A readable and structured guide for the increasing numbers of people each year who consider setting up a small business or becoming self-employed. 'Business Planning' outlines the options and risks involved in setting up a business. The importance of thorough planning is often overlooked and only becomes evident if the business fails. This is highlighted in a recent study by the SFEDI of 486 bankers and accountants where lack of planning was the most common reason cited as to why businesses fail. 'Business Planning' shows how to avoid this failure by focusing on the planning stage and building on this framework as the business develops. This is the only book based around the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI) for first time owner-managers. It contains all the underpinning factual information required to prepare and present a successful Business Plan for presentation to a bank manager, or an alternative potential source of finance, or for use in an NVQ portfolio. It is in line with the major syllabuses for Business Start-Up, and can be used as a course book for anyone completing a formal NVQ level 3 qualification in this area, with tips on NVQ structure and assessment.

Filled with essential checklists, worksheets and advice, The Small Business Start-Up Guide will get you up and running The Small Business Start-Up Guide is a must-have resource for anyone starting a business. Covering everything you need to know to start successfully, it will save you immeasurable amounts of time, effort and money.

This annually updated and bestselling small business guide covers everything you need to know to succeed as an entrepreneur, from finance, tax and the law, to marketing, sales, pricing and budgeting. This new edition reflects all the latest changes that the small business market is currently going through, including changes in employment law and tax and all the latest budget changes.

Filled with essential checklists, worksheets, and advice, The Small Business Start-Up Guide will get you up and running! The Small Business Start-Up Guide is a must-have for anyone starting a business. A complete overview of everything you need to know to start successfully, it will save you time, effort, and money. Discover: Which business entity is right for you How to formulate a complete business plan The ins and outs of bank laons and government assistance The pros and cons of franchising Which professionals to consult and when Everything you need to know about taxes and insurance Plus, get a great time-saving information, including: A checklist of all the things you must do when starting a business Many helpful resources, including worksheets and a complete list of state guidelines for starting a small business Where to find the best sources of information concerning all of your specific business questions and concerns Tips for finding loans and investors "The pluses and minuses for each type of organization a start-up can assume."—Wall Street Journal Right now is the time to start building the business you want!

‘As comprehensive an introduction to setting up a business as anyone could need.’ The Daily Telegraph ‘The Wisden of the small business world, threaded through with common sense practical advice.’ The Daily Mail ‘A must for any small business owner.’ Federation of Small Businesses Whether you’re about to start your own business or have already taken the plunge and want to keep everything on track, make sure you have a copy of The Financial Times Guide to Business Start Up on your shelf. Annually updated, this edition covers all the latest legal and financial changes you need to be aware of following the 2014 Budget. This guide takes you through every important aspect of starting and running a business, including developing your idea and getting financial backing, building customer relationships, developing your online presence and much more. Everything you need to know to make your start up a success.

A guide designed to increase the probability of success and avoid common trouble areas in starting and operating a small business. Gives practical advice on such topics as selecting the right business, partners, marketing, insurance, computers, writing and speaking effectively, and others.

Whether you’re about to start your own business or have already taken the plunge and want to keep everything on track, make sure you have a copy of The Financial Times Guide to Business Start Up on your shelf. Annually updated, this edition covers the latest legal and financial changes you need to be aware of following the 2013 Budget. There’s also essential new content on shaping up for the digital marketplace and how to develop your online presence, benefit from social media and advertise effectively online. This guide takes you through every important aspect of starting and running a business, including developing your idea and getting financial backing, recruiting staff, building customer relationships, sales, marketing, VAT and much more. Everything you need to know to make your start up a success.

Whether you’re about to start your own business or have already taken the plunge and want to keep everything on track, make sure you have a copy of the No.1 bestselling The Financial Times Guide to Business Start Up on your shelf. Annually updated, this guide takes you through every important aspect of starting and running a business, including developing your idea and getting financial backing, building customer relationships, developing your online presence and much more.

The new third edition of this Upstart classic builds on the author's tried-and-true methods with an updated resources section and helpful tips on using the Internet to find low-cost resources.

Research shows that roughly half of all start-up businesses fail within the first three years, and the majority of failures happen because business owners aren't prepared enough to deal with the challenges that can affect them. In other words, they haven't done enough planning. Creating a business plan should be one of the first things you do when you think of starting up a company, and it's an important document to turn to time and again as your business develops - especially in these difficult financial times. Accessible and easy to read, the Good Small Business Planning Guide shows readers how to: Plan their business strategy Pitch their plan to raise funds Spot problems in advance and work out how to deal with them Update and refresh the plan for different audiences