Start It, Sell It and Make a Mint: 20 Wealth-Creating Secrets for Business Owners

INTRODUCTION. Chapter ONE: My Story. Chapter TWO: The Business Leader. Vital Secret #1: Run the company like a business, not a hobby. Vital Secret #2: Be what you want your company to become. Vital Secret #3: Delegate, don't abdicate. Chapter THREE: The Culture. Vital Secret #4: Put people first, make them feel special. Vital Secret #5: Run your company as an open meritocracy. Chapter FOUR: The People. Vital Secret #6: Hire people whose skills complement yours, rather than mirror them. Vital Secret #7: Skills can be learned, attitudes cannot. Chapter FIVE: The Operations. Vital Secret #8: Develop procedures that provide consistency and predictability. Chapter SIX: The Product. Vital Secret #9: Provide differentiated products and services you cannot win the low cost battle. Chapter SEVEN: Sales and Marketing. Vital Secret #10: Identify and market to a niche. Vital Secret #11: Referrals are the cheapest and most effective way to get clients. Vital Secret #12: Create a self--sustaining sales system. Chapter EIGHT: The Financials. Vital Secret #13: Pay attention to the cash tomorrow's profits won't pay today's bills. Vital Secret #14: Focus on generating recurring revenues. Chapter NINE: Acquisitions. Vital Secret #15: Make acquisitions that are an extension of what you do. Chapter TEN: How I Sold My Business. Chapter ELEVEN: Preparing Your Business for Sale. Vital Secret #16: Make yourself dispensable. Vital Secret #17: Sell when things are going great. Vital Secret #18: Reward the people that are important to the transaction. Chapter TWELEVE The Negotiation. Vital Secret #19: Deals either ripen or rot, so ABC (Always Be Closing). Chapter THIRTEEN Letting Go. Vital Secret #20: Be gracious and smile when you leave. INDEX.