How to Profit from the Coming Russian Boom: The Insider's Guide to Business Opportunities and Survival on the Frontiers of Capitalism

Unlike other guides to venturing into Russia's budding market economy, which are directed toward corporations, this one will prove most valuable to the individual entrepreneur. Poe, a former editor of Success magazine, dismisses the scare stories, blithely noting, ``Launching a business in Russia may be only twice as risky as starting one in your own hometown.'' Those able to match his grit will find the information here eminently practical and Poe's admonitions realistic (``There is clearly something different about the Russians.''). Although he analyzes the economic prospects of each former Soviet republic, the author concentrates on how to establish a business in Moscow, primarily through franchising, and offers case histories. The appendixes alone make the book worth studying, since Poe assembles crucial specifics (with Moscow addresses and phone numbers) not covered in other guides: fax centers (average cost per page, $11); courier services (UPS among them); computer shops (Computerland, an American franchise, ``is going to save your life in Moscow''); U.S. law, consulting and accounting firms with Moscow branches. Also listed are such resource publications as Moscow Yellow Pages ($45) and newsletters (a one-year subscription to PlanEcon Report , $1400). (July)