Customer Reviews

Guts and Borrowed Money: Straight Talk for Starting and Growing Your Small Business

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ever since my husband and I started our business about two years ago, we are constantly in search of good books on small business management. Having read many of the books out there, Tom's is by far the best of its kind! Tom walks you through the life cycle of a small business, alerting you to the possible pitfalls and giving you advice along the way. Almost the entire book has been directly applicable to our small business, and has steered us in the right direction many times. Whether it's financial management, IRS questions or employees problems, Tom's book can help advise almost any small business owner today. Thanks, Tom!

The two great features of Guts and Borrowed Money are, 1) the down-to-earth, practical advice offered by a businessman with a lifetime of experience, and, 2) the simplicity and brevity with which the advice is rendered. Another big plus to the book is its breadth. Mr. Gillis covers the stages of hatching and growing a business as well as such practical topics as handshake deals and retirement planning. He also gives valuable advice on finding mentors and organizations to help you continue to grow in your business skills. As Gillis says in the forward, if you're a born entrepreneur like Bill Gates, you don't need this book. But, if you're a mere mortal who runs or would like to run your own business, this book is for you. It is like having a wise, street-smart advisor sitting beside you. A terrific book. I'd rate it a strong 9.

Tom Gillis has written half of the entrepreneur's bible. This book provides great practical advice to students who are embarking on entrepreneurial careers. My students love it. The other text I use in teaching entrepreneurship focuses on business law. Together with Tom's book, they form a "must-have" set of references for every entrepreneur.

This book is a must for business owners, but as the name implies, it's not about venture capitol, it's about business sense. Nevertheless, it's a great book to have and refer to time and time again. It's timeless

This isn't your usual "How To" book. Reading this book is as if Author Gillis is speaking to you with advice and successful strategies from someone who's already learned "how to." Gillis, both a lawyer and a CPA, as well as a management consultant, answers the question of "who should read this book?" For example, YOU should read it....
* If you want to learn what it takes to start and run a successful business.
* If you want to understand the stages of growth your company will experience or is going through, and how things can change without your realizing it.
* If you are searching for a mental spark plug to give you new ideas and knowledge for solving your most pressing problems, or
* If you think business is a game and money is the way to keep score.

When discussing "Guts and Borrowed Money, Straight Talk for Starting and Growing Your Small Business, author Gillis says, in part, "I wrote this book because it's one I wish I'd had when I was in business. I'm a firm believer that for every reasonable business problem there's a reasonable business solution.

Divided into two sections, Part One is the foundation and deals with basic information about The Stages of the Game: Idea, Survival, Growth, Big Business. Part Two, organized in A to Z reference style, discusses 265 specific problems common to nearly every small business.

Going back to why he wrote this fine book, Gillis says to "keep your eyes and mind open, think smarter, and work hard. If entrepreneurship were easy, there would be a lot more rich folks. Don't find excuses--find solutions." Then he closes with, "I wish you every success." Again, he talking to his reader, one-on-one

Gillis points out the hazards, signposts, and often unheralded milestones one will encounter as the business goes through the idea stage, survival stage, and into the growth stage. The second section is literally an alphabetically organized encyclopedia of business topics, ranging from "Accountants - Selecting Yours" to "Zero-base Budgeting," and everything you could imagine in between. On page after page, Gillis offers clear and concise answers to most of the problems an entrepreneur faces as a dream is turned into reality. Some of the entries were a bit dry for my taste. Reading Tom's book is like sitting across a coffee table from a very astute friend, listening as he gives you advice borne of hard-won wisdom.

It's an exploration of what's needed to be a success in the marketplace. Gillis looks at most things the entrepreneur will experience, from banks and bankers to zero-based budgeting. It's an easy book to read, full of useful insights. The author is a business consultant and executive professor at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Houston, where the book has been adopted as a text book

I am in the process of trying to open my own company. This book gives a pretty good general overview on what you will need to get started, and hopefully to be succesfull.

As a founder of a two-year old business, I also found many valuable insights in this book. The reader gets the sense that Tom Gillis has gone through so many experiences that have relevance to all growing companies. Since the book is organized by topics, it's very easy to pick out the pieces of information that are most timely.

This has it all! The only book you'll need for starting and running your own business.