In this book, Ben Horowitz, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz, draws on his own story of founding, running, selling, buying, managing, and investing in technology companies to offer essential advice and practical wisdom for navigating the toughest problems business schools don't cover. His blog has garnered a devoted following of millions of readers who have come to rely on him to help them run their businesses. A lifelong rap fan, Horowitz amplifies business lessons with lyrics from his favorite songs and tells it straight about everything from firing friends to poaching competitors, from cultivating and sustaining a CEO mentality to knowing the right time to cash in. His advice is grounded in anecdotes from his own rise -- from cofounding the early cloud service provider Loudcloud to building the successful Andreessen Horowitz venture capital firm, both with fellow tech superstar Marc Andreessen (inventor of Mosaic, the Internet's first popular Web browser). This is no polished victory lap; he analyzes issues with no easy answers through his trials, including demoting (or firing) a loyal friend; whether you should incorporate titles and promotions, and how to handle them; if it's OK to hire people from your friend's company; how to manage your own psychology while the whole company is relying on you; what to do when smart people are bad employees; why Andreessen Horowitz prefers founder CEOs, and how to become one; and whether you should sell your company and how to do it.

"We all know the story of the latest version of the American Dream: a young innovator drops out of college and creates the next big thing, remaking both business and culture in one fell swoop. We are told these stories constantly, always with the idea that we'll be next. But this story masks a lot about what really goes on in our economy. Most new businesses aren't tech startups; they are what we think of as ordinary: restaurants or dry cleaners or freelance writing or accounting or consulting services. And those who are starting new businesses aren't all millennials. In fact, if you're a new college grad, it's more likely that your parents will start a new business than that you will. In truth, entrepreneurship -- new business starts -- has been declining for a number of years. What's more, while we hear about the few startups that get billions from tech giants, most businesses are run by the people who found them, often on small or medium budgets. What does it actually take to run your own business, week by week and year by year? If you do make it past the first years, what happens when you start managing a big organization? When is it time to consider selling, or grooming your replacement? When you're an entrepreneur, these are not just financial questions but deeply personal ones. The Soul of an Entrepreneur is a rich, searching story about the reality of the business spirit. In a field full of gimmicky ideas and empty promises, it fills a much needed gap in the literature: exploring the truth of who we are, what we make, and why we devote our lives to it"--

Food trucks are hitting the streets from Miami to Maui but greasy reheated tacos and soggy burgers are a thing of the past. Today's mobile eateries have foodies flocking for gourmet bacon jam burgers, delicious Parisian-style crepes, and decadent handcrafted organic ice cream cones just to name a few. A less expensive alternative to opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant, food trucks, food trailers, food carts, and even food bicycles can be started by anyone whether you're a trained chef or an amateur baker. If you've ever dreamed of jumping on the food truck bandwagon this book will provide you with all the information necessary to get you on the road. Highlights include: * Understanding all the startup costs and sources for purchasing or leasing your kitchen on wheels; * Building a business plan that will guide decision making and set you up for success; * Scouting locations for optimal visability and sales; * Calculating your true product costs and how to price your menu in a way that will be profitable; * Connecting with customers inexpensively by using traditional marketing tools and social media to keep them coming back for more; and * Appendices containing detailed worksheets that clearly walk you through the financial side of the business and comprehensive lists of resources and business licensing offices broken down by state and territory.

"Every day, innovative entrepreneurs pioneer bold economic ideas that change the way we live and work. Companies like Google, Apple, Oracle, Facebook and Twitter aren't the only ones shaping our economic future--there's another trend emerging that will change the ways we work and live. The "sharing economy," or the "collaborative consumption economy," includes companies like TaskRabbit, Airbnb, Uber, Lyft, Zaarly, and DocVacay who are purveyors of an economic system that revolves around sharing human and physical resources. This new aspect to the economy, Steven Hill argues, is a dead end for U.S. workers, as well as for the national economy. In Raw Deal, Hill shows the "sharing economy" is a new and troubling component to what is an overall bad economy that undermines workers. Vulnerable freelancers and day laborers hire themselves out for ever smaller jobs and amounts of money, and it is only the companies who hire them who reap the big benefits. Hill argues that we must shift the support for American workers to one that is individual-based rather than workplace-based. Countering the onset of the freelance society and the new economy is the new civil rights and labor struggles of our time. This important book answers these questions and provides pragmatic solutions to adapt our economic system to its new realities, launching a new civil rights struggle capable of transforming the freelance society into a stakeholder society"--

Donny Deutsch's hit CNBC show The Big Idea has put the spotlight on those ordinary moments when people have the courage and stamina to make their dreams come true. In his book, Deutsch draws not only on his own tremendous focus and expertise, but on that of dozens of the successful entrepreneurs whom he has interviewed, to help you create your own enterprise. From the "Gut Check Moment" to "Mom Power," The Big Idea takes aspiring entrepreneurs along every step of the way.

"Silicon Valley's popular approach to creating new ventures is rooted in trial and error-test markets with new concepts and a minimum amount of capital, and hope for valuable businesses to emerge. But this fail-fast, hit-or-miss, step-and-pivot, or tech-first philosophy can leave a trail of destruction and loss in its wake. It can be like a random walk in the forest-without a compass. This book is about helping the great entrepreneurs find true north. Henry Kressel and Norman Winarsky-technologists, inventors, and investors with stellar track records-have an approach for those who wish to create a market-leading company that will make an impact on the world: a disciplined and staged approach they've used to launch, invest in, and develop dozens of successful companies-and to create whole new markets. The method they describe takes the entrepreneur by the hand, step-by-step, through the critical stages of development of a great venture, from concept to acquisition or public offering, to being a mature company seeking to maintain its culture of innovation. It is a guide by innovators and for innovators, with approaches that are timeless. If You Really Want to Change the World is your guide to creating massively successful ventures. Drawing on the authors' experiences as well as those of their partners from around the world, Kressel and Winarsky share the stories of their triumphs and misses as of a way of demonstrating their method and inspiring their readers. They guide entrepreneurs and innovators in companies of all scale-start-ups, research institutions, government agencies, and corporations-on how to execute with the aim of creating companies that can change the world. "--

From the perfect lip stick to mergers and acquisitions,Lessons of a Lipstick Queenfollows Popy King's extraordinary journey through the world of business and teaches you how to be more entrepreneurial in your own life.If an eighteen-year-old girl's search for the ideal matte lipstick can turn into a multimillion-dollar company, anything is possible. When Poppy King finished high school, all she had to show for herself were some lackluster grades and a hundred and one ways to get out of phys ed. Within three years, however, she was president of her own hugely successful lipstick brand, Poppy Industries.How did she do it?InLessons of a Lipstick Queen, Poppy reveals how she managed to launch her business, extracting valuable lessons from the experience as she goes along. Through Poppy's example, you can learn how to become a real entrepreneur -- from recognizing a good idea and finding financing, to marketing yourself and your brand, to approaching the media and avoiding common pitfalls. Whether you are looking to go into business for the first time, or simply want to build on your current career, Poppy King is the voice of experience that you should be listening to.In a world where everyone is eager to get ahead, it's essential to think like an entrepreneur. Much more than just a guide to success,Lessons of a Lipstick Queenis a candid adventure story designed to take you on a journey of self-discovery.Filled with exercises, concrete tips, and Poppy's personal and professional anecdotes, this motivational book will help readers get in touch with their inner entrepreneur.

Provides a ten-stage SEED (Sustainable Enterprise and Empowerment Dynamics) programme on how to create a sustainable enterprise the feminine way.

The Essential Guide to Successful Entrepreneurship The first-step-by-step practical and spiritual guide for current and aspiring entrepreneurs. * A complete guidebook on taking your business from initial inspiration to sustainable success * Ways to identify your entrepreneurial "currencies" and Achilles' Heels * Real-life examples from entrepreneurs illustrating key concepts * A personal workbook to record your progress * A step-by-step program on how to create a strategic business plan and raise capital * 2 Audio CDs with guided exercises on attaining critical self-knowledge Includes: * Guidebook * Personal Workbook * 140 Adviser Cards * 2 Audio CDs

Disruptive businesses are born every day. Someone has a great idea that offers a better choice in terms of price, convenience, service or functionality, and for a moment, they hold the keys to the remaking of an entire industry. Yet many of these businesses let advantage slip through their hands over time because they fail to realize that the fast pace of technology allows a challenge to come from anywhere - large competitors or startups -- and overtake them in an instant. This is Accelerated Disruption. It is business development moving at the speed of the next technological advancement. Businesses that can understand and control the forces of technology will thrive in the coming years. Those that cannot will find themselves displaced. Accelerated Disruption deals with the following critical startup concepts and more: * Choosing the right industries to innovate * Understanding the concept of pain in an industry and turning it to competitive advantage * Using the strength of conventional wisdom to investigate a disruptive idea and test it under the radar * Getting the best out of your people through smart automation * Turning your customer base into a sophisticated R&D team * Mastering the art of quick-release product improvements * Promoting your idea in the face of industry and investor resistance * Developing a capital strategy that supports your business during critical stages of development Author Eric Lefkofsky, a Chicago entrepreneur who helped found five technology startups worth more than a billion dollars, explains how disruptive businesses are formed, grown and sustained and provides an intellectual and conceptual framework for making your idea a reality.