By Suzanne Caplan

As the unemployment rate keeps inching upward in the U.S., job creation is not keeping pace, so millions of people who seek new jobs will be unable to find them, or will end up underemployed, earning less money, and unhappy.

Many of these people will turn to small-business entrepreneurship, consulting, or freelancing as a way to keep money coming in. Others will take advantage of entrepreneurship to escape the misery of working for a company deeply scarred by layoffs, overwork, and low morale.

But they will need help navigating the paperwork and tax implications of self-employment. This book provides up-to-the-minute coverage on the implications of Obama stimulus initiatives on Small Business Administration (SBA) programs, showing how to get financing in hard times.

It also gives solid advice on all other aspects of starting a business, from writing the business plan, to finding customers, to managing costs and turning a profit.

208 pages. 6 x 9. Softcover. September 2009.

Table of Contents:

• Prologue
  
• Chapter 1: There's No Time Like the Present to Start Your Business
  
• Chapter 2: Getting into the Game: Researching Your Options
  
• Chapter 3: Myself, Inc.: Starting Your Business Plan
  
• Chapter 4: Empty Pockets: Getting Financing in Tough Times
  
• Chapter 5: Keeping Score: Managing Finances and Records
  
• Chapter 6: Knowing the Market and Hiring the Best Customers
  
• Chapter 7: Don’t Spend Thousands to Make Hundreds: Keeping Costs in Line
  
• Chapter 8: Profit Is Not a Four-Letter Word: Pricing for Profitability
  
• Chapter 9: Whose Money Is It, Anyway? Keeping Business and Personal Finances Separate
  
• Chapter 10: Don't Create a Monster: Keeping Your Life and Business in Balance
  
• Chapter 11: Exit Stage Left: Planning Your Business Exit Strategy
  
• Epilogue and Case Studies
  
• Appendix A: Glossary of Terms
  
• Appendix B: Sample Business Plan
  
• Appendix C: Resource Guide