Table of Contents
Entrepreneur Press, Publisher
Cover Design: Jane Maramba
Production and Composition: Eliot House Productions
2014 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Requests for permission or further information should be addressed to the Business Products Division, Entrepreneur Media Inc.
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
Cleaning Service: Entrepreneurs Step-by-Step Startup Guide, ISBN: 978-1-59918-547-7 eISBN: 978-1-61308-286-7
Previously published as
Start Your Own Cleaning Service, 4th Edition, ISBN: 978-1-59918-528-6, 2014 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc., All rights reserved.
Start Your Own Business, 5th Edition, ISBN: 978-1-59918-387-9, 2009 Entrepreneur Media, Inc., All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
1817161514
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Additional titles inEntrepreneursStartup Series
Start Your Own
Arts and Crafts Business
Automobile Detailing Business
Bar and Club
Bed and Breakfast
Blogging Business
Business on eBay
Car Wash
Child-Care Service
Cleaning Service
Clothing Store and More
Coaching Business
Coin-Operated Laundry
Construction and Contracting Business
Consulting Business
Day Spa and More
e-Business
Event Planning Business
Executive Recruiting Business
Fashion Accessories Business
Florist Shop and Other Floral Businesses
Food Truck Business
Freelance Writing Business and More
Freight Brokerage Business
Gift Basket Service
Grant-Writing Business
Graphic Design Business
Green Business
Hair Salon and Day Spa
Home Inspection Service
Import/Export Business
Information Marketing Business
Kid-Focused Business
Lawn Care or Landscaping Business
Mail Order Business
Medical Claims Billing Service
Net Services Business
Online Coupon or Daily Deal Business
Online Education Business
Personal Concierge Service
Personal Training Business
Pet Business and More
Pet-Sitting Business and More
Photography Business
Public Relations Business
Restaurant and More
Retail Business and More
Self-Publishing Business
Seminar Production Business
Senior Services Business
Travel Business and More
Tutoring and Test Prep Business
Vending Business
Wedding Consultant Business
Wholesale Distribution Business
Editor: Marla Markman
Contributing Writers
Jill Amadio, Leanne Anderson, Jane Easter Bahls, Stephen Barlas, Stephanie Barlow, Johanna Billings, Bruce Blechman, J. Tol Broome, Andrew Caffey, Melissa Campanelli, Carolyn Campbell, Melissa Caresosa, Cassandra Cavanah, Janean Chun, James Clark, Bob Coleman, Charlene Davis, Cyrstal Detamore-Rodman, Sandra Eddy, Paul & Sarah Edwards, Clifford Ennico, David Evanson, Barry Farber, Iris Lorenz-Fife, Lorayne Fiorillo, Jerry Fisher, Barbara Frantz, Charles Fuller, Cheryl Goldberg, Kim Gordon, Cynthia Griffin, Mark Henricks, Mike Hogan, Frances Huffman, Christopher Keanelly, Danielle Kennedy, Erika Kotite, Jay Conrad Levinson, David Lindo, Jacquelyn Lynn, Richard Maturi, Robert McGarvey, Sean Melvin, Gwen Moran, Heather Page, James Park, Jennifer Pellet, Chris Pentilla, Marcia Perkins-Reed, Debra Phillips, Karen Roy, Edward Rybka, David E. Rye, Eileen Figure Sandlin, Bev Stehli, Gayle Sato Stodder, Guen Sublette, Joan Szabo, Conrad Theodore, Bob Weinstein, Glen Weisman, Geoff Williams, Linda Wroblewski
FOREWORD
by Peter Shea
When we first published our Start Your Own Business in 1998, we thought it would make a great reference for people who wanted to be their own boss. We offered advice on what steps to take, and what pitfalls to avoid. The book offers common sense approaches to a wide range of challenges facing the new entrepreneur, drawing solutions from the successes and failures of others.
Start Your Own Business has been a phenomenal success. With more than 400,000 copies in circulation through four editions, its the best-selling business startup book of all time. Business is affected by everything from advances in social marketing to the iPhone, from law changes governing entrepreneurs to the impact of Google on building a customer base. These are fascinating, and exciting, times for the independent business owner.
Theres no doubt that the recent recession has created the most challenging business environment in generations, affecting everyone from the self-employed to General Motors. While most people might see such a sour economy as a mountainous barrier to success, the true entrepreneur sees the opportunities, and navigates the passes through to the other side. Even in economic downturns those with vision, and drive, can thrive.
With that in mind, I welcome you to the fifth edition of Start Your Own Business, updated with insights on the latest trendsincluding an entirely new chapter on social media and how to make it work for your business. Were also offering a somewhat longer view of what it takes to succeed. Earlier editions focused on the crucial startup phase. As an entrepreneur myself, I can tell you that starting a business is one thing, and nurturing it to robust health is something else. So weve also expanded portions of Start Your Own Business to include advice and guidance on surviving the crucial first three years.
Few people realize that some 600,000 new businesses are born each year, and the vast majority of them succeed. Ill let you in on a little secret about the winners. They succeed primarily because they prepare. And if Start Your Own Business does nothing else, it will give you the tools to build your own future and success. You cant just think about that great idea for a business. Once your idea is in place, you need to burrow down into the details of what you need to know and do in order to achieve the entrepreneurs ultimate goalfinancial security while working for yourself.
Ive had my own successes and failures over the years, and some of the lessons from both types of experiences are in these pages. The staff at Entrepreneur, who also know a thing or two about what it takes to thrive, have added their considerable knowledge, too. Start Your Own Business contains the best of what we all have to offer, in clear and unvarnished language.
All the best in your success.
Peter Shea, CEO and owner of
Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
ON YOUR MARK ...
Why did you pick up this book? Perhaps you know you want to be an entrepreneur and take charge of your own life. Youve already got a great idea for a business youre sure will be a hit. Or perhaps you think, somewhere in the back of your mind, that maybe you might like to start your own business but youre not sure what venture to start, what entrepreneurship is really like, and whether its for you.