Akron Public Library

The essentials for building a successful business from the ground up are clearly delineated in this primer for would-be entrepreneurs. Whether starting from scratch, buying an existing business, or becoming a franchisee, anyone dreaming of becoming their own boss needs to understand the fundamentals of business management addressed here. Choosing the right business, creating a business plan, analyzing finances, starting part-time, and hiring staff...

You know there is a novel locked inside of you—chock-full of conflict, humor, irony, enthralling events and fascinating characters. What you don't know is how to set it free.Practical Advice, Hands-On HelpRespected author and professional writing instructor Lou Willett Stanek's New York workshops have enabled scores of aspiring novelists to realize their dreams of completing credible and compelling manuscripts. Here, in a positive, "user-friendly"...

In Tide Players, acclaimed New Yorker contributor and author Jianying Zha depicts a new generation of movers and shakers who are transforming modern China. Through half a dozen sharply etched and nuanced profiles, Tide Players captures both the concrete detail and the epic dimension of life in the world's fastest-growing economy. Zha's vivid cast of characters includes an unlikely couple who teamed up to become the country's leading real-estate moguls;...

Here, Chris Guillebeau shows you how to lead a life of adventure, meaning and purpose--and earn a good living. Still in his early thirties, Chris has traveled around the world--and yet he's never held a "real job" or earned a regular paycheck. Rather, he has a genius for turning ideas into income, and he uses what he earns both to support his life of adventure and to give back. In preparing to write this book, Chris identified 1,500 individuals who...

Grow is a practical field guide for creative people with great ideas for independent projects who want to achieve success and sustainability. Drawing on her years of experience helping people succeed with do-it-yourself projects based in independent publishing, music, food, art, craft, activism, and community work, Eleanor Whitney empowers you to clarify your vision, get organized, set goals, create a plan, raise funds, market, and manage your do-it-yourself...

"Based on his ... Dream Big workshop, [the author] draws on a lifetime of living and dreaming large to help you reach your larger-than-life dreams ... he shows how to learn to define clearly your dreams for yourself, identify the obstacles holding you back, come up with a specific plan for reaching goals, and develop the tools that will help you act on the plan"--

Planning is essential to creating a competitive advantage for your small business, and properly done, it can actually be fun. That is the message of this thorough guide, written in easy-to-follow, nontechnical language that you don’t need an MBA to understand. In what areas will your business specialize? What are some of the resources you will need, and challenges you will face? How much do you want your company to grow? Once you have established...