Which is riskier, working as a salaried employee in one company, or striking out on your own?

Author Marc Kramer worked for a series of companies, but, through no fault of his own, found job after job being eliminated. His employees would unexpectedly close down branch offers, transfer positions to other cities, or get bought out.

Being a prudent and cautious man, Kramer decided there was safety in numbers. "A successful consultant," he reasoned, "takes on five to ten clients, which spreads out one's risk." So he joined the ranks of 6.8 million full-time and 25 million part-time consultants who had come to the same conclusion. Kramer's book is a thorough, sharp-eyed, inside-the-biz look at the world of the consultant. Its insightful chapters outline the steps along the road to success- among them:

• Developing a business plan
• Selecting professional advisors
• Marketing online
• Finding Clients
• Making successful sales calls
• Keeping records
• Developing killer proposals
• Building a staff

If you've grown tired of working for and depending on the decisions of a single employer, if you feel the need to succeed or fail by virtue of your own efforts and capabilities- and if you've concluded that job security is no longer a realistic excuse for staying put- this is the book you need to read.