Small Business Owner Resume Keywords 2025

Use these specific keywords in your resume to help you pass Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and catch the attention of recruiters hiring for Small Business Owner roles.

Hard Skills

  • Business planning
  • Budgeting and forecasting
  • Cash flow management
  • Profit and loss (P&L) management
  • Inventory management
  • Vendor and supplier management
  • Contract negotiation
  • Sales strategy
  • Pricing strategy
  • Customer relationship management (CRM)
  • Market research and analysis
  • Business development
  • Staff scheduling
  • Hiring and onboarding
  • Policy and procedure development

Soft Skills

  • Entrepreneurial mindset
  • Leadership
  • Strategic thinking
  • Problem-solving
  • Decision-making
  • Adaptability
  • Time management
  • Team building
  • Customer service orientation
  • Conflict resolution
  • Communication skills
  • Negotiation skills
  • Resilience
  • Stakeholder management

Technical Proficiencies

  • QuickBooks
  • Excel (spreadsheets, financial modeling)
  • Point of Sale (POS) systems
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
  • Shopify / WooCommerce
  • Square / Stripe
  • Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive)
  • Microsoft Office Suite
  • Email marketing platforms (Mailchimp, Constant Contact)
  • Social media management tools (Hootsuite, Buffer)
  • Website content management systems (WordPress, Wix)
  • Inventory and order management software

Marketing & Growth Skills

  • Digital marketing
  • Social media marketing
  • Local SEO
  • Brand development
  • Content marketing
  • Lead generation
  • Email marketing campaigns
  • Customer retention strategies
  • Community outreach
  • Partnership development

Operations & Compliance

  • Operational efficiency
  • Process improvement
  • Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
  • Risk management
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Health and safety compliance
  • Quality control
  • Cost reduction initiatives

Industry Certifications & Credentials

  • Small Business Administration (SBA) training
  • Entrepreneurship certificate
  • Business management certification
  • Digital marketing certification (e.g., Google, HubSpot)
  • Accounting or bookkeeping certificate
  • Leadership and management training

Action Verbs

  • Founded
  • Launched
  • Owned
  • Operated
  • Managed
  • Directed
  • Scaled
  • Optimized
  • Negotiated
  • Implemented
  • Streamlined
  • Increased
  • Reduced
  • Improved
  • Developed
  • Led
  • Coordinated
  • Analyzed
  • Executed
Pro Tip

Don't just list these keywords! Weave them naturally into your Professional Summary and Work Experience bullet points to show how you used these skills to achieve results.

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