For the technology startup raising venture capital, the freelancer, social entrepreneur, and coffee shop owner, Edwards has written a modern textbook for entrepreneurship, covering all aspects of starting a business, including finance, branding, advertising, PR, accounting, and business law. Part manual, part manifesto, the nearly 400-page text presents proven strategies for launching a startup on a shoestring budget. In Startup: The Complete Handbook for Launching a Company for Less, Edwards draws upon her own experiences as a venture capital investor and bootstrap entrepreneur to outline over $100,000 in savings with do-it-yourself guides and personal finance strategies. The book explains how to create a profitable business model, conserve cash, and get operational fast, giving equal attention to the risks and wealth creation opportunities business ownership provides. Startup tackles both strategy and tactics - discussing high-level business strategy concepts and illustrating back of the napkin calculations to help entrepreneurs make good decisions. Edwards offers three tests for feasibility (to minimize risk), 14 creative ways to finance a startup, and a formulaic approach to marketing (to grow revenue). In concise, plain English, Startup explains the finer points of venture funding, angel investors, grants, SBA loans, intellectual property, and corporate structure, and includes templates of business plans, press releases, and startup expenses. Chapter Outline: 1 - The Pros and Cons of Entrepreneurship 2 - Startup Finance is Personal Finance 3 - Create a Business Model that Works 4 - Feasibility 5 - How to Finance a Startup 6 - Create an Unforgettable Brand 7 - Marketing, Advertising & Publicity 8 - Managing Administrative Details 9 - Make it Legal 10 - Two Business Plans
Author Biography:
Elizabeth Edwards launched Metro Innovation, a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship, in 2009 after seven years in venture capital, private equity, and strategy and innovation consulting. As a venture capital investor at Neyer Holdings, Edwards built winning strategies for start-up and growth companies in a variety of sectors, including clean tech, life sciences, consumer products, and technology. She has evaluated hundreds of business plans, and actively participated in the funding, launch, and management of five early stage portfolio companies. Edwards started her career at Deloitte Consulting, where she was a strategy consultant to Fortune 500 companies, deployed over a broad range of industries. At Deloitte, Edwards' work focused on strategic marketing, disruptive innovation, and growth strategies. Edwards holds a B.S. in Economics and Cognitive Psychology from the University of Michigan, where she graduated with honors and distinction, and a MBA from the University of Cincinnati. She is a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, where she serves on the board of the Greater Cincinnati Venture Association and teaches entrepreneurial finance at Xavier University. She has been featured in more than 50 local and national media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and BoingBoing, and has been a popular guest lecturer at universities and conferences since 2007, where she presents entrepreneurship as an imperative for economic stability.
