The essential guide to starting, improving, and growing your small business. Packed with the critical concepts you need to understand to succeed in business—marketing and sales, people management, supply chains and operations, product development and innovation, growth and valuation—this second edition is chock-full of advice from real-world entrepreneurs to help you brainstorm your next big idea.
Small businesses are the backbone of America. And our country has long been a breeding ground for entrepreneurial spirit. According to an analysis by the Brookings Institution, fewer than 5 million out of 30 million firms in the United States employ anyone besides the founder. This confirms a 2011 study from Babson College's Global Entrepreneurship Monitor that found that three-quarters of small businesses have only one employee. You don't need a million-dollar loan from your bank or a big business plan to set up shop as an entrepreneur. Heck, you can do it all from your house if you want to (and many do).