The Entrepreneurial Itch: Don't Scratch Until You Read This Book

Written by David Trahair, CA, who is the successful sole proprietor of his own financial consulting firm, The Entrepreneurial Itch: Don't Scratch Until You Read This Book is a straightforward guide to self-employment and running one's own business. Chapters address specific issues such as how to effectively pick and choose one's clients, bookkeeping for sole proprietors, the pros and cons of hourly billing versus set fees, warnings against franchise scams, and much more. "Always check with the Better Business Bureau ([...] in your area to check out any business opportunity before you sign anything. In the United States, you should also check the FTC website ([...]) for further information about avoiding scams and to find out about specific situations under investigation." Enthusiastically recommended as a practical, nuts-and-bolts guide to startup startup business decisions, packed with true stories straight from the trenches.

I just loved this book. It was written by a fellow accountant who has 20+ years of being self-employed as an accountant with small business owners as clients. He knows what he is talking about when it comes to starting and running small businesses. And this book is evidence of that fact. It is short, sweet, to-the-point, and well written. I wish I had gotten around to writing it before the author did. I am a volunteer SCORE counselor who regularly talks to my SCORE clients who regularly have questions answered by this book. Interestingly the 14 chapters read like the questions I pose to my clients all the time. This book's chapters include: 1. Why do you want to be self-employed? 2. What does it take to succeed? 3. What do you want to do? 4. If you can sell, you'll do well. 5. Give yourself a chance! Start on a shoestring. 6. Bookkeeping: Lifeblood of a business. 7. Aim for the ideal business. 8. Run your business; Don't let it run you. 9. It's not the time, it's the effort. 10. Integrate your life with your business. 11. The millionaire dream: I'll sell it and get rich. 12. Could a franchise be for you? 13. The self-employment pension plan. 14. Do you still have the entrepreneur itch? What you will learn from reading this book is (1) What makes a successful business plan, (2) How to get clients, and (3) If you "do it right," then you will work less and earn more as an entrepreneur. For the many people who jump into starting a small business without doing the necessary research regarding how to be successful, this book will be such a helpful thing. You'll read about operations, selling and marketing, and finances and administration. I would have liked the book better if it had had an index at the back of the book. And I was surprised to not read at least something about business structure options, i.e., corporations and limited liability companies. But this book is full of practical advice. A must read for someone getting ready to start a new business. 5 stars!