Steven D. Strauss

Steven D. Strauss is an American author, columnist, and lawyer, who has been referred to as "America's leading small business expert." He is the author of eighteen books and was a senior columnist for USA Today for more than twenty years. Strauss has written regular columns about business and entrepreneurship for Inc.

Early life and education Strauss received his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1981, before becoming a Coro fellow. He subsequently received a Master of Public Policy from Claremont Graduate University and a J.D. from the University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law.

Career Strauss began his career as an attorney, before becoming an author with the Ask A Lawyer series. He later published many other books, including a number of books in the Complete Idiot's Guides series, about topics including the National Basketball Association, the Kennedy family, and debt.

In addition to his work as an author, Strauss was a speaker engaged by the United States Department of State to discuss business and economics in countries including Jordan, Mongolia, and South Korea. In 2010, he visited the West Bank in a visit sponsored by the United States Consulate in Jerusalem, in order to conduct meetings and workshops with Palestinian business owners and entrepreneurs.

Strauss has since made numerous television and radio appearances to discuss business and the law. He was a regular guest expert on the MSNBC series Your Business.

Personal life Strauss lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife Maria. They have three daughters, Jillian, Sydney, and Mara. His father ran a chain of carpet stores in the Southern California area.