If you’ve ever considered starting a business—and who hasn’t?— jump-start your dream with this month’s start-up guide (page 16) with tips, resources and profiles of locals who’ve successfully launched companies of their own.

Our readers tell us they get inspiration and ideas from such success stories, and we want more of them. If you have started and grown a successful company, tell us the most important lessons you’ve learned along the way and we’ll print some of the best in the magazine and put them online at biz941.com, so others can learn from your triumphs and, just as important, failures.  Email editor Susan Burns at [email protected]

and type "How I Did It" in the subject line.