The article discusses small business management in the United States. Owners can be overwhelmed with detail and do not have the time, know-how, and objectivity needed for basic and long-term business planning. Cases that illustrate why businesses are not expanding and need periodic assistance from consultants include: the lack of an effective accounting system in a plastics manufacturing company where the owner's expertise was in design and creation of molds and machine setups; and a cosmetic company where the owner has expertise in chemistry and package design, but lacks merchandising knowledge. Topics are community development corporations, regional credit pools set up by commercial banks, Dresser Industries' holding company, and management-assistance investment trusts.