The Absolute Small Business
Strategy Toolkit

We're forced to move fast, resources are thin, and don’t have the luxury of perfectly planning everything. Yet we also know that old adage "if we fail to plan, we plan to fail." So the Strategy Toolkit is an organized, rapid-fire way of adding a bit of structure to an otherwise chaotic way of working.

But first, what is strategy? It is the process of making difficult decisions to achieve what we want. These decisions almost always require a tradeoff or sacrifice and that’s exactly the challenge. Furthermore, we just don't often invest time to carefully think through the future of our business.

Take this first time going through your Toolkit as practice. It might feel unnatural at first but like with all practice, eventually it’ll feel like instinct. Now, imagine that… strategy as instinct.

Strategy connects your long term vision to your daily tasks, creating clarity and focus.

This 19-page PDF covers the following aspects:

• Trends
   - a framework to help you scan the horizon
• Goals
   - worksheets to set and clarify the your mid/long term targets
• Strategy
   - tools to help you weigh projects and opportunities
• Tactics
   - further materials for roadmapping, accountability and next steps

Based on hundreds of strategy discussions, academic principles, and years of client workshops, the goal of The Absolute Small Business Strategy Toolkit was to simulate a real Let's Make Great! consultation.

Step by step - like a natural conversation, each page is a guided process that leads into the next page.
 

Thoughtfully designed - created to maximize visual clarity to leave space for you to focus on what's most important: your business.
 

Comprehensive - with 10+ worksheets and further supplementary materials like pre-written messages, thought-starters and a curated playlist of lectures, we tried to pack as much practical inspiration as possible into this workbook.

Two brains are better than one. Print another copy and complete this Toolkit at the same time with a partner, stakeholder, or key employee. This will give you another point of view for fresh ideas and a sounding board for important discussions.
 

Get grounded. We've curated a playlist of lectures from the heavyweights of business strategy: Harvard Business School Executive Education, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford Graduate School of Business and more. So if you're curious about the academic principles underpinning this PDF, check these 10 links found at the end of the workbook.
 

Move fast. Spend no more than 10 minutes per worksheet. The key is not getting it perfect right away, but working through the whole process. Trust your instincts. You can always do it again later. Set your timer and start!