Working for yourself

Working for yourself, Mike Pywell and Bill Hilton – Published by Which

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Working for yourself, Jonathan Reuvid – Published by Kogan Page

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Two books – one title!

Both have much to recommend them; comprehensive and well organised, they cover all the topics one would expect, from first considerations (why do it?) through getting the basics right to planning the long-term growth of your enterprise.

Jonathan Reuvid includes the more comprehensive set of contents – useful if you are scanning for topics. He also puts handy checklists at the end of each chapter. Pywell and Hilton scatter ‘jargon-buster’ explanations throughout and include a glossary of terms.

While both give a list of useful addresses I rather liked Reuvid’s inclusion of ‘sector information for low investment, part-time and freelance opportunities’ which is basically a list of trade associations from The British Acupuncture Council to the Wine and Spirit Educational Trust with the addition of Kogan Page book titles where relevant works are available.

I was also impressed by the Which volume’s ideas on press releases, a much abused form of publicity explained with refreshing simplicity.

All in all it is difficult to separate these two; each has minor goodies the other lacks but either will provide all the essential information you need to strike out on your own. I can only suggest you nip down to Blackwell’s and thumb through both before deciding which is the guide for you.

And if you are a budding entrpreneur who hasn't found your 'niche' yet - here are some ideas:

Niche finder Click Here!

Free advertising Click Here!

PLEASE NOTE: I am not recommending these products! The decision (and responsibility) is yours. But whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck!

The 80/20 Principle, Richard Koch

Published by Nicholas Brealey

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

A classic returns!

Just in case you have been in a coma since the first edition in 1997 let me explain that The 80/20 Principle asserts that approximately 80 percent of positive results come from 20 percent of the effort input. First posited in the nineteenth century by a mathematician named Vilfredo Pareto, the principle seems to hold good in all areas and led to Richard Koch writing his original best-selling and highly influential treatise on the topic. Now he has produced an updated edition for the twenty-first century.

Littered with examples showing that this counter-intuitive theory does indeed produce results, The 80/20 Principle confirms Richard Koch’s status as one of the great theorists of the last century.

In the ten years since it was first published many thousands of people have confirmed the premise that most of what we do is a waste of time and effort.

A successful business consultant and author of a dozen other books, Mr Koch expounds his theories in a down-to earth manner and leads the reader (student?) through why their current strategy is wrong, how they can always get what they want and ways to become a ‘lazy entrepreneur’.

The book is divided into four sections; introductory, explaining the principle in broad terms; business; personal; and finally an examination of some of the responses received during the ten years since the first edition – including some serious criticisms of the principle which Mr Koch in no way tries to avoid or minimise.

If you have not read the original I recommend you invest now – it could save you time and effort and increase both your wealth and leisure time.

And if the book inspires you to start a new business, you might want to take a look at

The Ultimate Business toolbox!

Meeting Magic, Katherine Woods & Ingrid Uden

Published by Writers World

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

What to do when it all goes wrong

Graphic facilitators Katherine Woods and Ingrid Ugden have trained hundreds of business managers, facilitated thousands of meetings and have a client list littered with major international names like Microsoft and Coca-Cola.

Now they have distilled their experience into 138 densely packed pages explaining how and why meetings ‘go wrong’ and what you can do about it when you are doomed to lead or facilitate.

Apart from the introduction, which sets the scene, each chapter concentrates on a particular issue, introduced in the form of a question from a frustrated facilitator. The issue is then examined for possible causes and practical solutions are suggested.

As the authors point out, the common problems crop up again and again. So chapter titles such as ‘Talks too much’, Unclear outcomes’ and ‘I feel like a spare part’ will no doubt strike a chord with the multi-meeting attendees this book is aimed at.

The authors admit in the introduction that they have not attempted to provide all the research that has led to their proposed solutions though there is a comprehensive bibliography for anyone wanting to delve. Instead they have concentrated on offering practical help.

Not, perhaps, a book to be read through from start to finish, rather a manual to be consulted when you know the type of problem that will arise at that next meeting. And each chapter concludes, as all books of this type should though sadly not many do, with a summary of tips so you can quickly refresh your understanding.

How to get clients to come to you, Nigel Temple

Published by Words at Work

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

‘Temple’ supported by seven pillars

Marketing consultant and author Nigel Temple goes back to basic principles for this well-balanced work. To the very experienced there will be little that is new but Mr Temple puts the basics across clearly and even for the ‘old war horses’ there will be some very useful reminders of what they should be doing.

This book is aimed at you if you have ever wondered just who your customers are (or should be), what really is your ‘USP’ or how to get your message across.

Borrowing from the field of sports psychology, he begins by urging the reader to develop his or her ‘inner marketer’, developing a vision and the confidence to reach for it.

Subsequent chapters deal with such things as creating your marketing plan and what Mr Temple calls client attraction laws. Among these is a fascinating piece on reciprocity – giving potential clients something really useful such as relevant information instead of the usual self-promoting leaflets. This is on the grounds that they are then more likely to ‘reciprocate’ by giving you something useful – their business.

Internet marketing is covered, of course, and we also get some useful advice on low-cost promotional techniques; writing effective copy and the one everyone seems to forget – taking action!

There is also a useful appendix on analysing your competition; again something that seems not to occur to many businesses.

Altogether a useful short introduction to marketing from a man who has trained thousands in the subject and has a client list of over a thousand companies in Europe and Asia.