Do you want to work at home?

AARP published a great article last year about the best work-at-home jobs for retirees.  But there's no reason these jobs couldn't work for younger workers as well.  Customer service reps no longer have to be centrally located in a corporate call center.  Online tutors help kids do their math, or English, or history homework.  Virtual office assistants do payroll, make travel plans and arrange meetings.  See what other work-at-home opportunities AARP suggests in this article, and in this additional article about home based businesses.

Starting Your Own Business--For Teens!

Saturday, December 1, 3-4 pm, Small Meeting Room, Main Library
 
This program is for teens who have always wanted to have their own business. Learn the basics of getting a business started, from budgeting to marketing, and everything in between, to get your dream off the ground. Please register online, in person, or by calling 847-448-8625
For grades 6-12.

ReferenceUSA Workshop

Thursday, November 15, 1 pm, Community Meeting Room, Main Library

Learn how to use this valuable reference tool to create mailing lists, identify prospective employers, find lifestyle demographics, and more. Registration is requested, but not required. Walk-ins are always welcome. Register online, or call the Reference Desk at 847-448-8630.

New Business Titles

Breakthrough Branding: How Smart Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs Transform A Small Idea into A Big Brand Kaputa, Catherine, c2012. [On order by EPL]
A "how-to-brand" book, in which the author points out that the small idea is best. She describes simple approaches to the brand promise, positioning, verbal and visual identities, and marketing, all of which can help a small business owner position his or her enterprise.

By Invitation Only : How We Built Gilt Groupe and Changed the Way Millions Shop.

Maybank, Alexis and Alexandra Wilkis, c2012  [381.142 Mayba.A]
Maybank and Wilson started the online business, Gilt.com.  In this book, they discuss how they solved practical and strategic problems, including choosing the right new hires for their growing business and appealing to male consumers. The authors provide helpful checklists, as well as concise overviews of their respective leadership styles. Their combined expertise can help any budding entrepreneur launch a new business.

Entrepreneurship Quizzes: 12 Easy tests to Help You Become Successfully Self-Employed.  Liptak, John J., c2012.   [658.1141 Lipta.J]
The book takes readers through a four-step self-reflection process assessing readiness, determining a business type, overcoming barriers, and maintaining momentum designed to help readers find their own path to self-employment success. The appendix includes an extensive list of self-employment resources for readers to explore that are tied to their responses. (Amazon.com)

The Loyalty Leap Turning Customer Information into Customer Intimacy.  Pearson, Bryan, c2012. [ 658.8343 Pears.B]
The author discusses components of the loyalty bond, how to engender it, and the roadblocks one may encounter in the process. Additionally, he outlines tactics to avoid--such as the creepy and the invasive--since data acquisition and mining are such crucial elements of loyalty development.

Language skills for business owners and others

If you do business in or need to communicate with other countries, you will be interested in Mango Languages, a language learning tool that you can access with your Evanston Public Library card.  The interactive software allows you to practice speaking another language in the comfort and privacy of your own home or office.  Choose from Spanish, French, German, Arabic and many other languages.  Mango uses real-life situations and actual conversations to teach a new language more effectively .  Or, if you or your employees are non-native English speakers, you can take advantage of the "English as a Second Language" options that Mango offers.  English courses for speakers of French, Chinese, Polish, Spanish and a number of other languages are also available.

New titles for Small Business

All Business is Local: Why Place Matters More than Ever in a Global, Virtual World, Quelch, John A. and Katherine E. Jocz.  c2012. (658.8 Quelc.J)
The authors examine how and why place should be an important part of strategic decision making, and how even global businesses are often the leading local brand.


Creating a Bu$iness You'll Love: Top entrepreneurs share their secrets.  Chimsky-Lustig, Mark, ed.  c 2011. (658.421 Creatin)
27 entrepreneurs, including Howard Schultz of Starbucks, and Craig Newmark, of craigslist, reveal decisions, and sometimes, the mistakes, they have made that helped them to start and grow successful businesses.

The First-Time Manager, Belker, Loren B., Jim McCormick, and Gary S. Topchik.  c2012. (658.302 Belke.L)
The sixth edition of this management classic includes new material on increasing employee engagement, encouraging innovation and initiative, improving outcomes, and more.


Guide to Successful Consulting, Stryker, Steven C.  c2012.  (658.46 Stryk.S)
This book provides an essential introduction  to the fundamental concepts of consulting, and contains a number of valuable tools, such as checklists, forms and letters

Recent Small Business Financing Titles

The Evanston Public Library has a number of books about financing and managing the cash flow of a small business.  Here are some recently added titles:

Accounting Savvy for Business Owners: A guide to the bare essentials.  Goodman, Philip B., c2010.  Easy to understand information about tracking business finances.  Also available as an audiobook.

Cash Flow for Dummies  Tracy, Tage C., c2012.  Valuable tips, techniques, and information on the fundamentals of cash management to maximize cash flow.

Locavesting: The Revolution in Local Investing and How to Profit from It.  Cortese, Amy, 2011.  Various types of funding methods are discussed, including cooperatives, credit unions, local stock exchanges, community development funds, public venture capital, and raising money through social networking.

The 30 Day MBA in Business Finance.   Barrow, Colin, 2011.
Covers the fundamentals of business finance; analyzing financial reports; corporate capital structures; business tax and reporting procedures; and more.

JVS Small Business Workshops

Jewish Vocational Service Chicago is offering the following workshops in February and March.  All events will be held at JVS Chicago, 216 W. Jackson,Chicago, 2nd Floor Training Room.

CORE FOUR® Small Business Planning Boot Camp
Tuesday, February 21st, Thursday, February 23rd, Tuesday, February 28th and Thursday, March 1st 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m
This 10-hour business planning course will give you the information and skills that you need in the four "CORE" elements of planning and sustaining a business: Plan for business success; Plan your business to meet the needs of the market place; Plan for your business cash flow needs; and Plan how your business will operate.  $50. Please contact Steve Bob at stevebob@jvschicago.org or 312-673-3429.

STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS IN ILLINOIS
Tuesday, March 13, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m
This workshop will acquaint you with the basic procedures for opening a business in Illinois. You will also receive information designed to answer your questions about the legalities, regulations, and requirements of operating a small business.   FREE. Register online.


SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING METHODS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
Thursday, March 15, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. 
This workshop will address topics in marketing and social media and differentiate between the two. This workshop will combine traditional methods to formulate new social media and marketing methods.  FREE. Register online

FRANCHISING OPTIONS FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Thursday, March 20, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
There are over 3,000 franchises is the United States and in this workshop you will learn how to find and finance the franchise that meets your lifestyle and financial goals. Presented by John McLellan, President of FranNet Chicago.  FREE. Register online.

HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN
Tuesday, March 27, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Planning is the roadmap to success in the business world. A business plan is essential for anyone starting or buying a business, financing or refinancing a business, or raising debt or equity capital. A business plan helps you find hidden business flaws and makes you think carefully about each phase of your business. Receive help on development of your business plan from our skilled and knowledgeable instructors.   FREE. Register online.