Description
Book SynopsisAnyone can start a business. But only leaders can succeed. Most entrepreneurs know the long odds: only a fraction of them will lead their enterprises through the rocky stages of growth to launch self-sustaining companies.
Trade Review“Derek Lidow is right—entrepreneurs, not mere ideas, lead companies to their full potential. Lidow puts this powerful idea to work, alongside the full breadth and depth of his own experiences running growth companies, in Startup Leadership. I recommend this book for every founder—regardless of your stage—because Lidow's invaluable insights, personal leadership strategies, and framework will help you improve the trajectory of your success.”
—Rich Karlgaard, publisher, Forbes magazine; board director; investor; entrepreneur; and author, The Soft Edge
“Trust me because I’ve seen and done virtually everything that’s possible in business today. Whether you’re an investor, board member, CEO, accelerator, small business owner, or aspiring entrepreneur, Startup Leadership is mandatory reading. Thanks to the smart and detailed advice of serial success story Derek Lidow, the book will help de-risk virtually any enterprise. It will also expand your levels of innovation level, profits, culture and success. I recommend you get a copy—and give a copy to someone who needs it.”
—Bruce Hack, advisor, angel investor, board director, and former CEO, Vivendi Games
“The entrepreneur's journey is often misunderstood as an idea coming to life. In fact, it is entrepreneurs themselves who must learn to create and lead an organization. Startup Leadership provides aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs powerful tools to grow as leaders.”
—Brian O’Kelley, founder and CEO, AppNexus
“This is not another book on how to build a successful startup. Lidow demystifies relationship building, negotiation, and vision creation with clarity and balance. He shows what it takes to become a more confident leader who builds startups with less risk and better outcomes. Your transformation into a better-equipped entrepreneurial leader begins now.”
—Natasha Gajewski, founder and CEO, Simple Health Inc.
“If any book contains the secrets of entrepreneurial success, this is it! I recommend Startup leadership to both budding and proven entrepreneurs.”
—Greg Olsen, founder, Epitaxx and Sensors Unlimited
“Startup Leadership is the handbook for leadership all entrepreneurs should read while scaling their business.”
—Chris Kuenne, founder-entrepreneur, Rosetta
“A must-read for aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs!”
—Jeremey Donovan, author, How to Deliver a TED Talk
“This book fills an important gap among books about entrepreneurship, and Derek Lidow shows what it really takes to make a successful startup. Startup Leadership focuses on the essential, yet elusive, leadership elements required to navigate a venture from idea to self-sustainability. Future entrepreneurs will be thankful to have this companion along for the entire journey.”
—John Danner, professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley
“Finally, an easy-to-read and digestible blueprint for entrepreneurs that will empower them to build and lead sustainable enterprises. Lidow encapsulates years of trial and error and teaches what’s required for successful entrepreneurship with a clear methodology.”
—Jeanne Gray, founder and CEO, AmericanEntrepreneurship.com
“Finally, from the true-life experiences of a highly-successful entrepreneur, comes a how-to book that is more than an academic compendium. Derek Lidow captures the essence of the leadership qualities needed for success, not just in the formation and early stages of a venture, but along the path to a significant stand-alone business. This hands-on book is an instant classic.“
—Ricardo B. Levy, professor, Stanford University, and author, Letters to a Young Entrepreneur
Table of ContentsPreface ix
1 Success Requires More Than Entrepreneurship 1
Part One Prerequisites: Mastering The Skills of Entrepreneurial Leadership
2 Are You Selfish Enough to Be Selfless? 17
3 Enterprises Are Needy 33
4 Building Relationships 50
5 Motivating Others 83
6 Leading Change 94
7 Creating a Personal Leadership Strategy 113
Part Two Application of Entrepreneurial Leadership Skills
8 Strategizing Fragile Growth 129
9 Organizing to Succeed 146
10 Hiring and Firing 164
11 Leading Teams 176
12 Leading Through Crises 197
13 The Selfish Rewards of Selfless Entrepreneurial Acts 211
Appendix A Motivations, Traits, and Skills 223
Appendix B The Five Essential Entrepreneurial Leadership Skills 225
Appendix C Characteristics of Projects, Processes, and Culture 226
Appendix D Characteristics of Enterprises and Their Leaders in Stages One Through Four 228
Appendix E Relationship Building and the Benefits and Costs of Cooperation, Competition, and Retreat 233
Appendix F The Five Prerequisites of Change (The Five Ducks) 236
Appendix G Ten Basic Strategic Questions 237
Appendix H Five Phases of Crisis Resolution 239
Notes 240
Acknowledgments 246
About the Author 249
Index 251
