Planning by owner-managers of small business has not received the attention from researchers a sector of such importance deserves. Using the forestry sector in Victoria as a sample, an investigation into the background and the planning undertaken by the owner-managers of small businesses was designed and implemented. The people consulted by the owner-manager as part of the planning process were identified as well as the topics discussed. A range of approaches to planning were identified and grouped into non-planners, partial planners and formal planners. The sample was divided into Consultants and Contractors based on the type of work undertaken and the equipment used. Further sub-sets were identified. Contractors were split into Labour Intensive Contractors and Capital Intensive Contractors and the Consultants were also divided by age into