Best Certifications for Small Business Owners: Areas to Accelerate Your Professional Development

Key takeaways

Many professionals earn certifications to acquire new knowledge or formalize their existing expertise in a key area of their work. For small business owners and entrepreneurs, certifications can be a way to improve the way you run your business while learning industry best practices.

• Earning a certification as an entrepreneur or small business owner can enhance your ability to run a successful business.

• Unlike an employee who may seek certification in a specific area of their work, entrepreneurs have numerous opportunities to earn certifications in various fields, including management, finance, and marketing.

• Rather than spreading your efforts too thin, start with one or two high-impact certifications that align with the phase of your business.

Learn more about some of the best certifications you can earn as an entrepreneur or small business owner. Afterward, consider expanding your business knowledge with the Harvard Business Review's Strengthen Your Business Savvy Specialization, where you'll learn how to develop and execute strategic plans.

5 certification areas for small business owners

As a small business owner or entrepreneur, there are several different areas you may want to get certified in, depending on the phase of your business, your current short-term and long-term goals, and your priorities. Let's review some of the best options.

1. General business management

These foundational certifications help entrepreneurs streamline operations, manage teams effectively, and optimize small business processes.

Project management

• Project Management Professional (PMP)

• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)

• Agile

• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

Business analysis and intelligence

• Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)

• Certification of Capability in Business Analysis (CCBA)

• Risk management

• Business intelligence

Process management

• Lean Six Sigma

• Supply chain

2. Finance

Financial certifications enable better money management, tax compliance, and funding opportunities for growing businesses.

• Bookkeeping

• Quickbooks

• Grant writing

3. Digital marketing

Marketing certifications can be essential for entrepreneurs who need to build online presence, attract customers, and compete in the digital marketplace.

• Google Ads

• Google Analytics

• Email marketing

• UX

• SEO

• Social media marketing

4. Sales and customer service

These certifications can be useful for improving the art of customer acquisition, retention, and relationship management.

• Customer relationship management (CRM)

• Sales

• Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP)

• Certified Customer Service Manager (CCSM)

5. Data and privacy

Data has become a critical component of understanding key business elements, so building your skills in data analysis, data visualization, and cybersecurity to keep that data safe can be beneficial as your business grows.

• Data analytics

• Tableau

• Cybersecurity

How do certifications benefit small business owners?

Business certifications are a valuable asset for business owners. Consider the following reasons why certificates can benefit you and your business:

• Credibility and trust-building: Demonstrates your expertise and professionalism to potential customers.

• Competitive advantage: Differentiates from uncertified leaders, and shows your commitment to any industry standards and best practices.

• Business growth opportunities: Opens doors to new markets and client segments, and may qualify your business for certain government contracts or specialized programs.

• Marketing and sales benefits: Provides concrete credentials to highlight in marketing materials, enabling the use of certification logos and badges.

• Knowledge and skill enhancement: Keeps you current with industry trends and regulations, provides structured learning and professional development, and helps identify gaps in current knowledge or processes.

• Networking and resources: Access to professional associations and peer networks.

Which certification should a small business owner earn first?

With numerous options to choose from, it's essential to identify the most suitable certifications to pursue and prioritize them accordingly. There are three ways to do that.

Business stage alignment

Businesses will need different things at different phases. Determine which phase your business is in—startup, growth, or established—and then identify the best certification (or certifications) to earn.

• Startup: Focus on foundational credibility certifications

• Growth: Target certifications that open new markets

• Established: Consider advanced or specialized certifications

Resource evaluation

Whether you've just come up with a new idea or you're further along in the process of your small business, it's important to evaluate the resources you have for earning a certification. Often, these programs can require dedicated hours each week for studying and then a final assessment.

• Assess available time for studying and testing.

• Consider any prerequisite requirements or experience needed.

• Factor in your learning style and the complexity of the material.

Strategic business goals

Another way to prioritize which certifications to earn is to reflect on your strategic business goals and which certifications will be most beneficial to have earned within specific timeframes.

For instance, if you have specific business objectives you want to achieve within the next year, such as expanding your social media presence, then it may be valuable to earn a digital marketing certification first, ahead of another type of credential.

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