Best books for starting a small business?

[hmkpoker]

I'm looking to get my feet wet with small business and I'd like to know if anyone can recommend some good reading material. I've been reading a lot of Kiyosaki lately, but I'd like to get some different viewpoints. Thanks!

(Mods, feel free to delete this if you feel this OP is too low-content)

[ahnuld]

I cant think of any good books im familiar with. I did a quick check on amazon but it was really crappy smappy stuff like how to run a successful mail order business.

This is fine here but you should check out the El D forum. There is a good thread up now about financial success, how you did it. Some people here have really succeeded.

[Sniper]

hmk, what type of small business are you talking about?... your choice of books should be geared toward the type of business you are thinking about.

At a high level the types of books should break down along lines like these:

1. Books to motivate you to start a business (like Kiyosaki books)
2. Books on the Mechanics of starting a business (Choosing a structure, recordkeeping, filings, etc) - Somthing like "Starting and Operating a business in <enter your state>"
3. Book focused on the specific idea of your business (Home business get a home business book, real estate get a real estate book, internet marketing get a..., etc)
4. Books that educate you on the functions of a business (like Marketing, etc)

If you provide some details on the type of business you are thinking about, you could likely get some better suggestions for specific books to read.

[Tien]

E-Myth by Micheal Gerber revolutionized my business.

Mr Now recommended a book: The origin and evolution of small businesses by Bhide. I have in on my shelf but haven't started reading it yet.

Those are just some general books but I think the E-Myth is a must read for any small business.

[Allinlife]

Tien can you elaborate on how that book helped your business/ provide a little insight into how you got started?

[Tien]

The E-myth teaches you to systemize your business so that you can start replacing yourself bit by bit until you are no longer participating in the mundane daily tasks of a business. This frees up your time to GROW your business instead of operating the day to day machinery.

One of the things I have been working on is writing out my entire business manuals. I have 10 manuals to complete that will all take large sums of my time to finish. I still need to grind out all the clinks to be able to finish these manuals. Truth be told, this task will take me another year to finish.

For example, if I need someone to take over my marketing aspect of my business, all I would need to do is hand over my marketing manual and talk to them for a few hours. All the little minute details will be covered in the manual. All the step-by-step checklist of what needs to be done and how will be in the manual.


Simply put, the more you systemize your business, the more efficient it will run and the more business it will be able to handle.

And the more systemized it is, the more you will be able to replicate it.

[Tien]

How I got started. I'll give you the crude way.

I came to the conclusion that I was not going to work for someone else my entire life so I began researching real estate. My parents owned some rental property so I decided real estate was my best bet.

I stumbled upon a post in some forum that outlined how to get started in flipping junker houses step by step with no money out of my pocket (lol). I went on from there and learned as much as I could about flipping real estate as well as buy and hold real estate. Reading (and still do) every book I can find about real estate, business, self development so that I can further improve my business.

[hmkpoker]

[ QUOTE ]
hmk, what type of small business are you talking about?... your choice of books should be geared toward the type of business you are thinking about.

At a high level the types of books should break down along lines like these:

1. Books to motivate you to start a business (like Kiyosaki books)
2. Books on the Mechanics of starting a business (Choosing a structure, recordkeeping, filings, etc) - Somthing like "Starting and Operating a business in <enter your state>"
3. Book focused on the specific idea of your business (Home business get a home business book, real estate get a real estate book, internet marketing get a..., etc)
4. Books that educate you on the functions of a business (like Marketing, etc)

If you provide some details on the type of business you are thinking about, you could likely get some better suggestions for specific books to read.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good point. More specifically, I am looking for a book that will teach me how to acquire rental property and generate a positive cash flow.

[Tien]

I would start with "The Millionaire Real Estate Investor" by Gary Keller.

Jeffrey Taylor's material is also the best landlording material I have ever come across.

There are TONS of books out there that deal with rental properties.

I have a bunch more but those 2 are really good places to start.

[hmkpoker]

[ QUOTE ]

There are TONS of books out there that deal with rental properties.


[/ QUOTE ]

Tell me about it. There's quite a selection at my local Barnes & Noble, but I'd much rather have someone who's a little experienced give me a good recommendation.