CONTENTS

    Foreword by Jason Feifer

On Your Mark . . .

PART 1

THINK

CHAPTER 1

    Introduction

CHAPTER 2

    Taking the Plunge: Get Ready to Be an Entrepreneur

CHAPTER 3

    Good Idea! How Do I Know If I Have a Great Idea for a Business?

CHAPTER 4

    Good Timing: Should You Launch Your Business Part or Full Time?

CHAPTER 5

    Build It or Buy It? Starting a Business vs. Buying One

PART 2

PLAN

CHAPTER 6

    Choose Your Target: Defining Your Market

CHAPTER 7

    If You Build It, Will They Come? Conducting Market Research

CHAPTER 8

    The Name Game: Naming Your Business

CHAPTER 9

    Make It Legal: Choosing a Business Structure

CHAPTER 10

    Plan of Attack: Creating a Winning Business Plan

CHAPTER 11

    Call in the Pros: Hiring a Lawyer and an Accountant

PART 3

FUND

CHAPTER 12

    All in the Family: Financing Starts with Yourself and Friends and Relatives

CHAPTER 13

    Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained: How to Find and Attract Investors

CHAPTER 14

    Looking for Loans: The Ins and Outs of Debt Financing

CHAPTER 15

    Fed Funds: How to Get Government Loans

Get Set . . .

PART 4

PREPARE

CHAPTER 16

    What’s Your Deal? Negotiating Successfully by Cliff Ennico

CHAPTER 17

    Site Seeking: Choosing a Location for Your Business

CHAPTER 18

    Looking Good: Creating a Professional Image

CHAPTER 19

    Stock Answers: The Lowdown on Inventory

CHAPTER 20

    It’s in the Mail: Setting Up Mailing Systems

CHAPTER 21

    Charging Ahead: Offering Your Customers Credit

CHAPTER 22

    Cover Your Assets: Getting Business Insurance

CHAPTER 23

    Staff Smarts: Hiring Employees

CHAPTER 24

    Perk Up: Setting Employee Policies and Benefits

PART 5

BUY

CHAPTER 25

    Buyer’s Guide: Business Equipment Basics

CHAPTER 26

    Business 24/7: Using Technology to Boost Your Productivity

CHAPTER 27

    Net Works: Building Your Company Website

CHAPTER 28

    Keep in Touch: Using Technology to Stay Connected

Go!

PART 6

MARKET

CHAPTER 29

    Brand Aid: Building a Brand

CHAPTER 30

    Marketing Genius: Advertising and Marketing Your Business

CHAPTER 31

    Talking Points: How to Promote Your Business

CHAPTER 32

    Sell It! Effective Selling Techniques

CHAPTER 33

    Now Serving: Offering Superior Customer Service

PART 7

ENGAGE

CHAPTER 34

    Net Sales: Online Advertising and Marketing

CHAPTER 35

    Social Studies: Social Media Marketing

CHAPTER 36

    Can You Relate? Social Media Networking

PART 8

PROFIT

CHAPTER 37

    Keeping Score: The Basics of Bookkeeping by J. Tol Broome Jr.

CHAPTER 38

    Making a Statement: How to Create Financial Statements by J. Tol Broome Jr.

CHAPTER 39

    On the Money: Effectively Managing Your Finances by J. Tol Broome Jr.

CHAPTER 40

    Pay Day: How to Pay Yourself

CHAPTER 41

    Tax Talk: What You Need to Know about Your Taxes With Insights from Mark J. Kohler

APPENDIX

    Business and Government Resources

    Glossary

    Index