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9 Business Owner Resume Examples [& Templates]

Stephen Greet

Business Owner

Business Owner

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Business Owner Resume

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  • Business Owner Resumes by Industry

Operating your own business is a rewarding experience; you’re passionate about your product or service, and your unique business brings joy to many customers.

If you’re considering traditional employment or stepping into a new venture, it’s probably time to access a quick resume builder . However,  writing your resume  is more complicated than it looks when it comes to summarizing your activities and responsibilities.

Fortunately, we’ve done all the hard work for you!

We’ve researched numerous business owners’ resumes to determine what worked to get an interview in 2024 . We’ve distilled our research into nine free business owner resume samples to inspire your business owner resume. Check out our tips to perfect your resume and land you an interview for the job of your dreams!

or download as PDF

Business owner resume example with 10 years of experience

Why this resume works

  • We’d recommend adding an objective if you’re undergoing a career change or if you have minimal experience with the job you’re seeking.
  • Use an objective to describe why your unique background prepares you for the job you’re seeking, and why you’re transitioning to a new job.
  • Don’t try! An  online cover letter generator  can save you precious space on your resume (not to mention time!), giving you room to share the how and why of your business-savvy decisions.

Small Self-Employed Business Owner Resume

Small self-employed business owner resume example with 8 years of experience

  • For your small self-employed business owner resume, include achievements like expanding your brand’s store locations or growing its online presence to show employers that you’re a one-man army who knows how to take a company to the moon!

Former Business Owner Resume

Former business owner resume example with marketing and account managing experience

  • You can also be a bit creative and focus on your specialty like Jordan. Check out how he displays his expertise in digital marketing by only writing about his contribution to improving his brand’s online presence.

Self-Employed Business Owner Resume

Self-employed business owner resume example with 8+ years of experience

  • For event planners, personal parties you’ve organized can fit nicely on your self-employed business owner resume.

Small Business Owner Resume

Small business owner resume example with 14 years of experience

  • You can provide metrics regarding revenue, the number of store locations you opened, the amount of positive performance reviews, customer and employee satisfaction scores, or the amount of awards you won. If you can find numbers for something, include it!
  • Start by including relevant skill keywords in your  resume’s skill section . Check your list against the job description so your resume matches their expectations.

Online Business Owner Resume

Online business owner resume example with 13 years of experience

  • We’d recommend putting your online business owner resume in reverse-chronological order, meaning your most recent work experience is listed first.
  • Employers will pay the most attention to the top third of your resume, so make sure they see your (likely) most impressive experience first.
  • For each job, list three to six bullet points with relevant content. Start each bullet point with an action verb and minimize personal pronouns to keep your resume concise.

Cleaning Business Owner Resume

Cleaning business owner resume example with 10+ years of experience

  • This cleaning business owner resume focuses on the duties that come with owning an enterprise, while drawing less attention to the ancillary cleaning position.

Restaurant Business Owner Resume

Restaurant business owner resume example with 14 years of experience

  • If that’s the case, use a  Word resume template  or a  Google Doc resume template  to format your resume correctly, but always download it after you’re done. Sometimes your resume formatting doesn’t translate properly, so do one last check to make sure it looks polished and professional.
  • As a business owner with years of experience, your best bet is to place your skills and work experience sections higher on your resume but underneath your contact header. 

Construction Business Owner Resume

small business owner resume example

  • Highlight your marketing capabilities, customer service skills, fiscal responsibility, and management abilities regarding your construction company.
  • Pay special attention to your grammar, word choice, and active voice. The goal is to sound professional and competent!

Related resume guides

  • Business Development
  • Account Manager

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Small Business Owner Resume Examples & Guide

When you are a Small Business Owner and scouting for a new position, buying into another small business, or even applying for contracts and tenders, you need a stellar resume. It is essential first to check out a top-notch Small Business Owner resume sample.

You want to make sure your resume stands out from the rest by being both informative and entertaining to read without overwhelming the potential sponsor, prospective partner, or funding manager with irrelevant information.

How you create a resume into an interview-winning document, we will explain to you in detail below.

What you can read in this article

Small Business Owner Resume Examples

Small Business Owner Resume Example

Small Business Owner Resume Guide:

Resume sections.

1. Contact Information :

  • Be sure to include alternative contact channels, as well as your LinkedIn profile

2. Profile Summary : “ View this as the introduction to your resume and include 1–3 sentences giving a broad overview of your background, years of industry experience and the industry sectors of interest. You should be specific and state which job you are applying for. ”

3. Qualifications Summary : Provide accurate details about the certifications and qualifications you have completed with the institution, qualification name, and dates. Don’t forget to include the qualifications you are currently completing too.

4. Relevant Ownership Experience : Clearly state your employment history by providing details regarding the last ten years of experience up until your current position. Use brief sentences with bullet points to list the most important managerial and supervisory duties under each role you have had.

5. Skills Summary/Key Skills : Incorporates keywords from the job posting and your specific skill set. This adds much-needed credibility to your resume.

6. Education/Licenses/Certifications/Relevant Coursework/Training : Start with your formal degrees and post-school diplomas or accreditations like an MBA. List any professional development that better prepared you to work in the management field, such as leadership training, employee development workshops and business management courses.

What to Highlight in a Business Owner Resume

Regardless of your experience as a Small Business Owner, there are a few vital things that companies, sponsors and financial service providers need to know about you to ensure that you are the right fit for their investment. (Also see Small Business Sales Manager Resume Guide )

Small Business Owners have operational and strategic responsibilities, and they are often the last man standing when crises hit.

Business Owners operate their companies and handle responsibilities such as creating business plans, arranging the finance, hiring staff, reviewing sales , developing marketing strategies, overseeing daily activities, and identifying business opportunities.

The first aspect to highlight is the scope of your work tenure in product type or industry area.

There are millions of businesses out there with every imaginable product or solution. It would be best if you were specific about the product type or service offering you have experience in from a technical perspective (industry knowledge), a financial perspective (budgets, cash flow), operational perspective (sales, logistics, procurement) as well as a human resource (supervising people) perspective.

While this job does require you to take control and delegate responsibilities to other workers, Small Business Owners get their hands just as dirty as their workers and staff members.

Although delegation is key, Business Owners often have to step in during times of crises and engage in activities like dealing with customers, answering phones, filing paperwork, training new employees etc.

Next comes the targets, goals, and production metrics that the employees under your supervision need to achieve.

Be number specific here and provide actual data. For example, as a Small Business Owner, you can mention the 1 million turnovers made in the second quarter with average sales value per rep at $30 000.

This proves that you can analyze sales statistics, which is necessary to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

self employed collection information statement

Next, employers, sponsors, financial service providers, and prospective business partners want to see the range of budgets you have experience overseeing. One of the main tasks of a Small Business Owner is to allocate resources (human or financial) to specific projects like marketing campaigns or product launches.

In larger organizations, these are usually handled by the marketing or advertising team, but these are tasks Small Business Owners are often responsible for.

There is a big difference between $5k projects and $1.5M projects. This information should be in your summary, as well as your position descriptions.

You may also need to mention the project management tools you are familiar with as you will often be the superuser or platform administrator on these applications (Zoho Projects, Resource Guru, GamePlan and Aggio)

*Cool Tip for a stellar resume

You can really create an excellent first impression by breaking your job description down into the main responsibility areas of a Small Business Owner:

  • Planning Creating and updating business plans and marketing plans. Structure short, medium, and long term financial plans. Prepare budgets and approve budgetary expenses. Determine discount rates and pricing schedules. Conduct sales forecasts and establish sales targets. Schedule implementation of career development and training plans.
  • Organizing A Small Business Owner’s job is typically a juggling exercise of numerous activities. You must be able to stay focused during crisis times and delegate tasks to employees to keep business running smoothly.
  • Leading You will have several people you need to supervise in addition to handling general complaints, last-minute production schedule changes, warehousing problems. Small Business Owners are leaders who operate in the trenches of operations and service delivery.
  • Controlling Responsible for statutory compliance and adhering to state and federal regulations. Review operational activity records and reports to compare actual vs. target outcomes. Manage profitability ratios. Monitor internal and external stakeholder preferences to determine the focus of sales efforts.
  • Recruiting & Training Small Business Owners are usually the ones responsible for recruiting and interviewing prospective candidates and shortlist the top three for final interviews with the senior manager. They are also responsible for training and onboarding newcomers.

Make sure to include the following details

  • GPA score if you have completed a Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree. (if higher than 3.5)
  • The number of employees you are managing as well as the headcount figures of any admin staff.
  • The business management tools you are familiar with like WorkEtc, Zoho, Adios, 1CRM, and Booker to name but a few.
  • Sound financial management one of the main pillars contributing to small business success (Freshbooks, InDinero, Floats, SosInventory, Expensify)
  • If you use HR management tools, mention these as well ( Zenefits , ZenPayroll, SpiderGroups, i-Sight, OpenElevator)
  • Also mention the sales management platforms and customer relationship management ( CRM ) platforms you are familiar with like Sage, SAP, Oracle, and Vanguard, Lotus Notes.
  • Remember to include communication and collaboration tools, for instance, cloud-based systems like Slack, Trello, Asana or even Skype which you are currently using to facilitate communication between team members.

Career Summary & Examples

Hiring managers, banks, and sponsors have large numbers of hundreds of applications to screen and limited time to read them all in detail.

Keep your career summary concise and to the point. Put the most relevant information first to capture their attention while they’re quickly scanning your resume.

Start your career summary with your years of experience in the industry and the primary duties you performed.

When deciding what duties to add, use the job description as your guide. For instance, if the job you are applying to highlights leading and motivating teams use those same words and phrases.

The more your resume resonates with the job description of keywords, the better fit you will seem.

Next, add a line that showcases any outstanding qualities that will add value to the company. A funding manager or business scout would be interested to know if you have “strong coordination skills, creative leadership abilities and a flair for statistics, metrics and production ratios.”

It’s important to note that these qualities should be proven with examples in the professional experience section to re-enforce your message.

Finally, end your summary with your educational degrees/diplomas and any certified courses or professional memberships you may have that are pertinent to the job.

“ Business Owner with 15 years’ experience in a service environment solely responsible for all marketing communications, branding, PR, advertising, search engine optimization activities. Built client base from 0 to 60 clients, achieving annual gross sales of $400,000. Average debt-cycle is 60 days and profit to earnings ratio has been at 30% for the last five years. Holds an MBA and various business management certifications. “

“ Young business professional, with five years’ entrepreneurial experience in the automotive products industry. Highly competent in problem-solving and ascertaining client needs. Poised, resourceful manager and adaptable to any environment. Organizational ability to handle multiple priorities and deadline situations. A self-starter and a nimble learner, who believes in continuous innovation and reinvention. Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and is currently serving as CEO of the BNI network in the county. “

Business Owner Resume Job Descriptions

An employer or prospective business partner would expect to see the following proven foundational duties and skill sets within an applicant’s resume, depending on educational level and career stage.

Small Business Owner roles are available in virtually every industry, but we have selected a few examples below to get you started.

Use these short versions in conjunction with the standard responsibilities described earlier in the ‘’cool tips for a stellar resume section’’ to beef up your experience.

A Small Business Owner in Cellular and Telecoms may:

  • Ensure that equipment and machinery are adequately maintained and promptly repaired by assigned workers.
  • Market products such as wireless, cellular, merchant services, television and more focusing on bottom-line savings and value.
  • Utilize customer statements to analyze savings and potential value-added services.
  • Promotion via social media platforms to improve brand identity and generate warm leads.

A Small Business Owner in a Production/Manufacturing/Engineering Environment may:

  • Evaluate production rates daily to diagnose problems and possible solutions to any deviations reflected in the production metrics.
  • Monitor production quotas, and quality standards.
  • Enforce safety and health policies and procedures.

A Small Business Owner in Digital Advertising may:

  • Manage web portal e-Commerce business specializing automotive resale for large brand names.
  • Act as liaison between distributor and customer.
  • Responsible for strategic planning, operations, merchandising, and marketing for the online community.
  • Drive customer relations, brand positioning, revenue growth, financial management, driving operational excellence, business development , price negotiations.

A Small Business Owner in Insurance may:

  • Create customized insurance plans by calculating and quoting rates for immediate coverage action as well as and long-term coverage.
  • Obtains underwriting approval by managing the application process between client and insurer.
  • Provide administrative services inclusive of direct deposit forms and processing amendments in beneficiary and policy loan applications.

Accomplishments

Under your experience section, you may be tempted to copy and paste the list of duties you performed as detailed in your job description. The drawback to doing this, though, is that you won’t stand out from the other applicants with similar experience.

Your goal is to think about what sets you apart, what you are most proud of, or what you accomplished in your previous roles, and communicate these through action-packed statements that are compelling.

Flat, Simple Duty:

  • Responsible for marketing duties

Accomplishment Statement:

  • Established email marketing campaigns that generated an average of 30 leads and 12 new customers a month.

Quantifying Achievements

When writing your resume, always try to answer the questions: “How much?” or “How many?”. This will help you showcase tangible results. Include numbers to quantify your impact, such as:

  • Time saved: How much time did you save?
  • Revenue growth: By how much did your annual sales increase?
  • Quality improvements: How did this reduce downtime or other inefficiencies?

Example 1 Negotiated new service level agreements with suppliers, leading to an 18% reduction in material costs and saving $200k annually .

Example 2 Saved $500k per quarter by reducing overheads by 19% through better resource utilization.

Example 3 Reduced Workers’ Compensation costs by 35% per year by implementing employee wellness programs and safety training initiatives.

The education section is a key component of your resume.

Keep it simple by answering the “What,” “Where,” and “When” of your qualifications, certifications, or industry licenses. Include the name of the qualification , the institution , and the date of completion .

If you're currently pursuing a qualification, make sure to list it as well. When listing courses and certifications, ensure they are relevant to your career goals.

For secondary and tertiary education , follow this format:

  • Degrees : Start with the start and completion dates (for diplomas, associate degrees, and bachelor’s degrees).
  • Courses : Simply list the completion date.
  • Then, include the full name of the qualification, the institution , and the city or state abbreviation .

Example: Small Business Owner Resume (5+ years of experience)

2002–2005 – Bachelor of Communication Science, University of Arizona, AZ

2013 – Financial Management for Non-Financial Managers, Boston City College, MA

2012 – Diploma in Project Management, New York Business Academy, NY

2010 – Advanced Certificate in Entrepreneurship, MIT (Online)

2006–2008 – Master of Business Administration, Chicago State University, IL

Small Business Owner Skills

Although the management field requires specific technical skills, employers also look for other skills, called soft skills. These are the main types of skills that indicate to your fit as a Small Business Owner who will add value, has adequate knowledge, sufficient experience and who will motivate and inspire teams. Incorporate these into your summary, or profile, and into your accomplishment statements.

Technical Skills Examples

  • Educational Attainment A university degree is not generally required to become a Small Business Owner. In highly technical industries like Finance or IT, top suggested degrees are Business Management, Information Technology, Financial Management, and Marketing and a Master’s in Business Administration.
  • Technical Aptitude Small Business Owners need to be strategically orientated to create operational plans, new business development strategies and establish new client markets, On the other hand, a Small Business Owner must be hands-on in driving daily production activities of staff by implementing automated tracking software. They also need to be financially savvy to compile budgets.
  • Managerial Ability Small Business Owners are constantly challenged the ups and downs of employee performance cycles. Therefore, strong leadership skills are a must to motivate or critique the consultant’s performance in a constructive manner.
  • Other Technical Skills Budgets, Strategic Marketing, Research, Analytics, Social Media, Cloud-Based Collaboration Platforms, CRM Systems, Quality Control, Report Writing, Feedback Mechanisms.

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Small Business Owner resume examples & templates

Small Business Owner resume examples & templates

Resume header

Creating a successful small business is both challenging and rewarding, but the benefits extend far past the owner. Small businesses are the backbone of communities around the world, so you’ll want your resume to be as strong as you are. Since no two small business owners have the same story, trying to fit your unique experience on a resume can feel a bit daunting. Luckily, there are basic guidelines to help you share your passion and skills on a resume.

Entry-level Small Business Owner Resume Example

With 300+ resume examples and writing guides for jobs across industries, Resume.io is an expert resource for job seekers in every stage of their careers. This resume guide, along with the corresponding resume example will cover the following topics:

What does a small business owner do?

  • How to write a small business owner resume (tips and tricks)
  • The best format for a small business owner resume
  • Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education, skills)
  • Professional resume layout and design hints.

Want more proof of the economic value small businesses provide? Nearly half of all U.S. employees work for small businesses which have added over 12.9 million jobs in the past 25 years, according to Forbes .

Small business owners are defined simply by the fact that they own their own company which may take any number of forms including a physical shop, a website, or a service business. Small business owners are often entrepreneurial-minded people who take on a variety of roles within their companies. While specific duties often vary depending on the sector, some common tasks of small business owners include:

  • Developing the business concept and defining the goods or services to be offered
  • Finding, renting, or buying a location for brick-and-mortar businesses
  • Maintaining shop appearance and product display
  • Ordering inventory
  • Hiring and training staff
  • Bookkeeping and payroll management for employees or vendors
  • Creation of a website and marketing materials for online businesses
  • Ordering equipment or supplies needed for business operations

Small business owner

How to write a small business owner resume

The very first step in writing your small business owner resume is understanding what sections to include. Your CV should contain the following elements:

  • The resume header
  • The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
  • The employment history section
  • The resume skills section
  • The education section

There are many reasons why a small business owner may need to write a resume, including when selling the business and merging with another company, when looking for a second job, or when applying for a grant or other aid program. By identifying your reason for writing this resume, you can customize it for the needs of the employer or other person who will be reading it. A tailored resume is one of the best ways to ensure you make a great first impression and come across as a serious and motivated candidate.

Owning a small business is a journey in its own right and you may feel that you have loads to say about your experience and skill set. However, most resumes should be kept to a maximum of one page meaning that every sentence should serve a purpose. Aim to use action verbs, numbers, and key statistics to highlight your strongest qualities and the transferable skills you've acquired as a small business owner.

Choosing the best resume format for a small business owner

Because of the varied nature of owning a small business, you have a variety of options when it comes to choosing the best format for your resume. If you have traditional employment experience to show in addition to your small business, you should opt for the reverse chronological resume. This format is often considered the “standard” structure since it’s what most hiring managers expect to see. A reverse chronological resume gets its name from its focus on the employment history section where previous experiences are listed from most recent to oldest.

If you work in a highly technical field or you think your skills are your strongest selling point, a functional resume might be better suited to your experience. This format starts with the skills section and contains a very minimal work history section. A hybrid format or combination of functional and reverse chronological format is the best choice for those who want to highlight specialized skills along with traditional employment.

The first essential section of a great resume is the header, which is usually found at the very top of the page or as a side column. The header serves to label your document and keep your name and contact information at the hiring manager’s fingertips so they can easily contact you. If you’d like to showcase your small business further, you can include your LinkedIn or another professional social media account. The design of your header is also an important element to consider and we’ll discuss it further in a later chapter. Check out our adaptable resume sample for more ideas on creating a small business resume header.

Resume summary example

The resume summary is the first section after the header. The purpose of these 3-5 sentences is to introduce you and your key experiences so that the hiring manager will continue to read your application. If your small business is your proudest accomplishment, make sure to mention it here along with any impressive metrics like sales, noteworthy clients, or expansion plans. The summary should also showcase your personality in a professional and positive manner. Below you’ll find an adaptable summary resume example that you can modify for your own experience.

Highly experienced in all aspects of retail management within busy, fast-paced clothing sales environments. Able to shift gears rapidly and adapt to a wide range of retail needs and schedules. Prepared to leverage small business management skills in a new challenge. 

Since the summary is the most free-form section of the resume, it’s worth checking out our related resume examples for inspiration:

  • Starbucks resume sample
  • Retail cashier resume sample
  • Retail manager resume sample
  • Store manager resume sample
  • Ikea resume sample
  • Mercadona resume sample
  • Art gallery resume sample
  • Auction house manager resume sample
  • Antique dealer resume sample
  • Cashier resume sample
  • Coffee shop manager resume sample

Employment history example

One of the biggest challenges of writing your small business owner resume will likely be crafting an employment history section that captures the breadth of your experiences. While the standard employment history section is geared towards traditional employment, there are plenty of ways to make your unique experience shine. If you have multiple employment entries, simply list your small business as the most recent. Mention the business name, your role as the owner or founder, the date started, and the location. Then add 4-5 bullet points that clearly demonstrate your ability to create a successful small business. Add other types of employment below this entry with the same key elements. Get started with our adaptable resume example below.

Retail Operations Manager at Steph's Boutique, Portland, ME March 2011 - Present

  • Built business from the ground up providing affordable, chic clothing to visitors of vibrant downtown Portland.
  • Selected location, designed welcoming, appealing storefront and and assembled / decorated all store fixtures.
  • Perform all business, financial and customer service functions and hire / train part-time sales staff.
  • Keep sales records, balance register, maintain POS systems and perform all accounting and financial forecasting functions.

Clothing Department Sales Assistant at Target, Portland, ME April 2009 - January 2011

  • Assisted customers with locating, sizing and selecting garments and accessories.
  • Utilized POS system to complete sales and handle returns.
  • Consistently exhibited engaging, outgoing demeanor in all customer interactions.
  • Worked with managers in resolving issues with purchases, returns and dissatisfied customers.

What if my small business is my only employment to date?

There are a few ways to handle this situation. One option is to create a functional or combination resume that highlights the skills you gained as a small business owner first and foremost. You can also rename your Employment History section to “Experience” and add a variety of other positions like volunteer or leadership roles.

CV skills example

The skills section of your CV is at the heart of any complete small business owner resume. Your experience has no doubt given you a wide range of skills that could be applied across industries. However, before writing this section, take a moment to reread the job description you are applying for. Look for the overlap between the employer’s needs and your best qualities. Those are the skills to focus on in this section. Make sure to pair your list down to the top four or five skills and use the employer’s exact language when adding them to your CV. See our adaptable skills resume example below.

  • Retail Store Operations
  • Accounting & Bookkeeping
  • Visual Merchandising
  • Customer Service
  • Business Management
  • Business Analysis
  • POS Systems
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Microsoft Office
  • Time Management
  • Payroll & Scheduling
  • Fast Learner
  • Adaptability

Small business owner resume education example

Small business owners come from a variety of educational backgrounds so this section may change form depending on your experience and the job you are applying for. As a general rule, if you’ve completed any advanced degree, relevant training program, or certificate then you should include it in an education section along with the school name, dates attended, and location. You may also choose to add bullet points with any noteworthy courses. Your GPA is only relevant if you are a recent graduate and it is particularly impressive. Otherwise, you’ll likely want to leave it off and let your small business experience take center stage. See our adaptable education resume example below.

Associate of Science in Business Administration, Southern Maine Community College, South Portland, ME September 2008 - May 2010

  • GPA: 3.8/4.0.
  • Honors Graduate.
  • President, Student Fashion Club.

Resume layout and design

Before a hiring manager or other reader finds out about your small business experience, the layout and design of your resume are the first things they will notice. It’s important to convey the right qualities in your presentation, so take a closer look at the company or organization you are applying to. Your design should leave the employer with no doubt that you’d fit into the company culture. If you’re not applying for a grant instead of a new job, make sure your layout mimics the branding and look of your small business so that your personality can fully shine through. Here are a few more tips:

  • Create an attractive header with a professional accent color
  • Keep a balance of white space to text
  • Try out a resume template to make formatting much faster
  • Change the margin size to squeeze in more information
  • Use more than one or two fonts styles
  • Forget to proofread before submitting

Key takeaways for a small business owner resume

  • Your small business is a super power to propel your job search – if you can create a strong and convincing resume.
  • Don’t forget to pay attention to the needs of the employer and focus on the skills and experience areas that are most relevant to the position you are applying for.
  • Adjust your resume format based on your needs. While the reverse chronological is most common, there are other options.
  • Check out our adaptable small business owner resume example as a starting point for your own application.

Beautiful ready-to-use resume templates

COMMENTS

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    Small Business Owner resume examples & templates Wondering how to capture your small business experience and create a job-winning resume? This resume example and writing guide will break it down into a seamless process.