Colleen DeBaise is a contributing editor at Inc. and podcast host at The Story Exchange, a media nonprofit devoted to women business owners. Prior to that, she was the small business editor at the Wall Street Journal, the deputy editor at BusinessWeek SmallBiz, and an editor at SmartMoney magazine's small business site. She has reported on a variety of issues facing small business owners, including cash-flow management, health-care and retirement planning, and the challenge of work/life balance.Before joining SmartMoney, DeBaise spent seven years at Dow Jones Newswires as a personal finance columnist and also lead court reporter, covering the wave of corporate scandals that broke in 2002. She has been interviewed on CNBC, MSNBC, and Fox Business News.DeBaise is a 2005 winner of the Newswomen's Club of New York's Front Page award for specialized writing. She has a master's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and a bachelor of arts in English from St. Lawrence University.She can be reached at colleendebaise.com.

Because starting a small business is not only a huge financial risk but also a complete lifestyle change, anyone who wants to be his or her own boss needs to approach entrepreneurship thoughtfully and with careful planning. That's why there is no better resource than The Wall Street Journal Complete Small Business Guidebook, a practical guide for turning your entrepreneurial dreams into a successful company, from America's most trusted source of financial advice. It answers would-be business owners' biggest question-how do I fund my venture?-then explains the mechanics of building, running and growing a profitable business. You'll learn:
• How to write a winning business plan
• Secrets to finding extra money during the lean years and beyond
• Ways to keep your stress in check while maintaining a work/life balance
• How to manage your time, including taking vacations and dealing
with sick days
• Strategies for keeping your business running smoothly-from investing
in technology to hiring the right people
• Marketing and management basics
• When angel investors or venture capital might be an appropriate way
to grow
• How to execute your exit strategy
Running the show may not always be easy, but the rewards can be tremendous. You may be on the job 24/7, but you have the freedom to call the shots, to hire whomever you want, to work when you want and to take your business as far as you want to go.