Description

To Barnesandnoble.com Readers - Comments by the author Let's face it, you don't need to be a genius to start and operate a small business. Sure, there are some businesses, which are technically complex by their nature, but the actual process of running and managing any small business is pretty basic. Anyone, who is willing to work hard and think hard, can do it. So how come far too many new businesses fail in their early years? The ones, who fail, fail primarily because they do not face up to two critical realities: limited money and limited time. However simple or small your business, you are creating something from scratch. Obviously, it is going to take time before your baby learns to walk, talk, take care of itself . . . and produce revenues. Until that happens, more money will be going out than coming in. If your limited start-up funds run out before your business starts bringing in enough money to cover your costs, the fat lady will have sung and your show will be over. So you must maintain the tightest focus on every task which brings you closer to that wonderful moment when more money is coming in than going out. All very obvious, right? Yet, in reality, it takes tremendous self-discipline to stay focused on short-term survival priorities, in a world where the media and advertisers glamorize and promote small business success like it was the latest hotselling brand of body lotion. If you believe their messages, pots of gold are just around the corner. So what happens? All too often, beginners get a false sense of security, let down their guard, lose their sense of urgency, and confuse their work priorities. You know where that leads: downhill. I wrote this book with the missionof preventing needless small business failures, by discussing and explaining each of the key areas on which your survival will depend. I suffered a business bankruptcy many years ago (yes, you guessed it: I didn't follow my own advice) and I know many cases of business failures that need never have happened. That's a terribly waste of time, effort, creativity and money . . . and it's pretty traumatic. My aim is to prevent that happening to you. Once you've survived and are out of danger, with your business safely on its feet, you can pursue success on your own. I wish you the best of luck, whether in your existing business or in your new venture. If you have comments, questions (or even criticisms!), I'd like to hear from you. -Tom Culley