Checking Your Lists

Startup entrepreneurs are notoriously short on time, which is why editor Gene Marks created the Streetwise Small Business Book of Lists: Hundreds of Lists to Help You Reduce Costs, Increase Revenues and Boost Your Profits. With the help of more than 300 experts, he included 500 digestible lists, including the top states for new business formation and the best ways to reduce expenses. Marks recommends a few lists for startups.

nlist #1: Questions to Ask to Tell If You Have What It Takes to Start a Business. These are 10 things to ask yourself, says Marks. For instance: Do I have the persistence and patience? Does this business idea really energize me? "[It includes] things to think about that I wish somebody had told me before I started my company," he says.

nlist #2: Typical Business Startup Legal Problems. Culled from the expertise of a CPA and business attorney, the list includes eight legal issues to consider, including not taking advantage of certain protections and not establishing consistent workplace practices.

nlist #3: Key Reports to Use to Run a Business. "[It] has about eight specific reports that typical business owners need to have their thumb on the pulse of their businesses," says Marks. Samples like a simple P&L statement, an inventory turnover report and a quick cash-flow report are included for reference.