Business Advisor Manual

236 Pages·2008·3.4 MB·English

Indiana Small Business
Development Center

Business Advisor Manual

September 2008
INDIANA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

BUSINESS ADVISOR MANUAL

November 2008
1) Code of Professional Conduct
2) Interpersonal Skills
3) Cross-Selling Services
4) Presentations & Workshops
5) Business Plan Development
6) Marketing
7) Financial Statement Analysis
8) Sources & Req. for Financing
9) Government Legislation
10) How to Start a New Business
11) Human Resource Management
12) Purchasing a Franchise
13) Cases 1-3
BUSINESS ADVISOR MANUAL

INTRODUCTION

This Business Advisor Orientation Manual has been created to provide an introduction and
training process for new Business Advisors joining the Indiana Small Business Development
Center Network (ISBDC).

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

New Business Advisors will work closely with their Center Director, who will assign activities.
The Director will act as a “peer coach” to guide Advisors through each step of their training.

Center Directors may assign the day-to-day training of a new Business Advisor to a “Mentor”.
This Mentor must be a Business Advisor with particular expertise in the Module the new
Business Advisor is studying.

If a new Business Advisor does not satisfactorily complete a training task, it is to be repeated as
many times as necessary to reach a satisfactory completion.

This Manual contains twelve Modules with information and activities. At the end of each
Module is a Training Activities Checklist. This Checklist must be completed by the Business
Advisor and signed by the Center Director. To count for professional development, a copy of
each signed Checklist from each Module must be sent to the Lead Center upon completion
of the entire Manual.

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TRAINING DEADLINES

Module I: Prior to assisting any ISBDC client.

Full Manual Completion: Within two months of hire.

HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL

Each Module is divided into several sections: Performance Objective, Training Activities,
Evaluation Methods, and reference information. The Performance Objective describes the
expected knowledge or skill that you will have achieved upon completion of the Module.
Training Activities lists the actions and assignments that must be satisfactorily completed.
Evaluation Methods describes the various performance measurements that will ascertain that you
have gained the knowledge and skills required to meet the Performance Objective.

NOTE TO DIRECTORS

Once all Training Activities have been completed, fax a copy of the Business Advisor Manual
Master Training Activities Checklist (found on the next page) to the ISBDC Lead Center.

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Business Advisor Manual

Master Training Activities Checklist

Business Advisor: _________________________

I. MODULE I: CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

II. MODULE II: INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

III. MODULE III: CROSS-SELLING SERVICES
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

IV. MODULE IV: PRESENTATIONS & WORKSHOPS
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

V. MODULE V: BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

VI. MODULE VI: MARKETING
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

VII. MODULE VII: FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

VIII. MODULE VIII: SOURCES & REQ. FOR FINANCING
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

IX. MODULE IX: GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

X. MODULE X: HOW TO START A NEW BUSINESS
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

XI. MODULE XI: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

XII. MODULE XII: PURCHASING A FRANCHISE
a. Training Activities Checklist Date Completed: _________

I certify that ______________________ has satisfactorily completed all of the above training activities.

_______________________________
(Center Director or Business Advisor Mentor)

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Code of Professional Conduct

Module I

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

The Business Advisor will understand and comply with the Indiana Small Business Development
Centers’ Code of Professional Conduct, including the Conflict of Interest policies, client
confidentiality requirements, and individual host institution policies.

TRAINING ACTIVITES

Your Center Director may choose to assign another Business Advisor to act as your Mentor to
complete this Module. The Center Director will ensure that you complete the following
activities:

1. Read Module I in its entirety.

2. Participate in the role-play exercise contained in this Module.

EVALUATION METHODS

Your proficiency in professional conduct will be evaluated by all of the following methods.

1. Correctly answering 100% of the questions in the Ethics Examination.

2. Discussing the implications and importance of these issues with your Center Director.

3. Signing all required documents.

4. Successfully completing question one in Case 1, Genius Joe.

INTRODUCTION

The Indiana Small Business Development Center Network (ISBDC), a program of the U.S.
Small Business Administration, is organized to provide counseling, training and resources and
referrals to Indiana small businesses. To this end, the ISBDC:

1. Promotes high standards of conduct and

2. Communicates those standards to the public.

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PURPOSE

This Code of Professional Conduct acknowledges that the Business Advisor will maintain
professional self-discipline above and beyond the requirements of law. It notifies the public that
the Business Advisor will maintain a high level of professionalism and ethics, and requires that
Business Advisors accept the obligation to conduct themselves in a way that is beneficial to
society.

The ISBDC enforces the Code of Professional Conduct by receiving and investigating all
complaints of violations. Disciplinary action may be taken against any individual personally
found to be guilty of Code violation. It is the desire for confidence and the respect of the
profession and of society that motivates the individual to maintain the highest possible
professional and ethical conduct.

ARTICLES OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The reliance by owners and managers of Indiana’s small businesses on the advice of Business
Advisors imposes upon us the obligation to maintain high standards of integrity and competence.
In recognition of the public interest as well as the Business Advisor’s obligation to the
profession, Advisors must agree in writing to comply with the following articles of professional
responsibility.

1. Professional Behavior and Attitude

The Business Advisor will maintain a wholly professional behavior and attitude toward
those they serve, including other members of the ISBDC, clients, and the general public.

2. Proprietary or Inside Information

The Business Advisor will not take personal, financial, or other advantage of material or
inside information resulting from their professional relationship with clients. They will
not provide material or information to others that might take advantage of clients.

The Business Advisor will not provide to a client proprietary information learned from
previous clients or other sources without first obtaining proper authorization.

The Business Advisor will not knowingly, without permission, use copyrighted material,
proprietary data, procedures, materials, or techniques that others have developed but have
not released for public use. They will not encroach upon others’ (including their clients’)
rights.

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3. Conflict of Interest

The Business Advisor will not accept any type of reward from individuals (including
clients) or organizations for recommending equipment, supplies, or services of such
individuals or organizations.

4. Understanding of Client Needs

The Business Advisor will first confer with a client in sufficient detail and gather
sufficient facts that, together with the client, they may reach an understanding of the
perceived problem, the objectives to be achieved, the scope of assistance needed, and the
possible benefits that may accrue to the client.

5. Client Confidentiality

The Business Advisor will hold as strictly confidential the identity of a client, as well as
all information concerning the affairs of a client gathered during the course of a
professional engagement. The only exception occurs when the client has provided
written authorization for the release of information to the public.

6. Impartiality

The Business Advisor ensures advice to clients is based on impartial consideration of all
pertinent facts and opinions. Their clients depend on them to provide objective solutions
to their problems.

7. Outside Influences

The Business Advisor will inform their clients immediately of any special relationships,
circumstances or interests that might influence, or give the appearance of influencing,
their judgment or impair their objectivity. The Business Advisor will offer to withdraw
from the client relationship and refer the client to another Business Advisor.

8. Recommendations

The Business Advisor will ensure that sufficient relevant information is evaluated in
developing conclusions and recommendations. Solutions should be realistic and
practical, clearly understood by the clients, and capable of being implemented by the
client.

9. Quality Assurance

The Business Advisor will demonstrate a commitment to the quality of their advice,
assistance, and resulting products through sufficient planning, reviews, and controls.

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They will continually seek to advance their own knowledge in order to better serve their
clients.

10. Avoiding Impropriety

The Business Advisor will strive to avoid not only improprieties, but also the appearance
of improprieties. Integrity and honesty are critical personal characteristics of the
Advisor.

11. Professional Contribution

The Business Advisor must recognize their responsibilities to the public interest and to
their own professional development by contributing to the understanding of better ways
to manage small businesses. This contribution may be through the development and
dissemination of information to peers as well as to the public.

12. Supporting Professional Standards and the Code of Professional Conduct

The Business Advisor will strive continuously to advance and protect the professional
standards of the Indiana Small Business Development Center Network and to support this
Code by reporting rules violations to their Center Director or the State Director.

13. Professional Image

The Business Advisor is expected to dress in business attire appropriate to the client's and
individual host’s expectations.

The Business Advisor does not keep clients waiting. It is extremely important to be on
time and ready to begin. In the event of an emergency, the client is to be contacted
immediately. In addition, all reports are to be completed in a timely manner.

These Articles of Professional Responsibility are in addition to the Conflict of Interest Policy for
the Indiana Small Business Development Center Network, which every Advisor should have
received upon being hired. This policy is included in this Manual as a reminder, and as a way of
keeping both policies in one place to which it is convenient for the Business Advisor to refer.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY FOR THE
INDIANA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER NETWORK

I. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is (a) to prevent the actions of any agent of the Indiana Small
Business Development Center Network from constituting a conflict of interest, (b) to

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