Jay Conrad Levinson, author of the Guerrilla Marketing series of books, recommends that “the two best ways not to be baffled by silly and common mistakes in business are (1) to make them yourself and learn from them, or (2) avoid them entirely by reading Elizabeth Fischer’s wonderfully readable and instructive book. It’s as enlightening as it is amusing.”

Review

Down-to-earth, practical advice for the new or frustrated business owner. Mistakes I made My First Five Years in Business (and How You Can Avoid Them) brings to light facets of being in business that business people struggle with everyday in the real world but that are not discussed in most business books and tapes. Problems that can blind side business people like dealing with friends, losing focus, the power of no, and handling desperation are dealt with in four particularly enlightening chapters. The chapter on pricing, a difficult subject for the small business owner takes a unique slant. The author has not only thought through, but lived through, these problems. She shares them in a conversational style gives the reader the feeling that the author is talking directly to him or her. Problems are explained in an understandable fashion and the suggested solutions to these problems can be easily implemented.

Contents

1. How I Began My Business
2. Friends...Love ‘em and Leave ‘em Alone
3. Losing Focus
4. FREE??
5. The Power of No
6. Pricing: You Can Always Go Down, But You Can’t Go Up.
7. Contracts: Never Start Work without One.
8. Billing: Get a Grip on It.
9. Desperation Can Be a Paralyzing, Limiting Feeling.
10. Communication: There’s Never Enough.
11. Follow-up: The Key to Peace and Prosperity.
12. Committees Have One Too Many Bosses.
13. Frustration Is an Energizing Force.
14. Mistakes: An Attitude of Gratitude

Price: $14.95 plus tax, shipping and handling.