surely spend more than you need to. But that doesnt mean that you should try to save money by selling cheap merchandise or providing marginal services. In todays competitive economy, your customers want the best you can give them at the best price. They will remember the quality of what they get from you long after they have forgotten how much they paid.     In practical terms, that means you must buy only the best goods for your customers. Anything that affects the image your business has in your customers mind should be first-rate. It also means that you shouldnt spend money on things that dont affect the customer. For example, unless youre a real estate broker your customers probably wont care if you drive an old, beat-up car to an office in a converted broom closet, as long as you provide them an honest product or service for an honest price. Save the nice car, fancy office and mobile telephone until after your business is a success.     B. Self-Evaluation Exercises     Heres a question to ponder: Are you the right person for your business? Because running a business is a very demanding endeavor that can take most of your time and energy, your business probably will suffer if youre unhappy. Your business can become an albatross around your neck if you dont have the skills and temperament to run it. Simply put, Ive learned that no business, whether or not it has sound financial backing, is likely to succeed unless you, as the prospective owner, make two decisions correctly:     You must honestly evaluate yourself to decide whether you possess the skills and personality needed to succeed in a small business.     You must choose the right business. (How to select the right business is covered extensively in     A small business is a very personal endeavor. It will honestly reflect your opinions and attitudes, whether or not you design it that way. Think of it this way: The shadow your business casts will be your shadow. If you are sloppy, rude, crafty or naively trusting, your business will mirror these attributes. If your personal characteristics are more positive than those, your business will be more positive, too. To put this concretely, suppose you go out for the Sunday paper and are met by a newsie who is groggy from a hangover and badmouths his girlfriend in front of you. Chances are that next Sunday will find you at a different newsstand.     Im not saying you need to be psychologically perfect to run a small business. But to succeed, you must ask people for their money every day and convince a substantial number of them to give it to you. By providing your goods or services, you will create intimate personal relationships with a number of people. It makes no difference whether you refer to people who give you money as clients, customers, patients, members, students or disciples. It makes a great deal of difference to your chances of ultimate success if you understand that these people are exchanging their money for the conviction that you are giving them their moneys worth.     The following self-evaluation exercises will help you assess whether you have what it takes to successfully run a small business. Take out a blank sheet of paper or open a computer file.     1. Your Strong and Weak Points     Take a few minutes to list your personal and business strengths and weaknesses. Include everything you can think of, even if it doesnt appear to be related to your business. For instance, your strong points may include the mastery of a hobby, your positive personality traits and your