“This book should be on the seasoned entrepreneur’s list of ‘what I should have read before I started my business.’” JOE KEELEY, President & CEO, College Nannies & Tutors Development “This is one of the best entrepreneurship books I’ve read...I wish I had this book when I first started out.”
The Truth About Starting A Business
✍ Scribed by Barringer, Bruce R
- Publisher
- FT Press
- Year
- 2009
- Tongue
- English
- Leaves
- 226
- Category
- Library
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
"This book should be on the seasoned entrepreneur's list of 'what I should have read before I started my business.'"JOE KEELEY, President & CEO, College Nannies & Tutors Development"This is one of the best entrepreneurship books I've read...I wish I had this book when I first started out."RYAN O'DONNELL, Cofounder and CEO, BullEx Digital SafetyYour own business: Take the leap, make it happen, and make it succeed!- The truth about choosing the right business foryouand maintaining a healthy personal life - The truth about planning, funding, hiring, and successful launches - The truth about financial management, marketing, and growth This book reveals53bite-size, easy-to-use techniques for choosing, planning, launching, and growing your winning business. You'll learn how to generate and test business ideas, and pick the one that's best for you...select the right entry strategy...name and locate your business...raise capital...build your team and get expert advice...protect your business secrets and intellectual property...effectively brand your business and market its offerings...handle pricing, distribution, and sales...manage your finances to specific objectives...prepare for growth...and even maintain your work/life balance as an entrepreneur. This isn't "someone's opinion" it's a definitive, evidence-based guide to building your own successful enterprise--a set of bedrock principles you can rely onwhoeveryou are,whereveryou are, andwhateverbusiness you choose to launch.
✦ Table of Contents
Contents......Page 6
TRUTH 1 Why people start businesses......Page 8
TRUTH 2 The right business for you......Page 12
TRUTH 3 Questions to ask before you quit your job......Page 16
TRUTH 4 Key characteristics of successful business owners......Page 20
TRUTH 5 You may not need “prior business experience”......Page 24
TRUTH 6 The most common sources of new business ideas......Page 28
TRUTH 7 Want several alternatives? Techniques for generating new business ideas......Page 32
TRUTH 8 A make-it or break-it issue: Selecting an idea that can be sold into a niche market......Page 36
TRUTH 9 Screening and testing business ideas......Page 40
TRUTH 10 Writing a business plan: Still as important as ever......Page 44
TRUTH 11 Starting from scratch: Developing your own product or service......Page 48
TRUTH 12 Franchising: Buying into someone else’s formula for success......Page 52
TRUTH 13 Believe it or not: There are legitimate opportunities in direct sales......Page 56
TRUTH 14 Buying a business......Page 60
TRUTH 15 Internet businesses: The sky does seem to be the limit......Page 64
TRUTH 16 Choosing a location for your business......Page 68
TRUTH 17 Something you’ll say a million times: Your business’s name......Page 72
TRUTH 18 The paper chase: Obtaining business licenses and permits......Page 76
TRUTH 19 Choosing a form of business ownership......Page 80
TRUTH 20 Creating a Web site: An absolute necessity......Page 84
TRUTH 21 How to think about money as it relates to starting a business......Page 88
TRUTH 22 Calculating your initial start-up costs......Page 92
TRUTH 23 Personal funds, loans from friends and family, and bootstrapping......Page 96
TRUTH 24 Debt financing......Page 100
TRUTH 25 Equity funding......Page 104
TRUTH 26 Grants: It takes the right fit......Page 108
TRUTH 27 Persistence pays off: Finding alternative sources of start-up funds......Page 112
TRUTH 28 How to approach the task of building a “new business” team......Page 116
TRUTH 29 Starting a business as a team rather than an individual......Page 120
TRUTH 30 Recruiting and hiring employees......Page 124
TRUTH 31 Board of directors......Page 128
TRUTH 32 Board of advisors......Page 132
TRUTH 33 Intellectual property: What is it, and how is it protected?......Page 136
TRUTH 34 To patent or not to patent?......Page 140
TRUTH 35 Trademarks: An essential form of protection......Page 144
TRUTH 36 Copyright laws: A surprising breadth of protection......Page 148
TRUTH 37 Trade secrets: Guard them carefully......Page 152
TRUTH 38 How to approach marketing in a new business......Page 156
TRUTH 39 Segmenting the market and selecting a target market......Page 160
TRUTH 40 Establishing a brand......Page 164
TRUTH 41 Selling benefits rather than features......Page 168
TRUTH 42 Pricing: The most dicey element of the marketing mix......Page 170
TRUTH 43 It’s okay to advertise, but think through your choices carefully......Page 174
TRUTH 44 Public relations: More important than ever......Page 178
TRUTH 45 Distribution and sales: More choices than ever......Page 182
TRUTH 46 Managing a business’s finances......Page 186
TRUTH 47 Financial objectives of a business......Page 190
TRUTH 48 The nitty-gritty: Forecasts, budgets, and financial statements......Page 194
TRUTH 49 Preparing for growth......Page 198
TRUTH 50 Stages of growth: More opportunities, more challenges......Page 202
TRUTH 51 Strategies for growth......Page 206
TRUTH 52 Work life balance: Practical tips......Page 210
TRUTH 53 Starting a business as a means of achieving a healthy personal life......Page 214
References......Page 217
About the Author......Page 225
✦ Subjects
Business;Nonfiction;Buisness;Reference
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