Chinaberry’s winning combination: soft on the outside, savvy on the inside

By Reported Donna Loyle

2. First work for another cataloger. DeMaine advises entrepreneurs to get a taste of the business first, and to learn as much as they can before striking out on their own.

3. Watch cash flow. While growing earnings, revenue and sales are important, says Ed Ruethling, recognize that you need cold, hard cash to survive. “Otherwise, that bill for catalog postage, for example, could be just the thing that sends you tumbling into bankruptcy,” he says.