Archive for the ‘Book Review’ Category
Instant Gifting for the Entrepreneur on Your List
Monday, December 24th, 2012Entrepreneurs aren’t always the best at observing holidays, weekends, mealtimes or sleep times. Sometimes our tunnel vision towards our business means we forget to focus on our holiday shopping until it’s too late, but we have a solution.
When you have procrastinated up to the point that even “overnight shipping” isn’t even an option (and who likes to pay a ransom for overnight shipping anyway?!?), then we still can buy “digital presents” that can be given and received instantly, anywhere in the world through an internet connection.
If you’re an entrepreneur who’s searching for a very very last minute gift for another entrepreneur, here are four suggestions.
1. “Confessions from an Entrepreneur, Vol. 1” by Ash Kumra. Here’s an enjoyable downloadable (Kindle) read that costs $4.99 – less than a double latte and a scone. Ash has compiled stories and shared wisdom from 35 seasoned entrepreneurs. Just released last week, it’s a great “virtual stocking stuffer” and at this price, it’s a better deal than one of those singing greeting cards.
2. “Small Town Rules: How Big Brands and Small Businesses Can Prosper in a Connected Economy” by Barry Moltz and Becky McCray. Still under $10 (actually $9 at the time of this recommendation), this relatively new book is a helpful tome for every small business owner looking for an edge in a challenging economy. Barry has authored many books on small business and entrepreneurship, and this is definitely one of his best.
3. “Marketing that Works: How Entrepreneurial Marketing Can Add Sustainable Value to Any Sized Company” by Howard Morgan and others. This book was written by some of the best minds in startup marketing who have held prominent positions in blockbuster startups, idealab!, Wharton and venture capital. It includes practical approaches (not just theoretical) to developing business ideas, pricing, market validation, distribution and channel strategies, product launches and more. At less than $20, it’s a bargain for what it can teach you.
4. ActSeed Entrepreneur Group Membership Special. This may be a gift you want to get for yourself instead of another entrepreneur. Through the end of 2012, mention this article and get a lifetime membership to ActSeed’s Entrepreneur Group resources, a feature article about your business published on ActSeed.com and a national press release that highlights your business – all for less than the cost of a standard 1-year membership to the ActSeed Entrepreneur Group. A national press release alone can cost $1,500 or more (accounting for a PR person to draft it and the wire fees to release it). At $375, all-in, you get visibility and a practical diagnostic for your business (the “ActSeed Profile”). Contact us at info@actseed.com and mention this promotion to get set up.
We hope you and your business benefit from these recommendations, and we wish you a prosperous 2013!
Confessions from an Entrepreneur
Wednesday, December 19th, 2012
It’s nice to hear an inspiring story from an experienced entrepreneur. Ash Kumra has compiled 35 such stories from a diverse array of entrepreneurs in his book, “Confessions from an Entrepreneur (Volume 1)“.
When you want something more substantive than an inspirational quote but don’t have time to read an entire book or long chapter about entrepreneurship, then a bite-sized chapter from “Confessions from an Entrepreneur” is the ideal option.
Currently available on Kindle ($4.99 at the time of this writing) and soon available in paperback, this is an affordable book that every entrepreneur should have and share with fellow entrepreneurs.
Fearless Living …and Working
Wednesday, April 18th, 2012
Q. Would you be able to point me to a resource – book, website, etc. – that I could learn about risk taking and how to do it?
A. Check out a book called “Fearless Living“. The author has a lot of interesting things to say about fear and risk; they kind of go hand-in-hand.
Stretch, Risk, Die.
Rhonda explains the zones of fear and comfort (“stretch, risk and die”) in a very straightforward way. Fear is often as much a part of an entrepreneur’s life as risk. Building a startup often has daunting moments. Starting a business can be intimidating. Managing, coping or resolving fear is critical, and Rhonda Britten’s approach is one of the best.
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Marketing That Works
Monday, November 28th, 2011
This is one of our favorite marketing reference books for entrepreneurs and startups.
Make sure this book is in your own entrepreneurial library.
This book explains how the good steak can sizzle without leaving you with just an aroma. “Marketing that Works” was written by some of the best minds in startup marketing who have held prominent positions in blockbuster startups, idealab!, Wharton and venture capital: Howard Morgan of First Round Capital, Leonard Lodish of Wharton and Shellye Archambeau, former president of Blockbuster’s e-commerce division.
This book includes practical approaches (not just theoretical!) to developing business ideas, pricing, market validation, distribution and channel strategies, product launches and more.
To buy a paper copy or download a Kindle version from our bookstore partner, Amazon.com, click here.
Are You Three Feet from Gold?
Monday, September 19th, 2011Entrepreneurs, small business owners and founders of startups tirelessly work toward turning their business vision into a commercial reality, and possibly a metaphorical gold mine. While the destination and even the journey can be rewarding, it’s often lonely and frustrating to the point entrepreneurs often give up. If this describes you, then read “Three Feet From Gold” before making your final decision to throw in the towel. It may be a life-changing choice.
There’s no doubt that Napoleon Hill has influenced many generations of leaders with his research and writing that stems from a 1908 encounter with Andrew Carnegie.
Hill’s principals have been artfully brought into today’s business landscape with the book, “Three Feet from Gold”. ActSeed champions books and individuals who can both educate and inspire. Sharon Lechter and Greg Reid do this well.
When you buy this book, buy a notepad, too. This is one of those books that inspire you to take notes and then muster the tenacity you need to pursue your own purpose.
As the book states, the greatest reason for failure is quitting. Don’t even consider quitting until you have read this book.
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Impact Your Business
Saturday, June 11th, 2011Many entrepreneurs are “allergic to the numbers side of the business”. Part of the high failure rate of small businesses is due to avoiding and ignoring basic financial principals.
Ken Kaufman’s book explains the essentials of small business finance and how to easily apply them through the use of allegory. In other words, he uses “good ol’ fashioned story-telling” to make even the most finance-phobic business owner learn and appreciate the need for quantitative, financial management.
This is not just a story about Steve, a man struggling as a small business owner, a husband and a dad. It is a guide penned in a way we can all identify with. It goes beyond merely being clever about teaching financials.
For example, in Chapter 23, the protagonist (Steve) starts to see, from his own experiences, how anxiety and clarity are negatively correlated. This is a non-financial lesson we all must learn and respect. This book is full of well-articulated insights that we all face as business owners.
The first time you read it, Kaufman’s book is an enjoyable story that “hits home”. Then, it becomes a very useful reference guide for the next hundred times you’ll take it off your bookshelf.
You can get your copy of “Impact Your Business” here.
The Realities of Being an Entrepreneur in One Book
Friday, May 6th, 2011“Most people start businesses simply because they just don’t like working for someone else.”
If this quote resonates with you, or even if you have another motive for becoming an entrepreneur, you should read this book.
Scott Shane packs this book with statistics and information that really helps you understand the realities of building a business. If you are a true entrepreneur, this book should sober your expectations and then bolster your resolve. If you aren’t quite there yet as an entrepreneur, this book will properly discourage you from burning too much of your own time and money (not to mention the time and money of others) until you are truly ready to “do it the right way.”
In this book, Shane shares statistics and data about where funding comes from for new business creation, what impact VC and angels have on new business creation, which industries receive most of their funds and who may likely be the best source of funds for your own business. He shares data about how long it usually takes to “turn the corner” with a new business and the demographics of entrepreneurship, too.
The Illusions of Entrepreneurship pulls data from a multitude of resources, including the Federal Reserve Survey of Small business Finance and the Center for Venture Research in New Hampshire. Essentially, Scott Shane has condensed thousands of pages of research into a single, coherent book.
This book is one of the first ones you should read if you are contemplating the plunge into the world of entrepreneurship.
You can purchase this book from ActSeed’s Amazon store here.
Enjoy!
How to Write an Effective Business Plan in the 21st Century
Tuesday, December 28th, 2010David Ronick has penned a winner.
If you’ve never drafted a business plan (and need to), “Hit the Deck” is a great investment.
The title of Chapter 1 is “You Need a Business Plan. (Yes, This Means You)”. We absolutely agree, so we read further.
We’re glad we did. Ronick really “cuts to the chase” about what a business plan of the 21st century should look like and why it’s important not only for pursuing investors, but even more for the entrepreneur to set a solid foundation to enter the marketplace and complete.
Lots of step-by-step guidance and examples.
If you’re new to investing, it’s a great book for you to read as well; here, you can learn what you should be understanding and what you should be seeing from the entrepreneur pitching you an idea.
The days of a business plan looking like a 48 page master’s thesis are gone. David shows you how to craft a solid plan quickly and with both internal and external impact. Again, it’s a book you should add to your library, a quick read, and won’t set you back more than $15 or so.
You can buy “Hit the Deck” by clicking here.
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