Work Better, Live Smarter. Start a Business and Build a Life you Love

Work as we know it is changing. Even before Covid-19, the days when we’re held accountable to a nine-to-five office job were pretty much done. But what does it really take to set out on your own and build something new? This book is a ticket to change, to actually Work Better. Live Smarter. Be Happier. The knowledge and resources it provides work as a compass to help navigate the shallows and depths of running a successful and yet meaningful business – putting personal fulfillment first and leaving the ethos of the corporate world behind for good.
A glance at the global news might give people pause at the thought of venturing out on their own, though. The allure of a stable salary is tempting amid a shaky economy, political instability and a global pandemic. And there’s no denying the fact it’s been a seriously bad time for many businesses around the world. But it’s also true that turbulence has historically opened up market gaps as big companies scramble around in an attempt to adapt, and established industries shift – leading to countless opportunities for those who know where to look for them, and for those who have a good understanding of ways to turn ideas into action.
While there’s indeed no one path, there are certainly best practices to follow, business insights to understand, tools to use and the experiences of others to learn from. This book is designed to help its readers to brainstorm, plan and build something new from the ground up – and craft a life that they genuinely love in the process.

From the editors of Courier, the global magazine for modern business, comes a manifesto and how-to guide for living and working on your own terms: This truly international book acts as a start-up manual for people with a dream, no matter the scale and champions a generation of dynamic, driven decision makers. More than 30 business owners around the world – from a streetwear brand run by a group of friends in Accra to an L.A.-based online marketplace driven and supported by the Latino community, a platform for creative culture from Hong Kong or affordable furniture from Detroit that is built to last – tell the stories of how they got started, overcame hurdles and found purpose in their work. Including insides into new business opportunities in industries from food and retail to media and fashion, the book turns inspiration into action with more than 85 pages full of knowledge, hard-won lessons, practical advice, how-tos, tools and resources.

Featuring the nuts and bolts of starting your own business:

• How to come up with a business idea
• How to lay the groundwork for your business by assessing the market and coming up with a business plan
• How to position your brand
• How to raise money and control cash flow
• How to develop your product and build a relationship with your manufacturers
• How to get customers and, what is more, how to forge a community
• How to create a positive company culture and develop core values
• How to attract great people and set up an interview and onboarding process
• How to work remotely
• How to lead and learn to delegate
• How to manage your money and set your own salary
• How to build resilience and a strong support network
• How to boost productivity and find focus

Courier is about more than just starting a new business. It’s about providing a set of tools to help people learn new skills, make their own luck and be in charge of their own happiness. The bi-monthly magazine has been telling insightful stories – some failures, mostly triumphs – of the creators, makers and dreamers who are living and working on their own terms since 2013. Jam-packed with case studies, in-depth reports on sectors, companies and new trends taking off, Courier’s magazine and podcasts work like the mentor a new generation of entrepreneurs always wanted by their side. In 2020, Courier joined the Mailchimp family and together they are hard at work creating more ways to help people to work better, live smarter and be happier.