Entrepreneurship & Small Business
Is Small Business Ownership for You?
A Practical Guide for a Life-Changing Decision
A practical guide that helps prospective owners weigh the personal realities of business ownership.
Buy from Business Expert Press
About the book
Most books about entrepreneurship focus on how to start or run a company. This one asks an important and more personal question: is small business ownership right for you?
Drawing on decades of ownership experience and on interviews with other small business owners, Laurie Johnson walks readers through key elements that separate people who thrive in ownership from those who struggle.
What you'll take away
- The traits that lead to success
- Questions to apply to your personal situation
- An understanding of what owning a business is really like
- The varying degrees of commitments, risks and rewards
- Considerations for timing your entry and your exit
Who it's for
Prospective owners considering any path into ownership: buying in as a principal, taking over a family business, launching a startup, or acquiring an established operation.
Free sample
Read the first chapter free
Before you buy, read the opening chapter in full. Download it as a PDF and see whether the questions land.
- The preface, introduction, and Chapter 1 in full, as a PDF
- The publisher's own sample — no summary, no rewrite
Praise for the book
What readers are saying
“It was very easy to go through the text, not something that I often find with books about business. I felt like the author was talking to me and had great insights to share …. This book should be very helpful for all of those crazy people out there wanting to own their own business — and I'm glad I was one of them.”
“If you are serious about owning your own business, you need to go in with your eyes open. Laurie provides key insights on what owning a business is like and how you prepare for the adventure. I would encourage all budding entrepreneurs to read this book to improve your chances for success.”
“For anyone considering starting or owning a business, this book has a wealth of good information and questions to consider. The author addresses many of the 'You don't know what you don't know' kinds of things to be thinking about. I like the format, the Q&A section, and the personal stories.”
“As an educator for over forty years, I have mentored countless young people as they explored their strengths, interests, and future paths. With that perspective, I highly recommend Is Small Business Ownership for You? to entrepreneurs of any age — especially young adults eager to transform their passions into meaningful, sustainable work. Her story is both inspiring and practical — an example of how hard work, courage, and timing can intersect to be life-changing.”
“This book would be very helpful to anyone contemplating ownership of a small business. It is very well organized, and easy to read. Laurie Johnson gives an insightful prospective to the realities of owning a small business, and outlines many risks and rewards. I highly recommend this book!”