Book
School for Startups: The Breakthrough Course for Guaranteeing Small Business Success in 90 Days or Less
Authors' Biographies
Jim Beach is a serial entrepreneur, director of education at The Entrepreneur School, and founder of International Entrepreneurship. Chris Hanks is an entrepreneur and lecturer at the University of Georgia, where he teaches entrepreneurship at the Terry College of Business. David Beasley worked for twenty-five years as a reporter and editor for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. His stories appeared in many publications, including the New York Times, Bloomberg News and GlobalAtlanta.com.
Twitter Review
May not be enough 4 the seasoned entrepreneur, but 4 those considering entrepreneurship @school4startups is a good first read.
Powerful Gems
“Your goal should be to start several business” via @school4startups. Book review coming soon.
— Teach A CEO (@TeachACEO) February 22, 2012
“We believe your goal should be to start several business. Just as you would not put all your retirement money in one stock, so you should strive to diversify your business portfolio as a way to minimize risk and increase earnings. Having multiple revenue streams is the ticket to low-risk life.”
“During economic slumps, big companies often reduce their spending on research and development. They pull back from promising markets. This gives smaller companies an opening that would probably not have existed in the boom times. You are more likely to find voids in the market–products or services that are not being offered by the big companies.”
“Lesson 23: The value proposition is what you do better than anyone else. To get the most business possible, you will have to articulate your value proposition.”
“The best business plan entails actually selling product and letting the market decide whether your goods are wanted, whether your sales pitch is right, and if your price is too high or too low.”
“Low-risk entrepreneurs bootstrap their business, starting with very little cash and using creative methods to grow internally.”
Summary
School for Startups is written by two entrepreneurs and a reporter and editor. The book provides a “practical guide on how to build a business the smart way–without risking major assets such as your house, savings account, or health insurance.” In less then 200 words, the book explores topics including the myths of entrepreneurship, how to find a great idea, bootstrapping your business, international trade, the internet, marketing your product, hiring, and when to quit your day job.
The Entrepreneurial Librarian's Take
Using practical advice along with anecdotes, School for Startups is a good short read for individuals considering entrepreneurship. The introduction of the book introduces entrepreneurship not as a glorious celebratory choice in life, but as a stark reality of the current economic climate. The book starts out with the eight words: “It was not supposed to be this way.” As the authors state, the goal of the book is to reduce risk in addition to dispelling the myth that entrepreneurship in all its forms is risky. The authors do a fair job of achieving this and provide some thought-provoking insight into entrepreneurship. While this book is not the “Last Book to Buy” for entrepreneurs, it does provide a new paradigm for viewing the economic crisis along with some guidance on how to build a business. All chapters of the book may not apply to every venture , but the book is a good, quick read for people wondering about the risk involved with being an entrepreneur and early-stage entrepreneurs.