Sign-In
Cart
How to start a business: A Step-by-Step Guide to Launching a Small Business With No Money, By a Serial Entrepreneur
Paperback
Series: The Income Engineers System, Book 1
Business BiographiesBusiness General
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Nov 22 2022
Pages: 172
Weight: 0.52
Height: 0.37 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
You don't need money to start a business. You need customers.
Everything else you've been told is wrong, and this book proves it, with real numbers from real businesses.
In the early 1980s, David White was twenty-two years old with five customers, no capital, and a keyboard rejected from his day job. Two years later he'd sold more than ten thousand units. No investment. No loan. No business plan. Just five people willing to pay for something real.
A decade on, he did it again. And again after that. The fourth time produced Weboptimiser, a search engine marketing agency that ran for twenty years and counted IBM, Adobe, Disney, Sony, and Vodafone among its clients. Same start every time: customers first, capital never.
How To Start A Business Without Any Money is the book that explains how, and why it keeps working, whether the goal is to generate a profit, generate a steady income, or simply find the freedom of being your own boss.
Told through real stories, not theory
Every principle here is drawn from something that actually happened. A German delegation and the 55 limousine that got David into the room. A sandwich van that nearly cost him a client. A photocopier that cost 18,600 and sold to a church for 10, and the rule about long-term commitments it proved at real cost. A VAT return that revealed 10,000 a week in revenue, and the question it raised: how long will this last?
Eleven chapters. Eleven real stories. One framework built from all of them.
The Freedom Framework
Ten steps for starting a business without capital, and finding your first ten customers along the way:
Find a problem that already exists. Design the simplest solution. Find five paying customers before you build anything. Deliver what you promised. Convert customers to clients. Systematise what's working. Get to ten clients. Build the buffer. Decide your path. Keep learning.
Each step has a gate. You don't move to the next one until you've passed it. The framework gets you to the moment a customer pays you for something you can actually deliver, as quickly and as cheaply as possible. The profit, the income, the freedom, all follow from that one moment.
More than a book
This is Book One of a five-book system, The Income Engineers System, with a free companion app and a community of people working through the same framework right now. Answer a few honest questions and the app hands you a working plan built around exactly where your business is today. When the work gets lonely, which it will, the Income Engineers Guild puts you in a room with other founders, some further along, some further behind.
Who this book is for
Written for the person who has the skills and the idea, and has convinced themselves, or been convinced by others, that capital is the thing standing in the way. It isn't. It never was.
Employed but frustrated, sitting on a business idea. Just made redundant and weighing building something against another job. Tried before and want to know precisely where it went wrong. Want to learn how a small business actually gets customers, without a marketing budget. This book is for you.
About the author
David White has built a series of businesses over four decades without investors, loans, or marketing budgets, each funded by customers rather than borrowed or invested capital. He spent five years as Chair of the UK and EU IAB Search Council, and has worked with Fortune 500 companies including IBM, Vodafone, Disney, and Sony. He writes about systematic business development at davidwhiteconsulting.com.
How To Start A Business Without Any Money is the first book in The Income Engineers System, with a free companion app and worksheet toolkit, and access to the Income Engineers Guild community. Details inside the book.
Also from
White, David
Stratigraphy And Paleontology Of The Upper Carboniferous Rocks Of The Kansas Section
Adams, George Irving
White, David
Paperback
Introduction to Field-Being Philosophy: An Anthology of Lik Kuen Tong's Thought
Weed, Laura
White, David
Dykeman, Therese
Hardcover
The Times to Come Have Come: Hope and Help in Troubled Times REVISED and EXPANDED EDITION
White, David
Paperback
Poetic Bipolar Mind: Echoes of the Heart: Verses of Passion, Pain, and Perseverance
Jimenez, Kiana
Paperback
Chronicles: Seeking the Lord: Volume 1 of 4 -- From Adam to the Davidic Covenant
White, David
Paperback
Chronicles: Seeking the Lord: Vol. 4 of 4: Hezekiah Through the Edict of Cyrus
White, David
Paperback
Chronicles: Seeking the Lord: Vol. 2 of 4: David's Kingdom and Solomon's Temple
White, David
Paperback
Cert Resilience Management Model (Cert-Rmm): A Maturity Model for Managing Operational Resilience
Caralli, Richard
Allen, Julia
White, David
Paperback
Stratigraphy And Paleontology Of The Upper Carboniferous Rocks Of The Kansas Section
Adams, George Irving
White, David
Hardcover
Rethinking Culture: Embodied Cognition and the Origin of Culture in Organizations
White, David
Hardcover
Rethinking Culture: Embodied Cognition and the Origin of Culture in Organizations
White, David
Paperback
The Psychology of Human Behavior: Understand Why People Think, Feel and Act the Way They Do
White, David
Paperback
Also in
Business General
Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition
Grenny, Joseph
Patterson, Kerry
Switzler, Al
Paperback
The Pig and I: The Tale of Our Relationship with a Beast We Eat
Endresen, Kristoffer Hattleland
Hardcover
Inspired: Understanding Creativity: A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul
Richtel, Matt
Hardcover
Quiet Girls Can Run the World: Owning Your Power When You're Not the Alpha in the Room
Holman, Rebecca
Paperback
Inclusive Conversations: Fostering Equity, Empathy, and Belonging Across Differences
Winters, Mary-Frances
Paperback
Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and a Successful Life
Gadsden-Williams, Michelle
Brown, Carolyn M.
Paperback
The Token: Common Sense Ideas for Increasing Diversity in Your Organization
Farmer, Crystal Byrd
Paperback
Paris Chic & Trendy: Designers' Studios, Hip Boutiques, Vintage Shops
Ribes-Tiphaine, Adrienne
Paperback
The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking about
Robbins, Mel
Robbins, Sawyer
Hardcover
The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI: How to Think about Artificial Intelligence--Before It's Too Late
Doctorow, Cory
Paperback
The Risk Worth Taking: A Story of Breaking Free and Trading for a Life You Love
Ijeoma, Teri
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself, Updated and Expanded (Featuring How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen)
Review, Harvard Business
Drucker, Peter F.
Gallo, Amy
Paperback
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect
Guidara, Will
Hardcover
The Retire Sooner Method: The 5 Secrets Behind America's Happiest (and Unhappiest) Retirees
Moss, Wes
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Mental Toughness, Updated and Expanded (Featuring How to Stop Worrying about What Other People Think of You by Michael Gervais)
Review, Harvard Business
Gervais, Michael
Duckworth, Angela L.
Paperback
1873: The Rothschilds, the First Great Depression, and the Making of the Modern World
Ahamed, Liaquat
Hardcover
The Goal: 40th Anniversary Edition: A Process of Ongoing Improvement
Goldratt, Eliyahu M.
Cox, Jeff
Paperback
How to Be a Rich Old Lady: Your Guide to Easy Investing, Building Wealth, and Creating the Wild, Beautiful Life You Want
Holden, Amanda
Hardcover
Take Breaks, Work Better: Measure Impact, Not Hours, and Transform Your Profitability
Briggs, John
Paperback
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High
Patterson, Kerry
Grenny, Joseph
McMillan, Ron
Paperback
How We Could: The Framework to Lead Without Drama, Build Alignment, and Call Teams to Greatness
Dorr, Alex
Hardcover
Money Unlocked: How to Make It, Keep It and Multiply It: The New York Times Bestseller
Lee, John
Paperback
Surrender to Lead: The Counterintuitive Approach to Driving Extraordinary Results
Kriegel, Jessica
Terry, Joe
Hardcover
The Everywhere Millionaire: Who Is Really Rich in America and How They Got There
Zwick, Eric
Zidar, Owen
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Leadership, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Begin with Trust by Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss)
Edmondson, Amy C.
Ibarra, Herminia
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
The Freedom-Based Business Method: Reset, Systemize, and Realign Your Business to Live a Life of Harmony
Ellis, Natalie
Hardcover
The Courage to Commit: Embrace the Radical Power of Sticking with Something
Johnson, Shawn
East, Andrew
Hardcover
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
Hanselman, Stephen
Holiday, Ryan
Hardcover
Who Moved My Cheese?: An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life
Johnson, Spencer
Hardcover
The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, Deepmind, and the Quest for Superintelligence
Mallaby, Sebastian
Hardcover
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (Pmbok(r) Guide) -- Eighth Edition and the Standard for Project Management
Project Management Institute
Paperback
The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy
Danko, William D., PH. D.
Stanley, Thomas J., PH. D.
Paperback
Dummies Guide to Starting Your Own Business: Essential Steps to Launching and Scaling a Successful Small Business Venture
Press, Essywrites
Paperback
The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you
Fitzpatrick, Rob
Paperback
7-Figure Educator: Turn Your Experience as an Educator Into Income, Impact, and Freedom
Jordan-Thomas, Erica
Paperback
What the Heck Is Eos?: A Complete Guide for Employees in Companies Running on EOS
Wickman, Gino
Bouwer, Tom
Hardcover
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, and Change the Way You Lead Forever
Stanier, Michael Bungay
Paperback
Get Scalable: The Operating System Your Business Needs To Run and Scale Without You
Deiss, Ryan
Paperback
Conversation: How to Connect with Anyone & Make Every Interaction Count
Van Edwards, Vanessa
Hardcover
I Will Teach You to Be Rich: No Guilt. No Excuses. Just a 6-Week Program That Works (Second Edition)
Sethi, Ramit
Paperback
Confidence (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Kanter, Rosabeth Moss
Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It
Voss, Chris
Raz, Tahl
Hardcover
The Overthinker's Guide to Making Decisions: How to Make Decisions Without Losing Your Mind
Nguyen, Joseph
Hardcover
Stop Asking for Referrals: Build a Magnetic Business Through Intentional Care & Real Relationships
McNally, Flor de Maria
Paperback
Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour: The Ambitious Woman's Guide to Doing Less and Achieving More
Hauser, Fran
Hardcover
Hábitos Atómicos: Cambios Pequeños, Resultados Extraordinarios / Atomic Habits
Clear, James
Paperback
The Eureka Machine: Why AI Is the Key to Unlocking a New Era of Scientific Discoveries
Socher, Richard
Hardcover
Influence and Persuasion (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Morgan, Nick
Cialdini, Robert B.
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Mindful Listening (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Zenger, Jack
Review, Harvard Business
Hougaard, Rasmus
Paperback
Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong--and What You Really Need to Know
Oster, Emily
Paperback
Building Great Businesses: Create Momentum, Overcome Setbacks, and Scale with Confidence
Becker, Scott
Hardcover
A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection
Epley, Nicholas
Hardcover
Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience
Brown, Brené
Hardcover
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving in
Ury, William
Patton, Bruce
Fisher, Roger
Paperback
Crucial Accountability: Proven Skills to Build Trust, Address Disappointment, and Get Results, Third Edition
Patterson, Kerry
Grenny, Joseph
Hale, Justin
Hardcover
Money to Burn: The Unvarnished Truth about Leon Black, Apollo, and the Rise of a New Wall Street
Cohan, William D.
Hardcover
The Algorithm: The Hypergrowth Formula That Transformed Tesla, Lululemon, General Motors, and Spacex
McNeill, Jon
Hardcover
Power and Impact (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Review, Harvard Business
Cable, Dan
Bregman, Peter
Paperback
No Experience Necessary: Why Betting on Yourself in Your Twenties Is the Best Decision You'll Ever Make
Harary, Ronnen
Hardcover
The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World
Stulberg, Brad
Hardcover
Take It Personal: How to Succeed by Building Relationships and Playing the Long Game
Grutman, David
Hardcover
Mindfulness (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Langer, Ellen
Goleman, Daniel
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Happiness (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Gilbert, Daniel
Review, Harvard Business
McKee, Annie
Paperback
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Strategy, Updated and Expanded (Featuring the Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy by Michael E. Porter)
Review, Harvard Business
Porter, Michael E.
Kim, W. Chan
Paperback
From Operator to Owner: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Running a Business That Doesn't Run You
Landry, Liz
Hardcover
Feedback That Works: How to Build and Deliver Your Message, Second Edition
Center for Creative Leadership
Paperback
The Phoenix Project: A Novel about It, Devops, and Helping Your Business Win
Spafford, George
Kim, Gene
Behr, Kevin
Paperback
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on High Performance, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Nine Things Successful People Do Differently by Heidi Grant)
Grant, Heidi
Goleman, Daniel
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want
Hanna, Alex
Bender, Emily M.
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Managing People, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Are You a Good Boss--Or a Great One? by Linda A. Hill and Kent Lineback)
Review, Harvard Business
Goleman, Daniel
Hill, Linda A.
Paperback