Written by two leading experts in the field this essential volume offers a step-by-step guide to understanding and evaluating the goals, risks and the rewards of starting a firm. 464 pp.

• Covers the basics of firm organization, personnel requirements, legal considerations, fee setting, marketing issues and the essentials of strategic and business plans
• Addresses how to get started including how to create your first business plan, evaluate initial needs and costs, create a budget and a produce a list of action items to get started
• This volume is practical, applied, concise, portable, affordable and user-friendly

• Introduction.
• Part 1: Starting a Design Firm
• Introduction.
• Deciding to "Go on Your Own".
• Marketing and Sales.
• Financial Management.
• Negotiating Fees and Contracts.
• Organization and Personnel.
• Legal and Ethical Issues.
• Resources and Support.
• Strategic and Business Plans.
• Planning for Excellences.
• Potential Cuases of Failure.
• Launching your Firm.
• Appendix A. Study Guide.
• Appendix B. Charting Your Course.
• Part 2: Ownership Transition
• Introduction.
• Ownership Transition Options.
• Determining Candidate Selection Criteria and Communicating Founders? Expectations.
• Valuing the Firm: How Much is it Worth?
• Making the Purchase Affordable: Ownership Transfer Mechanisms.
• Design the Ownership Transition Program.
• Getting the Ownership Transition Program Started.
• Documenting the Ownership Transition Program.
• Choosing the Form of Entity.
• Developing Leadership in the Firm.
• Preparing for Future Transition.
• Glossary.
• Bibliography.