Why did you buy it?

I have recently set up an IT and Outsourcing Consultancy specialising in SMEs. Two of us have gone into the venture.

I have purchased loads of books on business start ups over the last year or so. I've never been one for borrowing books from the library!

I thought the book was nicely laid out and easy to follow. I have to admit I did jump through a few sections as I had already completed quite a few of the steps. I did however compare what Steve said to what I had done to make sure I was on track!

There is so much work to do when setting up a business, and thankfully Steve's book breaks it all down into manageable chunks. I also really like the links to websites at the end of each chapter. Most books stick them all at the end, and it's difficult to work out what you need.

We are all set to go live in March. I have had meetings with potential clients (all clients are potential until you can confirm on a delivery date. In IT, customers do not hang around for long).

I am planning on handing my notice in at work in February. I need to get my days free. It's difficult juggling a full time job and turning the business plan into reality. Once I have my days free I will be using Steve's selling techniques to get some clients on board. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising, so hopefully we will get some excellent references.

Thanks Steve!

I actually got the book from Amazon - without reading it!!
I wanting a checklist to help me through the procedures that I have to cover. I also have other books with more detail - this book is my business bible

As I wrote in one of my logs, two aspects of this book have positively implessed me the most:
1) It gives timeframes for your tasks and precise instructions on what information you need. So to say, you know what you should do/get and in how long.
2) This website has been created as support. So to say, you are not alone in this world!

Thanks.
Irena

Looking through books on "how to start a small business" in my local WH Smiths, I found yours very clearly laid out with simple to understand chapter headings, didn't look too complicated or time-consuming, right size lettering, and full of information in useful sized chunks at the right time. I was looking for guidance and guidance is what it seemed to offer. (This was all on having a quick flick through). Another factor was that it was relevant to the UK.

I flicked through a few other books, but didn't find anything that enthused me at all. Either too long, too short, too wordy or simply stating facts rather than giving guidance.

I'm only on Chapter 3 at the moment, and have just signed up here. Website layout and colours are excellent but I'm having to strain my eyes ever so slightly trying toread the yellow text on the left hand side, on the blue background. (But it would be a shame to change it. I'm sure I'll know where everything is soon enough, without having to read it).
Cheers
Susan

Because it was recommended somewhere on the net when I was surfing and I went to Amazon and liked what I read about it. There are a lot of books out there but they all seem to be too technical and not enough actuality. It appeared to be laid out well and simply put - not too complicated, and easy to follow. And it was! I liked the weekly format which is so helpful. It is a book that I could have done with years ago. I am eagerly awaiting the second book which this book said would be published in the Spring of 2005. Long Spring?

Val

You sound like my publisher!!
:)
i now have to hand it in in mid-july (had time out for an operation) so it will publish in november. i'll keep you all updated on its progress via this site.

glad you like the book

steve

Steve Parks
Pilot, FlyingStartUps.com

Hi Susan

Thanks for choosing my book!

Thanks also for the feedback on the website colours. We'll change the text on the left to a lighter shade of yellow - hopefully that will make it easier to read. it'll take a week until we get time, but look out for the change and let me know if it helps.

cheers
steve

Steve Parks
Pilot, FlyingStartUps.com

...of the cool website! the Flying Startups was on my reading list for the Entrepreneurship module of my MA (along with another twenty which I did not buy) so i checked the website and decided to give it a go.

what made me buy it? the weekly structure and this online community which seemed to be very active (and it is). it is incredibly inspiring to have other rooting for you.

AND of course it's very important that you Steve keep at it - watching over us and jumping in with advice or just a cheerful comment! you make me feel that everything to do with my business is your business too - none of those big business gurus gave me that impression.

hope that gives you a bit of extra energy to "keep on keeping on" :)

cheers for now
nika

PS. Did you like:
The cover design? YES
The title? YES
The week-by-week structure? YES
The style of writing? YES

NO No! not lighter but brighter! If it is lighter it will fade away into the blue completely! How about the same yellow as the right hand side?

Val

Hi Nika

Thanks for your feedback. Can i ask which university your course is at? It's nice to know where my book is on the reading list.

And yes - I will keep at it on this website! Thanks for the encouragement!!

cheers
steve

Steve Parks
Pilot, FlyingStartUps.com

Hi Val

it is the same as the yellow on the right hand side at the moment - we'll make it a bit brighter soon (nearer to white), that should be more visible against the blue.

steve

Steve Parks
Pilot, FlyingStartUps.com

It was featured by Amazon. I wanted books to help me start up in biz, and this book seemed like just the ticket.

That is amazing Steve! The yellow on the right hand side looks so much stronger. I guess its because there is more of it! I would never have guessed they were the same and I'm 'supposed' to be a colour expert!

Val

Steve

I'm doing an MA in Creative and Media Entreprises, Uni of Warwick

cheers
Nika

I ran my own business many years ago now and lost my company because of lack of funding from the start,bad advice from local council redevelopment guys and basically didnt have the tools to follow my dream from day one.
Ive dreamed ever since to have another go but swore i would never make the same mistakes again and always kept looking for the right course or something to give me the edge back.
Untill now i just didnt find the right course or the right book for me, i dont know if that says something about me or the course and other books out there.

So as you can see what i was looking for in your book was honest down to earth advice from people who have done what i want do the same way i would like to do it.
I really was blown away with the structure of the book
and how down to earth you seem to be in your views of banks and there outlook on the small business.
But what i liked most was the Week by Week its like having a guiding hand to help every step of the way.
I could honestly say hand on heart that if i had used this book to set up my first business up i would still be trading now.
From my own mistakes i know that having the idea and the guts to go it on your own is not enough you need good advice from the start and your book hits all the right spots for me because i made most of the mistakes you outline in the book.
So here i go again armed with the advice i need a new idea and plenty blood sweat and tears.

Its my turn to prove ive got what it takes and build a business i can be proud of for years to come

thanks for reading

Darron Jobling

Me and my partner went into a bookstore looking for a book that would give us an idea on how to start up our business - we both really didn't have a clue where to start and when we got to the business section we were just faced with a sea of books which all didn't really have much of a difference from the next, so we were there looking through all these boring books, and actually the more we looked through them the more hopeless we felt because they seemed so complicated, long and written in a way that was totally daunting to read. Then when i saw the 'week by week' on your book thats what sold it to me. And i think really thats what attracts so many other people to it, because when you're starting out in business on your own you don't just want good advice, you want it put into perspective and thats what the book does with it's time frames, check lists, website links etc.

Because it and the Acorns book had good write-ups on Amazon.

Because I want a PRACTICAL guide rather than a big corporation direction thing or a list of personality traits.

And now that I've bought it, because it's good. It's relevant. It's structured. I can pinpoint where each idea is and where it should go next (I have one idea at week 17, others waiting at week 5).
Thanks for the framework, the next steps and the reference book all rolled into one.

Take Care,
John
john [dot] bickell [at] tesco [dot] net

Hello Steve,

I saw the book in W.H.Smiths in York Train Station. I was immediately attracted by the cover and the title and after reading the intro (very quickly as I needed to go for my train), realised that the style was exactly what I had been looking for.

The organisation of chapters and the achieveable targets really helps to give the reader confidence. - It does for me, I sometimes even carry it with me to work (the current day-job) to give me inspiration to keep going as there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Many thanks for an excellent book.

Ruth

Hi Steve bought your book a few months ago just started reading it but finding it very difficult to clear my mind as my job is running a pub 24/7 we have tried to make some space but my job gets in the way.Any advice.Thanks Steve

I live in Germany. Most of my books that I read I find at Amazon. I read the reviews, I check the contents and if they are convincing, I buy the book.

I was also convinced as Steve is an entrepreneur himself with a lot of experience.

I also like the website as a complement to the book.

I bought the book recently on the strength of the Amazon review, for the timetable and the structure showing me what steps to take next. I set up my co in Jan while I was still at work but I haven't had time to work on it, so I have left my job to do so. I have a toddler, do all the paperwork and a/cs for my hubby's co, and have been deep into researching and protecting our house from mobile phone base station radiation and couldn't see what steps to take next. I was deeply demoralised as I was swamped with everything but the book is the rope thrown into the bottom of the pot-hole; I am hanging onto it and slowly but surely making progress. If it takes me the full 6 months to work through it, so be it! Having bought sight unseen, I love the soaring kite and paper quality.

Hi Daphne,

I have just read you comment about the Start Your Business book being like a life-line to you at the bottom of the well. I can completely understand how you feel, as for me the book was like a talisman in my work bag telling me that there was something else that I could do. When I was having a bad day at work, I could just read a page or even by simply seeing the cover (the soaring kite is good!) I would feel better.

I have now resigned from my job and am working on our business.

Keep climbing up that well!

Ruth

Sumptuosity.

Hi Steve.
I bought the book because you twisted my arm! Not strictly true, but I listened to a talk you gave at One Life 2005 and had a chat with you afterwards.
I'd just like to say that I'm well into motivational books, behavioural psychology and all that, but for me, your book did more than any other because you just set it out straight and said if I do this, then do this, then do this it will all fall into place, and for me, that was a more powerful message than any other. Stick with the style Steve!
I first read the book cover to cover without actually doing anything. Now I'm in the position of getting underway with my plans and SYBWBW is my bible!
Frankums.

So why weren't you at One Life again this year Steve??

Thinking about own business - looked on Amazon - loads of books. Some sounded a bit too airy fairy for me. This one caught my attention.
Scary thing this starting your own business isn't it?

Had the book for about a week before I dared look at it, then it took me another week to pluck up the courage to log onto this website!

If I'm too much if a wimp to read a book or look at a website how will I ever manage in business?? Wish me luck!

Hi Frankums,

I was there this year! :)

Here's my blog entry about it:
http://www.steveparks.co.uk/blog/steve_parks/one_life_event_and_staying_focused

My speeches were both on the Saturday. One in the Start-up theatre, and one on the main stage. Then I was on my publisher's stand for some of the rest of the day.

Sorry you missed me, it's always nice to meet pilots from FlyingStartups, and I like doing these shows mainly for that reason. So hi again to the people from here who did come up to say hi!

cheers
Steve

Steve Parks
Pilot, FlyingStartUps.com

Thanks to all of you for your nice comments here.

(and Good Luck Blackpool lass)

cheers
steve

Steve Parks
Pilot, FlyingStartUps.com

Hi there,
myself and my partner had been looking into starting our own business since january and didnt really know where to start...we were scouring through the shelves of waterstones for insperation when my partner picked out a couple of books...
This book caught my eye forseceral reasons...
The cover design was calming and not over loaded wirh text and quotes ect...the title was a seller of course!!
after sitting there flicking through it for 5 minites the week by week structure really sold it to me...it seemed simpler and easier to read then the other choices...so would have to say the style of writing was spot on!

also have to add, were only on week 3 and allready i feel confidient and more relaxed about the whole venture! a couple of the comments and humour has made me chuckle too!

Rebecca Parsons

Hi Steve

To be honest I never bought this book, it was given to me as a present by a colleague at my placement job for university. I told her about my idea and she bought me this book as a present. Nice of her I know.

Now I just look forward to proving to her I can do it, but I need as many words of wisdom as I can take, and I am hoping to find that on this website.

First impressions of book are good, I like the layout and the way it is put together with suggestions case studies etc.

However let me voice my concerns first which is putting me off this website it seems no one has really commited themselves to this site in a long time. Which does put off new comers because it looks non active.

I am not sure if there is anything you can do for that, otherwise I will hopefully get to call on you as my personal mentor.

I Will get in touch, just not today because its christmas day and 4.18am

merry christmas everyone

tom

Tom McAra
Carpe Diem