Working for Yourself: An Entrepreneur's Guide to the Basics - Softcover

Golzen, Godfrey; Reuvid, Jonathan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0749449500 ISBN 13: 9780749449506

Publisher: Kogan Page, 2007

Synopsis

<p>Working for Yourself is a best-selling guide that answers every question an entrepreneur might have about self-employment, including: raising finance; tax and legal issues; IT; and planning for growth.<br><br>Self-employment may seem a daunting prospect, but this helpful guide encompasses every point a would-be entrepreneur needs to know, and addresses the common mistakes. Fully revised and updated, it encompasses all the latest developments in the world of self-employment and new business.<br><br>All the major issues which need to be considered when starting up alone are dealt with and there's also friendly advice and lots of useful tips from case studies of those who've already made the leap into self-employment.</p>

About this title

About the Authors

The late Godfrey Golzen was the author of several highly successful Kogan Page guides, specialising in business affairs. He also wrote regularly for the national press.

<p><b>Jonathan Reuvid</b> graduated in PPE at Oxford University, worked as an economist for the French national oil company, Total, and then in investment banking before taking up senior line and staff positions in industry including general management of a Fortune 500 multinational covering most Western European countries.<br><br> Subsequently, <b>Jonathan Reuvid</b> engaged in joint venture development in China and a parallel career in business book publishing. He is author of or consultant editor for more than 30 Kogan Page titles.</p>

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

<p><b>Part One: Starting Your Own Business </b><br><br> <b>1 How Well Prepared Are You? </b><br><br> Market research; Qualifications; Self-employment<br><br> and you; Chances of success<br><br> <b>2 Self-Employment Alternatives </b><br><br> Part-time work; Tax advantages of part-time<br><br> employment; Planning and other permissions;<br><br> insurance; Assessing the market; Objectives;<br><br> Assessing yourself; Financial commitment;<br><br> Opportunities; Using an existing asset as a source<br><br> of income: accommodation; Freelancing; How<br><br> freelancers find work; Characteristics of freelance<br><br> work; Costing and pricing; Income tax and<br><br> freelance work; Franchising; Choosing a<br><br> franchise; Management buy-outs<br><br> <b>3 Starting a Business </b><br><br> Sole trader; Partnerships; Private limited<br><br> companies; Registration of business names;<br><br> Limited company documents; Company<br><br> directors<br><br> <b>4 Choosing Professional and Other Outside Advisers </b><br><br> Making the right choice; What questions do you<br><br> ask?; How much are advisers going to charge?;<br><br> A guide - not a crutch; Your bank manager;<br><br> Insurance; Other advisers and suppliers<br><br> <b>5 Business Planning </b><br><br> Step 1: the business sector and your market; Step 2:<br><br> your product or service; Step 3: marketing and<br><br> sales; Step 4: running the business; Step 5:<br><br> management; Step 6: timing; Step 7: financial<br><br> aspects; Step 8: summary<br><br> <b>6 Choosing Your Bank </b><br><br> Banking for the small business 84; Factors affecting<br><br> the selection 85<br><br> <b>7 Different Sources of Capital </b><br><br> Debt finance<br><br> <b>8 Presenting Your Case for Raising Capital </b><br><br> Existing business; New business<br><br> <b>9 Budgeting and Cash-Flow Forecasting </b><br><br> Planning your cash requirements<br><br> <b>10 Making the Most of Your Bank Accounts </b><br><br> Effective cash management; Overdraft vs business<br><br> loans; Additional bank accounts; Managing the<br><br> unexpected<br><br> <b>Part Two: Running Your Own Business </b><br><br> <b>11 Simple Accounting Systems and Their Uses </b><br><br> Two starting points; Keeping a cash book; More<br><br> elaborate systems; Electronic bookkeeping;<br><br> Trading and profit and loss account; The balance<br><br> sheet; What should you be looking for in your<br><br> records?<br><br> <b>12 Invoicing and Credit Control </b><br><br> Sending out invoices and statements; Legal<br><br> actions 138; Bad debt precautions; Credit cards;<br><br> Checking incoming invoices and statements<br><br> <b>13 VAT </b><br><br> <b>14 Other Taxation </b><br><br> The main allowable business expenses; Stock<br><br> valuation; Computing taxable profit; Losses;<br><br> Self-assessment; Spare-time work; Partner-<br><br> ships; Corporation tax; Inheritance tax; Capital<br><br> gains tax; Appeals; Pay As You Earn (PAYE);<br><br> The black economy; The challenge to self-employed<br><br> status<br><br> <b>15 Pensions and Health Insurance </b><br><br> State schemes; Stakeholder pensions; Tax<br><br> benefits; Using a broker; The new pensions<br><br> regime; Health insurance<br><br> <b>16 Employing People </b><br><br> Nathan Donaldson, KSB Law<br><br> Recruitment; Performance management: the terms<br><br> of employment; Performance management: working<br><br> time; Performance management: conditions of<br><br> work; Terminations: unfair dismissal; Statutory<br><br> sick pay; Guidance leaflets on employment<br><br> <b>17 Using IT to Run Your Office </b><br><br> E-commerce<br><br> <b>18 Websites for Small Businesses </b><br><br> Michael Upshall<br><br> Do I really need a website?; The one-page website;<br><br> A larger website; Which website hosting company<br><br> to choose; Analysing your website; Website<br><br> security; It's all about marketing<br><br> <b>19 Choosing Premises </b><br><br> Working from home; Choosing separate premises;<br><br> Leases; Meet your own requirements<br><br> <b>20 Legal Basics </b><br><br> The Sale of Goods Act 1979; The Supply of Goods<br><br> and Services Act 1982; The Consumer Protection<br><br> Act 1987; Obligation to sell 229; Estimates and<br><br> quotations; Completion and delivery dates;<br><br> Trading associations; The Trade Descriptions Act<br><br> 1968; The Data Protection Act; The Price Marking<br><br> Order 1991<br><br> <b>21 Researching Your Market </b><br><br> Different types of research; Research objectives;<br><br> Carrying out desk research; Engaging in field<br><br> research; Using your market research findings<br><br> <b>22 Costing, Pricing and Estimating </b><br><br> Determining your costs; Establishing your prices;<br><br> Preparing quotations<br><br> <b>23 Marketing Your Work </b><br><br> Manufacturers; Dealing with large companies;<br><br> Shops and service industries; Freelance services;<br><br> Press advertising; Public relations; Direct mail<br><br> and direct response promotion; Marketing on the<br><br> internet<br><br> <b>24 Is Foreign Trade Fun? </b><br><br> Where to get help; Setting up sales arrangements;<br><br> Documentation; Getting paid; Purchasing from<br><br> abroad; The singe European currency<br><br> <b>25 Planning for Growth </b><br><br> Sustainability; Growth; Personal goals</p>

Edition details

• Publisher: Kogan Page
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0749449500
• ISBN 13: 9780749449506
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320