Looking for a low-risk, low-capital path to astounding growth?Experienced franchisor Shelly Sun shares practical advice and her own compelling experiences to help you discover the power and avoid the pitfalls of franchising your business.In today's economic environment, access to capital is limited, and that isn't likely to change. Successful business owners have few options for dramatically expanding their brand. Grow Smart, Risk Less describes how you can use other people's money and can leverage your success for fast, profitable growth.Unlike many authors of books on franchising, Shelly Sun has been through the process, growing her business from $1 million to $100 million in five years in system-wide sales. In Grow Smart, Risk Less she describes the process she went through-equal parts brutally grueling and enormously rewarding-to make it happen. She will educate you on every stage of the franchising process, preparing you to make savvy business decisions that are right for your company now. You will learn how to Determine if you have a concept worthy of franchising and how to adjust your concept if you don't Assemble a professional team without wasting money Adjust your business model along the way for optimum growth Grow as a leader to assume the new challenges of leading a larger, more diverse organizationIf you're ready for the next stage of business development, read Grow Smart, Risk Less and set yourself on the path to amazing growth.

In today’s market, playing it safe is not an option Lead your company to sustainable success by taking the RIGHT RISKS The business world is in flux, and you have to think and act quickly in order to stay competitive. But the last thing you want to do is make reckless business decisions. You have to find the middle ground. You have to take SMART RISKS. In this groundbreaking book, leadership expert Doug Sundheim explains how to find that precise point between comfort and danger for generating the sustained ability to work at the highest level of performance. Taking Smart Risks reveals the secrets to discovering, planning for, and acting upon the kind of risks that will move your company forward and ahead of the competition. Learn how to: Find Something Worth Fighting For—What do you care enough about to risk time, energy, and money to try to make happen? Determining this is half the battle. See the Future Now—Clarify your big idea in terms of real objectives, plans, and intended results. Act Fast, Learn Fast—Make your move quickly, but be sure you don’t squander valuable resources in the process. Communicate Powerfully—Assume communication will break down at points, plan accordingly—and don’t shy away from the tough conversations. Create a Smart Risk Culture— Build teams that share the same mindsets and values about expected smart risk behavior. Applying Sundheim’s advice will help you let go of old assumptions, explore new possibilities, move your organization out of its comfort zone, and experience long-term success. When you take smart risks, you will create. You will innovate. You will grow. And you will WIN. “From Sherwin Williams to Moo.com, Doug Sundheim is onto something here: your work is worth fighting for. A worthy read for everyone in your organization.” —Seth Godin, Author, The Icarus Deception “The risk-taking concepts in this book lie at the heart of effective leadership. Using case studies and stories from executives who have ‘been there, done that,’ Doug Sundheim teaches us that sometimes the most dangerous thing to do—in business and life—is to play it safe.” —Marshall Goldsmith, million-selling author of the New York Times bestsellers MOJO and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There “Sundheim delivers a message that every business needs to hear right now: excessive risk will kill you, but so will complacency. . . . If you’re charged with driving growth in your organization, buy this book—but more importantly, use it.” —Jed Hartman, Group Publisher, Fortune & CNNMoney.com “A spectacular book! The stories were powerful, the advice was crystal clear, and every few pages called me to action. I have bookmarked more pages in Taking Smart Risks than I have in any book since reading Peter Drucker’s classics.” —Michael Hejtmanek, President & CEO, Hasselblad Bron Inc. “Doug Sundheim does an excellent job of demonstrating not only how to take smart risks, but also how to lead the process of risk-taking—a critical skill set for leaders today.” —Cindy Zollinger, President & CEO, Cornerstone Research “A compelling case for why smart risk taking is so important in today’s fast-paced, uncertain world.” —Willie Pietersen, Professor, Columbia Business School; former CEO, Tropicana and Seagram USA

Simply put, most entrepreneurial start-ups fail. Those fortunate enough to succeed then face a second, major challenge: how to grow. This book focuses on the key questions an entrepreneur must answer in order to grow a business. Based on extensive research of more than fifty successful growth companies, Grow to Greatness discusses the top ten growth challenges and how to overcome them. Author Edward D. Hess dispels the myth that businesses must grow or die. Growth can create value. But, too much growth too fast outstrips effective processes, controls, or management capacity. Viewing growth as "recurring change," Grow to Greatness lays out a framework for how to approach business development—and how to manage its risks and pace. The book then takes readers through chapters that explore whether the time is right to grow, how to do it, and how to manage the vital reality that growth requires the right leadership, culture, and people. Uniquely, this book aims to prepare readers for the day-to-day reality of growth, offering up the lived experiences of eleven entrepreneurs. Six workshops to assess where readers stand now and a suite of templates that will prove to be useful over time help bring the book's teachings to life. After reading this book, entrepreneurs will have a real understanding of their readiness to grow and place in the growth cycle, as well as a concrete action plan for where to take their businesses next. Many books address how to start a business, but this is a unique, go-to resource for readers who want to learn how to thrive beyond the start-up phase.

An Introduction to Franchising is a concise yet comprehensive guide to the world of franchising. Looking at the field from the perspectives of the franchisor and the franchisee, the book offers a good balance between the theories behind good franchising practise, and hands-on practical guidance. Applied theory is evident in the broad range of real-life case studies included in the book. With many of the world's leading companies operating franchise models, this book will offer readers a genuine insight into the potential advantages and disadvantages of franchising. The book also examines the financial, legal and ethical implications of franchising, whilst anticipating future concerns and challenges for the franchising model. An Introduction to Franchising is an essential guide for all students of franchising, entrepreneurship and marketing. It is also a must-read for anyone wishing to start their own franchise business.

"Delaney's excellent book truly is the definitive guide. It easily and thoroughly explains everything you need to know." Steve Strauss, USA Today "Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably is generously sprinkled with Notes and Tips that deliver concise, insightful bursts of advice and counsel. These suggestions alone are worth the price of the book. From planning to execution, Laurel Delaney is like a trusted guide—encouraging one forward, pointing out potential pitfalls, and helping navigate the way through the exciting and challenging world of exporting." John N. Popoli, President and CEO, Lake Forest Graduate School of Management "I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to export. The real world, nuts and bolts kind of advice and information it contains will save you money and time— and make you a more effective exporter." Steve King and Carolyn Ockels, Small Business Labs "Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably is an invaluable guide to navigating the often-challenging waters of exporting." Rieva Lesonsky, SmallBizDaily "Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably is the 'how to' manual on how to grow USA factories jobs. Step by step and easy to read." Drew Greenblatt, CEO, Marlin Steel "If you intend to grow your business beyond the U.S. border, Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably is a great place to start." Anita Campbell, founder of Small Business Trends "As a valued Chapter Chair of the Women Presidents' Organization, Laurel Delaney has addressed a key issue our members face. While 25% of our members are international, another 25% would like to do business internationally. This book is a powerful guide that will help empower business owners and entrepreneurs by giving them everything they need to know about exporting." Dr. Marsha Firestone, President and Founder of the Women Presidents’ Organization "Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably takes the fear out of going global. It provides a step-by-step roadmap with very detailed and practical advice. From helping to identify markets to developing the relationships necessary for sales and distribution--this book is a must-have for any business trying to expand globally and profitably." Ellen A. Rudnick, Executive Director and Clinical Professor, Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Chicago, Booth School of Business Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably is for entrepreneurs and small business owners—the makers, movers, and shakers in our world—interested in taking their businesses to the next level of growth through exports. In the old days, creating an international business was left to relatively few--those with the wherewithal to move boatloads of goods into foreign countries. But now, thanks to the Internet, businesses of all sizes have a huge new opportunity to sell both goods and services globally. Yet only 1% of all U.S. businesses export. Why? Typically, exporting begins with unsolicited inquiries from foreign customers on the web via email, website, blog, or posting on a Facebook page. People outside your country want your product, and they want it now. The problem is that most small business owners do not know how to service these inquiries. What's the best way to ship goods? Do I need a license? Should I sell through wholesalers in specific countries or directly to consumers? How will I get paid? Help is here—Exporting equips you with the knowledge you need to market, sell, and fulfill orders internationally, taking full advantage of the Internet and the opportunities it creates. It also imparts a can-do spirit on exporting, leading to greater revenues, stability, and profitability for your business. Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably: Lays out simple steps to conduct market research, find customers, open new markets, get paid, and ship goods and services. Takes you through the exporting process via the Internet and other means. Shows how to use social media to expand your international presence. Provides insider tips and strategies to export efficiently and profitably. Explains how the U.S. government helps exporters. Walks readers through the export business plan. With 70 percent of global buying power lying outside U.S. borders, exporting is not just an option for ambitious entrepreneurs--it’s an absolute must for building and sustaining a successful future.

Five Pennies is 'THE FIELD MANUAL' for Building and Growing a Franchise Brand With the Right Mindset and Tools! This Book Contains over 120 Tools to Build, Grow and Manage a National Franchise Brand! Featuring Examples of 20 'Best of Class' Franchise Brands to learn from - and 10 'Mega-Wreck' stories to avoid! Learn About: - Creating and Growing Sustainable Unit Profitability - Managing Franchise System Relations - Staying Ahead of Your Growth Rate - Enhancing System Profits With Continued Education - Turning Your System Into a 'Best Practices' Machine - How to Recruit Franchise Buyer 2.0 and Maximizing Their Results - Structuring Layered Franchise Support and Marketing - Developing Macro-Level Programs for System Growth - Utilizing Technology to Grow and Manage a Brand - Resource Management for a Growing System

Collected from the Chicago Tribune's column of the same name, Executive Profiles is an intimate and informative look into the lives of top Chicago business and organization leaders, executives, and CEOs. These profiles do more than just detail the success of these individuals' companies, however. In discussions that range from family to hobbies to personal business philosophies, the interviewers seek to understand the people behind the heads of these stalwart Chicago institutions. Arranged by industry, Executive Profiles is a serious look at an eclectic range of Chicago's movers and shakers, but it also offers an entertaining peek into the more personal, human sides of these business leaders. For fascinating insight into the habits and philosophies of Chicago's driven business and nonprofit executives, look no further than this inspiring collection.

Management accountants must be able to define the payoffs from their organisation's risk taking, as well as identify, understand, and reduce the negative effects of everyday business risks. This book defines organisational risk taking and outlines a formal process to handle risk effectively. The book details six steps for sound risk management: Defining risk Examining your attitude toward risk Analysing your organisation's ability to handle risk Minimising a risk's exposure or downside Recovering quickly from a risk's negative impacts Expanding your knowledge so you can accept more risk with confidence Written for management accountants, Smart Risk Management analyses your position in the middle of the organisation-ensuring both that it does not take risks whose costs it cannot afford and that it takes enough risks to stay competitive in the evolving marketplace. Having adequate insurance coverage is only one small piece of risk management, as this book explains. With ample examples and case studies, as well as 50 hands-on risk tools, Smart Risk Management will enhance your understanding of strategic, operational, and innovation risk and increase your value to your organisation.

This book has been replaced by Smart but Scattered, Second Edition, ISBN 978-1-4625-5459-1.