SOMREP Business skills curriculum
doing. Explain that they have a lot of time to do this, so they should not rush. Tell them
that if they look for funding they will need to present this business plan to potential
funders and investors.
11) Plan to spend each day on completing a different section of the business plan template so
that by the end of the allotted time, the participants will have completed the entire
business plan.
12) On the last day, after participants have finished drafting their business plans, explain to
them that they will be having a business plan competition. Remind them that when they
begin to start their business and look for funding they will need to present this business
plan to potential funders and investors, so this will serve as good practice. Explain that
they will each have 15 minutes to creatively present their plans in the following training
day. Also let them know that the five best business plans will receive a prize!
13) Spend the last day helping participants prepare their presentations. Make sure each
participant has flip chart paper and markers to use. Also make sure to walk around and
answer any questions that may come up.
Handout 10: Detailed Business Plan
Cover Sheet
• Name of Business
• Owners
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email
Business Description
Describe your business in detail using complete sentences
Background
Begin with the story of how and why you decided upon this particular business. For example, did it
start as a hobby that you then found a market for? Were you doing it for someone else, but
thought you could do it better on your own? Did you see a market need that wasn’t being filled?
Name
What is the name of your business?
Location
Where is the business located, or where will the business be located? Describe the physical
setting.
Detailed Product/Service Description
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What is the product or service you offer? How do you make sure your product or service is of the
best and consistent quality?
If applicable, describe the production process is your business seasonal? Pricing
How are you pricing your product/service? How did you decide on that price?
Startup Requirements
✓ What do you need to go into or expand your business?
✓ The amount of space needed and why? What will this cost?
✓ What inventory will you need? Where will you buy it? What will it cost?
✓ What equipment will you need? Where will you get it? What will it cost? What equipment
and/or furniture do you already have? What is its market value?
✓ Any other specific needs to your business? At what cost?
✓ How many employees will you need, if any, and why?
SESSION 3: MARKET ANALYSIS
Time: 1 hour
MARKET ANALYSIS - WHO IS YOUR CUSTOMER?
Industry (Describe your market or industry. Be very detailed and use complete sentences. Use the
following ideas as guidelines)
1. How has your industry changed in recent years? Is it growing or shrinking?
2. If it is growing, how many more people are using the product/service?
3. If it is shrinking, how will you take advantage of this?
4. Have there been changes in regulation, technology, or customer awareness?
5. Where did you get the information to answer these questions? Document your sources.
Customer Profile (Who is your target customer? Give facts about your customers)
6. Income ranges from __________ to __________ per year.
7. Ages range from _____ to _____.
8. Males _____ Females _____.
9. My customers live in ________________ (City, county, neighborhood).
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10. Your market area covers _____ people in a _____ mile area.
11. Customers will buy the product/service because: _____________________
12. Customers will buy it: daily __ weekly __ monthly __ quarterly __ yearly __ other
13. Customers are willing to spend up to __________ for the product/service.
Competition
a. What makes your product/service different from the competition?
b. Why would someone purchase your product/service over the competition? This is
a very important section!
14. Give a detailed description of your three strongest competitors. What are their
strengths? Their weaknesses?
15. Why would the customer prefer to come to you rather than the competition?
MARKETING PLAN - HOW TO GET THEM
16. How will you reach your customers? Explain the different methods of advertising that you
will use.
17. Which ones will be the most effective in reaching your customer? Explain why.
18. Consider the cost of each method and how that will translate into sales for the
business. For example, if I spend 100 dollars on 1,000 flyers, I will bring in five new
customers. My average sale is 25 dollars. This will bring in 125 dollars in new sales.
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Who will manage this business? What will you or another manager be responsible for? What skills,
background, etc. do you or the manager bring to thee business
BUSINESS OPERATIONS
If you use suppliers, discuss their availability and reliability. What back up plan do you have?
CRITICAL RISKS
Unfortunately, things can happen in our lives or our businesses to change the direction we
thought we were heading. It is important to consider anything that could negatively impact your
business and be prepared to handle it. Remember, if you work out these potential problems now
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(on paper), you should be prepared to handle anything that might take place. Identify threats that
might negatively impact your business and what your plan of action would be.
Use the following examples as guidelines
✓ Declining sales or lower than expected sales (possibly due to economic slowdown, new
competition, incorrect assessment of market).
✓ Demand for product/service is too high and the business can’t meet the needs
✓ Fire or other disaster that destroys or damages the premises
✓ Loss of key supplier
✓ Loss or illness of key employee or illness of yourself
✓ Customer doesn’t pay, hurting cash flow
BUSINESS STARTUP PLAN
This should include a detailed list of your business startup costs, broken down and then added
together. It should include where and how you will get the funding to start your business
FUTURE PLANS
Describe your vision for your business in the future as it grows and changes to meet the needs of
the market. For some people, expansion is the goal. For others, being able to delegate and have
more time for family is important.
Consider the following questions as you work on this section:
1) Where do you see the business in one year and why?
2) What changes do you see in the market and in your own life, which may influence the
business a year from now?
3) Where do you see the business in five years and why?
4) What trends do you anticipate in your industry over the next five years?
It should also include a projected income chart. This should include your projected income from
the business (the profits it will bring in) each month for the first year of its operations
Recap
Read the recap questions to the group, allowing time for participants to reflect and respond.
➢ What are some of the things we learned in this chapter?
➢ How will you use these skills in your life and/or business?
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CHAPTER 2
SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT MODULE
Module Outline
Module Units Sessions Time
Small 1) Introduction 1. Introduction to Small Business 0.5 hours
Business Management Issues
Management 2) Business 2 hours
Operations 2. Managing products and services,
money and people 2 hours
3) Organizing
Your Business 1. Organizing products and services, I hour
money and people
4) Keys to 1 hour
Effective 1. Keys to Effective Management
Management 1.5 hours
1. Managing Issues that arise on daily
5) Keeping Track basis I hour
of Your
Business 1. How to Manage Business 1 hour
Operations 2 hours
6) Guest Speaker 2.5 hours
1. Introduction to Money 1.5 hours
7) Record Management 1.5 hours
Keeping 1 hour
2. Introduction to Record Keeping 2 hours
8) Financial 3. Business Records
Planning 4. Visit to a local business entity 0.5 hours
1) Importance of Financial Planning 1 hour
9) Making 2) Making SMART Financial Plans
Decisions & 1. Making a good decision 0.5 hours
Solving 2. Problem solving and business 1.5 hours
Problems in
Business decisions
3. Emotions and problem solving
4. Problem solving and time
management
5. Multiple Solutions
6. Family and Business
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UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION
SESSION 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Time: 50 minutes
Objectives
➢ Introduce ourselves to what is involved in operating a business
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
➢ Wheel of Business Chart
➢ Prepare the Wheel of Business Chart using flipcharts
Facilitation Steps
Activity: Turning the Wheel of Business
1) Explain to participants that there key factors that we should take into consideration
when operating a business
2) Tell participant that for them to appreciate these factors, they will need to play a
game - The Wheels of Business
3) Present the Wheel of Business and hang it on a wall, where it can be turned with ease.
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5. Ask each participant in turn the wheel and when it settles, they should read the factor
appearing at the top most and take 2 minutes to explain what means to them.
6. Ask someone to record the explanations
7. Collect the explanations and keep them till when making Recap at the end of session 2
UNIT 2: BUSINESS OPERATIONS
SESSION 2: MANAGING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, MONEY AND PEOPLE
Time: 2 hours
Objectives
➢ Understand what is involved in operating a business.
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
Part A: Production
Facilitation Steps
1) Explain to participants that operating a business involves production, finance and
administration. Demonstrate the chart below.
Explain: “We are going to go through the three different parts of operating a business. First, we
will explore what is involved in production.
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Pose a question: Do you know what production means?”
Write their answers on a flip chart. Guide participants to the following answers.
I. Production is the activities related to developing and keeping up the supply of your
product and/or service.
II. Production is:
a. Buying goods to sell, to use to make goods to sell or to use for services.
b. Making products to sell.
c. Making sure there are enough products or services to sell.
Divide participants into two groups of a) Those already in business and b) those with business
ideas to be implemented. In the groups ask; who is involved in the production of your business
idea/ business? Ask the groups to write their ideas on a flip chart.
Then ask them to share their ideas with everyone.
Answers may include:
I. Suppliers or wholesalers
(other business people who
supply you with the goods to
sell or the materials to make
the goods to sell).
II. Skilled craftsmen who can
make goods.
III. Skilled workers who can
provide the service or train
others to provide a service
After participants have understood production within their business ideas, tell them you are now
going to give them three helpful hints when thinking about production in their business
operations.
Display the flipchart prepared with the word’ Production’, and then add the following list.
a. Use Multiple Suppliers.
b. Purchase in Bulk.
c. Turn your Inventory Often.
Go through each point using the following outline for discussion. Write key points on the flip chart
as you go over them. You can use this chart to illustrate:
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After going over the hints ask participants if they have anything else to add or any other hints they
think are helpful when thinking about the production operations of their business.
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Handout 1
Handout 1: Hints for Production
Hint 1: Use Multiple Suppliers
1) Make sure participants are familiar with who suppliers are, explain that they are the
people you buy your goods from.
2) Explain that many problems that arise between you and your suppliers can be avoided if
you use more than one supplier to get your goods.
3) Having multiple suppliers allows you (as the business owner) to bargain for lower prices,
make use of sales and get things consistently.
4) If you deal with multiple suppliers you create competition, which is likely to lead to
suppliers offering you better deals and better services.
5) As your business grows your business needs will change, and different suppliers may
become more useful. You will need to consider different suppliers as your needs change
6) You should choose suppliers who are honest, trustworthy and on time, and who are
flexible in giving you better prices.
7) Using multiple suppliers means that your supplies are always available; if you use just one
supplier and there is a change, they could run out of what you need.
Hint 2: Purchase in bulk
1) To make money your business has to have products to sell. If there are no products
regularly available for your customers you will not make profit.
2) Purchasing your supplies in big amounts can make it cheaper as you can
negotiate better prices with your suppliers. It also means that you will have
enough products to sell.
3) When purchasing lots of supplies or products you need understand whether
the items can go bad and how much you are selling on a daily basis. This will help you
determine how much you should buy at one time.
Hint 3: Turn Your Inventory Often
1) Inventory is the products you have in your store that are ready to sell. Turning your
inventory occurs when you sell all of your products.
2) The more often you turn your inventory the more money you make, your goal should be
to sell your entire inventory.
3) Some inventory sells faster than others. You should concentrate on selling the inventory
that sells slower and keep good records so you can buy more inventory that sells fast.
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Part B: Finance
1) Explain: “Now we have understood production in our business operations, we are going to
now look at finance. Does anyone know what finance or the financial aspects of business
means?” Write their answers on a flip chart. Guide participants to the following answers.
Finance is the activities related to keeping track of the money flowing in and out of your
business.
Illustrate using a 2 flip chart written:
✓ Money in and Money out
Ask participants to brainstorm on activities that relate to sales and expenses by writing on the
respective flip charts. Summarize as follows:
✓ Keeping financial records (expenses and sales).
✓ Making decisions on where the profit goes.
✓ Paying taxes and government dues.
2) Ask participants to return to the same two groups they were in for the production activity.
Ask: “Who is involved in the financial aspects of your business idea?” Ask the groups to
write their ideas on a flip chart, and then ask them to share their ideas with everyone.
Answers may include:
✓ Yourself or the person responsible for keeping the finances.
✓ People who receive payments from you (expenses), such as suppliers, your landlord, your
employees.
✓ People who receive or spend your profits, such as banks for savings accounts, your family
for family expenses.
✓ Government officials who set tax laws and collect payments.
✓ After participants have understood the financial operations in their business ideas, tell
them that you will now give them three helpful hints when thinking about finances.
3) Displays the flip charts prepared with the word ‘Finances’ and add the following.
✓ Keep Good Records.
✓ Increase Sales; Decrease Costs.
✓ Keep Things Separate.
4) Go through each point using the following outline for discussion. Write key points on the
flip chart as you go. You may too illustrate using this chart below:
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Handout 2
Handout 2: Hints for Finance
Hint 1: Keep Good Records
1) It is important to keep records so you can understand everything that happens in your
business. We will discuss how to do this in the following sessions.
2) Records are key to making your business grow and can help you make important business
decisions.
3) Record keeping helps you notice the small things about your business that you may miss if
you do not keep track. It is important to make sure your records are accurate and
reviewed on a regular basis
Hint 2: Increase Sales; Decrease Costs
1) To make money your business has to have products to sell. If there are no products
regularly available for your customers you will not make profit.
2) Two things, Sales and Expenses, affect business profits. You can
increase your profits by making your expenses smaller or by making your
sales bigger, or by doing both at the same time.
3) As discussed in earlier in the training, you can increase your sales by having
a good product, a good location, better relations with your customers, etc.
4) By keeping good records and understanding the financial operations of your
business you can also make your expenses smaller. Your records will help you identify
where costs are really high, so you can think of ways to reduce those expenses (think of
the multiple supplier hint above or buying in bulk).
5) You should always aim to keep your expenses low and your sales high.
Hint 3: Separate Personal and Business Accounts
1) After the startup of your business is paid for and you begin running your business on a
daily basis it is important to make sure you treat your business money as separate from
your personal money.
2) This means your financial records for your business and yourself should also be kept
separate. Keeping these records separate will help your business grow.
3) It is important to treat yourself as an employee of the business, not make the business
your personal money account. We will talk about this more later in the training.
Part C: Administration
1) Explain: “Now that we have understood the business operations activities that fall under
production and finance, we are going to look at administration. Do you know what the
administration parts of business are?” Write their answers on a flip chart.
2) Guide participants to the following definition: Administration activities are those that keep
the business running on a daily basis e.g.
a. Placing orders for supplies and other needed materials.
b. Filling out paperwork such as contracts, sales agreements
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c. Keeping track of employees.
5) Ask participants to return to the same two groups as the production and finance activity.
Ask: “Who is involved in the administration aspects of your business?”
6) Ask each group to write their ideas on flip chart, and then ask them to share their ideas.
Answers may include:
✓ Yourself or the person responsible for keeping track of paper work.
✓ Employees hired to work with your business.
✓ Suppliers and other people who are in partnership with your business or are receiving
orders from your business.
7) After participants have identified the administration within their business ideas, tell them
you are going to give them two helpful hints when thinking about administration. Display
the flip chart prepared with the word ‘Administration’, You may too illustrate using this
chart below:
✓ Have Written Agreements at all times.
✓ Start Small, Think Big.
8. Go through each point using the following outline for discussion. Write key points on flip chart
as you go.
9. After going over the hints ask participants if they have anything else to add or any other hints
they might think are helpful when thinking about the administration operations of their
business.
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Handout
Handout 3: Hints for Administration
Hint 1: Have Written Agreements
It is important to keep records to track of your finances and it is just as important to keep track of
your business dealings with other people, such as employers, suppliers or others providing you a
service. You can do this using a written agreement.
You should have clear agreements written out with people you work with. This means they are
clear what they are responsible for and you are clear what you are responsible for.
The written agreement should include anticipated problems and solutions, which are agreed
between you and the other person. Later, you can protect yourself by referring to what was
written down in the agreement
Hint 2: Start Small, Think Big
It is important to set big goals for what your business can achieve, but to achieve your goals you
should start small. Identify what is working in your business and make a plan on how to use it to
expand.
It takes time to learn the processes involved in running a business and everyone will make
mistakes If your business starts small it is easier to manage while you are working everything out.
Putting the operations systems in place while the business is small will help you to plan how to
grow it. If you start big you will not have the experience to run those systems well.
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UNIT 3: ORGANIZING YOUR BUSINESS
SESSION 1: ORGANIZING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, MONEY AND PEOPLE
Time: 2 hours
Objectives
➢ Develop an outline showing how we will organize our business.
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
➢ Handout 4: Organizing Your Business Outline.
➢ Pens or pencils.
➢ Toothpicks and moldable or sticky substance
Part A: Production
Facilitation Steps
1) Initial Steps: Team building activity: BUILDING THE TOWER
✓ The first activity challenges participants to work together as a team; encouraging
team-building skills and working to reach a goal.
✓ Divide participants into teams of four or five. Give each team a box of toothpicks
and moldable or sticky material. Give teams five to 10 minutes to create the
tallest structure.
✓ Ask three or four volunteers from different teams. Ask: “Describe what steps you
took as a team to build your tower. How did you work together? What went well?
What was challenging?”
2) Second Step: APPLICATION: Now ask participants to think about something they have
organized or planned themselves or with others, such as a sporting activity, mosque
event, school performance, family celebration
3) Ask three or four participants to describe what steps they took to organize the event and
how they went about those steps (allow up to THREE (3) minutes for each participant to
speak)
4) Explain:
✓ “The organization skills used to plan any event can also be used to start your
business. We have just heard how a few of you used organizational skills. We
heard how you started with identifying tasks that needed to get done, assigning
roles for those tasks and setting deadlines for when the tasks needed to be
finished.”
5) Explain:
✓ “During this activity we will create an outline for how to start organizing our
business and assign roles and deadlines, in a similar way to how we organize other
things in our lives.”
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6) ACTIVITY: Give Handout 32: Organizing Your Business Outline to each participant. Explain
that to make it easier you will divide the tasks into the three categories of operations
identified in the last activity (production, finance, administration). You may display this
chart.
7) Display the flip chart of Handout 4: Organizing Your Business Outline and go through
each question under each category (production, finance, administration). Make sure
everyone understands how to fill in the handout.
Production Note to facilitator:
✓ What will you need to produce and sell your Remember that participants may need
products/services? more than one thing for a product or
service, and may sell or produce more
✓ Who will help you get it? than one product or service.
✓ Where will you get it? They need to answer every question for
each of these things separately.
✓ How often will you need it?
Finances For example, for their finances
they need to keep track of in terms of
✓ What will you need to keep track of? administration, they should also identify
each thing that they need to keep track
✓ Who will keep track of it and who will make of or make agreements on (purchase of
the decisions? supplies, rent, etc).
✓ Where will you keep track of it?
✓ How often will you keep track of it?
Administration
✓ What will you need to keep track of/make
agreements on?
✓ Who will help you keep track of it/make
agreements with?
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✓ How often will you need to keep track of it?
8) Ask participants to return to their small groups. Ask each participant to individually fill out
the outline for their business on their Handout 32: Organizing Your Business Outline, with
help from their group members.
9) Give everyone enough time to fill out their sheet. Visit each group to provide guidance.
10) Once they have finished ask three or four volunteers to share their outline with everyone.
Ask for feedback from other participants.
11) After the presentations explain that this outline will help them when thinking about their
business startup and operations. Tell them to keep their outline safe as this would be a
good thing to discuss with their mentors. The outline will help guide them when making
decisions around hiring employees, identifying business partners, determining how often
things should be done and who will be responsible for operations decisions and tasks.
Handout 4: Organizing Your Business Outline
Production
1) What will you need to produce and sell your products/services:
2) Who will help you get it:
3) Where will you get it:
4) How often will you need it:
Finances
1) What will you need to keep track of:
2) Who will keep track of it and who will make the decisions:
3) Where will you keep track of it: How often will you keep track of it:
Administration
1) What will you need to keep track of/make agreements on:
2) Who will help you keep track of it/make agreements with: How often will you need to
keep track of it:
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UNIT 4: THE KEYS TO EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT
SESSION 1: KEYS TO EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT
Time: 1 hour
Objectives
➢ Identify the keys to effective management.
➢ Understand our roles as managers in our business or place of work.
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
➢ Handout 5: Leadership Styles
Facilitation Steps
1) Tell participants: “We are going to talk about leadership today. Think of a sports team.
(Ask participants to name any local football team)
2) Explain: A sports team usually has team members and a coach. Each role serves an
important purpose. What is the role of the coach?”
3) Help participants think about various responsibilities of a coach, such as motivating their
team members, helping players improve their skills, getting the team to play better
together, leading practices, scheduling games for the team, making sure team members
have what they need to be healthy and strong, making decisions, etc.
4) Ask participants what a team would do if it didn’t have a coach? Emphasize the
importance of a coach.
5) Explain that a coach is a leader, and all of their responsibilities require leadership skills.
Business owners are also leaders, and are very important members of a business. For a
business to do well, it is important that the business owner and managers have leadership
skills. Explain that everyone can be a leader, and there are several different styles of
leadership.
6) Read the list of Leadership Styles on Handout 33: Leadership Styles. Ask participants to
listen carefully and choose a style they think best describes them. Once they have chosen
one, tell participants to form groups based on the style they think best describes them.
7) Participants should talk with their groups about their leadership type and the strengths
that they have. How would this make them a good leader?
8) Invite a volunteer from each group to share two or three of their leadership styles. Tell
everyone to think about these strengths as you begin to talk about managing a business or
other employees.
9) Explain: “Earlier in the training we learned what is involved in business operations. Now
we will discuss how you as managers of your business will carry out your duties and
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responsibilities. What does management mean?”
10) Write their ideas on the board or flip chart and together come up with a definition based
on their suggestions.
✓ The organization and coordination of activities of a business.
✓ Maintaining the day-to-day activities of a business.
✓ Supervising the day-to-day activities of a business.
11) Explain to participants that the responsibilities of a manager can be broken down into two
key areas.
✓ Operating
✓ Controlling
Illustrate this using the chart below:
12) Divide participants into two groups.
✓ Tell one group it is operating and one controlling. Ask the groups to come up with
examples of tasks or activities in the management of their business that would fall
into their assigned area.
✓ Ask both groups to give feedback and write their examples on a flip chart. Ask if
anyone has more to add.
13) Read:
Operating: Business owners oversee the day to day activities of a business.
As managers you should make sure you are aware of all the pieces of operations discussed in
earlier activities (production, finance and administration). You should make sure all the operations
are happening and running smoothly, when things are not it is your job to step in and solve the
issues. As a manager you should also make sure you are aware of the resources you have and how
best to use them. To run your business well you must know where things are at all times.
Controlling: Business owners keep in mind the goals set for their business.
As a manager you should make sure your business is always working towards the goals you set out
for your business and be able to make adjustments or changes to reach those goals. As a manager
you control the direction of the business and need to make sure the business is taking steps in the
direction you want (towards growth, expansion and continued profits). Planning can help you stay
on the right path towards expanding and making your business a success. Plans also guide others
involved in your business.
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14) Explain:
“Good management is about understanding your role as a manager. You must balance your
time between working on the day-to-day things in your business (operating) and planning the
direction your business is heading to reach your goals (controlling). As a manager you will
need to trust others to support you in doing all these tasks. This will help you to devote time
to setting goals and making sure your business is heading in the right direction.”
15) Read this story:
Amina has always been a very involved and responsible business owner. Her trash/ garbage
collecting company in Lasanood has been in business for about seven months and is doing very
well. Although she was nervous about opening the business, she soon found that she really enjoys
talking with customers, recording each day’s collections, creating financial record systems,
keeping her store tidy and traveling to take her collected items to the larger garbage dump a few
hours away.
Amina is very busy from 7am until 7pm. Her store receives enough business that she really could
use some help, but she hasn’t hired an employee yet. Amina’s friend Asha always tells her that she
should open another trash collecting location so that people in other parts of the city can use a
business that is closer. Amina is always happy to hear Asha’s compliments and agrees that she
would like to expand her business one day.
But Amina tells Abu that she doesn’t have the time to expand her business and start another
location. She is too busy with her current location and can’t operate two stores at once. Asha is
afraid that if Amina doesn’t hire an employee to help with the day to day operations and
organizing of the business she will make herself sick from being so tired and will never be able to
achieve her goals of expanding her business.
16) Ask:
✓ Did Amina focus on both key management areas? If not, what did she miss?
✓ Why is it important that Amina try to focus on controlling?
✓ What can Amina do so that she can reach her business goals?
17) Explain to participants that Amina must concentrate on all areas of running a business and
this may mean hiring others to help. To be a good business manager Amina needs to both
work in her business day to day and ON her business, trying to expand it and make it
grow. Ask participants if they have any questions before moving on to the next activity.
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Handout
Handout 5: Leadership Styles
1) Innovator: An innovator is creative. An innovator brings new ideas and original solutions
to the marketplace. They think creatively to solve problems. Ask yourself: Do you often
think of ideas that your friends and family have never thought of? Do you like to be
creative?
2) Developer: A developer is flexible. When there is a problem, a developer takes action to
solve it right away and they learn and make adjustments along the way. Ask yourself: Are
you often one of the first people to take action when something goes wrong? Do you stay
calm under pressure? If something doesn’t work, do you keep trying different possibilities
until it does?
3) Perseverer: A perserverer never gives up. A perserverer keeps moving forward to achieve
challenging goals. They overcome obstacles and get things done. Ask yourself: Do you
often take on difficult problems? Do your friends and family rely on you to get things
done?
4) Collaborator: A collaborator works well with others. A collaborator embraces the good of
the past while making new changes. A collaborator works well together with all different
kinds of people. Ask yourself: Do you get along well with others? Do you like to work
together with other people? Do your friends and family come to you for advice on how to
solve their problems?
5) Stabilizer: A stabilizer is consistent. A stabilizer keeps things running smoothly and
efficiently. They create systems that are very organized and keep high standards. Ask
yourself: Do your friends and family think of you as reliable? Are you very organized? Do
you like to keep things clean and orderly?
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UNIT 5: KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR BUSINESS
SESSION 1: MANAGING ISSUES THAT ARISE ON DAILY BASIS
Time - 1 hour
Objectives
➢ Identify how to handle issues that arise with employees.
➢ Review effective management strategies.
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
Facilitation Steps
1) Explain to participants:
“We discussed in the last activity that to be a good
manager it is important to be able to concentrate on the
key areas of management.
As we heard in the story about Amina, sometimes a
manager needs to hire some employees so they can also
focus on managing and achieving business goals.
Hiring employees comes with new responsibilities and
new things to keep track of.”
2) Use the following questions to guide a discussion about some of the issues that may come
up when someone works for you. Illustrate using 3 flip charts bearing these questions:
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3) Answers should include:
➢ Employees stealing things.
➢ Employees showing up late and/or leaving early.
➢ Employees not doing their jobs or doing things wrong.
➢ Employees lying, employees always being sick, etc.
4) Tell participants that you are now going to use some of these issues to do some role-
playing. Divide participants into three groups and ask each group look at the flip chart and
decide what issue they want to role-play. Make sure that the groups don’t choose the
same issue.
5) Explain: “In your groups prepare a five-minute role play which you will then present to
everyone. The role-play should show the issue happening and the owner of the business
dealing with it. Show how the issue can happen in your business and the different steps
you would take to solve it.” Ask if anyone has any questions.
6) Ask each group to present their role-play. After every role-play ask the following questions
to create discussion.
➢ Do you think the role play was realistic?
➢ Do you think the group handled the issue with the employee well?
➢ How would you have handled it differently?
7) Could the business owner have done anything to avoid the issues?
8) Next, explain to participants that you are going to give them two helpful hints in dealing
with employees and keeping track of their business.
9) Write the first hint Inspect More, Assume Less on a flip chart. Discuss the following points
with participants, adding key points to the flip chart.
✓ As the business manager/owner expecting or assuming things will happen is
not enough to make sure those things will happen.
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✓ Once you have trained employees and set out your expectations of them, you must
continue to follow-up and inspect their work to make sure they are doing what you want
them to do.
✓ When inspecting, you need to inform employees of mistakes and correct them when you
see mistakes happening. Letting mistakes go unnoticed can make trouble for you later.
Inspecting will allow you to stop small problems from becoming bigger ones.
✓ By developing the habit of inspecting more and assuming less you will become better able
to monitor, keep track and control all aspects of your business.
10) Write the second helpful hint Hire Slow; Fire Fast on a flip chart. Discuss the following
points with participants, writing key points on the flip chart.
✓ Employees are a very important part to growing your business. They are
often responsible for the small day-to-day tasks involved in running a growing business. If
they do their jobs well they can help your business reach your goals. But they can also do
harm to your business if they do not perform well. Choosing good employees is extremely
important.
✓ When finding employees do not hire whoever is available or your family member or best
friend. Instead you should hire the best person for the job.
✓ Very few employees will be perfect for your business needs. As you are inspecting and
overseeing your business, check on the performance of the employees. If an employee is
not performing well and is hurting your business, do not delay in letting the employee go,
do not keep people around who aren’t helping you reach your business goals.
✓ Do not let anyone ‘help’ around your business unless you have carefully thought about the
job that needs to be done, the skills that person needs to have to do the job and the kind
of experience that person needs to be successful at the job. Don’t just let people ‘help’
because they are there or because they have asked you for some extra money.
Recap
Read the recap questions to the group, allowing time for participants to reflect and respond.
➢ What are some of the things we learned in this session?
➢ How will you use these skills in your life and/or business?
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UNIT 6: GUEST SPEAKER
SESSION 1: HOW TO MANAGE BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Time - 1 hour 30 minutes
Training aids
➢ Arrange for a guest speaker from a successful business enterprise to speak to the group.
➢ Meet with the speaker first to discuss how the session will work and the important areas
that you would like them to cover. Ask them to speak about how the enterprise was
founded and how they go about managing people, finance and production processes.
➢ Ensure the guest speaker knows what time to arrive and the duration to take for the talk.
➢ Set up the room so that the participants and guest speaker sit in a circle
Facilitation Steps
1) Remind the group about the previous discussion on operating and organizing a business.
Tell participants that there is a special guest speaker from a local but successful business
operation who will be taking to them during this session.
2) Divide participants into groups of four and ask them to spend 15 minutes coming up with
four or more questions that they would like to ask the speaker, such as the examples
below.
a. Where is the business located?
b. When was the business founded?
c. How does the business manage finance, production and administrative processes?
d. How does the business keep track of all matters happening in the business-
operating and controlling?
3) When the group is ready, invite the guest speaker to introduce themselves and the
business enterprise they represent.
4) Questions for the guest speaker
✓ Where is the business located?
✓ When was the business founded?
✓ How does the business manage finance, production and administrative processes?
✓ How does the business keep track of all matters happening in the business operating and
controlling?
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UNIT 7: RECORD KEEPING
SESSION 1: INTRODUCTION TO MONEY MANAGEMENT
Time - 1 hr
Objectives
➢ Introduce the participants to basic issues around money
➢ Identify six steps to managing our money
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
Facilitation Steps
1) Explain to participants:
“In the financial literacy class; we discussed keeping business finances separate from personal
finances, as well as how to avoid feeling pressured to give away earnings and business products
to friends and family. Now we are going to discuss some ways to better manage the money we
will earn with our new businesses.”
2) Ask participants if they remember the earlier activities around ‘needs’ and ‘wants.’ Ask
participants to quickly review the difference between the two.
3) Explain: “When you first start earning money from your business you will be tempted to
spend most of it on wants, so it is important to have some tips when deciding what to do
with your money.”
4) Explain: “We are going to explore how exactly we should manage the money we get from
our business. When deciding how to spend your money it is helpful to consider these six
steps of money management.”
5) As you read the six steps write them on a flip chart and ask participants if they have
questions. You could too, illustrate them using the chart below:
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6) Now that you have gone over the six steps, ask participants to get into pairs. Tell them to
take out the Handout 8: My Budget template that they completed in the session on
budgeting.
7) Ask participants to go over their charts and analyze their budgets based on the six steps.
What things do they want to buy? How much will they cost? Are they really necessary?
Will they help you achieve your goals? Remind them to be specific and realistic, based on
the money they have for the month.
8) Ask them to use their notebooks to make new plans if necessary.
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9) Walk around to each pair and make sure they understand the activity. Once they are
finished have three or four participants present their plans.
10) Finish by asking if anyone has any questions. Remind participants that the better they plan
the more likely they are to succeed.
SESSION 2: INTRODUCTION TO RECORD KEEPING
Time - 1 hour
Objectives
➢ Learn why it’s important to keep records in our businesses.
➢ Identify the various types of record keeping and their purposes.
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
Training aids
➢ Prepare a flip chart with the Keeping Records chart. See steps for the chart.
Facilitation Steps
Ask participants to discuss the general idea of record
keeping. What types of different records do people
keep in their daily life? School records, photos, papers
of ownership of houses, etc.
1) Ask participants to define ‘business record keeping’ in their own words. Write their
answers on a flip chart and decide on one simple definition.
2) Ensure the following answers are included.
➢ Keeping track of business expenses and sales (cash going in and out of the
business).
➢ Keeping track of inventory and goods purchased and sold.
➢ Keeping track of prices and how much items cost.
➢ Helps to calculate profit.
2) Ask participants to turn to the person to their right and discuss with them what types of
records they are planning to keep when they first start their business. After a few minutes
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ask for volunteers to share their ideas with everyone.
3) Review the following terms with participants. Ask participants to try to define them first,
and then guide them to make sure they have the right answers
Sales or Income: The total amount of money earned from selling products or services.
Cost or Expenditure: All the money that you spend to pay for labor, raw materials, equipment, rent and other
costs.
Profit: Is when you spend less than what you get in income. Loss: Is when you spend more than what you get in
income.
Inventory: A business’s merchandise, either raw materials to make the products/services or the products
themselves.
3) Explain to participants that these are the main things that you are going to want to keep track
of in your business using accurate records.
4) Ask participants: “Why do you think it is important to keep accurate records of each of these
amounts?” Make sure they are specific in their answers.
5) Put the prepared flip chart ‘Keeping Records’ up where everyone can view it (see table below).
➢ Go through the reasons why it is important to keep these records.
6) After going through the table, ask participants if they have any questions:
➢ Explain that soon they will learn about different types of business records and
design their own plan for keeping records.
Key Records Why it is important to keep
Sales/Income & To check where the money is coming from and where it is going.
Cost/Expenditure To be able to see what in your business is making you the most
money.
Profit & Loss To be able to see what in your business is costing the most
money.
Inventory To know if you have earned more money this week or month
than last week or month.
Customers (Receipt) To know if you are reaching your goals.
To know how much you have in your business at any given time.
To know which products are selling faster, and which ones are
not selling very well.
To know what things, you have to buy more of, and when you
need to buy it.
To keep track of what you have sold and to who.
To avoid misunderstandings with customers. To see what time
of days is the busiest.
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SESSION 3: BUSINESS RECORDS
Time - 2 hrs
Objectives
➢ Familiarize ourselves with record keeping systems for business or work.
➢ Begin a record keeping system for our business
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
➢ Handout 6: Income and Expenditure Record. Handout 7: Receipt Sample Form.
Handout 8: Inventory Tracking Sheet Sample.
➢ Pens or pencils.
Part A: Books for the Business Record
Training aids
1) Welcome participants and tell them that they are going to continue to discuss business
record keeping.
2) Explain: “There are many different ways of keeping records for a small business. A good
place to start is to first understand all your income/sales and costs/expenditures.”
3) Give out photocopies of Handout 6: Income and Expenditure Record Sample. Explain to
participants that this can serve as a model for how to track these amounts.
4) Give participants five minutes to look over the handout and ask if they have any
questions.
5) Together, go through each line of the handout, explaining what you write in each column.
Tell participants that the more detailed they are in the description of what they are
making money on (Cash In) and what they are spending money on (Cash Out) the better.
Emphasize that every detail of business related costs or sales of your day should be
included in this record.
6) Explain: “This will show you how much money you make or lose each day, this is called
your Gross Profit or Loss. As you can see in the sample, the cash balance at the beginning
of the day, minus the cash balance at the end of the day, calculates the gross profit.”
7) Ask participants to look at Handout 6: Income and Expenditure Record Sample and
together work out the calculation of the first day’s Gross Profit or Loss.
Starting Cash Balance SOS SH 1,725- Ending Cash Balance SOS SH 1,700 + Gross Profit:
SOS SH 25
8) Divide participants into small groups with a mix of high and low numeracy skills. Ask them
to work together in their groups to work out the rest of the calculations on the handout.
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Visit each group to make sure they understand. Highlight the Credit Line of Palm Oil and
explain that this is where you keep track of things you buy on credit; to make sure you pay
it back.
9) Ask participants to share their answers to the group. Discuss any different answers.
10) Tell participants that you suggest they buy a separate journal to keep these records in.
They should enter the information into the journal on a daily basis so that they can see
their profits and/or losses each day. They can then add those profits and/or losses up
weekly and monthly to determine how their business is doing. They can look at the
individual costs and sales to see where they need to make changes.
11) Finally, suggest to participants that they also keep a separate personal record, similar to
the handout, for their own daily expenses. Explain: “We will talk about this further later in
the training, but it is important to know how much money you are spending on a daily
basis and what your money is being spent on.”
Part B: Receipts
Facilitation Steps
1) Ask participants if they know the term receipt. Ask a few participants to describe what a
receipt is and how to use it. Guide answers to the following definition.
2) State:
✓ A receipt is a confirmation of a purchase by a customer, outlining the specific
products that were bought, the amount of products they bought and how much
they paid in total for the purchases. A receipt allows customers and business to
have a record of what was sold and what was bought
3) Give Handout 7: Receipt Sample Form to each participant and ask them to look it over. Ask
participants if they have any questions.
4) Invitetheparticipantstodoaroleplaywiththepersonontheirright.Explain: “One of you is the
customer and one of you is the business owner. The customer will pretend to buy a
product and the business owner will fill out a receipt for the product.”
5) Allow time for everyone to play the customer and the business owner.
6) Explain that the receipt is made up of two copies; one for the business and one for the
customer. Explain that they should make copies of the receipt forms so that there is
enough for each day of business.
7) Tell participants they should keep their receipts safe in a book or a box. They can review
the receipts on a weekly or monthly basis to see how business is going, what things are
being sold, when and to who.
8) Finish by telling participants: “You should make and organize these records in the way that
works best for you. What is important is to make sure the records have all the information
filled in on a regular basis, which will allow you to better operate and manage your
business.”
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9) Let participants know that it might be good to spend some time discussing their record
keeping ideas individually
Part C: Inventory
Facilitation Steps
1) Tell participants: “We are now going to talk about another important type of record
keeping called inventory record keeping. This allows you to track the products and
supplies that come into your business, and to make sure they are all accounted for. It will
also allow you to see which products you need to buy more of and when.”
2) Give out Handout 8: Inventory Tracking Sheet Sample to each participant. Explain that the
first sheet is to track all the things they buy in the business, how much of it they buy and
where they keep it each day. When supplies or products are purchased each day write
them into this sheet.
3) The second sheet is to keep track of inventory at the beginning of the day and what is left
at the end of the day. Each day you begin by filling out the ‘Quantity Available’ column
and end each day filling out the ‘Quantity Left’ column.
4) Tell participants that they should compare these records with their income and
expenditure, and their receipt records to make sure all inventory is accounted for and
things do not go missing. You can also use these records to negotiate with suppliers by
letting them know how much you have bought from them, and asking them for better
prices.
5) Ask participants to discuss the inventory sheet in their small groups. Ask them to review
each part and talk about how they would fill it out. Encourage them to ask questions as
they work.
Share these handouts or take participants through depending on literacy levels
Handout 6: Income & Expenditure Record Sample (Somali Shillings)
Date Particulars Debt Cash In Cash Out Cash Balance
August 22 Owners’ equity/ capital 12500
August 22 Purchase of materials 0 12500 0
August 22 Sales of 35 bars of soap @ 500 SOS SH 17500 0 17500
August 22 Daily pay for casual employee 0 1000 16500
August 22 Purchase of 5 cups of tea @ 1000 SOS 0 5000 11500
August 22 SH
Gross Profit/ Loss 0 1000
Owners’ equity/ capital 1000
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August 22 Sale of 20 pieces of soap @ 500 SOS SH 10000 0
August 22 Daily pay for casual employee 0 1000
August 22 Purchase of sugar 9000 0
August 22 Credit of sugar 18000
Gross Profit/ Loss 18000
Owners’ equity/ capital
August 23
August 23 Sale of 45 pieces of soap. One piece of 22500
August 23 soap sold for 500 SOS SH.
Daily pay for casual employee 10000
August 23 Pay credit for sugar
Gross Profit/ Loss
Week Gross Profit/ Loss
Handout 7: Receipt Form Sample
Name: ______________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________
Date: ______________________________________________________
# Description Quantity Price/ unit Total in SOS SH
TOTAL
Signature: ________________
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Handout 8: Inventory Tracking Sheet Sample
Date
Description of item Purchase (SOS SH) Quantity Location
3 On the table
Pair of scissors 15000 10 On the shelf
5 Backroom
Scratch cards 200
Pens 10000
TOTAL
Date Quantity Available Quantity Left Location
Description of item 10 6 On the table
Pair of scissors 3 2 On the shelf
Scratch cards 5 3 Backroom
Pens
TOTAL
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SESSION 4: VISIT TO LOCAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
Time - 2 hrs 30 mins
Training aids
➢ Arrange with 2 successful business people for a learning visit at their premises
➢ Meet with them, earlier to explain to them how the session will work and the
important financial records that you would want the participants to see. Ask them to
speak about how the record keeping activity is carried out on daily basis.
➢ Ask the business people avail following records
• Cash book
• Sales/Income & Cost/Expenditure
• Inventory
• Profit and loss statement
• Others
Facilitation Steps
1) Remind the group about the previous discussion on record keeping systems as well as
reflections from the Financial Education module
2) Divide the participant into 4 groups and ask teach group to visit 1 business enterprise and
observe the records in use.
3) While observing, let them find out from the business people the following:
➢ What key records are kept and why?
➢ When did the business person start keeping records?
➢ How often are the records made?
➢ What are the advantages and disadvantages of keeping records? Operating and organizing
a business.
7) When the groups return; ask them to share their answers to the questions above.
8) Summarize the discussion by revisiting the table below:
Key Records Why it is important to keep
Sales/Income & To check where the money is coming from and where it is going.
Cost/Expenditure To be able to see what in your business is making you the most money.
Profit & Loss To be able to see what in your business is costing the most money.
To know if you have earned more money this week or month than last week
Inventory or month.
To know if you are reaching your goals.
To know how much you have in your business at any given time.
To know which products are selling faster/which ones are not selling very well.
To know what things, you have to buy more of, and when you need to buy it.
Customers (Receipt) To keep track of what you have sold and to who.
To avoid misunderstandings with customers. To see what time of days is the
busiest.
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Recap
Read the recap questions to the group, allowing time for participants to reflect and respond.
➢ What are some of the things we learned in this unit?
➢ How will you use these skills in your life and/or business?
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UNIT 8: FINANCIAL PLANNING
SESSION 1: IMPORTANCE OF FINANCIAL PLANNING
Time - 1 hr 30 mins
Objectives
➢ Understand the importance of financial planning.
➢ Learn how to use financial planning to reach our goals.
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
➢ Flip chart paper and marker.
Handout 9: Are the Goals SPECIFIC and MEASUREABLE
Training aids
➢ Make photocopies of Handout 9: Are the Goals SPECIFIC and MEASUREABLE?
Facilitation Steps
1) Welcome participants to the training and congratulate them on completing the last unit.
Explain: “Today we are going to talk about the importance of financial planning.”
2) Ask each participant to using marker and card, describe how they set their financial goals.
3) Let each participant take 3 minutes to present
4) Summarize these using the story below:
Tell participants: “I have a short story to Salma wanted to go to school but her family could not afford the
tell you about a young girl. Her name is books and school uniform she needed. They told her she could not
Salma.” go. Instead of giving up, Salma calculated how much her books and
uniform would cost. She figured out that if she could save a small
portion of the money she got from cleaning houses every week for
one year, she would have enough money to buy her books and
school uniform the following year. Every week, Win put aside a
small amount of her pay. She gave the rest to her family to buy the
things they needed. After a year, Win had saved enough money
that she bought her own books and school uniform. She enrolled
in school and was very pleased with herself!
5) Ask participants to think about the story. How was Salma able to go to school? Why might
it be hard to save money like Salma did? What helped Salma save money? Get participants
thinking about the importance of having a plan.
6) Ask participants to get into pairs. Explain that with their partners they should decide
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whether the following statements are true or false. Ask: “What Do You Think? True or
false?”
Statement True False
1) It is always more important to save than to spend.
2) A girl or boy should never say “no” when their mother or father asks them for
money.
3) Anyone can save no matter how little they make.
4) Youth, men and women should take time to start saving.
7) Discuss everyone’s answers. Explain: “Saving is very important. People should start saving
at their early stages in life. In fact, if you start saving when you are young, you will have
more time to grow your savings and have more money in the long run. Also, anyone can
save no matter how little they make. You can save small amounts at a time. Finally, saving
is very important, but sometimes it will be necessary to spend money, in the case of
emergencies, in order to grow your business, etc. We will talk more about all of these
later.”
8) Remind participants of what they already discussed about the importance of planning and
setting goals. Tell participants that today they are going to discuss how to apply these
ideas to how they manage their money, this is financial planning. Read the definition.
9) Explain: “People who are good at making and following a financial plan are able to live
comfortably and buy nice things without guilt or stress. But those who never learn to plan
often worry about having enough money for the things they need and want.”
10) Explain: “Even though financial planning can have a big impact on quality of life, it is
actually pretty simple to do. In fact, it boils down to five steps.” Draw the chart below on
flip chart and give out the photocopies.
11) Remind participants of the goal charts they filled out earlier in the training. Explain that
the first step in financial planning is setting clear and measurable financial goals. Ask
participants to remember what the SMART characteristics of a good goal are. Help them if
they don’t remember. Answer: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time Bound.
12) Ask the participants to get up and go outside to line up for a race. After they have lined up
say: “On your marks, get set, go!” By this point the participants will ask where they are
racing to, what path should they take, where is the finish line?
13) Explain:
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“If you are going to run in a race, don’t you want to know how long it is? Of course, you do! You
don’t want to start off too quickly and then be unable to finish. For example, if you know the race
is 10 kilometers and ends at the top of a steep hill, you can plan your pace and even your training
accordingly. This is simply called beginning with the end in mind, and it helps you maximize your
ability to reach your goal. Many athletes take this technique a step further, by actually visualizing
themselves crossing the finish line at a certain time. Visualizing a mental picture of your desired
outcome can actually help you attain it. It’s rare that anyone has enough money to spend on every
single want. So everyone has to make choices and set priorities; a good financial plan helps you
through that process. A good financial plan makes you think about your needs and wants.”
SESSION 2: MAKING SMART FINANCIAL PLANS
Time - 1 hr 30 mins
Objectives
➢ Understand the importance of financial planning.
➢ Learn how to use financial planning to reach our goals.
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
➢ Flip chart paper and marker.
Handout 9: Are the Goals SPECIFIC and MEASUREABLE
Training aids
➢ Make photocopies of Handout 25: Are the Goals SPECIFIC and MEASUREABLE?
Facilitation Steps
1) Explain:
“A goal is something you aim for. It’s something you want to be, do or have at some future
time. It points you in the direction you need to take. Achieving a goal gives you a sense of
accomplishment, which encourages you to set new goals for even bigger and better
things. to identify and set clear goals is key to your success in life.”
“If one of your personal goals is to have enough money to rent your own room, you know you
have to first talk with your family, ask your neighbors and friends about possible rooms for
rent, visit several locations and have the money for two month’s rent already saved. Knowing
what you’re aiming for makes it a lot easier to map out a process and see what you have to do
to meet your goal. If you don’t set the clear goal of renting your own room this year, you could
easily miss some of the things you need to do to meet your goal.”
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“Setting clear financial goals is extremely important. For example, say you want to make a trip to
the city in June to see your extended family, including your aunt who just started her own
business. It’s easier to find the money for a June trip, if you decide in January that this is what you
want. Then you can make a plan to save for it, instead of trying to find the money to go at the last
minute. One thing you need to know about your goals is how long you think they will take to
accomplish.”
2) To help participants think about goals, tell them about some of your own goals. Choose a
short-term goal that you’re working on right now and a long-term goal that you have for
the future or one that you’ve already accomplished. You may choose to discuss your
career as a facilitator. Use these examples throughout the activities, to illustrate the
various steps towards reaching your goals.
3) Discuss the meanings of ‘short-term goal’ and ‘long-term goal’. Write some ideas on the
flip chart or board
4) Explain:
5) Next, have participants get together in groups of four or five. Write the goals below on the
flip chart and ask the groups to consider how long it will take to meet the goal.
Less than three months?
Less than a year?
More than a year?
6) After they have discussed have a representative from each group come to the flip chart
and categorize each goal by writing S (Short) or L (Long) next to the statement. Ask
participants to share why they categorized each goal Long or Short.
➢ Save money for a trip to see your aunt in Nairobi.
➢ Save money to buy a birthday present for one of your friends whose birthday is
next month.
➢ Buy a new phone that has WhatsApp capability
➢ Set aside money to pay for the startup capital to buy a stall at the market.
7) With long-term goals, you have to be willing to give up something you want now to get
something even better in the future. This is called delayed gratification. Share these
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SMART Goal examples:
8) Explain:
“So there are other factors to consider when setting a clear goal. In fact, the best goals aren’t just
clear; they are SPECIFIC and MEASUREABLE.” Draw the table opposite on flip chart.
“There are two other important things you need to know about your SPECIFIC and MEASUREABLE
goals. First, they should be meaningful to you. They should be something you really want to
achieve, and not just something your friends think you should do. Otherwise, you’ll lack the
motivation to stick with your plans. Second, you should always write your goals down and keep
them in a place where you’ll see them often, as a reminder of what you’re working toward.”
9) Distribute Handout 9: Are the Goals SPECIFIC and MEASUREABLE? Ask participants to
work in groups. Make sure that there is a mix of higher and lower literacy skills in each
group. Walk around the room and help groups that have trouble reading and writing.
Recap
Read the recap questions to the group, allowing time for participants to reflect and respond.
➢ What are some of the things we learned in this unit?
➢ How will you use these skills in your life and/or business?
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SOMREP Business skills curriculum
UNIT 9: MAKING DECISIONS & SOLVING PROBLEMS IN BUSINESS
SESSION 1: MAKING GOOD DECISIONS
Time - 1 hour
Objectives
➢ Identify the key factors to consider when making a good decision
➢ Practice making decisions
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
➢ Handout 10: Decision making work sheets
Training aids
➢ Prepare scenario cards from Handout 10: Decision making work sheets
Facilitation Steps
1) Read the first decision-making scenario from Handout 10: Decision-Making Worksheets
out loud to everyone.
Work sheet 1:
You are a 30-year-old woman. Your parents died a few years ago and you are taking care of your three younger
sisters. You don’t have money to buy much food but you have an older male friend who buys you food and gives
you gifts. One day, this person asks you to meet him at his house.
What is the problem?
What are some possible solutions? What are the pros
and cons of each?
What is the outcome you want to achieve?
Place a star (*) beside the selected solution that
achieves the desired outcome.
2) Ask participants what they think the main character should do? Discuss their answers and
possible solutions.
3) Next, look at the scenario again using the below list Steps to Making a Good Decision.
Guide participants through the decision-making process. As you go make a list of pros and
cons. Explain to participants about possible long-term pros and cons as well as short-term.
4) Steps to Making a Good Decision
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SOMREP Business skills curriculum
5) After you are done, reflect as a group. Did you come to the same Note to facilitator: You may wish
answer the second time? Was it helpful to walk through steps to to emphasize that the actual
making a good decision together? decisions the groups reach are less
important than understanding the
6) Spend some time discussing the link between good decision- process they might go through to
making and avoiding risky activity. What steps might young make such a decision and the
people take if they have to decide something crucial? What factors to be considered.
should they do first? Should they seek advice? And from who?
7) Explain: “When trying to come up with a list of steps to make a
good decision, it can be helpful to put ourselves in the position
of someone who is about to make an important decision. In the
next activity we will imagine that we are about to make an
important decision. We will work through the process that we
might use to come up with ideas towards making that decision.
Then we will list the steps that we might take in making that
decision.”
8) Divide the participants into four groups. Give each group one
card with one decision-making scenario from Handout 34:
Decision-Making Worksheets.
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SOMREP Business skills curriculum
You can use the decision-making scenarios in this handout or create your own that are relevant
to your participants.
Note to facilitator: Some suggestions from past groups. It is very useful to emphasize the
final point on this list; accepting responsibility for your actions. Business people should
learn early that each of their actions comes with a consequence; and that after being given
the opportunity to make a decision and choose, they must accept responsibility for the
choices they make. This is the very essence of what it means to be an adult.
Steps to Making a Good Decision
➢ Stop.
➢ Take some ‘time out’.
➢ Define the problem.
➢ Think about the situation.
➢ List options.
➢ Seek advice from others.
➢ Listen to the advice given.
➢ Consider family values and personal values.
➢ Consider cultural practices and religious beliefs.
➢ Consider all of the options or alternatives available.
➢ Imagine the consequences and possible outcomes of each option.
➢ Consider the impact of actions on other people.
➢ Weigh the pros and cons.
➢ Choose the best alternatives.
➢ Make the decision.
➢ Make a plan of action (e.g. act on the decision).
➢ Accept responsibility for your actions
9) Ask the groups to fill out the questions on Handout 34: Decision-Making Worksheets. On
the back of the handout, ask them to write the steps they took to make the decision.
10) Ask each group to present their ideas to everyone. Discuss each decision in turn.
11) After all groups are finished, summarize the decision-making process and help consolidate
all the ideas into one list of Steps to Making a Good Decision.
12) Ask the groups to work together and discuss a possible decision to their scenarios. They
can use the steps in the Steps to Making a Good Decision list above as a starting point.
13) Ask participants to think about all of the decisions past and present which are affecting
their lives. Ask for a volunteer to share a decision that was made for them in the past and
how it has affected their life.
14) Ask another volunteer to share with the group a decision they made for themselves
recently and how it is affecting their life.
15) Finally, ask a volunteer to share with the group a decision they are thinking of making in
the future and how they think it will affect their life.
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SOMREP Business skills curriculum
16) Emphasize to everyone how important it is to make good decisions, as these decisions will
affect how the rest of their life turns out.
Handout 10: Decision Making Work sheets
Work sheet 1:
You are a 30-year-old woman. Your parents died a few years ago and you are taking care of your three
younger sisters. You don’t have money to buy much food but you have an older male friend who buys you
food and gives you gifts. One day, this person asks you to meet him at him home.
What is the problem?
What are some possible solutions? What are the pros
and cons of each?
What is the outcome you want to achieve?
Place a star (*) beside the selected solution that
achieves the desired outcome.
Work sheet 2:
Your friends are treating a woman in your Village very badly; making fun of her hair and making her feel bad
about herself. You used to be friends with the person that is being bullied. You want to stand up to bullies, but
you know that they will probably start being mean to you too.
What is the problem?
What are some possible solutions? What are the pros
and cons of each?
What is the outcome you want to achieve?
Place a star (*) beside the selected solution that
achieves the desired outcome.
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SOMREP Business skills curriculum
Work sheet 3:
You have a job that you have been working very hard at because you are saving up to buy a bicycle to help
with your business. Your best friend comes to you and asks if you can give her or him some money to buy a
radio. You want to help your friend, but if you give her or him the money you will not have enough savings to
buy a bicycle.
What is the problem?
What are some possible solutions? What are the pros
and cons of each?
What is the outcome you want to achieve?
Place a star (*) beside the selected solution that
achieves the desired outcome.
Work sheet 4:
You are a married young woman who has a one-year-old child. Your husband works away in a different town
from where you live and comes home every two weeks. Recently, you have heard that your husband has
another woman.
What is the problem?
What are some possible solutions? What are the pros
and cons of each?
What is the outcome you want to achieve?
Place a star (*) beside the selected solution that
achieves the desired outcome.
Work sheet 5:
You have just returned to school at a vocational training center and have been out of the habit of studying
for five years. You are finding it very difficult to get back into the habit of studying. Your time is further
stretched by responsibilities of being a husband or wife with two pre-school aged children.
What is the problem?
What are some possible solutions? What are the pros and
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SOMREP Business skills curriculum
cons of each?
What is the outcome you want to achieve?
Place a star (*) beside the selected solution that achieves
the desired outcome.
SESSION 2: PROBLEM SOLVING AND BUSINESS DECISIONS
Time - 2 hours
Objectives
➢ Understand the importance of using creativity to solve a problem.
➢ Understand how emotions can affect problem solving.
➢ Practice problem solving techniques
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
➢ Handout 10: Decision making work sheets
Training aids
➢ Review Steps to Making a Good Decision
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SOMREP Business skills curriculum
Facilitation Steps
1) After review:
2) Explain: “To achieve your business goal, you need to continue learning important business
skills. We know that business skills include planning and calculations. But they also include
problem solving.”
3) Explain that they will work in groups to solve a problem, but first they will listen to a
dilemma. Read the following dilemma to everyone.
Hodan Dilemma
Hodan normally buys fruit from the central
market on a daily basis. One day she meets
Asha at the bus station and asks where he is
going. Asha explains that he is going to the
countryside to buy fruit to sell in the town.
Hodan starts to wonder about whether she
too should buy her fruit out of town.
Hodan sells fruit six days a week. Each day
she buys 40 oranges at 1800 SOS Sh each,
which she resells for 3500 SOS Sh. A bus
ticket to go to the countryside costs 5000
SOS Sh each way and takes about one hour
if there is no traffic. In the countryside she
can buy oranges for 1000 SOS Sh, except
that if she buys enough for a week, the load
is too heavy to carry alone. A porter charges
500 SOS Sh. Given this information, and
other situations that you can imagine, what
is the most profitable solution for Hodan?
4) Divide participants into groups of four. Ask them to think about the two different
situations (buying fruit in town vs. buying fruit out of town) and make a list of positives
and negatives of each situation.
5) Bring the participants back together to share their ideas about the positive and negatives
of each situation. Then ask them to take notes as they listen to the next story. Read the
story below.
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SOMREP Business skills curriculum
Hodan Dilemma
Hodan normally buys fruit from the central
market on a daily basis. One day she meets
Asha at the bus station and asks where he is
going. Asha explains that he is going to the
countryside to buy fruit to sell in the town.
Hodan starts to wonder about whether she
too should buy her fruit out of town.
Hodan sells fruit six days a week. Each day
she buys 40 oranges at 1800 SOS Sh each,
which she resells for 3500 SOS Sh. A bus
ticket to go to the countryside costs 5000
SOS Sh each way and takes about one hour
if there is no traffic. In the countryside she
can buy oranges for 1000 SOS Sh, except
that if she buys enough for a week, the load
is too heavy to carry alone. A porter charges
500 SOS Sh. Given this information, and
other situations that you can imagine, what
is the most profitable solution for Hodan?
6) Give participants enough time to do the calculations within their groups.
7) When they have finished discuss these questions.
➢ Which solution did you choose?
➢ Why did you choose that solution? (Think about time, cost of each situation,
actual profit, etc.)
8) As they give their answers highlight the importance of imagining how different solutions
will work out, what are the future consequences of each solution and what solution
makes the most sense to improve their business.
9) Complete the activity by asking participants: “Do you have an example of a time when you
had to solve a problem like Hodan?”
10) Ask a few participants to share some examples.
11) Explain that it is important when problem solving to weigh out and compare all your
options and to choose the options that make the most sense to you and your business. As
we will see in the next activity it is also helpful to get the thoughts and ideas from others
about their experiences. Similar to how Hodan learned from Asha about cheaper fruit.
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SOMREP Business skills curriculum
SESSION 3: EMOTIONS AND PROBLEM SOLVING
Time - 30 minutes
Objectives
➢ Understand how to make decisions during emotional situations
➢ Practice problem solving techniques
Materials
➢ Flip chart paper and markers
Training aids
➢ Review Steps to Making a Good Decision
Facilitation Steps
1) Revisit the Steps to Making a Good decision above and
a) Explain: “In the previous activity, we learned that we need to think all the options
through to find a solution. But in making decisions we also need to understand the
role of our emotions.”
b) Write the following on flipchart:
➢ Some people tease you and make fun of you in front of your customers.
2) Read the example as a group. Ask: “How would you feel in this situation?”
3) Discuss their answers and their reasons for feeling that way.
4) Ask participants to return to their groups from Activity 2. Give each group a piece of flip
chart and some markers. Ask them to think about how to deal with their emotions so that
these emotions do not hurt their ability to think of solutions to business problems.
5) Ask the groups to write all their ideas on the flip chart. Give them about 10 minutes to
come up with answers.
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SomReP Business Skills Curriculum
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