HIRE
your first
EMPLOYEE
The entrepreneur’s guide to finding, choosing and leading great people
Rhonda Abram
The Planning Shop
Palo Alto, California
Praise for Books from The Planning Shop
“User-friendly and exhaustive … highly recommended. Abrams’ book works because she tirelessly researched the subject. Most how-to books on entrepreneurship aren’t worth a dime; among the thousands of small business titles, Abrams’ [is an] exception.”
—Forbes Magazine
“Rhonda Abrams knows her target market. She did not try to be all things to all readers. This book is for people who want to be serious entrepreneurs … It comes down to the numbers … Rhonda Abrams makes sure you’ll take care of the Bottom Line numbers.”
—Sean Murphy, Ernst & Young, LLP, New York
“If you’d like something that goes beyond the mere construction of your plan and is more fun to use … this book can take the pain out of the process.”
—“Small Business School” (PBS television show)
“This book stands head and shoulders above all others … and the perfect choice for the beginner and the experienced business professional.”
—BizCountry
“It is my No. 1 recommendation to SBDC clients … I have always liked the layout, order of presentation, sidebar notes, and real-world perspective on the planning process, components of the plan, etc.”
—David Gay, Small Business Development Center, College of DuPage
“I have to say—I reviewed several options on the Internet, and after much searching, ordered four different books that I thought would be the best to consider using in the course. The other three didn’t even come close. This is a great book, especially for non-native speakers of English. Good work over there!”
—Julie Carbajal, Fonty University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
“You have done a great service in establishing your publishing company and in helping so many people to learn all the ins and outs of what can be a daunting experience. You’ve also saved people like me lots of money in the interim, as we learn and do what we can to realize our dreams.”
—S.M. Lourenco, VP, Imaginas, LLC, New York
“There are plenty of decent business-plan guides out there, but Abrams’ was a cut above the others I saw. The Successful Business Plan won points with me because it was thorough and well organized, with handy worksheets and good quotes. Also, Abrams does a better job than most at explaining the business plan as a planning tool rather than a formulaic exercise. Well done.”
—Inc. Magazine
“At last, a straightforward book that demystifies the process behind conducting effective business research … gives business practitioners and students an incredibly useful tool to enable them to find accurate and timely information for business plans, academic papers, and other business uses.”
—Molly Lavik, Practitioner Faculty of Marketing, Graziadio School of Business and Management, Pepperdine University
“I’m growing my business by purchasing a commercial building, and I needed a real estate loan to make the purchase. Business Plan In A Day was THE source I used for writing my plan, and the bankers and brokers I spoke with all commended my plan as being very strong and well written. Thanks to you, I’ve secured my loan and the transaction is going through. I feel so fortunate to have found this book.”
—Lisa Stillman, GardenWalk Massage Therapy, St. Louis
“As a small business advisor, I use the Electronic Financial Worksheet (EFW) tool extensively in analyzing my clients’ financials. I recommend the Planning Shop’s EFW for any small business. It’s the best cash flow financial planning tool on the market today.”
—Joe Lam, Certified Business Advisor, Texas State University Small Business Development Center
“Your book has been both an inspirational read as well as a comprehensive guide. … Being relatively inexperienced with entrepreneurship, your book has not only given me the ability to create a solid road-map for planning, but has also provided an encouraging and easy way to cope with the enormous amount of information and organization needed.”
—Simon Lee, Entrepreneur
“I just finished reading Rhonda’s Trade Show In A Day and thought it was an excellent book and one that will stay close by my side during my next dozen shows. I highly recommend the book to anyone who wants to increase their productivity and profitability at their next trade event.”
—Gene Muchanski, President, Dive Industry Association
Hire Your First Employee
©2010 by Rhonda Abrams. Published by The Planning Shop™
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, stored in an information retrieval system, or used in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
ISBN: 978-1-933895-13-0
Managing Editor: Rebecca Gaspar
Project Writers/Researchers: Mike McClary, Alice LaPlante
Project Researcher/Copyeditor: Anne Marie Bonneau
Cover Design: Diana Russell Design and Eric Powers
Interior Design: Diana Russell Design
Services for our readers
Colleges, business schools, corporate purchasing:
The Planning Shop offers special discounts and supplemental teaching materials for universities, business schools, and corporate training. Contact:
[email protected] or call 650-289-9120
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The Planning Shop™
555 Bryant Street, #180
Palo Alto, CA 94301 USA
650-289-9120
Fax: 650-289-9125
Email: [email protected] www.PlanningShop.com
The Planning Shop™ is a division of Rhonda, Inc., a California corporation.
Cover photograph of Rhonda Abrams by Garrett Hubbard
Interior photographs © istockphoto.com
“This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, seek the services