Award-Winning, Essential Guide for Women Business Owners Launches Fully Updated Edition

BERKELEY, CA--(Marketwired - May 23, 2016) - With more than 9 million women-owned businesses in the United States, employing nearly 8 million people, it is no secret that women-owned businesses are a major contributor to the economy. Nolo today announced the publication of a new, fully updated edition of the book that has guided thousands of businesswomen through the journey of entrepreneurship: The Women's Small Business Start-Up Kit by business consultant and author Peri Pakroo.

What's New?
Since the first edition of The Women's Small Business Start-Up Kit was published in 2010, the economic, political, and cultural climates have changed greatly for female entrepreneurs -- for the better in many cases. Start-up and expansion financing is easier to obtain, both in general, and through microlenders that focus specifically on women entrepreneurs. Government contracting rules have evolved in ways that favor women-owned businesses. And the Internet has continued its constant evolution, creating new options for e-commerce and online marketing.

Available both as an e-book and in print, the latest edition of The Women's Small Business Start-Up Kit guides women through all of these changes. A fully updated E-Business chapter covers the latest online marketing techniques, from e-mail marketing to social media to search engine optimization. Pakroo walks readers through the essential tasks of creating a website, registering web domains, and even protecting intellectual property online.

Meanwhile, the entire guide receives thorough updates to include the latest on drafting a business plan, choosing a legal structure, accessing funding (including crowdfunding), managing finances, hiring employees, accessing resources such as Women's Business Centers, and much more.

An "Essential Roadmap" For Women
The Gold Award winner of the IBPA 2015 Benjamin Franklin Awards, The Women's Small Business Start-Up Kit is described as "an essential roadmap for any woman considering entrepreneurship" by Sarah Gould, former President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women.

Written in plain English, the guide is invaluable to women entrepreneurs of every stripe -- from those who want more flexibility in their work life, to those who want the power and independence to implement their own ideas, to those looking for a new career or change after age 50, to those for whom self-employment is a survival strategy between jobs or during personal upheavals like divorce.

While Pakroo's book steers clear of the inspirational pep-talk that dominates so many women's business books, it offers practical guidance on the real-life issues that concern millions of women entrepreneurs, such as maintaining elusive work-life balance, transitioning from full-time employment, and dealing with health insurance. The guide is peppered with perspectives from successful women who have started businesses -- everything from consulting practices and technology firms to day spas and online stores -- providing authentic perspectives and making for fascinating reading.

The Women's Small Business Start-Up Kit is available for purchase at major bookstores or online at https://www.nolo.com/products/the-womens-small-business-startup-kit-wbiz.html.

Vital Statistics
Publication Date: May 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4133-2275-0
Price: $29.99

About the Author
Peri Pakroo (www.peripakroo.com) is a business author and coach, specializing in creative and smart strategies for self-employment and small business. She has started, participated in, and consulted with start-ups and nonprofits for more than 20 years. She is the founder, publisher and editor of Pyragraph (www.pyragraph.com), an online career and lifestyle magazine for artists, musicians, filmmakers and other creative workers worldwide.

Peri received her law degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1995, and a year later began editing and writing for Nolo, specializing in small business and intellectual property issues. She is the author of the top-selling Nolo titles The Small Business Start-Up Kit (national and California editions), and Starting and Building a Nonprofit, and has been featured in numerous national and local publications including Entrepreneur, The New York Times, Real Simple, Investor's Business Daily, and Businessweek.

Peri teaches and speaks on the topics of self-employment, entrepreneurship and creative careers. She is active in supporting local, independent businesses and is a co-founder of the Albuquerque Independent Business Alliance.

About Nolo
Nolo (www.nolo.com) is a leading provider of plain-English legal information and products for consumers and businesses. A subsidiary of Internet Brands, Nolo focuses most of its efforts on its award-winning websites, which feature extensive free content, online tools, and a consumer-friendly lawyer directory. Nolo also develops market-leading software, online legal forms, as well as print and e-books.

Nolo was founded in 1971 by two legal aid attorneys who set out to demystify the law for people who couldn't afford lawyers. Since then Nolo has produced more than 20 million plain-English legal guides across all areas of the law.