When the Shit Hits the Fan! by Barry Thomsen

About the book

Every year, more than a million people start a new small business with drive, enthusiasm, and dreams of success. Unfortunately, about the same number every year go out of business. The mortality rate for small businesses is probably higher than it should be because most entrepreneurs don't know what to do "When the Shit Hits the Fan" .. and it always does. There are things that are going to happen that no textbook will ever warn you about, because no small business operates like the text books say it should.

After 30 years in many of his own small businesses and helping others, Barry Thomsen has seen pretty much all the things that can go wrong, all the solutions that just don't work, and all the ways to keep the doors open... if only for another month. There is a lot more to starting, running, and succeeding at a business than buying a nice sign and ordering business cards.

In this provocative book, you'll find out how:

» Poor customer care can ruin a small business

» Losing a big account is not the end of the world.

» Cash-flow problems can bring you to a standstill.

» Massive competition can be dealt with profitably.

» Owner attitude can affect the entire business.

There are many common-sense answers to the everyday problems that affect most small businesses. An owner must meet these head-on... or head them off before they start. When the Shit Hits the Fan! will help you survive when it seems like bullets are coming from every directions at once. You'll learn tried-and-true ways to deal with everything from poor cash flow, bad publicity, and unanticipated market changes to problem employees, irate customers, and weather disasters.

About the author

Barry Thomsen has started, owned, and operated many small businesses, usually several at the same time, and has personally experienced most of the situations, problems, and solutions found in this book. He has sold lemonade from a wagon (age 5), tripled a paper route's customer base (age 10), sold Amway and Avon door-to-door, and been involved in a wide variety of companies producing or selling computer supplies, mailing lists, cookie jars, business forms, and many other products. Thomsen, who splits his time between Colorado Springs and Chicago, is the publisher of the Idea-Letter, a nation-wide small business newsletter. He also is the president of a promotional products company and loves to write and talk about small business.