Business-plan

Although Biech makes a number of good points in her text here, the vast majority of it can be chocked up to common sense. The workbook fill-in forms are nice if you're the sort of person that is so unorganized that you need your hand held at every step, but in all honesty if you fall into that category you probably shouldn't be thinking about a consulting career in the first place. Unfortunately I feel like their primary purpose is just to take up space, and make the book feel longer and more useful than it really is. If you boil this "quick start guide" down to the few pages that are actually worthwhile, you wouldn't even have enough pages to fill a pamphlet. Look elsewhere.

This book is a "hands-on guide" (workbook) designed for those of us who are still trying to decide if we should stay in our current job or venture out in the consulting world. I love the worksheets, checklists, and endless questions, (i.e., "Are you a match for the profession?" and "Entrepreneur attitude: do you have what it takes?" There are other books out there that cover this topic but most of them make consulting seem "glamorous". And let's face it, most of us think working for ourselves and getting out of the 9 to 5 rat race is a piece of cake. Elaine spells out the pitfalls along with the rewards. (She's been doing it for over 20 years so she obviously finds it rewarding!) She shows you that being a consultant is not just consulting--it's running a business. Elaine makes you work--yes, it takes time to do the exercises! She makes you think--do I really want to work 18 hour days or be away from my family for days at a time? She makes you face reality--can I do this?--do I want to do this? Then she tells you how to do it--one step at a time. Thanks, Elaine, for another great book in the "Business of Consulting" series!

As a novice consultant I find this book to be a must. The practical issues, ideas and tips explored in the book helped me make a conscious decision whether to start my own business (or not) based on realistic expectations, a practical business plan, and knowing all the hard work I can expect. This book contains everything you could possibly need to get started in your own business - almost any business and in any field.
Elaine shares with the reader a lot of useful information from her own knowledge and experience that most consultants are not willing to share. Thank you for this book!

I found this book to be full of good, common sense on how to get your life (both financial and non-financial aspects) in order by taking a value added approach. Very comforting to the reader. Some points, however, seemed to go on forever (probably because the author was trying to drive them home), so the book was a little tedious in parts. (I would say to myself, "Enough already!") Still a good read, just jump ahead when you get bored (you've probably gotten the point).

Bruce Eaton's book, Conquering Your Financial Stress, provides a detailed road map that will guide the reader directly to a place called financial piece of mind. While many so-called financial self-help books provide seductive, angles for acquiring wealth, CYFS shows how people often already posess the tools, resources, and yes, the cold hard cash, to alleviate the financial stresses plaquing so many Americans today. Eaton communicates clearly the key steps in avoiding the rocky coast of spiraling debt, eternal dissatisfaction, and the stresses created by always wanting "more." Eaton's book is effective because he has in-depth knowledge on the subject, is wise beyond his years, and really cares about the subject. Rather than picking up the next tome on getting rich quick, try a pleasant and worthwhile detour with Conquering Your Financial Stress. Thanks to Eaton, the reader may find the grass is greener right under his/her own two feet.

This book was a complete paradigm shift on the essense of money. It takes the focus off of "things" and puts the focus on things of "true value". The author shows you how to reassess what you are working so hard to achieve in comparison to the quality of your life. I really enjoyed his humor.