Startup: The Complete Handbook for Launching a Company for Less - Softcover

Edwards, Elizabeth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0983208611 ISBN 13: 9780983208617

Publisher: Essential Books, 2010

Synopsis

For the technology startup raising venture capital, the freelancer, social entrepreneur, and coffee shop owner, Edwards has written a modern textbook for entrepreneurship, covering all aspects of starting a business, including finance, branding, advertising, PR, accounting, and business law. Part manual, part manifesto, the nearly 400-page text presents proven strategies for launching a startup on a shoestring budget. In Startup: The Complete Handbook for Launching a Company for Less, Edwards draws upon her own experiences as a venture capital investor and bootstrap entrepreneur to outline over $100,000 in savings with do-it-yourself guides and personal finance strategies. The book explains how to create a profitable business model, conserve cash, and get operational fast, giving equal attention to the risks and wealth creation opportunities business ownership provides. Startup tackles both strategy and tactics – discussing high-level business strategy concepts and illustrating back of the napkin calculations to help entrepreneurs make good decisions. Edwards offers three tests for feasibility (to minimize risk), 14 creative ways to finance a startup, and a formulaic approach to marketing (to grow revenue). In concise, plain English, Startup explains the finer points of venture funding, angel investors, grants, SBA loans, intellectual property, and corporate structure, and includes templates of business plans, press releases, and startup expenses. Chapter Outline: 1 - The Pros and Cons of Entrepreneurship 2 - Startup Finance is Personal Finance 3 - Create a Business Model that Works 4 - Feasibility 5 - How to Finance a Startup 6 - Create an Unforgettable Brand 7 - Marketing, Advertising & Publicity 8 - Managing Administrative Details 9 - Make it Legal 10 - Two Business Plans

About this title

From the Back Cover:

1 - The Pros and Cons of Entrepreneurship - Does it pay to be an entrepreneur?
2 - Startup Finance is Personal Finance - Cut costs, get health insurance, and fix your finances before you quit your day job.
3 - Create a Business Model that Works - Proven business model strategies and how to build one from scratch.
4 - Feasibility - Reduce your risk with back of the napkin calculations, market research, and consumer feedback.
5 - How to Finance a Startup - Grants, loans, and equity investors: 14 ways to finance your startup in simple language.
6 - Create an Unforgettable Brand - Brainstorming, branding, and finding the best designers online.
7 - Marketing, Advertising & Publicity - Drive revenue and cut costs by doing it yourself.
8 - Managing the Details for Less - Everything you need is free: phone, email, software, and more.
9 - Make it Legal - Save thousands on legal by filing your own documents using online templates.
10 - Two Business Plans - How to write a business plan for banks and investors - and a tactical plan for how to run your business.

About the Author:

Elizabeth Edwards launched Metro Innovation, a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship, in 2009 after seven years in venture capital, private equity, and strategy and innovation consulting.

As a venture capital investor at Neyer Holdings, Edwards built winning strategies for start-up and growth companies in a variety of sectors, including clean tech, life sciences, consumer products, and technology. She has evaluated hundreds of business plans, and actively participated in the funding, launch, and management of five early stage portfolio companies.

Edwards started her career at Deloitte Consulting, where she was a strategy consultant to Fortune 500 companies, deployed over a broad range of industries. At Deloitte, Edwards' work focused on strategic marketing, disruptive innovation, and growth strategies.

Edwards holds a B.S. in Economics and Cognitive Psychology from the University of Michigan, where she graduated with honors and distinction, and a MBA from the University of Cincinnati.

She is a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, where she serves on the board of the Greater Cincinnati Venture Association and teaches entrepreneurial finance at Xavier University.

She has been featured in more than 50 local and national media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, and BoingBoing, and has been a popular guest lecturer at universities and conferences since 2007, where she presents entrepreneurship as an imperative for economic stability.

About this edition

• Publisher: Essential Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0983208611
• ISBN 13: 9780983208617
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 394