Rating: 
Summary: Platitudes
Review: A fair dose of common sense would seem to preclude the need for reading this book. When you read these "mini case studies"...101 of them...you get little snapshots of various hard lessons real life businesses have learned, regarding all sorts of subjects critical to small business owners...personnel, financing, cash flow and so forth. When you read the stories, you often think to yourself, "Well, duh, I wouldn't do that." or "I know enough to avoid that problem."I would point out that sitting in the comfort of your home reading this book makes it easy to be an armchair quarterback. It's much harder to avoid mistakes during the hustle and bustle of actually running your business. Unfortunately, it's often hard to remember little two page stories you might have read 8 months earlier and apply them to your situation. The primary value of this book, I would say, is to give a person an overall view of the complexity of running a business, as well as the daily curveballs thrown at those businesses. If you read the book and think, "Whew, that all sounds pretty tough," then maybe entrepreneurship is not for you. So look at these 101 cases as a gut-check or a "personality test" if you will. The book is written in a breezy, fast-paced manner, and the stories themselves are largely entertaining. I'm not saying the book is without merit, but for TRUE nuts and bolts help, its value is probably limited.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining reading, but not true "nuts and bolts"
Review: A fair dose of common sense would seem to preclude the need for reading this book. When you read these "mini case studies"...101 of them...you get little snapshots of various hard lessons real life businesses have learned, regarding all sorts of subjects critical to small business owners...personnel, financing, cash flow and so forth. When you read the stories, you often think to yourself, "Well, duh, I wouldn't do that." or "I know enough to avoid that problem." I would point out that sitting in the comfort of your home reading this book makes it easy to be an armchair quarterback. It's much harder to avoid mistakes during the hustle and bustle of actually running your business. Unfortunately, it's often hard to remember little two page stories you might have read 8 months earlier and apply them to your situation. The primary value of this book, I would say, is to give a person an overall view of the complexity of running a business, as well as the daily curveballs thrown at those businesses. If you read the book and think, "Whew, that all sounds pretty tough," then maybe entrepreneurship is not for you. So look at these 101 cases as a gut-check or a "personality test" if you will. The book is written in a breezy, fast-paced manner, and the stories themselves are largely entertaining. I'm not saying the book is without merit, but for TRUE nuts and bolts help, its value is probably limited.
Rating: 
Summary: People with common sense need not apply
Review: Although the author and contributors seem to genuinely want to help people avoid pitfalls, some of the "hard learned lessons" in here could have been avoided by doing a little research or pausing to consider what they were possibly getting in to. It amazes me that some of these people succeeded; some seem downright clueless. If you are a thoughtful and organized person you can probably skip this one.
Rating:
Summary: There are a few nuggets of information in here
Review: I agree with the other reviewers who said this book is pretty basic. However, there are a few nuggets of information, if you search for them. Not the best book on business. I would recommend that you borrow it from a library or get it from a used book store.
Rating:
Summary: There are a few nuggets of information in here
Review: I think many people who purchased this book were thinking this might be a one-stop shop for business advice. Although there's much to be learned from the small businesses featured in "What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business," it hardly works as a textbook-type book. However, if you're throwing around some ideas for a potential, you're bound to get your creative juices flowing by reading about the highs and lows of those who took the gamble before you. It's bound to spark some ideas. In that respect, I rate this book very highly. The book does offer solutions for the problems these companies faced, but it most circumstances, it's hard to apply the information to your specific situation. If you've already started your own business, this book probably isn't for you. However, if you're looking for an idea or hoping to shape one, you're bound to get some value for your money.
Rating: 
Summary: You'd better read it before taking the big leap.
Review: I've been in business for myself for over 14 years now. Started with basically nothing and had to learn the hard lessons. My immediate advice...learn from the lessons of others. This book is a good place to start. Author Norman asks 101 entrepreneurs what they wish they had known prior to business startup and, if known, what would they have done differently. As with most startup or troubled businesses, capital, cash flow and knowledge of the marketplace are the heinous leaders of failure. Each of the 101 short stories tells a tale tantamount to each entrepreneur's greatest challenge and/or fear. If this depicts an accurate picture of each entrepreneur's greatest burden in creating success, listen up. This is where you will pick up the absolute BEST advice. New and experienced entrepreneurs alike will take something away from this book. The author provides and plethora of resources including reading material, associations, societies and other pertinent information. Further, Ms. Norman suggest that readers contact her with their stories presumably to begin "Book II." A great primer or refresher.
Rating: 
Summary: Decent Book
Review: If you need more check out www.antiventurecapital.com for startup manual for entrepreneurs who are unable or unwilling to tap venture capital.
Rating:
Summary: In a word: Useless
Review: This book is about as obvious and vague as they come. Nearly ever one of the 101 topics in the book is one of four things: 1) An aspect of starting your own business that is just too obvious to put into a book like this; 2) Someone describes a lesson they learned but gives absolutely NO specifics on exactly what they did that ended up working out for their business; 3) A situation in which a person's (so-called) mistake was the only way they really learned and they worked through it to become successful. The hindsite in these is mearly wishful thinking; or 4) Norman does an absolutely horrid job of explaining what happened or how it supports the title of the lesson. I'll be honest and say that it seems as if Norman wanted to write this "101 things" book so bad, she yanked any possible meaning from a heap of shallow and cliche-filled quotes from business owners. There ARE a few (and I literally mean 2 or 3) bits of info that you might not think about. But really, if you're serious about starting your own business, you will get nothing from this book.
Rating:
Summary: Details Details Details
Review: This book should be a must read before someone starts planning a company and then again right before they implement the plan. Many of the mistakes outlined apply to businesses of all sizes, but these mistakes could easily kill a small business. I have seen many of these topics in other books, but this is the most comprehensive. I have introduced this book to a friend who recently had to close his business and he wishes he had this before he ever started.
A MUST READ
Rating:
Summary: Great book for anyone even thinking of starting a business
Review: Tons of tips. Just one will save you more than the price of the book.
I can't say enough good things about it.
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