Boss It: Control Your Time, Your Income and Your Life

by Carl Reader

Overview

WINNER: Independent Press Awards 2021 - Business: Entrepreneurship & Small Business
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Business Book Awards 2021 - Start up/Scale up

Do you dream of ditching the day job, doing your own thing and being your own boss? Are you ready to Boss It?

In this invigorating and highly practical book, serial entrepreneur Carl Reader provides exactly the fire and guidance you need to get started. Designed to cut through the business jargon, this handy guide will take you through everything you need to establish and run your own business - from the mindset it takes to turn a dream into a plan, to the need-to-know practical stuff for running and growing a business.

Featuring case studies, templates and exercises to help you put what you read into action, and turn that dream into a reality, this motivational book will enable you to be your own boss, to take control of your income, your time and your life... and Boss It.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781789666434
Publisher:	Kogan Page, Ltd.
Publication date:	10/27/2020
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	5.71(w) x 8.66(h) x 0.79(d)

About the Author

Carl Reader is a serial entrepreneur, speaker and business commentator, and the chairman of business advisory firm d&t. During his long and varied career, he has bought and sold, founded and co-founded and invested in and sought investment for businesses. He has helped countless business owners either start or grow their business through his columns, keynote talks and advice.

Recognized as one of City AM's Top 100 Entrepreneurs in 2016, he is Chair of the Practitioners Panel at ACCA, a former board director of the British Franchise Association and an Ambassador for the Association of Independent Professionals and Self-Employed.

Table of Contents

** Chapter - 00: Introduction – Be your own boss; * Section - ONE: Dream it; ** Chapter - 01: Why should you be your own boss?; ** Chapter - 02: The difference between success and failure; ** Chapter - 03: How to create a business idea; * Section - TWO: Plan it; ** Chapter - 04: From dreaming to planning; ** Chapter - 05: Raising funds; ** Chapter - 06: How to make the important first step; * Section - THREE: Do it; ** Chapter - 07: Building your systems and processes; ** Chapter - 08: Finding your customers and marketing; ** Chapter - 09: Moving towards the bigger picture – Scaling your business; * Section - FOUR: Scale it; ** Chapter - 10: An introduction to scaling; ** Chapter - 11: Scaling 101 – The growth model; ** Chapter - 12: Scaling 101 – The funding model; ** Chapter - 13: Scaling 101 – The staffing model; ** Chapter - 14: Scaling 101 – The leadership model; ** Chapter - 15: Final words of advice; ** Chapter - 16: Notes; ** Chapter - 17: Index

Editorial Reviews

"I've just loved reading this book. Carl Reader takes a sharp pin to pop the many myths of what it takes to set up, run and scale a business. His lived experience of 'walking the walk' of setting up and running businesses burns throughout all the chapters, as does his passion for creating a business guide for the next generation."

Sharon Davies

"Boss It is an invaluable guide to the seemingly elusive 'it' factor about self-employment. From 'dreaming it' to 'doing it', Carl Reader demystifies how to BOSS IT with confidence and clarity. This book offers the next generation an opportunity to reimagine their future working lives when it is needed now more than ever. And Carl's advice also serves as a nudge to those pondering whether to take the plunge to become their own boss. This is an important, honest and inspirational guide to make dreams a reality."

Claire Bennison

"Carl Reader's Boss It is a must-read for anyone considering starting or already running their own business. Carl's experience, insight and approachable style combine to captivate and inform far better than most business books I've read. He's honest about the realities and the practicalities, and his approach - Dream it, Plan it, Do it, Scale it - sets it all out for you. Carl's straightforward advice demystifies complex issues and should be a constant reference source for all. Keep it handy and read it often."

Chris Bryce

"Carl Reader has truly captured that the future of work is being rewritten. These COVID times will lead to the growth of the gig economy and there is a place for all skills, but we need to know how to capitalize our best skills to find our way forward. In this book, Carl has shared very useful business-centric tips and a hands-on approach to becoming a small business owner. Boss It will truly give you very apt learning lessons for starting your business dreams."

Ritu Marya

"Purchasing this book is a no-brainer for anyone in business or thinking of doing their own thing. Carl Reader has walked the walk in his own business and now shares years of experience and motivation in plain English."

Mike Michalowicz

"It is rare to find a book that is inspiring, pragmatic, realistic and optimistic about starting out on your own and growing your own business. Carl Reader has written a business-advice book that is well-contextualized for this time, with wider learnings to support entrepreneurs. Here are practical insights into innovation, as well as aspirational business advice and worksheets to progress thinking into action. Carl explains key business knowledge and motivates the reader to move their idea forward. The Five Stars model is something I'll be using and encouraging others to!"

Siân Prime

"Carl Reader is a passionate and dedicated supporter of entrepreneurs and small businesses. In this book, he takes would-be entrepreneurs through 'the good', but also doesn't shy away from 'the bad and the ugly'. Carl is an affable coach and this guide is incredibly practical, with case studies, templates and exercises, and refreshingly there's no business jargon in sight!"

Francesca James

"Carl Reader is the guru of self-employment and this is a fantastic guide for anyone seeking to be their own boss. Whether you are looking for advice on funding, IT or building a customer base, this book has it covered."

Elizabeth Anderson

"Whether you're starting your first business or building your tenth, you will be more successful by applying Carl Reader's brilliant BOSS IT principles."

Michael Heppell

"Boss It uniquely addresses the two most important aspects of business ownership - the why and the how. Self-employment and business ownership remain the backbone of the world's economy, yet the concepts remain unimaginable or misunderstood for many. The author demystifies the topics in a way that guides the reader through self-analysis, supported by a pragmatic step-by-step process. The end result is inspiration and action for the motivated reader!"

Brad D Smith

"Whether you're already running your own business and need some help focusing on what's important or you're just about to embark on your first venture, you need to read this book. Carl Reader is incredibly knowledgeable about every facet of growing a robust and resilient company: every base is covered. Most importantly, for me, this isn't some romantic glamorous account of what it takes to be an entrepreneur, it's a real, gritty, practical handbook for success."

Rebecca Burn-Callander

"It is rare to find a book that is inspiring, pragmatic, realistic and optimistic about starting out on your own and growing your own business. Carl Reader has written a business-advice book that is well-contextualized for this time, with wider learnings to support entrepreneurs. Here are practical insights into innovation, as well as aspirational business advice and worksheets to progress thinking into action. Carl explains key business knowledge and motivates the reader to move their idea forward. The Five Stars model is something I'll be using and encouraging others to!"

Siân Prime