Synopses & Reviews
The inside scoop
for when you want more than the official line! There has been an explosion of small business start-ups in the past decade, but only a few have gone on to lasting growth and profits. What are the secrets of starting a small business? To begin, you need to evaluate your interests and goals, conduct market research, develop a business plan, and create a marketing program that brings in revenue. Yet in order to make your small business successful, you also need the confidence and insider information that can boost you to the top. You need the inside scoop. The Unofficial Guide to Starting a Small Business is designed to give would-be entrepreneurs like you a fool-proof appraisal of what works and what doesn'tthe smart moves and the bad ones. This authoritative, comprehensive work gives you all the information you need, with unbiased recommendations that are not influenced by any company, product, or organization. This book, like every Unofficial Guide, is intensively inspected by The Unofficial Panel of Experts, a team of top business professionals who ensure that you are getting the most up-to-date insider information available and are being told exactly what "the Official establishment" doesn't want you to know. With their help, you can get started in record timefiling the necessary paperwork, identifying potential customers, and developing financial targetsand begin your transition from employee to business owner by the end of the book. Vital Information that other sources can't or won't reveal. Proven Strategies for marketing and managing your business successfully. Insider Secrets from successful entrepreneurs, business owners, and consultants. Money-Saving Techniques that keep ;your expenses down and your profits up. Time-Saving Tips that help you make progress quickly with proven business tactics. The Latest Trends on what's hot and what's not in businesses to start or to buy. Handy Checklists and Charts that make start-up tasks virtually stress-free. Valuable Sidebars that offer you advice to get you started on the right foot. visit us on-line at www.idgbooks.com
Synopsis
The inside scoop . . .for when you want more than the official line
Want to be your own boss but aren't quite sure how to make it happen? This savvy guide will show you the way. Now revised and updated to cover the latest regulations, techniques, and trends, it walks you step by step through the entire start-up process, from coming up with a business plan and lining up financing to setting up shop, marketing to your customer base, and dealing with accounting, taxes, insurance, and licenses. Packed with real-world tips and tricks that you won't find anywhere else, it delivers all the know-how you need to declare independence from the 9-to-5 world, launch your business—and watch the profits grow!
- Vital Information on real-world entrepreneurship that other sources don't reveal.
- Insider Secrets on how to secure financing and choose a winning location.
- Money-Saving Techniques, including low-cost ways to market your business.
- Time-Saving Tips for creating a business plan and handling legal and accounting basics.
- The Latest Trends, including how to launch a profitable home- or Web-based business.
- Handy Checklists and Charts to help you plan your start-up and succeed in the marketplace.
Synopsis
In a state of diminished job security, Americans are choosing to start their own businesses at a record rate. Many of these "accidental entrepreneurs" are corporate refugees who have chosen self-employment by default. Nonetheless, aspiring business people need the insider information that only an Unofficial Guide can provide. Author Diana Lynn -- a small business owner who has written several books and regularly lectures on small business concerns -- explains: the lowdown on networking, selling your services, hiring and firing, and tax issues; the benefits of becoming your own boss -- as well as the pitfalls; the savviest ways to keep overhead and expenses to a minimum; and the inside scoop on where to find office space, cheaper supplies, temporary help, and more.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 349-352) and index.
About the Author
'MARCIA LAYTON TURNER received an MBA from the University of Michigan and worked at the Eastman Kodak Company before founding her own marketing consulting firm, Layton &Co. She has been featured in such publications as Money, Entrepreneur, and USA Weekend, and she is the author of several books, including Kmart\'s Ten Deadly Sins and, most recently, Emeril!: Inside the Amazing Success of Today\'s Most Popular Chef, both from Wiley. '
Table of Contents
The Unofficial Guide Reader's Bill of Rights.
The Unofficial Guide Panel of Experts.
Introduction.
I. Do Your Homework First.
1. Starting from Scratch.
2. What Kind of Business Makes Sense for You?
II. Planning for Success.
3. Your Business Plan.
4. Financing Techniques.
III. Taking the Plunge.
5. Getting Up and Running.
6. Setting Up Shop.
7. Internal Management.
IV. A Marketing Mindset.
8. Pricing Strategies for Profitability.
9. Getting Business.
V. Beyond Start-Up: Managing for Growth.
10. Customer Service.
11. Pursuing Big Business.
12. Adding Staff.
13. Advisors and Partners.
VI. Other Types of Businesses.
14. Home-Based Business Basics.
15. Setting Up a Web-Based Business.
16. Investing in a Business Opportunity.
17. Buying an Existing Business.
VII. There More to Life Than Work.
18. Balancing Your Life.
A. Glossary.
B. List of Businesses to Start.
C. Important Documents.
D. Decommended Reading.
E. Resources.
F. Business Contacts.
Index.