Be your best boss: reinvent yourself from employee to entrepreneur

Part I. Are you ready for a new boss? 1. The American dream gone awry ; 2. Don't sell yourself short ; 3. How entrepreneurially ready are you?

Part II. Size matters. 4. Company of one ; 5. Boss of a few ; 6. Business of many

Part III. To build or buy? That is the question. 7. Buying a franchise ; 8. Buying an existing business ; 9. Building your own business ; 10. To partner or not?

Part IV. Start your engines! 11. The road map: business planning ; 12. Fuel up: finding the funds ; 13. Gaining traction: the first six months ; 14. Acceleration: six months to two years ; 15. Full speed: two-plus years

Part V. Where to next, boss? 16. When and how to exit ; 17. The new American dream ; Epilogue: Entrepreneurship on steroids

Additional resources. Notes for my business plan ; Relevant reading and research material ; Take this myth-busting quiz ; The full picture of 401(k) funding.