The seeds for the content of “Down to Business: The First 10 Steps to Entrepreneurship for Women” sprouted out of an effort to hold the attention a group of middle school students who outgrew the picture book story hour, a weekly event I held at the bookstore to interest students in reading. The older kids wanted to know how I started the Hue-Man Bookstore so I made it into a game and gave them a scenario. I asked them to imagine wanting to open a bookstore. What would you need? The hands shot up---get money, a location, customers, cash registers, employees, a name, bookshelves and books. And for each suggestion, I told them what I did to open the store. From their input, I expanded the list and came up with “First Steps in Starting the Hue-Man Bookstore”. Over the years, I fleshed out the story to a general workshop since its’ principles related not just to bookselling, but to all businesses and the steps resonated with prospective small business owners.
The workshops that followed were the result of an invitation by a Harlem bank manager. I was asked to give a presentation to customers who had inquired about bank loans for their business ideas but were unprepared and could benefit from the information. I was surprised that the attendedees were 80 percent women. They took copious notes and at the end always asked for a takeaway or if I had a book. Eureka! The book idea was born. I wanted to reach out to potential and existing women owned businesses who were passionate and eager to launch or expand their enterprise. “Down To Business” provides concise information in an accessible format and is enlivened by inspirational stories of women in an eclectic assortment of businesses. And since I lived in Harlem and personally knew many female business owners in the area, I used them as examples in the book. Each chapter includes exercises and if the reader completes them, that budding entrepreneur will have overcome a major obstacle and will come away with a basic business plan.
This book about getting women “Down to Business”
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