What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business: Real Life Start-Up Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs [Paperback]

Jan Norman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1998 | Series: What No One Ever Tells You About...

Addressing small businesses' common and uncommon miscues with advice and insight from more than 100 entrepreneurs who have made the mistakes, but survived, this resource is like having an expert whispering in one's ear.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

READ AND LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE MADE!

Using more than 100 interviews with seasoned entrepreneurs, author Jan Norman guides you through every stage of business start-up from planning to marketing and provides eye-opening lessons from successful business owners who've learned the hard way. It's like hiring a personal entrepreneurial coach to point out the roadblocks before you hit them! "What No One Ever Tells You about Starting Your Own Business" provides practical advice on the real issues that trip up the most sure-footed entrepreneur.

"This book is a virtual encyclopedia of gritty, practical start-up advice from over 100 real-life entrepreneurs who have been there, done that.' Highly recommended." (Fred Thomas, national president, SCORE Association)

"Jan Norman delivers immediate benefits to every reader. The 101 lessons learned in the trenches by these real entrepreneurs will enable new and existing business owners to make and implement better organizational, marketing, and financial decisions for their companies." (Linda Pinson, author, "Anatomy of a Business Plan" and "Automate Your Business Plan")

"No dream-world theories concocted by so-called experts; just the real-life experiences of entrepreneurs like yourself. With this book, you'll get a huge headstart when you set up your own business. Highly recommended!" (Fred S. Steingold, business lawyer and author of "Legal Guide for Starting and Running Your Own Business")

About the Author

Since 1988, award-winning journalist and writer Jan Norman has authored more than 700 small business columns for the "Orange County Register." Now distributed worldwide by the Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, this weekly newspaper column, "It's Your Business," explores real-life solutions to problems business owners encounter when launching and running their companies. She is also the author of "It's Your Business: The Practical Guide to Entrepreneurship."

Product Details

• Paperback: 221 pages
• Publisher: Upstart Pub Co (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574101129
• ISBN-13: 978-1574101126
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,246,941 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

93 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You'd better read it before taking the big leap., September 27, 2001

By 

R. Shaff "Velocipede" (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business: Real Life Start-Up Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs (Paperback)

I've been in business for myself for over 14 years now. Started with basically nothing and had to learn the hard lessons. My immediate advice...learn from the lessons of others. This book is a good place to start.

Author Norman asks 101 entrepreneurs what they wish they had known prior to business startup and, if known, what would they have done differently.

As with most startup or troubled businesses, capital, cash flow and knowledge of the marketplace are the heinous leaders of failure. Each of the 101 short stories tells a tale tantamount to each entrepreneur's greatest challenge and/or fear. If this depicts an accurate picture of each entrepreneur's greatest burden in creating success, listen up. This is where you will pick up the absolute BEST advice. New and experienced entrepreneurs alike will take something away from this book.

The author provides and plethora of resources including reading material, associations, societies and other pertinent information. Further, Ms. Norman suggest that readers contact her with their stories presumably to begin "Book II."

A great primer or refresher.

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not really a textbook to small business..., October 23, 2003

By 

Reds Fan (Cincinnati, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business: Real Life Start-Up Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs (Paperback)

I think many people who purchased this book were thinking this might be a one-stop shop for business advice. Although there's much to be learned from the small businesses featured in "What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business," it hardly works as a textbook-type book.

However, if you're throwing around some ideas for a potential, you're bound to get your creative juices flowing by reading about the highs and lows of those who took the gamble before you. It's bound to spark some ideas. In that respect, I rate this book very highly.

The book does offer solutions for the problems these companies faced, but it most circumstances, it's hard to apply the information to your specific situation.

If you've already started your own business, this book probably isn't for you. However, if you're looking for an idea or hoping to shape one, you're bound to get some value for your money.

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I was dissappointed, March 4, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business: Real Life Start-Up Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs (Paperback)

Judging by the raving reviews for this book, I was expecting something spectacular. I came away feeling that I was cheated.

While the book is not bad, it is not worthy of the raving 5 star reviews and acclaim that it has recieved. I can only think that the reviews were shills or people who are terribly naive to business.

Not bad...but not great. Definitely not 5 star material.