Book description
“Hess and Goetz present a roadmap for how to avoid the things that can cause you to stumble and how to build a business the right way.”
–JEFF ZEIGLER, CEO, TechTurn.com, Austin, TX
“When I started my graphic design business, I knew I had enough talent to impress and keep my clients, but I struggled with the day to day running of the business.So, You Want To Start A Business?is the blueprint I needed to get organized and put all the right things in place.”
–KORY BAILEY, Owner, Creative Counterpart
Build the Successful Company You’ve Always Wanted to Own!
Avoid the 8 disastrous operational mistakes that kill new businesses
Walk step-by-step through the entire process of building a winning business
Master 55 amazingly simple rules of business success
For every entrepreneur and potential entrepreneur...no previous business experience necessary!
Launch the winning business you’ve always wanted…or make more money in the business you’ve already started!
More than 5,000,000 new businesses are started each year…but 70% of them will fail. Now, two renowned experts on entrepreneurship identify the 8 “killer mistakes” that cause most business failures–and give you the knowledge, tools, and hands-on advice to avoid them, so you can build a business that thrives.
Unlike other books on entrepreneurship, this book focuses on the crucial operational issues associated with consistent profitability. You’ll learn how to identify the right opportunities and customers; design winning products and services; set the right prices; overcome customer inertia; avoid common day-to-day management mistakes; find and keep good employees; and finally, smoothly manage growth.
Throughout, the authors draw on real life entrepreneurial experiences, case studies, and leading-edge research. There’s nothing theoretical here: This is fast-paced, 100% practical advice you can use to make your business dreams and goals come true–starting right now.
What really makes a successful entrepreneur?
What they do, how they act...and how to find your best path to business success
Get the 3 “Ws” right from the start
What will you sell, who will buy it–and why will they buy it?
55 simple, indispensable rules for success
What you must know about customers, competitors, and your employees
The art and science of managing people, operations, and growth
Create processes, set priorities, maximize quality, measure people–and improve every day
Table of contents
- Copyright
- Praise for So, You Want to Start a Business?
- Acknowledgments
- About the Authors
- Introduction
- One. Can You Be a Successful Entrepreneur?
-
Two. Basic Rules of Business Success
-
The 8 Common Start–Up Mistakes
- Common Mistake #1: Choosing a Bad Business Opportunity
- Common Mistake #2: Choosing the Wrong Customers
- Common Mistake #3: The Wrong Product
- Common Mistake #4: Pricing Products or Services Improperly
- Common Mistake #5: Not Selling to Enough Customers Fast Enough
- Common Mistake #6: Not Executing Well
- Common Mistake #7: People Problems
- Common Mistake #8: Mismanaging Growth
- Basic Rules of Business Success
- Chapter Two: Lessons Learned
-
The 8 Common Start–Up Mistakes
- Three. What Is a Good Business Opportunity?
- Four. How Do You Choose the Right Customers?
- Five. How Do You Design Your Product or Service?
- Six. What Is the Right Price for Your Product or Service?
- Seven. How Can You Overcome Customer Inertia?
-
Eight. How to Manage Your Business
- Start-Up Overload
- Your Value Chain
- Your Supply Chain
- Your Manufacturing (Assembling) Chain
- Why Do You Flow Chart Your Business?
- Management by Objectives
- Management by Exceptions
- The Power of Simplicity
- Measurements and Rewards
- Stay on the Front Lines
- Iteration
- Make Work Fun
- Chapter Eight: Lessons Learned
- Nine. How Do You Find and Keep Good Employees?
- Ten. How Do You Manage Growth?
- Conclusion
- Bibliography and Resources
- Financial Times Press
- Inside Front Cover
- Inside Back Cover
Product information
- Title: So, You Want to Start a Business?: 8 Steps to Take Before Making the Leap
- Author(s):
- Release date: August 2008
- Publisher(s): Pearson
- ISBN: 9780137141906
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