Book Reviews traders, partnerships or limited companies. The franchisee’ s freedom in managing the business is determined by the terms of the franchise agreement.
BUSINESS BOOKS 41
Book Reviews traders, partnerships or limited companies. The franchisee’ s freedom in managing the business is determined by the terms of the franchise agreement.
Franchisees often pay a percentage of their turnover to the franchiser.
Social enterprises A social enterprise is a business which has primarily social objectives and any profits are reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community.
They are businesses distinguished by their social aims, eg. enterprises, community development trusts, housing associations, worker-owned co-operatives and leisure centres.
Social enterprises can take one of several different business structures eg companies limited by guarantee, companies limited by shares and industrial and provident societies.
Choose the right name for your business If you’ ve decided to form a limited company, you’ ll need to register your name and other details with Companies House. To comply with Companies House rules ensure that your company name ends with limited, plc, Ltd or Welsh equivalents( this must not be used anywhere other than at the end of the name).
The name can also not be offensive and must not include any sensitive words or expressions unless you have obtained permission to use them.
The name must not be the same as, or very similar to one already in the register.
Make sure that your name creates the impression you want it to create. Would it be a good idea to include your name, or maybe have something more abstract. If you are planning to
Yes, women are doing it for themselves and nowhere is this more true than in business. In this issue Caroline Lashley reviews three business books written by women – aimed largely at women as they feature women-owned businesses, however men are definitely not excluded, and should find the books interesting too.
Make it Your Business
Officially launched on 31 January 2007 at a discreetly smart Hanover Square building,“ Make it Your Business” is a comprehensive handbook written specifically for women, by women, that gives you the know-how and the confidence to launch your business idea and make a profit without selling out or burning out. Businesswomen( and now authors) Lucy Martin and Bella Mehta share their passion for enabling women to reach their full potential in this book by combining the support, objectivity and encouragement of a mentor, with the commercial and technical advice vital to any startup business with stories and tips from real women illustrating how, empowering and rewarding it is to run a business, whether it’ s a spare-room start-up or an international empire.
Title: Make It Your Business Authors: Lucy Martin & Bella Mehta Publisher: Springhill Books ISBN: 1-905862-00-2 Price: £ 12.99
The Woman’ s Advantage
“ The Woman’ s Advantage” by Mary Cantando is a hardback edition of 20 stories( each story covers an entrepreneur from several different backgrounds, and a business lesson).
These stories feature women who own multi-million dollar enterprises, many of them started from scratch, and each of them using a mix of what Ms Cantando calls“ smart choices and by connecting with the right networks” – something that we in the UK are slowly getting to grips with.
One very useful business tip I do agree with Mary on- surround yourself with powerful and useful mentors if you can.
Title: The Woman’ s Advantage Author: Mary Cantando Publisher: Kaplan Publishing ISBN: 1-4195-3571-4 Price: £ 13.00
trade abroad, check that the name doesn’ t mean anything inappropriate.
Don’ t make the name too long as it will make it difficult for customers / suppliers to remember / spell it.
People operating as sole traders or in partnerships can trade under their own names, or choose a different business name. For a limited company, your company name is not yours until registration is complete. At
In Good Company
According to the blurb on the back,“ In Good Company” is a must-read for all women who are thinking of starting their own business.
Fair enough. It’ s just disconcerting when it’ s two young women old enough to be my children telling other women how to run successful ul businesses using the Internet and good old-fashioned common sense! A couple of very useful sections in here: watching your health and sanity and selling your business to the right bidder when you’ ve done all you can.
Written in a direct, no-nonsense style, it is pretty comprehensive, and certainly if I were back in my 20’ s and thinking about running my own business, this book seems like having a big sister to hold your hands.
Title: In Good Company Author: Rebecca Jordan & Kirsty Weir Publisher: A & C Black ISBN: 0-7136-7626-4 Price: £ 9.99
Caroline Lashley runs The Editor’ s Office, a PR consultancy helping small businesses and entrepreneurs gain basic skills in public relations. Also, the publisher and editor of small business ezine, Sister Business UK, Caroline can be contacted via email at theeditorsoffice @ yahoo. co. uk
this point you’ ll receive a Certificate of Incorporation, showing the company’ s registered name and number.
For further information obtain a copy of the Companies House guidance booklet –‘ Company Names’. For a copy, call Companies House on telephone number: 0870 333 3636. Next issue: How to‘ market’ your business.
ISSUE THREE 2007 engage | uk