Business for Beginners

Rose Hall (Author) Rose grew up in Northumberland, studied Physiology at Oxford and looked after orphaned orangutans for a bit. She worked in the charity sector for ten years, writing about issues from renewable energy, to the safety of workers in Bangladesh. For Usborne, she's written books about engineering, business, computers and the environment. Lara Bryan (Author) Lara has loved books since the days of being read bedtime stories by her Irish dad and French mum. At school she set up a secondhand bookshop called Books Change Lives, and went on to study English and Italian at Oxford University. After teaching in Italy and Myanmar, she got her dream job as a writer for Usborne Publishing. From explaining how economics works, to inventing boredom-busting activities, to telling a good dragon yarn, she's enjoyed every minute of the job.

What is a business?
Why do we need businesses?
Business is everywhere
Why set up a business?

Chapter 1: How to start a business
Do you want to start a business? Here are the basics you need to get stuck in: think up business ides, testing them, sussing out your competition, and raising the money you need to start.

Chapter 2: How to sell your stuff
Raring to go? Now you need to answer these questions: where should your goods or services be on sale? How much should you charge? And how do you persuade people to buy them?

Chapter 3: Keeping track of money
How do businesses make sure they spend less money than they make? Why do you need to pay taxes? And why do some businesses fail?

Chapter 4: People in business
Here's where to find out who does what in business. Read about what makes a good leader, how leaders get the best out of their employees, and how businesses can affect consumers and communities.

Chapter 5: Making a product
How do you make something that is high quality, without it costing too much? How do businesses satisfy customers and protect the environment at the same time?

Chapter 6: Growing the business
Bigger is better, isn't it? But how do you grow your business? And can a business ever get too big?

Chapter 7: The bigger picture
All businesses are affected by the world around them. Find out about the economy and interest rates and how they affect business. Discover how governments support and control businesses, and the impact of new technology.

What now?

Glossary
Index
Usborne Quicklinks
Acknowledgements