An entrepreneur is a person who comes up with a new idea or invention and brings together a country's resources (land, labor and capital) to take the idea to the marketplace. Entrepreneurs manage and assume the risk of a business enterprise.
Are you ready to start your own business? These books might help you decide:
Birthing the Elephant: The Woman's Go-For-It! Guide to Overcoming the Big Challenges of Launching a Business - by Karin Abarbanel and Bruce Freeman
658.11082 ABAR
There are thousands of women out there who own or run companies--and thousands more still in the planning process. If you're in the latter camp, Birthing the Elephant (from start to finish, launching a business takes as long as an elephant's gestation--22 months) might be a good place for you to get advice and encouragement. Featuring examples of successful start-ups in a variety of industries and focusing on the emotional side of the process, the authors are "bluntly honest" (Booklist). For another woman-centered book, try Ann Holmes' There's a Business in Every Woman.
The Knack: How Street-Smart Entrepreneurs Learn to Handle Whatever Comes Up - by Norm Brodsky and Bo Burlingham
658.11 BROD
From the basics of accounting to advice on how to maintain good relationships with banks and lenders, this street-smart guide by Inc. magazine columnists Norm Brodsky and Bo Burlingham serves as a sort of print mentor for budding entrepreneurs. And because it includes real-life stories about how companies met various challenges--by identifying potential problems, focusing on goals, and maintaining perspective--it should help you to avoid pitfalls as you start or grow your business. As Booklist says, "this road map for success should be required reading for those planning a new venture."
The Big Idea: How to Make Your Entrepreneurial Dreams Come True, from the Aha Moment to Your First Million - by Donny Deutsch
658.11412 DEUT
If you ever watched Donny Deutsch's CNBC talk show, The Big Idea, you're probably familiar with some of his featured guests--ordinary men and women who made it big by following through on ideas they believed in. In this book, Deutsch's second, he offers up profiles of these entrepreneurs and shares what he's learned from their successes. He also gives practical advice and suggests resources for others wanting to start or build a business. Though his television show is on hiatus, Deutsch's enthusiasm is obvious, so whether you need encouragement or guidance, you'll find it here.
Go It Alone! The Secret to Building a Successful Business on Your Own - by Bruce Judson
658.1141 JUDS
This unconventional business book explains how a lone entrepreneur can build a successful business--with much less risk and startup capital than you might expect. Bruce Judson, a faculty fellow at Yale School of Management, provides case studies of successful go-it-alone businesses to show that keeping a small business small allows entrepreneurs to focus on their particular strengths--and can result in unlimited revenue potential. In addition, he'll help you figure out if you're ready to take the plunge, and show you ways to outsource some of the services you might need. If you're looking for "sound, cogent advice" (Booklist), you'll find it here.
Visit your local library today and check out one of these business books. See more information about the Lake County (IN) Public Library & its services to business at http://www.lcplin.org/research/businesslines.htm
