So you want to build your dream company?

What do you need to start a business? Is it an entrepreneurial gene? Great product? Exclusivity? Venture money? Sheer nerve? All of these? Here are three savvy entrepreneurs who got their dream companies up and running. Read on to find out how you can do the same.

You don't need tonnes of capital, says Clayton Christopher of Sweet Leaf Tea. But you might need your Grandma’s special recipe. Here, an experienced entrepreneur shares what it takes to launch a $12 million beverage company. Read full story

You might have great designs but they alone cannot do it for you, feels Johnny Earle of Johnny Cupcakes, a T-shirt maker based in Hull, Massachusetts. You also need buzz and exclusivity. Here's how Earle sold $3.8 million worth of T-shirts. Read full story

If you have smarts, style, and nerve, then Maureen Kelly of Tarte Cosmetics says that you could hit it big. Read how a psychology grad-school dropout built a $12 million company. Read full story

What to Ask Yourself Before Starting a Business

Planning now for the rebound

There is evidence to suggest that things might be looking up for the US. Assuming economic expansion is not far away, what should you be doing to position your business for future growth?
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