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Customer Reviews (16)

Extremely Helpful
Step by step this book walks you through everything you need to know about starting your own business!

Fantastic
Fantastic book, great layout.Just about everything you need to know to start your own business as a personal chef.

Completely on the up and up
As a current culinary school student, I find this as an excellent addition to my studies on the ins and outs of the PC business.I always wondered if the people mentioned in books were real, because often they're random professionals.Chef Mo from the Art Institute of Atlanta is mentioned in this book, and that was very cool for me.Many of the sanitation and basic techniques are on dot with our curriculum.I am planning on now taking the PC course taught at AiA because of this book.

If anyone picks up this book and takes one piece of advice, and that is to get certified!The USPCA, ACF, ect... are great starts to develop skills, network, and do business with vendors!

Outstanding Service
I receivedbook in excellent condition and in a timely manner.

Would do business with them again.

Geat read for someone looking toget started
I found this book veery informative.i have always loved to cook, but have never done it professionally and was looking for suggestions to get started. ... Read more

Product Description

Expert tips and advice on starting a home-based business

Starting your own home-based business is a great way to supplement your income in these tough economic times. With thirty percent new and revised material, Home-Based Business For Dummies, 3rd Edition gives you the most current and up-to-date information you need to navigate your way through the whole process.

You'll get trusted and creative advice on how to start being your own boss, bringing in a steady paycheck, and running a business you'll enjoy.

• Complete coverage of legal and financial aspects of a home-based business
• Effective advertising and promotional strategies that won't break the bank
• Tips and information you need to make your business profitable
• Advice on outfitting and running a home office

Whether you've been affected by downsizing in these uncertain times or are just looking to earn some extra cash, Home-Based Business For Dummies, 3rd Edition shows you how to avoid scams and truly start working from home for profit. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Not bad, some good info
It's not bad. I was hoping there'd be a bit more info in it. However it did have a few things that made it worth buying.

What I needed to know in a hurry
Someone gave me this book just when my energy for my whole project was flagging. It was either get going or give up my idea.This book got me off the stick at warp speed rate. It was just what I need to know about internet marketing, how to spend my little bit of start up money wisely, how to get the website I needed, plus an acknowledgement that we are in the worst of hard times. The info on good businesses during bad times was extremely useful. I found exactly what I needed to know about legal, tax, and accounting issues. Everything was simply and clearly stated, including subjects that I never thought I'd come to terms with, ie. how much to charge, taxes and deductions. understand. Good information.Well worth the money.

think of it as your buddy
A super overview of the subject, this book helps me check every so often to see if I'm covering all bases. I found the pages on making the web work for you to be especially useful. The book sits on my buddy shelf--books that bail me out when I have a question or issue.

A Must Read!
Let's get the usual disclaimers out of the way. I have known Paul and Sarah Edwards for a long time, both personally and professionally, and one of the reasons for maintaining these relationships is that I admire what they do, how they do it, and how they love to share it. And, this latest book, Home-Based Business for Dummies, is only one example of my admiration.

When I found out that Paul and Sarah were authoring yet another edition of this book, I could not wait to see it. I followed their journey of helping people achieve self-actualization for over twenty years, and I can tell you that they worked hard to make Home-Based Business for Dummies the most complete reference on the subject.

The book has several beginnings, and the one I truly like is the section titled "Taking the Home-Based Business Quiz." That section alone, with its questions focused on what each of us who starts a business needs to ask, is worth the price of the book. It asks you to look at and evaluate your strengths and potential weaknesses and your readiness to get started.

Another section of the book goes into the choices that you need to make about the nature of your business, and what you can start right in your garage as did the good people who started Hewlett-Packard, Apple, Amazon, and others, to buying an existing business or franchise, and more, and includes advice on identifying the best option for you..

Chapters 3 and 4 detail the ABCs of starting the business, and includes just about everything you need to cover to make it a success, including words to the wise about what financing you should consider, and some sound advice on how to get it. Once the business is started, however, there is still more work to be done to market what you have to offer, and that is covered, as well. There is even a chapter about doing business in "challenging times," which is extremely useful for today.

The book is easy-to-read, well organized, and thoroughly helpful, and I highly recommend "Home-Based Business for Dummies" to anyone who wants to start a business, or has a home-based business and has some unanswered questions. No book, however comprehensive, can ever include everything, but this one sure comes close!

Update on the 3rd Edition -- New and Improved
I am coauthor of Home-Based Business For Dummies 3rd Edition along with my colleagues of many years, Paul and Sarah Edwards (America's home-based business experts -- their book Working From Home was the first commercially published book about how to work from home).

We made numerous changes and improvements to Home-Based Business For Dummies 3rd Edition, many of them in response to feedback we received on the previous editions of the book (including the many reviews here on Amazon.com). We took your comments to heart, and used them to help fine tune the book's content.

One more thing. As we wrote this new edition, we also took into account the fact that we are still in the throes of the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. We made many adjustments to the text to help prospective and current home-based business owners deal with the challenges of the current economic environment.

The result is a much stronger book on the topic of starting and growing your own home-based business -- a book that Paul and Sarah and I are certain is the best possible resource available today for both new and experienced home-based business owners.

Specifically, we:

-- Added an entirely new chapter -- Chapter 3: The ABCs of Starting Your Own Business -- that addresses exactly how to start a home-based business, 6 proven ways to get your cash flowing, 21 sources of start-up funds, how to put together a business plan, and much more.

-- Added an entirely new chapter -- Chapter 5: Creating a Sustainable Income in Challenging Times -- that explores more than 75 businesses you can start and do well during an economic downturn, as well as those that do better in economic good times. Many of these businesses require minimal money to start, with most WELL under $1,000. No other book on home-based businesses provides this vital, up-to-the-minute information that will help you succeed even in today's challenging business conditions.

-- Added an entirely new chapter -- Chapter 13: Making the Web Work for You -- that digs deeply into how to leverage the tremendous power of the Internet to help your home-based business succeed. We pay a special attention to using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and creating your own blog or website, to get out the word about your business.

-- Added an entirely new chapter -- Chapter 17: Ten Enduring Home-Business Opportunities -- that provides readers with our list of 10 home business opportunities that are built to last. These are opportunities that will continue to grow and do well for decades to come.

-- Updated chapters on legal, taxes, and accounting with the latest-and-greatest information for 2010.

-- Pared away anything that wasn't directly pertinent to helping our readers become better and more successful home-based businesspeople.

While we can't guarantee that you'll earn a million dollars as a home-based business owner after you read our book, we CAN guarantee that you'll find a LOT of extremely useful information, no matter what kind of business you start or where you live. Paul and Sarah and I really care about this book and we want it to be the best book possible on starting and growing a home-based business. We're always happy to get your email messages and answer your questions. We would love to hear about your successes -- and your challenges. Our websites and email addresses are easy to find -- a Google search will quickly take you there.

Thanks for considering Home-Based Business For Dummies 3rd Edition -- we hope you enjoy reading the book as much as we enjoyed writing it, and that it helps you build a better and even more successful home-based business.
... Read more

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Customer Reviews (28)

Excellent book!
This is an excellent book for anyone considering a home based Professional Organizing Business.I enjoyed reading and am now using it as a handbook almost daily!

Best
This was my 4th purchase of this kind of book.I wish that I'd purchased it first and saved my money on other books about organizing.This is far and above the others.Comprehensive and complete.The best!

Great resource!
This book is awesome! It has just about everything you need to get started as a professional organizer. It walks you though everything, step by step, from deciding if this is the right business for you, to choosing a business name, setting up your office, to your first client. It has lost of different forms and stuff that you can copy and modify to suit your needs. I love the fact that she doesn't just say, do this, don't do that. Instead, she gives options and explanations of each, making it easy for you to decide what is best for you. I do recommend reading other books like this, if you decide to go ahead and start a business, just to get more ideas and another point of view, but this is the one I keep referring back to most. Clear, concise, and easy to read...not all dry and boring. Everything is covered, and she adds little anecdotes from her own and other organizers experiences to givea sense of what its really like. Highly recommended!!!
P.S. I started a business using this book as a guide...2 weeks later I have my First client!!!Thanks, Dawn!!!

Easy Read, Good Information
I am in the process of launching my own organizing business, so I wanted to get as much info as possible about what to keep in mind as I got my business off the ground. This book gives you a basic understanding of the business along with some good suggestions about things you need to be aware of as you get started. It doesn't have in-depth tools and resources for you to use, but it does provide a basic overview about what to expect, short examples and some simple forms. For the price, it isn't a bad investment. I have ordered several other books, which I hope will provide me with more information (forms, tools, checklists, etc.) that I can immediately incorporate into my business. This is a very basic read, so if you are looking for extensive information on the subject, this isn't really it. When I finished reading the book, I was still very hungry for more knowledge about the organizing business. However, the author did do a good job of clearly explaining the industry and how to start a home-based business in general.

Great book
I am about to start an organizing business, and this book is fantastic.It was exactly what I needed.It takes you step-by-step through the process, how to price, how to organize- everything.She also gives you copies of the forms she uses, which is nice.Highly recommend. ... Read more

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This insider's handbook reveals how to start a successful business planning a wide variety of events from home. Topics covered include purchasing equipment and supplies, writing a business plan, working with caterers and other service professionals, attracting and keeping clients, dealing with legal and accounting issues, and more. Also included is information on professional organizations to join and places to learn more about the event-planning business.
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Customer Reviews (9)

SUPER BOOK!
As an Events Planner, there are a great deal of information in this book.I really love it and have highly recommended!

great book
I think the book was really informative.It provided detailed information. I recommend this book to many of my friends who intend to go into this business.

"Very Imformative"
I have found this book to be very informative for those seeking to start a business in party and event planning.It gives you the basics along with other ideas to get started.A must reference book!

Extremely Helpful
As an event planner, I found this book extremely helpful with planning my business. It gave great tips and suggestions. A must for any start up event planner.

Interesting and Informative
I have not gotten through this entire book, but read most of it in one sitting. It is very informative and helpful while at the same time interesting to read. I would suggest this or any book of this series to anyone interested. ... Read more

Product Description
A successful career—at your own front door!

For anyone who wants to make extra money, escape the corporate rat race, or just take more pleasure out of working from home, small business guru Barbara Weltman shows readers how to make their dreams come true. Completely updated, this guide explores the ins and outs of seed money, its impact on the home and family, the best business for each individual, and much more.

—Features the most current information on everything from Internet businesses to taxes and guerrilla marketing
—Includes in-depth resource and web sections, as well as a listing of the 100 best home-based businesses to get into and how ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Not what I expected
I expected it to give me some ideas about what to do and how to go about them.Instesd, it was nothing more than basically how to set up your house and bank account.

Great for those who are just Starting
I think this is a great book for those who are just getting started. I see so many people trying to get rich quick by going to webpage like this one [...] ** Beware of things that look scams ** and get educated!

Good Tips

This is a very valuable resource. There's plenty of information on organizing your business, such as choosing whether to incorporate. There's also advice on setting up your business, writing a business plan, and obtaining financing from a variety of possible sources. Such issues as the zoning of your home are addressed, as well as legal means to get around any potential snags in this area.

The reading is made more enjoyable by an abundance of sidebars scattered throughout, with titles like "Homegrown Tip", "Home Hazard", and "Business Buzzword". And the author's wit will give you an occasional chuckle.

SMALL BUSINESS-The Art of The Start -40 Successful Concepts forA Small Business Start-up - You Start, Grow And Succeed

e-Marketing Intelligence - Transforming Brand and Increasing Sales- Tips and Tricks with Best Practices

Helpful advice
The Idiot's Guide is full of great advice for starting a home based business. I highly recommend the purchase, as it is a great resource. Another direction you can take for starting a home based business is to sell your ideas to manufacturers or start a business of your own with your inventions or product designs. I know a few people who have successfully done both. Two books I would recommend for that is The Mom Inventors Handbook: How to Turn Your Great Idea into the Next Big Thingand To Market To Market: Where to Sell or License Your Ideas, Products, and Inventions

Knowledgeable Startup Advice
Starting up a home-based business may sound easy, but there are plenty of pitfalls. This book should help you steer clear of them. You'll explore a variety of topics such as how to finance your business, whether or not to incorporate, whether to hire help, and even how to obtain business insurance. Much of the advice is specific to USA-based businesses.

The reading is made more enjoyable by an abundance of sidebars scattered throughout, with titles like "Homegrown Tip", "Home Hazard", and "Business Buzzword". And the author's wit will give you an occasional chuckle.

If reading this book enables you to start your business on a solid footing, you'll have more time to and energy for generating sales and profits.

Paul Francis Musgrave, author of Indispensable Marketing Strategies - How to Outwit Your Competition, Attract and Retain Customers, and Multiply Your Profits - Marketing Strategy Secrets for Profitable Small Business Management
... Read more

Product Description
Completely revised and updated, this guide includes the author's experiences and advice on every aspect of setting up and running a thriving home-based interior design business. It covers everything from developing a business plan and estimating start-up costs to pricing the services and staying profitable once in business.
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Customer Reviews (9)

Pretty Accurate Vision of Managing a Design Business
Suzanne DeWalt really hits some key elements regarding running a home-based design business.For example, her advice regarding setting up an agreement before giving the client all your ideas is very good advice. True, she does emphasize window treatments as being your entrance into the clients home and that may not apply to every designer.So I took off one star.But the honest and practical advice she gives is well worth the price of the book.You can't just be "creative" you have to run a professional firm.As I am the owner of a seven-year old design firm, I say she is accurate on her advice.

how to start a home drapery business
i definitely agree with the other comment that it's all about window coverings. interior design is not all about window treatments and trying to sell products to your clients. interior design is about designing the homes of your clients. definitely a misleading book.

This book gave me the courage!
This is exactly the book I've been looking for.I completed my degree, but still felt
that I needed some "real world" guidance.This book did that.The author explained
the how to things that I couldn't figure out, like where to find the business, how to
estimate jobs, where to buy the stuff, etc.I love this book!

Awesome
I thought this book was excellent! I read it completely in 2 days! I am just considering starting my own business and I appreciated Suzanne sharing such valuable infomation. I don't think a designer "in the business" would share any of this information with you. I would recommend it to anyone just starting out in the business.

Should be called "How to Start a Drapery Business"
The title is truly misleading.The authors "Interior Design" Business is a window covering business.She sells window coverings, flooring and wallcoverings but is apparantly not a designer.Don't expectany in depth advice on working with clients creating integrated room plans,using trade-only showrooms etc. If you want to focus on one aspect of thebusiness, simply selling floor or window coverings, great. But, I feelcheated even though this book was inexpensive ... Read more

Product Description
All over North America, people who want more control over their lives are starting home-based businesses. Despite the obvious attractions of independence and convenience, there are many risks to be aware of.Start & Run a Real Home-Based Business offers step-by-step advice, from selecting the type of business to run, to marketing and growing the business. The book comes with a CD-ROM loaded with worksheets, forms, and documents to help the entrepreneur get started.Furman's tips can be applied to many different types of home-based businesses, including computer services, plumbing services, daycares, hair salons, electricians, and numerous others. Furman gives 'real world' advice from the trenches, with tips and pointers to help the entrepreneur succeed.The book provides additional advice on how to deal with the common problems that arise when working from your home, such as how to get your family on board.This book is for anyone who has considered a part-time or full-time home-based business. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Very informative and INSPIRATIONAL!
This book surprised me! I was expecting a book that was very informative, but it is also enjoyable to read! I recommend anyone who is interested in starting a business to get this book!
A+!

Starting a Home Business Book
I have made it through this book a little ways and have found some basic information.However, the cliché's, etc., do not really provide the actual "start-up" business information that I believe a serious business person needs.It is a good enough starting book, but I guess I was looking for a more true to life business start-up book. But if you are a "first time" home business person, I would recommend the book.Thanks!!

Not only helpful, but enjoyable read
Lots of practical information in simple terms.I truly enjoyed reading this and will definitely reference it in the future.This does not read like a text book.The author's style is refreshing.

Helpful for small business start-Up

A new business is like having a baby. It takes the same care, time and attention that a newborn needs.
The book is easy to read and covers every aspect of how-to start a successful business. There's tips on collecting money from clients, keeping good records, why personal hygenie is a must (hard to believe people will show up to a job interview dirty and smelling of cigarette smoke), and why you should be nice to your competition.
The book is easy to read and covers every aspect of how-to start a successful business. Best of all, it teaches you how to keep your business thriving and keep your sanity at the same time! I recommend this book.

SMALL BUSINESS-The Art of The Start -40 Successful Concepts forA Small Business Start-up - You Start, Grow And Succeed

e-Marketing Intelligence - Transforming Brand and Increasing Sales- Tips and Tricks with Best Practices

Book: Real Home-Based Business
Excellent resource for those people who choose to work at home and make a living. ... Read more

Product Description
Do you love animals? Have you ever dreamed of making them your life's work? Have you ever imagined yourself as a groomer, a dog walker/pet sitter, or an obedience trainer? This comprehensive book contains all the necessary tools and success strategies you will need to launch and grow your own home-based pet care business.Author Kathy Salzberg, a successful home-based groomer, shares her experience and down-to-earth advice on every aspect of setting up and running a thriving home-based business. Throughout these pages she will show you how to develop a business plan, estimate your start-up costs, price your services, and stay profitable once you're in business. From painless record keeping to savvy marketing techniques, her step-by-step methods are realistic, innovative, and easy to understand.From advice on zoning and insurance to pet grooming and health issues, this guide can help you experience the satisfaction of building your won home-based business.Learn all about: what it takes to be a professional groomer, dog walker/pet sitter, or obedience trainer; attracting clients and gaining their trust; equipping your home office and shop; pricing competitively; setting your daily schedule; building your reputation; managing growth. The following special features as well as workbook pages are included: business registration form; sample business plan; sample client card; sample grooming menu; pet sitter's service contract; obedience trainer's contract; business opening press release; advertising and promotion checklist. (7 x 10, 288 pages, business forms, charts) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

good for beginner
not as useful as i thought, if you have never owned a business i think it had great info

EXCELLENT READING ! ! !
The folks who wrote this book know exactly how to run a successful, customer-conscientious business.
Although many businesses today employ the dot.com mentality, some ventures only have room for the 'old school'
way of doing things. If you're thinking about starting a dog sitting or dog grooming business surrounded by
chaos, dirty floors, and bad customer service, hurry and buy this book. You might still be able to recover the
investments you're about to lose! On the downside ... the title of the book is "How To Start A Home-Based Pet
Care Business" which seems to encompass all pet types, however, the book speaks only to dog grooming and dog sitting.
I hoped for information on how to start a Cat Boarding Business.Other than that ... 5 stars.

How to start a small business - too basic
Uneven coverage of different kinds of businesses. I was looking for something on Pet Sitting, and the book has very limited chapter on this subject. Other types of businesses have much more extensive coverage. Some extrapolates from one small business to another, but lots doesn't. Not very useful as a pet sitting how-to manual.

Chris Sertzel
I found that there was some very helpful info in this book that I had previously not thought of!!I would recommend it to anyone who's looking into, or who already has, a home based business!!

How to Start a Home Based Pet Care Business
This book has been very helpful. With step by step ways to get started on your way with your new business. I am taking grooming classes and want to start my own grooming shop in about a year and this book tells you how to get started. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Very Very Useful
While this book is great, the delivery of the book took WAYYYYYY to long. I think it took about 10 days,I will not order from this seller again unfortunately.

A great and helpful read!
This book is absolutely wonderful!I believe that this book provides such helpful and wonderful information about starting my own home-based Children's Birthday Party Business!The information in this book is the MOST helpful information that I have come across about this subject.I also appreciate the fact that the author refers to children as "children" rather than "kids."

GREAT book!
Great book for new and established children event planners!Everything you need to know about the business! By far, best book I have read on the business - very detailed - covers everything you need to know. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (58)

Very Informative, helpful, and useful
Jim Smith covers all the bases in this book about starting a web design business. If you have some experience creating web pages and want to know what it takes to move beyond creating web sites as a hobby to building sites for profit, this book is for you. Mr. Smith takes into consideration all the different roles that one must be able to play when running a web design business (i.e. the saavy business-person, the technical expert, the creative artist), and he makes suggestions for alternative solutions to fulfilling these roles, recognizing that most people are not going to be experts in every role.

Mr. Smith uses his experience as a web designer to warn the aspiring web design entrepreneur of pitfalls that he/she may encounter, and he also gives useful tips for bringing more business. He gives specific web sites as resources (i.e. hosting providers; tech experts who take care of the tedious task of maintaining and making sure a web site is running smoothly so you don't have to; domain name registration sites), and he offers suggestions for diversifying the services that the web design entrepreneur should offer so that his/her income and marketability can increase.

This book discusses different options for setting up a web design business, starting with very little start-up costs to solutions involving more start-up costs (i.e. if the entrepreneur is purchasing his/her own server on which to host the web sites he/she creates). This book is therefore just as useful for those with little start-up capital who wish to start a web design business as for those who have a little more money to start their business.

In a nutshell this book, along with one or two other good foundational books on starting and running a web design business and any books about specific programs and software the entrepreneur uses in his/her business, would serve a web design business entrepreneur well as a reference book to which the entrepreneur can refer when he/she has questions about how to run his/her business or about specific situations he/she may encounter.

Outdated and very, very basic.
I read this book a few weeks ago and have to say, its age shows more than it should. After looking at it (3rd Edition - 2007) there are literally dozens of dated things that should've been updated, or at least removed before they ever published this again.

While there may be some decent advice for the very beginner looking to get into web design, you can find all of this information in a many other books that the authors seem to actually care about and update as time passes.

There are a few good points with management and accounting in the book, but other than that if you have the basic knowledge most people do today in the design world this book is going to be too dumbed down for you.

Let's be fair
I've read a few interesting reviews of this book and can see that it stirs contrasting emotions. Some reviewers praise it and others seem to hate it passionately.

I'd like to try and give it justice.

Is the author of this book a good web designer?

Emphatically, NO.

He is clueless.

In fact, If I were to follow author's own advice and have examples of someone's bad web design ready to show to my potential clients, I would definitely use his entire portfolio as a demonstration for what truly horrible websites may look like.

On the other hand,

does the book provide helpful business advice to web designers who wish to go it alone?

Oh, yes. Definitely so.

It's all based on common sense, and his ideas work; clearly, the author is an excellent salesman, considering that he's had a great number of paying web design clients, all the while being one of the most terrible designers ever to grace the world wide web with their work. This book is not about web design or web programming, it's about setting up and selling your web design services. If the author could repeatedly sell his mediocre web design service using his business tactics, think of what you can accomplish if you make websites even slightly better!Sample legal paperwork is excellent and very useful for anyone in the business, and advice on how to handle tough cases is practical and easy to relate to.

The quality of author's web design skills doesn't have much to do with the quality of the book, and the book, I am certain, can be helpful to many. I am glad I've read it.

home based web design business
Great book for beginners . Lot of areas unveiled and inside insight is good .

Fell Short...
I bought this book hoping it would help me figure how to start my own Web Business. Granted he did talk about what he's done to get to where he is, but the only information I found out of the book to be useful, is his short in depth explanations between LLC, PartnerShips and other "Types" of businesses. Overall, I did read this entire book, but the entire time I was thinking "It's gotta get better, I have to learn something from this" =/ ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

how to start your catering business
Was not really what I was looking for. Had a lot of good suggestions for me.

Thank you, Denise!This book is priceless.
I just wanted to tell you thank you for writing your book "How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business." I lost my job this past January and have been struggling like everyone else in this economy.Part of my challenge is that I want to do something entirely different from what I've done before, so I've been reading about various types of businesses when I came across your book. I have to say that it is wonderfully well written, chock full of great and practical information, and truly inspiring.

I've been doing odd jobs to keep kibble in the bowls and had the opportunity to coordinate a little fund-raiser event (20 people) in Brentwood a couple weekends ago for a friend who is running for office.Looking back on it now, I can say that when everything was set up and ready to go a half-hour before the guests arrived, it gave me a great deal of satisfaction. However, now that I've read your book (am actually on the second reading with lots of sticky notes!), I'm inspired to think about this as a real business, including the idea of going to cooking school (at age 55!). ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Great book
This book was great. It covered the process of starting your own web design shop from beginning to end. From the skills necessary to start-up, to an example of a contract that the author uses. He says there are 5 basic categories to being a web designer and goes in depth on each of these and how to get better at them. This book is definitely geared for beginners, so the person who gave this book a negative review was right about that. There are some spelling errors that I'm sure arose from the conversion to the ebook, but they are minor.

I had read a "Dummies" book for web design, but it just wasn't straightforward enough. In this book, the author is straight forward and doesn't joke around. He gives useful information in an organized way from start to finish. I also liked that the author gave so many other resources to look into after you finish this book.

Definitely recommend this book to people interested in making money for their web design, coding skills, etc.

Kindle's edition is almost unreadable
Got my Kindle last week and excitingly ordered the book to read during the labor day weekend. Book's content is OK. Too basic to my needs but that isn't not be the criteria for the poor rating. My main problem is that the Kindle's version is almost unreadable. There are so many spelling errors, mostly on extra spaces within words and missing spaces between them. I don't think the author has even looked the ebook.

As for its content, I expected to read more details on the actual cases rather than general assertions and statements. If you are a complete novice to business, it may help you. All in all, I learned a few things, reaffirmed previously known facts, and skipped most of the rest.

Perhaps the printed edition would have been a better choice.

Good Book
Good book if you wanna get some solid knowledge about how to start and run a small web design company. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Cliff notes of selling jewelry
This book has been very useful in my endeavors to sell my jewelry.I learned some priceless tips that will surely make me more successful.Really everything you need to know is here.My only issue is that each subject is briefly discussed and I had to do my own further research to get more in depth info.I sometimes feel a subject was rushed to just get into the book.However, this book has still been very useful!One more thing.......this book must be a tad outdated as there is no mention of the most successful means of selling jewelry.....Etsy.com.

Great book
When I really decide to commit to starting my business, this is a step by step guide on how to do it.It has many tips and suggestions in it, even if you are still going to do this on a part time basis.

It's like having a personal business mentor
This book is truly the next best thing to having your own private business consultant. Maire is so thorough, it seems there is no aspect she does not cover. If you are a business newbie it will help you without speaking "over your head". If you have some basic knowledge and experience, you will still learn valuable information and tips to improve your business skills. If you are trying to decide between several books, I can say without hesitation: GET THIS ONE.

Great book to help you get started
I really liked this book. It had a lot of useful information on how to set your business up to take it from hobbyist level to full-time home-based business. The author leads you step by step to help you get started and keep your business profitable. She also gives you many ideas on how to market your jewelry, what it takes to get noticed by magazines and how to weather economic downtimes. I highly recommend it to anyone thinking about taking this next step in the jewelry making business.

Excellent Book!
Excellent Book! "How to Start a Home-Based Jewelry-Making Business" is extremely informative and detailed; it covers every aspect of successfully creating this type of business from its inception. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

superb resource!
my older brother got me this book as a present. it is an invaluable resource! i own craft, inc. Craft, Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business as well as this one, and i have to say while craft, inc. is easier to flip through (smaller size, cute illustrations, etc). how to start a home-based craft biz is hands-down helpful!! it has templates and charts for invoices, business plans, and more. it has questionaires for determining your target market. it helps you decide what form of corporation you want your itty biz to be. it talks about choosing a name that doesn't lock you into a crafting niche. this book is meat & bones- in the best way possible. yes, it can be a bit daunting, but the book is holding your hand the whole way through. explaining that you can deduct percentages of your rent, utlities, etc for the square footage of your home biz. he even talks about wholesaling and cash vs. accural accounting. it is worth it's weight in gold. and ken, the author, is a real woodworker- so he is talking from experience and sharing his trade tips he learned by being out there.

i love this book. i never write reviews, but when i saw this book only had one lonesome review and wasn't being over-the-top praised, i felt compelled.

very happy
I was very pleased with my purchase. It arrived in a timely manner and just how I ordered it. ... Read more

Product Description
Capturing the essence of how to market effectively, this guide provides useful advice for home-based entrepreneurs. Chapters: getting started; an office to support your marketing efforts; image on paper: stationery, logo, brochures, business cards, & other printed materials; the home-based telephone marketer; the fax of marketing & mailing from home; marketing & desktop publishing; marketing with the PC; greeting visitors; getting help: hiring part-time workers & using marketing consultants & SCORE counselors; a nice place to work: setting up an office you like; & prospects for the future: designing & constructing for new technologies. Extensive appendices. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Innovative and Exceptional
I have always wanted to operate a business out of my house.With this book I now have the tools to do it successfully! Many books talk about starting and managing a business from home, but this is the only one I'veseen that specifically talked about *marketing* from home, offeringhundreds of ideas on using technology, conducting mailing campaigns,designing literature, and quite a few other areas.The author is obviouslyvery knowledgeable and has an easy way with words, because this is also a"good read".

Marketing For The Home-Based Business
I was expecting to get some really great marketing ideas since it was a very recent book.I was able to get one idea out of this book, instead of all the ones I had expected.He simply states to check into advertising inthe yellow pages prior to the next issue being published.

A Real guide
I like this book because it strips away the illusion of what it takes to be effective marketing from home.Many books talk about setting up your office, designing stationary, and all kinds of blather that really doesn'tbring in a dime unless you have a coordinated marketing effort behind it. The chapters on using the Internet to market you, using the telephone, andbetter employing your fax machine were very meaty.

"The Key to Prosperity in your Home-Based Business"
From the foreword to "Marketing for the Home-Based Business"

The explosive growth of home-based businesses across America and throughout the world is one of the most exciting developments of the late twentiethand early twenty-first century.With this development comes the potentialfor renewed strength of the family, of communities, and greater financialwell-being for more people. The home-based business phenomena inAmerica is not new. Prior to World War II, most people maintained ahome-based business in one form or another. The farmer set up an office inthe kitchen, on the dining room table, or in the spare room in the back ofthe house. Often, the entrepreneurial merchant lived upstairs or right nextto his establishment. Long before the K-Marts and Walmarts of the world,the mom and pop grocery store, the five-and-dime department store, and thecorner service station flourished.

Today, as one spectaculartechnological breakthrough after another occurs, home-based businessentrepreneurs have the means to be more effective working from home thanone could have even imagined twenty years ago. As you're about to see inMarketing for the Home-based Business, the opportunity to market yourhome-based business effectively is limited only by your imagination. AsJeff Davidson shows you in chapter after chapter, regardless of the size ofyour office, the nature of your business, and the resources you have athand, you have many options when it comes to marketing your businesseffectively.

Jeff explains how to use the telephone effectively andwhy so many entrepreneurs don't use the telephone to its full advantage.You'll learn how to use the Internet to make money; how to leverage yourprofessional relationships, why it's so important to use part-time help,and dozens of other profit building ideas. I am a home-based businessentrepreneur myself, operating a virtual office. I have nearly two dozenemployees and contacts worldwide. I continually stay in touch by phone,fax, and modem. These ideas really work!

Marketing for theHome-based Business is a practical, down-to-earth, "here's how you doit" guidebook. It speaks to you in straightforward, everyday language. Jeff's writing style makes it seems as if he's speaking to you as afriend, right across the table from you. He often anticipates thatquestions you want to ask.The suggestions he offers are both easy tounderstand and easy to follow.

Whether you've just launched ahome-based venture or have been in business for years, you'll find thisbook to be just what the doctor ordered, if your goal is to effectivelymarket your home-based business, not pay a fortune in doing so, and stillhave a home life. Use this book to rearrange your office or your wholeorientation to marketing. Refer to it again and again for the ideas andinsights presented on each page. Continually delve into it to inspireyourself to action and to propel your business forward.

There hasnever been a better time to be in business for yourself and to be workingout of your home.With this valuable guidebook, you will save a lot oftime and money in getting up to speed and moving toward financialindependence. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Great buy!
I checked this book out from thelibrary before buying it so i knew what I was getting!

What I learned
This is a very comprehensive look at geriatric care management obviously written by someone who "walks the walk".I am continuously reading geriatric care material to broaden my understanding of the field and to keep up to date on the changes in the industry.

What is particularly interesting about this document is that it asks the reader to be serious about not only the sales and marketing of beginning a business but outlines the real nitty gritty of the startup.From technology and insurance requirements to building referral networks Mr. Ferry offers guidance and suggestions that make sense.And I believe this is the real benefit of this book.It is practical, well organized and realistic about the advantages and possible pitfalls of starting a senior care business in a world that is becoming overloaded with aging baby boomers.

Robert Page
Hardwick, MA

An Invaluable Guide for Both New and Established Eldercare Entrepeneurs
New business start-ups providing services to the elderly is one of the fastest growing sectors of the 21st century. Would be eldercare entrepreneurs look at the abundance of demographic data and see a well-documented need for services to elders and their family caregivers.

While operations requiring large capital investments such as nursing homes and retirement communities are developed by investors with deep pockets, a wide range of specialized eldercare services is still very much a "cottage industry". Professional membership organizations such as the National Association of Prtofessional Geriatric Care Managers, and the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys,have a membership consisting of either solo practices, or are very small business ventures with only a few owner/employees.

It is tempting to look at the research data and conclude that the market for services to an aging population is vast. The National Alliance for Caregiving in collaboration with AARP published a study last year (November 2009) that estimates there are at least 43.5 million caregivers age 18 and over, equivalent to 19 percent of all adults, who provide unpaid care to an adult family member or friend who is age50 years or older. ."

After all, isn't the basic formula for building a successful business "find a need and fill it?" Although "find a need and fill it" sounds like a logical approach to a prospective market niche, it is not a sound revenue model for an eldercare business. It's clear that the need for eldercare services is huge and growing rapidly. But to survive as independent business owners,eldercare entrepreneursl must look more closely at the data and embrace a more realistic philosophy.

Need doesn't pay the bills, Demand" does.

And the size of the market of those who can actually pay for eldercare services out of pocket is a much smaller number.

James L.Ferry's How to Start a Home Based Senior Care Business is a must read for anyone contemplating an enterprise aimed at providing services to elders and their family caregivers. In less than 150 highly readable pages, Ferry a successful eldercare entrepreneur for nearly two decades, covers everything from turning your personal experiences into a business, the income realities of a new business in this very competitive marketplace,the variety of business models to consider and more than 2 dozen succintly written chapters that cover everything from developing your business plan,marketing the business on a shoestring budget, setting up your office, keeping the books, setting fees, building a referral network using guerilla marketing techniques and using the latest technology to build a successful business.

In my 25 years as an eldercare entrepreneur I've reviewed dozens of books that offer lots of advice to family caregivers and eldercare professionals. How to Start a Home Based Senior Care Business Start is by far the most practical handbook for the small eldercare business owner I have seen.
Bob O'Toole, President
Informed Eldercare Decisions, Inc.
Dedham, MA ... Read more