Starting on a Shoestring: Building a Business Without a Bankroll (Wiley Small Business Edition) (Paperback)

by Arnold S. Goldstein (Author) "What is it really like to take an idea and fashion it into a successful business?..." (more)
Key Phrases: shoestring marketing, shoestring entrepreneur, shoestring venture, Discount City, New York, Cape Cod (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This bestselling guide has shown thousands how to start a business with little or no money down

If you've dreamed of starting your own business, but felt discouraged by a lack of start-up money, Starting on a Shoestring is exactly the book you need. Now in a new edition that reflects the business climate of the '90s, this authoritative, straight-talking book gives you the real-world business advice you need to start, grow, and survive. It takes you step by step through the entire process, asking you questions, helping you plan, and giving you valuable guidance at a fraction of what consultants would charge. In this edition, you'll find new chapters on how to deal with the Small Business Administration and venture capital firms.

You'll also learn:

• How to test your business idea to see if it's right for you
• How to find the best sources for raising capital and how to approach them
• How to avoid the common traps and misconceptions of starting up—six common myths
• What you need to know before taking on a partner
• How to get set up: where to find bargains on equipment, the advantages of leasing, dealing with suppliers, the value of consignments, and more
• How to advertise and market on a shoestring: free media publicity, generating word-of-mouth, creating a prestige image inexpensively
• Much, much more

Starting on a Shoestring gives you a wealth of vital information you'll find in no other book—it's your first smart move toward success in your own business.

From the Publisher
If your goal is entrepreneurial success but capital is in short supply, this is the book for you. This updated edition contains even more information, practical tips and strategies that proved so successful in the past. Features new chapters on the Small Business Administration and venture capital sources. Includes numerous case histories. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 306 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 3 edition (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471134155
• ISBN-13: 978-0471134152
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #907,924 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, an author that takes a stand!, August 29, 2000

By	"jillm" (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Unlike the reader from Alaska I was happy to finally find a small business book that took a stand and gave specific advice (i.e., incorporate! don't buy new fixtures! etc.) rather than just information on all the different ways one can do something.

In addition to having much practical advice about how to start a business with limited funds, Starting on a Shoestring's matter-of-fact tone and plentitude of rags-to-riches examples make this a great motivational book as well.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Indispensible Practical Gem!, November 28, 2002

By	Ron (North York, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This book was far beyond my expectation. It is not simply just a book on giving advice of how to start small, it is a book that teaches you all facets of how to build a business from the ground up! Not only that, it does so systematically, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages in a straight forward manner. No sound bytes, no big words, and no hype. This book is like having a no-nonsense advisor by your side every step of the way. Please browse through the table of contents. There aren't a lot of books that tell a beginner what to look out for if you are looking for a partner or what to look out for when you are paying your creditors, to name only a couple. For a budding entrepreneur who wants sound and practical advice, this book is a must read.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique, comprehensive, motivational gem, March 20, 2004

By	m rosenblog - See all my reviews

This review is from: Starting on a Shoestring: Building a Business Without a Bankroll (Paperback)

"Starting on a Shoestring" is an entirely non-bs, straight-to-the-point primer on all the possibilities available to the entrepreneurial dreamer, many of which he or she would not even have imagined possible. In short, there's a lifetime's worth of knowledge and wisdom in here. You don't need to learn the hard way though;read this book, expand your horizons,and gain a new outlook on the world of business.There is no such thing as a how-to guide for business sucess, but this book is as close as you'll likely get to it.