Steve Carver owns and is active in several business today and brings fifty plus years of business experience to active nationwide retail and marketing. With over six hundred work shop presentations, Steve has helped thousands of entrepreneurs get new businesses started.

His endeavors include internet retail and wholesale business, private and government service contracting.

He serves private enterprises with one-on-one and sales and management team special training, appraising, and market surveying projects. Steve also serves as a public speaker on business related topics for Small Business Training Centers, Chambers of Commerce and private businesses.

Learn more at www.fastforwardservices.net and www.carverequipment.com.


To the Reader

After being "in the trenches" of small-business survival fifty-plus years, starting and owning various businesses, outlasting my share of high and low business cycles, meeting 2,700 Friday payrolls, and serving as a secured angel investor in hundreds of startup businesses - I have garnered insight (and plenty of hindsight) to help others forecast and chart the best paths for their new business endeavors.

I have written this book to serve you as an everyday reference source while planning and starting a "main street," home based, service-oriented or contracting business. Whether you are just beginning to think about starting your own business, or if you are trying to buy or jump-start an established small business, you will find the fundamental business strategies and methods that will help you become an entrepreneur:
- who thinks critically
- plans carefully
- avoids common pitfalls and
- avoids unexpected expenses.

Long term success and sustainability for the small business can usually be achieved when the owner follows approximately twenty basic rules and strategies, which are all mentioned within these pages. Show me a hometown business enjoying over twenty years in operation and I will show you a proud owner practicing these strategies.

The solution to most business problems can usually be discovered when we remember ABCD: "Alway Be Connecting Dots." Whether its forecasting, planning, merchandising, upselling, retaining customers and employees, planning discounts, organizing accountable targeted advertising, or acquiring professional selling skills, all the dots are here.

I can't guarantee your success, but I do guarantee you will be better informed and prepared when making decisions, interacting with others, and organizing your new business.

- Steve Carver