Everyone that participates in The Great American Small Business Challenge is a Winner! Business owners who participate in the GASBC are competing against themselves and not each other. Every business owner has the opportunity to win an award. Awards are earned every time a specific milestone is achieved. The process for earning Awards is a four-step process. Every time a small business owner completes a step in the process, a milestone is reached and an award (Bronze, Silver, Gold. Platnium) is earned. This makes it easy for small business owners to achieve multiple successes during the duration of the Challenge. The process and the supplied management and business development software, also makes it easy for Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to measure the success of Challenge participants.  Business owners that start the Challenge late, or run into difficulties because of time constraints or outside commitments, should still have plenty of time to earn an award. The list of awards that participants can earn during The 1st Annual Great American Small Business Challenge during the time period from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009, are outlined below.   Bronze Award Step one. Setup your organization’s business model. • Create your company’s organizational chart consisting of departments, job-roles and people. • Create a basic strategic plan consisting of a vision/mission statement and a set of general objectives related to departments, job-roles and people.   Silver Award Step two. Create your company’s management system. • Start to further develop your leadership, management, communication, sales, networking and presentation skills.  • Learn how to set achieveable and realistic goals for your business and how to create SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achieveable, Repeatable, Trackable) for your employees.  • Learn how to develop your team-building, facilitation and project management skills so you can learn how to create self-managing work groups and/or teams. • Use the supplied management and business development software to create your company’s “Book of Knowledge” (BOK). Your BOK should include policies, procedures, training materials and forms  relating to "how" every operational role is performed. • Further define the list of "SMART" strategic objectives that you have created for every department, role and employee. • Use the supplied management and business development software to start to develop your company’s “program of continual improvement” (PCI). Your PCI will consist of a series of projects designed to achieve your strategic objectives in the time-frame you specify.   Gold Award Step three. Use your company’s management system. • Use the supplied management and business development software to refine and actively implement your strategic plan. • Further develop your leadership, management, communication, sales, networking and presentation skills.  • Create a written employee development program for each employee using the supplied management and business development software (Employee Profile Page). • Develop a written employee recognition and rewards system and let your employees know about it (Company Newsletter Article). • Refine your team-building, facilitation and project managment skills and provide professional development opportunities for your employees (e.g. workshops, online classes, etc.). • Refine your "SMART" objectives for every department, role and employee. • Use the supplied management and business development software to create your company’s “program of continual improvement” (PCI).  Your PCI will consist of a series of projects designed to achieve your strategic objectives in the time-frame that you specify. 1. Perfect your “Book of Knowledge” (BOK) or document the "know-how" relating to your organinization and how your company is run until you achieve the following:  2. Operations are "scalable."  (This means that your company has put in place the organizational infrustructure that will allow it to grow quickly while maintaining high quality and service levels.) 3. Roles are "standardized."  (This means job roles are not dependent on specific key employee to perform, and the "learning curve" for anyone new performing a role is much shorter because the   "know-how" associated with the job role has been documented.) 4. Employees are "engaged" and have freed themselves from their “job traps.” (This means that the "value" that each employee brings to your organization (e.g. ideas, creativity, expertise, problem-solving ability, etc.) can be easily identified and "star performers" can take on increasing levels of responsibility.) 5. Your company has achieved "real value" and is now "SALEable."  (This means that your organization can be sold and run by someone else without your involvement.)   • Consistently use the Department Report to manage meetings. • Consistently use the Role Report to manage continual improvement. • Consistently use the Employee Report to manage performance. Platinum Award Step four. Achieve organizational and performance excellence! 5% of Challenge participants who are recognized by their local SBDCs to demonstrate organizational and performance excellence can win a Platinum Award. Your business should now have the operational and leadership infrastructure it needs to achieve the results you have always dreamed of, including: • High level of quality and consistency of products and services (You consistently produce high quality products and/or services and offer more value than your competitors.) • High level of customer satisfaction resulting in repeat and new business (You have established a loyal base of customers who are consistently delighted by your products and/or services and tell others what a great experience they have had doing business with you.) • High level of employee satisfaction, fulfillment and engagement (You have leveraged the talent and expertise of each employee and consistenly recognize and reward your employees for making your organization successful.) • Increased level of profitability (You have acheived a steady increase in sales and have leveraged the talent of your team to take advantage of new customer opportunities) • Lean, streamlined and seamless business operations (You have reduced waste, identified organizational deficiencies, adressed gaps in skills and knowledge, improved operational processes and put systems in place to standardized and streamline your business operations.) • Reduced levels of stress and aggravation (You are now in total control of your business and have more time to enjoy life. You run your business, your business doesn't run you!) • Increased business value (Your organization is scalable, profitable and SALEable and is the business you have always dreamed of owning.)   SMALL BIZ OWNERS, SBDCs and SPONSORS, CLICK HERE  to JOIN the GASBC ONLINE COMMUNITY!