"The lack of money is actually advantageous," he said. "I've seen better businesses start off with no money than those with a lot of money. If you have no money, it forces you start asking better questions, which leads you to better answers."

"If you have the ability to send me an email, you clearly have access to a computer or cell phone — more than enough tools to get started," he wrote in the book.

In fact, there are many businesses you can start for under $5,000. Buying a franchise isn't one of them: Most fast-food franchises cost $100,000 or more to start and with some, you need at least half of that in cash.

Consider the story of Stewart Vernon of Macon, Georgia, who used a few thousand dollars he'd saved up in college to buy a truck and some chemicals, and opened a pool-cleaning business. Every year for the first four years he doubled his revenue; he became a millionaire by 25. He has now turned the business into a franchise.

Or, the story of Dave Petrillo and Dave Jackson