it will most benefit your business.

In general do all the Maturity Level 0:Beginning Practices first, then Level 1:Controlling and so on.   Within each Maturity, you might do in them in the Optimising Model order: Plan, Do, Check, Act.  And there are a few where one depends on another being done first, mostly where a tool or process needs to be put in place before you can do something else that uses it.  But we try to keep Practices as independent as we can.  When you are implementing Bedrock any order is better than not doing them at all so do what works.

Only you know how much you are able to and want to spend on this, but we have started from an assumption that you will allocate one or more hours a week to this, and that you will delegate some of the rioles to others in your business (if there are others in your bsuiness) and that they will also spend one or more hours a week.  Each Bedrock Practice is designed so you can get something done in an hour, where possible.  So a bare minimum is for each person with a Bedrock role to do one Practice a week.  Preferably you will be able to do more than that.

Core Practice is defined as the minimum you need to do, so at least think about every single Practice.  If you choose not to do it, learn enough so that is an informed choice and make a note for yourself as to why you made that decision - things may change in a year or two to make you rethink it.

When you run out of resources, stop.  When more Practices are not going to return a sufficient benefit to your business, stop. (We like to think they are so fundamental that they will all give a good return but there will be situations where this isn't true.  Don't break the business chasing some externally-defined ideal: that is one of the reasons for Bedrock in the first place to stop that kind of thing).

Bedrock is based on Core Practice. Take another look at the definition of Core Practice:

Core Practice: the strategic decision to minimise cost in a discipline of the enterprise by implementing practices sufficient to (a) meet obligations and (b) to make processes work to a standard sufficient that risk (to the organisation and to people in its care) is reduced to some acceptable level.

Core Practice is just enough to make the Processes work and not put anyone (or the business) at unacceptable risk.  We think that is a sensible and intelligent level for a business to aim for in non-critical areas of the business.  We think there is too much emphasis on aiming for best practice in all areas: it is wasteful, distracting and a drag on the business.

But there will be parts of your business where it is strategically sensible, or essential, for you to aim for best practice.  If you read that definition of Core Practice you will see there are some types of business that need to aim for best practice in just about all areas.

So Bedrock is just the beginning.  it says you have the business in control, you are doing what you need to be doing, and you are improving the areas that need to be continually improving.  This gives you a foundation on which to build.   Now you should look at your business and evaluate which processes need to operate to a more advanced standard.

Do you compete on quality?  Then your quality control in particular and operations in general had better be more sophisticated.  Do you deal in people's lives and welfare?  Then you owe them the best you can be.  Are you subject to critical scrutiny by the public or regulators?  Then you want to point to exemplary systems.  Do you already have processes more advanced than Bedrock but you feel they are not as good as they should be?

In all these cases, you need to move on from here and go research what is regarded as best practice.  We have provided references for best practice in many places throughout Bedrock.  Here are some of them: 0.11.17, 0.11.25, 0.11.36

Bedrock shows you how to prepare a business case.  Do one for any best practice proposal and ensure there will be a return that justifies the investment.

If you can afford the investment of time, meauring how much of Bedrock you use (refered to here as "assessing the maturity levels in your organisation") is a good place to start, so you know where you are before you start thinking about where you want to be.

We are looking for someone to contribute an assessment questionairre or methodology for Core Practice, either specific to Small Business or more general. Check back later to see if this has happened yet.

Third parties are also encouraged to offer a commercial assessment service or product. These can be certified by the IoCP.

In the interim here is some general guidance on assessing your organisations maturity.

There are two ways to slice it: a continuous or a staged approach.   Continuous means we put practices in place based on expediency (what is easy right now), timing (some take longer to put in place, some have to wait on something else first) and priorities (based on what matters and what is hurting).   Staged means that we get all (or almost all) the practices in place at one maturity level before we start working on the next one.

We think the continuous model makes more sense for Small Business in general.  Within any one process, the practices should mostly be done in a staged way: quite often the level 2 practices don't work or make much sense until the level 1 practices are in place.  But different processes and dsiciplines can be at different average maturity levels depending on the needs of the business.

For a continuous approach use the Process Maturity Checklist.

Some people want to approach it in a staged way.  You can get everyone fired up for a project to get to a certain level, so it gives a target to be achieved and something to be celebrated when you get there.  Or even if taking a continuous approach, sometimes it is good to assess maturity across the whole business just to get that overall picture.  So for a staged assessment there are four Staged Checklists, one for each of the maturity levels of processes.

What about once you have just about all the practices running at all maturity levels? Great.  If your business still needs more, it is time to leave Bedrock behind and investigate the Best Practice references you will find at the end of many of the Practices: go for gold. 

How to use the checklists

if you are viewing this online, please don't tick the checkboxes on the screen: they don't get saved or do anything (yet).  These checklists are intended to be printed out and filled in the old-fashioned way.  when finished, file the checklist away and refer back to it next time you review this, say in a year, so you can see how much progress you have made.

Continuous

Use the Process Maturity Checklist. For each process that you care about, mark off the practices you think you are doing OK.  If a process is doing three-quarters of the practices at a level, then you can say that process is achieving that level.  Check that most of the practices at lower levels are marked off before doing too many practices at the higher levels: don't let it get "top heavy".

Staged

Start with Staged Checklist, Level 0:Beginning.  Read the description of each practice.  Then mark off the practices you think you are doing OK.  Then move on to Staged Checklist, Level 1:Controlled and do the same, and so on.  Stop when you get to a level where you don't seem to be doing many of the processes.  If you are doing three-quarters of the practices at a level, then you can say you are achieving that level (of course, all of them would be better).

About the maturity levels

We chose names that are not judgemental.   No level is bad.  it is what it is.  What matters is whether you are meeting your business needs.  if not, then it may be worthwhile to lift the maturity level in the area that is letting you down.

0:Beginning

Incomplete process, controls, ownerships etc.

Stop the rot, stabilise, prevent further damage, and reduce immediate risks.
Get control, get ownership. Put processes in place, assign roles.

1:Controlled

Emergency practices are in place. Process is performed adequately, has an owner.

Get measurement, get accountability.

2:Managed

Process is repeatable and documented. Process is measured and reported.

Integrate processes, install feedback loops, implement process improvement program.

3:Improving

Process integrates with other processes. Reviews are performed. A continuous improvement program operates.

If you are viewing this online, please don't tick the checkboxes on the screen: they don't get saved or do anything (yet).  These checklists are intended to be printed out and filled in the old-fashioned way.  when finished, file the checklist away and refer back to it next time you review this, say in a year, so you can see how much progress you have made.

If you are viewing this online, please don't tick the checkboxes on the screen: they don't get saved or do anything (yet).  These checklists are intended to be printed out and filled in the old-fashioned way.  when finished, file the checklist away and refer back to it next time you review this, say in a year, so you can see how much progress you have made.

If you are viewing this online, please don't tick the checkboxes on the screen: they don't get saved or do anything (yet).  These checklists are intended to be printed out and filled in the old-fashioned way.  when finished, file the checklist away and refer back to it next time you review this, say in a year, so you can see how much progress you have made.

If you are viewing this online, please don't tick the checkboxes on the screen: they don't get saved or do anything (yet).  These checklists are intended to be printed out and filled in the old-fashioned way.  when finished, file the checklist away and refer back to it next time you review this, say in a year, so you can see how much progress you have made.

If you are viewing this online, please don't tick the checkboxes on the screen: they don't get saved or do anything (yet).  These checklists are intended to be printed out and filled in the old-fashioned way.  when finished, file the checklist away and refer back to it next time you review this, say in a year, so you can see how much progress you have made.

Here you find advise on how to make use of Bedrock: implementing it and the ongoing use of it.

There are many resources to help you online.

At the Bedrock website http://www.businessbedrock.org:

• forums, user stories and other help (see "Help with Bedrock")
• Events (seminars, training, conferences) - coming soon
• Professional assistance with Bedrock - coming soon
• The Index which lets you explore Bedrock information
• The Front Page which lists "featured" content
• Tracker which lists recent posts (by you and by everyone)
• Blocks (the bits down the left and right sides are called blocks) which tell you recent comments, who is online and other useful information.  You can turn most of these blocks off and on in your user profile (on the small menu on the right-hand side click  "my account" then "edit").  You will also find other blocks there which you can turn on.

Bedrock is one example of Core Practice or CoPr (Bedrock is CoPr for Small Business).  Core Practice and Bedrock are created and maintained and promoted by the Institute of Core Practice (IoCP).  Their website http://www.corepractice.org has more interesting resources online:

• Technical information about how CoPr is designed.
• Certification of consultants and software: check before you pay to ensure you are getting certified help  - coming soon.

• Opportunities for you to volunteer to help

You are not alone.  If you want some advice, or to talk something over, or you are just curious, there are resources on the website http://www.businessbedrock.org for you:

• The forums provides a place for everyone in the Bedrock community to discuss things related to Bedrock (the forum is not a social place nor a general small business forum - there are plenty of other sites for that)
• The support forum is there to ask questions.  Volunteer helpers and the general Bedrock community will all contribute answers to help you out.  Newbies are welcome, so don't feel your question is a silly one - ask for help.
• Mentoring services are provided by volunteers who have been there and done that.
• Find ideas and inspiration in other Bedrock users' stories.
• Search the Bedrock online index.
• Commercial service providers are happy to help you further.

If you have derived value from Bedrock, you might like to give back. Bedrock is free because it is contributed by you, the public. Core Practice, and Bedrock (CoPr specifically for Small Business), are distributed by their steward organisation, the Institute of Core Practice (IoCP). IoCP is a volunteer community organisation.

You can help out in many ways:

• If you think Bedrock is useful, pass it around your friends, peers and clients.
• Read the Bedrock book(s), vote on the pages and make comments on them.
• Read the proposed content and vote on it.
• Contribute to forum discussions.
• Contribute a Story to tell others of your experiences.
• Write content and submit it.
• Volunteer on the IoCP website for jobs and events where we need help.
• Join the IoCP and help with mentoring, moderation, publishing and approvals.
• Start a local chapter of IoCP in your country.
• Get training and certification and go into business helping others with Bedrock and other CoPr.

Note: many contributors make no secret of the fact that we hope to make a living by selling additional services and products related to Core Practice. The IoCP constitution requires it to not conduct commercial activities and to actively promote a third party commercial sector around CoPr. None of this impacts the independence of the IoCP nor its aims to make this knowledge freely available to those who have little use for fancier methodologies and cannot afford them.  Nor does it interfere with our own volunteer efforts to advance the IoCP and make free Core Practice a reality.

Practices are organised by Processes (sometimes within Domains) within Disciplines.

The steering, audit and oversight of the organisation.
This discipline is deliberately not called "management":  there is management in all processes.   These days it seems like everyone is called a manager, debasing the term.

Either a formal Board of Directors for an incorporated company, or informal board of advisors for other forms of organisation
 
if we hadn't already used the term, this would be called "Governance"

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Debate is invited as to whether Balanced Scorecard is the most appropriate methodology for assessing the small business against the business plan, having regard to the following points:

• it ishould be low cost and low resource requirements relative to other methodologies
• it should be applicable to small business
• it should be acceptable and comprehensible to the average small business owner/manager

Andersen et al think it is [ref 0.11.11].  Others don't [reference required].

Other alternatives include

• CSFs [ref 0.11.56]
• KPIs
• BSP

The process of obtaining necessary advice, competitive intelligence and solutions (answers) from outside the organisation.

Sources will include

• peers: people in the same business that you meet through industry networks, coferences, trade shows, or informal social contacts.
• government: there are usually multiple sources of government advice and support
• vendors: they take your money - tap their knowldege in return. Better still tap it before they take your money.
• consultants: sometimes it is better and more efficient and often more cost effective (in the long run) to pay an expert.
• study: some basic skills you need to go back to school for, e.g. book-keeping.
• books: read reviews first or get recommendations from peers. Even if you don't have time to read much, a basic text on Small Business is invaluable.
• magazines, websites, blogs: often useful; sometimes misleading, wrong or deceptive; seldom comprehensive; seldom substantial. Excellent for keeping current, good for picking up the basics, not so good for getting a solid understanding. Learn to Google. The results will amaze you but use with care.

Suppliers, vendors, service providers, professionals, consultants: all the people and organisations we have business relationships with, other than customers.

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References

Objectives

Preparation required

Implement

Perform

Check

Estimated minimum effort

Best practice commentary

References