Entrepreneur Books

I recently finished this book and after reading I have a detailed to-do list. This book breaks things down very succinctly and gives specific recommendations that can be implemented almost immediately. Many books get caught up in theory, but this is a great use of your time because you can create specific action items for your business while reading. I highly recommend it to people working in start-ups, or those who are contemplating a business venture. The experience of the authors shines through.

Nothing speaks with as much authority as experience and success. Goetz and Axelrod have obviously been on both the buying and selling side of the great entrepreneurial divide; and they are generous to share their keys to success.
This book cuts to the chase and delivers tremendous insight for the budding entrepreneur . A quick read - packed with real world know-how , and a strategic addition to every business library.

I enjoyed reading this book very much and found it to be truly valuable tool for starting a new business. It was well written and fun to read. While I was reading it, I could easily see how their recommendations would be beneficial for any new business and thanks to their maps, their suggestions would be easy to implement. One thing is for sure, this will be the book I will rely on most as I build, grow and sell my business in the future.

The Great Entrepreneurial Divide provides practical advice for anyone thinking of starting a business.

I have consulted with many start-up ventures, and find that this book succinctly highlights many of the common pitfalls and issues faced by the entrepreneur. Very useful for "cutting to the chase" for any entrepreneur or investor working with start-up ventures.

This is definitely prescribed reading for all of my clients!

Jeffrey Hansen has helped me see the business paths I have taken, how they got me where I am now and, most importantly, shed a bright light on the path ahead. This is a must-read for any business owner, whether your business is small or large, startup or established. I find that it is a book to keep at my desk for regular reference.

A great road map to get back on track for thoughs of us who own a business and need help finding our way through moderate to explosive growth.

I found myself referring to this book as well as Jeffrey Hansen's first book "Surviving Success". I am a small business owner and these books have been a valuable tool for keeping my road map in business clear and focused. I see myself in a lot of the situations and plan on keeping the book very close as my company grows and continues it's success. Thanks Jeffrey!

I'm a small business owner, and this is the best book I've read on the nuts and bolts of what we need to do to grow. This is definitely not your average "inspirational" self-help book for business leaders. The advice is very concrete and walks you through things like the types of situations you'll encounter, how to structure your team, company culture, production issues, priorities for employees .... I also liked the descriptions of leader styles. I'm a textbook-case "collaborative engineer" (in Hansen's management style paradigm) and it was very useful to get feedback on my strengths and weaknesses as a leader. This is a book that's going to sit on my desk for some time as I take my competitors head on.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. I am planning to start my own business and feel more confident after reading this book. It is funny, full of wisdom and makes you feel like you can overcome anything

THE TEXT WAS, THE BEST I HAVE READED IN A LONG TIME. TO THE POINT AND BLUNT. NO HOLDS BAR. THE BOOK IS REAL.......... VERY REAL AND TO THE POINT. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A PICK ME UP.. READ ON MY FELLOW MAN!!! READ ON!! BUY IT NOW!!!!!!

I would reccomend this book to anyone. Even a person that has no interest in business can learn something from this book. It has real world advice and examples of how to succeed in business(and life.)

Private Enterprise in the Public Interest -A call to vision and action (A Keynote Address and Op-Ed Essay)

In the new millennium, hunger, poverty, despair and violence are unacceptable and unnecessary. These four social viruses are the actual "four horsemen" of the apocalypse that threaten humanity. History demonstrates that great societies are more often destroyed by the rot of these viruses from within rather than attack from without. For decades, billions of dollars have been directed to external military defense, while the internal social viruses grow and are not dealt with effectively. Now that we're past the mass capital drain of the Cold War and the Nuclear Arms Race, our society can redirect capital into entrepreneurial ventures that further human progress. War and political conflict are the result of humanity's historically embedded fear of the scarcity of resources in our collective memory. Political fear and racism persist as an emotional, irrati! onal response. Intelligent analyis of our present global resources and technology indicate that scarcity is no longer a physical reality. There is plenty for all, if we organize the entrepreneurial will to harvest the actual global abundance.

Epidemic youth violence, crime, drug abuse, poverty and homelessness are all symptoms of the social virus. Whether businesses calculate the social costs of violence, crime, drug abuse and homelessness into the profit and loss statements of their companies, these costs exist and directly effect the bottom line. Such hidden overhead weakens their business and community. These costs are assumed inefficiently through cumbersome, bureaucratic government structures that then charge back this "social overhead" in the form of high local, state and federal taxes. The majority of social overhead is presently passively paid by the business sector. That system doesn't work. It costs about fifty thousand dollars a year to lock up our soc! ial casualties in prison. The average prison sentence is 7 ! years. $350,000 for each prisoner! A lot of education, productive enterprise and preventative community development could be funded with this misused cash. The Social Enterprise Association (S.E.A.) has been formed to organize business and community leaders to envision and activate social transformation as we initiate our next century of human history. The purpose of the Social Enterprise Association is to redirect the intolerable

Private Enterprise in the Public Interest -A call to vision and action (A Keynote Address and Op-Ed Essay)

In the new millennium, hunger, poverty, despair and violence are unacceptable and unnecessary. These four social viruses are the actual "four horsemen" of the apocalypse that threaten humanity. History demonstrates that great societies are more often destroyed by the rot of these viruses from within rather than attack from without. For decades, billions of dollars have been directed to external military defense, while the internal social viruses grow and are not dealt with effectively. Now that we're past the mass capital drain of the Cold War and the Nuclear Arms Race, our society can redirect capital into entrepreneurial ventures that further human progress. War and political conflict are the result of humanity's historically embedded fear of the scarcity of resources in our collective memory. Political fear and racism persist as an emotional, irrati! onal response. Intelligent analyis of our present global resources and technology indicate that scarcity is no longer a physical reality. There is plenty for all, if we organize the entrepreneurial will to harvest the actual global abundance.

Epidemic youth violence, crime, drug abuse, poverty and homelessness are all symptoms of the social virus. Whether businesses calculate the social costs of violence, crime, drug abuse and homelessness into the profit and loss statements of their companies, these costs exist and directly effect the bottom line. Such hidden overhead weakens their business and community. These costs are assumed inefficiently through cumbersome, bureaucratic government structures that then charge back this "social overhead" in the form of high local, state and federal taxes. The majority of social overhead is presently passively paid by the business sector. That system doesn't work. It costs about fifty thousand dollars a year to lock up our soc! ial casualties in prison. The average prison sentence is 7 ! years. $350,000 for each prisoner! A lot of education, productive enterprise and preventative community development could be funded with this misused cash. The Social Enterprise Association (S.E.A.) has been formed to organize business and community leaders to envision and activate social transformation as we initiate our next century of human history. The purpose of the Social Enterprise Association is to redirect the intolerable

This book has humor, pathos and drama. It's a business book that reads like a real life adventure story.

This is not "business as usual". This book presents a working plan for business to operate with social responsibility.

Light One Candle, a Handbook for Bootstrapping entrepreneurs is must reading for anyone ready to launch a creative enterprise in any field of endeavor.

This book provides 12 practical steps for the bootstrapping entrepreneur.

'Light One Candle' is a guide to assist startup entrepreneurs beginning with few resources. But 'Light One Candle' is, also, the story of one family's vision to create jobs for the disadvantaged and the disenfranchised in our communities and to restore dignity and hope into their lives through entrepreneurship. 'Light One Candle' is the story of Candleworks, a business which has now received awards because of its dedication to entrepreneurial excellence, human rights and welfare-to-work initiatives among others. The author states in chapter six : Candleworks is about making candles, creating jobs and building community. I found 'Light One Candle' to be about these, but also about personal and social responsibility as we conduct business. 'Light One Candle' is about beginning with little and resourcefulness, about obstacles and perseverence, about family and hope, and about unending faith in ourselves to rise through difficulty. 'Light One Candle' is also about self-respect and respect for the dignity of others who are disadvantaged and disenfranchised. I found the book to be informative because of the entrepreneurial Foundation Principles offered and to be lifted by the values embedded in the Candleworks philosophy. But most of all, I was moved and inspired by one family's sacrifices and their never-ending pursuit of a vision to survive and while restoring dignity to others through the Candleworks model. Highly recommended !!

Fast, Easy & Effective? I never thought I'd use those words to describe a business plan book. As a consultant working with small business owners on startup and cash flow issues, I invariably ask the question, "Can I take a look at your business plan?" It's amazing the funny looks I get. "I think it's on my bookshelf. Or, did I take it home with me last year? It's here somewhere."

Tim Berry takes his usual realistic approach to small business issues by providing a book that breaks the whole "planning thing" down into easily understandable, immediately applicable steps.

Berry throws out the concept of a formal business plan (unless you're having what he refers to as a "business plan event") and gives us a flexible planning process that is quite painless. His writing style doesn't echo from the confines of an ivory tower. The book is an enjoyable read and highly useful.

I particularly like his emphasis on reviewing the plan regularly to check progress and adjust course accordingly. His emphasis on using metrics to track your progress is extremely helpful. In fact, I'm using his methods in my own business planning.

I've read (or at least flipped through) a number of business planning books and what I like best about Tim Berry's book (the best I've read so far) is that it turns business planning from a pain in the neck "do I have to do this" event into a "wow - I know I can do this and I want to do this and in fact I love to do this" process.

The hallmark of the book is that business plans are NOT a one time event nor do you have to do one, in some particular standard way. But it is a plan, a guide a road map. Tim takes your hand and not only guides you but gives you plenty of resources and practical advice (like the shortest lesson in Excel I've ever seen) to make your business plan a success.

If you have NEVER started a business The Plan As You Go Business Plan is a must read. If you are already in a business the book is a must read to keep you in business. And if by chance you have started a second successful business this book will probably ensure you do even better with your newest venture.

One thing...Tim makes finances not a drudgery but something you'll come to appreciate the importance of.

Ramon Ray, Editor & Technology Evangelist, Smallbiztechnology.com

The biggest obstacle most of us face in become successful is in closing the gap between "knowing" and "doing." When it comes to starting and/or running a successful business most entrepreneurs know they should have a business plan, but statistics show very few take the time to actually write one. And truth be told, unless you are making a formal presentation of your business plan you probably don't need a complete business plan. However, you do need to plan, keep planning, evaluate, and adjust as your business grows.

That is what makes Tim Berry's The Plan As You Go Business Plan a solid read for an entrepreneur. By breaking the creation of a business plan down into 1) Heart - a business's core strategy, 2) Flesh & Bones - action plans and basic financial numbers, and 3) Dressing and Growing - bring the plan up to a full document suitable to present to potential investors, the reader is able to use the sections of the book that are most relevant to the business's current situation. As your business continues to grow, The Plan As You Go Business Plan will serve as a fantastic reference manual to make sure you are thinking about those aspects of the business necessary for growth.

Tim Berry's encouraging and uplifting writing style will give you the motivation to start, but more importantly, he will provide the insight and direction to make sure something gets done. By breaking down business speak and MBA gobbledygook and explaining important business concepts into easy to understand terminology, Mr. Berry simplifies what can be for some an overwhelming process and demystifies the business planning process for all.

In my current role as a Duct Tape Marketing coach and in my former role as a CPA, I see business owners who struggle because they don't have a plan. I also see folks who create a plan because they "have to", but then they never use it - it goes on a shelf and collects dust. I've always maintained that the value from having a written plan comes from 1) going through the process and 2) using it on a regular basis to evaluate how your business is going and making adjustments as needed.

In The Plan-as-You-Go Business Plan, Tim Berry makes these points much more eloquently than I ever could. Tim argues that the planning process (along with regular reviews) is so important that business owners just need to get started somewhere, anywhere, and continue to build your plan as your needs change. This is 180 degrees different from the classical "big bang" approach to business planning where we work for months at a time developing a huge document before we ever get started working on the business.

The author has organized the book to support his "plan as you go" approach. It is designed so you can jump around and use the section of the book that you need at any given time. The first section of the book "Attitude Adjustment" contains the background information you need to know and learn to adjust to this idea of business planning as a process in your business rather than an event or milestone to be forgotten once completed.

In "The Heart of the Plan", you work on your business identity, target market, your offering(s) and your strategic focus. When I post on my blog about having a marketing plan, this is the stuff I'm talking about.

"Flesh and Bones" is the section that talks about creating action plans, budgets, milestones, and metrics.

I really like that "Dressing and Growing" is the second to the last chapter of the book because it re-emphasizes the idea that you should do the planning for yourself first, and then when others want to see the plan (your bank), you add the dressing that they need to what you have already done. Again, this is 180 degrees different from how most businesses use their business plans.

The last section talks about the process of planning. This includes reviewing, revising, and managing the plan. I think my favorite piece of Tim's advice from this book is his recommendation that the first thing you do when creating your plan is to schedule the review dates - before you even begin writing. I just think this sets exactly the right tone for part your plan should play in your business.

This book is a must have for anyone who owns a business or plans to start a business someday.

I found this very interesting, but not as hopeful as I think Brian Dumaine intended. All the green ideas and enterprises envisioned by the entrepreneurs that Dumaine talked to depend on being cost effective. Solar panels, wind turbines, scrubbed coal, safe nuclear, ponds of algae eating CO2, ethanol from switchgrass, etc., will not be developed until they can produce energy as cheaply as fossil fuels. Dumaine even has a chapter with a subtitle that spells it out: Chapter 2: "Green is the Color of Money: Nothing Happens without Money."

These green alternatives will become cost effective when governments either install a carbon tax that will raise the cost of fossil fuels or otherwise subsidize the green alternatives. Dumaine, incidentally likes the idea of a carbon tax as opposed to what is called a "cap and trade" system in which companies or nations that do little polluting can sell shares to companies or nations that are polluting more. In this way corporations and nations will be encouraged through the marketplace to reduce their polluting ways. The sad thing is that right now it looks like the world as a whole and the US in particular are not ready to decide which, if either, of these solutions to employ.

Another way green alternatives can become cost effective is to wait until fossil fuels become scarce and therefore so expensive that solar, wind, etc., are cheap without subsidies. The danger with this plan--which is the one we have been following willy-nilly--is that by then we may be berthing our ships at the port of Memphis, Tennessee and growing our bananas by Canada's Hudson Bay. That is, if we're lucky. More likely we will be engaged in brutal warfare for scarce resources while we watch the poor people of the world starve to death. And in any case our standard of living will plummet since the relatively high standard of living we enjoy today is based on available, inexpensive energy which will become scarce without alternatives.

Reading this book makes it clear that our energy and pollution problems are with us not because we lack ideas on how to combat them. Dumaine demonstrates that there are ideas aplenty, from hydrogen fuel cells to solar panel farms to ocean wave turbines to geothermal energy, etc. What we lack is the political will to do what is necessary to enact these ideas and the wisdom to choose the right combinations since it is clear that there is no single solution to replacing fossil fuels. When I say "political will" I mean we have to elect people who will have the courage and the foresight to look beyond tomorrow's bottom line and see the consequences clearly some decades down the road when fossil fuels will be in short supply relative to demand, when the only economically feasible answer will be to burn massive amounts of coal in the quick and dirty way coal is burned today. The result will be the return of the horrific pollution that darkened the skies of 19th century London, only this time the extent of the clouds will be greatly increased.

Another disturbing thing about reading this hopeful and very interesting book is what has happened since the book was written. With the global financial crisis upon us, the venture capital for green alternatives has dried up like a shallow pond fanned by hot desert winds. Suddenly we are not using as much oil as we did just a few months ago. The result: a precipitous fall in the price of oil. What this means is that many green alternative projects are suddenly not cost effective. Oil at $150 a barrel makes solar and wind farms good investments. At $50 a barrel, they are likely to lose money.

Incidentally--or not so incidentally, depending on your perspective--our children and grandchildren, whether they like it or not, are subsidizing our use of fossil fuels. They will have to pay the environmental costs. Dumaine quotes Hermann Scheer, a member of Germany's parliament as expressing this view, and then explains: "...though it looks like we now enjoy cheap fossil fuels, the fact is that we are dumping the real costs--the droughts and floods caused by global warming, air pollution, and world conflicts--on our children and their children. It is not the legacy decent people should leave their offspring." (p. 171)

Dumaine estimates this de facto subsidy at about $500-billion worldwide per year. He estimates that the true price of gas to society is $3 to $4 more than we currently pay. (p. 172) If the real cost were added on in the form of a carbon tax, green alternatives would become cost effective and investors would not fear becoming suddenly priced out by an OPEC decision to pump a lot more oil.

In answer to those who think that green technologies need to stand on their own without government subsidies, Dumaine notes that "many twentieth-century American industries would not have developed as quickly as they did--if at all--without government largesse." He points to the auto industry which benefited from the billions of federal dollars that our government invested in the interstate highway system as an example. He could add the trucking industry as well.

One of the reasons for this head in the sand attitude so prevalent in the United States is the faith-based belief that the future will take care of itself or that something like the "rapture" will come and make all our good intentions moot. And then there are people who care only about themselves and the here and now. Not so strangely that is the way corporations, by their very nature, "think." It is these short-sighted and bottom-line directed entities that are largely making the decisions for us about how we will fuel our economies. We need to make those decisions ourselves.

Brian Dumaine's "The Plot to Save the Planet" is excellent. As a college student interested in environmental issues, I hear a lot about the coming environmental apocalypse and the heavy burden of CO2 that my generation will inherit. How refreshing to read about real ways to turn the tide!

Dumaine's book focuses on green technologies that have been substantially developed and invested in already -- technologies that can help to reduce our carbon footprint today, whose impact will only grow as investors and consumers continue to recognize their green power and economic viability. It is fueled by the idea that the same creative, entrepreneurial sensibility that got us into this climate change pickle can --- and will --- get us out of it.

"The Plot" covers everything from electric cars to carbon munching algae to green architecture. It is divided by chapter into segments on each of these topics, profiling green up-starts and their venture capital supporters, describing how the new technologies work, how they could reduce our CO2 output, and how they are getting big. Each chapter represents one part of the puzzle, and Dumaine shows that a mosaic of all these new ideas could have an enormous effect.

The book is infused with the author's enthusiasm for the possibilities offered by these new technologies, and the enthusiasm is contagious. "The Plot to Save the Planet" is a highly informative, fun read, written for the layman. Check it out --- you'll enjoy yourself, learn a lot, and feel much better about the many ways we can turn around our energy crisis.

Fortune magazine veteran Brian Dumaine has just published a highly readable new book. It will be of interest to anyone in need of having their spirits lifted from the assumptions that we will be hostages forever to third world oil despots, or that global warming must inevitably lead to Pittsburgh being the next great beach town.
He identifies technological advances that are likely to play a significant role in lessening our middle east oil Jones, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. What makes this an exciting read is that these are not theoretical laboratory experiments, these are tested technologies that are already working their way into daily economic life, or at minimum are in the prototype stage. My favorite is the algae that eats carbon and poops biodiesel.
Dumaine is a guy who looks more at home in wingtips than Birkenstocks - another reason to feel some optimism after reading the book. He has done his own research and filtered all these ideas through the screen of how much venture capital each idea is attracting. The VCs get plenty of things wrong, but it is not usually because they have failed to thoroughly consider the economic viability of an idea, and these all pass the test.
Read it. You'll sleep better.

The author explains that "green= growth". Ultimately,
carbon emissions drive costs up on many fronts.
Traffic jams cost $65 billion dollars annually.

The book provides some unique engineering feats to
promote the "green" goal. For instance, a raised floor
in a building facilitates an efficient use of the
duct system so that night air cools the building from
the bottom up. Resultingly, less air conditioning is used.


The Pope Manufacturing Co, of Hartford has built an
electric car costing $98,000. The Tesla auto costs .02/mile
to drive. Transportation is known to account for 20% of
Greenhouse gases. Walmart has cut back energy use by
creating "green supercenters" . Lower energy use means more
profits. i.e. This feat is accomplished by using motion
sensors to control the freezer light.

The German government guarantees that renewable energy
companies will make money. Heiner Gartner has created a
solar energy complex ; wherein, 10,000 solar panels
fuel 1500 houses. Q Cells is a profitable solar energy
company. Carbon sequestration is a process; wherein,
greenhouse gases are buried. The ABB Grid System is a
Swiss company specializing in power. The author explains
a scenario; whereby. the Mojave Desert can power the
entire West Coast.

This book ought to be read by the entire USA Congress.

This should be a text book for every college business student.It is the most informative and instructional text for anyone starting a business.

Hi Dad, You have two wonderful grandsons that would love to spend some time with you. The values and stories in your book provide great motivation and lessons on diligence and drive for success.

John

What a terrific read -- excellent textbook on how to build a company. This is a must book for any entrepreneur looking for guidance and direction on how to successfully grow a business.
Net, net -- selecting talented people is the key to building a dynamic company.
A.J. Scribante story is an example of what makes our country great. Loyalty to ones self, family, company and country -- hard work and a determation to succeed spells success.

Shelf Life: How An Unlikely Entrepreneur Turned $500 Into $65 Million In The Grocery Industry is the story behind the amazing life and achievements of A. J. Scribante (Founder and CEO of Majers Corporation, a national marketing information consulting firm). Autobiographically depicting a life of corporate success, Shelf Life tracks Scribante's small businessman's rise to entrepreneurial power and productivity through times often difficult and assaulted with many hardships, which were met with great persistence and an enabling "self-power". An exceptionally well written memoir, Shelf Life is very highly recommended reading, especially for entrepreneurs, as well as the non-specialist general reader, for its instructive, informative account of an entrepreneur who made his fortune in the grocery business.

This book was really great and helpful. When I do decide to start a photography business I will be more confident having read this book and "Starting Your Career As A Freelance Photographer" by Tad Crawford

"Start Your Own Photography Business" lets you know whether you are ready to turn a photography hobby into a photography career. The book assumes that you already have the talent and technical know-how to do the job, and prepares you for the business side of opening and running a photography business. It covers all the basics you need to know to get started.

I have read other business books from Charlene Davis, and like the others, this one is well-researched and written in the same friendly, helpful style. Highly recommended for those wondering if they could make money from taking pictures on a part-time or full-time basis.

Leslie Halpern, author of Reel Romance: The Lovers' Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies and Dreams on Film: The Cinematic Struggle Between Art and Science.

Lots of great info for the start up photographer. Easy to read and understand. Very Helpful

As I am wanting to start a business, I found this book full of thought provoking information.

I don't know if the author really talked to 101 successful entrepreneurs or not. I suspect not. Instead, this book might better be sub-titled 101 tips on financing a business.

There are people who simply have to run their own business. It's a lot easier to work for someone else, just show up on time, work reasonably hard, go home a little bit later than most prople and so on. Some of us have a very hard time doing that.

I've started several businesses over the years. Each one has been more successful than the one before. Experience has taught me several things. And I'm going to use that experience to comment on some of her 101 tips.

Tip #1 - Do a business plan. There are several software programs that are almost fill in the blank. Get one and fill in the blanks. Even if you never show this plan to anyone else, it will force you to think through your whole business.

Tip #7 - Start on a Shoestring. It is much easier to get money to expand a business than it is to get money to start from scratch.

Re a bunch of Tips on borrowing money - Don't. It has to be paid back. Unless you are very, very certain that you can pay it back in a very short time - DON'T!

Tip 46-48 - Yes, yes, a hundred times YES!. Live cheaply. Don't buy the big car, big house, whatever.

Tips 77-80 - Government Programs. Forget them, they aren't worth the time they take.

Tips on venture capital and going public. This is a basic business decision. Do you want to run a small business or create a public company that you can get out of?

This lady understands what she is writing about. But keep in mind that you are talking about your business, your ideas, your future. Read a book on business.
Get a business started.
Read a book on business.
If it works great. If it doesn't, get a job for a while, start another one in your part time using what you learned from the failure of the first one.
Read a book on business.
Switch to running your business full time.
Read a book on business.
Repeat as necessary.

This was a wonderful book. It covers the basics as far as the options one has when planning to start a small business. Do you draw from your savings? Do you tap on family and friends? Do you mortgage your home? Or do you visit a bank and beg for some money?

The simple truth of the matter is that there are no free lunches in this world. Starting a business is very similar to buying a car or a house. You can pay for it with cash savings. Or you can put up collateral and borrow the money you need to pay for it. SBA doesn't make bank loans - they guarantee some of them. So don't think the SBA is going to do much for you when it comes time to start your small business.

This book covers financing the startup and financing the proven venture. And it does it very well. I loved the part about how business plans will explain how much capital (money) your business needs AND CAN REPAY. This is why banks and other lenders or investors will want to see the business plan you put together for your business venture.

I also thought it was good that the author pointed out that lenders and investors rely somewhat heavily on your leadership ability when determining if your company is likely to succeed. Said another way, they will rate you as a leader when evaluating whether your business plan is good. Good plans get money. Poor ones don't.

Take a look at the Table of Contents for this book. You'll see that the book covers all the bases when it comes to financing your own business. Well done. 5 stars!

I can attest to the fact that author Jan Norman interviewed each of 101 different individuals quoted in this book in the course of researching and writing it.

Indeed, she talked to many more than that, just as she had for her other books in the series: "What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business," "What No One Ever Tells You About Marketing Your Own Business" and the next one in the series which will be out in early 2006, "What No One Ever Tells You About Franchising."

The interviews were detailed, often grueling work and always time-consuming, but invaluable for readers. Each of the 101 persons interviewed for each of Jan's books has a unique story to tell, and her books have shared those stories with countless others.

This series of books published by Upstart, a division of Dearborn Publishing, finds its greatest value in the very diversity of the experiences represented by the 101 individuals in each book. For the reader, it is an opportunity not to read some self-anointed "expert" author's solitary opinion, but instead read the real-life experiences of 101 people who have been there and done that.

Each book is a compilation of 101 mistakes and/or successes that others learned from, and that readers can learn from vicariously, then apply to their own entrepreneurial efforts.

The author deserves credit for interviewing all these entrepreneurs and conveying their stories and lessons learned in a clear style. Nonetheless, I found little of value here. I'm not sure exactly why. In part it's because I had heard most of it before. But in a more fundamental way the notion of relying on the advice of successful practitioners carries with it a positive bias that proves less than helpful to struggling entrepreneurs. Her former venture capitalist who founds a financial services company, for instance, has a huge advantage in financial expertise and contacts over most of us. So it's not surprising that his new venture succeeds in raising money.

What many entrepreneurs need, in contrast, is advice on how to overcome their very difficult circumstances, including personal shortcomings and destitution. So actually lessons learned from accounts of semi-competent entrepreneurs' failures to obtain financing could prove more realistic and valuable. Most of us are semi-competent at best! And of course entrepreneurs starting up innovative tech product ventures face an altogether more challenging and even forbidding set of obstacles to raising money than those launching a new flower shop or bookkeeping service. The simpler a challenge your business represents, the more helpful this book manages to be.

"I could not put the book down. Even if you have little money to spend to start your website business, this book tells you where to apply that money, to achieve the most possible revenue. From naming your company, to listing with search engines for attracting the most customers to your website. THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL."

"I am researching my product in relations to the Internet following the simple steps Robert lays out in his book. Everything is going as Mr. Wajda states. IT is AMAZING.

I highly recommend this book for everyone. Young and old.

This author has an easy, relaxed style of writing that really flows. Something new in a "How-to" book.

Mr. Wajda tells it like it is. He is genuine, honest, and firm, giving the reader the best of what he has learned the hard way.

His facts and figures are not like so many "how-to's" which have ones brain swimming with the "mumbo jumbo". Rather he is clear, concise, and speaks from experience with a personal and disarming touch. Nice! Very nice!

A "must" not only for the "want-to-be" millionaire, but for any dear soul who would like to start a simple "Mom and Pop" establishment. Way to go Mr. Wajda!

I absolutely loved it! First of all, the author doesn't write like a shirt
and tie, he writes from the heart and hands, which is where his drive comes
from.

Many young people will need this kind of reading if they are to succeed in
there own life. Many businesses could learn major things even from the
little bits you are willing to share. I will tell you. I don't read "very"
many books. For the simple fact that they are either too much like a
dictionary, very strange, or just boring. It takes a special book with
something I can absorb either intellectually or spiritually and Robert you
give both in this book. I'm not a smart girl. I will admit. However, I am
smart enough to know your going to do better than you think! The only
thing missing is, it could have been a little longer. I am sure you held
out for certain reasons. I truly hope there will be more.

You have a magnetic sense about the way you write. And it plays a HUGE part
in your success, of course along with your knowledge and knows how, etc...
But it is important and it shows. I almost feel I've known you for a long
time just from this book. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! Love the cover too...very
eye catching.

I wish I knew someone like you when I had 67-thousand dollars19 yrs ago and
didn't know what to do with it. Long story, but someone like you would have
come in handy. I was too young, all alone and too frightened and ignorant,
so I just did what a high school drop out would do. I survived on some and
banked the rest. Unfortunately, had one of my parents been alive things
might have been different. But see it's a book like this that can change a
person's life and choices. Your book is a real eye opener.

It certainly got me motivated even in the smallest things that I might want
or want to achieve. Excellent Job! I absorbed it all. God Bless!

Lisa