Complete Idiot's Guide to Running a Successful Home Business for Canadians

Riзa Night is an associate editor of the Canadian Book Review Annual.

This book effectively fulfils the promises made in its introduction and
on its cover, respectively,—to provide “a lot of fairly basic
information” and to supply “down-to-earth answers to complex
questions.” But by its very nature, it fails to live up to the
cover’s claim that it is “The Best Reference for Home Businesses.”
Would-be entrepreneurs would be wise to read many more books than just
this one.

That said, the guide is a fine starting point for the many Canadians
who dream of being their own boss. As with the other books in this
series, its easy-to-read format features pages that are peppered with
cartoons, lists, sidebars, and a myriad of heads (some of them more than
a bit silly). Each chapter concludes with a quick-reference summary of
its key points. The book’s buoyant and breezy prose is laced with a
playful humor—the hallmark of this series—that can border on the
cloying if consumed in large doses.

Though no details are given about the author or about what qualifies
him to write on this subject, McDougall certainly provides some
excellent information and advice, especially on pricing, estimating, and
invoicing—all areas of concern among business owners who are just
starting up. But coverage in certain sections is too slight to be
genuinely helpful, and the superficial treatment of some subjects makes
the skimpy bibliography (a mere eight books) all the more disappointing.