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Start Your Own Business (Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Up) (Paperback)
by Rieva Lesonsky
| Category:
Entrepreneurship, Starting a new business, Small business |
| Market price: ¥ 278.00
MSL price:
¥ 248.00
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MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
Though not thorough in coverage of every topic, Rieva's book is a complete guide and invaluable resouce for budding entrepreneurs. |
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Author: Rieva Lesonsky
Publisher: Entrepreneur Press; 3 edition
Pub. in: March, 2004
ISBN: 1932156658
Pages: 800
Measurements: 9 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BA00671
Other information: ISBN-13: 978-1932156652
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- Awards & Credential -
A bestseller on the topic on starting up a new business, this book is now in its third edition and has sold more than 100,000 copies. |
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- MSL Picks -
Start Your Own Business is a great book for the first time business owner, or anyone who is thinking about owning a business. The book covers a wide range of topics from idea conception, to choosing a business structure, obtaining financing, performing market research, buying equipment, basic accounting, etc. This book covers almost every topic related to starting a business.
That being said, the book doesn't go into great detail on most of the topics, it merely introduces each aspect and explains the most important parts. However this book is quite incomplete without additional information.
Regardless this book has some great information in an easy to read format. The book includes some great web sites that give more information on particular topics but I wish that the author would have included more book recommendations.
If you are thinking about owning your own business, this book is for you. But if you already own a business, this may be too elementary for you. But if not, I highly recommend this book.
(From quoting Shane Brewer, Canada)
Target readers:
Aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, teachers of entrepreneurship, MBAs, and working managers and professionals interested in owning a business in future.
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- Better with -
Better with
The Entrepreneurial Mindset
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Customers who bought this product also bought:
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Rieva Lesonsky (Irvine, CA), a nationally recognized expert on small business, provides guidance, inspiration and advice to millions of entrepreneurs each month as senior vice president / editorial director of Entrepreneur magazine.
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From Publisher
Everything you need to start a successful business... except the money. (But we'll show you how to get that too!)
Whether you're just thinking of starting a business, have taken the first steps, or already have your own business, this comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide can help ensure your success.
It walks you through every aspect of the start-up process - from evaluating your business ideas to laying the groundwork to day-to-day operations.
Written in a friendly, down-to-earth style, Start Your Own Business makes it easy to understand even the most complex business issues so you can reach your goals and enjoy the rewards of owning your own business . Inside you'll find:
Easy-to-navigate format loaded with work sheets, tip boxes, features, charts, graphs and illustrations.
Practical, proven, hands-on techniques so you can get started right away.
Expert guidance from the nation's leading small-business authority, backed by over 20 years of business experience.
We say this is the "the only start-up book you'll ever need" and we're not kidding. Business ownership is the new American dream - everyone wants to start their own business, but most folks simply don't know how. That's where we come in - we tell you how to do it.
No matter what stage of the new business development process you're in, this book can help you. Start Your Own Business is designed to help you navigate your own path to business ownership. We're here to instruct and inspire, to tell you the things you don't know and remind you of the things you do.
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PART 1, CHAPTER 2
POP QUIZ
Are you ready to be an entrepreneur?
Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Only you can answer that question, but this chapter will help you figure it out. You'll learn about the qualities of successful entrepreneurs (as well as the qualities that can hinder your business), plus ways to determine if you're really meant to run your own business. There's even a test you can take to assess your entrepreneurial potential. So what are you waiting for? Read on...and find out if you've got what it takes.
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSONALITY
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people make the transition from employee to entrepreneur. But while some succeed, others fail. Many of those who fail do so because they simply weren't ready to make the change.
Quitting a full-time job to start a business isn't something to be taken lightly. Anyone considering striking out on his or her own should carefully assess the proposition before doing so. How do you know if the entrepreneurial life is for you? Self-assessment tests such as the one on page TK, can be used to measure your potential success. But even if a test indicates you've got the right personality for entrepreneurial success, that doesn't necessarily mean you're ready to become one at this point in time. Many questions remain: Do I have enough money? Is my family ready for this? Do people need a product or service like mine? Part 1, 2 and 3 of this book will help you answer those questions. If the answers are yes, congratulations: You may be on your way to becoming a business owner.
Taking The Plunge
Most successful entrepreneurs recall a sense of urgency that made starting their own business not just a desire but a necessity. One entrepreneur says you'll know the time is right when "you can honestly say 'I'll put my house, jewelry and other personal collateral on the line to attain the start-up capital I need for the long-term rewards I deserve.' " Once you're ready to commit your own personal assets, you've probably crossed the line.
But what motivates potential entrepreneurs to stop daydreaming about business ownership and actually do something about it? While many people think one single incident - such as getting fired or being passed over for a promotion - is the impetus for becoming your own boss, most experts agree it's usually a series of frustrations that leads to entrepreneurship.
A fundamental need to control their own destiny ranks very high on most entrepreneurs' list of reasons for starting their own businesses. This need is so strong that entrepreneurs will risk family, future and careers to be their own boss. Unable to feel truly fulfilled working for someone else, these individuals cannot be happy taking orders from a higher-up.
Joe R. Mancuso, president of the Center for Entrepreneurial Management, says, "It's a lot of little incidents, maybe a series of four or five little things coming together at the precise time, that creates the start of a new business." It might be that potential customers start calling you or perhaps a business in the area goes under and you see an opportunity. Maybe you feel as if you're underemployed (working below your potential salary level or your skill level) or not putting your talents to their best use. Or perhaps you're experiencing all these sentiments at once.
Reality Check
Once you've made the decision to break away, there are a number of things you should do before taking the big step. You need to do thorough market research, make sure you have enough cash and discuss the decision with your family. (You'll find out more about all these steps in Part 1, 2 and 3 of this book.)
It's important to understand that the rewards of small-business ownership are not instantaneous. You must be ready to defer gratification and make substantial sacrifices to ensure the rewards eventually do come.
You must also make sure you're really ready for the responsibility that comes with being a business owner. When things go wrong, the buck stops with you. You will no longer have the luxury of going home at 5:00 while the company president stays all night to fix a chaotic situation. Someone whose only desire is to make a lot of money fast probably won't last long owning his or her own business.
Through surveys and research, experts have found that entrepreneurs share some common personality traits, the most important of which is confidence. They possess confidence not only in themselves but also in their ability to sell their ideas, set up a business and trust their intuition along the way. Small business is fiercely competitive, and it's the business owners with confidence who will survive. If you can combine this all-important quality with the other characteristics mentioned, then the time is probably right for you.
YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
It's rare that one person has all the qualities needed to be successful in business. Everyone has strong suits and weak points, and the same is true of business owners. What's important is to understand those strengths and weaknesses. To do this, you need to evaluate the major achievements in your personal and professional life and the skills you used to accomplish them. The following steps will help:
Create a personal resume. Compose a resume that lists your professional and personal experiences as well as your expertise. For each job you've had, describe the duties you were responsible for and the degree of your success. Include professional skills, your educational background, hobbies and personal accomplishments that required expertise or special knowledge.
When complete, this resume will give you a better idea of the kind of business that best suits your interests and experience. It will also serve as a warning flag if you are planning to start a business that falls outside your talents and strengths.
Analyze your personal attributes. Are you friendly and self-motivated? Are you a hard worker? Do you have common sense? Are you good with numbers? Are you well-organized?
Evaluating your personal attributes reveals your likes and dislikes as well as strengths and weaknesses. Obviously, if you don't feel comfortable around other people, especially strangers, then a business that requires a lot of customer interaction might not be right for you. Or you may want to hire a "people person" to handle customer service, while you concentrate on the tasks you do best.
Analyze your professional attributes. Small-business owners wear many different hats, but that doesn't mean you have to be a jack-of-all-trades. Just be aware of the areas where you are competent and the areas where you need help, such as sales, marketing, advertising and administration. Next to each function, record your competency level - excellent, good, fair or poor.
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| View all 7 comments |
A reader (MSL quote), USA
<>
Stop the presses - This is the most comprehensive book I have seen for anyone who wants to start a business. I have seen a lot of books on starting a business and this the best one. After spending at least $125 on books, I wish I bought this one first and saved over $80. If you are afraid you might forget something, this book doesn't. All aspects of a business is covered. And what it does not completely explain, it gives you information as to where you can get it. Start Your Own Business is perfect for those who want to start a selling product or a retail store. It might be a little overkill for a service business, BUT the amount of resource information makes up for this. This is what Entrepreneur Magazine does for a living and it is well worth it. Buy this before you start!
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Geneevieve Buck (Chicago Tribune) (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-29 00:00>
Get set, go! Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Your Own Business claims to be "The Only Start-Up Book You'll Ever Need."
That sounds mighty boastful, but the author's credentials are strong, the book loaded with business resources and the information is down-to-earth (Everything you need to start a successful business... except the money, But we'll show you how to get that, too!")
Author Rieva Lesonsky and the staff of Entrepreneur Magazine put together the book which starts with "Are you ready to be an entrepreneur?" and goes on to starting versus buying, choosing the name attracting investors, hiring employees, location, loans, image, leasing versus buying equipment, choosing a phone system, learning from failure - all the nitty-gritty stuff, plus some long-term thinking.
Lesonsky, Entrepreneur's Vice President/Editorial Director, frequently speaks at small-business conferences and appears on TV and radio business programs.
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D. Caban (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-29 00:00>
This book is really packed with a lot of information and resources for the entrepreneur-to-be. Covers all aspects to be concidered when starting a new business, be it a home-based, a franchise, buying an already established business, etc. and even advises on which legal structure is more adecuate for your type of business. Has a lot of links to the web which can offer tremendous help on this matter. Buy, have it borrowed, do whatever, but read it. You wont regret it.
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-29 00:00>
This is a very comprehensive (and big!) book. It covers all the basic steps you need to know about starting and running a business, from business forms to accounting to buying insurance to employee issues to purchasing. No one subject is covered in great depth, of course, but reading the book gives you a VERY GOOD IDEA of what kind of work you're getting yourself into when you run a new, small business.
Not every chapter will be worthwhile (I pretty much skipped the chapter on how to select office equipment) but most chapters are worth a quick look, and many were worth in depth review. Of all the "basic overview" type books about starting and running a small business that I've plunked down money for, this one is the best, HANDS DOWN!
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