Starting a Business for Dummies

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, 4^th 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)

Colin Barrow was Head of the Enterprise Group at Cranfield School of Management and is the author of more than 30 books, including Business Plans For Dummies and Understanding Business Accounting For Dummies.

Part I: Getting Started with Your New Business 7

Chapter 1: Preparing for Business 9

Chapter 2: Doing the Groundwork 25

Chapter 3: Can You Do the Business? 45

Chapter 4: Testing Feasibility 63

Part II: Making and Funding Your Plan 83

Chapter 5: Structuring Your Business 85

Chapter 6: Preparing the Business Plan 109

Chapter 7: Getting Help 125

Chapter 8: Finding the Money 137

Chapter 9: Considering Your Mission 163

Chapter 10: Marketing and Selling Your Wares 169

Part III: Staying in Business 191

Chapter 11: Employing People 193

Chapter 12: Operating Effectively 215

Chapter 13: Keeping Track of Finances 239

Chapter 14: Managing Your Tax Position 265

Part IV: Making the Business Grow 279

Chapter 15: Doing Business Online 281

Chapter 16: Improving Performance 301

Chapter 17: Exploring Strategies for Growth 321

Chapter 18: Becoming a Great Manager 339

Part V: The Part of Tens 355

Chapter 19: Ten Pitfalls to Avoid 357

Chapter 20: Ten People to Talk to Before You Start 363

Chapter 21: Ten Reasons for Using Social Media 369

Index 379

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.