Entrepreneur Books

This is a nifty book. It givesa wide view of ways that a small business entrepreneur can use the Internet to market successfully. The dot.com craze may be over, but that doesn't mean that the Internet won't continue to be a long-term vital tool in marketing for small business. With this book, any budding or seasoned entrepreneur will gain a learn of get many wokrable strategies.

Get this book if you intend to use the Internet to market your business in
any way. It is loaded with marketing ideas and there are enough of them so
that any small business entrepreneur can benefit in some way. There are
lots of examples of people and businesses that have actually done what the
author recommends, and lots of web sites to visit as a follow up. I got
about 6 great ideas out of this book. Two or three would have made it
worthwhile.

I would love to read this book because I heard it was amazing, BUT Elephant Books sent me the wrong book. Now they will not return my phone calls or numerous emails, and they were done in good taste so I do not understand why they would not return my messages. Just wanted you all to know so you do not get shafted like I did. Have a great day!

I really like this book and as an entrepreneur cannot stress enough how helpful this book would have been to me when I started my business many years ago
This book is for those of us who woke up one morning and found ourselves owning our own business. Funny as it sounds isn't that what happens? I know that many of you in the rep business for example were sales people with real jobs for many years and then for a number of reasons: company cut backs, a principal who offered to set us up in business if we would agree to represent him or we went to work for a large rep firm and ended up either running it or splitting off to start our own firm. Others of us got an idea that we were passionate enough about to go out on that limb and risk everything to "follow the dream" Whatever the reason we became entrepreneurs...accidentally. So here we are, what do we do now?
We pick up and read Susan Urquhart- Brown's book The Accidental Entrepreneur that's what we do if were smart. This book is filled with as she says 50 things I wish someone had told me about starting a business. Fifty very valuable things I might add. Here are some examples:
* Eight questions to ask before you start a business. This is an excellent chapter on defining yourself, your business and your goals.
* Avoid seven common pitfalls in business. Basically this is:
o Know what you sell before you sell it
o Know what it will take to succeed
o How to use connections and so on.
As well as a number of other chapters presenting a real meat and potatoes approach to starting and running your own business.
What I enjoy are the examples the author uses to make her point and demonstrate how others have succeeded using her experience and direction. These include the story of Mary Foley and Cheryl Thompson who started [...] (great name!) an online club for business women who want to be "outrageously in charge" of their lives.
And
David Riklan the owner of Self-Improvement online Inc. talks about his " Crossroads in business" which is the books term for the time when he knew he was ready to leave the safety of his corporate job and strike out on his own. By the way this was after five years of working evenings and weekends to start his business.
This book is just filled with stories about people just like you and me who struck out on their own and started their own business.
Reading The Accidental Entrepreneur provides us with not only great examples and guidelines of how to be a successful entrepreneur but it also provides something even more valuable. It provides through us with passion and inspiration to strike out and succeed in our own businesses. I like that. I like that a lot.
This is the best $[...] you'll ever spend on your business. Hit the business section and pick it up right now.

I had a big smile on my face as I read through this book. I am a very *purposeful* entrepreneur, with ten years and counting of supporting my household as a writer and seminar leader, and this book for "accidental" entrepreneurs is a solid guide for anyone who wants to go into business for themselves.

When you go to networking events with other self-employed people, you notice something fundamentally different about the people who truly make a go of it - the ones who are comfortable in their own skin about their skills, their value to customers, and their own long-term prospects. Susan Urquhart-Brown has broken down the specifics of these successful people into actionable advice, ranging from defining your value proposition to growing your business.

This book is more timely than ever, in a world where jobs aren't always secure, but knowing how to sell what people buy is a timeless skill, and a roadmap to spending your life doing what you love. We need more accidental entrepreneurs, and this book helps lead the way. -Rich Gallagher, author Great Customer Connections and What to Say to a Porcupine.

I liked this book. It is full of content and it is well-written. It seems to be an updated version of a smiliarly titled book the author wrote back in 2004. See "The Accidental Entrepreneur" with ISBN: 0975977806. The 2008 version has a new chapter added - the 7th in the following list of chapter titles:

1. Introduction
2. What is an entrepreneur, anyway?
3. Ready, set, go!
4. Taking care of business
5. What do you bring to the party?
6. Market and sell your socks off
7. Get connected to the Web for profit
8. Making room for more business

The author is a self-employed business coach and mentor to wanta-be entrepreneurs. Basically she does for pay what I do for free as a SCORE volunteer. Most of what she discusses in her book is what I discuss with my SCORE clients. About the only thing we differ on is the extent to which a person should put effort into preparing a business plan. The author suggests that the entrepreneur should not go overboard on preparing a plan. Whereas I believe great time and effort should be put into dreaming, consolidating, researching, writing, proofing, and editing the 25-35 page written business plan for a startup. Maybe we differ because the author seems to separate a business plan from a marketing plan? And she seems to emphasize in her book how important a marketing plan is to a small business. In fact, she devotes all of Chapter 6 to it. And now that she has added Chapter 7, she has TWO chapters devoted to small business marketing. I, on the other hand, consider marketing plans to be a subset of a business plan.

The book gets its name from the fact that the author at one point in her life sought career counseling and almost overnight she became an "accidental entrepreneur" by starting her own business coach and mentor firm. In this book we are told what many wanta-be entrepreneurs need to hear about the realities of starting a small business. By reading this book the wanta-be entrepreneur will be able to avoid making mistakes in starting their venture, and do many things correctly.

I would have liked the book better if the "Target Your Market" section at page 58 had been a little more developed. I found the coverage to be kind of weak frankly. I particularly liked the coverage of "Which business structure is best for you" at page 40. And my favorite parts or chapters of the book were 6 and 7 regarding marketing and self-promotion. I also enjoyed reading the section on "Minding your Ps and Qs" which stressed the importance of planning. Poor planning is one of the most common causes of business failure. And without good planning it is difficult to be persistent in a meaningful way. So mind your Ps and Qs. 5 stars!

This is a grreat book. Short, but full of information that in very important to a business owner or potential business. Plain spoken, honest and open...Flows well. Read the book..then attend one of his workshops. Did both..... GRRRREAT STUFF! This is by an ordinary man who did an extra-ordinary thing... Started his own business, which is the "American Dream". This is his joureny into the independent business owner world. His failures, his successes, his hopes and aspirations. He writes straight from his experiences, no fluff,no fillers.. Great motivator....he may even be the next Zig Ziglar....

I have been looking for good guidance on running your own business. As the author points out, most small business books aim to tell you the stuff you already know -- dress smartly, write your correspondance with correct grammar, etc. What this book does is present the advice you seek without talking to you as if you've never been to a business meeting before. Sage advice about how to conduct business on a low budget, how to promote yourself through effective PR, how to think about using friends and family in your business, etc.

You will not be disapppointed with this book.

Venturing out on your own into the business world can be a very scary and overwhelming endeavor. No one can prepare 100% for the obstacles they will encounter along the way, but by reading Mark Csordos' book, "Business Lessons for Young Entrepreneurs", the young business leaders of today can give themselves an invaluable head-ups on the reality of the business world.

The book is comprised of thirty diffenent chapters, each of which centers around the authors own personal experiences as a young struggling business owner. As a freshing and motivating bonus, the beginning of each chapter is started with a quotation or anecdote that is appropriately selected for the topic of each chapter. All of the quotes and stories are up-lifing and inspirational. The chapter subjects range from the more conventional topics of business, such as "self promotion" and designing a business plan, to the more unconventional side of business such as the personal fears, hopes, expectations, and occasional failures one might encounter along the way.

Each chapter is filled with immeasurable insight that one can only truly gain through personal experience. The lessons in this book are universal and can apply to anyone at almost anytime during the building of one's business. You can't find this kind of first hand, real life information in most business books.

I was especially inspired by the chapter entitled "Dare to Dream". In this chapter, the author encourages his readers to shoot for the stars and to never give up no matter how unobtainable his or her dreams may seem. To provide his readers with additional motivation to strive for success, the author gives numerous examples of ordinary individuals who defeated the odds and became people that we can all recogize today such as Bill Gates and Dave Thomas.

For anyone wanting to start his or her own business, this book is an excellent real life handbook of the ups and downs of being your own boss. Read this book and use it to guide you during your jounery. The author leads you in the right direction and is with you every step of the way.

Not so many years ago, vodka was a pedestrian liquor used to make Bloody Marys, single malt Scotch was for the rich and famous, and tequila was a mainstay at college parties. Walk into a retail outlet or well-stocked tavern these days and your head spins. You can choose from among hundreds of liquors, many in beautifully crafted bottles designed to catch your eye. You can pay $12 or $200 for a bottle - depending on what's in your wallet and how adventurous you feel. Noah Rothbaum tells a terrific story of how the spirits industry has exploded into a multi-billion dollar phenomenon that shows no signs of slowing. The author, who has extensive experience covering the industry, explains the history of many well-known alcoholic beverages and analyzes the consumer's modern-day thirst for premium brands. Rothbaum also introduces the distillers, entrepreneurs and marketing whizzes who create and shape industry trends. Whether you're a whiskey connoisseur or a teetotaler, getAbstract believes you'll learn a lot and have fun with this book. Cheers!

I author statistical books that cover the spirits industry and I really enjoyed this book. It gave me new prospectives and useful information that will help me moving forward and shed more light on the trends shaping the business.

It's easy to see a lot of research and hard work went into this book.
It's insightful, interesting and fun to read. Lots of great interviews. enjoyable reading of How & why the cocktail has made a comeback in the last few years. An insiders look at the big business of Spirits.
Fascinating to see how Premium spirits were created and how they have become a significant part of our cocktail culture. An intriguing read all the way.
stephen visakay,
author Vintage Bar Ware, collector books, 1997
founding member The Museum of the American Cocktail

If you are brand new to this topic, like I was, this is the book for you. It's easy to read and you will be left with a great overall understanding of the process. You can use the capitalization rate method to ballpark a value for your business in minutes. I've since gone on to order several other books that will hopefully expand on the topics covered. However, I'm 100% confident that this book should be the starting point for everyone new to this topic. And, I could now entertain offers for my business confidently, without getting out gunned, overwhelmed, or low balled by experienced business buyers, including individuals investors or brokers. On top of that, I know precisely how to expand my business value by hundreds of thousands this year 2008!

After ten years as a bank underwiriter for small businesses, I am very impressed at how this book distills a great deal of information down and puts it all in one place. If you are planning on buying or selling a business, are a beginning or experienced entrepreneur, or are just interested in what makes a business valuable or not, this surprising book is for you.

A "blue collar" book for gaining a negotiating advantage. From reading financials to closing strategies . . . this twenty dollar book saved me thousands. If your buying a business . . . or selling one . . . you'd be a fool not to invest in this one.

This book is for all readers. Not to mention other things, it contains several dozen case studies on global multinationals doing business in China, like Wal-Mart, P&G, Intel, HSBC, Bank of America, Ford, Siemens, BP, Unilever, Sony, GE, GM, Morgan Stanley, and Microsoft. (Amazingly, this revised and updated volume gives most current info on China -- even events happened in May 2006 are contained here.)

It also gives huge info on emerging Chinese multinationals. All the leading Chinese companies such as Haier, Huawei, TCL, Lenovo, China Telecom, Baosteel, China Oil, Sinopec, CNOOC, and Ping An are studied here. Furthermore, comparisons are made between the Chinese companies and their international counterparts. These discussions are straightforward, covering both strengths and weaknesses.

Its scope is rather wide: the author aims to identify key factors behind global development: causes, effects, and consequences. He offers vast info and analysis on a changing global production, investment and trade map, which involves all nations, rich or poor. Interesting comparative studies involve US, Canada, Europe, India, Japan and China. Above all, he pinpoints opportunities and challenges under globalization.

Also it is highly critical of the abusive Chinese bureaucratic power. Gu claims that China's fundamental weakness is with this overextended, self-appointed bureaucratic power. Vast info and facts are presented to support his statement.

He is a high-profile newspaper commentator/consultant that adds much color to his discussions. The book's key strengths come from the fact that the author has vast first-hand experiences, so that he gives countless insider's stories. Its style and presentation is very reader friendly and straightforward, but its analysis is overpowering.

Author Gu is a brave fellow. He offers straightfoward info and analysis on what is really inside Chinese business and political world. He is highly critical of the Communist ills that continue to cause hellish problems for China and foreign operations inside. Other than this abusive bureaucratic power, Chinese people are very diligent and creative. But the key is to get rid of the overextended bureaucratic power, as so claims by Gu.

This book is a must read -- it is a rare book that reveals the inner workings of the Chinese bureaucratic system. This new edition is very nice, which is sharply revised and expanded. (Five stars for his new edition)

Author George Zhibin Gu is a high-profile Chinese journalist whose powerful newspaper pieces are widely read. This book is a must read. The reason for my recommendation is simple: This book summarises the key lessons from a fast-changing China under globalization and capitalism.

These lessons are powerful. First, an open society is a must in order to gain true development. Second, having foreign involvement is a key driving force for China's quick development in this era. Third, a truly meaningful development must depend on individual private initiatives other than government bureaucracy.

This book gives rather straightforward analysis on what is behind China's new development. It gives tremendous information on foreign multinationals and investors doing biz inside. Furthermore, it gives huge info on how this foreign involvement affects China's society, government and economy. In particular, it is extremely open about the ills of the Chinese bureaucracy. To overcome bureaucratic barriers, it emphasizes the need for greater private initiative as well as openness, among other things.

Also, the book talks about the ever-increasing influences of China's surge on global development. It gives very insightful analysis on a changing global production, investment, and trade map, as well as manufacturing and job transfers, among other issues.

The book also offers much practical advice on doing biz in China. Numerous case studies are presented, including both successes and failures.

This book covers all the areas a new business owner must consider. It discusses the basics as well as the intricate parts of business ownership. The author is extremely knowledgable being a three time sucessful entrepreneur. Must read for anyone even considering opening their own business.

As someone interested in entrepreneurship this book was very helpful. What really sets this book apart from other popular books on entrepreneurism is that Sortino gives a very balanced presentation of its ups and downs. He doesn't pretend that it's all golden, unlike other authors (i.e., the "Rich Dad" series). Sortino explains what it takes to be an entrepreneur and what you have to do to set your business in motion. He gets into the psychological aspects of being an entrepreneur and explains that you have to want it for more than just money. This book is a great read for a novice and I recommend it to anyone interested in entrepreneurship.

I'm currently launching my first company and in the process I've read TONS of books on marketing, accounting systems, business management, etc. I've had a subscription to INC. magazine for the past two years and I've read each issue diligently.

But in this book, John Sortino encapsulates much of the information I got from those sources and added a great deal about topics like taking your company public, keeping your relationships healthy while you're growing your business, and the opportunities available to you after you've become a successful entrepreneur.

I recommend this book to any one making there way as an entreprenuer. If you're reading this, John, thanks for sharing your experience with me. Oh, and I bought my mom a Vermont Teddy Bear! She loves it!

A comprehensive primer for software, internet, and e-commerce entrepreneurs. If you're new to the business, you'll find every chapter chock-full of critical information. And even if you're a "pro," you'll be amazed at how much you learn.

Cracking the New E-conomy has been a great help in developing strategies for my new company. I was not looking for an IPO homerun but this book has given me some great insights that have caused me to rethink my goals entirely. I really like the fact that I was gathering advice from 60 plus professionals rather than just one. It was like attending a weeklong conference without the cost. A great investment!

If only this book had been available 18 months ago when I set out into the world of high-tech entrepreneurialism! Not only would I have done things different - I would have done them smarter and quicker. This book contains, in a very easy read, everything you need to get your business venture up and running. The writers know their stuff and are happy to share it. They address issues that I did not even know to look out for, and they do so in a very readable way. Buy this book - even if your venture is not in high tech.

In writing my book: "The day when politician will debate about our genes, Understanding the soul of electronicdemocracy.co.uk" which is currently under editor review, I look for a book to assess the characters of historically successful capitalist leaders.

Written as 6 biographies, it is the best books to understand the characters, values and morals of 6 great entrepreneurs in order to consider the individual factor in the system.

This is an excellent collection of articles describing people, firms, and nations that succeeded in modern capitlism. Looking a the four most successful economies of the past two centuries: England, US, Germany, and Japan- Prof. McCraw's expertly edited and coherent collection of articles gives the reader a flavor of what made for great success in the capitalist economy. Each country has three articles: a firm, an entrepenure, and the country itself for a total of 12 articles each written by true experts. McCraw's understanding of capitlism is somewhat skewed toward the modern, however on the whole the book is extremely balanced. Of partiuclar note, is Prof. David Moss's article on the Deutch Bank which dicusses the succcess, failures, rewards, and dark side of capitalism.

The book covers the history of capitalism in great detail outlining the major turning points and how it has evolved to shape modern capitalism. A definite must read for whoever is interested in the nature of a capitalist society.

Unless you have a business IQ of 160 +, you really should browse thru this one. It's nice to have on the table when you are comtemplating minding your own business. There is a lot to be said for payroll workers. When they go home they leave work at work. When you run your own business, it's.....well, you guessed it, it stays with you 24/7/365!

This book gives you a broad base of insight and directions to look in and ways to think and talk smarter business. This book helps newbies survive their business model. It helps me. I paid $6.00 on the Amazon used book section. Best $6 I have spent in a long while. Enjoy!

One of the best all-around resources for starting and operating a small business. Goes from choosing a legal for of business to bookkeeping, to paying taxes, to marketing. Great for anyone wishing to start a new business or to maintain and streamline an existing one.

I have worked in small business development for over 18 years, and for all the knowledge one can attain in that period of time there is always a question that requires research. In addition to consulting my business planning clients, I also write "small business expert" columns on the Internet. In neither case can you afford to make a mistake advising a client or a reader. Every question requiring research on fact and procedure finds me pulling this book off the shelf before any other. Always, I find my answer in this book in a manner that allows me to respond. Furthermore, most small business clients and readers are not thoroughly knowledged in the terminology of finance and marketing. I always strive to explain matters with the use of lay terminology that facilitates their learning process. The Small Business Advisor succeeds in helping me to achieve that goal.

This book should be on the shelf of every small business assistance agency and small business consulting firm. The monetary investment is equal to or greater than any other small business assistance book I can find on the market today.