Beginning in Business series: Rating Chart to Assess Your Strengths and Weaknesses. Paper 1.04

1. Alan Lewis
Accountants
BEGINNING IN BUSINESS SERIES
RATING CHART TO ASSESS YOUR
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Paper 01.04

2. CONTENTS
Page
1. Be Honest With Yourself .................................................................................................................... 3
2. Personal Characteristics Evaluation ............................................................................................. 4
3. General Skills Evaluation ................................................................................................................... 5

3. With compliments from
Alan Lewis Accountants
BEGINNING IN BUSINESS SERIES
RATING CHART TO ASSESS YOUR
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Paper 01.04
BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF
To be successful in small business you have to be honest with yourself and understand your
strengths and weaknesses.
These charts will assist you to rate yourself honestly on the various skills and characteristics
considered necessary for small business success.
This will highlight your strengths and weaknesses as they relate to small business
management.
It will also assist in identifying how you will perform as a small business operator and
highlight areas you need to develop or strengthen.
 - ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd - ACN: 078 451 439 Edit by ALAN LEWIS ACCOUNTANTS Pty Ltd – ACN: 137 070 921
PO Box 4295, LAKE HAVEN NSW 2263
Phone: (02) 4390 4156
www.lewistaxation.com.au
Paper 01.04/140607/Page 3

4. With compliments from
Alan Lewis Accountants
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS EVALUATION
How would you rate yourself for the following characteristics?
Low High
1 2 3 4 5
1. Ability to get on with other people.
2. Ability to handle failure.
3. Ability to set clear goals.
4. Drive and energy.
5. Self-confidence.
6. Prepared to take risks.
7. Ability to use initiative.
8. Willingness to seek assistance.
9. Use money as a measure of success.
10. Ability to solve problems.
11. Prepared to work long hours.
12. Prepared to make personal sacrifices.
If you have identified characteristics that you need to improve; determine a strategy (or get
advice on the preparation of a strategy) so that you can improve your assessment over the
next few months.
 - ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd - ACN: 078 451 439 Edit by ALAN LEWIS ACCOUNTANTS Pty Ltd – ACN: 137 070 921
PO Box 4295, LAKE HAVEN NSW 2263
Phone: (02) 4390 4156
www.lewistaxation.com.au
Paper 01.04/140607/Page 4

5. With compliments from
GENERAL SKILLS EVALUATION
Alan Lewis Accountants
How would you rate your current knowledge about the following general skills?
Low High
1 2 3 4 5
13. Experience in the type of business you are
contemplating.
14. Market Research.
15. Sales promotion/advertising.
16. Marketing Planning.
17. Empathy with customers.
18. Finance (dealing with Banks and Finance
Companies).
19. Familiarity with computers.
20. Product manufacture/planning.
21. Purchasing.
22. Costing and pricing for profit.
23. People management.
24. Stock control.
25. Bookkeeping.
26. Accounting reports.
27. Budgets.
28. Credit Management.
 - ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd - ACN: 078 451 439 Edit by ALAN LEWIS ACCOUNTANTS Pty Ltd – ACN: 137 070 921
PO Box 4295, LAKE HAVEN NSW 2263
Phone: (02) 4390 4156
www.lewistaxation.com.au
Paper 01.04/140607/Page 5

6. With compliments from
Alan Lewis Accountants
29. Cash Management.
30. Laws, Taxes and Regulations.
31. Business Plans.
32. Meeting skills.
If you have identified skills that you need to improve; determine a strategy (or get advice on
the preparation of a strategy) so that you can improve your assessment over the next few
months.
 - ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd - ACN: 078 451 439 Edit by ALAN LEWIS ACCOUNTANTS Pty Ltd – ACN: 137 070 921
PO Box 4295, LAKE HAVEN NSW 2263
Phone: (02) 4390 4156
www.lewistaxation.com.au
Paper 01.04/140607/Page 6

7. With compliments from
Alan Lewis Accountants
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE
The forms and commentaries contained in this paper are provided as a guide only and should not form the
sole basis for any advice in relation to the particular situation of any person without first obtaining proper
professional advice.
This paper is provided on the understanding that ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd (ACN: 078 451 439) and ALAN LEWIS
ACCOUNTANTS Pty Ltd (ACN: 137 070 921) will not be responsible as a result of any use made by users
hereof of the forms or commentaries of this paper without first obtaining specific professional advice. Neither
shall ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd or ALAN LEWIS ACCOUNTANTS be responsible for any errors or omissions
contained in these papers. ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd and ALAN LEWIS ACCOUNTANTS expressly disclaims
liability whether under contract or negligence and whether to a direct purchaser of these papers or to any
other person who may borrow or use them in respect of any loss or damage flowing therefrom whether direct
or consequential. In particular and without limiting the extent of this disclaimer ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd and
ALAN LEWIS ACCOUNTANTS accepts no liability if any form or commentary contained herein, whether used
in its original form or altered in some way by the user, proves not to be valid or not to attain the end result
desired by the user. This exclusion shall extend both to the user and to any client of the user who may suffer
loss as a result of the use of these papers and it shall apply even though ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd and ALAN
LEWIS ACCOUNTANTS may have been negligent in the publication or preparation of these papers. The user
acknowledges that it has not made known to ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd and ALAN LEWIS ACCOUNTANTS any
particular purpose for which these papers are required and that it has not relied on ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd and
ALAN LEWIS ACCOUNTANTS skill or judgement to provide a paper suitable for any such purpose.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY NOTICE
The authority to use all copyright, trade marks and other intellectual property rights comprised in this paper
is held exclusively by ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd (ACN: 078 451 439). Neither these rights nor any part of this
paper may be used, sold, transferred, licensed, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or
form whatsoever without the prior written consent of ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd (ACN: 078 451 439).
 - ESS BIZTOOLS Pty Ltd - ACN: 078 451 439 Edit by ALAN LEWIS ACCOUNTANTS Pty Ltd – ACN: 137 070 921
PO Box 4295, LAKE HAVEN NSW 2263
Phone: (02) 4390 4156
www.lewistaxation.com.au
Paper 01.04/140607/Page 7