Millions of employees parked in cubicles dream about starting their own businesses. And in today's economy, countless unemployed professionals are becoming entrepreneurs out of necessity. They may have good skills and ideas, but do they really understand what it takes to build a profitable venture? As owner and co-founder of the award-winning It'sYourBiz.com (formerly SBTV.com, or Small Business Television), Susan Solovic has years of experience in the small business trenches. In It's Your Biz she shows prospective entrepreneurs how to sidestep the pitfalls that doom more than half of all new businesses while dramatically improving their odds of success. The book strips away the usual dreamy calls to "pursue your passion," supplying the kind of candid, real-world advice readers truly need, such as how to:

Gauge whether you have the qualities required to succeed

Prepare for drastic culture shock

Build a business plan that works

Focus on providing market solutions

Choose partners, advisers, and employees wisely

Promote your business on a shoestring budget

Protect your company and yourself

Make the most of bootstrap financing. From planning and funding to promotion and pricing, It's Your Biz is packed with the practical, honest, expert guidance that budding entrepreneurs need before they set out on their own.