Owning a small business can be a fulfilling and financially rewarding experience, but to be successful, you must know what to do before starting a business; what to do while the business is up and running; and, most importantly, what to do when the business runs into trouble. With a combined fifty years of small business experience between them, authors Barbara Weltman and Jerry Silberman know what it takes to make it in this competitive environment, and in Small Business Survival Book, they show you how. In a clear and concise voice, Weltman and Silberman reveal twelve surefire ways to help your small business survive and thrive in today's market. With this book as your guide, you'll discover how to: * Delegate effectively * Monitor cash flow * Extend credit and stay on top of collections * Build and maintain credit and restructure your debt * Meet your tax obligations * Grow your business with successful marketing strategies * Use legal protections * Plan for catastrophe and disaster recovery Whether you're considering starting a new business or looking to improve your current venture, Small Business Survival Book has what you need to succeed.
Marketing Research for Small Business: An Efficient and Effective Functional Approach is as the title suggests, a work focused on providing small to medium sized firms with the tools and techniques needed to successfully undergo a marketing research campaign. Special consideration is made for firms with limited budgets and knowledge of appropriate research techniques. Two of the most common comments made regarding marketing research for small firms are: 1) It is too expensive and 2) it is too complicated. The authors work hard at setting straight these two chief concerns. Good marketing research can uncover substantial insight into your customer, competitor, market and potential new business opportunities. This book is primarily broken into three parts, with the first part focusing on the setup. Specifically, the content is directed at how research benefits the firm, how the research agenda is setup, and how firms can look at existing data first to answer some of their key questions. The second part looks at collecting information, either existing or new, making sure that everything you want to know is made possible. And lastly, we explain very simply how to analyze the information and turn it into usable knowledge. It is interesting sometimes when speaking with small business owners who are struggling to grow their business. They often do not really know their customer or business well for that matter. Normally, the typical entrepreneur has an idea, possibly affirms it with a few friends, and then runs with it. This is a disastrous formula with a high percentage chance of failure. It goes along with the old saying: It is much better to build on rock than sand. This simply means that preparation through knowledge gathering, preferably early in the process, is the key to success. As Benjamin Franklin once said, An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the median annual income for someone in the collection industry is $29,000 and, as a business owner, you could make even more. The Department also suggests that the industry is expected to grow 18 to 26 percent by 2014. Working in the collection agency business requires patience, empathy, a commitment to excellent customer service, and superb negotiation skills. If you are thinking of opening a collection agency business, then we have a book that can guide you through the process, providing all of the insider tips needed to get started in a minimal amount of time, with a minimal amount of money. Whether you will be operating out of your home or you are looking to buy or rent office space, this book can help you with a wealth of start-up information, from how to form and name your business to deciding if this will be a joint venture or if you would rather work solo. Valuable information on forming a Partnership, LLC, Corporation, or becoming a Sole Proprietor, the four types of business formation, is included, as well as the legal implications of each. With all of the federal and state laws governing the industry, opening your own collection agency can quickly become a nightmare, and for that reason, you will be provided with the most up-to-date information on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, as well as a listing of laws state-by-state that may supersede this federal act. Many states, and even cities, require third-party agencies to be licensed and/or bonded, so you will be provided a wealth of information on all requirements so that you can knowledgably, and legally, operate your business with peace of mind. A complete checklist of all of the start-up equipment that you will need is provided, as well as a sample budgeting sheet to allow you to gauge start-up costs. You will learn about potential risks that you take in opening a collection agency and how a collection lawyer can help settle debts when you are unable to. You will learn the difference between first and third-party agencies, the different methods in which you can expect to be paid by creditors, tips and tricks to gaining clients, and the advantages of the debt buying method. This complete manual will arm you with everything you need, including sample business forms; contracts; worksheets and checklists for planning, opening, and running day-to-day operations; lists; plans and layouts; and dozens of other valuable, timesaving tools of the trade that no business owner should be without. A special chapter on customer service is provided, with tips on communicating with debtors in a non-threatening manner. While providing detailed instruction and examples, the author leads you through every detail that will bring success. You will learn how to draw up a winning business plan (the companion CD-ROM has the actual business plan you can use in Microsoft Word
* The first edition of this book won the prestigious Book of the Year Award presented by the Professional Association of Small Business Accountants Many entrepreneurs fail, not because they have bad ideas, but because they don't have the knowledge it takes to convert their ideas into success. In Six Steps to Small Business Success, five seasoned CPAs provide practical advice, step-by-step guidance, and proven ideas to help you dream big, think realistically, and plan and manage carefully, ultimately achieving more than you ever imagined. Take these six simple steps to convert your dreams into reality: 1. PRE-BUSINESS PLANNING. Learn from others who have succeeded how a little front end planning can ensure your success. 2. START-UP: FINANCES, BUDGETS, AND NUMBERS. Discover the key fundamentals that must be put in place for your business to grow. 3. HUMAN RESOURCES(PEOPLE). Learn best practices in hiring, training, managing, and terminating employees. 4. OPERATIONS: WORK FLOW, CUSTOMERS, AND SALES. Learn how to make good decisions about products and customers. 5. BUILDING A SALABLE BUSINESS AND THE SALE. Learn how to plan for your eventual sale. 6. TRANSITIONING TO LIFE AFTER BUSINESS. Finally, learn how to plan for life after work - personal adjustments, wealth management, leaving a legacy.
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.
Project management can help companies become more efficient and profitable. But classic project management models often prove too cumbersome for smaller businesses with limited staff resources, tight budgets, and next to no time to devote to learning complex methodologies. These smaller enterprises need the core principles and techniques of project management in a streamlined package. Project Management for Small Business offers simple, repeatable practices for planning, executing, and controlling projects in smaller environments in which one team member may wear multiple hats. Readers will learn how to: ò Define project requirements and scope ò Create a project schedule based on resource availability ò Estimate, budget, and control project costs ò Identify and minimize project risks ò Manage workflow ò Communicate effectively ò Control project change ò And more. Grounded in real-world experience, this practical guide skips the complicated theory and goes straight to the heart of what it really takes to make a project a success.
