Includes index.

1. Finding Venture Opportunities 1 -- Current Entrepreneurial Trends 2 -- "Hot" Entrepreneurial Opportunities 12 -- How to Recognize Opportunities 25 -- Business Planning--The Key to Entrepreneurial Strategy 30 -- 2. Personal Issues First 39 -- Personal Strategy Issue: Why Do You Want to Start a New Business and What Do You Want from It? 40 -- Personal Strategy Issue: How Will Your Business Idea Affect Your Personal Life? 41 -- Business Strategy Issue: How Will Your Business Strategies Affect Your Venture? 46 -- Family Issues 50 -- How Much Risk Can You Tolerate? 52 -- 3. Starting a Business 55 -- Choosing a Legal Structure 55 -- Protecting Your Business Interests 62 -- Securing a Patent 64 -- Securing a Trademark 67 -- Securing a Copyright 69 -- Protecting Trade Secrets 70 -- Invention Marketing Companies 71 -- Licensing Your Invention 73 -- Protecting the Name of Your Business 74 -- Finding the Right Location for Your Business 76 -- Getting Advice and Help from Experts 82 -- 4. Buying an Existing Business 93 -- Buying versus Starting a Business Dilemma 93 -- Advantages in Buying an Established Business 94 -- Disadvantages in Buying an Established Business 97 -- Finding the Right Business 99 -- Conducting the Due Diligence 102 -- Evaluating the Business 103 -- Negotiating the Deal 106 -- 5. Virtual Company--How to Look Big When You're Not 107 -- What Is a Virtual Company? 107 -- Outsourcing to Compete 112 -- Using Independent Contractors 114 -- Strategic Alliances 117 -- Going Virtual from Home 119 -- 6. Start-up Resources 123 -- Debt versus Equity Financing Dilemma 123 -- Debt Financing 125 -- Equity Financing 136 -- Factors Affecting Use of Debt and Equity 141 -- 7. Growing Your Business 147 -- Factors that Affect Your Company's Ability to Grow 148 -- Small Business Growth Strategies 150 -- Growing by Buying Another Business 157 -- Expanding Globally 158 -- Using the Internet to Grow 161 -- 8. Finding Resources for Growth 167 -- Venture Capita lists 167 -- Initial Public Offerings 171 -- Private Placements 174 -- Small Corporate Offering Registration 176 -- Mezzanine Financing 176 -- Bridge Financing 178 -- Retained Earnings 179 -- 9. Building Customer Relationships 181 -- Guerrilla Marke* 182 -- Relationship Marketing 185 -- Relationship Marketing Techniques 186 -- Why You Need a Marketing Plan 188 -- Promoting the Company and Its Products and Services 190 -- Pricing the Product or Service 193 -- 10. Employees: Your Most Valuable Asset 195 -- Why Your Company's Culture Is Important 196 -- Why Your Company Needs a Vision 197 -- Using Total Quality Management as a Strategy to Be the Best 201 -- Company Is Only as Good as Its Employees 202 -- You Need a Human Resource Policy 204 -- Recruiting and Hiring Employees 205 -- Using Temporary Employees 209 -- Protecting Your Company Against Lawsuits 210 -- Deciding What to Pay Employees 211 -- 11. Creating and Managing the Processes in Your Company 215 -- Understand Process by Taking a Walking Tour of the Business 216 -- Learn What's New in Manufacturing 217 -- Strive for Continuous Improvement 221 -- Manage Your Inventory Processes 222 -- Use Inventory Turnover to Stay on Top of Inventory 225 -- Know Your Trade Area 226 -- Shrinkage: The Problem of Losing Things 227 -- 12. Winning the Cash-Flow Game: The Key to Survival 231 -- How to Figure What You Need to Start a Business 232 -- Do an Analysis of Cash Needs 235 -- Stay on Top of Accounts Receivable 238 -- Credit Lines and Other Short-Term Financing 238 -- Collecting What's Owed to You 240 -- Managing Your Company's Bills 242 -- 13. Harvesting the Wealth 245 -- Going Public 246 -- Selling the Business 246 -- Merging with Another Company 248 -- Selling to Your Employees 249 -- Liquidating the Business 252 -- Planning for Succession 254 -- 14. Entrepreneurs and Their Communities 259 -- Entrepreneurs Involved in the Community 259 -- Entrepreneur's Scope of Concern 261 -- Company Culture 266 -- Environmental Restraints 266 -- Economic Constraints 267 -- Common Problems 267.