John Winterson Richards has degrees in both law (which he has ignored ever since) and business administration (which taught him one valuable lesson: the only people who make money through MBAs are University Business Schools).

He is not, of course, a small businessman himself - no definitely not - but an established and successful leader of international commerce. If you have never heard of him it is because, like all truly powerful men, he likes to work behind the scenes.

His only connection with small business is through Winterson Richards, the consultancy he founded to help entrepreneurs less fortunate than himself. The charitable nature of this operation explains the ridiculously low fees it charges.

He is available for service as a Non-executive Director, at very reasonable rates, with a special discount for companies operating in selected developing countries (such as Tahiti).

His ambition is to become one of the idle rich. According to his friends, he is exactly half way there.

"The best way to own one's own big business is to start with a small one and make it bigger. And the best way of doing that is to convince everyone that the small business is already a big business.
Indeed, if a small business is to stand any chance at all, it is not merely desirable, but essential, that it appears to be what it hopes to become."
Bluffer's Guides is a series of snappy little books containing facts, jargon, and all you need to know for instant expertise.

Small is big
The best way to own one's own big business is to start with a small one and make it bigger, and the best way to do that is to convince everyone that the small business is already a big business.

Bank managers
Trying to bluff a Bank Manager is a bit like trying to out-eat a Sumo-wrestler: it's theoretically possible but just not very likely.

Planning
The Business Plan must include a Budget. When it becomes clear that this is completely unrealistic, it can be updated by Forecasts, which in turn can be replaced by 'Revised Forecasts' when they, too, prove to be inaccurate. It is absolutely vital that you are always able to point to an up-to-date plan which shows that the finances are on target (even if that plan was only produced the night before to formalise an existing situation).

The unexpected
The only things that are guaranteed to happen are those that could never be imagined (the First Law of Business Forecasting: expect the unexpected).

Good accountant
A good accountant should be defined as one who saves you in taxes almost as much as he charges in fees.