Today enterprises operate in very dynamic business environments. They are exposed to strong external influence and pressure, as well as to the development of technology. However, they are also exposed to the development of their competition both in domestic and foreign markets. Management has a huge role in the thriving business of enterprises. It is a process of achieving desired outcomes through efficient utilization of material and human resources in enterprises and organizations. There are managers on different operative levels of responsibility, depending on the size of an enterprise or an organization. They make decisions on the use of the company's resources, and they deal with planning, organization, management, and control of the company's activities to achieve its goals. Basic terms and concepts of business were explained in this paper, as well as the legal forms and basic concepts of management, its essential functions, and hierarchical layers. Using the example of the Pik Vrbovec plus d.o.o. manufacturing enterprise the role of the sales manager was described in detail on the first level of responsibility. A sales manager's affairs and tasks in retail were examined and theoretical knowledge was compared to the situation in practice. In Pik Vrbovec d.o.o. plus enterprise's retail, a sales manager performs all the operational tasks on the first level of management by applying their knowledge and skills. They have the operational responsibility, and they control the execution of the activities on the operational level. They are focused on immediate task and goal execution. A sales manager strives for success and the achievement of results and is led by the mission and the vision of the company. The meaning of quality and successful management on the first level for a business is demonstrated based on the analysis conducted within this paper.