Creating Your Own Business: A How-To Guide On Entrepreneurship

Business as self-expression? An interesting thought. Translating the frustrations of the masses into cash for yourself? Quintessentially American. In this feature-length homemade video, entrepreneur Alan Elzea dishes out some nitty-gritty advice for those who'd rather die than "follow an employer's orders for a fraction of their income." With relentless enthusiasm, Elzea reviews every inch of starting and sustaining a business venture, from attitude to accounting. Brainstorming a marketable idea; acquiring skills, tools, and financing; and target marketing are covered thoroughly and thoughtfully. Elzea even trots out his three blond daughters, ages 9-21, all of whom have started their own businesses. When he isn't cheerleading at the camera, he's visiting his cohorts, including a businessman who cradles his widget like a baby as he speaks. For all its inspirational epigrams, this video misses the boat in terms of production values; the audio quality is uneven and editing is jumpy. And Elzea refers at least three times to the federal government as an evil empire (come now). There are slicker productions on this subject, but chances are they're neither as substantial nor as sincere. An optional purchase for larger business collections. (A. Laker)