The Everything Start Your Own... | Buy

You can make a living doing what you love! The Everything Start Your Own Consulting Business Book shows you how to take your knowledge, experience, and passion and run your own successful enterprise. Whether your specialty is tax law, wedding planning, planning, or personal training, you have the potential to earn a higher income and create a satisfying career for yourself.

Dan Ramsey is the author of more than two dozen introductory and, start-up business books. Past president of Ramsey Business Strategies, he worked with numerous small businesses as a consultant on effective management techniques. He is the author of 101 Best Home Businesses, 101 Best Weekend Businesses, and other business guides. His latest titles are The Everything Guide to Starting and Running a Retail Store, The Everything Sales Book, and The Everything Business Plan Book with CD. He lives in northern California.

Top 10 Things Every Successful Consultant Must Know	p. x
Introduction	p. xi
Opportunities for Consultants	p. 1
The Life of Consultants	p. 2
Consulting in the Information Age	p. 8
Primary Consulting Services	p. 9
Add-On Products and Services	p. 11
Selecting Your Field of Expertise	p. 12
How Much Will You Earn?	p. 13
Making the Leap	p. 15
What Consultants Do	p. 17
The World of Consultants	p. 18
Developing Expertise	p. 20
Developing Resources	p. 22
Developing Contacts	p. 23
Adding Value	p. 24
The Consulting Processp25
Minimizing Risk	p. 28
The Market for Consulting Services	p. 30
Consulting Requirements	p. 31
Your Personal Goals	p. 32
Your Personal Values	p. 33
Your Financial Goals	p. 36
Risk Tolerance	p. 37
Licensing Requirements	p. 40
Tools and Equipment for Consulting	p. 42
Protecting Primary Resources	p. 45
Setting Up Your Consulting Service	p. 47
Naming Your Business	p. 48
Structuring Your Business	p. 50
Calculating Financial Requirements	p. 53
Choosing Your Office	p. 55
Setting Your Hours	p. 57
Advanced Time Management	p. 59
Resources for Consultants	p. 61
Analyzing Your Knowledge	p. 62
Expanding Your Credentials	p. 64
Knowledge Resources	p. 65
Consulting Service Opportunities	p. 68
Small Business Administration Resources	p. 69
Tax Information Resources	p. 71
Identifying Your Clients	p. 73
Who Are Your Clients?	p. 74
What Do They Need?	p. 75
Types of Businesses	p. 77
Finding Clients	p. 78
Features and Benefits	p. 81
Writing Your Business Plan	p. 85
Executive Summary	p. 86
Present Situation and Objectives	p. 87
Service Description	p. 90
Market Analysis	p. 90
Clients	p. 92
Competition	p. 94
Marketing Strategy	p. 95
Pricing and Profitability	p. 96
Financial Statements 98
Getting Help	p. 101
Hiring an Accountant	p. 102
Hiring an Attorney	p. 104
Hiring an Insurance Professional	p. 105
Finding a Partner	p. 106
Limited Liability Company	p. 109
Starting a Corporation	p. 110
Finding Funding	p. 112
Managing Costs	p. 117
Estimating Your Operating Costs	p. 118
Budgeting Operating Costs	p. 120
Managing the Value of Your Business	p. 122
Reducing Operating Costs	p. 123
Managing Taxes	p. 125
Keeping Good Records	p. 129
Your Recordkeeping Systems	p. 130
Single versus Double Entry	p. 134
Invoicing	p. 135
Managing Equipment Records	p. 137
Managing Petty Cash	p. 138
Online Banking	p. 138
Pricing Your Services	p. 141
Service Pricing Basics	p. 142
Calculating Service Costs	p. 144
Value Pricing	p. 145
Pricing Analysis	p. 147
Margins and Discounts	p. 151
Developing Your Rate Sheet	p. 153
Marketing Your Services	p. 157
Marketing 101	p. 158
Defining Clients	p. 160
Finding Prospects	p. 161
Market Analysis	p. 164
Market Strategy	p. 166
Positioning	p. 168
Advertising and Publicity	p. 171
Word of Mouth Isn't Enough	p. 172
Advertising 101	p. 173
Promoting Your Consulting Business	p. 175
Publicity Opportunities	p. 181
Client Referrals	p. 183
Working by Priority	p. 185
Importance of Priorities	p. 186
Setting Your Goals	p. 188
Prioritizing Goals	p. 190
Keeping Score	p. 191
Revising Goals	p. 194
Scheduling for Success	p. 194
Advanced Time Management Tips	p. 197
Profitability	p. 199
Understanding Profit and Loss	p. 200
Increasing Profitability	p. 202
Improving Client Profitability	p. 203
Cash Flow	p. 205
Financial Records	p. 211
Tracking Income and Expenses	p. 212
Your Income Statement	p. 214
Your Balance Sheet	p. 215
Improving Cash Flow	p. 216
Managing Loan Interest	p. 217
Offering Credit to Clients	p. 218
Improving Financial Planning	p. 219
Growing Your Business	p. 223
The Challenges of Growth	p. 224
Growing in the Right Direction	p. 226
Solving Common Business Problems	p. 227
Selecting the Best Solution	p. 230
Dealing with Business Cycles	p. 232
Locating Reducible Expenses	p. 233
Reducing Overhead	p. 235
Growth Plans	p. 237
Managing Employees	p. 239
Hiring Good Employees	p. 240
Employee Benefits	p. 243
Selecting the Right Plan	p. 247
Hiring Temporary Help	p. 248
Managing Payroll Records	p. 250
Employee Appraisals	p. 252
Managing Business Risk	p. 255
Understanding Risk	p. 256
Degrees of Risk	p. 257
Minimizing Risk	p. 260
Risk Management	p. 262
Business Insurance	p. 264
The Future of Your Consulting Business	p. 267
Enjoy What You Do	p. 268
Keeping Your Life	p. 270
Measuring Success	p. 271
Avoiding Consultant Burnout	p. 273
Taking a Break	p. 274
Selling Your Consulting Business	p. 275
Consulting Business Glossary	p. 281
Index	p. 289
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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