Check it out

It’s the dream on which capitalism is based: Pursue wealth and

happiness by founding your own firm and being your own boss. If it’s one

that you embrace, find a treasury of resources for new entrepreneurs in

the Newport Beach Central Library’s upstairs business section. First,

look for help for developing a business plan in “The Successful Business

Plan: Secrets & Strategies,” a new guide rife with start-up,

follow-through and funding tips. Included are 72 work sheets, 11 chapters

devoted to plan components and a sample plan to use as a model. Next,

find assistance with practical details in “Small Time Operator,” geared

for small-business owners making a full-time living, as well as

part-timers interested in generating sideline income by marketing a hobby

or skill.

There’s up-to-date information about permits, licensing, bookkeeping,

taxes, insurance, contracts, pricing and hiring in this step-by-step

manual. Among the best, new handbooks covering myriad topics of interest

to business owners is “The Complete Small-Business Sourcebook.” From

raising capital to using consultants and developing marketing, this fine

reference covers key business issues and lists hundreds of helpful

associations, councils, agencies, research groups and business

development centers.

Equally comprehensive is “Encyclopedia of Small Business,” a one-stop

source for articles on small-business topics, aimed at entrepreneurs and

business owners from a variety of backgrounds. Arranged alphabetically,

more than 500 essays focus on such topical issues as marketing on the

Web, employee leasing and variable pay.

For business owners interested in e-commerce, “The Complete Small

Business Internet Guide” discusses effective Web communication,

electronic copyrights and what kinds of businesses can benefit most from

a presence on the Net.

Entrepreneurs who may not be savvy in the digital arena will find an

easy-to-follow blueprint for implementing Internet marketing in this

guide.

If your entrepreneurial dream includes reinventing life in a serene

setting, check out “The Complete Country Business Guide.” Written in an

encouraging yet cautious tone, this new book profiles 20 successful rural

entrepreneurs and offers pointers on marketing a country business,

accelerating the fitting-in process and dealing with small-town

government.

There’s a litany of helpful warnings for small-business owners in

“What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business,” by

columnist Jan Norman. Gleaned from interviews with 100 business owners,

the advice is grouped into sections on planning, decision making,

funding, management, assistance sources and marketing.

Finally, if you’re discouraged by potential pitfalls, turn to “Young

Millionaires” for inspiration from 101 entrepreneurs aged 40 and younger

whose companies reached and exceeded the million-dollar mark. From image

consultants to time capsule designers, these achievers prove that hard

work and determination can indeed lead to financial independence, even if

you’re not seasoned, wealthy or connected.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams, in collaboration with

Tim Heatherton.