Copyright -- Table of contents -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- Part One Making Your Decision -- 1 Have You Got What It Takes? -- KEY CONSIDERATIONS -- PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES -- TAKING THE PLUNGE -- 2 Doing Your Homework -- BASIC MARKET RESEARCH -- MARKET RESEARCH TECHNIQUES -- QUALIFICATIONS -- 3 Business Planning -- STEP 1: THE BUSINESS SECTOR AND YOUR MARKET -- STEP 2: YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE -- STEP 3: MARKETING AND SALES -- STEP 4: RUNNING THE BUSINESS -- STEP 5: MANAGEMENT -- STEP 6: TIMING -- STEP 7: FINANCIAL ASPECTS -- STEP 8: SUMMARY -- STEP 9: EVALUATING YOUR OWN PLAN -- 4 Structuring Your Business -- SOLE TRADER -- PARTNERSHIPS -- PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANIES -- REGISTRATION OF BUSINESS NAMES -- LIMITED COMPANY DOCUMENTS -- COMPANY DIRECTORS -- 5 Funding Your Business -- OWN FUNDS -- DEBT FINANCE -- EQUITY FINANCE -- 6 Choosing Your Advisers -- MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE -- WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU ASK? -- HOW MUCH ARE ADVISERS GOING TO CHARGE? -- A GUIDE - NOT A CRUTCH -- YOUR BANK MANAGER -- INSURANCE -- OTHER ADVISERS AND SUPPLIERS -- 7 Making Your Case for Raising Capital -- EXISTING BUSINESS -- NEW BUSINESS -- 8 Self-Employment Alternatives to Starting a Business -- PART-TIME WORK -- USING AN EXISTING ASSET AS ASOURCE OF INCOME:ACCOMMODATION -- FREELANCING -- FRANCHISING -- MANAGEMENT BUY-OUTS -- Part Two Preparation -- 9 Making the Most of Your Bank Accounts -- EFFECTIVE CASH MANAGEMENT -- OVERDRAFT VS BUSINESS LOANS -- ADDITIONAL BANK ACCOUNTS -- MANAGING THE UNEXPECTED -- 10 Budgeting and Cash-flow Forecasting -- PLANNING YOUR CASH REQUIREMENTS -- 11 Legal Basics -- THE SALE OF GOODS ACT 1979 -- THE SUPPLY OF GOODS AND SERVICES ACT 1982 -- THE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT 1987 -- OBLIGATION TO SELL -- ESTIMATES AND QUOTATION -- COMPLETION AND DELIVERY DATES -- TRADING ASSOCIATIONS -- THE TRADE DESCRIPTIONS ACT 1968.

THE DATA PROTECTION ACT -- THE PRICE MARKING ORDER 1991 -- 12 Choosing Premises -- WORKING FROM HOME -- CHOOSING SEPARATE PREMISES -- LEASES -- MEET YOUR OWN REQUIREMENTS -- 13 Simple Accounting Systems -- TWO STARTING POINTS -- KEEPING A CASH BOOK -- MORE ELABORATE SYSTEMS -- ELECTRONIC BOOKKEEPING -- TRADING AND PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT -- THE BALANCE SHEET -- WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR IN YOUR RECORDS? -- 14 Invoicing and Credit Control -- SENDING OUT INVOICES AND STATEMENTS -- LEGAL ACTION -- BAD DEBT PRECAUTIONS -- CREDIT CARDS -- CHECKING INCOMING INVOICES AND STATEMENTS -- 15 Costing, Pricing and Estimating -- DETERMINING YOUR COSTS -- ESTABLISHING YOUR PRICES -- MARGINAL PRICING -- PREPARING QUOTATIONS -- Part Three Building Your Business -- 16 Effective Marketing -- MANUFACTURERS -- DEALING WITH LARGE COMPANIES -- SHOPS AND SERVICE INDUSTRIES -- FREELANCE SERVICES -- PRESS ADVERTISING -- PUBLIC RELATIONS -- DIRECT MAIL AND DIRECT RESPONSE PROMOTION -- MARKETING ON THE INTERNET -- 17 Using IT to Run Your Office -- DEVELOPING YOUR IT SYSTEM -- MORE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION USING IT -- DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT ISSUES -- 18 Is Foreign Trade Fun? -- WHERE TO GET HELP -- SETTING UP SALES ARRANGEMENTS -- DOCUMENTATION -- GETTING PAID -- PURCHASING FROM ABROAD -- THE SINGLE EUROPEAN CURRENCY -- 19 Planning for Growth -- SUSTAINABILITY -- GROWTH -- PERSONAL GOALS -- Part Four NecessaryAdministration -- 20VAT -- 21 Employing People -- RECRUITMENT -- PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT -- TERMINATIONS: UNFAIR DISMISSAL -- STATUTORY SICK PAY -- GUIDANCE LEAFLETS ON EMPLOYMENT -- 22 Other Taxation -- THE MAIN ALLOWABLE BUSINESS EXPENSES -- STOCK VALUATION -- COMPUTING TAXABLE PROFIT -- LOSSES -- SELF-ASSESSMENT -- SPARE-TIME WORK -- PARTNERSHIPS -- CORPORATION TAX -- INHERITANCE TAX -- CAPITAL GAINS TAX -- APPEALS -- PAY AS YOU EARN (PAYE).

THE BLACK ECONOMY -- THE CHALLENGE TO SELF-EMPLOYED STATUS -- 23 Pensions and Health Insurance -- STATE SCHEMES -- STAKEHOLDER PENSIONS -- TAX BENEFITS -- USING A BROKER -- THE NEW PENSIONS REGIME -- HEALTH INSURANCE -- Appendices -- Appendix 1 Useful Information -- Appendix 2 Useful Contacts -- Appendix 3 Further Reading from Kogan Page -- Index -- Index of advertisers.