The Unofficial Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business [Paperback]

Steven D. Strauss (Author)

Book Description

Series: Unofficial Guides | Publication Date: October 16, 2000

Guidance on starting and running a home-based business.
This Unofficial Guide provides expert advice and a wealth of insider secrets for making a home business a success. If you're just starting out, the book tells how to find the right home business, create a business plan, and finance the business. If you want to grow an existing business, the book provides guidance on finding untapped markets and pursuing corporate and government work. It includes:

• Finding the perfect home-based business for you
• Starting a business on a shoestring
• Managing licenses, permits, and services
• Balancing business and family needs
• Generating successful marketing and publicity

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The Unofficial Guide series delivers critical, unbiased information that other books can't or won't reveal -- the inside scoop. Our goal is to provide the reader with the most accessible, useful information possible -- information that is unbiased by affiliation with any organization or industry. As a result, we tell the readers the truth whether those institutions like it or not.

To be absolutely certain that each and every Unofficial Guide provides the most authoritative, up-to-date information available, a minimum of three "official" experts comprising the "Unofficial Panel" painstakingly reviews the book to ensure factual accuracy of all data.

Each Unofficial Guide delivers comprehensive coverage of necessary and vital information; savvy, sophisticated tone that's readable; sensible, applicable facts and secrets that only an insider knows; special back reference sections: Glossary, Resource Guide, Recommended Reading List, Important Documents; Important Statistics; Detailed Index.

From the Back Cover

The inside scoop… for when you want more than the official line! "Intelligent, practical, and easy to read, Steven Strauss's The Unofficial Guide^™ to Starting a Home-Based Business is an indispensable resource for entrepreneurs. Steven Strauss writes with authority about home business because he has done it himself. This book has realistic, practical tips for starting a profitable business from your home." —Steve Sydness, CEO Bizland.com "Steve Strauss is a tireless source of inspiration for entrepreneurs. His sound and practical advice makes good business sense." —Kelly Patton, AllBusiness.com The top 10 ways The Unofficial Guide^™ to Starting a Home-Based Business can help you set up the business of your dreams!

1. Helps you turn your passion into a successful business.
2. Uncensored discussion of the most popular home-based businesses.
3. Learn how to make the most of tax deductions.
4. Multiple Profit Centers: What they are, how to set them up, and why they'll help you succeed!
5. Proven strategies for writing the best business plan.
6. Channels your entrepreneurial spirit into business success.
7. Advice on financing and thriving on a shoestring budget.
8. The best strategies for using the Internet.
9. Helps you avoid common mistakes.
10. Gives you the resources to make it as a home-based entrepreneur.

Visit us online at www.idgbooks.com

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 419 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 16, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764561510
• ISBN-13: 978-0764561511
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,315,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steven D. Strauss, often called "the country's leading small business expert," is an internationally recognized author, lawyer, and speaker. His column in USATODAY.com is one of the most highly syndicated business columns in the world. The author of fifteen books, including The Small Business Bible, he is also the President of The Strauss Group, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Obvious, April 28, 2004

By 

starspangledgirl "starspangledgirl" (Arlington, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unofficial Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business (Paperback)

This book could be one of the "Dummies" or "Idiots" books because everything it offers is pretty obvious. This book covers so many topics, it can't go into any depth on any of them. For example, the author says seminars are a great way to get business but he offers only half a page on how to do them. He tells you how to get a trademark without discussing why they may or not be necessary. Also, there are way too many irrelevant stories about millionaires like Michael Dell (who cares how many square feet his mansion is?) and Jeff Bezos. If you already have a business in mind, you have to wade through a lot of chapters about finding the perfect business for you. However, if you haven't a clue about which business to start, the book offers only a surface idea of several home businesses. So it's not useful to either customer.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For when you want more than the official line!, March 18, 2002

By 

Martin Perrien (Littleton, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unofficial Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business (Paperback)

The Unofficial Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business
by Steven D. Strauss

This book is an incredible resource covering a large number of topics in great detail, such as;

1. Understanding the Home-Based Business.
a. The Home Business Boom
b. Is Operating a Home-Based Business for You?

2. Choosing The Right Home-Business
a. Doing What You Love
b. Some Home-Based Businesses to Start
c. Diversification

3. Getting Started
a. Business Basics
b. Business Plans
c. Financing Your Home-Based Business

4. The Nitty Gritty
a. The Home Office
b. Starting on a Shoestring
c. Dealing With Money
d. Managing Your Business and Your Life
e. Managing Your Time

5. The Internet
a. E-Commerce Overview
b. Making Money Online

6. Growing Your Business
a. Successful Home-Based Advertising
b. Marketing and Publicity
c. Secrets of Successful Home-Based Businesses

The author delivers critical, unbiased information that other books can't or won't reveal on each of these topics.

The book gives you advice as well as opinions. So when your not sure what to do, refrencing it here can save you time and money.

I strongly recommend this book, and wish you well in your Home-Business.