Jo's Books

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Decisions, decisions; every day we are making decisions. Some are made without any thought of the consequences; others are considered like those of a champion chess player; reflecting on the consequences of moving this way or that way or not moving at all. In our global economy with its rapidly changing markets, we see new and successful players enter the business game, and economies that previously seemed robust falter and fail. The ability to make sound financial decisions is more important than ever before. Of course bad decisions will always be made and hindsight is a wonderful thing, as Decca Records know all too well after turning down The Beatles.

But Decca are by no means alone. In 1876, a Western Union internal memo read;
"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us."

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The business world is awash with legal pitfalls as well as opportunities. If you own or run a small-to-medium sized business (with a turnover of up to £10 million) you cannot afford to miss out on this book. Jo Haigh is a business expert who gives presentations to companies on how they can protect themselves ñ as individuals and as a group ñ from a range of potentially fatal pitfalls. In this accessible and practical book, she highlights essential ñ yet very often unknown ñ business practice to provide valuable insight and guidelines to alert and arm you before you enter the proverbial lionís den of the business world. Business Rules draws on current legislation and case histories. It covers over 100 key topics, divided into sections:

• Business structure
• Funding
• Compliance
• People and personal liabilities
• Management
• Tax and accounting
• Exiting

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For many the dream of owning their own business remains just that - even if you have a great idea, the work and money involved in building a business from the ground up can prove too daunting. What few aspiring entrepreneurs realise is that buying an already existing business can be far easier to accomplish, sometimes with little or no money at all, and can be just as satisfying a route to self-sufficiency.

Corporate financier Jo Haigh helps people buy and sell businesses every day, and in her new book, she shows readers how achievable ñ and rewarding ñ the experience can be. In easy-to-follow language, Buying and Selling a Business takes you through the entire process, from identifying your target business and assembling the right team to help you, to valuation, agreeing terms and finding the necessary finance. Just as important, Haigh helps you ensure your deal is the right deal for you, offering advice on running the business you buy and implementing proper exit strategies from the start. With valuable appendices containing typical documentation (letters of intent, confidentiality agreements, etc) and how to read them, Jo Haighís book is a one-stop resource to closing the deal - and transforming your life.

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12-14% of UK businesses are majority owned by women, a statistic that shows both the great strides women have made in business in the past two decades and how many obstacles still remain in a culture where 90% of the top roles are held by men. Jo Haigh has worked for many years in corporate finance, and has experienced these obstacles, and overcome them. In Tales from the Glass Ceiling, she offers women an inspirational guide to success in the male-dominated business world - a goal, that does not mean losing your identity.

Haigh offers stories of success from many different areas of business, giving advice on how to reconcile an open, emotional disposition with an executive level's occasionally brutal atmosphere; how to spot the right training and development opportunities (and get them funded); how to overcome resistance to female leadership and how to build, manage and maintain your professional network. Based on Haigh's own experience as an executive and entrepreneur, and bolstered by the experiences and stories of other top women in their fields, Tales from the Glass Ceiling is an indispensable resource for all women in business.