COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
C H A P T E R 12
SMALL BIZ WHIZ
PRODUCT PREVIEW
Learning Goals By the end of this chapter you will be able to: • Define small business • List traits and skills of a successful small business owner • Compare five common business structures • Calculate a profit margin • Write a basic business plan • Interview a business owner
E very month in the U.S., approximately 500,000 entrepreneurial, ambitious people start their own business. Within two years about 30% of them give up or fail. Within 5 years, 50% have closed. That should tell you something: starting, owning and running your own business is not easy. If you’re looking for a get rich quick scheme you won’t find it there. However, if you have an independent spirit, an exceptional work ethic, a good idea, and tolerance for risk, owning your own business can be an excellent way to build wealth. What type of person is suited for owning and running a small business? What does it take to start a business? How does an ambitious entrepreneur go about forming a business entity, and how is a small business a tool for building wealth and financial security? In this chapter, we’ll look at the who, what, when, where, and how of building wealth through a small business.
about the challenges and rewards of small business ownership
Chapter Resources: Starting a business? You need a business plan! SCORE at www.score.org/resource/business-plan-template-startup- business , has many business plan templates to help you get started. An excellent resource for the budding entrepreneur is the Small Business Administration’s website at sba.gov. It is full of useful information, forms, templates, and advice for anyone who owns a small business, wants to start a business, or buy an ongoing business.
219
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs