Small Business For Dummies

A Canadian bestseller, now revised and updated! Discover how to: Put together everything your business needs, from furniture to staff Establish an online presence for your business Write a winning business plan Keep your books balanced Stay on the right side of tax authorities An enterprising guide to becoming your own boss Hey entrepreneurs! Got an idea and need some straightforward advice on how to turn your dream into a reality? Let two experts show you how to turn your ideas into gold. Covering every aspect of starting, building, staffing, and running your own show, whether you're starting from the ground up or buying a franchise, this book paves the way to small business success. Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Want to start the small business of your dreams? Want to breathe new life into the one you already have? Small Business For Dummies, 3rd Edition provides authoritative guidance on every aspect of starting and growing your business, from financing and budgeting to marketing, management and beyond. This completely practical, no-nonsense guide gives you expert advice on everything from generating ideas and locating start-up money to hiring the right people, balancing the books, and planning for growth. You’ll get plenty of help in ramping up your management skills, developing a marketing strategy, keeping your customers loyal, and much more. You’ll also find out to use the latest technology to improve your business’s performance at every level. Discover how to: Make sure that small-business ownership is for you Find your niche and time your start-up Turn your ideas into plans Determine your start-up costs Obtain financing with the best possible terms Decide whether or not to incorporate Make sense of financial statements Navigate legal and tax issues Buy an existing business Set up a home-based business Publicize your business and market your wares Keep your customers coming back for more Track cash flow, costs and profits Keep your business in business and growing You have the energy, drive, passion, and smarts to make your small business a huge success. Small Business For Dummies, 3rd Edition, provides the rest.

The bestselling book you need to succeed in small business Canadian Small Business Kit For Dummies is the bestselling Canadian guide to starting and running a successful small business. This guide covers every aspect of starting, building, staffing, and running a small business. Offering information for entrepreneurs starting from scratch, people buying a business, or new franchise owners, it features updated information about the latest tax laws and its impact on small businesses, along with insight into how small business can take advantage of social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, etc. Covers the latest changes to taxes, finances, and marketing Helpful forms on Dummies.com make learning easier Expert advice makes this a worthwhile investment for all entrepreneurs Brand-new coverage devoted to starting a cannabis business If you’re looking to start a new business—or want to improve the one that’s already underway—this helpful guide makes it easier.

Starting a business? Don't sweat it! With all-new content and updates reflecting the latest laws, business climate, and startup considerations, Starting a Business All-In-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition, is the book you need if you’re starting a business today. Inside, you’ll find the most important practical advice you need to start any type of business from the ground up, distilled from 10 bestselling For Dummies business titles. Covering all startup business phases through the first year of operation, this guide will help you turn your winning idea into a winning business plan. You’ll get simple step-by-step instructions as you go, all the way to marketing, branding, taxes, and human resources. Start up a dream business from scratch Write a winning business plan Secure financing Manage your risks successfully Navigate your first year of operation If you’re a go-getter looking for a way to launch a great idea and be your own boss, Starting a Business All-In-One For Dummies prepares you to beat the odds and become successful in your sector.

Get inspired to build a profitable business with this essential guide In the latest edition of this bestselling and authoritative reference, Small Business For Dummies explains how to set your business on the path for success. Using this guide, you'll discover how to nurture your entrepreneurial spirit, build a winning edge over your competitors, and respond to the increasing challenges of everyday business. From the basics of setting up a budget to working out your exit plan, this book explains how to grow a profitable business that responds quickly to opportunities. You’ll learn how to identify what's different about your business, and how you can use this knowledge to build your brand and generate above-average profits. This new edition also covers: Using business plans to stay one step ahead Building positive teams and managing employees Creating financial projections that actually work Attracting the kind of customers you really want Expanding your online presence Whether you're a small business veteran or new to the game, this guide provides practical advice and inspirational guidance for every step along the way.

The nuts-and-bolts for building your own online business and making it succeed Is there a fortune in your future? Start your own online business and see what happens. Whether you're adding an online component to your current bricks-and-mortar or hoping to strike it rich with your own online startup, the sixth edition of this popular and practical guide can help. Find out how to identify a market need, handle promotion, choose Web hosting services, set up strong security, pop up prominently in search engine rankings, and more. The book explores the hottest business phenomenon today—social media marketing—with full coverage of Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and other technologies that are now firmly part of the online business landscape. Dives into all aspects of starting and establishing an online business, including the very latest big trends Highlights business issues that are of particular concern to online businesses Reveals how to identify a market need, handle promotion, choose Web hosting services, set up strong security, pop up prominently in search engine rankings, and more Covers the hottest social media marketing opportunities, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and blogs Shows you specific types and examples of successful online businesses Provides the latest on B2B Web site suppliers, such as AliBaba.com Build a better online business from the ground up, starting with Starting an Online Business For Dummies, 6th Edition!

Capitalise on big data to add value to your small business Written by bestselling author and big data expert Bernard Marr, Big Data For Small Business For Dummies helps you understand what big data actually is—and how you can analyse and use it to improve your business. Free of confusing jargon and complemented with lots of step-by-step guidance and helpful advice, it quickly and painlessly helps you get the most from using big data in a small business. Business data has been around for a long time. Unfortunately, it was trapped away in overcrowded filing cabinets and on archaic floppy disks. Now, thanks to technology and new tools that display complex databases in a much simpler manner, small businesses can benefit from the big data that's been hiding right under their noses. With the help of this friendly guide, you'll discover how to get your hands on big data to develop new offerings, products and services; understand technological change; create an infrastructure; develop strategies; and make smarter business decisions. Shows you how to use big data to make sense of user activity on social networks and customer transactions Demonstrates how to capture, store, search, share, analyse and visualise analytics Helps you turn your data into actionable insights Explains how to use big data to your advantage in order to transform your small business If you're a small business owner or employee, Big Data For Small Business For Dummies helps you harness the hottest commodity on the market today in order to take your company to new heights.

Harness the power of marketing and watch your business grow Having your own business isn't the same as having customers, and one is useless without the other. Whether your business is a resale store or a high-tech consulting firm, a law office or a home cleaning service, in today's competitive environment, strategic marketing is essential. If you want your small business to grow, you need a marketing strategy that works. But how do you get people to notice your business without spending a fortune? Packed with savvy tips for low-cost, high-impact campaigns, this friendly guide is your road map to launching a great marketing campaign and taking advantage of the newest technologies and avenues for outreach. Using social media as a marketing tool Communicating with customers Financing a marketing campaign The companion CD includes tools and templates to give you a jump-start on putting your new skills to work If you're looking to give your small business' marketing plan an edge over the competition, Small Business Marketing Kit For Dummies has you covered. CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of the e-book file, but are available for download after purchase.

Small business taxes taxing you out? For most business owners, their single biggest “expense” (and headache) is dealing with their taxes. And while the just passed Congressional tax bill reduced taxes for many of the estimated 30 million small business owners in the U.S., the nation’s taxes continue to be complex. Not being up-to-speed on tax rules and strategies can lead to mistakes that cost business owners thousands of dollars in fines and penalties every year. Small Business Taxes For Dummies assists both current and aspiring small business owners with important tax planning issues, including complete coverage of the tax changes taking effect in 2018, creating an ongoing tax routine, dealing with the IRS, and navigating audits and notices. Includes issues influencing incorporated small businesses, partnerships, and LLCs Offers expanded coverage of other business taxes including payroll and sales taxes Provides websites and other online tax resources Gives guidance to millennials juggling multiple gigs If you’re a current or aspiring small business owner looking for the most up-to-date tax planning issues, this book keeps you covered.

Having your own business isn’t the same as having customers, and one is useless without the other. Whether your business is a resale store or a high-tech consulting firm, a law office or a home cleaning service, in today’s competitive environment, strategic marketing is essential. Small Business Marketing For Dummies, Second Edition is updated from the original version that won rave reviews and inspired thousands of small businesses on their way to becoming big businesses. Updates include more information on online marketing, a whole new section on getting and keeping customers, new cost-effective, fast-acting ideas for instant impact, and more. The book covers: Marketing basics that prepare you to rev up your business and jumpstart your marketing program Information to help you define your business position and brand Advice on bringing in professionals A quick-reference guide to mass media and a glossary of advertising jargon How-tos for creating print and broadcast ads that work Ideas for getting the word out without advertising, including information on direct mail, brochures, publicity, promotions, and more Ten steps to follow to build your own easy-to-assemble marketing plan With pages of ideas for low-cost, high-impact marketing from author Barbara Findlay Schenck, a marketing consultant with more than 20 years experience with clients ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, Small Business Marketing For Dummies, Second Edition helps you reach and keep new customers. Whether you’re running a home office, a small firm, a family business, a nonprofit organization, or a retail operation, you’ll discover how to: Custom design your own marketing program Create effective marketing messages Produce marketing communications that work No matter what field you’re in, Small Business Marketing For Dummies, 2nd Edition will help you make your dreams come true. If you buy it, read it, and implement some of the marketing strategies discussed, customers will come.

Keeping track of the finances is fundamental to the success of every business, but tackling the task yourself can be intimidating. Help is at hand, however, with this complete guide to small business money management. Packed with expert advice on all aspects of business finance, including basic bookkeeping and accounting, monitoring profit and performance, managing payroll, tackling tax, and forecasting for growth, Small Business Finance All-in-One For Dummies helps you to take control of your finances, stay on top of the paperwork, and keep the cash flowing.

Your own in-house legal advisor—at a fraction of thecost Written in plain-English for business people without any legaltraining, Law For Small Business For Dummies coverseverything you need to be aware of regarding the law when you'restarting and running your own business. Cutting through the jargonthat can make even the pros scratch their heads, this book quicklygets you up-to-speed on the key areas of business law, includingcontracts, websites, intellectual property, data protection andpartnership agreements. Plus, you'll find out how small businesslaw applies to advertising and marketing, confidentialityagreements, the sale and supply of goods (including e-commerce),negligence and product liability. There were 526,000 new businesses registered in the UK in2013—and, at some point, all of them will be faced with legalrisks that could make the difference between success and failure.One claim could wipe out a fledgling business' profits, and hiteven big businesses harder than they could ever imagine. If you'rethe owner of a new business and need to get a handle on the ins andouts of small business law—and don't have the budget toemploy an in-house legal advisor—this trusted, approachableguide is your answer. Covers the laws surrounding the most common risks smallbusinesses face Addresses how to deal with legal issues before a potentiallycostly dispute arises Provides access to handy sample contract templates onDummies.com Serves as your own in-house legal advisor—at a fractionof the cost If you're an existing business owner or an aspiring entrepreneurthinking about starting your own business, Law For SmallBusiness For Dummies gives you answers to questions you didn'teven know to ask!

Your handy, authoritative guide to small business HR Packed with practical tips and advice on how to handle tricky people situations in the workplace, this friendly guide shows anyone without a ton of HR experience how to correctly—and legally—utilise HR practises within a small business. From hiring to firing, managing performance to leading change—and everything in between—HR For Small Business For Dummies ensures you and your organisation are prepared for whatever may come knocking on your human resource department's door. Written by a team of authors that runs PlusHR—an organisation that provides outsourced HR services to small- and medium-sized companies—HR For Small Business For Dummies offers a thorough and accessible understanding of what HR is, how it works and what key UK legislation you need to know to resolve issue-led HR problems. Throughout the book, the emphasis is on communication and how you may need to tweak your strategy as your business grows, while special attention is given to how an owner's personal style of leadership and management impacts everyone within a company. Build a recruitment strategy and establish successful HR practises Understand your legal and financial responsibilities as an employer Minimise your growing or shrinking pains—for you and your people Avoid the pitfalls of discrimination, bullying and unfair dismissal If you're an SME owner, director or practitioner who needs to know more about HR issues and how to best resolve them, HR For Small Business For Dummies cuts through the clutter and offers practical, day-to-day guidance on running an effective HR department.

If you have a great idea, why not turn it into a lucrative career path? Starting your own business is possible, and this book will give you all of the tools and advice necessary! You will learn how to craft your idea from its beginning stages into a business that is successful and functional. By following these steps, you can make sure that you are putting all of your time and effort into the business correctly. No matter what your dreams are or what you envision for your business, it is possible if you are willing to put in the work. This book makes it easy for you—serving as a guideline to follow so you always know what to do next.

Today's business marketplace is filled with news of small business and entrepreneurs making it big. Entrepreneurship For Dummies brings everything the reader needs to get started in business into one package. From developing an opportunity and coming up with a concept to actually creating the company, this book guides readers step-by-step. Included are all the procedures necessary to create a successful business. Learn how to know your customer, test and protect your product, test distribution, and create a business plan. Discover how to find the best legal structure, business model, organization plan, marketing plan, and financial plan.

Get your small business up and running — and keep it running for years to come. Millions of Americans own their own businesses, and millions more dream of doing the same. But starting your own business is a pretty complicated matter, especially with all the legal issues and paperwork. This updated edition of the top-selling small business resource is chock-full of information, resources, and helpful hints on making the transition from a great idea to a great business. If you’ve got a great idea for your own business, you need the kind of straightforward advice you’ll find here — the kind of advice you’d normally only get from business schools and MBA courses. Small Business Kit For Dummies, Second Edition covers all the basics on: Recent tax law changes Balancing your finances Hiring and keeping employees Effective management strategies Accounting fundamentals In addition to the basics of business, you’ll also find top-class advice on more advanced business basics, like business plans, the ins and outs of contracts, and using the Internet to expand your business. For entrepreneurs large and small, this comprehensive resource offers authoritative guidance on all your biggest business concerns, and offers unbeatable advice on such topics as: Choosing your business structure — from LLCs to S corps How to develop and write a standard business proposal Going public, issuing stock, and keeping a stock ledger Raising capital and understanding securities laws Bookkeeping standard practices Tax basics for small businesses Handling the paperwork for new hires Designing employee compensation plans Working with independent contractors and consultants Patent and copyright protections Dealing with the Press In addition, the book includes a CD-ROM full of helpful resources — forms, contracts, and even sample versions of the most popular software for small businesses. With Small Business Kit For Dummies you’ll find all the tools you need to get your small business up and running — and keep it running for years and years to come.

Start a successful online business—and be your own boss! Being an online entrepreneur means more than just building a website—and this book breaks down everything you need to know to be successful. Inside, you'll get plain-English explanations and easy-to-follow instruction on online business basics, legal and accounting issues, website design, Internet security, boosting sales, e-commerce, and so much more. While the ideas and concepts behind starting an online business are tried and true, the tools available to entrepreneurs change and evolve quickly—and often. Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies gets you up to speed on the best new tools, resources, and communities, and shows you how to best leverage them to up your chances of success. Discover your niche and create a business plan Design your website and storefront Increase your reach and market with social media Choose the best web host for your needs If you're a budding entrepreneur with dreams of running your own online business, this book has everything you need to get started and grow your company to extraordinary heights!

Starting your own UK business is an exciting - and challenging - time. This updated edition of the startup classic shows you how to build a business agile enough to take advantage of emerging trends and opportunities, and sturdy enough to weather any storm. Packed with real-life examples and links to hundreds of valuable resources, Starting a Business For Dummies, 4th UK Edition gives you what you need to make the leap from employee to successful entrepreneur with confidence. All your favourite, trusted content has been updated including: Laying the groundwork and testing the feasibility of your business idea Writing a winning business plan and finding funding How to operate effectively, including managing your finances and employing people Growing your business and improving performance New content includes: The latest funding schemes, including government funding and crowdfunding Tendering for public sector work Avoiding business cyber-crime Franchising and pop ups Exporting (the government has set a target of doubling the number of exporting companies by 2020) Environmental impact (a recent survey found 77% of SMEs wanted to know how to measure and improve their environmental impact)

The easy way to build an online craft business from scratch Starting an Etsy Business For Dummies offers expert advice for artists and entrepreneurs looking to build an online craft business from scratch. You'll get invaluable information on setting up your online shop, writing compelling item descriptions, photographing your work, engaging the Etsy community, understanding fees, and finding your muse when it takes a holiday. In the last couple of years, the DIY movement has transcended the big-box hardware stores, and has taken on a new format in the savvy crafting arena. Etsy.com boasts an astonishing 1.9 million members, and there are tens of thousands of craft and hobby bazaars held each year across the United States. Starting an Etsy Business For Dummies shows you how to create, manage, and successfully sell handmade wares, vintage goods, and DIY supplies using the world's largest online handmade marketplace. Learn to sell your handmade wares, vintage goods, DIY supplies online at Etsy.com Create and manage your own successful Etsy storefront Merchandise your unique creations and drive buyers to your shop If DIY is your domain, Starting an Etsy Business For Dummies gives you the skills, knowledge, and know-how to create a successful business that pays.