Start Small Finish Big: Fifteen Key Lessons to Start and Run Your Own Successful Business (Hardcover)

by Fred DeLuca (Author), John P. Hayes (Author) "Paul Orfalea doesn't read very well, he has a short attention span, suffers from dyslexia, and he struggled to get through school..." (more)
Key Phrases: other microentrepreneurs, microenterprise movement, new customers every day, Mary Ellen, New York, Working Capital (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
DeLuca was only 17 when he started what is now the Subway restaurant chain in 1965; he needed money to attend college and a friend offered to back him with $1,000 to start a sandwich shop in Bridgeport, Conn. That beginning led DeLuca to an enormously successful career: in addition to being president of the chain, he runs MILE, a nonprofit organization that offers loans to entrepreneurs. According to DeLuca, there are 15 essential principles for anyone starting a small business, some of which, DeLuca confesses, he learned the hard way (he had never made a submarine sandwich before opening day of his first shop). Among these pillars: Believe in Your People; Never Run Out of Money; Keep the Faith; and Profit or Perish. DeLuca uses his own business experience as well as that of other successful entrepreneursAe.g., the founders of Kinko's and Little Caesar'sAin addition to those of less well-known business people. Written in a conversational style, the advice isn't especially original or creative. However, would-be millionaires who are sitting at their kitchen table wondering if they should take that big step and start a business will find the book both instructive and inspirational. Agent, Bob Diforio.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
DeLuca, cofounder in 1965 of SUBWAY Restaurants and founder in 1996 of the Micro Investment Lending Enterprise (MILE), a nonprofit organization making microloans to entrepreneurs/microentrepreneurs, has written this humorous, down-to-earth guide to success as a small business owner. Coauthor Hayes is a writer (Computer Architecture and Organization, 1998), public speaker, and business trainer. Each chapter describes one of DeLuca's 15 key lessons and is illustrated with a real-life case study. None of the people in these cases is a household name, but businesses such as Kinkos, Little Caesars, and SUBWAY are. DeLuca doesn't claim that his guides form a master plan for success, but he optimistically believes that anyone can become Bill Gates, Lillian Vernon, or Henry Lay and that his lessons will increase the chances. His book also promotes and supports MILE, and the last chapter and appendix are devoted to information about it and its programs. Recommended for most small business collections.
Susan C. Awe, Univ. of New Mexico Lib., Albuquerque
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 353 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books; 1st edition (August 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446524026
• ISBN-13: 978-0446524025
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #815,546 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, September 13, 2000

By A Customer

This is an easy to read book with important advice from people who have experienced the business world.

Some advice they had to learn on their own after many years in the business. So you may save many years by learning the lessons here first.

Some of the anecdotes by some of the business people are unnecessary. But most of them are very helpful.

Also, the author promotes his microentrepreneur organization (that gives small loans to hopeful busnesss-start-ups) that I really wasn't interested in.

But some of the things I learned in here are priceless. So I think it's a very worthwhile book, and recommend it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Street smart advice for small businesses, August 6, 2000

By A Customer

Most books aimed at small businesses omit the basic (though not always obvious) advice needed to choose a business, get it started and keep it profitable. This is where Start Small, Finish Big excels. Especially valuable are the chapters on when to borrow money (The answer is not when you need it.) and choosing your business idea. If you have been thinking about starting a business, but never have taken the step, this is the book you need to get you going.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not one boring page!, September 6, 2000

By	Falling Snow (Cleveland, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This book would be an inspiration to just about anyone, whether starting up a new business or not. It was beautifully written but most impressive was that there were no boring parts. Often a book will have some good sections and much dead area. "Start Small Finish Big" is just jam packed with one interesting story after another of people who struggled and overcame obstacles in order to create their businesses. The fifteen key lessons are great and wonderful examples are given of each, both by the business owners Fred DeLuca chose and by Fred himself. Great job!!!