Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.

—Warren Buffett

Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.

—Bob Dylan

They’re Gr-r-reat!

—Tony the Tiger, mascot of a consumer monopoly company that Warren Buffett loves

A consistent truth exists across all small businesses: Each one is different. A hamburger stand drives down operational costs through inexpensive, rapid-fire delivery; a service business builds sustainability through solid, enduring relationships; a technology firm evolves through bleeding-edge innovation and development. It would be catastrophic for a tax service provider to ram his clients through in 60 seconds just as it would be suicide for a hamburger stand cashier to play a round of golf with customers as the drive-thru line backs up. No matter how disparate the business model universe may be, another consistent truth exists: Every great business is built upon the same core fundamentals.