Small Business, Big Life: Five Steps to Creating a Great Life with Your Own Small Business [Bargain Price] [Hardcover]

Louis Barajas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

Don't let your business run your life; run your business to give you and your family a good life.

Creating and owning a successful business is part of the American dream. Written for "ordinary folk who have more dreams than education, capital or resources," Small Business, Big Life promises not just professional and financial success, but a fulfilling life. Louis Barajas shows how to create a business that enriches your life as well as your wallet, that creates both money and meaning, and that provides a legacy for yourself and your family.

Barajas has a unique integrated approach that deals with life as well as business. The four cornerstones of a big life from a small business are Truth, Responsibility, Awareness, and Courage. The five steps of building a small business that will give a big life are

• Your life blueprint
• Your vision
• Your business blueprint
• Your business systems
• Your team

Both inspirational and practical, Small Business, Big Life says don't let your business run your life; run your business to give you and your family a good life.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Born in East Los Angeles, the son of Mexican immigrants, Barajas watched as his father poured all his time into a small business installing wrought-iron doors. It was backbreaking work, and his father had little time for family or fun as the years went on. Barajas got his MBA and started his own financial planning firm, and he dedicates himself to helping small-business owners climb out from under the pressures that prevent them from enjoying life. Although many people dream about the freedom and financial success that business ownership can bring, the reality is that self-employment can often mean longer hours and less income. Barajas provides valuable tools to help the self-employed move up the ladder to becoming true business owners and create a sustainable enterprise that will offer not only more income but also more free time for family and the enjoyment of life. The ideas presented are often simple but nevertheless effective in helping automate and maintain a healthy balance between business and pleasure. Siegfried, David
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (May 1, 2007)
• ISBN-10: 140160336X
• ASIN: B001O9CHRK
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,980,361 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in the barrio of East Los Angeles, Louis is a living example of the American dream...hard work, a successful business, and a rich, full family life. After some personal life changing events and years of experience at major financial planning, accounting and consulting firms in Southern California, Louis formed his own wealth and business planning firm in the early 1990's to help hard working men and women, who because of a lack of information or understanding, often made bad financial choices. Since then he has been writing books to teach people on MY STREET™ about financial literacy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Magical Book, May 7, 2007

By 

Business Owner - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small Business, Big Life: Five Steps to Creating a Great Life with Your Own Small Business (Hardcover)

After many years searching for a book that offers guidance in creating a successful business without compromising family values, I finally found it. I'm a business owner with minor children that hardly know me yet they are the most important part of my life. I have spent countless hours building my business to provide a comfortable living for them but I have failed as a father. After reading Small Business, Big Life, I realized my business was running my life instead of me running my business. I already started creating my life blueprint and the business blueprint and I have to admit that it's been a long time since I been as excited for my business as I am right now. For the first time in many years I will be taking some time off to go to my kid's basketball games. Thank you Mr. Barajas for this magical book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read, May 3, 2007

By 

A Reader (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small Business, Big Life: Five Steps to Creating a Great Life with Your Own Small Business (Hardcover)

Small Business, Big Life is a must read for all small business owners. Louis Barajas takes a step back and gives us practical knowledge about establishing and running a business.

The book emphazises that the purpose of a business is to give us more life, not to be consumed by it. Oftentimes, however, we neglect and forget this pressing issue until we have health, marital or emotional problems. Mr. Barajas explains, in a step-by-step process, how to avoid this inevitable pitfall.

Being that I am a business student with aspirations of establishing my own business, I wish that the curriculum would incorporate and emphazise this theory. I loved reading this book because it is inspirational, practical and helpful.

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are thinking about launching a small business..., June 8, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small Business, Big Life: Five Steps to Creating a Great Life with Your Own Small Business (Hardcover)

"Small Business, Big Life: Five Steps To Creating A Great Life With Your Own Small Business" by financial and business expert Louis Barajas is an articulate, 'reader friendly', step-by-step, how-to manual for aspiring entrepreneurs wanting to establish a business enterprise, building a viable business, and still have a robust and satisfying personal life. The key to it all is the creation and maintenance of a proper 'mind-set' based on the four basic principles of Truth, Responsibility, Awareness, and Courage. "Small Business, Big Life" explains how to identify values and priorities and then fashion them into a kind of 'life blueprint'. Barajas reveals the components for creating a successful business include doing what you love, doing what your good at, and being profitable with what you do. The importance of systems for orderly, manageable growth are stressed, as is creating access to good attorneys, bankers, accountants, insurance agents, and vendors. If you are thinking about launching a small business, regardless of the products or services it will entail, then you need to give Louis Barajas a careful and considered reading!