The Importance of Business Management: Unlocking Value for Small Companies
                 by Ryan Cong

In the world of small business, success often stems from genuine hard work and a commitment to craft, but that alone doesn’t guarantee longevity or growth. I experienced this first hand working at a local noodle shop, a humble place run by Chinese immigrants. We had no
high-tech systems, just three hardworking cooks in the back and me up front, handling everything from hosting and serving to taking phone orders for DoorDash and Uber Eats. Each day, it was just about getting through the night’s 30 tables, making noodles, and keeping things
afloat. The owners rarely had time to think about “business management” or “business strategy". However, it was clear to me that businesses like these—the ones run by people with a true passion but with hands full just keeping up—are the ones that could benefit the most from  business management and consulting help the most.

This noodle shop is just an example, but it reflects so many sides of the potential business
benefits of consulting.

1. Defining Business Management in the Small Business Context

At its heart, business management involves organizing resources, setting strategic goals, and making smart decisions to guide an organization forward. For small businesses like the noodle shop, where the focus is constantly on the immediate demands of cooking, serving, and cleaning, business management could introduce simple strategies to help bringing in more customers, or refining the system that is in place already. It’s about going from merely surviving to thriving, creating sustainable growth without compromising the initial mission of the business.

2. The Value of Business Management for Small Companies

   a. Goal Setting
For a small business like the noodle shop, having a thought-out business strategy means more than just serving food every night—it’s            about envisioning the future. Structured business management assistance could help the restaurant set goals beyond just making it to the next day. Perhaps there can be coupons given to customers dining in to bring them in again or a more developed social media account for better advertisement. With clear objectives, the shop could take a little time to improve in areas they wouldn’t have thought about previously, and it is these areas that will make all the difference.

   b. Operational Efficiency
One of the biggest challenges in the noodle shop was juggling a lot of tasks at once. Business management will help streamline operations, reducing unnecessary actions and maximizing productivity. For example, with an automated phone call and online ordering system, I could
have spent more time engaging with customers and less time taking phone orders. With investments made in cleaning robots or a more efficient schedule of cleaning, I could have spent less time running around the restaurant with wet hands from mopping tables. This focus on
efficiency allows small businesses to operate with less stress and more effectiveness.

   c. Financial Sustainability
In our noodle shop, I saw firsthand how thin the margins were. Cash is king. Effective business management can establish budgeting, calculating, and forecasting practices, maintaining stability even during slow seasons. Implementing small changes, like weekly budget meetings or tracking the costs of supplies, better management of ingredients that could perhaps be better preserved, or maybe even making changes to the supply chain to reduce costs could make a difference in long-term sustainability.

   d. Better Decision-Making
When you’re constantly busy, decisions are often made on the fly without much time to weigh options. I have gotten better at making decisions on the fly as I worked in the restaurant, but I could have definitely benefited from an organized system. Business management introduces
frameworks to help assess risks and make decisions. At the noodle shop, this might mean assessing which nights to sell specials or whether adding a seasonal menu item would attract more customers (It did! This is a real story). Structured decision-making allows small businesses
to take more calculated risks and change their plans without risking too much of what they already have.

   e. Strong Company Culture
The noodle shop had a sense of family, a warm culture where the cooks never forgot to make me dinner even during the busiest nights. This is something small businesses can leverage through strong management. With guidance from consulting professionals, the shop could
perhaps foster this sense of family and extend it to the customers as well, reinforcing a brand identity that encourages loyalty. To me, business management doesn’t necessarily mean streamlining processes and losing passion amidst business jargon, but rather enhancing the
authentic elements of a restaurant that makes it unique in the first place.

   f. Building Of Brand
While my local noodle shop may not prioritize its brand image, this idea is very important for standing out in today’s market. Business management could help create a consistent, welcoming image for the shop. Simple strategies like bringing in hand-pulled noodle artists that
pull and make the noodles in front of customers, or sharing stories about the cooks’ stories on instagram could help the business connect with customers in a deeper way, building loyalty and finding our own niche.

   g. Customer Satisfaction
Customer service was a big part of my job at the noodle shop, but since I was so busy with everything else, I often engaged with my customers less than I would have liked. Business management could focus on systems to improve customer experience, such as feedback
systems or loyalty incentives. Implementing these changes can allow us to address every customer’s needs in a more personalized way, creating more regulars for the business. Small things like customer reward points can drastically improve customer satisfaction and create a
bond between the store and the community.

3. Key Business Management Skills
     ● Financial Literacy: Like our noodle shop’s need for budget awareness, financial literacy is key to managing tight budgets effectively.
     ● Leadership and Management: Building a team atmosphere, as the cooks did with me, strengthens loyalty and improves morale.
     ● Strategic Planning: Setting goals beyond survival—such as adding new items or catering to a broader audience—is essential.
     ● Marketing and Sales: Understanding your target audience and engaging with them through simple methods like social media or customer
        feedback.
     ● Problem Solving and Decision-Making: Tools to solve operational issues efficiently can prevent small problems from becoming major
        obstacles.

4. The Long-Term Benefits of Business Management for Small Companies
At the noodle shop, it was clear that our focus was often on surviving rather than thriving. However, with business management in place, the shop could have looked beyond the daily routine and created a path for sustainable growth. Business management enables small
businesses to adapt, improve, and ultimately expand without losing the authentic qualities that make them special. It offers a pathway for small businesses to evolve from passion projects to long standing community staples.

5. Conclusion
Working at the noodle shop taught me that success in small business isn’t just about dedication and hard work; it’s also about finding support and structure to help manage the load. Effective business management provides small businesses with the tools and strategies they need to
build stability and pursue growth, allowing them to do what they do best—create, serve, and connect with their community—while confidently navigating the journey ahead. At FUNEL Business Management Group, we provide small businesses with just that: a stepping stone to
success. FUNEL specializes in helping small and medium-sized businesses achieve their full potential through data-driven solutions that target all facets of growth. Their approach aligns with the values and needs of small businesses like the noodle shop, where owners may not
have the energy to focus on anything but day-to-day operations. By focusing on digital transformation, financial planning, and workflow refinement, FUNEL provides a way for businesses to evolve strategically, creating sustainable development and ensuring that these
business owners can continue to do what they love.