Business Blogs » Business Ethics

How to Negotiate with Contractors

Chris Rugh — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 19:56:15 +0000

When times are tough and money is tight, many savvy business owners look to outsource work to contractors. Using a reliable contractor can help you control costs and give you time to focus on marketing and business growth. But outsourcing is effective only if you can get the results you want at the price you want to pay. For that reason, your ability to negotiate good deals with contractors is critical.

Though many business owners feel stressed when faced with major negotiations, the truth is that we’re all negotiators. And a lot of us are better negotiators than we think we are.
The ability to negotiate kicks in almost as soon as we learn to speak. Think about it: You wanted the cookie. You’re mom had the cookie. That’s where it all started.

Whether you’re a child negotiating with your mother for a cookie or business owner negotiating with a consultant for a project or service, it all boils down to creativity. You learn to look at things from angles that may not be direct. You have to come up with an alternative plan that gets you to the same place by another route.

First, know what you want
I make extensive use of contractors to handle day-to-day business activities, allowing my team to focus on business growth. I’ve learned that when negotiating with contractors, you need first of all to keep your own interests in mind–after all, getting your work done is why you’re hiring a contractor in the first place. Make sure you have a strong understanding of your wants and your needs and the end results you expect the contractor to produce.

Once you’re clear about what you want, you can open the negotiations with an initial terms sheet. This piece of paper lays out the results you want, the structure you want, and what you’re willing to pay.

Then, figure out what they want
Keeping your own needs firmly in mind, observe and get to know the person you are negotiating with. The more questions you ask and the more answers you get, the better off you are. (Don’t confuse negotiation with sales. Sales is often about talking and convincing; negotiation is about listening.)

For instance, suppose you’re talking with a contractor about staffing your booth at a trade show. Their prices have gone way up from previous years, and your offers of modest increases are refused. Finally you talk with the owner and find out she’s trying to shift the business to focus on trade show packages that include staffing, booth set-up, and production of fliers and other handouts–work you’d planned to outsource to other contractors. Suddenly the negotiations are back on track because you’ve can give the contractor an opportunity to demonstrate their new service package at an affordable price.

In a good negotiation, you get what you want. It just might not look like what you’d been looking for.

Negotiating toward a contract
There’s no question about it: Good paper makes good friends. As the negotiation proceeds, turn that terms sheet you used at the start of the negotiation into an actual contract.

If you are involved in a fairly straightforward deal, you can have a paralegal modify a standard contract template to fit the particular situation. Having the contract drawn up at your end is a negotiation advantage; many contractors don’t want to go to the trouble or expense of having a contract drafted and they’re anxious to make the sale. This means they’re more likely to accept your terms.

Milestones
Be sure to include in your contract agreement significant milestones for the project work. I was reminded of this not too long ago when we failed to establish milestones, and at the completion date discovered that the final product didn’t meet our specifications. We ended up having to hire another firm to do the work the way we wanted it, but we lost time and money as a result. If we’d had milestones in the contract, we would have known in a short period of time that the deal was a bad deal.

Good negotiations mean good business
Consulting relations are like personal relationships: Business is easiest when you’re engaging in relationships that are easy, productive, and enjoyable. If you notice during the negotiation itself that you’re not getting along or that you have to spend your time chasing them, heed the danger signs. If the negotiation is miserable, the project itself is likely to be even worse.

It’s to your advantage to take the lead in keeping the negotiation on track. That means keeping your eye on the end result, while being adaptive and flexible about how you attain that result. In most cases, you’ll find that the negotiation process is an economical and efficient way to get what you want.

Chris Rugh is the founder and CEO of Custom Toll free, which host the largest selection of vanity toll free numbers on the web, and an avid blogger with attitude.

Pew Study: Small Business Most Trusted “Institution”

Rich Sloan — Thu, 13 May 2010 00:11:03 +0000

Trust Congress?

Sorry, that institution got among the lowest ratings in a Pew Research Center study that was recently released. The Pew Center polled Americans to determine who they trusted least and who they trusted most.

Small business owners - you should be proud. America trusts YOU most.

More than churches, our President, labor unions, the Federal Government, small businesses reign supreme in the eyes of the American public.

Here’s a ratings chart that shows the results:

PUBLIC’S VIEWS OF INSTITUTIONS



	Positive	Negative	Other/ Don’t know

Small business	71	19	10

Technology companies	68	18	14

Churches & religious orgs	63	22	15

Colleges & universities	61	26	13

Obama administration	45	45	10

Entertainment industry	33	51	16

Labor unions	32	49	18

Federal agencies and depts	31	54	16

National news media	31	57	12

Large corporations	25	64	12

Federal government	25	65	9

Congress	24	65	12

Banks & financial inst	22	69	10

Pew Research Center March 11-21. Figures may not add to 100% because of rounding

Just edging out Congress as the least trusted institution are banks and financial institutions. I figure it’s the mortgage crisis and recent bail-out ballyhoo that has so terribly tarnished the perception of banks, coupled with the lack of lending at this critical juncture for Americans.

It’s good to be SOLID when it comes to reputation and perception on the street. It’s a big help when us little guys and gals go toe to toe with the behemoth corporations and compete with our service and product offerings.

Be proud to carry the small business torch, folks - not only do you live it, but America “gets it.”

How Someone Ripped off Our Twitter Name and We Fought Back

Rich Sloan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:03:58 +0000

You’ve probably read our StartupNation advice about how to leverage the value of social media to benefit your business. (You can listen to a first and second podcast on this subject, too.)

But a word of warning: What you may not know–and should be prepared to overcome–is that just like there are squatters on website domain names, there are squatters on Twitter and Facebook nicknames, too.

In fact, such a scenario played out here at StartupNation back in April (and was concluded in that timeframe) when we realized that not only was someone squatting on our name on Twitter, but that person was periodically linking to content at our site and acting as if he was us. The situation became ever more serious as he built followers who thought they were getting Tweets from StartupNation when it was really a poser who had his own agenda to develop his own following using our name, content, branding in the market, etc.

It was potentially a very dangerous position for our brand to be in - we had lost control of our own message.

So here’s what I did (and if you run into this situation, you might use the same steps):

I immediately sent him a direct message on Twitter asking who he was;
I also sent direct messages to people who had begun following the poser, explaining that he’s not the real deal and to stay tuned for the real StartupNation Tweets that would begin as soon as the situation was rectified;
Upon receiving the poser’s Twitter response, I asked for his email address (to get past the character length limitations of Twitter);
I told him in an email that he was causing confusion in the marketplace by using our name and Tweeting our content. I asked him to stop immediately and that we take over the StartupNation twitter name immediately;
Here’s what he wrote back to me, clearly trying to “gently” extort StartupNation for money when in fact he was infringing on our trademarked name:

Hello,My name is Robert G[xxxxxx] and I’m a 23 year old student. I’ve been a huge fan of Startupnation ever since it started, and to tell you the truth I honor the work you do and see you as a role model for young entrepreneurs such as myself. I was very surprised not to see Startupnation on twitter when I first started, so I decided to take the matter into my own hand and create the account.

I’ve been promoting a positive company image ever since.I understand that legal procedures to take over the account can be lengthy, costly, time consuming and down right ugly.

To speed the process up I am proposing an account take over.I am asking for $15,000 to be transferred into my PayPal account (r[xxxxxxxx]@gmail.com) at which point I will assign “startupnation” twitter user name to an email account of your choice. This matter can be taken care of within minutes.

Each day that goes by can result in hundreds of followers. Twitter is a very powerful asset that will help your company communicate with current customers and help gain new ones.

One thing I want you to understand is that I am looking to rip anyone off, I am simply looking for funds to start my own business. Venture Capitalists investments are at a 12 year low right now, and you can only image how hard it is to acquire outside investments in this economy.

Feel free to email me with your decision.

Sincerely,

Robert G[xxxxxxx]
As soon as I received this, I realized I was dealing with someone who didn’t know (or care?) that he had fallen on the wrong side of trademark law. Whether his intentions were good or malicious, this was not his call to make and he certainly chose a foolish path to try to get paid for the name. So, I contacted Twitter directly. I used the link found on this Terms of Service page at Twitter;
Twitter responded within 48 hours asking for confirmation that StartupNation owned the trademark for use of our name, which I produced for them by visiting www.uspto.gov, searching for our Trademark, and sending them the direct link confirming assignment to us;
Within days, Twitter took action. They booted the poser and returned the rights to use “StartupNation” on Twitter to us.

Ever since then (April of 2009), we’ve been posting regularly and building our following.

You can check us out at StartupNation on Twitter. And you can be confident that it’s the “real McCoy”.

And whether or not you want to follow us on Twitter, hopefully this chronology of how somone tried to rip off our name and how we fought back (and you can, too) will be helpful in your use of Twitter.

Onward!

All Marketing Is Local

Christine Haskell — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:04:25 +0000

Just learned about EveryBlock, is a new way to keep track of what’s happening on your block, in your neighborhood and all over. You can choose your city and get a citywide overview of news by category. I might never eat in my own neighborhood again given the amount of violations reported….

The site is one of the experiments I like to refer to as the “inverted news paper” - citizen journalism at its most raw. Every day, a wealth of local information is created — officials inspect restaurants, journalists cover fires and Web users post photographs — but who has time to sort through all of that? EveryBlock aims to collect all of the news and civic goings-on that have happened recently in your city, and make it simple for you to keep track of news in particular areas. They’re a geographic filter — a “news feed” for your neighborhood, or, yes, even your block.

If your business is local and serving the public, check out how you are being discussed in your communuty.

Handouts - Do they ultimately make your business more successful?

Rich Sloan — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:15:25 +0000

Simple question: Does having a social agenda — a “cause” — attached to your business ultimately help you become more profitable (in a financial sense strictly)?

Vote and comment in this simple Poll at StartupNation.

The Capitalization of Community

VerticalResponse — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:49:49 +0000

Late last year (as if it was so long ago) I attended a keynote presentation featuring Larry Brilliant of Google.org and Malcolm Gladwell author of The Tipping Point. Larry Brilliant shared his inspirational story of leading the first organization of doctors to rid the world of smallpox and how it eventually lead him to his current role managing Google’s Global Philanthropic efforts. He termed the practice of weaving service into a corporate culture - hybrid philanthropy; meaning providing 1% of profit, 1% of employee resources, and 1% of product to non-profits and community projects. The goal is to make the philanthropic mission so intertwined with the corporate culture that it can no longer survive without it. Malcolm Gladwell brought it down to a more personal level, encouraging the audience to consider, Human Capitalization. The limitless possibilities as individuals when we put our entire heart and mind into our work or a single mission.

Malcolm related stories about Bill Gates programming at the age of 13 on a mainframe at the University of Washington campus, or a team of students tackling a tough math problem and how, through persistence and honest effort, great results are achieved. Leaving the session, I considered how many of our VerticalResponse non-profit customers I meet take the time to thank me in person for our free service offering and discounts for non-profits (VR’s version of 1:1:1). They are so passionate about their cause and their story, it can’t help but inspire my team in our efforts to provide better service and share in their success. Whether it’s our non-profit customers or business owners, it’s the passion behind our customer’s intellect that catapults their success.

A point I think both the great speakers failed to note is the contagious nature of attitude. Like the smallpox virus that can just as easily spread to destroy, the more we share and hear about other’s efforts to affect the greater good and fulfill our dreams, the more likely we are to push ourselves just a little bit harder - putting our heart and mind behind our own work. Then, collectively, we are one step closer to achieving the capitalization of an entire community!

National Bankruptcy Day. Will the CPSIA effect you?

Heather Schuck — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:33:30 +0000

It’s possible if you manufacture or sell products for children under 12 years old. The phrase “National Bankruptcy Day” was coined by toy manufacturer Rick Woldenberg, President/CEO of Learning Resources, in reference to the new CPSIA legislation that passed on October 18, 2008. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is a direct response to the high levels of lead found in some of the children’s toys manufactured overseas. One of the more notable incidences was last year’s headline of the “Thomas the Tank Engine” trains that were found to contain high levels of lead. The public outrage over toxic chemicals being found on toys for children prompted President Bush to sign the CPSIA into law on October 18, 2008. Beginning on that date, manufacturers have 180 days to become compliant which brings us to the February 10, 2009 deadline. This is the date being referred to as “National Bankruptcy Day”. CPSIA has created quite a stir in the children’s industry as the law’s good intentions have inadvertently created numerous hardships for many small manufacturers. The deadline is fast approaching and I know there will be many small businesses caught in the crossfire. Will you be one of them? I’ve put together a FAQ below to help address some of the more common questions.

What items are required to be compliant?

All products that are marketed or could be perceived as being marketed to children under 12 years old. This is NOT limited to toys. It includes many items including clothing, jewelry, shoes, books, dinnerware, hair accessories, sunglasses, furniture, art materials, and musical instruments to name a few.

What does the testing require?

Lead content must be below 600ppm as of February 10, 2009 … then lowered to 300ppm on August 14, 2009… under 100ppm by August 14, 2011

Lead paint must pass a General Conformity Certification as having less than 600ppm for goods manufactured after November 12, 2008. Third party testing is required if the product is manufactured after December 21, 2008. These amounts will be lowered to 90ppm on August 14, 2009 and 3^rd party testing will be mandated

Phthalates in children’s toys and “childcare articles” are banned. Whether this includes children’s apparel items such as footed pajamas for a child under 3 years old is unclear at this point. (Phthalates are used to make vinyl soft and flexible and can possibly be found in footwear or in this case, the rubber coatings on the non-skid bottoms of children’s footed pajamas.)

(More requirements here http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html )

What if I am not compliant?

As of February 10, 2009 non-compliant goods will be treated as Hazardous Materials and must be destroyed. The civil penalty caps have been increased from $5,000 to $100,000 for each violation.

Why refer to February 10th as “National Bankruptcy Day”?

For starters, the legislation applies to EXISTING inventories. Manufacturers commonly produce their goods 6-12 months in advance. Any inventories that are currently in production or being warehoused now must be compliant. If they are not compliant, they will be treated as “hazardous materials” and must be destroyed according to the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA). For manufacturers (and retailers) of these goods, this could be devastating to companies already suffering from the current economic crisis.

Secondly, the 3^rd party testing is cost prohibitive for small manufacturers. As the law is written, the finished product will need to be tested with separate tests done for each product variable. For example, my company www.Glamajama.com manufactures embellished baby onesies, outfits, and t-shirts for toddlers. Under the CPSIA testing requirements, I will need to test each design and clothing style that I offer. With 20 designs each season on 40 different style combinations, that would equal 800 separate tests that need to be done at around $300-500 a test. It would be an understatement to say that the cost of testing would be “cost prohibitive”.

Isn’t getting lead out of children’s products a good thing?

ABSOLUTELY! I don’t believe any manufacturer in the children’s industry would want lead in their products. After all, many manufacturers (myself included) started a children’s based business after having children themselves. Why would we want to endanger our own children-much less someone else’s? We can all agree that the CPSIA has many benefits for ensuring the safety of our children, however, there are flaws regarding how it is being written and implemented. For manufacturers, the problem isn’t with producing a lead-free product; the problem is proving that you have a lead-free product. . These issues must be addressed before they inadvertently bankrupt small businesses in the children’s industry.

Where can I get more information?

The best advice I can give is to educate yourself regarding the new law. There are many manufacturers out there that don’t even realize they are being affected. Also, what about the retailers that carry these products? Or the eBayers and Etsy artists? The publicists who represent the designers to the media? The sales professionals who make their living selling these goods to retailers? This legislation has many far reaching negative effects, many of which are being underestimated. I encourage you to visit these following sites for more information as well.

http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.html Official site of the CPSIA

www.thesmartmama.com , Site by Jennifer Taggart, a Mom, Attorney, and Consultant specializing in environmental safety standards for children

http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/cpsia-requirements/ Fashion Incubator

Please comment below or email me at heather@glamajama.com …I’d be happy to try to answer any questions you might have. Also, you can follow me on twitter (www.twitter.com/glamajama )

7 Must-Ask Questions When Seeking New Career Training

Melanie Rembrandt — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:00:33 +0000

On Tuesday, Katie Yeakle, executive director of American Writers & Artists, Inc., shared her small-business wisdom with us. Today, she provides valuable advice on seeking legitimate training for a new career.

Katie Yeakle,
American Writers & Artists, Inc.
Executive Director

What are some things to be aware of when looking for the appropriate training to start a new business or career?

Keep the following in mind when you run across a company selling training or business opportunity products:

Do they have a physical address and an office you can visit?

With the explosion in the number of home-based businesses, operating a company out of a bedroom and using a P.O. box is no longer the red flag it once was. Even multibillion-dollar companies like Hewlett-Packard and Apple started in garages.

But shady operators often avoid having a permanent physical presence, and few would want you to stop by and see their office – which may be nothing more than a “boiler room” of telemarketers who are smooth-talking people out of their money. So it’s always a plus when a company has a physical address and welcomes visitors.

Which brings me to my next point …

Can you call in and talk to someone at the company?

These days, talking to a live person at any company is a challenge. Big companies cut costs by discouraging customers from talking to employees.

Instead, they give you endless phone-tree options, use voice-recognition software to provide the information you need, or route your call to the other side of the world – where you get to talk to a heavily accented gentleman who introduces himself as “Frank.”

Still, you should be able to recognize the difference between cost-cutting measures and outright stonewalling. If there’s no way at all to contact a company, you should be concerned about doing business with them.

Personally, I like to be accessible to our AWAI members. It just makes good business sense to keep in touch with our people – to find out what’s on their minds and understand their needs. That’s how we keep improving our products and coming up with new ones.

Does the company have testimonials or success stories?

Anyone can make an outrageous claim about what their product or service will do for you. But can they prove it? Has it worked for others? And have those customers been so happy they were willing to share their success stories?

If the company can’t provide several testimonials from satisfied customers, you have a right to be skeptical. In that case, look for customer reviews online. If they’re all negative, especially about how the company conducts business, you may want to steer clear of it.

Can you speak with real customers who have used the training or product?

As part of your due diligence, you might ask to talk to past customers. After all, this is not much different from asking for references when hiring a professional such as a lawyer, accountant, or house painter.

In the same way, the company you’re investigating should be able to give you contact information for a few of their customers.

Admittedly, this can be a tricky area. No company wants to upset customers by giving their phone numbers to hundreds of prospects who might inundate them with questions. But it doesn’t hurt to ask.

For example, we have AWAI members who have agreed to talk to prospects, but we’re careful not to abuse those relationships. Plus, these days you can visit online forums to see what customers are saying, and even post questions to them. So consider investigating those forums if you still have questions.

Do they present themselves professionally?

Shoddy marketing materials … a poorly designed website … phones that are answered haphazardly, or not at all … no customer service – all of these are signs that the company may not have much behind it.

With all due respect to the millions of legitimate, struggling startups, you may want to avoid companies that have not invested a fair amount of time, effort, and money into presenting themselves professionally and making it easy to do business with them.

Scammers out to make a quick buck are rarely willing to pony up tens of thousands of dollars to set up customer-friendly business operations and create a professional image.

Of course, a skateboard company with edgy ads and an in-your-face attitude on its website may not fit your definition of “professional.” But that’s just smart branding.

The red flag you’re looking for is a company that has spent hardly any money on establishing its image, creating a functional website, or providing good customer service.

Do they have an up-to-date report with the Better Business Bureau?

Fly-by-night companies won’t maintain a long-term membership status with the Better Business Bureau. So the longer a company has been listed with the BBB, the more comfortable you can feel about it.

On a company’s BBB report, look for the history of complaints against it. But keep in mind that, in the day-to-day business dealings with thousands of customers, many companies are bound to have a few complaints lodged against them. What you want to watch out for is an unusual volume or pattern of complaints, or any government actions against the company.

Are they bashing the competition just to sell their own product or service?

A standard marketing tactic used by less-than-trustworthy companies is to pit themselves against a perceived “enemy” and tout themselves as the only one speaking the truth – and offering the only “real” solution. If you see one that’s using this approach, proceed with caution.

A little good-natured ribbing between companies is okay – like Coke vs. Pepsi or Mac vs. Windows. But most legitimate businesses don’t need to knock the competition, because it simply makes better business sense for them to view other products or services as joint-venture opportunities rather than threats.

What tips do you have for other entrepreneurs starting a new business?

“Ready, Fire, Aim” is the mantra we live be. My mentor, Michael Masterson, recently wrote a book on the topic. The advice is: don’t wait until everything’s perfect … until the stars are aligned just so. Test your idea as quickly and inexpensively as possibly. You aren’t in business until you make your first sale.

Thanks for your great advice Katie! If you’d like more information from Katie, please contact her at memberservices@awaionline.com or visit www.awaionline.com.

And if you have PR and online copywriting questions or comments, feel free to write to me below or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’m here to help!

What’s Your Excuse? Do it Now!

Melanie Rembrandt — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:30:17 +0000

I just returned from a visit to Detroit. My Aunt Margaret died unexpectedly, and I wanted to pay my respects to this wonderful woman who touched the lives of everyone she met.

It just goes to show you that things can happen when you least expect it…whether you are ready or not.

With this in mind, are you working towards your goals right now, or are you putting them off until you have more time, a bigger budget, more support, etc.?

What are your excuses?

Now, I don’t mean to be pushy. But this is just a simple reminder that the time is NOW to make things happen and work towards your lifelong goals.

We all have days when we’re tired and you just don’t feel like working.

But in today’s competitive, fast-paced business world, it’s important to keep going and give your best efforts each day.

And it’s easy to be distracted by e-mails, phone calls, friends and family, food, television, etc. In fact, I know this all too well and even have a small sign posted on my bulletin board that says “No excuses.” It reminds me to give at least 100% of my efforts no matter what.

And as crazy as this may sound, my drive and work ethic has paid off. I am blessed to have great clients who refer me to others. And opportunity seems to knock on my door more frequently when I give every project at least 100%.

Now, if you want to make more happen in your life but you just can’t seem to get out of your rut, check out these sites for some help:

http://www.awaionline.com/2007/05/become-what-you-want/

http://www.sideroad.com/Setting_and_Achieving_Goals/stuck-in-a-rut.html

http://www.pinkmagazine.com/resources/career/overcoming_procrastination.html

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Toupin1.html

And instead of being jealous about your wealthy friend, family member or co-worker, make your own success happen.

Start with small changes and get into the habit of giving everything you best whenever possible. Soon, you’ll start to see good changes happen.

And best of all, you’ll be taking action to make your overall life goals come true-no matter how much time you have left!

If you need help with your PR and online copywriting needs, please feel free to send me your comments below or visit www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’m here to help! Thanks!

The Roots of America. The Roots of Your Business.

Sam Carpenter — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:34:59 +0000

It’s Sunday, September 6, and Linda and I are in Philadelphia. We stand in a pouring deluge – the brunt of tropical storm Hanna is upon us – as we wait to enter Independence Hall, located in the city’s Historic District. Drenched despite our umbrellas, 30 of us enter the annex of the building. We sit for a few minutes of instruction and orientation, and then the Park Service tour guide leads us into the chamber where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed in 1776 and 1787, respectively.

In this large room, and behind a low wooden rail barrier, are a number of plain tables and simple chairs. In the very front of the room, slightly elevated and farthest away from our soaked little throng, is another simple desk and, behind it, a more elaborate, high-backed “sunrise” chair: This is the very chair George Washington sat in as he presided over the creation of our nation’s foundational documentation. (And I think, what a thrill it would be to hop the railing and – despite outraged park rangers, verbal thrashings, and probable arrest – sit for a moment in that particular chair…).

Those of you who have read Work The System know where this is going: America’s roots lie in documentation. To be clear, the documentation I am talking about is not peripheral evidence, diary entries, or some idle narration of events. These documents are the working roots of the primary system that is America. In the summer of 1776, a collection of incredibly formidable guys sat down, harangued back and forth about details, and then, for starters, wrote down on paper where this country was to be headed: The Declaration of Independence – we were to be an independent nation! Then, they pounded out the Articles of Confederation which would ultimately be replaced by their second master document: The Constitution – our country’s principles of operation. And, within this document, and within the following Bill of Rights, was the formula for creating and modifying our everyday laws.

Is there any better example of the beauty of organizational documentation than the foundational documents of our own country? Would it make sense to pattern a private organization’s documentation after the most successful political document ever created? Know this isn’t rocket science. Despite what has been called the greatest gathering of brilliant minds gathered in any one place and time, there are only three simple, necessary documents: First, one that tells us where one is headed; second, a collection of guidelines for future actions; and third, a specific collection of how-to’s.

What if these guys had never written things down?

For the Continental Congress, it was damn hard work. It was hot and humid in the summer, hard and cold in the winter; contentious and frustrating – and the English were more than annoyed, killing and plundering at their doorsteps. (The British would ultimately, albeit temporarily, take over Philadelphia.)

Nonetheless, despite numerous, serious distractions, our guys settled in and did what they had to do: They ground out their documentation. The end result? The enormous machine that is America continues to succeed, with the founding father’s guidelines still running the show.

Last week in Washington, D.C., before coming up here to Philly, Linda and I physically stood in front of these primary American documents: documents permanently ensconced within the heavily guarded fortress of the National Archives (which, in turn, is surrounded by the incredibly secure city of Washington itself). Anyone who stands in the Archives rotunda, reading the words on those documents, like we did, knows these are more than mere words on paper: These documents are the roots of America.

How about you? Written anything down lately? If you operate a small business, there is a good chance your answer in “no.” And, if you work for a large corporation, what about the documentation you have been instructed to use? Is it relevant and vital to what is happening today in your department? My guess is, probably, “yes.” If it weren’t relevant and vital, your business would not exist.

Am I rabid about documentation? Yes, and here’s how I look at things: Documentation is more than the representation of a system, it is the system. Is the compilation of documentation boring and tedious – yes, it can be. But, I ask, who says vital work has to be exciting in order to be worthwhile? Years ago, as I began to document my own company, I quickly became energized by the fact that virtually no one else in my industry was doing it. It was too hard! Too tedious! That meant I was at a terrific advantage! And I was further pumped by the realization that ALL large, successful businesses have found a way to create, and then abide by, solid documentation. That’s how they got large and successful!

Is the simple entry fee to the large-and-successful club simply the time and effort it takes to document and then apply that documentation? Yes!

It seems Linda and I have become a couple of small-time American history buffs. It’s new territory for us, and it’s downright exciting as we relate what happened so long ago to what is vital in our lives right now. What worked then – documentation – is working now.

Sam Carpenter is author of the recent book, Work The System: The Simple Mechanics of Working Less and Making More