Starting a business from scratch is an exciting but daunting endeavor. Starting a Successful Business is a one-stop reference for advice on getting a new business up and running. It shows readers how to make their business a success, how to avoid making costly mistakes, and how to save time and money in the process. The new sixth edition covers every aspect of running a business, including laying the basic foundations, controlling and raising money, and managing operations, employment, risk management, and growth. Including information on opportunities created by the internet, Starting a Successful Business contains all the advice prospective business owners need before starting their own company in today's competitive business environment.
Half title page......Page 1
Title page......Page 3
Imprint......Page 4
Contents......Page 5
Preface......Page 8
What’s it like to run a business?......Page 9
Family matters......Page 12
Four types of entrepreneurs......Page 13
Women entrepreneurs......Page 16
Personal finances: spring clean while you can......Page 17
What sort of firm to start?......Page 20
Buying a business......Page 21
Taking up a franchise......Page 22
Your IT strategy......Page 23
Web trading......Page 24
What are you selling, exactly?......Page 26
Choosing customers......Page 27
Finding out what you need to know......Page 28
Forecasting your sales......Page 29
What exactly are you selling, then?......Page 31
Why should anyone buy from you?......Page 33
Getting it all to the consumer......Page 34
Dealing direct with the public......Page 36
Shops’ and distributors’ margins......Page 38
Attracting the distributor......Page 40
Visiting the customer......Page 42
Pricing for marketability......Page 44
Selling via the big catalogues: big orders, quick payment......Page 45
Effective advertising......Page 46
Publicity: nearly free and better than advertising......Page 47
The web and your market......Page 49
Sales via the internet......Page 50
Costs and costing......Page 55
Calculating an hourly rate......Page 56
Controls on costing......Page 58
The importance of cash......Page 60
Forecasting the cash situation......Page 61
Why cash-flow forecasting matters......Page 62
Planning for profits......Page 63
Credit control......Page 66
Positive strategies for credit control......Page 67
When credit control fails......Page 69
Breaking through to profitability......Page 71
Smarter costing......Page 72
Grants: free money is best......Page 76
Beg, steal or. . .......Page 77
Presenting your case to the bank......Page 79
The options......Page 81
Limited company......Page 82
Your business name......Page 84
Civil and criminal law: how the difference affects you......Page 87
Contract law......Page 88
Tort......Page 89
Going to law......Page 90
Contracts to buy......Page 91
Conditions, warranties, guarantees and exemptions......Page 93
Product liability......Page 94
Copyright, registered designs, trade marks and patents......Page 95
Can you work from home?......Page 97
Finding small premises......Page 98
Planning permission......Page 99
Applying for planning permission......Page 100
Appealing against a planning decision......Page 101
Rates and water charges......Page 102
Operations? You think I’m a surgeon?......Page 104
Plan before you leap......Page 105
Being in control......Page 107
Purchasing......Page 111
Quality......Page 112
Financial records......Page 114
VAT – Value Added Tax – in outline......Page 116
Income and corporation taxes and National Insurance......Page 118
People: the small firm’s powerhouse......Page 121
The search for good people......Page 123
Define the job......Page 125
Advertising......Page 126
Shortlisting......Page 127
Interviewing......Page 128
Deciding......Page 133
Induction......Page 134
The law; not as big a problem as some think......Page 135
Risk management strategy......Page 139
Insurance strategy......Page 141
Insurance suppliers......Page 142
What advisers can do for business......Page 143
Finding a generalist consultant or adviser......Page 144
Specialist advisers......Page 145
Your experience......Page 146
Expansion strategy......Page 147
The three stages of growth......Page 148
Your managerial development......Page 150
Funding your growth......Page 151
The PLG Programme Prepare, Launch, Grow©......Page 153
How it works......Page 154
Business plan introduction......Page 155
Business plan: Part one: Overviews......Page 156
Business plan: Part two: Operating plans......Page 158
Business plan: Presentation......Page 161
Business plan: Implementation......Page 162
Executive summary......Page 163
Business Plan: Part one: Overviews......Page 164
Business Plan: Part two: Operating plans......Page 166
Business Plan: Presentation......Page 169
Appendix 1 Cash-flow forecasting illustration......Page 170
Appendix 2 Draft terms and conditions of sale......Page 174
Appendix 3 Small business contacts list......Page 178
Appendix 4 Help for small businesses......Page 186
Index......Page 189
