Dealing with the daily details of running a business can take your focus away from working on your business — an operations manual can help.

In order to be a successful small business owner, you have to separate your role in the business (as chief cook or bottle washer) and give yourself time and permission to think “big picture” — working on your business.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because small business experts have said this for decades. What they haven’t explained is how to work on the big picture when there are suppliers to be paid, customers to be served and a family at home who wants your time. …

Originally Published by Canadian Immigrant Magazine on March 1, 2007