"Melinda Emerson . . . will inspire you to pursue your own entrepreneurial vision."--Marc H. Morial, President, National Urban LeagueWhether you're newly unemployed, sick of office life and longing for a change, or just want to finally turn your business idea into reality, you can follow your dream and make your passion your profession. Drawing on her experience as founder of an award-winning production company, Melinda F. Emerson shows you how in this practical month-by-month guide to getting your business off the ground.Inside, you'll find the timetable and steps you need to take to become a successful CEO of your own venture, including:Month 1: Meet with potential venture capitalists Month 3: Set a one-year marketing budget Month 5: Select a logo Month 9: Purchase customer relationship management software Month 11: Prepare your launch day press releaseNext year at this time, you could be calling the shots at your dream job. You supply the energy, an idea, and elbow grease--and this book will supply the plan.

Melinda F. Emerson is founder and CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, an award-winning marketing video production company. She has created productions for such companies as Johnson : Johnson, Verizon, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Comcast. In 2000, AV Video Multimedia Producer Magazine named Emerson one of the Top 100 Producers of 2000. In 2001, she was named one of the Top 30 Leaders of the Future by Ebony magazine. In 2002, the Pennsylvania Department of Commerce and Economic Development named her a Black Business Pioneer. She lives in Drexel Hill, PA.