Growing the Team: Training for Small Businesses

The culture and work of a smaller, growing company often differ from those of a medium or large company. In fact, you may have chosen the small business world because of these differences!  This article explores how small businesses stand out, how to build the right team to align with the company’s goals, and how to access or develop training that effectively meets your small business needs, complete with business management team roles for all involved.  

How Are Small Businesses Different? 

Small businesses are unique in several ways. They generally have a smaller size and scale, allowing greater flexibility and adaptability. Small businesses can pivot more quickly to respond to market changes, customer feedback, or economic shifts in order to grow their business properly. Agility provides a competitive advantage, as the team can evaluate new products and services without navigating the bureaucracy of larger organizations.  This bias towards agility generally comes with an increased acceptance of risk – so hiring and training for skills in risk management and resilience can be useful. 

Another key difference is the personal nature of relationships in small businesses. Owners and managers often have direct, personal connections with both employees and customers, building loyalty and a sense of community. These close relationships can result in higher levels of customer satisfaction and employee engagement, which helps support sustainability and healthy small business growth.

Small businesses often face more resource constraints than larger businesses. With smaller budgets and fewer staff, owners must be creative and resourceful. Early hires are often generalists who wear multiple hats, handling everything from marketing and sales to human resources and operations. Innovation and efficiency are crucial for growing a business of any size, and small businesses learn to do more with less. However, it can also make investing in formal training more challenging – finding cost-effective options that deliver real value is essential.  

Small businesses generally provide more personalized products and services. With fewer customers, they can tailor offerings to meet specific needs and preferences, creating a unique value proposition. This personalized approach often resonates with customers who seek alternatives to the mass-produced or standardized options offered by large corporations.

Finally, small businesses are often deeply embedded in their local communities, contributing to local economies, and creating jobs. This local focus can create strong brand loyalty and a sense of identity, helping small businesses thrive in competitive environments. It may also make the business a candidate for local or regional grants, which supplement revenue to help the business invest in product and service development.   

Building the Ideal Small Business Team

Building the ideal small business team requires hiring the right talent but also fostering a culture of trust and collaboration. Employees in small businesses who are focused on growing the organization often don’t get the prestige and benefits that come with working for a larger company, where promotional opportunities are more plentiful. This is why it is so important for small business managers to know what employees truly need – both in terms of skills and personality.  Once someone is on board, it is critical to know what makes each employee tick and what you can do to keep them there.  Here’s how small business owners can cultivate a team that’s passionate about growing with the company.

Hire for Attitude and Potential – Skills are important for development in your business, but attitude and potential are essential when building a small business team. Not all small businesses want to grow – and that’s OK. Some small business owners want to stay small and have a sustainable model for the long term. Be clear about your vision with potential hires. 

Look for people who are open to learning, willing to take on new challenges and who are adaptable to change. In a small business, flexibility and a willingness to wear multiple hats are invaluable traits. During the interview process, ask candidates about situations where they had to learn something new or adapt to unforeseen circumstances.

Foster a Collaborative Culture – Small businesses thrive when team members collaborate effectively. Foster a spirit of teamwork where everyone feels their contributions are valued and ideas are welcome. This requires open communication and transparency from leadership. Hold regular and ad hoc team meetings where people can share updates, voice concerns, and brainstorm ideas. When team members feel they are part of the business’s journey and success, they are more likely to stay engaged and committed.

Provide Development Opportunities – Investing in development is one of the most effective ways to build a team focused on growing a business. Develop a financial model that supports funding for training for small businesses and conference opportunities, enabling employees to network and advance in their careers. Whether it’s workshops, online courses, or one-on-one coaching, providing growth opportunities shows your team that you are invested in them. This also benefits the business, as training and conferences build business networks and relationships; and a skilled and evolving team can tackle new challenges and bring fresh ideas to the table.

Set Clear Goals and Expectations – Small business employees are often motivated by seeing the direct impact their work has on the business. Clear goals and an understanding of how their work contributes to the business’s overall success are key drivers. Regularly communicate, be direct and delegate specific responsibilities, showing how each role connects with others. Establish measurable objectives for individual and team performance, and regularly review progress. When employees see the direct impact of their contributions, it builds a stronger desire to achieve even more.

Recognize and Reward Contributions – Most small businesses don’t have a budget for formal awards and may offer lower pay than big businesses. As such, informal recognition – sharing successes between the team and customers – is a powerful way to boost team morale and motivation. Celebrate both big and small wins and acknowledge contributions. This can be done through verbal praise or even informal benefits like time off or team lunches. Valued and appreciated employees are more likely to stay with the company.

Promote Work-Life Balance – A motivated and committed team feels professionally and personally supported.  The collaborative nature of a small business team provides a deeper understanding into employees’ lives and offers insights about how to better support work-life balance.  Small businesses may have more flexibility to individualize benefits, such as offering flexible hours, remote work options, and unscheduled time off to recharge. When employees feel you value them and their well-being, they are more likely to stay loyal and energized to contribute to the business’s success.  Losing a top performer in a small business can be devastating – managing work-life balance over time can help reduce the risk of losing key talent.  

Building an ideal team and creating small business growth includes hiring the right people, and creating an environment where they feel valued, empowered, and supported. By fostering collaboration, investing in development, setting clear goals, and recognizing contributions, a small business owner can cultivate a reliant and committed team. 

Training for Small Businesses

For managers or leaders in small businesses, small scale industries courses should be practical and flexible. Here are common training topics needed for people working in small business environments:

• Small Business Leadership: Leadership training tailored for small business managers helps build key skills such as motivating teams and making strategic decisions. Pryor’s Leadership, Team-Building and Coaching Skills for Managers and Supervisors is a great option for a small business leader wanting to maximize impact. 
• Emotional intelligence (EQ): Understanding team dynamics and improving interpersonal relationships can strengthen loyalty and create a cohesive, high-performing environment. Pryor’s “Emotional Intelligence Library” covers both emotional and social awareness.
• Small business finance: Training in basic accounting, cash flow management and budgeting can help your employees contribute to your business’s financial health and make informed decisions and tradeoffs in a more pragmatic way. One good option is Pryor’s Cash Flow Forecasting for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses. 
• Digital marketing and technology skills: Small businesses often rely on an online presence, so training in social media and email marketing and technology tools can help you attract more customers with minimal budget. Courses like Pryor’s Cybersecurity Simplified: A Strategic Plan for Small Business Protection can teach you how to protect your technology systems. 
• Sales and customer service techniques: Learning about modern sales strategies and customer relationship management increases client engagement. Offering exceptional customer service is key for small businesses, highlighting the importance of training on communication, conflict resolution and problem-solving. Training in negotiation can help build fair partnerships, manage partner relationships, and close deals. Pryor has full training libraries in the topics of Sales Training and Customer Service.  
• Time management: Since resources are often stretched in small businesses, time management training helps prioritize tasks, improve productivity and reduce burnout. Managing Multiple Priorities, Projects, and Deadlines is a great Pryor offering in this area.
• Strategic planning: Small businesses need to be agile yet focused. Strategic planning training helps with setting long-term goals and identifying market opportunities. Strategic Thinking and Planning and Strategic Goal-Setting are popular Pryor courses to build these skills.
• Risk management and crisis leadership: Training that teaches how to assess and mitigate risks, such as economic changes, operational disruptions and competition, is essential for small business sustainability.
• Human Resources (HR) basics, including recruiting and hiring and performance management, can help small businesses build a strong team with stable processes that foster professionalism and accountability.  Check out Pryor’s library of Human Resources offerings. 
• Legal and compliance: Understanding employment laws, tax regulations and HR compliance can help prevent costly legal issues.

Training for a small business and its employees is often viewed as a business expense that strains the budget, but it’s an investment in your business’ future. Focusing on practical, scalable skills that directly impact your business’ needs ensures your training investments yield immediate returns.