Entrepreneurship / Start-ups Books

Book SynopsisSteve Hoffman, CEO of Founders Space, prepares entrepreneurs to avoid mistakes, overcome obstacles, and master the skills necessary to make the right choices along their path to success.The fact is, over 90 percent of all new startups fail. Every entrepreneur must face this harsh reality and learn to master it if they hope to survive and wind up on top.In Surviving a Startup, Hoffman brings readers on a wild ride, sharing with them the tumultuous journey of launching a venture-funded startup and revealing what it takes to make it.In this one-of-a-kind guide, you will learn: A deep analysis and insights into the major challenges every entrepreneur faces when launching a business. How to make the best possible decisions and deal with crisis situations. Strategies for raising capital and growing a business, even when it seems impossible. Secrets on how to manage difficult employees, demonstrate leade

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Book SynopsisWall Street Journal BestsellerDevelop and expand your innate leadership abilities through daily exercises and challenges designed to help you grow into the leader you want to be and prepare you for the job you were made to have.A recent Harvard Business Review article outlining a study of over 17,000 leaders found that although, on average, people begin to supervise others at age 30, most do not start to receive formal leadership training until their forties.In addition to serving as a U.S. Army airborne, infantry, and ranger-qualified officer, Patrick Leddin has founded successful businesses and trained thousands of leaders. In The Five-Week Leadership Challenge, Leddin shows you how to quickly build standout leadership skills so that when the next opportunity comes along, you''re the only person for the job.In this book, you will find:35 daily challe

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Book SynopsisAxiom Business Book Award Winner in Entrepreneurship Category  Learn to make creativity work for your career.Anyone, regardless of who you are or what you do, can cultivate the habits, actions, and attitudes that inspire creativity and innovation.There has never been a more crucial time than now to develop your creativity and your ability to innovate. Coming up with original ideas of value is today’s most precious skill.How Creativity Rules the World shows that, despite contrary beliefs, creativity can be taught and learned by anyone. Creativity is an inexhaustible resource that is the key to thriving in the business world and beyond. This timeless guide promises to make the creative process of successful seven-figure artists and billion-dollar entrepreneurs—as well as Maria’s own—accessible and actionable for you to take the power of their ideas to the next level.Trade Review'Creative entrepreneur Maria Brito has written a primer on how to unleash and build on our creative potential. Through fascinating case studies and her own career trajectory, she shows how innovators have harnessed their creativity through techniques like improvisation, aggregation, and juxtaposition of opposite concepts. In addition to providing useful examples of creative strategies, the book gives us an absorbing history of creative accomplishment.' * Jeffrey Deitch Gallerist and former director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles *'How Creativity Rules The World is one of the most fascinating reads on how to harness our immense creative power in business and in life. Maria Brito does a brilliant job, with candor and humor, at demonstrating that we all have everything we need to become innovators, disruptors and changemakers.' * Catherine Levene President, Meredith Corporation *'Interesting, revealing and soulful, 'How Creativity Rules The World' brings something powerful to those who are already creative and to those who want to improve their creativity and their ideas' * June Ambrose Creative Director, Puma *'Maria Brito has crafted a first-rate guide to creativity that explodes the many myths about the topic and places this elusive ability within anyone's grasp. If you're looking to get unstuck, this is a book for you.' * Daniel H. Pink #1 New York Times bestselling author of WHEN, DRIVE, and A WHOLE NEW MIND *'Not an artist or an entrepreneur? Not a problem. We all have original ideas, and this user-friendly guide shows how to access them and put them to work.' * People Magazine *'Punchy look at the mindsets and skills necessary for innovation.... Those looking to spark some creativity will find this worth a look.' * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisWALL STREET JOURNAL bestseller! This brief, easy-to-read and inspiring book has become a guide for thousands of peoplegiving them the tools they need to find their next move, trust themselves, and take action.Ideal for: anyone who may be facing new opportunities or the unknown, including both individuals and culture-forward organizations, inspired leaders, start-ups, entrepreneurs, creatives, and people in a transitional phase of their life. If you are... Innovating and charting new territory Figuring out what's next Evaluating a decision or venture Developing a project Dealing with an unexpected change Feeling temporarily stuck, overwhelmed, or unclear Risk Forward will provide you with inspiration, insights and prompts to help you find your path forward. This full-color book is highly designed, filled with drawings, and is a very quick read. You can flip around and read the chapters in any order.Trade ReviewWall Street Journal bestseller "RISK FORWARD is a mosaic that will change the way you view your life forever." - Roberta Matuson, author of Can We Talk? & contributor at Forbes.com "This book should be the official guidebook for your career." - Geoff Cottrill, former CMO at Converse and Coca-Cola "RISK FORWARD shows us how to defy the noise and think in a new way. I love this book. We need this book." - Frank Oz, Yoda performer, Muppets originator/performer, feature film director "RISK FORWARD breaks the mold . . . impossible to put down." - Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The New One Minute Manager (R) "The type of book you'll want to have on your bookshelf or by your bedside to refer to over and over again." - Melissa Houston, author of Cash Confident & contributor at Forbes.com "RISK FORWARD offers sage advice--and brisk inspiration--for anyone contemplating the daunting prospect of a new project or change of direction." - Pamela Liebman, President & CEO, The Corcoran Group "If Picasso and Apple produced a book, this would be it!!!" - Vince Poscente, New York Times best-selling author and Olympian "I knew RISK FORWARD was terrific when I found myself, by page 10, taking notes and applying them to my own current creative chaos. RISK FORWARD is the indispensable guide for all of us when we freak out at the inception of a new project. Five stars!" - Steven Pressfield, New York Times best-selling author of The War of Art "Exquisite, whimsical and thought provoking. Beautifully written, filled with artistry and easy to read, RISK FORWARD had me asking myself profound questions." - Jeff Walker, New York Times best-selling author and founder of Product Launch Formula "Risk Forward now has an exalted place on my bookshelf next to Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird." - Alan Zweibel, original Saturday Night Live writer "An insightful, witty, and deeply moving mosaic." - Matt Fagerholm, RogerEbert.com "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. This is a compassionate book, a kind book, a helpful book." - Patricia Ryan Madson, professor emerita, Stanford University "These pages brought literal tears to my eyes for their truth." - Hillary Z. Bradley, artist/painter "An essential, practical manual that helps one meet any moment. 3x this week alone I have applied these principles with my team." - Journey Gunderson, Executive Director, National Comedy Center

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Book SynopsisA great product is not enough. You cannot sell or promote anything without an original and distinctive brand. But how do you create a good name, a memorable logo and a recognizable category so that everyone understands what you are selling?In The Only Book You Will Ever Need on Branding you''ll find out everything you need to know - fast.Using quirky illustrations to make its point you''ll discover how to fast forward the success of your brand in a couple of hours. You''ll Grasp the key concepts of branding, learn how to improve your existing brand and find out what other start-up books don''t tell you

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Book Synopsis If you want to be the best, you have to have the right skillset. From generating ideas and creating business plans to sales and marketing, THE ULTIMATE STARTUP BOOK is a dynamic collection of tools, techniques, and strategies for success. Discover the main themes and key ideas you need and bring it all together with practical exercises.This is your complete course in entrepreneurship. ABOUT THE SERIESULTIMATE books are for managers, leaders, and business executives who want to succeed at work. From marketing and sales to management and finance, each title gives comprehensive coverage of the essential business skills you need to get ahead in your career. Written in straightforward English, each book is designed to help you quickly master the subject, with fun quizzes embedded so that you can check how you''re doing.

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Book SynopsisArianna Huffington is one of the world's most prominent business leaders in media. As co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, she built the first internet newspaper, which eclipsed the traffic of The New York Times and won the Pulitzer Prize. Creating a digital media empire from an investment of just over $1 million, she sold HuffPost to AOL in 2011 for more than $300 million.HuffPost went on to become the flagship publication for global telecommunications giant Verizon, before being acquired by BuzzFeed in 2020. Considered to be one of the most influential women on earth, Huffington went on to establish Thrive Global, a wellness and technology start-up that aims to end the stress and burn-out epidemic.This concise, but richly detailed, biography provides an overview of Huffington's life and career, chronicling her journey from Athens to London, New York, Washington and California, across seven decades. From her e

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Book Synopsis Reed Hastings is one of the world''s foremost business leaders. As co-founder, chairman and CEO of Netflix, he has built one of the largest media and entertainment companies on the planet, with an estimated personal net worth of $3.6 billion. A notable philanthropist, he has served on the boards of a number of non-profit organisations as well as Facebook and Microsoft. This concise but detailed biography provides an overview of Hastings'' career trajectory. From his unique management style to the biggest mistakes he has made along the way, to the reasons behind his decision to take Netflix from a business that dealt with products (rental DVDs) to a technology company that focuses on streaming, Burgess sheds light on Hastings'' success and looks to what the future may bring for him and his ventures. Aspirational and positive, this is the perfect book for those looking for a concise and accessible account of a true global business visionary.

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Book SynopsisWith this practical, hands-on book, you'll learn how to do it faster and smarter using Lean UX techniques. UX expert Laura Klein shows you what it takes to gather valuable input from customers, build something they'll truly love, and reduce the time it takes to get your product to market.

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Book SynopsisThe number one Wall Street Journal Business Book Bestseller and Top 10 New York Times Bestseller‘A must-read for anyone who wants to start a business, grow a business, or be inspired by those who do’ – Adam Grant, author of Originals Based on the highly acclaimed NPR podcast, How I Built This with Guy Raz, his book offers priceless insights and inspiration from the world’s top entrepreneurs on how to start, launch and build a successful venture. Great ideas often come from a simple spark: a football player on the New Zealand national team notices all the unused wool his country produces and figures out a way to turn it into shoes (Allbirds). A former Buddhist monk decides the very best way to spread his mindfulness teachings is by launching an app (Headspace). A sandwich cart vendor finds a way to reuse leftover pita bread and turns it into a multimillion-dollar business (Stacy’s Pita Chips). Award-winning podcast creator Guy Raz has interviewed more than 200 highly successful innovators from across the world, from the founders of Five Guys, Airbnb and Bumble to James Dyson and Reed Hastings of Netflix, to uncover amazing true stories like these. In How I Built This, he shares tips for every entrepreneur’s journey: from the early days of formulating your idea, to raising money and recruiting employees, to finding your market and, finally, to paying yourself a real salary. This is a must-read for anyone who has ever dreamed of starting their own business or wondered how trail-blazing go-getters made their own dreams a reality. ‘These stories of founders and their companies are told with the same energy and openness it takes to be an entrepreneur’ – Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup ‘Guy Raz is supremely himself in this guide for aspiring entrepreneurs: brilliantly perceptive, incessantly curious, infectiously energetic and above all, a master storyteller’ – Angela Duckworth, author of GritTrade ReviewA must-read for anyone who wants to start a business, grow a business, or be inspired by those who do -- Adam Grant, author of OriginalsGuy Raz is supremely himself in this guide for aspiring entrepreneurs: brilliantly perceptive, incessantly curious, infectiously energetic and above all, a master storyteller -- Angela Duckworth, author of GritIf only this book would have come out years ago, building my business would have been so much simpler. At least we have it now! -- Simon Sinek, author of Start with WhyAn indispensable guide for anyone eager to challenge the status quo in pursuit of some new and better version of the world. Highly recommended -- Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and co-author of BlitzscalingAnyone who reads How I Built This will have an incredible advantage. Guy provides the compass, the map and the headlamp you need to navigate the wilderness of entrepreneurship -- Joe Gebbia, entrepreneur and co-founder of AirbnbGuy Raz has an extraordinary talent for not only unearthing the most powerful ideas in any story, but also translating those ideas into wisdom accessible for everyone -- Chris Anderson, head of TEDTruly remarkable stories . . . about truly remarkable people. Guy Raz captures their stories on the page to incredible effect -- Jennifer Hyman, CEO and founder of Rent the RunwayThis book is all about inspiration – told with blood, sweat and tears. You’ll come away refreshed. And ready to hit the ground running -- Mark Cuban, entrepreneur, 'shark' on Shark Tank, and proprietor of the Dallas MavericksThrough stories of passion, audacity and courage, Guy weaves together a shared business-building experience that’s both inspiring and real -- Lara Merriken, founder of LÄRABARA love letter to the idea of possibility . . . This book explores all the discrete nooks and crannies of an entrepreneur’s voyage through success and failure -- Alli Webb, Drybar founderIf you’re determined to reach for your dream, read this book -- Barbara Corcoran, founder of The Corcoran Group and ‘shark' on Shark TankWhat’s so remarkable about Guy’s book is not so much that all these individuals saw their dreams come true, but that as their stories of overcoming frustrations and hurdles unfold, you end up cheering for them to succeed -- Tony Hsieh, author of Delivering Happiness and CEO of Zappos.comIf you enjoy the How I Built This podcast, you’ll love this book. You’ll identify with the ups, downs, and pivots that make up the proverbial roller coaster ride of entrepreneurs -- Stacy Madison, founder of Stacy’s Pita Chips and BeBOLD BarsGuy is clearly a person who is tapped into this community of entrepreneurs and shares stories of relevance to our community. Now, more than ever, entrepreneurs and small businesses need a curator of stories and Guy is that ‘guy’ -- Lisa Price, founder of Carol’s DaughterThese stories of founders and their companies are told with the same energy and openness it takes to be an entrepreneur -- Eric Ries, CEO of the Long-Term Stock Exchange and author of The Lean StartupI love Guy Raz’s How I Built This podcast and the book was just as great. There’s probably nobody else who could tell these inspiring stories as well as Guy. From page one I was fully invested -- LogicIt’s so inspiring it almost makes me want to start another business -- Sarah LaFleur, founder and CEO, M.M.LaFleurNow, more than ever, we need dreamers and builders – this book is full of them and their stories of inspiration -- Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and InitializedIf you’ve ever dreamed of starting a business, How I Built This is a must-read -- Michael Dubin, co-founder and CEO of Dollar Shave ClubGuy Raz has seen inside the brains of more founders and hyper-growth entrepreneurs than anyone I’ve ever met! What an incredible buffet of how-to-build-it-right-wisdom -- Brian Scudamore, founder and CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and O2E BrandsI can’t think of a better placed person to tell us if starting and growing a company is really about hard work or good luck! -- Tim Brown, co-founder and co-CEO of Allbirds

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Book SynopsisDitch your day job or set up your side project with this ultimate guide to starting and running your own creative business. From two successful entrepreneurs who share everything they wish they they'd known at the beginning.‘Together, these two have created a flourishing business’ - VogueThe Art of Starting guides you from the first step right through to the everyday running of a successful creative business. Whether your passion is in craft, photography, food, fashion or design, this book is full of indispensable advice.Iona Mathieson and Romy St Clair are two entrepreneurs who learnt the hard way. Their practical advice helps you to use what you already know and develop future proof skills in a fulfilling job that works for you.In The Art of Starting you will:– Discover your strengths, foster community and create meaningful client relationships– Learn how to value yourself, your product and negotiate fees– Find out what school didn’t teach; from tax and accounting to social media management and developing communityIona and Romy started their floristry business SAGE Flowers with no formal training and less than £1,000. In a few short years, they grew a floristry empire, have been lauded as London's go-to florists, and have an enviable client list including Mercedes, Nike, Glossier and Fenty. In The Art of Starting they share tips and secrets from experts and entrepreneurs so that your creative business will succeed too.Trade ReviewTogether, these two have created a flourishing business. * Vogue *This guide will advise you on how to start your own creative business or simply take up a new side hustle * i-D *The Art of Starting is such a powerful statement. The first step really is as simple as that. What Iona and Romy have provided is a much needed and important resource to building and running a creative business that honors integrity, people and passion. * Diet Paratha *An honest and demystifying manual full of insider wisdom for modern day entrepreneurs – brilliant! * Hazel Gardiner *Love what the girls are doing. . . It's amazing what they've built together, boss moves * Seapa *Iona and Romy are the true trailblaizers in the creative world. The Art of Starting is a must-read, this is the book you needed yesterday. Refreshing, educational, and beautifully curated. A real reflection of what SAGE has become. * Jaya Nila Aziz, Aesthetician & Founder of Sifali *Unlike many business owners — change doesn’t scare them. * Evening Standard *They know a thing or two about launching a successful business and it’s all detailed in their very first book . . . think of it as a start-up handbook. * The Face *This guide will advise you on how to start your own creative business or simply take up a new side hustle * i-D *

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Book Synopsis"THIS BOOK IS A GIFT TO ANYONE WHO HAS EVER FELT UNDERESTIMATED." ELIZABETH UVIEBINENÉ, bestselling co-author of Slay in Your Lane and Loud Black Girls"IF YOU WANT TO FEEL INSPIRED, READ THIS NOW." JAMEELA JAMIL, actress, model, and writerFrom a black, gay woman who broke into the boys' club of Silicon Valley comes an empowering guide to finding your voice, working your way into any room you want to be in, and achieving your own dreams.In 2015, Arlan Hamilton was on food stamps and sleeping on the floor of the San Francisco airport, with nothing but an old laptop and a dream of breaking into the venture capital business. She couldn't understand why people starting companies all looked the same (white and male), and she wanted the chance to invest in the ideas and people who didn't conform to this image of how a founder is supposed to look. Hamilton had no contacts or network in Silicon Valley, no background in finance - not even a college degree. What she did have was fierce determination and the will to succeed.As much as we wish it weren't so, we still live in a world where being underrepresented often means being underestimated. But as someone who makes her living investing in high-potential founders who also happen to be female, LGBTQ, or people of color, Hamilton understands that being undervalued simply means that a big upside exists. Because even if you have to work twice as hard to get to the starting line, she says, once you are on a level playing field, you will sprint ahead. Despite what society would have you believe, Hamilton argues, a privileged background, an influential network, and a fancy college degree are not prerequisites for success. Here she shares the hard-won wisdom she's picked up on her remarkable journey from food-stamp recipient to venture capitalist, with lessons like "The Best Music Comes from the Worst Breakups," "Let Someone Shorter Stand in Front of You," "The Dangers of Hustle Porn," and "Don't Let Anyone Drink Your Diet Coke." Along the way, she inspires us all to defy other people's expectations and to become the role models we've been looking for.Trade Review"Hamilton's story speaks to all the would-be entrepreneurs and dreamers out there. She brings a unique perspective that has enabled her to see opportunities that others cannot. Her message is simple: Those of us who are different can rule the business world, and no one can stop us." -- Mark Cuban"The world needs more Arlan Hamiltons. Although full of practical wisdom, It's About Damn Time isn't the typical business book. Hamilton is unfiltered, vulnerable, and funny as hell. Her story teaches us we can be successful on our own terms, without sacrificing our values or personalities." -- Sophia Amoruso, New York Times bestselling author of #GIRLBOSS"Hamilton is dead right: It is about damn time. It's about damn time we as women start trusting our voice, knowing our worth, and being unapologetically proud of who we are. In her new book, Hamilton proves that none of us need to ask permission to show the world what we're made of. If you want to feel inspired, read this now." -- Jameela Jamil, actress, model, and writer"I'm inspired by Arlan's grit, wisdom and empathy for others. She is truly formidable and this book is a gift to anyone who has ever felt underestimated." -- Elizabeth Uviebinené, bestselling co-author of Slay in Your Lane and Loud Black Girls"It's About Damn Time hits at the heart of leadership and risk taking-that we must each foster an unwavering belief in our own capacity. Arlan Hamilton's insights about the venture capital industry are met by her daring to build something intended for those left outside the gates. Hamilton's story is a hero's tale of what's possible when we unlock our potential, continue the search for knowledge, and draw on our lived experiences to guide us through the darkest moments. For aspiring entrepreneurs and those ready to start a new chapter, It's About Damn Time is a necessary reminder that every no isn't the end." -- Stacey Abrams, former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives

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Book Synopsis"Revealing, inspiring and funny. This book is a joy to romp through, which is good, because its final chapter is the important truth we all need to hear and understand if we are to survive this mess we've made" - Chris PackhamThis is the story of a man whose unwavering journey to save the environment has driven him all the way to the top, and a powerful manifesto for anyone who wants to change the world. Dale Vince has led a remarkable life. From ‘enemy of the state’ to ‘green energy tycoon’, he has dedicated his life to challenging conventional wisdom in pursuit of a better way to live. Dale kickstarted the now global green energy movement, helping to bring environmentalism into the mainstream. He pioneered the electric car, built the first Electric Highway to power them and runs Forest Green Rovers, the world’s first vegan football club. With a questioning mind that does not take ‘no’ for an answer, Dale has spent his whole life striving for change. In his first book, Dale explores what must be done to win the battle for Green Britain. It’s a manifesto of hope, backed up by solutions, from someone with real life experience of disrupting the energy industry and paving the way for a greener planet. This is a manifesto that is changing the world.The revised and updated version has a new chapter from Dale why he decided to shift support from Just Stop Oil to Just Stopping The Tories, why politics is the final frontier for a greener Britain and includes important links to register to vote and to get your ID sorted for the most important election of our generation.Trade ReviewRevealing, inspiring and funny. This book is a joy to romp through, which is good, because its final chapter is the important truth we all need to hear and understand if we are to survive this mess we've made.—Chris PackhamMad Max meets Laurie Lee.—Andrew Merrell, Raikes JournalI found Manifesto enthralling, thought-provoking and I learnt so much from it. Nor had I any idea that we had our own Archimedes living in The Cotswolds.—Jilly CooperManifesto is not just an essential read, it's highly entertaining. Dale Vince is the UK's best known eco entrepreneur and he tells a great story - from pitched battles with the cops as a new age traveller to standoffs with the fossil fuel energy barons. Think Silent Spring meets Succession. Ultimately this book calls out both boring eco orthodoxy and unhinged 'moonshot' rhetoric instead setting out a compelling, accessible case for radical and rapid sustainable change.—Lucy Siegle

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Book SynopsisFrom a long-time Alibaba executive and friend of Jack Ma, this is first book to articulate how Alibaba's unique culture and “tai chi” management principles are providing a business and economic development model for the rest of the world.If you took the economic might of Amazon, and added the penetration of Facebook, the ubiquity of Google, and the cultural significance of YouTube, you might have something starting to resemble Alibaba. Commonly mischaracterized as a kind of Chinese eBay for businesses, Alibaba and its interlinked network of products and services have exploded into global markets, disrupting conventional businesses and creating previously unimaginable opportunities for millions of small businesses worldwide. This book reveals the Tao of Alibaba—the company’s “secret sauce”—a consciously cultivated ethos and spirit that has enabled Alibaba to weather tough times (including its recent setbacks with the Chinese government) and persist toward a common mission. It is a blueprint of the company’s management philosophy, crystalized into the most important elements that have driven its success, and it provides a road map for how to incorporate these principles into any organization’s operations. Wong distills his 20 years of experience inside the company to show readers how to align their organization’s capabilities with performance-maximizing tools in order to achieve success. But most importantly, the Tao of Alibaba teaches the pursuit of greater purpose and meaning, steering entrepreneurs to view their ventures as a vehicle for having profound and lasting impacts on their communities. Ultimately, the lessons shared in The Tao of Alibaba will serve as timeless tools for any entrepreneur seeking to configure their organization toward purpose and impact.

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Book SynopsisWe're often told that we're living amidst a startup boom. Typically, we think of apps built by college kids and funded by venture capital firms, which remake fortunes and economies overnight. But in reality, most new businesses are things like restaurants or hair salons. Entrepreneurs aren't all millennials -- more often, it's their parents. And those small companies are the fabric of our economy.The Soul of an Entrepreneur is a business book of a different kind, exploring our work but also our passions and hopes. David Sax reports on the deeply personal questions of entrepreneurship: why an immigrant family risks everything to build a bakery; how a small farmer fights to manage his debt; and what it feels like to rise and fall with a business you built for yourself.This book is the real story of entrepreneurship. It confronts both success and failure, and shows how they can change a human life. It captures the inherent freedom that entrepreneurship brings, and why it matters.

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Book SynopsisWhat would you be willing to do for the rest of your life...? It's a question most of us consider only hypothetically-opting instead to "do what we have to do" to earn a living. But in the critically acclaimed bestseller "The Monk and the Riddle", entrepreneurial sage Randy Komisar asks us to answer it for real. The book's timeless advice - to make work pay not just in cash, but in experience, satisfaction, and joy - will be embraced by anyone who wants success to come not just from what they do, but from who they are.At once a fictional tale of Komisar's encounters with a would-be entrepreneur and a personal account of how Komisar found meaning not in work's rewards but in work itself, the book illustrates what's wrong with the mainstream thinking that we should sacrifice our lives to make a living. Described by Fortune.com as "part personal essay, part fictional narrative and part meditation on the nature of work and life," "The Monk and the Riddle" is essential reading on the art of creating a life while making a living. 'Belongs in a category by itself...The best thing I've read all year' - "San Francisco Examiner". 'A timely book' - "USA Today". 'A self-help manual and business fable rolled into one' - "The Times, London".Table of ContentsPrologue - the monk and the riddle; the pitch; the rules of the game; the virtual CEO; the deferred life plan; romance not finance; the big idea; beyond the bottom line; who will elad?; the whole life plan.

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Book SynopsisStart a Business—We’ll Show You How. Entrepreneur magazine’s Startup series presents everything you need to know about starting and running more than 55 of today’s hottest businesses. As a successful import/export agent, you can net a healthy six-figure income by matching buyers and sellers from around the globe, right from your own home. This book is loaded with valuable insights and practical advice for tapping into highly lucrative global markets. You’ll learn every aspect of the startup process, including: Choosing the most profitable goods to buy and sell Setting up and maintaining a trade route Using the internet to simplify your transactions How the government can help you find products and customers Essential trade law information to keep your business in compliance How to choose a customs broker The latest government policies Proven methods for finding contacts in the United States and abroad Plus, you'll gain the tricks of the trade from successful importers/exporters and hundreds of valuable resources help you become a player in the lucrative world of international exchange.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Trading Around the Globe Chapter 2: Import/Export 101 Chapter 3: Keeping Tabs on Politics and the Global Economy Chapter 4: Tricks of the Trade for Startups Chapter 5: Daily Operations Chapter 6: Rituals and Red Tape Chapter 7: Market Research Chapter 8: Trade Dollars and Sense Chapter 9: Employees, Insurance, and Other Facts of Life Chapter 10: Tools of the Trade Chapter 11: Advertising, Marketing, and Distribution Chapter 12: Effectively Controlling Your Finances Chapter 13: Fair Winds or Foul Seas Appendix: Trade Resources Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisWhen Before You Quit Your Job was written and published, it was a guidebook for aspiring entrepreneurs. Today--with the job market in shambles, overseas outsourcing and high unemployment--it can be a path to the salvation so many are looking for: A way take control of their life and use their skills and talents to create their future. Before You Quit Your Job asks: Do you have a million-dollar idea? Are you afraid of failing? Are you tired of making other people rich? Are you sick of taking order from your boss? Are you tired of working hard and not getting ahead? Are you ready to take a leap of faith and change your life? Learn about the B-I Triangle and the 8 Integrities of a Business--before you quit your job!

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Book SynopsisGo Do Deals provides entrepreneurs with a practical method to source and buy companies without having capital and without borrowing lots of money. For those who are ready to take the next step on the entrepreneurial ladder and make the shift from customer to shareholder value creation, Go Do Deals shows them how to: Bypass the brokers and find businesses that are NOT for sale Find, approach, and have positive conversations with potential sellers Structure deals so that they do not need to contribute cash upfront Choose the right deals and avoid buying themselves a job Know the best time to exit or sell their business Buying a company can double one’s business in an afternoon, free them from the treadmill of staff and customers, and avoid the blood, sweat, and years of start-up pain. It’s time to Go Do Deals.

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Book Synopsis"Anyone who comes to pitch on Shark Tank should read this book first!" --Barbara Corcoran, ABC's Shark Tank "I have seen literally thousands of companies trying to raise capital and know that a great pitch deck is critical. This book gives you the playbook for creating yours." --Naval Ravikant, cofounder and CEO, AngelList "I raised twice the amount of money I set out to in a mere five weeks. I'm naming my firstborn child after the Evans." --Slava Menn, cofounder and CEO, Fortified Bicycle HOW DO YOU LAUNCH THE VENTURE OF YOUR DREAMS? Get Backed isn't just about startup fundraising. It's a handbook for anyone who has an idea and needs to build relationships to get it off the ground. Over the last 3 years, entrepreneurs Evan Loomis and Evan Baehr have raised $45 million for their own ventures, including the second largest round on the fundraising platform AngelList. In Get Backed, they show you exactly what they and dozens of others did to raise money--even the mistakes they made--while sharing the secrets of the world's best storytellers, fundraisers, and startup accelerators. They'll also teach you how to use "the friendship loop", a step-by-step process that can be used to initiate and build relationships with anyone, from investors to potential cofounders. And, most of all, they'll help you create a pitch deck, building on the real-life examples of 15 ventures that have raised over $150 million. What's in the book? * The original pitch decks and fundraising strategies of 15 ventures that raised over $150 million * Email scripts that will get you a meeting with angel investors, venture capitalists, and potential board members * Pitching exercises developed by startup talent beds like Stanford University's d.school and Techstars * A breakdown of the 10 essential pitch deck slides, how to create them, and what questions you should answer with each * An overview of the 5 main funding sources for startups, the pros and cons of each, and who the big players are * A crash-course in visual and presentation design that will make any deck beautiful * Templates for 4 stories every entrepreneur should know how to tell * The story of one entrepreneur who showed up in Silicon Valley with no network and six months later had investments from Fred Anderson, Bono, and Peter Thiel Get Backed will show you exactly what it takes to get funded and will give you the tools to make any idea a reality.Trade Review"That book, I think, does an excellent job of covering a good framework for how to do a presentation," -- Brad Feld, co-founder of Techstars, and managing director of the Foundry Group; as seen in Inc. ADVANCE PRAISE for Get Backed: "Telling the right story in a compelling way is the key to connecting with your audience. In Get Backed, Evan Baehr and Evan Loomis show how to craft your message to build the relationships that will sustain your business (and maybe your life too)." --Nancy Duarte, CEO, Duarte Design; author, slide:ology and HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations "When entrepreneurs start with just a dream, they need a great story to grab investors' attention. Get Backed shows how to turn a pitch deck into the stuff of legends." --Thomas R. Eisenmann, Howard H. Stevenson Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School "When I gave my first pitch as founder of 3Com, Steve Jobs insisted I buy an Apple II to run VisiCalc to produce my pre-PowerPoint 35mm deck! Needless to say, things have come a long way since then. For the modern era, Get Backed is the definitive guide for crafting your pitch and raising capital for your venture." --Bob Metcalfe, cofounder, 3Com "Get Backed is the essential guide to launching a company--not only raising money, but also raising relationships. If you're a founder or an entrepreneur, this book has the tools you need to succeed." --Adam Grant, Professor of Management, the Wharton School; New York Times bestselling author, Give and Take "This book delivers completely new and refreshing ideas on how to raise money and build genuine relationships with investors." --David Cohen, cofounder and Managing Partner, Techstars "The best way to solve the world's most pressing problems is to start a company. This book shows you how." --John Mackey, cofounder and Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market; coauthor, Conscious Capitalism "The ability to get a startup funded is a crucial test for a founder. It pulls together all of the larger requirements of the job--crafting a clear vision, laying out a clear execution path, and cultivating relationships above money. Evan Baehr and Evan Loomis have created a field guide to help the best founders get the funding they deserve for their disruptive ideas." --Mike Maples Jr., cofounder and Partner, Floodgate; investor, Twitter "Even the best business plan will fail if you can't pitch it well. Read this book to make sure you can." --Blake Masters, cofounder, Judicata; coauthor (with Peter Thiel), Zero to One "Successful companies grow out of strong communities. This guide helps you raise friends, partners, and investors--the ultimate community to make your venture succeed." --Tommy Leep, Chief Connector, Rothenberg Ventures "Founders envision how the world can be different--and invite others to join that vision by telling stories of hope, failure, triumph, and a better future. Get Backed is the definitive primer on how founders ought to tell these stories." --James K. A. Smith, Professor of Philosophy, Calvin College; author, Desiring the Kingdom "Finally, a book by people who have actually done it! Get Backed is a staple for any startup library. It was our handbook for raising capital for our venture--and it will do the same for you!" --Laura and Ben Harrison, cofounders, Jonas Paul Eyewear

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Book SynopsisImagine if the multinational hotel groups had founded Airbnb, or the big auto companies had launched Uber and Tesla, or Blockbuster had created Netflix. Large companies can start new ventures. You have ideas, talent, brand, capital—you have customers—you can strike back.In The Unicorn Within, Mach49 founder and CEO Linda Yates empowers large companies to beat startups at their own game—to build a pipeline and portfolio of new ventures to drive meaningful growth. How? With a teachable, repeatable, scalable method focused 100 percent on execution across the spectrum of venture creation from Ideate to Incubate, Accelerate, and Scale. She also offers keys to managing the Mothership and seizing the Mothership advantage to ensure your ventures reach escape velocity and thrive.And don't stop at just one venture. Yates also lays out her blueprint for building a Venture Factory capable of becoming your company's growth engine for years to come.The next Unicorns don't have to come from Silicon Valley. Regardless of your company's industry, geography, or history, they can come from you. Whether you're the CEO, a member of the C-suite, or an internal entrepreneur, you can help your company grow. With this book's proven method, you can unleash the Unicorn within.Trade ReviewNamed one of the 10 Best Business Books of 2022 by Forbes"Newly released, The Unicorn Within: How Companies Can Create Game-Changing Ventures at Startup Speed is a practical guide to a repeatable and scalable methodology. Yates and her Mach49 team use it to steer Global 1,000 corporations towards sustained internal venture generation." — CEO World magazineAdvance Praise for The Unicorn Within:"I've known Linda Yates for over thirty-five years. She is one of the top growth and innovation experts in the world. Her new book, The Unicorn Within, is a playbook for executives of large companies who are tasked with making the monumental shift from being the disrupted to becoming the disruptor. Her book is a highly practical guide to help you drive growth for your company, your shareholders, your customers, your people, your community, and, given her strong ethos that you can do well by doing good, the world." — Reed Hastings, cofounder, Chairman, and CEO, Netflix"We can prove to the world that there is no better time for the long-established legacy companies to launch our own startups and, yes, even our own Unicorns. We have ideas, brands, talent, capital, and customers we can leverage. The Unicorn Within teaches us all how to stay 100 percent focused on execution and unleash those assets in a repeatable, scalable way for the long term. I predict this book will become a how-to resource for companies across the globe." — Richard J. Kramer, Chairman, CEO, and President, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company"A must-read for innovation-minded corporate business leaders. I've seen firsthand how effective Linda's strategies are when applied to the real world of venture creation and disruptive growth. I am confident that The Unicorn Within will be a coveted read and an important book." — Ira Ehrenpreis, founder and Managing Partner, DBL Partners; early investor, Tesla, SpaceX, and several other successful startups

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Book SynopsisTurning Insight into ActionIn this collection of essays, Peter F. Drucker focuses on the steps leaders can take today to prepare themselves and their organizations for tomorrow. Covering key areas such as technology, economics, people, and the organization, Drucker shows managers how to put his advice and ideas into action.Throughout the book, Drucker brings clear-sighted analysis to an array of subjects that remain as relevant today as they were when he first wrote about them. Using examples from a wide range of industries, this book equips executives to better understand and address the practical implications of topics such as: Managing workers Spotting opportunities for innovation Evaluating company performance Assessing global business Both applicable and inspiring, Peter F. Drucker on Practical Leadership is essential reading for leaders preparing for tomorrow.

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Book SynopsisWritten by a successful venture capitalist (and university dropout), this book is part memoir, part guide for the next generation of innovators who seek an alternative to the traditional path in higher education.“Part adventure tale, part manifesto, Paper Belt on Fire is a battle cry for anyone who ever dreamed of wresting power back from corrupt institutions—or of nailing the truth to the cathedral door.” —Peter Thiel, author of Zero to OnePaper Belt on Fire is the unlikely account of how two outsiders with no experience in finance—a charter school principal and defrocked philosopher—start a venture capital fund to short the higher education bubble. Against the contempt of the education establishment, they discover, mentor, and back the leading lights in the next generation of dropout innovators and in the end make their investors millions.Can such a madcap strategy help renew American creativity? Who would do such a thing?This story is the behind-the-scenes romp of one team that threw educational authorities into a panic. It fuses real-life personal drama with history, science, and philosophy to show how higher education and other institutions must evolve to meet the dire challenges of tomorrow.Trade Review“Part adventure tale, part manifesto, Paper Belt on Fire is a battle cry for anyone who ever dreamed of wresting power back from corrupt institutions—or of nailing the truth to the cathedral door.”—Peter Thiel, author of Zero to One“Michael Gibson has spearheaded a recent revolution in education, and how to turn it into true learning and achievement. Paper Belt on Fire gives an inside look at how this was accomplished, the people behind the story, and how and why America can do better.”—Tyler Cowen, author of The Great Stagnation and professor of economics, George Mason University“Paper Belt on Fire is both an indictment of failing institutions and a behind-the-scenes adventure about the mischief-makers fighting to renew America’s dynamism.”—Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape and Andreessen Horowitz

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Book SynopsisThe ultimate Dan Kennedy collection.Millionaire-maker Dan S. Kennedy has told it like it is for over 30 years: If you''re not focusing on converting social media traffic into sales, you might as well set your money on fire. Now, this ultimate collection of Kennedy''s best sales and marketing wisdom from 12 of his best selling titles, showcases the top content from the legendary millionaire maker himself.Kennedy teaches business owners the customer-getting, sales-boosting, classic marketing strategies you need so you can stop accepting non-monetizable "likes" and "shares" and start making the marketing moves that really count. Inside, you will learn: The most powerful marketing tactics no matter what business you''re in How to get riches with niches and become a magnet to your customers The monetizing magic of crafting effective communication The #1 way to prevent wasted marketing dollars 5 ways to grow your list for FREE (before spending a dime on advertising) How to turn passive content into an active conversion tool Create raving fans who introduce you to their networks Discover the principles behind successful marketing campaigns and start making dollars and cents out of your social media strategy. 

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Book SynopsisSecure Funding to Start, Run, and Grow Your Business!Starting a business is a journey. From the moment you come up with an idea for the next great product or service to the ribbon cutting and grand opening, you will travel a long, sometimes winding, road toward success. And like any other trip you take in life, this one costs money. While many startups begin with cash already in the bank (lucky them!), most aspiring entrepreneurs have to somehow come up with the cash to build their dreams, whether they choose to borrow, bootstrap, crowdfund, or go with venture capital. Discover:  Bootstrapping tips and strategies to help you self-fund your business like a boss Traditional lending options and costly traps to watch out for The basics of borrowing from friends and family, the right way How corporate incubators and accelerators can give your business a jump-start The in and outs of launching a successful cr

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Book SynopsisJoin Dan Kennedy and David Melrose for a no-nonsense dive into building businesses that SELL BIG.In this brand new addition to the No B.S. series, you''ll learn how to build a business that you can sell for maximum wealth. Every business owner dreams ofpursuing a successful, top-dollar exit that''ll get them a 7- to 8- figure payday, but few ever achieve it. Those who do manage to sell their business are often bogged down by ruthless investment firms, BS valuation formulas, or their own poor business practices and systems. These stop business owners from getting the maximum amount of wealth that they can from their businesses. DON''T BE ONE OF THEM!Luckily, business experts and sellers themselves, Dan Kennedy and David Melrose have the antidote. You''ll discover: Who the potential buyers are for your business and how to tap into a whole new market primed to buy How to set up a business that is BUILT TO SELL, with your future exit strategy always in mind How to sell "Blue Sky" and ditch the traditional valuation formula to achieve the biggest payday possible Ways to negotiate with potential buyers and survive the "Deal-Killers" How to live life and set yourself up for success after the sale Plus, real interviews with company owners who successfully sold their companies to achieve top-dollar exits If you own or are even thinking about starting a business and want to achieve real wealth, then you can''t afford not to read this book!

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Book SynopsisAre you ready to launch your business and maximize your profits?Entrepreneur Quick Guides were specifically created for modern-day entrepreneurs on the go, providing practical tips and actionable steps that can be swiftly and effectively implemented. Building, Marketing, and Scaling Your New Business will teach you how to establish an online presence, attract your ideal customers, and maximize your profits. This guide offers invaluable insights and solutions to questions such as: How do I build my web presence?  What type of equipment and software will I need? How can I use advertising and marketing to build my brand? How can superior customer service create lifetime customer loyalty? How to pay yourself, employees, and manage your taxes? This guide will take you through the final steps towards launching a successful business. Get your business off the ground and start making money to

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Book SynopsisThe one book you need to make a difference in the world.Social innovation and social entrepreneurship are rising forces. As the extent of the world's systemic challenges becomes clear—from climate change to income inequality to food security to healthcare and beyond—more and more of the best and brightest will feel called to become innovators and entrepreneurs who develop and deploy solutions to the world's thorniest problems.But it won't be easy: social innovation is complicated. Solutions require the active collaboration of constituents across the worlds of government, business, and nonprofits. Social innovators and entrepreneurs need a handbook to guide them on the journey to changing the world. This is that guide.Contributions from a who's who of the smartest thinkers and most experienced practitioners in the field provide the knowledge you need to succeed as a social innovator. Topics cover the waterfront, including: High-performance leadership as a driver of social change Design for extreme affordability Scaling social innovation Corporate decarbonization Social innovation and healthcare in the postpandemic world Donor-advised funds and impact investing Case studies from the field bring to life the challenges and opportunities social entrepreneurs and innovators face. Frontiers in Social Innovation is an essential volume for anyone who wants to use innovation and entrepreneurship to make the world a better place.Trade Review"This collection of essays by various Stanford leading lights and giants in the social impact investing field is a 'must read' for those in the impact investing space." — Impact InvestorAdvance Praise for Frontiers in Social Innovation:"Frontiers in Social Innovation arrives just in time as we confront the challenges facing a world recovering from the pandemic. This comprehensive, solutions-focused collection addresses the critical themes that leaders in all fields must tackle—whether they're social entrepreneurs, impact investors, nonprofit leaders, or corporate executives—as they pursue opportunities to shape innovations that will benefit society." — Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation"As leaders from all backgrounds set out to tackle the myriad of complex challenges facing society, it is essential that we think critically about the trends and opportunities that social innovation provides. This book does so powerfully, through chapters written not only by some of the social impact field's leading scholars but also by the growing roster of stakeholders and practitioners from across sectors looking to drive social change. A go-to resource for seasoned entrepreneurs and aspiring change makers alike." — Jacqueline Novogratz, founder and CEO, Acumen"With change (and interconnection) both escalating exponentially, big-scale social change making must grow even faster. Social sector employment is already one-third bigger than all of government, and it is the fastest-growing part of society. This remarkable book wrestles thoughtfully and clearly with how this giant effort can best be designed and sustained." — Bill Drayton, founder and CEO, Ashoka"Essential reading, full of valuable insights and experiences for social innovators aspiring to achieve real change." — Sir Ronald Cohen, Chairman, Global Steering Group, Impact Investment

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Book SynopsisAre you an independent estate agent looking to grow but spending too much on marketing that does not work for you?The Selective Estate Agent unveils the three marketing cornerstones that make up the Profit Pyramid a tried and tested approach to attracting and converting high value homes. This practical handbook is packed with strategies and tips for implementing this approach in your agency to increase profitability as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.This book will enable you to: Focus on what you really want your agency to do for you Gain the confidence to target and convert the homes you'd love to sell Discover simple steps you can take to achieve powerful and profitable results for your agency Use the right tools and resources to implement the Profit Pyramid Create the agency you''ve always dreamed of

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Book SynopsisBased on face-to-face interviews with over 20 self-made billionaires.There are thousands of books on millionaire thinking. The knowledge they offer isn't enough to get you to the highest ranks of wealth. The richest people of our times are billionaires. Only 1 in 5 million world citizens belongs to this group. Billionaires are extremely rare, and their mindset differs hugely from that of ordinary millionaires."The Billion Dollar Secret" offers firsthand knowledge of billionaire entrepreneurs told in their own words. Never before has someone interviewed 20+ self-made billionaires across the world for a book project. The author worked for years with some of the very best entrepreneurs on the planet and distilled their secrets into 20 mental principles that enabled them to start from zero and create billions of dollars in value during one life span.This book gives you the road map to follow their path to extreme wealth and success.There is no other book available anywhere in the world that contains this much entrepreneurial experience, insight, and wisdom in it. from the Foreword by Jack Canfield, multiple #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Success Principles and the Chicken Soup for the Soul seriesThis book is recommended by billionaires:I recommend all entrepreneurs to have a look at this sensational book. Cho Tak Wong, self-made billionaire and the World Entrepreneur of the Year 2009Rafael Badziag has compiled a [. . .] book about what it is to be a billionaire in the world of digital and exponential growth. Chip Wilson, self-made billionaire, founder of Lululemon AthleticaI highly recommend this book. It is a very thoroughly researched book on successful philosophies of life. Tony Tan Caktiong, self-made billionaire and the World Entrepreneur of the Year 2004The following billionaires contributed to this book: Manny Stul, the World Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 Mohed Altrad, the World Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 Cho Tak Wong (Cao Dewang), the World Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 Tony Tan Caktiong, the World Entrepreneur of the Year 2004 N. R. Narayana Murthy, the World Entrepreneur of the Year 2003 Jack Cowin Cai Dongqing Sergey Galitskiy Peter Hargreaves Frank Hasenfratz Navin Jain Kim Beom-Su Hüsnü Özyegin Lirio Albino Parisotto Dilip Shanghvi Ron Sim Micha? So?owow Petter Stordalen Frank Stronach Chip Wilson

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Book SynopsisBails and Boardrooms is the story of one of Middlesex cricket's best-loved players - a man who used the sport to change his life. David Nash lived and breathed cricket from a very young age. Touted as a future England star at age 15, he eventually found the strains of life as a professional cricketer too great and suffered severe mental-health issues. But the end of Nashy's 16-year Middlesex career proved to be the beginning of something far greater. Determined to make something more of his life, he set out on a journey that would see him build a multi-million-pound business. It was a business that would be his proudest achievement. This book charts Nashy's extraordinary life, from a cricket career of unfulfilled potential to building a business using the lessons he learnt from sport and raising millions for charity. This is a story for anyone who loves cricket or is interested in entrepreneurship. It's a story that shows how hard work, determination and talent can take you almost anywhere.

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Book SynopsisPractical tools, expert advice and innovative ideas to help you create a successful business that reflects your values, supports your lifestyle and creates real fulfilment. In 2014, in her farmhouse kitchen in Wales, Shann Nix Jones started to manufacture a relatively unknown probiotic goat's milk called kefir. It was a powerful healing remedy that cured her son's eczema and even saved her husband from a life-threatening MRSA infection. Today, the business she started on her kitchen table has 300,000 customers and an annual turnover of £4.5 million.In this book, Shann shares the innovative methods that helped her turn her passion into a sustainable business. Following these steps, you'll learn how to: · develop an idea into a viable business that supports any lifestyle· operate with meaningful values and stand out from the competition· convert every obstacle into a launch pad· balance work and family - and even weave both together to enhance your family lifeShann believes that anyone can start a business following her 13 steps, and that doing so can bring you closer to creating a life in which you are the CEO of your business and your destiny.

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Book SynopsisWant to make twice as much money with half the work? It's time to shift your mindset, recognize your worth, and become a successful entrepreneur on your own terms!‘Denise is a much-needed voice of practical wisdom.’ Marie Forleo, founder of B-SchoolFeeling burned-out by your business? Sick of the ‘hustle and grind’ culture of your industry? There’s a better way. Get over your perfectionism, chill, and prosper!With her trademark humour and down-to-earth wisdom, money mindset coach Denise Duffield-Thomas shares the invaluable buisness and counterintuitive millionaire mindset lessons (no blood, sweat or tears necessary) that will set you on the path of abundance – without all the hard work.You’ll discover how to find the business model that works perfectly for your personality, and learn key concepts – such as the Golden Goose and the Keyless Life – to help you work less and earn more. Plus, Denise talks you through the small but important details of being an entrepreneur, including how to deal with awkward money situations and find the most effective ways to price offers. With real business case studies and practical advice, Chill and Prosper challenges the old, boring assumptions of what it takes to create success.This is a revised and updated edition of the book previously published as Chillpreneur.

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Book SynopsisLeadership is complicated.How do you become a great leader?Don’t leave it to chance.The Leadership Map demystifies the subject and provides every leader with a comprehensive framework to create and grow a successful business. It covers all the key elements you need to understand and build a successful business; from creating your vision, to developing your people, to executing on your strategy.The book is brought to life through stories based on the author’s knowledge and experience of working first-hand with CEOs of many businesses both large and small, private and public, national and international.Ian Windle is a pragmatist, not a theorist. The Leadership Map will bring clarity to your thinking and provide you with models, tools and techniques that will allow you to immediately put your ideas into action.Trade ReviewThis is an inspiring read - practical, with loads of examples, frameworks and strategies and personal reflections by the author. The chapters end with reflective questions, which would be the great basis of a journaling process, or discussion topics with a friend or colleague.... or simply to ponder. I read a lot of leadership books, and sometimes they can get a little repetitive, and end up just saying this one. The examples and questions make this one really engaging and I highly recommend picking this one. up! Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm so pleased I've read it and will definitely return to it over the years. * NetGalley *Table of ContentsPart 1 – Strategic Decision FiltersChapter 1 – Find your PurposeBusinesses need to find their reason for being, or their purpose. It gives employees a reason to come to work in the morning and leaders a way of filtering their decisions into right and wrong. A Purpose can be as simple as ‘Disney’s’ Creating Happiness’. It informs how you act and will build in an emotional attachment to your business. Disney have a saying that for 100% of your time you have to be ‘on purpose’, but you can be ‘off task’, but you can never be ‘on task’ and ‘off purpose’.Chapter 2 – Create an Unreasonable DreamEveryone and every business needs a Vision, or Dream, that describes where they want to be. It builds in direction and excitement about the future and provides a clear direction to build your Strategic Priorities and Goals around. If it reasonable, it means that is can be done today and allows us to stay within our comfort zones, if it is unreasonable, then it means we have a stretch and grow to get there. That means learning and growth, energy and excitement follow. This is chapter is not about building a just a vision statement, this is about building a detailed Vision that brings the future to life for your top team and your people.Chapter 3 – Live your ValuesThe behaviours we show in a business are reflections of our culture. Great values in a business help to decide who you want to recruit, who you promote, who you reward and who you fire. They bring people together and show how you are different. This chapter looks at what good looks like, how values are used in business and how to create them in an authentic and engaging way for your business.Chapter 4 – Set your StrategyYour strategy is what makes you different versus your competition. It is your competitive advantage. A clear strategy allows you to align where you spend money, how you structure your business, which products and service to bring to market and which markets to do business in. It is the final decision filter for a business.Part 2 – People and TeamsChapter 5 – Challenge the Status QuoWe need to create agile businesses, where we are all flexible enough to change and grow constantly; we need to adopt a growth mindset. Leaders need to challenge the small tactical as well as the big strategic things in a business all the time. Not only do leaders need to challenge and be challenged, but they need to be able to reset the business to absorb the changes constantly so that a new normal can be quickly established.Chapter 6 – Develop your Dream TeamThe most important team in any business is the senior management team and its challenge is to become high performing and to embrace excellence. Great teams start with a set of common goals, a vision, a purpose and some values, the leader must then create a feeling of safety so that members feel they can take a risk and make a mistake. From this will start to flow a feeling of trust, but this can only be truly enabled through being vulnerable and showing who you are. This means that people will try new things and be open when they don’t work out. From deep levels of trust comes Challenge, which is at the heart of my Team Excellence Model. Teams that challenge each other as a matter of course, don’t make it personal and are capable of moving on, growing the team and starting to embrace excellence. After Challenge follows Commitment and Accountability which ultimately leads to great Team Outcomes.Chapter 7 – Engage the EmotionsChapter 7 covers the areas of motivation, happiness, positivity and engagement; all the areas that leaders must understand if they are to get the most out of their people. The only way to grow a business is to grow the people within the business. Growth means stepping outside your comfort zone and having the support from leaders to see you reach your goals. This chapter also covers the importance of creating a happy and engaged workforce who are prepared to put in the discretionary effort, because they will willingly follow you.Chapter 8 – Show GritResilience, which is at the heart of Grit, is a massive part of success. All businesses will hit challenging times and people within those businesses will have challenging times too, at times, just in their own part of the business. This chapter unwraps Grit and shows how to develop it in your team so that you can cope with what life and business throws at us.Part 3 – Strategy ExecutionChapter 9 – Create the Optimal StructureMost businesses create a hierarchical structure. It is the default setting in PowerPoint, if you look for a diagram on structure. The reality is that there are numerous types of structure that organisations can adopt, that will support the execution of their strategy. In this chapter we cover the main types of organisational sstructure that are adopted in today’s businesses, and discuss the pros and cons of each one. The Structures include: The Hierachy, The Matrix, The Core Plus and the Dynamic.Chapter 10 – Plan your Strategic PrioritiesEvery business needs a plan. This chapter explores what a good business plan looks like, what the contents should be and how to engage you team in creating one. It shows how to create an annual planning cycle and what it means to be strategic. It also discusses the importance of focus and not losing sight of what the most important priority is at any given time.Chapter 11 – Measure your SuccessYou manage what you measure, so what are you measuring? Everyone measures the financial aspects of a business, and this chapter explores the creation of a scorecard, based on Key Performance Indicators, that come from your Strategic Priorities. Your scorecard must not only show the essential financial indicators of a business but must also include how your people are feeling (e.g. staff engagement, churn), what you customers are saying about you (e.g.Net Promoter Score, number of projects from existing clients)and how good your systems and processes are supporting the delivery of your strategy (speed of delivery, number of faults, breakages etc. turnaround time).Chapter 12 – Execute through Great MeetingsMeetings should be the best part of your day, but they are often boring and inefficient. This last chapter shows what kind of meetings you should have, what the cadence should be, how they should be run and how to make them engaging and compelling.

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Book Synopsis“The system you need to make bold changes in your career” Daniel H. PinkWe’re experiencing a work revolution, with an unprecedented opportunity to reimagine how, when, and where we do what we do. Now is the perfect time to take more control over your work/life and maybe even finally take the leap into going it alone, whether by starting your own business or turning your passion into a career.Ollie Henderson shares the lessons he’s learned by interviewing entrepreneurs, business leaders, and world-renowned experts on his chart-topping podcast Future Work/Life. Forget work/life balance, the secret to navigating a career transition today is to create a flywheel that aligns all parts of your work and life and harness small wins to help build the momentum you need to succeed. Take control of your long-term future using a proven step-by-step process Develop the confidence to transform your career by focusing on becoming an expert in your niche Adopt a creative and experimental approach to your work/life that delivers consistent, measurable results Cultivate a network of global collaborators to support your transition and generate new opportunities Experienced founder and CEO Ollie Henderson pivoted his career while juggling the pleasures and pressures of raising a young family. He believes work/life balance is a myth. Rather than seeing career and personal life as two opposing forces, Ollie argues that the secret is to design an integrated approach that allows them to work in harmony.Trade ReviewHave been following Ollie’s podcast for a while now, so decided to give his new book a try and delighted I did. Many excellent tips which I’ve already started incorporating into my future career and personal goal plans. * Amazon *This is tremendously engaging and gives really actionable insights that will allow me to build a process for my own evolution. * Amazon *...packed full of practical tools and advice on how to reimagine your life and career for the better AND without fear. It provides you with everything you need to take the leap into a new future with absolute confidence. * Amazon *Really interesting new angle with lots of practical tools of how we can make our lives (both work and personal) better designed for the busy new world we live in. * Amazon *As a career coach, I speak with countless people who are looking to change the way they work and live. This book provides fantastic insight and is an excellent resource to really get the juices flowing on what career change can look like. I especially like the practicality of the exercises. * Amazon *Best book I’ve read in years. Really clear ideas about how to rethink the all important work/life relationship. Feeling motivated after reading this! * Amazon *Table of ContentsTable of ContentsEach chapter will include two short case studies, and end with practical exercises and a further reading list. Contents Foreword Preface After his career pivot collided with a global pandemic, Ollie Henderson spent 18 months on a mission to redesign his work/life.The insights he gained, including speaking to entrepreneurs, business leaders, and world-renowned experts on his successful careers podcast, led to him rejecting the idea of work/life balance.The result is a new approach that builds on the lessons of legendary companies to give readers the tools to navigate their own career transitions effectively. PART 1: The power of the flywheel Forget work/life balance. You need a flywheel Rapid changes in the workplace mean many more now understand they need to adapt and evolve to stay ahead within companies or by ‘going it alone’. Increased digital connectivity has opened up new opportunities but can cause overwhelm as we struggle to focus on the important things. We need to align career and personal life, so they work in harmony. The Work/Life Flywheel provides the tools to create an ever-evolving process that works to your rhythms, helps you identify your intrinsic motivations, and is compassionate towards the non-linearity of your life. 2. How Amazon became an unstoppable force Introducing Jim Collins’s flywheel framework. How businesses of different types have benefitted from the ‘flywheel effect’, whether inadvertently or by design. The importance of constantly experimenting and evolving. 3. Why the flywheel will work for you Interconnected components of the flywheel feed into each other, creating complementary benefits and building momentum. Establishing the right mindset creates the right conditions for creativity and problem-solving. Building the right connections allows you to generate the feedback you need to learn, which leads to breakthroughs. The breakthroughs help validate or improve your thinking, which feeds into a positive mindset of progress and purpose. PART 2: Building your flywheel4. Mindset: Are you ready for this? Understanding what drives you and what’s motivating your desire for more autonomy. How creating more Flow in your life will increase a feeling of purpose, improve productivity and drive performance. Why establishing a positive and proactive approach to your physical, mental and financial health is critical to your career development. The role of curiosity and opening your mind to new experiences. 5. Creativity: The robots are coming The world of work is changing – you’d better get creative if you want a long, successful career. Creativity is not just art or playing music, but applies to how we design companies, create cures to disease and solve disputes. Explore where creativity contributes to flow, particularly the skills/challenge balance and working at our edge. Growth of creator and passion economy, including the 1000 True Fans and 100 True Fans models, and the power of ‘niching down’. Developing a new approach to how you manage your time that optimises for creativity. 6. Experimentation: Testing, testing Thinking about yourself as a scientist, testing out your ways of being creative – writing, creating videos, problem-solving, generating new business ideas – in different environments, and approaching different tasks. Get over your imposter syndrome, and don’t be afraid to fail - that’s part of the process. Too much thinking and not enough action results in no progress – use technology but most importantly, people to test out ideas and get feedback. Measure what matters – creating clear, ambitious goals is essential to validate your ideas. 7. Connections: Network effects Increased connectivity means we don’t need to limit people we work with to those in our locale. So, how do you cultivate your global network? As we focus on our niche, how do you identify the people that can help us progress? Digitisation has led to more fractured lives, so giving is as important as receiving in building connections. Feedback through social platforms achieves quantitative scale in our testing; discussing it with someone provides qualitative feedback. Using content creation to nurture relationships. Networking for introverts and how to create teams of other like-minded, independent workers. 8. Learning: Positive education We’re going to be living a lot longer, and you need to be prepared to keep learning and reskilling. Monetising your skills in entirely new ways is vital, as human creativity and attention become the most precious resource of the 21st century. Alternatives to formal education and taking responsibility for your own career development. Creating mastermind groups. Think about macro and micro-learning– what are the global trends that you need to be aware of; what areas of focus give you unique insights. 9. Breakthroughs: Work less, achieve more The value of small wins to gain momentum in your flywheel. What to do when the process doesn’t go to plan and how to feed that learning into establishing the right mindset to ‘go again.’ Countering burnout and the feeling that you’re on a treadmill, not a flywheel. Measuring progress and how it relates to purpose. Macro-breakthroughs vs micro breakthroughs – how to use each of them to build momentum. The importance of reflective moments to the evolution of your flywheel. PART 3: Propelling you forward10. Work-in-progress We’ve been around the flywheel once, but this is just the start. How to iterate and evolve each stage of the process. Why a vital part of the process is adapting and sharing your experiences with your new community of co-collaborators. Trusting the process and how to get over self-doubt. AcknowledgementsIndex

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Book Synopsis'Want to avoid making leadership mistakes and make better decisions? Read this book.' - James TimpsonNo time for wishful thinking when you’re changing the world.If you’re a leader who wants to get things done in a way that makes the world a better place, you need someone in your corner.Liam Black has been supporting social entrepreneurs and purpose-driven leaders for decades, and he understands what it takes to do work that goes beyond the bottom line – and what it can take out of you, too.In this no-bullshit, woo-woo-free book, he reveals how to align purpose and leadership, how to deal with uncertainty, imposter syndrome, anxiety and loneliness along the way, how to exercise authority (even in the face of endemic sexism), and when it’s right to walk away.'Liam’s the mentor you want on your side when things get tough.' - Sue Campbell, FA Director of Women’s Football'This book (like his mentoring) will help you get through tough times with grace – a must read.' - Juliet Scott-Croxford, President North America Brompton BikesLiam Black has founded and led a dozen organizations, invested millions in purpose-driven companies and is a mentor to start-up entrepreneurs and leaders in multinational corporations.Trade ReviewDoes the world really need another book about leadership? Well, it turns out it does.. Liam's book is a paean Dr Craig Dearden Phillips, MBEThis book is a fantastic read...and it might just be what you need if you're trying to make sense of your life, or your career. Bring it on! * Amazon *I’ve benefited from Liam’s gloves off mentoring and can testify it’s both challenging and compassionate. I’m very grateful for it. And now you can get it in book form! It’s short, pithy, and provoking. * LinkedIn *There’s no shortage of leadership books out there, but this is definitely one I would recommend. It is clearly written, honest, brave, entertaining and very, very funny. If you like seeing ego, pomposity and hypocrisy being skewered, you’ll love it. * Amazon *He gets you to see the world as it is before you want to see the world as you want it to be. And that is why the gloves off mentor bit really rings true with me. I highly recommend it. -- David McQueen * LinkedIn *Table of ContentsForeword by James Timpson, OBEIntroductionPART 1: MAKING A DIFFERENCEChapter 1: So, you want to change the world…Chapter 2: Courage and clarity Chapter 3: Purpose and platformChapter 4: Authority and agencyPART 2: STAYING ALIVEChapter 5: Bullshit and bullyingChapter 6: Maniac and minderChapter 7: Dealing with dickheadsConclusion

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Book Synopsis“In the face of disruptive change, how do we become more agile? More resilient? More open to change?” “How can we grow big and still act small?” As the relentless pace of change forces established organisations to re-think their cultures, these are the questions keeping leaders up at night. In Start-Up Forever, Sahar Hashemi throws out the excuses that have previously stifled entrepreneurial behaviour in big companies. She believes big companies acting like start-ups is neither unattainable, nor complicated. Its simple, intuitive and in fact very human. This revolutionary new manifesto distils the author’s decades of experience as an entrepreneur and top thought leader into a simple actionable toolkit that breaks through out-dated habits and shifts organisations – whatever their sector, industry or size – towards a more entrepreneurial mindset, one person and one behaviour at a time.

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Book SynopsisElon Musk is one of the world''s most successful entrepreneurs -- the CEO of Tesla, the founder of SpaceX and one of the richest people on the planet. Raised in South Africa, he attended a number of universities, before founding the software company Zip2 in 1995. Just four years later it was bought for $307 million. X.com, the online bank he founded in 1999, merged to form PayPal the following year. His business interests have expanded to include aerospace, artificial intelligence and neurotechnology. This book is a deep dive into his career and how he built his business empire. A fascinating read for aspiring entrepreneurs or anyone looking to build a successful business.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Visionaries series brings together entertaining biographies of leading figures within business world and beyond, tracing their lives, careers and the innovative thinking that made them world-famous.

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Book SynopsisWhat is the key to Jeff Bezos''s success? This biography takes a deep-dive into his career and the decisions he made to become the world''s most successful business magnate.Entrepreneur and e-commerce pioneer Jeff Bezos is a success story of the business world. The executive chairman of Amazon and founder of Blue Origin, he became the first centibillionaire on the Forbes wealth index and one of the world''s most recognisable names in modern history. This book explores his empire of achievement and how his vision and hands-on efforts have led him from a start-up in his garage to his legacy today.Featuring photographs which chronicle his rise to success, this book is fascinating read for aspiring entrepreneurs or anyone looking to build a successful business.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Visionaries series brings together entertaining biographies of leading figures within business world and beyond, tracing their lives, careers and the innovative thinking that made them world-famous.

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Book SynopsisWINNER: Independent Press Awards 2021 - Business: Entrepreneurship & Small Business HIGHLY COMMENDED: Business Book Awards 2021 - Start up/Scale up Do you dream of ditching the day job, doing your own thing and being your own boss? Are you ready to Boss It? In this invigorating and highly practical book, serial entrepreneur Carl Reader provides exactly the fire and guidance you need to get started. Designed to cut through the business jargon, this handy guide will take you through everything you need to establish and run your own business - from the mindset it takes to turn a dream into a plan, to the need-to-know practical stuff for running and growing a business. Featuring case studies, templates and exercises to help you put what you read into action, and turn that dream into a reality, this motivational book will enable you to be your own boss, to take control of your income, your time and your life... and Boss It.Trade Review"I've just loved reading this book. Carl Reader takes a sharp pin to pop the many myths of what it takes to set up, run and scale a business. His lived experience of 'walking the walk' of setting up and running businesses burns throughout all the chapters, as does his passion for creating a business guide for the next generation." * Sharon Davies, CEO, Young Enterprise *"Carl Reader is the guru of self-employment and this is a fantastic guide for anyone seeking to be their own boss. Whether you are looking for advice on funding, IT or building a customer base, this book has it covered." * Elizabeth Anderson, Money and Business Editor, i newspaper *"It is rare to find a book that is inspiring, pragmatic, realistic and optimistic about starting out on your own and growing your own business. Carl Reader has written a business-advice book that is well-contextualized for this time, with wider learnings to support entrepreneurs. Here are practical insights into innovation, as well as aspirational business advice and worksheets to progress thinking into action. Carl explains key business knowledge and motivates the reader to move their idea forward. The Five Stars model is something I'll be using and encouraging others to!" * Siân Prime, Academic Lead (Enterprise), Goldsmiths, University of London *"Carl Reader has truly captured that the future of work is being rewritten. These COVID times will lead to the growth of the gig economy and there is a place for all skills, but we need to know how to capitalize our best skills to find our way forward. In this book, Carl has shared very useful business-centric tips and a hands-on approach to becoming a small business owner. Boss It will truly give you very apt learning lessons for starting your business dreams." * Ritu Marya, Editor-in-chief, Entrepreneur magazine (APAC and India) *"Boss It is an invaluable guide to the seemingly elusive 'it' factor about self-employment. From 'dreaming it' to 'doing it', Carl Reader demystifies how to BOSS IT with confidence and clarity. This book offers the next generation an opportunity to reimagine their future working lives when it is needed now more than ever. And Carl's advice also serves as a nudge to those pondering whether to take the plunge to become their own boss. This is an important, honest and inspirational guide to make dreams a reality." * Claire Bennison, Head, ACCA UK (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) *"Whether you're already running your own business and need some help focusing on what's important or you're just about to embark on your first venture, you need to read this book. Carl Reader is incredibly knowledgeable about every facet of growing a robust and resilient company: every base is covered. Most importantly, for me, this isn't some romantic glamorous account of what it takes to be an entrepreneur, it's a real, gritty, practical handbook for success." * Rebecca Burn-Callander, former Enterprise Editor, Daily Telegraph *"Whether you're starting your first business or building your tenth, you will be more successful by applying Carl Reader's brilliant BOSS IT principles." * Michael Heppell, Sunday Times bestselling author, speaker and coach *"Carl Reader is a passionate and dedicated supporter of entrepreneurs and small businesses. In this book, he takes would-be entrepreneurs through 'the good', but also doesn't shy away from 'the bad and the ugly'. Carl is an affable coach and this guide is incredibly practical, with case studies, templates and exercises, and refreshingly there's no business jargon in sight!" * Francesca James, Founder, Great British Entrepreneur Awards *"Carl Reader's Boss It is a must-read for anyone considering starting or already running their own business. Carl's experience, insight and approachable style combine to captivate and inform far better than most business books I've read. He's honest about the realities and the practicalities, and his approach - Dream it, Plan it, Do it, Scale it - sets it all out for you. Carl's straightforward advice demystifies complex issues and should be a constant reference source for all. Keep it handy and read it often." * Chris Bryce, former CEO/Chair, IPSE (Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) *"Boss It uniquely addresses the two most important aspects of business ownership - the why and the how. Self-employment and business ownership remain the backbone of the world's economy, yet the concepts remain unimaginable or misunderstood for many. The author demystifies the topics in a way that guides the reader through self-analysis, supported by a pragmatic step-by-step process. The end result is inspiration and action for the motivated reader!" * Brad D Smith, Executive Chairman, Intuit *"Purchasing this book is a no-brainer for anyone in business or thinking of doing their own thing. Carl Reader has walked the walk in his own business and now shares years of experience and motivation in plain English." * Mike Michalowicz, author, 'Profit First' and 'Fix This Next' *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction – Be your own boss; Section - ONE: Dream it; Chapter - 01: Why should you be your own boss?; Chapter - 02: The difference between success and failure; Chapter - 03: How to create a business idea; Section - TWO: Plan it; Chapter - 04: From dreaming to planning; Chapter - 05: Raising funds; Chapter - 06: How to make the important first step; Section - THREE: Do it; Chapter - 07: Building your systems and processes; Chapter - 08: Finding your customers and marketing; Chapter - 09: Moving towards the bigger picture – Scaling your business; Section - FOUR: Scale it; Chapter - 10: An introduction to scaling; Chapter - 11: Scaling 101 – The growth model; Chapter - 12: Scaling 101 – The funding model; Chapter - 13: Scaling 101 – The staffing model; Chapter - 14: Scaling 101 – The leadership model; Chapter - 15: Final words of advice; Chapter - 16: Notes; Chapter - 17: Index

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