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Business Sense is a no-fluff source of information that gets right to the heart of what small business owners need: essential tools and relevant resources to help their businesses grow.

The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF)’s just released the complete set of six modules of its Business Sense series, next level tools for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Written by VSJF’s team of business coaches, this free series shares their decades of experience in areas such as financials, operations, sales, marketing, human resources, and leadership and governance.

VSJF provides tailored business management coaching, entrepreneurial support, and training to position Vermont-based entrepreneurs and small business owners in designated market sectors – agriculture, forestry, waste management, renewable energy, and environmental technology – for growth and long-term success.

Along with the complete release of Business Sense in English, Module 1: Financial Literacy was also translated into six additional languages for non-native English speaker. With funding through the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program (CNPP), VSJF worked with the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) and their team of translators to make the Business Sense financial literacy series accessible in French, Spanish, Swahili, Nepali, Arabic, and Somali.

Business Sense is designed to provide entrepreneurs and small business owners in various sectors with recommendations and practical advice to help their businesses not only survive but thrive. Technical service providers have also found Business Sense helpful when working with clients, often working off them as training tools and providing them as leave-behind resources.

“These resources can help build skills and competency across all aspects of business operations so our clients become more well-rounded leaders and managers,” said VSJF Executive Director Ellen Kahler. “We are excited to share these resources widely in the Vermont business community!”

Business Sense Modules Now Available Include:

• Module 1: Financial Literacy
  • 1.1 The Importance of Financial Statements
  • 1.2 The Importance of Cash Flow Statements
  • 1.2.a 13-Week Cashflow Template (PDF)
  • 1.2.b 13-Week Cashflow Template (Excel)
  • 1.3 The Purpose of Business Controls
  • 1.4 The Purpose of Internal Controls
  • 1.5 Functional Roles and Detail on Different Levels of Enterprise Accounting
• Module 2: Business Operations
  • 2.1 Systems and Operations – People, Process and Tools (P-P-T) Framework
  • 2.2 Metrics and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
  • 2.3 Operational Management – RASCI Who Does What?
  • 2.4 The Value of Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Module 3: Business Leadership and Governance
  • 3.1 Creating a Board of Advisors
  • 3.2 Advisory Board Charter
  • 3.3 Business Advisory Board Agreement
  • 3.4 Succession Planning for Business Evolution
  • 3.5 Strategic Planning
  • 3.6 The Importance of Recognition to Workplace Culture
• Module 4: Human Resources
  • 4.1 Staffing Your Business
  • 4.2 Attracting the Right Candidates
  • 4.3 Effective Hiring Processes
  • 4.4 Compensation and Benefits Management
  • 4.5 Employment Laws and Employee Policies
  • 4.6 Leading at the Speed of Effective Communications
• Module 5: Marketing
  • 5.1 The Power of Branding–Your Brand’s Positioning Statement
  • 5.2 Knowing Your Customer is Knowing Your Market
  • 5.3 How to Create a Digital Marketing Plan
  • 5.4 What is a Creative Brief?
  • 5.5 Brand Ambassador Program
  • 5.6 B2C/End Customer Persona Template
  • 5.7 B2B/End Customer Persona Template
• Module 6: Sales
  • 6.1 Revenue Forecasting
  • 6.2 The Buyer’s Journey

The series was made possible in part by the generous support of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, the Vermont Farm and Forest Viability Program (a program of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board), and the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program, facilitating VSJF’s ability to publish the resource as another way to help companies stay and grow in Vermont.

About VSJF’s Business Management Coaching Program

The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund provides tailored, high-touch planning, coaching, and advising for business owners and their management teams to advance profitability, job creation, and sustainable job development. Click for more information about business management coaching. Funding support for our coaching program is provided by client fees, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, and Vermont Housing & Conservation Board’s Farm & Forest Viability Program.

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