Table of Contents

Contents

Foreword by Jim Horan, ix

Acknowledgments, xi

Introduction, 1

CHAPTER ONE

WHAT IS AN ENTREPRENEUR, ANYWAY?

Eight Questions to Ask Before You Start a Business, 5

Myths About Going into Business for Yourself, 8

Take the Entrepreneur Quiz!, 10

CHAPTER TWO

READY, SET, GO!

The Entrepreneurial Mystique, 13

Taking the Leap, 15

Ten Traits of the Successful Entrepeneur, 18

Know Why You're Going into Business, 19

Tune Up Your Entrepreneurial Skills, 22

Avoid the Seven Common Pitfalls in Business, 24

CHAPTER THREE

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

A Name That Grows with Your Business, 33

A Checklist for Setting Up Your Business, 35

Are You an Independent Contractor or an Employee?, 38

Which Business Structure Is Best for You?, 40

To Partner or Not to Partner, 46

Partnerships That Work, 48

Why a Business Plan?, 55

Target Your Market!, 58

Put Your Own Money on the Line: Investing and Financing, 60

CHAPTER FOUR

WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE PARTY?

What Motivates You to Keep Going?, 65

If You're the Boss, Who Keeps You Accountable?, 69

Magic Formula: Intuition and Intention, 72

Making Procrastination Work for You, 75

What Stops You in Your Tracks: Self-Sabotage and Resistance, 77

The Isolation of the “SoloPreneur”, 79

Burnout: How to De-Stress, 82

How Do You Spell Success?, 84

A Fork in the Road: Which Way Do You Go?, 88

CHAPTER FIVE

MARKET AND SELL YOUR SOCKS OFF!

Mind Your Ps and Qs, 91

Why Market Research?, 93

Going Green and Saving the Environment, 96

Six Secrets of Marketing Your Business, 100

Marketing = Sales!, 102

Ten Simple Ways to Get Referrals, 104

Six Sales Tips to Help You Sell with Confidence, 106

How to Get Unstuck in the Sales Cycle, 109

Position Yourself to Sell a Solution, 110

Why Customers Should Buy from You, 113

Strategic Networking, 115

Customer Service as a Sales Tool, 118

How to Cultivate That “Something Special” in Your Business, 122

How to Warm Up to Cold Calls, 126

Landing Consulting Gigs, 127

Dealing with Downtime in Your Business, 130

CHAPTER SIX

GET CONNECTED TO THE WEB FOR PROFIT

Keep-in-Touch Marketing Using the Internet, 133

Tips from Tech-Savvy Entrepreneurs, 136

Six Ways to Promote Your Business via the Web, 140

Web Promotion Action Plan, 145

Success Stories of Seasoned Web-Based Entrepreneurs, 147

CHAPTER SEVEN

MAKING ROOM FOR MORE BUSINESS

Expanding Your Business, 155

How to Tickle Your Customers, 161

Hire Wisely the First Time, 163

Retaining Good Employees, 166

Action Plan—What's Next?, 168

Your Business from A to Z, 169

Index, 173

About the Author, 179