Helps small buisness owners create logistical and financial plans for the future, and includes such issues as planning a business model, calculating expenses, writing an executive summary, and developing a marketing strategy.

Most businesses that close their doors have one thing in common: They ran out of money. Don’t let this happen to you. This indispensable book, part of Allworth’s popular Pocket Small Business Owner’s Guide series, will help you to save money on every aspect of your business, from advertising to overhead. With invaluable cost-cutting tips for all types of businesses, from e-commerce and home-based operations to services and retail, this guide will help you create a blueprint that will allow your business to survive and thrive. You’ll save on: Advertising Marketing Purchasing Transportation and shipping Labor Financing Facilities Operations Taxes And more! In today’s economy, small business owners must seize every opportunity to keep costs down, and every penny saved goes to your bottom line. Follow this street-smart advice to lay the foundation for a business that will be profitable for years to come.

This comprehensive, step-by-step guide walks the reader through everything an aspiring small business owner needs to know before getting started. It’s not as easy as just hanging up an “Open” sign and letting the money roll in! Planning every step of your business and being aware of all the questions, demands, and challenges you will face will make the difference between just opening up shop and actually running a successful business. Coming up with a great idea for a business is only the first step. How will you find the start-up funds you need? Have you thought about your market? Do you know how contracts work? How about the difference between an employee and an independent contractor? Are you aware of your competition and the trends in your industry? Do you know how to keep accounts? Do you know what your breakeven point will be? Do you even know what a breakeven point is? If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” then this is the perfect book for you! With clear, friendly prose and helpful diagrams and charts, The Pocket Small Business Owner’s Guide to Building Your Business is every prospective entrepreneur’s new best friend.

Planning is essential to creating a competitive advantage for your small business, and properly done, it can actually be fun. That is the message of this thorough guide, written in easy-to-follow, nontechnical language that you don’t need an MBA to understand. In what areas will your business specialize? What are some of the resources you will need, and challenges you will face? How much do you want your company to grow? Once you have established a vision of your business’s future, you will be on your way to making it a reality. Topics covered include: Creating a business model Identifying and beating the competition Calculating expenses Determining whether you need additional capital Avoiding common mistakes Writing your executive summary Developing a marketing strategy Evaluating your team Analyzing your progress And more! Whatever your background and whatever kind of business you dream of starting, this latest installment in our popular Pocket Small Business Owner’s Guide will help you to achieve your goals!

Make big sense of small business Small Business For Dummies has been a leading resource for starting and running a small business. Calling upon their six decades-plus of combined experience running small businesses, Eric Tyson and Jim Schell once again provide readers with their time-tested advice and the latest information on starting and growing a small business. This new edition covers all aspects of small business from the initial business plan to the everyday realities of financing, marketing, employing technology and management—and what it takes to achieve and maintain success in an ever-changing entrepreneurial landscape. Write a strategic business plan Start, establish, or rejuvenate a small business Hire and retain the best employees Get a small business loan If you’re a beginning entrepreneur looking to start and run your own small business, this book gives you all the tools of the trade you’ll need to make it a success.

The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Business Plansoffers both the tactical and economic considerations to start and sustain your company-- and keep ahead of the competition. The book explores the crucial elements of a business plan-- with examples, information about credit and hot is perceived by investors, expert marketing suggestions, and effective strategies for putting together operational and sales plans.

When does nontaxable business income become taxable? How do you calculate the cost of goods sold? What can be deducted? What is a fixed asset? This no-nonsense guide answers these common questions and more, empowering small business owners to understand how and why they are taxed and maximize their deductions. You’ll learn when depreciation begins, how to classify payments to employees, how to track inventory and sales, and strategies for successful accounting. Coverage also includes: Tax benefits for employers Business classifications S corporation tax issues Deductible expenses Retirement plans Shareholder loans Family employee payroll And more Taxes can be intimidating and confusing, especially for a small business owner who may have only handled individual taxes in the past. Understanding the tax system is essential for all small business owners, whether they are filing on their own or with the help of an accountant. When it comes to running your finances, knowledge is power, and The Pocket Small Business Owner's Guide to Taxes puts the power in your hands!