The Book :: The Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business – Candid Advice, Frank Talk, and True Stories for the Successful Entrepreneur

The Authors :: Caitlin Friedman & Kimberly Yorio

The Basics :: Last week, I went to St. Louis with my husband. He was there for business, so while he & his boss presented to some local schools, I walked over to the mall. [It was across the parking lot from our hotel.] My first stop was Borders. To my surprise, this specific Borders had a poor selection in books* – at least in the sections of web design, graphic design & business books for women. And the only books that looked decent were dated (4+ years since they were published). Even though I had a pile of books back at the hotel, I was in “shopping” mode, and wanted to get a new one. In the end, I chose The Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business.

Even though this book was published back in 2005, a lot of the advice still holds true today. Some of the website links are outdated (some sites have changed domain names & some sites have vanished completely), and some references to technology are outdated. However, this book holds true to its tagline of candid advice, frank talk, and true stories for the successful entrepreneur. It helps the reader to determine if being a business owner is right for them now, later, or never. The book also contains information for helping to choose what type of business to start, and the basics on licenses, permits, finances, funding, accounting, & other legalities. The basic layout for a business budget & questions to ask accountants & lawyers, also provides guidance for the reader.

The Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business also provides tips on marketing, press releases, logo & web design. The book stresses the importance of a business plan (which you’ll especially need if you’re seeking funding for your business). The chapter on being a boss provided some legal issues to consider, tips on hiring & firing and keeping the respect of your employees. The chapter dedicated to technology is very basic (like explaining firewalls, routers, Internet Service Providers, Modem, Ethernet Connection, Keyboard, Mouse & more). Since I’m kind of a tech geek, I didn’t get much out of this chapter, but obviously YMMV (your mileage may vary).

Overall, I think this book is great for someone thinking about starting a business, or someone who has recently started a business. I can also see how an entrepreneur can take the information in the book & breathe some fresh air into a stale business.

My favorite part :: The chapter on Acting Like an Adult: Finding Your Voice and Professional Style. This chapter is more geared toward the young entrepreneur. I liked this particular chapter, because it contained advice for things you don’t normally think of finding in a business book. Like how you should order something simple to eat at a lunch with clients (not spaghetti). This makes it easier for you to focus more on the client & not on what you’re eating. Another great piece of advice was for business travel. Ask around to see how formal/informal the business community dresses in the area you’re traveling to.

What I could have done without :: There were 2-3 colorful words. They’re not words I say, and that shock me when I hear them in public. So when I read them, I had a similar reaction. Consider yourself warned.

What you won’t find :: You won’t find any information on social media, as Facebook had just been launched the year before & Twitter wouldn’t be created until a year later.

Website :: There is a blog for this book, but it hasn’t been updated for a while.

*[I later found out that there was a huge Barnes & Noble across the highway from the mall -- other side of the mall than our hotel. However, I didn't see this until we were leaving STL. Then it made sense why the Borders was so blah.]