Book Review – The Start-Up Kit by Emma Jones

Everyone who owns a small business, or who is thinking of starting one, should get a copy of this fabulous Start-Up Kit. The blurb on the box says it contains ?everything you need to start a small business?, and I would have to agree. The collection of over £400 worth of business-related offers are enough on their own to make the kit worth the £25 asking price, even if you don’t want to buy yet another ?start your own business? book.

But of course, this book has been written by Emma Jones, successful businessmum and author, and founder of Enterprise Nation, one of the most popular websites for home business owners in the UK, and so I can tell you it is definitely not just another old ‘start your own business’ book. In fact is is one of the most concise and clearly written pack of ideas, resources, lists and templates that I have ever come across.

With step by step instructions, templates, and loads of case studies, Emma shows you how to get started, from having that first idea, setting up and equipping your office, marketing yourself and making your first profit. All this can even be achieved whilst holding down a day job (she explains how to square it with your employer), so what are you waiting for?

I have been in business in various guises for nearly 9 years, and I’m a qualified accountant, yet I have still found lots of new hints, tips and ideas in this kit that I can put to instant use, in running Motivating Mum and my other businesses. I really wish I had seen this kit years ago – it would have saved me a lot of struggle.

When I asked Emma to send me a copy of the book to review, I intended to read it carefully then offer it as a promotional prize on my site. But I’m sorry guys, I’m keeping my copy, and it will be well-thumbed by the time I am finished with it. I’m going to work through it page by page, following up all the links and suggestions, and I will report back in a few months or so exactly how much value I have added to my business. There is so much in this book, I think it will take me that long.

In the meantime you will have to buy your own copy, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

You can purchase the Start-Up kit from Amazon – it is currently on special offer at £14.49, which in my view is a total bargain. If you would like to see other successful books by Emma Jones, please see the Motivating Mum bookstore.

These are just some of the offers you will receive with this book:

– a business bank account from Barclays with £25 in it (saved your purchase price already!)
– a months free line rental for a BlackBerry on O2
– £30 of free Google AdWords advertising
– a free pack of moo.com business cards
– 10% discount on office equipment from HP
– £270 discount on website design from POWA
– no Paypal fees for 3 months on your POWA website
– 2 months free subscription to Bitsy, the web?s friendliest business-to-business website

P.S. When the kind folks at Emma?s publishers saw my cheeky comment above they immediately dispatched me another free copy. So now I have got a copy to give away. Just hop on over to my facebook page, like it, and leave a comment under the Start up Kit competition post. The winner will be drawn at random on Monday 21st February from comments on that post.