A Real Reality Check About Becoming An Entrepreneur
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<div id="video-block-R1MVXTWGQ5Y1PH" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1B8TaARy6S.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/8163MZmRXiS.png" class="video-slate-img-url">&nbsp;One of the biggest steps anyone can take, is to leave the security of their 8-5 Job and work for yourself. Some think that it is easy and you can be set your own hours, lifestyle etc. Carol Roth's book takes all the myths our, and gives you a reality check. Maybe you should just stick to the security of having a job and perhaps benefits. Otherwise get ready to put in 80 hours a week, all your money and time. Maybe, just maybe, it will succeed. Otherwise, this book is a confidence builder. At least, before starting a venture, you will know what to expect. And remember, if you don't like your one boss, well, becoming an entrepreneur, you will have many bosses. I love this book and recommend it to anyone who is thinking about leaving their cushion job and giving the entrepreneurial lifestyle a shot. With this book, it won't be a shot in the dark.
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Shoestring-Venture-The-Startup-Bible/dp/B001M4I0G4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Shoestring Venture: The Startup Bible</a>...Steve Monas
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This book is easily a "must-have" for anyone interested in entrepreneurship whether it is a researcher, a student of entrepreneurship or an entrepreneur. "The Illusions of Entrepreneurship" provides a reality check on what entrepreneurship is all about.  For example some of the common myths in the field of entrepreneurship is that entrepreneurs are unique people with desirable psychological characteristics that sets them apart from the rest of us. Similarly other famous myths include "it's not what you know, but who you know" that increases your odds of starting a business, capital availability  increases the number of startups in an area, and that a typical start-up is a silicon valley garage filled with creative energy which results into a multi-billion dollar enterprise.  Dr. Scott Shane busts these myths and states that entrepreneurs do not have psychological characteristics that sets them apart from the rest and that demographic factors such as age, race and gender are better predictors than psychological characteristics!  Similarly, he demonstrates how "what you know not who you know" increases your odds of starting  a business, the number of start- ups increases the capital availability in an area (not the other way around) and that a typical start-up is a very ordinary, not-very-innovative, home-based business that starts and stays small.
What makes these counter-intuitive arguments compelling is the use of data and research studies on which these claims are based. By using data from the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics-one of the most comprehensive datasets on entrepreneurship -and other high quality research studies, Dr. Scott Shane effectively shows that the common conceptions of entrepreneurship are indeed misconceptions!
Additionally, Scott Shane's clear writing style accompanied by the use of tables and figures makes this book a quick and easy read. For example, the recap bullets at the end of each chapter effectively provide the summary of each chapter. Furthermore, although the book is a quick and easy read, the material it covers parallels an academic textbook. Thus it provides the best of both worlds. A book that has academic wisdom in a best-seller format! This is book is highly recommended to students and researchers in entrepreneurship as well as to entrepreneurs as the one of the first books that MUST BE READ on the topic before continuing their endeavors in entrepreneurship based on popular myths.
4971598
Scott Anthony's latest book is an absolute must-read for aspiring entrepreneurs. In this book, Scott delves exclusively into the first few days or months of a business when you realize that your idea may not actually be that million dollar business that you thought it would be. The subsequent days are spent tweaking and pivoting your idea till you reach a sweet spot; a point where your business begins to take off.

The content from the book reminded me of the story of Jeb Blount from my book - Jeb had written a sales book that needed marketing. To market the book, he started an online community for sales professionals. As the community grew, he wanted to look at monetization options for the website. The subsequent pivots led to the business he runs today. SalesGravy is one of the most popular job portal dedicated to sales professionals. Sometimes it is these minor tweaks that eventually lead you to your successful business idea.
603687
I liked this book a lot. Its target audience is anyone who is currently earning a salary working for someone other than themselves or a company they own, but who are considering whether entrepreneurship is something for them. It is fairly well written and organized. Chapter 1 provides a nice introduction to the book and Chapter 2 is the meat of the book. The remaining seven chapters flow directly from what is covered in Chapter 2.

This book is not a how-to book. It is a book for wanta-be entrepreneurs who think it is risky to start their own business and cannot find the motivation to transition from their W-2 setup to one of self-employment. The authors explain in chapters 2-9 that there are 8 myths about making the transition to self-employment that simply are not true. Take a look at the Search Inside material the authors have provided Amazon. You will find the titles to the chapters. They succinctly layout what the book is about.

I like to view the book as one that explains that starting a small business is not particularly risky. Sure, any unknown has a certain amount of risk involved with it. But starting a business doesn't have to be like visiting Atlantic City and shooting craps at one of the gambling tables. With the proper research, skills, and planning, anyone can start a small business and be successful.

You might be saying now: What about the money needed to start a small business? Well, every business costs some money to start. Some cost more than others. And some don't cost much at all to start. The book points this out in Chapter 3. My favorite chapters in this book were chapters 1-5 and 8. I wish the authors had more fully developed them and left out chapters 6, 7 and 9, since those chapters did not do much for me.

I would have liked the book better if it had three other chapters included regarding myths as follows:

6. You have to be good at sales if you plan to be successful as an entrepreneur.
7. You have to be a people person if you plan to be successful as an entrepreneur.
9. You have to be good with numbers if you plan to be able to run your own business.

The message in this book is that if you get advice from experts and informed people you will be headed in the right direction to start a small business. If you gather information about an opportunity to start a small business, then you will be well on your way to starting a small business. And if you take all the advice and research and prepare a sound WRITTEN business plan, then you will probably be successful in starting and running your small business.

I found chapters 7-9 to be less-than. Chapter 7 could have included more advice on marketing techniques. And Chapter 8 could have talked a lot more about Internet marketing techniques. Chapter 9 would have been better if business plans had been tied into the discussion and strategic planning had been explained.

In sum, if you are toying with the idea to get out of the rat-race and start your own small business, then this is a good book to help convince you to do what it takes to make the jump. 4 stars!
1773037
I am a successful entrepreneur.  Like many entrepreneurs I hit a brick wall when forward progress became a function of the people I hired and the processes they employed--rather than my own efforts.

Working hard didn't cut it anymore.  I had to work smart.

Larry Robertson's book has helped me do just that by taking the mystery out of the entrepreneurial journey.  This book has helped me define the roles necessary for our company and the types of people I need to fill those roles if my venture is to remain a success.

Troops in battle expect their commander to have to have studied and learned his craft.  Their lives depend upon it.  The same is true of entrepreneurs.  If families do not already depend upon you, they soon will.  If you are to lead with grace and understanding, I encourage you to read "A Deliberate Pause."
1165065
Excellent read! Chris hits the nail on the head with his advice. The key takeaway is that he has lived it from being in the trenches himself to now working daily with tons of startups seeing both success and failure. This book is by far in the top 3 of MUST READS if you are in or planning on taking the leap of faith into the world of entrepreneurship.
3569859
Every person who wants to be an entrepreneur should read this book before he starts his venture because of the realistic and honest entrepreneurial story that is told. Their story is well written with a nice sense of humor; you keep reading and reading, it's like an addiction! I have started a (student) organization myself and had some of the same emotions Kyle and John went through. I was happy to read about their emotions, I am happy to know that I am not `weird' in that perspective! When you start a business you will understand what feelings they write about and you will not be that worried anymore about these feelings. Unfortunately the book is not available in the Netherlands yet. I got it from a friend who got it from a friend from America.
3177018
Jump Start Your Business is written for anyone who has dreamed of starting their own business, for those who already have a business and want to make it better, and for those who want to grow their business to the next level. Successful entrepreneurs, graduate students, and company employees alike will learn from the many key tips, tools and techniques provided for igniting the entrepreneurial spirit within.

The material is well organized, presented in a natural progression of building blocks (the 10 Jolts) with sound principles and guidelines for establishing clear mission and vision statements which lead to articulate personal and professional goals. The discussion on the importance of time management, taking advantage of available resources, and of networking resonated with me.  I also found the chapter on building and maintaining energy while being passionate about identifying tools that motivate and inspire especially helpful.

Other Components include finances, creative thinking, the power of words, and other skills that enable and empower personal growth and success in business round out the 10 Jolts.

Authors Shawn and Rachael Doyle are both experienced in the field of startup businesses, entrepreneurship, advocates of lifelong learning, and actively implementing motivational and training programs. Their writing style is informal, reader friendly, challenging the reader to complete the Work It exercises, included after each chapter, and to work with accountability partners.

This is an important addition to the other Jump Start  titles published by Sound Wisdom books.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes. The opinions expressed are my own.
2503934
If you love photography and dream of starting a business read this FIRST! Don't take another step until you read the reality of what is really required to make a success. It's not what you think....
3731313
Making the leap to becoming an entrepreneur is not an easy one. In The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster, Darren Hardy does presents the concepts pf what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur. He shares his own experience and what he's learned from interviewing other successful entrepreneurs. It forces you to take a deep look inward at your passions and strengths, and leverage them to be successful. If you're thinking about starting your own business this book will help prepares you for the ups and downs of the entrepreneur life.
349082
If you're an expat and you've ever considered starting your own business, or if you are an expat and know you want to become an entrepreneur, this is the perfect book for you.

Heidi and Meg provide a detailed Roadmap full of real life examples and practical advice. The exercises at the end of each chapter will help you get clear about your business and create a focused approach.

This book addresses how to deal with obstacles like fear as well as offering smart tips about networking. And of course they talk about how to deal with cultural differences and finding support along your journey.

The last chapter contains 32 real life success stories that will inspire and motivate you to begin your own business (disclaimer, I'm featured in this section).  I wish this book had been around when I started my business.
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I always appreciate reading and learning from successful people who have made it, especially when they did it on their own. The author Paul Casey is one of those people who has done really well for himself in business and you can learn some tips from a seasoned and expert entrepreneur. I don't want to give any spoilers but in the beginning you will learn that he started his own newspaper and then radio company and did really well, and now is part owner of a pro baseball team. If you are in business for yourself you can definitely learn from this book.

I see a lot of people everyday who are small business owners who could benefit greatly from this book. Most people have an idea of what owning a business is like, and soon find that reality is a totally different ballgame. We all know the person who started a boutique, restaurant, or other small business only to later learn that it wasn't the rose colored fantasy they had dreamed up. We all know the type... they spent their life savings starting a company and then it was gone before they knew it. To top it off they discovered they hated the day to day tasks of running their dream business. If only they had read this book and taken the seasoned advice of a highly successful serial entrepreneur.

Anybody who wants to go into business, or who is already in business for themselves, should read this book. Maybe you already know the ropes, but there is some seriously refreshing material in here to sharpen your focus and keep you on the right track.
2823877
I love entrepreneurship and more important, entrepreneurial thinking. Yet so much of what I see in the marketplace around entrepreneurship is utterly ridiculous: "24-7 hustle" and this image of an entrepreneur being a relentless, usually male hustler.

 Entrepreneurship comes in many shapes and sizes and this book is an incredible blueprint for people everywhere to think like an entrepreneur, solve problems, create value, and make more money.
4909059
This book is a must for anyone that wants to start a business but thinks "This will never work". Jason is living proof that you CAN make a living doing what you love (with a lot of smarts and determination).

The book starts Jason's journey from unhappy agency guy to the creative marketing mastermind he is today. It then delves into actionable strategic and tactical ways to sell your idea, no matter how crazy it might be. Finally, it gives an honest reflection on the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.

The sponsorship ads in the book themselves are at times funny, creative, and inspiring. Disclaimer: I'm page sponsor #169 - go check it out :)

Regardless, Jason's created a very personal, very honest, and very useful tool for any aspiring entrepreneur. I know I'll be flipping through it for reference a bunch.
1003333
I've read the book cover to cover in one sitting. It's solid information I wish I'd had years before I went into business. Whether you're already an entrepreneur, aspriting to become one, or have one in the family, you'll want to read this book so that you understand the joys and the pitfalls and the strength that it takes to win at the entrepreneurial game. Every word is rock solid advice clearly laid out so that readers know what they'll be facing and what order to do things in for the most success in their business.

Not everyone is cut out for the rollercoaster ride of entrepreneurship. Wouldn't you rather know BEFORE you put all of your time, heart, and lifesavings into something like that?

Great read, great information. Best book on entrepreneurship I've ever read.

Liz Strauss
Founder of SOBCon - Business Strategies Conference for Entrepreneurs
CEO of Inside-Out Thinking
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I found this book to be very helpful and inspiring. I first listened to it on Audible then decided I needed to have it in my hand to follow along with some of the questions and exercises Mike recommends doing to get the most out of the book. I have been stuck thinking about what I need to do to get started on my own for years and with the serious substance in this book, along with the "stop screwing around" mentality he provides I finally found a book that real beginning entrepreneurs can use to mold the framework of their potential business and continue using for years to come.
2480261
This book is a MUST READ for anyone daring to embark on an entrepreneurial journey.  If you are skeptical at all by the title and think it is a "get rich quick scheme," you are sadly mistaking.  MJ DeMarco really addresses every important detail of embracing the process of success, not just the events.  I've actually come across this book many times while looking for an ebook to purchase from Amazon.  My only regret about owning this book is not owning it soon enough!  I definitely see myself reading this again in the future for a point of reference.  Let my review be the last one you read about this book; hurry up and buy it!