Paul Burri: A Must-Read for Entrepreneurs

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By Paul Burri, Noozhawk Columnist

Learn what it takes to start and grow a small business

When I had my own business and even now, still interested in business matters, I am always reading business books. I don’t do this often, but I’d like to tell you about a book I just finished reading. Its subtitle is A Navigational Guide to Achieve Success, and that’s what it is.

Anyone who is thinking about starting a small business — or anyone whose business is only a few years old — should read this book because it takes you by the hand and leads you step by step through all the things you need to know to be successful at being in business. It is one of the best books I’ve ever read about starting, growing and then selling a small business — at least, that is, until the book I’m working on gets published.

Starting with the definition of an entrepreneur, the book talks about having the vision, assembling a team of advisers, getting funding, legal and accounting matters, running the company efficiently and profitably, and — an area that many business people fail to plan for — knowing when and how to sell the business.

I was particularly impressed by the author’s chapter on the selection and the “care and feeding” of an attorney. It isn’t something that’s talked about, but it’s something I definitely intend to include in my book — if I ever finish it.

The reality is that few attorneys really know very much about business matters. Oh, they are great when it comes to “where-as” and the what-ifs, but it’s the nitty-gritty business details that the businessman needs to pay attention to in legal documents.

The author says being prepared for this weakness can save you lots of attorney hours — not to mention including many important business details that an attorney may miss or overlook. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

Similarly, the author talks about the importance of knowing exactly what information you want and need when talking to your accountant. To run a successful business — and to save money on accounting fees — you don’t have to be a graduate accountant, but you do have to be smart enough to ask the right questions. And, contrary to popular opinion, it’s OK to ask dumb questions.

Whenever I read a book, I find myself underlining and highlighting it frequently as I go. This is one of those books that is “bloody” with red underlines and highlights. Another endorsement is that I frequently found myself thinking, “I wish I had said that” or “I was going to say that. You just pre-empted me.”

The name of the book? What It Takes to Be an Entrepreneur by Leon Presser, who happens to be one of our Santa Barbara success stories.

I have a fairly comprehensive list of some of my other favorite business books. If you’d like to have a copy, send me an e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Happy reading.

— Paul Burri is an entrepreneur, inventor, columnist, engineer and iconoclast. He is not in the advertising business, but he is a small-business counselor with the Santa Barbara chapter of Counselors to America’s Small Business-SCORE. He can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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